New Beginnings: A First Year in Review
Minute to minute and day to day, nothing seems to change, yet here I am at the end of my freshman year of college and everything is different. I used to fear change, avoid change, and do everything in my power to not experience it. However, through the relationships and connections I have developed this year, I have grown into a student and a person with an open mind and a positive attitude toward all that my future has to offer.
Though the transition from high school to college was not without hardship, I was surprised by how many positive incidents and interactions outweighed the negative. Convinced I couldn’t survive without being constantly surrounded by my close-knit group of high school friends, in combination with commuting to and from campus each day, I initially did not put much effort into meeting new people or making new friends. Thankfully, the University of Cincinnati's First Year Experience and Learning Community program put me in close proximity with other students in my major and made it easy for me to get to know them.
The most important relationships I have developed this year are the ones I have with the people in my learning community. As the year progressed, specifically during second semester, I found that I had more in common than just major with some of the girls in my LC. Three of the girls specifically became very close friends of mine and helped make my first year the great experience that it was. Thanks to these three girls, I found myself spending more and more time on campus, getting involved in clubs and activities, and even vacationing to Florida with them. Together we joined the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association, participated in Relay for Life on campus, held a bake sale to raise Autism awareness, and made plans to study abroad together in the future. Our relationship is important not only because we mesh well as people and enjoy each other’s company, but because we motivate, inspire, and push each other to be the best students and people we can possibly be.
Since coming to UC, I feel that my attitude towards change and new experiences is what has changed the most. Before starting at the University of Cincinnati, I was very set in my ways and not looking to branch out or expand my horizons. Now, however, I am very excited for new experiences and am more likely to take chances and pursue involvements I would have not previously considered. After the incredible first year I’ve had at UC, I can’t imagine not taking every opportunity I am offered.
As I move forward through my college career, I plan to keep an open mind and remember that change is not always a bad thing and that it is necessary for growth. I plan to take my experiences from this first year and keep in mind how many incredible people I’ve met and unforgettable moments I’ve enjoyed when making decisions throughout the rest of my college career. Moving forward, I am very excited for new experiences, travelling abroad, meeting new people, and expanding my professional network.
Entering into my second year, I hope to keep an open mind and an open heart and to continue to get involved and try new things. Specifically, I would like to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the University Honors program and travel abroad, whether that be through a study tour or a self-designed experience.
I hope that my time here at the University of Cincinnati and my involvement in the University Honors Program takes me places that I could have never imagined at the start of this year. I have learned so many incredible things both academic-wise and about myself, as well as developed deep and meaningful relationships, and I can only hope to continue that trend in the upcoming years.
Though the transition from high school to college was not without hardship, I was surprised by how many positive incidents and interactions outweighed the negative. Convinced I couldn’t survive without being constantly surrounded by my close-knit group of high school friends, in combination with commuting to and from campus each day, I initially did not put much effort into meeting new people or making new friends. Thankfully, the University of Cincinnati's First Year Experience and Learning Community program put me in close proximity with other students in my major and made it easy for me to get to know them.
The most important relationships I have developed this year are the ones I have with the people in my learning community. As the year progressed, specifically during second semester, I found that I had more in common than just major with some of the girls in my LC. Three of the girls specifically became very close friends of mine and helped make my first year the great experience that it was. Thanks to these three girls, I found myself spending more and more time on campus, getting involved in clubs and activities, and even vacationing to Florida with them. Together we joined the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association, participated in Relay for Life on campus, held a bake sale to raise Autism awareness, and made plans to study abroad together in the future. Our relationship is important not only because we mesh well as people and enjoy each other’s company, but because we motivate, inspire, and push each other to be the best students and people we can possibly be.
Since coming to UC, I feel that my attitude towards change and new experiences is what has changed the most. Before starting at the University of Cincinnati, I was very set in my ways and not looking to branch out or expand my horizons. Now, however, I am very excited for new experiences and am more likely to take chances and pursue involvements I would have not previously considered. After the incredible first year I’ve had at UC, I can’t imagine not taking every opportunity I am offered.
As I move forward through my college career, I plan to keep an open mind and remember that change is not always a bad thing and that it is necessary for growth. I plan to take my experiences from this first year and keep in mind how many incredible people I’ve met and unforgettable moments I’ve enjoyed when making decisions throughout the rest of my college career. Moving forward, I am very excited for new experiences, travelling abroad, meeting new people, and expanding my professional network.
Entering into my second year, I hope to keep an open mind and an open heart and to continue to get involved and try new things. Specifically, I would like to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the University Honors program and travel abroad, whether that be through a study tour or a self-designed experience.
I hope that my time here at the University of Cincinnati and my involvement in the University Honors Program takes me places that I could have never imagined at the start of this year. I have learned so many incredible things both academic-wise and about myself, as well as developed deep and meaningful relationships, and I can only hope to continue that trend in the upcoming years.