This semester, I took my first soil science class. I knew that I was interested in the topic before, but had only learned about it very minimally. I’ve appreciated and enjoyed being able to learn about soils in depth. It’s really interesting to learn about a subject where there are still plenty of things unknown. There are parts of the textbook for the course that acknowledged the uncertainty of some subject matter and how more research needs to be done. Prior to college I had only rarely heard “we don’t know yet” uttered in the classroom. It’s refreshing to learn about things in the context of what still needs to be researched or discovered. This course is required for my major and is a prerequisite for many of the other soil science courses I will have to take, so I didn’t do anything special to discover the class. I would recommend incoming students simply follow the things they think they’re interested in. Chances are they’ll stumble into those revelations. Or, if they find the topic lacking, then they know to explore other passions. Freshman year is a great time to explore and decide you want to pursue.
When establishing relationships with faculty, most people will introduce themselves by going to office hours or participating in class. Personally, I sprained my ankle 3 weeks into my first semester. Most of my professors learned my name once I was the person on crutches sitting somewhere in the front of the room. In hindsight, I wish I had taken more advantage of that and opted to participate in class and develop those relationships early. Instead, it wasn’t until the end of fall semester when I decided to pursue a minor in Entomology, that I got to know one of my professors better, because he is also the advisor for the minor. Similarly, throughout second semester, I developed a better relationship with my soil science professor, because she is also my academic advisor and was the instructor for my lab section. I asked a lot of questions during lab and discussed my interests with her at times, and now next semester I will be on UMD’s soil judging team. I would recommend that incoming students sit in the front of the room. I’m not someone who tends to participate in lecture, but instead I ask questions during field trips and labs. In those smaller group settings, it’s a lot easier to discuss your interests and develop relationships with faculty, something even easier when they already recognize you from lecture. It can also be incredibly helpful when you’re applying to internships and need letters of recommendation, or feedback on project proposals. I didn’t come into college with any experience in my field, so I was incredibly grateful for the relationships I developed with some of my professors when it came to supporting my internship goals.
I have been really grateful to make close friendships with other students in my major. Two of my friends are the same concentration as me and will also be joining UMD’s soil judging team next semester. Having people that I can study with and brainstorm with has been incredibly valuable. I don’t think I would have been anywhere as successful in my biology class without my friends to study with. Alternatively, I’ve also made close friends pursuing completely different fields. It can be difficult to put yourself out there at first and establish those relationships with people in your classes, but it’s important to remember that everyone is in the same boat. The beginning of freshman year is a time of making friends and answering the question “What’s your major?” over and over again. Something that I’ve really valued about meeting so many new people is the opportunity to have in depth conversations with people of very diverse backgrounds. I love learning from the people around me and feel that I developed a really great support system in my first year of college.
I wasn’t entirely prepared for the combination of a heavier school workload and the never ending social life that comes with living on campus. I’m more of an introverted person, so going from having a lot of alone time to never being alone was a big transition for me. I spent first semester juggling friends and school and learning how to take time for myself sometimes. Despite the fact that my second semester was much busier with classes, I did a much better job of managing my time. I had days where I would spend time with friends and I had other days where I would do homework and spend time on my own. Time management is a big learning curve for a lot of people. For me, having a steady routine helped me feel a lot healthier and get a lot more done. Everyone is going to experience different struggles in the transition to university. Having friends and family that you can lean on is important so that when you do find yourself facing something you were unprepared for, you have people to support you through it.