As soon as my mother drove away last August, leaving me at the University of Maryland, alone, I began my journey of becoming an adult; at least I feel like I did. I remember walking into the building where I was going to live for the next year, feeling old. “I am a college freshman,” I thought to myself. I did not know what to expect out of my freshman year. They say that college is a time of self-discovery, full of both trials and prosperity, and lasting memories and friends. Little did I know, my first year of college would bring about so many experiences, both positive and negative, that would forever change me.
The first couple of weeks were a complete party. The newfound freedom completely enthralled all freshmen around me that college …show more content…
Things came easily. Nothing was too much of a challenge for me. Therefore, coming to college, I did not expect that things would be much harder. What made me find myself mistaken was my first English paper. I worked hard on it and waited for a good grade. I got a C. Upon receiving my degree, my heart dropped. It was hard and not to mention new for me. I did not get sick grades. Ever. I considered my work to be “A” work, especially by my standards. Even so, I was very misguided in the mindset of the work I had to do in college coming to school. It is not supposed to be easy, as nothing in life is. Even though the grade was upsetting at first, it provided me with a spark. I pushed myself harder, harder than I ever had to work. I spent countless numbers of hours on the following papers, drafting, writing, and editing in an endless cycle. It paid off; I saw improvement in each paper. Although I ended up not getting the coveted “A” I sought, I got a proud “B+,” the hardest “B+” I ever had to work for. From my experience with my first of many college-level English classes, I learned a lot, both academically and outside of the classroom. I learned much about writing and rhetoric. But more importantly, I learned two essential things: nothing comes easy and learning the material is far more important than the grades I received.
The classroom is not the only place where learning takes place. I have learned so much from the relationships I have
The first couple of weeks were a complete party. The newfound freedom completely enthralled all freshmen around me that college …show more content…
Things came easily. Nothing was too much of a challenge for me. Therefore, coming to college, I did not expect that things would be much harder. What made me find myself mistaken was my first English paper. I worked hard on it and waited for a good grade. I got a C. Upon receiving my degree, my heart dropped. It was hard and not to mention new for me. I did not get sick grades. Ever. I considered my work to be “A” work, especially by my standards. Even so, I was very misguided in the mindset of the work I had to do in college coming to school. It is not supposed to be easy, as nothing in life is. Even though the grade was upsetting at first, it provided me with a spark. I pushed myself harder, harder than I ever had to work. I spent countless numbers of hours on the following papers, drafting, writing, and editing in an endless cycle. It paid off; I saw improvement in each paper. Although I ended up not getting the coveted “A” I sought, I got a proud “B+,” the hardest “B+” I ever had to work for. From my experience with my first of many college-level English classes, I learned a lot, both academically and outside of the classroom. I learned much about writing and rhetoric. But more importantly, I learned two essential things: nothing comes easy and learning the material is far more important than the grades I received.
The classroom is not the only place where learning takes place. I have learned so much from the relationships I have