Author: Ice Mountain

Returning to school as an adult is a whirlwind. Suddenly I have homework and am surrounded by freshmen younger than me. It’s an even bigger contrast to my high school years because I was homeschooled during most of them as well. So, coming back into physical classrooms gave me a weird sense that I was walking into someone else’s dreams. I interact with more people than I have in several years. Even though doing group projects kind of forces me to do so, I still willingly talk to people near me. Similarly, I like the diversity here. I get to meet people I wouldn’t normally get the chance to. The last public school I attended didn’t have a lot of people with varying backgrounds, ethnicities, financial status, ages, or personalities. Then I was homeschooled. It gave me no chance to meet other students that could be like me, but UWGB is the total opposite. 

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Since there are more students, there is also a contrast in ages. I write everything that’s important to me in pencil and paper. Compared to me, most students don’t even use cursive signatures. Is that not a thing anymore? Adding on, everything is on the computer now, and I’ve had to get help from other students on how to find a downloaded document. But I think postings on Canvas about dates, discussions, and assignments are the best. On the opposite side, I give advice and encouragement when others need it. For example, I had a writing workshop, and nobody wanted to go first. So, I raised my hand and opened the discussion. I would also jump in if others were too quiet or too negative. Following that example, I hope everyone finds their own sense of self and accepts it. 

The most pleasant surprises coming to UWGB would have to be the professors and their willingness to help. In high school, I was homeschooled. This meant I was the only one to turn to for help most times. The professors here actively reassure all students to come to them for help or a second opinion on any project they’re working on. I’m aiming to submit a piece of writing I’m working on to an anthology magazine. The professor was ecstatic to look over it and met with me to discuss it further. The fact that he didn’t reject me reaching out surprised me at first, like it was a twisted dream. Similarly, my advisory team helped me navigate through choosing courses and deciding what times would work best with my schedule. It was a new and unexpected experience for me as a non-traditional college freshman. Even though it felt like I was fumbling after a loose ping pong ball, they helped me take control of my future and treated me as an equal. 

Another pleasant surprise was the different places on campus. The first place I went to was the coffee house with my brothers. We sat around and bantered with each other as siblings are supposed to. We even joked about how they spelled my name wrong and not theirs even though mine is more common than Drake or Dante. Since I was limited school-wise, there weren’t many options to choose from to study or to hang out. I would usually sit at the kitchen table to do schoolwork during the day. Once I was finished, I had no one else to talk to. When I went to orientation, I was shocked we could play ping pong. Later into the semester, I played ping-pong with people I only knew from a friend. I was apprehensive at first, but I became more involved once I started winning against everyone I went up against. I look forward to exploring more when I can. 

 

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