My First Semester Of College

I would describe myself as a very fast learner prior to coming to college here. I have been preparing for this step in my life ever since I was in school by participating in hard classes and being involved in my community. Keeping high A averages in my classes has given me the opportunity to become involved in national honor society and national art honor society but also granting me with the incredible trip to Blue Bonnet Girls State this past summer. I believe that involving myself in these three organizations gives me the extra drive a student needs to flourish as an aspiring student to UT Austin. I grew up in a good home as a child and my parents both pushed me to the best of my ability that thankfully got me accepted into this amazing university.

Walking into my first day of class, I expected nothing more than a boring lecture and simple assignments that would require little to no effort. I was under the impression that this class was only going to be a waste of my time (since I only enrolled in it to satisfy my minor), and I started the semester anticipating that my success in this course would be a cakewalk. Much to my surprise, I was introduced to a professor who displayed a passion for social work and a class full of peers who had a wide range of passions, from international adoption to addictions counseling. From then on, I was sure that my initial impression of Interviewing and Documentation was incredibly off base.

Suffering from depression at one point in my life, revealed to me the importance of mental health. The painful journey of climbing out of depression was one that ultimately made me stronger. After experiencing two years of academic success in college, it was inevitable to expect my junior year to be even better, but unfortunately life took a different turn. Since high school until I took a leave of absence my life had been under excruciating pressure. Pressure that originated through coming from an immigrant family, and understanding how much my parents had to sacrifice. I felt a lot of pressure to succeed in college, my older siblings had struggled which put even more pressure on me as the next runner up. Having no social capital, I had

May came around at long last. So did the end of my second semester of college at Florida Atlantic University. Not only did I survive my freshman year, I thrived, passing eight of my nine joint courses with A’s and getting A-minus on the other one. Just like “Neon” Leon shocked the departed Muhammad Ali in 1978, I defied my own expectations and those of a few among my closest friends and family. Did I soon spend the next few months indulging in summer merriment at the beach, getting my tan on while thirteen-year-old boys fawned over pictures of Selena Gomez? Nope. I took summer classes to keep my mind sharp and knock out a few of the requirements towards a degree which I’d earn three years later. One such class = a six-week crash course in public speaking. Everything went well until I got an assignment to create, practice, and deliver a three-to-five-minute speech involving someone who stood out. The possibilities overwhelmed me until I recalled someone with an outstanding life, hit him up on my cell, and talked to him in person one hot Saturday afternoon.

At the end of this previous semester, I seriously considered my placement at Champlain College. The transition from my restrictive high school and home life to the freedom, difficulty, and responsibility of college proved strenuous for me; I struggled with balancing my mental health, social life, and academic responsibilities. In the second semester, my seasonal depression flared up, causing me to lose significant energy and motivation, and I procrastinated doing my classwork as I experienced an intense depressive episode.

I was desperately lost while studying theater during my first semester at Brigham Young University-Idaho. It was what I enjoyed during high school, but I want a career where I am able to spend time with my family and one where I’d be in a position to improve the lives of others. After taking my first acting class I knew it wasn’t what I wanted to do. Since then, I have considered everything from psychology to accounting. Research and volunteer opportunities, advice from trusted mentors, and my education played roles in my decision process. I learned to manage my time wisely in order to spend time with my family. Most importantly, I was able to decide on a career in optometry, and have since planned out what I want to do after optometry school.

During the semester in college, I have noticed that when I am overloaded with projects from my classes, I get stressed. At first, I just feel exhausted and anxious, but the problem is when I feel that way, my body begins reacting in a negative way. I get nauseas, stomach pain, and headaches and sometimes I feel dizzy. I think I get those symptoms because my body needs to release the stress somehow and is letting me know by giving me those discomforts. In order for me to feel better, I exercise and I relax at least a little bit.

The first year of college comes with many changes and challenges. These changes can include the food in the cafeteria, study habits, time management skills, and much more. Every student has to find their own way to handle the first year and determine what works best for them. For many the most essential change is living away from home. Campus life provides opportunities to become a part of a unique, diversified community. With these opportunities come challenges, such as having a roommate, being away from one’s parents, and determining self-limits.

This framework might be relevant to the current study as students in their second year of college have many decisions to make. It is a time when these students are achieving competence and developing autonomy (Lemons & Richmond, 1987). Difficulties arise such as in choice of core curriculum courses or in maintaining interpersonal relationships which can precipitate crises of confidence (Boivin, Fountain, & Baylis, 2000). No longer having the support of “the fabricated society” (Margolis, 1976) of the first year experience, the second-year student must now more frequently rely on their own knowledge and intuition to make decisions. Second year students who have not yet decided on a major, and who have not confronted their situation, will find the process of choosing courses to be increasingly difficult (Gordon, 2010). Many of these students choose not to make decisions, and spend considerably less time doing academic activities (Gardner, 2000; Gohn, Swartz, & Donnelly, 2001; Graunke & Woosley, 2005). Gardner (2000) found that they tend to spend 25% of their time in self-gratifying activities. Time not being on their side, the undeclared second-year student faces challenges if they are not yet able nor willing to make a choice of major (Gordon, 2010). Using the theory of decision fatigue, the process of decision-making will take a toll on these students and soon they will give up (Baumeister & Tierney, 2011).

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines transformation as “a complete or major change in someone 's or something 's appearance, form, etc.”. From the time of birth to adulthood humans have many different experiences which help to shape their lives and I believe that some of the experiences I had in the first year of college caused major changes in my thoughts, actions and over all demeanour in my life.

Washburn is a small but unique campus that is full of many different things that involve the student body. My experience the first day of campus was a life experience that consisted of me getting lost at first, trying to get to my classes. Then also, I got to meet new people that I liked and we had common interests between us. Next, during class I was listening to my professors go over the syllabus and how the class was going to go for the rest of the semester. At moments, there were times that I felt nervous to talk in front of class that day because of the environment of other people having all their eyes on me and listening to what I had to say. Towards the end of my classes, it was interesting to see the different things on campus which grabbed my attention. As my last class ended for the day and we were dismissed to leave, it felt like pressure within me was released off my body.

For many of us our anticipation of what the first day of college should be is less or more of what is expected considering that some of us have never been to college or are returning to college. The feelings that we have not only are similar to most but, are very surreal to a lot and can be overwhelming. Being that I am 42 years old, going back to school to finally accomplish something with meaning had me excited yet, questioning whether this was for me. To be on campus with the majority of the students half my age unfortunately made me feel vulnerable and old. I knew going back, there would be many changes especially with today’s technology and new updated curriculums. The feeling that you want to be ready for whatever comes your way was by far augmented and overtaking. Nevertheless, if goals and ambitions is what gives you the drive to better yourself no matter what age, the outcome will supersede any ill feeling you had in the beginning. A glimpse of my first day merely covers the surface of what I felt and experienced going back to school after twenty some years.

It was a warm and sunny day, I was able to sleep until eleven o’clock in the mooring. I woke up got dressed and attended my first college class. Walking across campus, I saw familiar faces from freshman orientation back in June. I felt comfortable starting my first day of college. I told myself that this was a new chapter in my life, and I wanted to make something special of it. I wanted to make a difference. My number one goal was to get myself known. I made so many friends by just simply making small talk. I know so many faces on campus and I can not wait to see what the future has in store for me.

When I first enrolled in this course I thought it would be a good chance for me to meet new people with an interest in ballet, but I never thought that it would have a larger impact on myself. For instance, I did not believe that I would relate the world of ballet to my economics and statistic class that I am currently enrolled in as well, but that is exactly what I began to do. During these past 15 weeks I have learn much about myself, life, and ballet. The class is not what I ever imagined; however I would not change a thing about the class overall. Ballet like everything else has a rich history that although it does not seem important, or appear interesting is key to having an understanding of where it

Hearing so many good things and bad things about college I didn’t know what to expect and look forward to. That change my junior year knowing different college come every year I didn’t really pay it any mind what college I wanted to go to until ODU, Virginia State University and Virginia Teach came. It was Virginia State first year of visiting out school and I knew I wanted to go there I start getting e excited for college that were talking about their experience at college and what to look for when we graduated if we decided to go to college. Eager to start a new chapter college sound like it could be a little nerve wrecking but I thought I could handle it.