Gabrielle Mowl Reflection

While attending a new school provided a challenge both socially and academically, the two combined at once made me question my own ability to handle so much change in such short period of time. In my first semester, however, I found that this new environment pushed me in ways necessary for personal growth. While I continued to challenge myself academically, enrolled in two college courses and one AP class, I also took the initiative to open a

Starting high school, I was not a perfect student. However, over the past three years, it is clear that my grades have drastically improved. Whether it was adjusting to AP classes or balancing extracurricular activities and homework, I became proficient at handling the twists and turns of high school. By smoothing out my rough edges, I have become a student with distinct goals and a strong work ethic. Having experienced both low and high ends of academic success, my abilities and mindset can be molded to any situation. I am confident that I have the talent, ambition, and the adaptive abilities to become part of a guaranteed

This year has been one of the most significant of my life so far. I feel that about every year, but I think that 2016 is a record breaker. I’ve gotten my anxiety more under control, and I feel confident and comfortable in my skin. School-wise I’m still a mess. I’m still trying my best but not doing as well as I hoped, but soon all these grades will be meaningless and I can finally be free.

While sitting at my desk in a classroom overflowing with colorful decorations, my 1st grade classmates and I were taught how to add and subtract. At that moment, I had no idea that numbers would soon become one of the biggest factors in my life. Before I knew it, my journey as a number on a sheet of paper began. From third grade to my senior year of high school, I have been tested in every way, shape, and form and compared to kids all around the country. My test scores decided if I was able to move on to the next grade, what classes I took, and will soon factor into what college I will be attending. Those numbers have seemingly been the determinant in how successful I have been academically and how successful I am expected to be. Numbers even

My name Mckayla Guerra and today I am going to tell you about myself. I’m really shy until i get to know you and then I am more opened. I love to read I have read over 6 books this year. I hate when people call me a book nerd because I not. During my childhood i lived out in the country and I was an outdoor kind of person, I never liked to be in the house. Until I moved in 7th grade more into town and now i hate being outside because there’s nothing to do. Sports is what i do like softball and track. I also love little kids and enjoy working with them and helping them out.

For starters, ever since my freshmen year my fellow leaders educated me on the importance keeping my grades up in order to receive the GPA I hoped my parents, teachers and colleges to look at. Never did I realize that balancing grades, extra-curricular activities, a job and maintaining a social life was not as easy as they made it appear through their joyful expressions. In order to stay

To my astonishment, my new friends welcomed me with open arms, for the first time in my life I felt this was the place where I belonged. The group thrived on each other's willingness to succeed. We competed with each other, motivated each other and helped each other. Fast forward to graduation I was ranked in the top 15 of the class, graduating with honors, and looking forward to attending a college that gave me an academic scholarship. As I entered my first day of classes, my mind was excited to absorb the new information I was about to learn and be with individuals who wanted to accomplish as much as I did. However, my dreams were crushed as quickly as they started. In the following months, I began to realize that students were not focused on taking advantages of these opportunities. I shrugged it off thinking to myself it was their fault. The feeling of a fish out of the water slowly crept back in; it seemed I was the only one that didn't find drinking excessively till emergency services stepped in as fun. I tried to find a group of like-minded students, but most did not want to put in the work for a long term

To my astonishment, my new friends welcomed me with open arms, for the first time in my life I felt this was the place where I belonged. The group thrived on each other's willingness to succeed. We competed with each other, motivated each other and helped each other. Fast forward to graduation I was ranked in the top 15 of the class, graduating with honors, and looking forward to attending a college that gave me an academic scholarship. As I entered my first day of classes, my mind was excited to absorb the new information I was about to learn and be with individuals who wanted to accomplish as much as I did. However, my dreams were crushed as quickly as they started. In the following months, I began to realize that students were not focused on taking advantages of these opportunities. I shrugged it off thinking to myself it was their fault. The feeling of a fish out of the water slowly crept back in; it seemed I was the only one that didn't find drinking excessively till emergency services stepped in as fun. I tried to find a group of like-minded students, but most did not want to put in the work for a long term

Coming in as a freshman with enough college credits to make me sophomore, made me feel out of place. I did not experience the freshmen experience like most freshmen’s coming into college because I had previously taken college classes during high school. I have already felt what it was like to be in college classes for the first time when I took dual credit classes. Because of that, I never felt any excitement during my first day at TAMUCC. There was not anything I did not expect coming in as freshmen. For example, I have already experienced the demanding college schedule, the mountains of homework, assignments, and tests, and first day of school feeling. When I learned about the Habits of the Mind in my freshmen seminar class, I realized that I was missing a few of them. I felt like I was least developed in the habit of openness and

At 17 years old I entered UCLA as a biology major. With my prior successful academic performance and younger age, I was overconfident and immature going into college. During my first 4 quarters my social pursuits smothered my academic ones; I lived a very unbalanced life, and my grades suffered. My second winter break was the turning point, and I realized that committing only 50% effort to academics would not be enough. I acknowledged my mistakes and became entirely determined to change my path from that point forward. I created a list titled “How to Succeed at UCLA,” which outlined the steps needed to regain balance and ensure academic success. I changed every aspect of my life from what I ate, to who I spent time with, to what time I went

Annie Dillard is very self reflective in both of these pieces of writing which is a rare phenomenon. Having made my own judgements of her and her writing based on her moth essay, my views were greatly changed after reading her reflection of her own work. Although I picked up on various bits of symbolism and reflection I had not pieced together the religious aspect of the writing nor the moth as a symbol of herself. In the essay I felt a lack of passion. Her talk of emptiness, loneliness, and death, especially set at parts in a bathroom, sets a bleak, desolate mood. The why behind this talk of emptiness reveals her passion. She is passionate enough about her work, about her writing and God, to allow it to take up her life and hollow her out

By the end of my junior year I began to see modest results from my hard work. I was determined to prove that despite the hurdles I face I could achieve just like anyone else. During my senior year I have become very involved with 3 different positions of leadership. I am currently involved as a Bridge Builders Leadership Board Member, as President of the Jack and Jill of America, and as President of the D.E.C.A club that I chartered this year at my school. In performing in these leadership roles I have discovered that working with a group to establish a goal and working hard to achieve that are two particular strengths that motivate me. I believe will serve me well in college and

Going to Fay, an international independent boarding school, has been an extremely positive experience and an immense adjustment from my previous school and life. The transition from being a day student to becoming a boarder has been an educational and beneficial change. Not only the transformation of being away from my family, but Fay’s academics are both rigorous and demanding. Over the course of my time at Fay, I have learned about aspects of myself that I did not know of before. Fay also emphasizes a focus on community service, and has helped me to learn to give back to my community. Fay has made a profound impact on my life and in the way I think about my future.

As my freshman year at college of the desert comes to an end I am very proud of the strides I have made not only in my educational life but also in my personal growth. Taking my first steps into the unknown was very nerve racking but I couldn’t wait to start this journey, especially since I would like to go so far in my education. I over prepared and tried to go above and beyond what was expected in class, which helped in some of my classes but shot me down in others. This valuable lesson taught me that I

August 2011, the most special and most meaningful year of my life started off. I got to know students from different countries during the year in the United States. Besides broadening my horizon, I also tried to show and explain to my new friends how beautiful and wonderful our culture is. I believe I have become a person who is more independent and mature. I can now face my own flaws and make amends of my mistakes. Besides facing my own flaws, I am willing to face all kinds of challenges in my life.