The idea of college was always an awkward thing for me to grasp. I always knew I wanted to go but never fully processed the thoughts of it happening until actually moving in. When it began to get more realistic (after graduation) that I was no longer in a number grade, I imagined what it would be like to live at school, walk to classes, and live independently. When I made my first semester schedule and I saw I would no longer have to wake up at 6am and had breaks in between classes, I was pretty excited. I thought college would be a breeze. I was also pretty good at time managing in high school so I figured the adjustment would be manageable. I was not entirely wrong nor was I entirely right. As a STEM major at UMD, there is a rigorous expectation to live up to while juggling the various course and major requirements. I quickly snapped out of my idea that college would be like the “13th grade” when I saw I had a calculus quiz on the first week of school.
Prior to attending a university, I heard several horror stories of students pulling all-nighters, failing tests, and eating ramen every meal. I expected to encounter impossible classes and scary professors. And to make matters even worse, everyone was telling me that my MATH141 (calculus 2) class was the worst math they'd ever taken, and was a "weed out" class, meaning the university uses it to weed out the people in the major who are not ready to put forth the amount of work it takes to succeed in the field. I believed in myself that I would be able to handle it, but I feared I would have no balance in life and always have to be bogged down by never-ending studying. In actuality, classes were not like this at all. I was lucky enough to get really cool and helpful professors (as I know not all college professors are like this) for my first semester of college. They have all been understanding, lenient, and very personable. I felt comfortable asking questions and having conversations. Another thing I was not expecting was the existence of Teaching Assistants (TAs), and how integral they were in the experience of a course, oftentimes teaching discussions without the presence of the professor. In high school, it was always a small class of up to 30 (mostly smaller) with your teacher. But now, there are upwards of 200 people in my lectures and multiple TAs. I like the fact that UMD acknowledges the large size of the school and includes discussions with a course to be able to learn in a smaller setting to get more focused help. It gives the feel of classes back in high school.
In CPSG100, I expected to learn about environmental stability and all things climate change. At orientation, I specifically remember meeting with Dr. Holtz and Dr. Merck where they emphasized that this program was science AND global change, so although we would have covered aspects of the environment in the course, we would be learning about other sciences as well. I did not expect to learn about the core of scientific aspects like hypotheses, fallacies, how to read/write a scientific paper. We have all the basic tools and definitions for the foundations of science, and I am looking forward to learning how we can build on these ideas and apply them to more concepts. Also, I did not expect SGC to put forth so much effort in getting their students hands on experience through the several field trips and excursions we were granted access to. I expected it to be a much harder and costly process than just signing up and going and I was always pleasantly surprised at how seamless, well-planned, and fun the excursions were. I specifically loved the New York trip to the American Museum of Natural History.
When it comes to university life, I was extremely unsure of what to expect. I stated prior that I was nervous about lacking balance in life, due to the demands of classes. On the other hand, I could have adjusted quickly and had all the free time in the world. I truly did not have an expectation when it came to what my life would be like at UMD. I would say this first semester has been a mix of both outcomes which provided the balance I was hoping for. There were certainly moments where I had to study for hours on end, but there were times I could put my work away and do fun things with my friends. Once I got into the groove of my class schedule and when assignments were due, I could use it to my advantage to maximize my free time. Living in a dorm was much better than I had anticipated. I made my dorm room feel like my home and I enjoy being in it. I also got lucky with a great roommate and fun floor, so it makes the experience much better. If I could change one thing it would be that I wish I would have taken more advantage of the many club opportunities (academic and recreational). I am hoping that in the future I can immerse myself in different club and campus activities. .
If I had to give advice for future SGC students about the transition to college life, I would say to make sure they stay on top of their work but make sure they are having fun. I would also say to make sure they keep the idea that they are here for school at the forefront. If you have to take an 8am class, or stay later, or go to office hours it is definitely worth it if it means it will help you academically. College is what you make it, and you have all the power to decide how your experience will be.