This year, my classes were similar to what I expected from University courses. One thing that was new to college as opposed to high school was that in my major-related classes, most of the time I spent on the classes were on studying for them outside of lecture, rather than doing assignments with due dates. Something else that was new was the grade breakdown: in these major-related courses, the grade was heavily biased towards the exams, whereas in high school it was more focused on the assignments. Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised with how interesting my classes were, and frankly impressed with the quality of the instruction compared to that of high school. The teachers I have had this semester, especially those in my major, have been the best I have ever had. It's augmented by the fact that everyone, from the teachers to the students, is so passionate about what they're doing. It's a worn-out saying, especially at a university, but I really do feel like I've found my tribe.
In my CPSG100 course, I was surprised by the amount of discussion of the nature of science itself, as opposed to climate change. However, having now completed the course, I understand why this had to be the case. In order to understand climate change, and especially in order to handle the arguments surrounding it and effectively communicate it to the public, it is imperative that one understands the methods of properly conducted science. In terms of the science itself, I was very pleasantly surprised by the coverage of planetary science. I found the discussion of the interaction of Earth's planetary-scale systems with weather fascinating, such as the discussion of the Coriolis effect, Hadley cells, and the atmospheric temperature as a function of altitude from the surface.
Furthermore, the activities outside of class were a great accompaniment to the course. I greatly enjoyed the SGC trip to the aquatic gardens, and found it to be a very fulfilling physical task in the same vein as the discussion of protecting biodiversity that we have had throughout the course of this class. While it was fairly unrelated to the course subject matter, attending the Constitution talk was an extremely interesting experience that was very different from the topics that usually occupy my mind while on campus as a physics/astronomy major. It gave me critical context in American law and public policy, which are vital to understand as someone attempting to enact positive global change.
This semester, I lived in Centreville Hall, with a single roommate. I found the living community fun and conducive to learning. I have made some of my best friends on my Centreville floor, and enjoy the academic environment that comes with living in Centreville Hall. Something that has positively surprised me about college life compared to how I thought it would be in high school is that the people are uniquely warm and friendly to everyone, nearly all the time, creating a real sense of community. You can start a conversation with a stranger in the laundry room that feels like one with an old friend, and everyone is ready to jump in to help when you have a problem. I don't know exactly what it is about the college environment that makes people so readily friendly, but I think it has something to do with thrusting all of us into a new social environment at the same time, creating a shared experience and forcing a social reshuffling. Whatever it is, I'm glad for it, and hope it continues throughout college.
Advice I would give to an SGC student who is beginning college in order to ease them into college life would be to try everything, and be too busy for a little while. It sounds cliche, but the more you involve yourself in, the higher the likelihood that you will find something you will enjoy, so whenever possible, say yes, and be the person who makes it work, at least for a little while. People will notice your passion and notice how active you are in pursuing your interests and goals, and it will pay off. Being too busy obviously is not sustainable in the long run, but at least at the beginning of the semester, if you're not too busy, something is probably wrong. You should be figuring out the rhythm of your classes, pushing the boundaries of your social life, and making as many connections as possible, both professional and not. It will feel like a lot, but that means you're growing, and the busiest times of my life (especially when that business is broad, rather than focused on one thing) are always those I look back most fondly on. College is a time to try as many new things as possible and for many people, it is the best chance they get in their life to be around people who are as interested in their passions as they are. Don't push yourself too hard, and make sure to have fun, but make great use of the incredible opportunity that college represents.