Stepping into college is entering an unknown domain. From the gigantic lecture hall to the unstructured schedule, everything is new to me, a freshly graduated high school student. Although the transition from high school to college presents various challenges, I have learned that making connections alleviate some of those difficulties. Notably, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities open the door to valuable opportunities of networking and enriching the campus’s environment. As a student of Introduction to an Honors University (IHU), I plan to attend two co-curricular activities and one extracurricular activity, and my choices are the Chemistry Council of Majors, the Biology Council of Majors, and Global Brigades.
Making connections not only lays the foundation for academic and career successes, but also facilitate personal growth. With regard to the academic aspect, connections with faculty and staff assist the learning process. For example, one can get assistance whenever needed through office hours; he or she even learn new skills through working with a faculty in an acaedemic-related problem. Furthermore, building relationships with the professors leads to the discovery of interesting things about them outside of the classroom. Instead of being a name on their rosters, one actually knows the professors on the personal level. These relationships will be beneficial when one needs references or career and academic advice. Besides making connections with the faculty and staff, developing a network among the students will also be beneficial to personal growth. Particularly, students can exchange skills and knowledge with each other. Working with students from various backgrounds also teaches one to cooperate and effectively communicate. The significance of making connections in college is undeniably immense: it allows students to learn and grow in many aspects.
Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities are the gateway to forming lasting connections throughout the four years of college and beyond. Co-curricular activities enhance learning and encourage the application of knowledge outside of the classroom environment. In contrast, extracurricular activities are not related to what is learned in the
The most important experience that has positively impacted my academic performance is being in AVID for the past 5 years. AVID is an acronym that stands for advancement via individual determination, a college preparatory class that helps prepare you for college, get organized, and set goals. I have been enrolled in AVID since 8th grade learning how to become a better student, improving study skills and the way I communicate with the students and teachers around me.
Sophomore year I was told to go to a community college for a two-year degree. By my application to Ohio University, I picked the road that everyone thought I was not capable of. Although my transcripts are not perfect, especially my GPA and ACT score the reasons are complicated. The Tuesday of my ACT week I got into a survive car accident which left me with a brain swelling concussion. I had never taken the ACT and did not want to have October be my one and only time. Therefore I took the test anyway, which led to a horrible scoring rate. Although it was not my best overall I think that for having a concussion my writing was well done. Unfortunately my car accident injuries lasted for five months, leaving me busy and injured. I again took the
College also gives students connections. While taking part in activities students make friends and meet people with all kinds of goals for the future. These connections make life easier after college. Students meet friends that have connections to internships, jobs, summer programs and with the help of their friends, students can find themselves in one of these if not more resume building opportunities. Meeting new people and participating in activities make students appear very diverse in turn, more appealing to employers.
If a researcher wants to determine if a student who participated in extra-curricular activities in high school will have higher grades in college than a student who didn’t, they could see the cause and effect that extra-curricular activities has on a student’s college studies.
Since Early College High School was founded in the year 2006, the school and its students have always been at disadvantage. The school has lacked several opportunities such sports, scholarship opportunities, etc. However, a topic that has been the spotlight of discussion amongst students over the course of eleven years has been the lack of extracurricular activities. This problem does not only affect students, but it rather affects faculty members as well. Although there has been a slow but gradual increase in solving this problem, this change has come forth at a lengthy rate. It has been 11 years since change has been prompted, and although the current students are benefiting from this change, there have been several generations of
Attending college will not only allow me to better my interpersonal skills, it also will allow me to network with a diverse student body. Clubs and teams, among other ways to get involved, create many connections between students. From internships to employment opportunities, the connections made at universities have the potential to be life-changing.
This semester I have grown as a student in the area of college readiness. This has allowed me to feel more planned for college. I have gained knowledge about college and how to prepare in order to be successful. In advisory we read a “college- going 101 timeline,” which provided steps on how to get ready for college. It gave me a list of procedures I can follow throughout high school. Some procedures it gave me where to; begin keeping a folder of important information, create a list of possible colleges to apply to, and attend a college fair.
Angelo State University (ASU) ensures a student has a safe and prestigious learning environment. Academics are important in a college setting, however in, order to ensure students remain able to complete their studies, campuses must allow for activities which give students the opportunity to clear their heads and prevent extreme amounts of stress. Not only will these activities aid in the ways mentioned before, but they will allow students to be able to interact with diverse peers in a non-classroom environment. Luckily, Angelo State University has various extracurricular activities that can assist in allowing students to branch out.
For most of my first year in college I felt lost and alone; I was not really involved with clubs or organizations until my second year at Miami Dade Honors College and I don’t want to have that same experience while attending FIU. I know that being part of the Honors College at FIU will benefit me because of the tight knit community, but it is always good to have friends and communicate with people from all backgrounds. After breaking through my shell, I have learned that I enjoy other people’s company.
After a hectic first semester at the community college, I began to find myself. I realized that the four-year university I wanted to attend initially, would have not been a good fit for me. Being part of different student organizations and creating connections with my professors at the community college is what helped me find what I was really looking for. I wanted a place where I felt like I mattered and not a school with fifty thousand students where I would just feel like a number. The additional semester I got to stay home, I was able to do more research and find a university where I would fit in and connect with.
Over the past year Ithaca College has given me many tools to help me succeed after I leave South Hill. I learned how to manage having five different professors who all have unique expectations of me as a student. Every night I would mentally run through the next day and think what each professor wanted from me. I often had to prioritize assignments by doing what was due the soonest. Having relationships with my professors was important to me and taught me how to have professional relationships with people. The little things like addressing someone who I don’t know, proper email format, and how to shake a hand were all valuable lessons I learned dealing with so many different professors. I have struggled with some professors at Ithaca
Friendships are essential for a freshman in college. One has to decide the type of friends to have within the college. Nathan notes that nowadays, students socialize more while in school, than while at home. They tend to form social groups based on interest rather than where they live. This is what Nathan learnt as he enters the dorm where students made friendships based on common interest. The importance of relationships is to generate civic work. She notes that many efforts by dorm advisors to get residential together for various activities often ended in low participation. A freshman should measure what constitutes a meaningful friendship. Freshman should take time in choosing a relationship because there is no given
College is a time in which adolescents finally have the opportunity to explore the desires of their hearts and escape the environments they once referred to as home. The relationships, memories, and knowledge the youth of today ascertain while embarking on this journey are some of the most influential moments these individuals will ever experience. It is not a coincidence that many view college as the “best four years of your life”. Beside all the joyous expectations of this pivotal time frame in a young adult’s life, college also serves as a time for students to mold their professional network. The aspects of a professional network include intangibles such as, interpersonal bonds, the reputation an individual holds within a community, and
As the semester started, I had set my mind that I was destined to achieve a lot. During the start of the semester, I had several difficulties writing English assignments especially in terms of grammar. During the first week of the semester, I sat down, organized my thoughts and comprehended that throughout the semester, I had to achieve all that I had planned for. As a student of English, I had planned that throughout the semester, I had to improve my skills as a scholar, writer and critical thinker. Now that the semester has ended, I can reflect all the semester activities to depict how my writing skills and critical thinking skills have drastically improved. This paper presents a reflection paper of how this
Many activities also require a minimum grade point average (GPA) to join (Dowshen). This requirement is a boost for most of the students to excel in school so they can participate in these activities. Although extracurricular activities take up a lot of time they are worth the time that a student puts into it (Extracurricular Activities).