Nine months ago, I was a timid freshman. Walking into Houston House, I remember checking my room number for the third time that morning, probably unreasonably nervous that I would stumble into the wrong dorm. Really, there was quite a lot that I was nervous about. Will I be able to handle the classes? Will I get homesick? What if I can’t make any friends? These are, I assume, common freshman questions, and I completely understand why. Jumping from high school to college is a crazy lifestyle change.

Personally, I felt that I was more ‘ready’ than most incoming students. Perhaps it’s my go-with-the-flow style personality that made the adjustment easier for me, or maybe I should thank my parents for giving me some useful life skills that surely helped smooth the transition. Nevertheless, I believe I surprised myself with the ease with which I managed to get the hang of things around college life.

Be that as it may, you can’t be prepared for everything, and I have had my fair share of challenges on the way. In high school, I frequently succeeded in my classes without much significant effort, but college quickly proved to be a different story. Particularly in my Computer Science and Engineering Calculus courses during the first semester, I hastily learned what would be required of me to find success in those classes. Studying time was made a priority, and homework essentially became required. As a slower worker, midterms which were occasionally a press for time made me anxious and prone to mistakes. I had to learn to work efficiently and accept the results, whatever they may be.

This does not mean that I became complacent with less than stellar scores on tests or quizzes, but rather, I taught myself to breathe, learn from the mistakes, and move on to the next one, working no less diligently than before. I had to remind myself that it is okay to fail, as long as I try to improve.

Similar challenges have hounded me in my second semester, this time with Linear Algebra and Software. I have slowly learned to be patient with my growth and to keep working.

Also, I have developed better time management skills trying to find a balance between a seventeen credit hour schedule, clubs, scholars requirements, and ‘me-time’. Though I have honed my ability to be efficient with my work, I am looking forward to having a lighter schedule next semester.