As my freshman year of college comes to an end, it is important for me to reflect upon my life regarding academics, friendships, and how my expectations have met reality.
The course that came as the greatest revelation to me was Introduction to Environmental Policy. As an Environmental Science and Policy major, I have always had a slight interest in Environmental Policy but my real interest has always lied in science. So, before taking Introduction to Environmental Policy I expected it to just be a regular class that I am only taking because it is a major requirement. I was very wrong about this. Through this class, I have learned the intricacies of environmental policy with topics ranging anywhere from policies protecting endangered species to policies enforcing waste management. This class was extremely interesting and has taught me about many different topics that are extremely relevant to my life. A piece of advice I would give future students is to be open-minded about taking different classes that may not be initially interesting to them.
Developing mentoring relationships with professors has allowed me to gain extra knowledge about my courses that I would not have gained from only attending lectures. In addition, developing relationships with professors who teach courses in my major has allowed me to gain extra insights into future career options. My greatest obstacle to achieving this was gaining the initial courage to go and speak with a professor for the first time. However, once I was able to do it once, it felt much easier to do so again. I would advise going to a professor's office hours as much as you can and attending the first one with a question/comment. Once the first interaction is made, it will become easier to speak with this professor and gain insight from them.
Making meaningful connections at college has allowed me to make amazing memories and experience amazing things. However, it was difficult to find people to become such great friends with. My biggest obstacle was making sure to reach out to different people and put myself out there. In high school, I did not have to actively make plans with people as much to see them because I would see them at school every day anyway! At college, it is much more different because you are not guaranteed to see a certain person unless you actively make plans. However, once you get over your initial fear of reaching out to someone, it becomes easy to maintain connections. I would advise making sure you get people’s contact information so that you can make plans easily.
I was least prepared for entering a life that was mostly focused on academics. In high school, my life was equally split between school, extracurriculars, friends, and family. However, when I first began college it seemed that school took up most of my days. To combat this, I began to search for clubs and activities to do in my free time. I also made sure to allocate time in my day to spend time with friends and to make calls to my family. This allowed me to gain a more balanced life. I would recommend a similar approach because, while you are school for an education, you also need to make sure you are enjoying your life at college.
In conclusion, my first year at the University of Maryland has been so much fun, and I look forward to my next three years.