Ritika's "Freshman Time Capsule" Reflection Essay

• The most surprising courses for me were my computer science courses, CMSC132, CMSC250, and CMSC 216 and a geology course, GEOL123, that I took as an elective. The computer science courses I took were very different from anything I had done in high school. Going into the year, I wasn't 100 percent sure about computer science, but after taking these CS classes, my interest and passion for computer science has grown. Although the workload was quite high and some projects were pretty challenging, the courses were very intriguing. GEOL123 opened my eyes to climate change as I hadn't looked deep into it before taking the course. It included detailed explanations of the various impacts of climate change and was very informative. I was introduced to several phenomena that I was completely unaware of. I would recommend taking at least one class that you don't know much about, but are interested in. There are a wide range of interesting general education classes that can help you learn about things other than your major. I would suggest taking the time to browse UMD's schedule of classes and reading the small description for various courses to find what interests you and explore it further.
• I think the biggest obstacle of developing relationships with faculty members is class sizes. In popular classes with several students, it can be difficult to stand out and develop a relationship with your professor. In such situations, I would recommend asking and answering questions during class. Since office hours provide one on one interaction with your professors, I believe they are the best way to get to know your professors. Not only does it help clarify any questions you have about course material, but also helps develop a strong relationship with your professor. I would also suggest meeting your advisor regularly. Advisors can provide great advice on your coursework and university life in general. Meeting with them often can help your advisor know you better and guide you through various situations.
• Forming strong connections with other students is great for adjusting to university life. Since everyone is experiencing adjusting to the university together, you can always ask your friends for advice in different situations and make sure you're on the right track. UMD offers several opportunities that many people aren't aware of. Having connections with fellow students can expose you to such opportunities as you may learn about them through these connections. I would say the greatest obstacle in pursuing these relationships is hesitation to reach out to others. It is important to go out of your comfort zone and approach others to form connections. In the online environment I had, I formed connections through the university facebook group and groupme. I also joined a few groups on groupme that had weekly game nights. This helped me meet various people that I normally wouldn't have been able to in an online environment. Clubs are also a great way to meet people that share similar interests as you. I think you can make the best use of your connection with your peers by asking them for help if you're struggling with something in a specific class or for advice if you are stressed about something. I would also suggest forming study groups as they can help strengthen your academic skills, especially with a lot to study.
• The biggest aspect of university life that I was least prepared for was the workload. Through movies and my high school teachers, I got the impression that the workload in college would be less than the workload in high school, but I was very wrong. At the beginning, I had trouble managing my time efficiently and would finish all my work at the last minute. I also procrastinated a lot, which didn’t help with my time management. I was also least prepared for the organization that is needed. If you delay starting assignments, they can pile up until you have very less time to complete all of them. I would suggest keeping a track of all your assignments and their due dates in a journal or on a document to begin them on time. I would also recommend planning out your week and day to be organized and finish your work in a timely fashion.

Last modified: 11 May 2021