Throughout this past year I have learned a lot about college life and myself. The University presented many great opportunities for me to partake in and a wide variety of classes to learn from. From the classes I took this semester, apart from Scholars, Woman Studies and Discrete Structures were two of the classes that came as a surprise to me. My Women's Studies course pushed me to reconsider my knowledge about gender and sexuality and made me aware of the complexity and diversity of these issues. Furthermore, Discrete Structures exposed me to the complexity of mathematical structures as well as their usefulness in my major, Computer Science. Some strategies incoming students should use are to think about enrolling in classes that are outside their comfort zones. Students should utilize the variety of courses available and ask instructors or seniors for suggestions. They shouldn't be scared to participate in class discussions or to offer questions since they will get more out of their education from it.
The opportunity to establish mentoring connections with academics is one of the best options available to students at universities. Visiting professors during office hours has been the key to my best success in this field. Sometimes the conversations are about the class material itself while other times it will just be about how our day was. The biggest challenge, though, has been to find common ground with some professors who have different interests. To get beyond this challenge, I advise new students to show curiosity and initiative by showing up for office hours and participating in class. In order to develop relationships outside of the classroom, students might also look for research opportunities, volunteer opportunities, or simply go to the professors office hours.
At first, adjusting to the University is not that easy but there are many ways to cope with this adjustment such as developing relationships with other peers. Making friends in classes can help you positively since you have someone accessible to turn to when you need. Some obstacles that can come in the way are time restraints and social anxiety. In order to make the most of their relationships with classmates, students should start participating in extracurricular activities and joining groups or organizations that they are interested in. This will help students gain a solid network that will help them get through any difficulties the university may present them.
Looking back at my first year, some aspects I was least prepared for were the workload and the time management I had to have. Compared to high school, the amount of work may not be as much in the beginning, but having a lot of freedom can lead to a difficult time on finishing this work by when it is due. It was also harder to be a part of multiple extracurricular activities while pursuing an education at the same time. To address these issues beforehand, students should practice strong time management skills before attending university. They can make, to-do lists, schedule specific study time, etc to prepare for this. Overall, adjusting to university academic life wasn't as complicated as some may say it is as long as you know what is the best schedule for you and what you hope to accomplish from the university.
In conclusion, my first year at the university has been amazing. Even though there may have been some difficult times, I was able to learn from these experiences and grow. I want to advise incoming students to approach this new chapter of their life with an open mind and to make the most of all the resources and support that are offered to them as this will be the biggest key to their success.