University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

Thus far, college has helped me find myself as an individual. Most high school seniors join each other in the hectic whirlwind of applying to numbers of colleges. Yet after sending out their thick pile of applications, many are left unsure of why they spent their summer nights writing essays and answering ubiquitous questions instead of going bowling or hanging out with their friends. And I was one of the mere confused. However, since entering and sitting in various classes, I was able to understand what I had not before. For one, my classes have helped me visualize the potential in me that I was once unable to see. And secondly, studying a wide range of subjects helped me narrow down my eclectic range of interests to one that most appealed to me as a lifelong worthy ambition. Overall, college has changed my perception and this experience so far has made me into a more driven and assured individual.

Attending college has been valauble because it really opens up a person's mind. Before I attended Maryland, I assume the people here were just a bunch of stuck up smarty pants and that I was going to have a difficult time adjusting. Later, I learned that they are just ordinary people who wants the best for their future. We all are working hard for something.

College has been much more than an academic experience for me. I have definitly gained a variety of business knowledge through my courses in the Smith Business School. Yet, the most valuable part of my college experience has perhaps been discovering the career field I wish to pursue: event planning. I have been lucky enough to network throughout my university, and more importantly the surrounding area of Washington DC, within this field. This has led me to internships and friendships I will be able to use for my professional future. My time at UMD has also been a personal growing experience. I have become a more confident, organized, and independant person. Through meeting new friends, being on my own for the first time, and learning to take responsibility for myself in all aspects of life I have seen growth and change in myself that I would not otherwise have experienced had I not gone to college. Overall my college experience has been priceless. It has prepared me for the real world in every way possible: academic, professional, and social. I am a better person and more prepared in for "adult" life because of college.

Attending college takes you out of your comfort zone. Being exposed to different people each day from various backgrounds, made me realize I still have a lot to learn about the world. The academics in college also made me realize how competitive the real world is and how you have to continually strive for the best. Through all aspects of school, I learn something new about myself each day. Attending college is making me a better person because by knowing more about the world, the more I want to strive to be more civically engaged in my community or even anywhere I find myself in the world. In college, I am learning the truth about the world and the role I play as an individual in making a difference.

So far, I feel that my college experience has very much differed from the majority of my peers. I commute to school and it has been somewhat difficult adjusting to the school atmosphere, but feels a bit the same because of the commute. I wish to be more involved within the school community, but I am restricted to do so because of the many inconveniences in scheduling. The college experience has given me a realistic perspective of the world. I have become more independent in financial and realistic matters. Because my financial circumstances has restricted me from living on-campus and forced me to continue a part-time job while being a full-time college student, I am more self-reliant. I hope that in the following years of college, I will be able to stand in better and stable financial circumstances to support myself and live on-campus.

What I feel I have really gotten out of college is an increased awareness and ability to be independent. Most people who come into college have not had a lot of experience in making their own decisions and taking control of their whole life, and once you get to college you really get the chance to do that. I love being able to have full control over my schedules and weekends. There's absolutely nothing that can stop you from doing what you want in college, and that's a great experience to have. I would not trade this first semester experience for anything, not even for better dorms!

My college experience has undoubtedly been the best time of my life so far, not so much for the classes as for the relationships I've built. Sure, I had good friends in high school, but after I moved into my college dorm, where I was living full-time with my peers, I couldn't help but be closer with the people around me, both literally and figuratively. Now that I wasn't with my family anymore, I would share the everyday rituals like meals and chores with my new friends, who slowly but surely formed my new family away from home. Friends from class projects were the same people I went out to dinner with. What resulted was a group of friends that truly cared for eachother and shared the same interests. This kind of opportunity for companionship is rare elsewhere. After college, I will have several lifelong friends that I never thought I would have before, and will be matured beyond my years because of the life lessons I learned outside the classroom.

Having even the option to go to college is a honor in itself. Not everyone gets to attend college, so I feel that I have something to prove not only to myself, but to my family and others around me. Through my college experience, I've not only gained how to grow as a student and as a person, but also who I am as a person. Through social and extracurricular activities, I've gained friends and connections that will absolutely be useful later in life. As a student I learned "how to learn" at an upper level, which will make it easier to transition to learning job training in the field. It of course has been valuable to attend college because I am gaining an education that some people are not exposed to for whatever reason, and I do not take this opportunity for granted.

I can't say what has been most exciting for me in attending college, the scholarship or the freedom. I'm finally taking only the classes I want, at only the times I want (no mornings!). I'm learning subjects that I am actually passionate about. And I have the whole world open to me, both in the wide array of activities available on campus and in being only a short bus ride away from an amazingly international city and a major hub for transportation. But above all, throughout all of this I am learning about myself: about my strengths and how to apply those to help out with what is important to me, and how to be realistic and acknowledge my weaknesses, or fix them. I've tested myself and learned from being thrown into this miniature world so that when I am thrown into the real world of today's economy and society I will be able to stand on my own and stride confidently forward.

As i went through high school, college was not on my mind. It was not an option for me due to financial reasons. I am grateful for finding the funds I need for this year of school. My college experience has allowed me to grow. I have learned to handle my finances in order to make it through the year. I am able to handle a large workload more efficiently than years before. My experiences so far have been excellent to my personal growth. The school I am attending was an excelent choice for the major I had chosen to pursue. I am very grateful for even being able to attend college.