I’ve only been in college for one semester, but it’s already been a big change. I grew up in California and now go to college at Cornell, and that shift alone has reshaped a lot of my daily life. Coming to Cornell has been a major adjustment in many ways, but the biggest differences showed up first in academics.

One of the most noticeable changes has been how classes are structured and graded. In high school, grades were built from lots of smaller assignments, participation, and classwork. At Cornell, grading is much more centered around exams. There are fewer tests overall, but each one carries a lot more weight. While that’s not something I necessarily prefer, it does force you to really understand the material to do well. There’s a lot less of a buffer than the busywork I relied on in high school. The classes themselves also go far deeper than anything I took before, including AP and honors classes. They move faster, expect more independence, and dive much deeper into the subject matter.

College has also given me a level of freedom and opportunity that I never really had before. There are so many programs, clubs, and resources available, but unlike high school, no one is going to tell you exactly what to do. You have to be intentional about how you spend your time and what you choose to pursue. Navigating all of these opportunities takes conscious effort, but it’s been completely worth it. I’ve started rock climbing and joined an ultimate frisbee team, two things I’ve always wanted to do but never had the chance to before. Being able to try new activities simply because I’m curious has been one of the most exciting parts of the transition, and it’s probably my favorite part of college so far.

Socially, Cornell has also felt very different from high school. In California, I mostly met people who also grew up there, so many of us shared similar backgrounds. Here in Ithaca, I’ve met people from all over the world and from states far beyond California. It’s refreshing to talk with people who don’t share the same experiences or perspectives, and those differences often lead to interesting conversations, both casually and academically.

The environment itself has been another adjustment. The weather in Ithaca is much colder than what I was used to in California, which was a shock at first, but it’s just part of living somewhere new. I’d never had the chance to go to school in the snow before, and it’s still a novel feeling to throw snowballs or go sledding in the same place where I study and live. College has been a big change for me, but I’ve enjoyed it a lot. Even with the cold, I’ve really have enjoyed my time at Cornell.