By: Avry Zow

The experience of entering the University of Montevallo from high school can be an adjustment, but the wisdom gained from leaving it can be beneficial.

I sat down with freshman Rachel Smith and senior Mary Benefield to share their experience at the university.

Smith is a Family Consumer Science major.

Q: What has been the most academically challenging from high school to college?

A: For me it would be math because I grew up in a small town and our math teachers weren’t really math majors. So they would be learning the math while we were learning the math so I never really had a solid math teacher so going into college I have one and she teaches completely different than what I learned in highschool because I basically taught myself. Now it’s like I have to continuously go to tutoring,find tutoring, find youtube videos, it’s kinda like while she’s teaching I’m still teaching myself all over again.

Q: Are there any habits you’ve seen around fellow freshmen that might hamper their grades in the classroom?

A: Waiting until the last minute, I feel like I fall under that category too. Lack of asking questions, I guess because the fear of people talking about them asking questions.

Q: In what way is procrastination your biggest problem?

A: Just because of so much time they’ll give. I’ll feel like “Oh okay, I’ll have this much time, I’ll just wait until the last minute,” or I’ll feel like my work is actually better especially if it’s essays or something like that writing. My work is actually better at the last minute cause that’s when my brain is just pumping.

Q: How familiar are you with the learning resources on campus?

A: I  know they have free tutoring in the library, that’s usually where I go. I know the instructors offer tutoring during their office hours, but I know the LEC and that’s about it.

Q: How has your freshmen experience overall been so far?

A: It’s been good. I feel like my life has been balanced with school and then my social life has been pretty good.

Mary Benefield is a senior at UM with a major in Exercise and Nutrition Science.

Q: How would you compare your approach mentally to classes from freshman to senior year?

A : Coming from high school to college was a huge shock for me. So ever since ,I guess the four years I’ve been here it’s just been gradually getting used to the pressure of being a college student and teaching myself how to properly study for classes.

Q: What would be the best advice you would give to any undergraduate struggling to focus in class?

A : The biggest thing would be, no matter how tired you are, always look at your notes before you go to bed rather than listening to a zoom session or just reading over the little bit of scribbles you did following asleep in class. Just look at your notes.

Q: What has been the best advice you’ve received at UM that has made you stay on task?

A: Definitely get with someone else in your classroom just another friend or student and make study time because studying by yourself is different from studying with a group. For me it helped me focus.

Q: Anything else you would like to add that has helped you?

A: Other tips or tricks that helped me are to use imagery like drawing pictures, using google photos, making flashcards on quizlet or hard copies and watching youtube videos about the concepts.

Q: Have there been any resources at UM that have helped you during your time here?

A:  I’m in the Student Support Services program for first generation or low income students that offers a helping hand for those students to succeed in their careers. It offers free access to printing and of course, computers at Carmichael. I don’t have one myself so just being able to take advantage of what the university or the programs that I am in have supplied for us has helped. 

For learning resources at UM refer to to the Learning Enrichment Center at Carmichael Library.