The next few weeks, I made sure to stay on top of my work and get ahead whenever I could. Material felt more fast-paced and I had to learn time management. I stayed organized by planning out a daily to-do list and wrote down due dates of larger projects. This system worked well. In order to maximize my time, I found slots of free time during the day to do assignments. For example, I could start a writing task in between classes and study on the bus ride to school. I learned how to work under pressure. At first, it was a little stressful but I became confident in my ability to complete tasks on time.

In my free time, I explored campus and met up with friends for lunch. In my classes, I fell into a routine of sitting next to the same classmates. Soon, we were studying together and partnered up for projects. It was interesting to learn more about their backgrounds and interests. Throughout highschool, I was surrounded by the same people I have known since kindergarten. While college life is different in that aspect, I found comfort in an unfamiliar environment. 

Within the blink of an eye, midterms and finals came around. I made sure to study a week in advance and maintain an organized schedule. While there were moments where I felt overwhelmed, I learned how to work under pressure and earned above my desired scores. I ended my first quarter with new friendships and nearly all A’s.

Overall, I am proud of myself and surprised by how much I have learned during my first quarter. It was refreshing to learn more about myself and others around me. I have become more confident in my abilities. Most importantly, I realize that there is so much more to learn. I am eager to start my next quarter.