The First Year in College

When asked, "how was your first year in college?" Lucy answered, "My first year has been pretty good, except it has been a weird adjustment having to spend so much time in my dorm room due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I had to find places to go and have a purpose to accomplish something to avoid being cooped up in a small dorm room for too long." Last year was a year like no other, especially for first-year college students. College is a time away from your family, constantly meeting new people. With the current situation, the college freshman had to be creative to figure out how to handle the situation.

Isabella felt that it was a big transition from high school to college. She was extremely busy, and her second home was the library. However, she does feel fortunate to have been able to stay on campus and have some in-person learning.

Lucy enjoys meeting people and she found ways to do this even during a Pandemic. She worked part-time in a dining hall which gave her exposure to students with a variety of degrees. Since her classes are STEM-heavy subjects, her job allowed her to meet students she would not be able to in her classes. She also joined Wisconsin Engineers Magazine, which allowed her to write and attend some virtual events.

Biggest Surprise?

Isabella was surprised by how much a sense of community there was in college, especially on her dorm floor. She said that hanging out with the students on her floor allowed them to create a solid community and support each other during this year of transition.

For Lucy, a "bad" surprise was that with virtual learning, you are always on your computer; however, a "good" surprise was connecting with UW-Madison faculty. She attended office hours and was able to find out about research positions and ask for a recommendation that ultimately helped her get a summer internship at the Green Bank Observatory in the National Radio Astronomy Observatory summer program.

Biggest Challenge?

Learning what she had to do to excel on exams was the biggest challenge for Isabella. She warns incoming freshmen that "sometimes it takes getting a grade that you aren't satisfied with to force yourself to figure out what you need to do." Keeping motivated can also be a challenge. Isabella came up with a great idea to overcome this challenge. She has a jar filled with slips of different motivational quotes. Whenever she feels down or needs some additional encouragement, she takes out a slip and reads it aloud. This helps her reset. It may sound simple, but this is an easy way to give yourself some extra encouragement when you need it.

Lucy – "My biggest challenge was adjusting to the lack of structure and figuring out how to allocate my time. All studying is expected to be done independently, so there may be a day when I don't have a class or work. On these days, I have had to learn how to organize my day. This can be stressful. Some days I may have unrealistic expectations of what I can accomplish, and other days I may spend too much time with social breaks. Finding the balance between the two is something I have had to work on." Since most high schools are very structured, this is a common adjustment for first-year college students, and it takes practice to maintain a balance. To learn more tips on maintaining a balance in college, read the article 8 Tips for Finding Balance in College.

Advice for High School Seniors Entering College in the Fall?

Isabella recommends that incoming college freshman "Ask for help; you don't realize its impact until you do it." Some examples would be attending office hours, talking to your professor, and asking a sophomore on your dorm floor for advice or help. Also, it is critical to find a good group of friends and get involved. Having a solid support system on campus will help make your freshman year a success.

Inspiration for Pursuing a STEM Degree?

It was clear speaking to both Lucy and Isabella that their passion for STEM was ignited at a young age by exposure to STEM programs. Lucy mentioned that she had great teachers that prioritized Math, and she was good at it. In Middle and High School, she branched out to other parts of STEM by taking STEM classes (physics, chemistry, biology, etc.) and was fortunate to be able to take math classes at MSOE through the early college credit program as well as attend the UW Madison Engineering Summer Program. The next thing she knew, she was hooked on STEM!

Isabella was inspired by many people but called out her mom for instilling a hard work ethic and always encouraging her to dream big. Being a first-generation American, she was inspired to take advantage of all the opportunities and set her sights high. "From a young age, I have always known that I wanted to help people when I grew up. When I got to high school, I quickly realized the most interesting classes were biology and chemistry. However, it was primarily my Human Body Systems Class that made me realize I wanted to pursue a STEM career."

Looking for a summer program to inspire a child? Look at the list of STEM Summer Camps & Programs we have curated to connect a child to encourage them to pursue a career in STEM.

What's Next?

Isabella said that after completing one year at Marquette University, this solidified that she wants to become a Physician Assistant. She does caution incoming first-year students that some of the basic classes might get you down, but don't forget about the end goal. She likes to look at the Marquette Physician Assistant Program details to gauge how far she's come and keep herself motivated. Lucy's goal is to attend graduate school studying Engineering or Astronomy / Astrophysics. After that, she wants to focus on Astrochemistry and get a job that encompasses research.

Both women were appreciative of receiving the scholarship and cited that it helped ease some of the financial burdens to concentrate on their studies. Curious about the 2021 scholarship winners? I encourage you to learn more about the 2021 scholarship winners.

Posted on January 23, 2021 by Maureen Haeger. Communications & Program Manager