Surviving Semester 1

Fall 2022

My first semester at UF was far different than anything I had experienced to that point. I went from a relatively small town and high school to a huge university, where there was a club for everything and something was always going on. It took me a month to even get my bearings on campus without needing to use Google Maps!

It took some time, but I eventually got a handle on classes, studying, and extracurriculars. My sleep schedule was never that good thanks to the erratic class schedule I laid out, but I’ve since improved my scheduling skills going forwards.

Over the course of the semester, I learned to be more pragmatic, keeping on the lookout for events and opportunities that I could attend or make use of to better myself and get a better idea of what I wanted to do. I had some club-related meeting nearly every day. Still, there were some things that I could’ve planned ahead better. I only applied to one internship, which ended up working out, but going forward I’m making an effort to be more on top of things.

By the time I reached my second semester, I landed on a more stable routine, and this routine has kept me happy and on top of my work. Still, I value my eclectic first semester for helping shape who I’d become going forward into my college career. It is surely one that I will remember for years to come.