The moment my first class started back in August, I knew it was going to be so much better than high school. Longer classes, sure, but fewer times per week, and with longer breaks throughout the day. Waking up later than 6 am is a perk, of course. I expected more work, but less stringent teachers, and more flexibility in certain classes. I wasn’t disappointed, for the most part. Most of my classes have a similar or larger course load, although I appreciate the lecture-style classes which revolve mostly around worksheets and quizzes. I was never a big fan of random busywork in high school. Strict lecture classes aren’t my favorite, though, as I don’t learn super well from just listening to someone else speak, especially if they aren’t excited about it themselves. Also, in one of my lecture classes, there were some very strict deadlines and rules on assignment submissions, which wasn’t fun, but on the other hand, they dropped the lowest grades for a couple of sections, allowing me to easily maintain a high grade. This was completely different from high school. On the other hand, in some classes like English, assignment due dates were flexible and there was a lot of room for unique experiences in the class, which I really appreciated.
With regards to the Science & Global Change curriculum, I assumed it would be mostly focused on climate change and environmental factors, and was surprised when most of the first semester instead focused on cognitive science. I appreciated this, especially since it otherwise would have been rather redundant considering my major (Environmental Science & Technology). When I first chose my College Park Scholars program, I didn’t think to read up so much on any of them, and mostly chose simply based on the titles. I didn’t really know what to expect. This was a mistake, and it led me to not enjoy my time this semester in SGC as much as I probably should have. On the other hand, the curriculum has inspired some deep conversation with my peers, as well as provided me with some interesting reading material that I wouldn’t have otherwise picked up. For that, I am thankful.
I had a relatively unusual and uneventful transition to college life, or so my therapist tells me. I had no qualms about living in a dorm, no difficulty with my roommate, and only a slight contempt for the floor bathroom. In essence, it felt like living at school, which makes sense. While I may have preferred to live on my own, I appreciate living with a roommate, and find benefit to having a built-in friend. I feel bad for those students whose roommates aren’t so nice, or aren’t friends with each other, as I’ve gained so much from living with someone who I genuinely appreciate. One benefit of going to school here is that I’m rather close to home, and one of the extracurricular activities that I partake in occurs right around the corner from my house, so I see my family rather often. Also, my dad works here, so… Some people might not like that, but it was one of the things that boosted UMD in my mind. Food is another thing that I really appreciate here. In high school, I never ate super well, but coming here, living right next to Yahentamitsi, and getting to eat such high quality food every day has really changed my life. I heard so many horror stories before I came here about college food, and I think I got really lucky.
The only advice I can offer to future SGC students is to think deeply about the choices you make in college. Take your time and do things that will make you happy and proud of yourself. Work hard but don’t overwork yourself, because an A is just as good as an A+ at this school. Involve yourself in clubs, go sing or dance if that’s your thing, because that is how you will make real friends, not at the bar. If you can manage it, get some regular exercise; Eppley exists for a good reason, and you should take advantage of it.
There are so many people at this school, and I am so lucky that I was able to find my people so quickly. I’m incredibly grateful to the warm arms of this school and the huge variety of student activities that one can partake in. I can’t wait for the next step in my education: Semester #2!