Semester Reflections

Semester 2

I would have to say that my second semester was not as enjoyable as the first, but I think it was more integral in the long run. My first semester was mainly getting acquainted with my surroundings and studies at the University of Maryland, and fortunately the courses I was taking weren’t extraordinarily difficult so I had the space and the time to be able to adjust. It was mostly smooth sailing – not many big developments other than discovering the everyday joys of college life.

The second semester, however, felt sort of all over the place. I had several professors who seemed unorganized or carried the sense that they were not yet accustomed to being lecturers to students, or would never even fully get accustomed to that role. Assignment due dates and expectations would change on the fly, and there was always a sense of “we’re flying by the seat of our pants.” In a way, it made me closer to these professors – we were just as lost as they were. But I made great connections with these educators, and many of their most important lessons came after class in the frank discussions I had with them about the job market, making connections with employers, and future routes of academic success at the University of Maryland.

The redeeming factor of these recent months, despite the confusion in class and bitter cold outside (up until recently) has been the connections I’ve made with my peers inside and outside of lecture halls – many of them have become my closest friends pretty recently. Throughout the first semester, I tried to make connections but I didn’t really go out of my way to bond with new people. I remained in my comfort zone but gradually expanded my horizons more and more.

By the end of the second semester, I had made many friends, inside and outside of Arts Scholars, mainly through extracurricular activities. I’ve become very active at WMUC, the University of Maryland’s flagship radio station. It’s a great place to meet new people and find new things to listen to. I love being a DJ there and getting to share the music I enjoy with the people “out there” in the ether listening at home. If there’s one thing I could recommend to incoming freshmen, it’s to do things outside of class. Join clubs, become active in on-campus organizations. To squander the incredible opportunities here in College Park is simply criminal.

The last thing I’ll say about the second semester was the personal impact of our workshops groups. Being able to have a class that was mainly based in collaboration with other members of Arts Scholars on a project that we each undertook in a different way with a slew of different approaches was really eye-opening and a valuable experience for me. I looked forward to working on scrapbooks with my Arts Scholars peers and bringing materials and ideas to share. I look forward to leading a workshop during my sophomore year.