Media ePortfolio

       College this year has been interesting, largely due to covid-19. I managed to have a great time this fall, but there were definitely some challenges. In high school when I heard people talking about college, I would hear about orientation, the parties and the new friends you would make. This year there really wasn’t an orientation. I came here one of the first move-in days, and Cumberland 6 was basically vacant. It wasn’t until Rachel moved in right across from me that next morning, and I made my first friend. There also weren't any parties. I was expecting this to happen with covid-19, and honestly I hoped our school would see other colleges and try to be different. Fortunately, I made some new friends. I became close with my floor, and people from different dorms too. It was easy to meet people at McKeldin because that’s often where freshmen would gather on the weekends, as a safer alternative to parties. 

       I was excited, but worried about the independence that college brought. I soon got better at doing “adult” things, with some help from friends along the way. Such as Zoe and I figuring out how to schedule a flu shot appointment together. I tried to stay informed on politics, the pandemic, and the various social movements happening. I watched all the debates and read the news. I even got to see real protests happening in D.C. But sometimes it would become too much, and that’s when I would turn to my new friends, or call my mom. Also Qdoba would help a bit. Regarding the school itself, I’m glad I chose UMD. I never got the chance to visit because of covid-19, but after doing tons of research, I decided it was the school for me. I love the campus, and I would’ve loved it even more if I got to walk to classes everyday. Although I tried to get outside more and study in different places, I would often just walk to the dining hall and back most days. Because of this, I got very comfortable in my dorm room. Although I was disappointed I didn’t get to room with Zoe, who was supposed to be my roommate, I liked having my own space.

       In terms of classes, I was very impressed. All my classes were interesting, but Media Scholars was one of my favorites for many reasons. As a journalism major, I was already interested in media, but this class surpassed my expectations. I never thought I could be learning about the effects of TikTok, or get to meet so many professionals in the field. I always looked forward to media class, and really felt at home there. Those two in-person classes were so great, because it allowed us to really connect. Media Scholars is such a great community, and I’m looking forward to the next three semesters with everyone.