The University of Maryland offers a breadth and depth of knowledge, if only you know where to look. As an incoming freshman last semester, I registered for my major requirements and supporting courses for Science and Global Change. This placed me in a typical Biology major pathway, taking Chemistry and Biology, with my oral communication credit thrown in. Then, I decided to take a supporting course for Scholars, leading me to take AOSC 200. In this weather and climate class, I learned a lot of the science behind ocean currents, weather patterns, and climate change. Much of this content is similar to some of the lectures from Colloquium. However, this supporting course is not the one I have enjoyed the most. This semester, I am taking HISP200, which is one of the few classes I have taken that has truly taught me to challenge the framework for how I think. It is a historical preservation class that covers a variety of topics through the lens of the built environment. While I did not really know what I signed up for when I registered for this class, I have really enjoyed the content and learning about history from a different side. It focuses on the stories that are not typically talked about, and in doing so, it emphasizes the importance of looking at as many different perspectives as possible. I believe that the requirement for supporting courses has pushed me to challenge myself by taking classes that I otherwise wouldn’t have signed up for. This semester, I am also taking ENGL273. In high school, my English teacher introduced me to writing poetry in a brief unit at the end of my senior year. Now, due to my continued learning in my beginner poetry workshop, I applied and have been accepted into the Jimenez-Porter Writers’ House. I am excited to grow in my creative writing over the next few years through this program. I would never have known about this opportunity if I had not signed up for a beginner poetry workshop.
In addition to taking random classes that sound interesting, I think it is important to give yourself grace and be willing to change your plan. For me, this means switching my major to Public Health Science after learning I do not love my Biology classes and lab work. Now, I will be taking policy classes and looking at health through all the different factors that affect the human experience, while still taking the necessary science background to follow the Pre-Physical Therapy track.
I did not necessarily feel prepared for the amount of studying that each exam requires. In high school, I studied for a few hours the night before an exam, maybe two nights before for particularly hard classes. However, I study over 12 hours for each of my STEM exams in college. Even with all this studying, you will not always get an A, which was a difficult adjustment for someone who was able to keep straight As in almost all my classes in high school. Another aspect of the big university life that I was not prepared for is the development of connections with professors. However, this is something that can easily be fostered with just a little bit of effort. Whether it is thanking your professors on the way out of class, or attending office hours to ask questions, you can develop a relationship with them pretty easily. You just have to be willing to put in some effort. For me, it also makes me feel a little more seen when my professors know my name and smile at me as I come into class. I recommend showing up to office hours, sitting near the front in lecture, and just maintaining a constant presence as the foundation for these relationships.
Adjusting to University of Maryland life can be difficult, but if you reach out to your peers and traverse this process together, you will make better friends and get through it together. If you feel homesick or lost, don’t hold it inside of you, instead talk about it with your friends. Often, they feel the same way. Reach out to people around you. It will help the transition in so many ways. It is also completely normal for your friend groups to shift. The people you meet and hangout with the first weekend of school may not be the people you want to live with next year or spend time with often, but they may also be. No matter what, just do what feels best for you. For me, joining different clubs, programs, and activities has allowed me to connect with more people on campus. Getting involved is a great way to meet people and will help you to fill the free time you will have.