By Abigail Bender

As the fourth week of the fall 2026 semester begins, University of Maryland freshmen said they have begun establishing new routines as they adapt to college courses. 

Sydney Pinder, a freshman enrolled in letters and sciences, was used to her high school teachers explaining content at a slower pace. She said the faster pace of college coursework is a major challenge.

“The biggest academic adjustment from high school to college has been trying to figure [out] the best ways to study on my own,” Pinder said. “It has been a tough adjustment trying to teach myself some of the curriculum compared to having a teacher walk through it step by step with me.”

To combat this challenge, Pinder said she has been brainstorming alternative ways to study that are more aligned with the fast pace of college classes.

“I have changed my ways of studying to consist of more note-taking since starting college,” she said. “I think I need to add more strategies of studying because just taking notes has not been very helpful in retaining information. I’m going to work on taking more practice tests and flashcards in order to remember more information.”

Pinder is a student enrolled in the university’s Freshman Connection Program, which means her courses meet from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. This has also caused Pinder to complete her homework at a different time than she is used to.

“Typically, I like to study after class, not before, so it’s been a little bit of an adjustment,” Pinder said. “I am not able to do as much as I wish due to the afternoon classes.” 

Faith Fahmy, a freshman mechanical engineering major, said she has done more work outside of class compared to high school because of the amount of material covered.

“I think that I have less assignments, but they’re longer and they take more time,” Fahmy said, adding that she didn’t study that much in high school.

Fahmy said she has also had to adjust to meet her professor’s expectations. In one of her classes, General Chemistry for Engineers, students are expected to know chemistry concepts before entering the class, Fahmy said. 

“I think it’s just like I learned [chemistry] in sophomore year and I did not think I would need it again,” Fahmy said. 

Victoria Rosado Reyes, a freshman computer science major, said she has spent three to four hours studying each day since starting college.

“They go at such a fast pace, and being able to also adjust to the workload that there is, like, for example, due dates,” Rosado Reyes said. “It’s not like it’s always Friday due at 11:59 [p.m.]. It’s like it might be Sunday or it might be Wednesday at a random date and time.”

Rosado Reyes said she was unaware that reading the syllabi for her college courses was expected. Now, she does this regularly.  

“Like today, I forgot there was an assignment due yesterday, and then today I was like, wait, let me check the syllabus,” she said. 

New expectations in college have made freshmen adjust their schedules and routines, comprehend more material in each class and study longer than they did in high school.

Freshmen who have struggled with academic adjustments can find campus resources for academic success from the Department of Resident Life. The university’s 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog also offers tutoring, pre-college programs and advising. 

Featured Image: A calendar outlining an exam and study schedule. Graphic by Audrey Bengston.