There first thing I would like to discuss is my academic journey through my first two semesters.
One of the most interesting and challenging courses that I took in my freshman year was ENES102 in my
first semester. Otherwise known as Mechanics, this class made taking AP Physics C in high school
completely worth the effort, as I would have struggled immensely without my prior knowledge.
I did very poorly on the first exam because I did not study very well. I had never really had to study
much to do well in high school, so that was a bit shocking to realize that I actually needed to put
the work in if I wanted to succeed in these challenging courses. For the second exam, I made sure
I studied well and I ended up getting an A on the test. I carried this practice through to the end
of the semester and ended with an A in the course. Taking Mechanics also helped me realize that I
was in the wrong major. I loved the math, physics, and problem-solving aspects of this course more
than anything that I was doing in my bioengineering courses. I talked to my advisor and decided to
stay in BIOE for another semester, while also taking the introductory civil engineering course ENCE100,
to make sure that I was confident in my decision. I have now officially switched to civil engineering,
and I am very excited to be taking classes next semester that I have more of a passion for. I want to
let incoming freshmen know that the major you choose before you get here might not be right for you,
and that is completely fine. If you feel this way, definitely talk to your advisor, as well as other
students in the major so that you can take action as soon as possible. The earlier you switch your
major, the easier the transition will be.
My second piece of advice has more to do with the social side of college and the importance of
making new friends. Without my relationships with other students, adjusting to college would have
been a hundred times more difficult. Transitioning to university life can be a struggle, and it
is really helpful to go through it with people who are experiencing the same things as you. This
is why it is very important to make friends. The most difficult part of pursuing new friendships
is that you never know what will come of them initially. You might meet someone and get along well
with them, but then never seet them again. On the other hand, a random person you strike up a
conversation with could be your new best friend. Because of this, it is a good idea to put yourself
out there and not be afraid to talk to people. If you are looking for people with similar interests
to you there are hundreds of clubs and student organizations that you can join to meet all different
kinds of people, and I strongly encourage all freshmen to do so.
