First Year at the University of Maryland Reflection
For me, freshman year was full of many surprises, but it was an overall great experience. I enjoyed the classes I took, the activities I was a part of, and the people I met, which is why I am eager for next year to begin. With this being said, there are many topics I would like to reflect on including the classes I took, the mentorship I received, the relationships I have made, and academic life as a whole.
To start, there were many classes I thoroughly enjoyed. First semester I took a general education course called Global Literature and Social Change that became one of my favorite courses I have taken this year. Going into take the class, I had the mindset of simply needing to fulfill a credit; however, the concepts we covered in the course were very interesting and I loved the discussions we had about literature in its relation to social change. It changed my perspective on taking classes outside of one’s major and finding interests in different academic categories. Additionally, I took microeconomics last semester which I was a little hesitant about when going into. This was mainly because I did not know what to expect and what the topic entailed. After taking the class, I became very interested in the subject because it made me have a better understanding of a subject that correlates with my major. I am a business major, so learning about the economy is crucial to my academic success. The course made me feel more reassured about my major as I became interested in it. It helped me learn not to be scared about subjects you may be unfamiliar with and opened my eyes to new topics. With all of this being said, incoming students should be optimistic about the courses they take and should not judge a course by its description. Simply because a course is new or it may not match your major should not be a reason for one to not take the course. One should take chances and focus on learning new things.
Developing relationships with faculty is very important as it helps one learn about new opportunities, gain a better understanding of the subjects they are learning, and simply have a chance to meet someone new. The greatest connection that I have made this semester is with my global literature professor. After learning more about the course, I was able to connect it with an elective I took in high school that I also thoroughly enjoyed. I took a film class about literature that had many similarities to the course I took last semester. Having discussions about these courses with him enhanced my understanding of the class and allowed me to expand my network. I have also developed a strong relationship with my macroeconomics professor this semester after going in for office hours and asking her questions after class. I would highly recommend that incoming students develop these relationships because it helps expand their network and provides them with a greater appreciation of the faculty at UMD. Reflecting on this year, I wish I would have made more relationships with my professors to gain a better understanding of the subjects I am taking along with expanding my network. My biggest obstacles when making these connections were due to the time crunch between other obligations I had along with having a small fear of talking to my professors. I will definitely get over this next year because I want to get to know the faculty more. I plan on doing this by going to more office hours and staying after class to talk to them.
Making relationships with others is an interesting experience as you are meeting people with many different interests and backgrounds. Since UMD is a big school and college is a very new environment, it can take a while to find a close group of friends. That is what made it exciting for me. I met many different people and learned about their experiences, allowing me to make new ones of my own. At the end of the year, I made some great friends on the dance team I joined, Maryland Manzar. I learned that joining activities and clubs is one of the best ways to meet people and make new friends. These relationships are very important because you can share similar experiences with your peers when going through college. For example, studying with your friends during finals is a great way to keep you motivated and receive tips on how to improve your studying habits. An obstacle behind making relationships is that it can take time to find a close group of friends; however, going to events and getting involved is a great way to counter this. I also recommend that freshmen use their relationships to find more opportunities provided by the school. This makes one feel more willing to participate in these activities because they have someone to do it with.
Lastly, when discussing academics, I think I was least prepared for the pace of college life. College courses go by very quickly. You learn material for a course in the span of four months and only take the course 2-3 times a week. This can make it very difficult to obtain information about every concept because of the limited amount of time you have. One may also have setbacks if they have an off day, so factors such as these need to be considered when taking the course. It is completely possible to be successful in these classes as long as one has proper time management and study skills. Focusing on keeping a steady school to life balance will also help you achieve this. Another aspect of academic life that I was not prepared for was the shift in one’s workload. Different courses will require one to complete different amounts of work. Sometimes the workload can be more demanding than other courses. I recommend keeping a planner, looking at CANVAS calendar, and prioritizing assignments with heavier weights and earlier due dates. Strategies like these will help one maintain a demanding workload. All in all, there will be ups and downs in terms of academics, but it is a learning adjustment that comes with time but is completely achievable.
Overall, freshmen year was a very exciting year as I had many different and exciting experiences. I took amazing courses, learned from great professors, met new people, and learned how to take on a college workload. I am now very excited for sophomore year and so happy to be a Terp.