My first semester at the University of Maryland has been nothing short of excellent. As someone coming from out of state, I was nervous coming into college in social aspects as well as academic responsibilities. Although I was nervous, I did expect my experience to be great. I expected to meet amazing people and thrive in my educational career. After coming to college and getting settled in, I can confidently say my expectations were met and exceeded. I did end up meeting a great group of friends and a support network. The academic aspect was more challenging than I had expected. I came into college with the notion that the classes associated with my major would be the most difficult and time-consuming with respect to the workload. This was an extremely rude awakening as I began struggling the most in my general education classes. I also did not realize how much the exams would be worth in all my classes. In high school, I had more tests, but they were not weighted nearly as much as they are here. This realization forced me to study and create habits that I had never before in college. In regards to the scholar's colloquium, I truly enjoy the class. I love the presentation and class style, I think the professors make it extremely entertaining and digestible. However, I came into the semester thinking we would solely cover climate change and the science behind it. I found it very surprising when we began learning about the history and evolution of humanity, how scientists can learn about our past, etc. Now the difference between my expectations and reality is vast but the reality is much better. The class does a terrific job explaining the necessity of learning about these topics and how learning about the past helps our future. The out-of-school activities have been better than expected. The University of Maryland has an extensive list of opportunities that is analogous to the giant student body. There is absolutely something for everyone and dozens upon dozens of places to meet people with similar interests. Again, coming from out of state and not knowing anyone or having a close network around me was scary, but this school and the people have been extremely welcoming and inclusive. My college life is different than my high school life. In high school, it is easy to follow what you are being told. You are in school for eight hours a day listening to teachers and then you come home to listen to your parents or to a job where you listen to your boss. While all those roles and relationships may still hold true in college, you begin forging your own path and learning what true responsibility and control over your life feels like. In college, you have the power to create your day-to-day schedule, it is up to you to take your academics seriously and create a balance between social and academic life. It is absolutely not easy taking on this responsibility, but it is extremely rewarding and freeing. My biggest piece of advice coming into college is to enjoy it. While school is going to be difficult and there are going to be countless stressful moments, pushing through is what is going to shape you into a better person. The lessons you learn along the way are going to be humbling and unlike anything you've experienced thus far, but will be for your benefit in the long run. College is only four years, so prioritize your academics but also enjoy it and have fun. Find that good balance and find people to share it with. This is an amazing university with terrific opportunities, seize them and you'll be thankful you did!