I Have Learned A Lot At Conditioning

During my high school days and the last few semesters when I was at Sandhill Community College I was way too comfortable. I slacked off and all I was thinking about was just getting doing the minimum to just be finished already. Recently, I was pushed by the looks of my grades that I just needed to get things done; I wanted to be free, not to do my best, just to finish so I could say I passed all my classes. Now I realize life isn’t about just getting by, but about bringing all you have to be able to become successful in what needs to be done. In the next paragraphs I will explain what I expected to happen, what actually happened, what I learned, and how I will apply what I learned to future plan.

Entering freshmen year, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do, but I was lost regarding how I was going to do it. This is a sentiment shared by many students entering collegiate studies. Some students may not even have a direction or general idea of what they wish to achieve from college. Others, are either overconfident or hold a disillusioned perspective regarding course selection, work load, study time, time management, and the equilibrium between social and academic life. My first semester at Randolph-Macon began as a series of failures that lead themselves to success largely due to the influence of upperclassmen pursuing the same goals as me and continuously pushing me to hone my strengths and reevaluate my weaknesses.

As an incoming EOF (Educational Opportunity Found) freshmen attending Rutgers University this fall, I had the mindset that if I did well academically, the transition from high school to college would go by smoothly. Unfortunately, college isn 't that simple. The transition to college is much more complex than people perceive it to be, in my case, it’s the most difficult obstacle I’ve ever encountered. Therefore, my aspiration is to conquer this transitional period as quickly and fluently as possible. When I had to changeover from middle school to high school, I was terrified. I didn 't know what awaited me and how much different things were going to be. It turned out high school was exactly the same, with the exception of the grades being ninth through Twelfth. There was nothing to be worried about. On the other hand, that wouldn 't be the case in college.

The thought of college is often overwhelming and fills a person’s head full of anxiety and stress. If you look back on what you have accomplished up to this point in your life this large step in life suddenly seems much smaller. I have been going to the same small private school all my life so many people could argue that I have been sheltered for most of my life or see the world through “tunnel vision.” Now all of this is entirely true, but throughout my high school years I have gradually become more of the person who I am today. For example, my junior year English teacher assigned my class the daunting task of a junior thesis. At first I thought this assignment was simply busy work and had no meaning to it, but as I began to pick a topic and research it I began to discover a possible

As we go on in life we face many challenges and new situations that we deal with. A new situation that most people deal with is college and all the changes that come along with it. What many people don't realize is that high school, in many ways, is similar and differrent from college. Not only are people changing but the surroundings and work change as well. There are some things that seem to never change such as some work and people.

In 2006 I started college because it’s what one is supposed to do after High School. It soon matured to, going to college to find myself. Where that meant experiencing a breadth of topics that captivate and inspire me to seek out answers; which hasn’t changed. Every class I took gave me new perspectives where I gained understanding to allow me to be more open, and greater insight. However, the obstacles of still being a teenager, trying to find myself, left me struggling to cope with my studies and every-day life. Forcing me to hit the pause button my student life.

Being nervous about starting college is something every freshmen felt. Were finally on our own, no more being depended on teachers and parents. For many of us the harsh reality of being on our own really hits home. On the other hand many of us are more than ready to be on their own. Have you ever hear one of your teachers say “This isn't going to fly in college” , “College professors won't be there chasing you down” I know I heard this all the time in high school. In high school the material of writing and reading isn't the same, college article and reading are meant for us to think and really analyze the reading. In high school we were taught in figuring out the purpose and the main idea of the article and book. But now I realize that I have

Change has always been a part of my life. One of the biggest changes happened when I was 15 years old. I started to think of college in my last years of middle school. Until then College was someone else’s reality. Not many people from my community attended college. They felt that their futures were supposed to be spent being a clerk or fisherman. The change happened on a trip to visit mainland college towns, explore possibilities beyond the islands cultural landscape

College life is an exciting time for young adults coming out of high school. The students find themselves with so many new experiences to face; many of these changes, from new found freedom to the unexpected responsibilities, are frequently underestimated by the newly promoted freshman.

Before applying to college, there is this understanding for all applicants that regardless of where you go and what you major in, the next four years of your life will remarkably change you. Constantly, reminded that the four years spent in high school won’t compare to the experiences found in college, you prepare yourself for that transition. From the classes to the teachers, college in general has a different feel and rhythm. The beauty of college is that it allows for choice. Each student has the power to decide how much they want to invest in their education. College does not contain the constraints of mandatory attendance or study hours required to excel. This is what makes college unique and transformative. It gives you the power to decide

Welcome to college! Congratulations on making it this far! Now the time comes to ramp up the ante! No such program as stepping up to college exists as it does for for high school. Oh wait! It’s called high school. Move it or lose it now, your future rests on your shoulders. High school teachers just handed you your future based on the way you schooled, and college professors tell you to figure it out. College trips up hundreds of students a year, refrain from letting yourself become one of them. Your class strategies must improve as will your study habits and reading habits to fulfill new demands of college classes and avoid sliding into the pitfalls of doom.

Being that this is only my second semester in college, I can rest assure that high school and college are two completely different scenarios. College possesses a whole new level of independence and for some, like myself, it takes a whole school year of getting used to. Not only does college course work differ from high school, but online college courses are a whole new ball game. While wanting to work as well as go to school, I felt as though the flexibility and convenience of online school was just my cup of tea. Well, I sure did receive a nice whiff of the morning coffee instead! Throughout this course, I’ve noticed that I have made rather poor choices that hindered my full potential in the long run such as poor planning and procrastination which are like oil and water. The two don’t mix!

Throughout my high school career, I had the goal to graduate and then attend college. For a large part of my four years in high school, I was unsure as to what type of undergraduate program I wanted to be in. Nevertheless, I continued to work hard in all my classes. My motivation to do well in school was not only fueled by my goal of achieving a respectable GPA, but also my thirst to gain a vast amount of knowledge. I took a wide variety of classes within my high school career, only narrowing my classes to gear towards my chosen college major during my senior year. I took what I learned in high school to springboard me into college.

Do you remember as you sat in that Simi large class room filled with 28 other students the smell of paper in the air and the sound of your teachers saying “that this was just the stepping stone into your life, your career, and everything you wanted to be when you grew up?” Remember back to when you were in high school allowing your teachers voices to come back to you, remember how it once was; Remember they stressed the importance of grades and attendance, what is your drive for going to school every morning, how did you manage your time whilst on campus? Imagine yourself now an adult in your first year of college coping with the stress of daily life and school, reflecting upon all those

Sitting in class for the first time, it was half of what I expected. I expected to sit by people I didn’t know, learn about old things in new lights, and writing a lot of papers. What I didn’t expect was me hating college. I am not as creative as some teaches would like, but that isn’t my personality, and I dint want it to be either. I fully expected college to try and morph me into a perfect little student that I knew I wasn’t. College so far to me hasn’t been fun and I will treat it like Wal-Mart. When I say that, I mean that I will get in and get out as fast as possible. If I pick up stuff along the way then alright, but if I don’t, then it won’t kill me.