My Personal Experience : My Favorite Year Of College

Throughout my first two years of college, I have had many challenges and successes. I was excited to take this class because it involves something that I have always been interested in. International Studies excites me because it allows me to understand the world on a more practical and realistic level. I had frugal knowledge of relations overseas when I started this class, and now I could not imagine my life before I knew these things. In high school, the only class I took that involved anything on an international level was IB psychology. I was immediately mesmerized by the different cultures I was learning about. When signing up for this class, these intentions and thoughts followed me. International Studies has positively impacted my life in many ways. This class has allowed me to open my mind to many different cultures, this class has helped me understand the different business tactics of other countries, and it has helped me view the United States in a new light.

The transition to a larger school was challenging, but I was excited to attend a university that invested in its students and offered numerous opportunities for development. Coming in mid-year continued to be a difficult adjustment process, but I soon realized that I had to discover ways to find my place in a new setting. I felt the need to take advantage of every opportunity by becoming very involved on campus. I submerged myself in Greek Life, various leadership development programs, honor societies, and mentoring programs. In addition to working on and off campus, my participation in these programs encouraged me to seek opportunities outside of campus. I realize now that although I was unaware that I wanted a career in higher education, my active involvement in student affairs had a great influence on me and helped shape my path.

Throughout my almost four years at Saint Joseph’s College, I have gained heaps of knowledge about various topics, anywhere from my Sports Management classes to Business to Physical Education. But little did I know, when I signed up to be a Puma, I signed up for something beyond a great education. My beliefs, values, and ethics have been put to the test. Not only going through the huge life changing event of going to college, but I have been asked time and time again what I thought and what I believed. This semester in Core 9, I have learned more about myself than I thought there was to me. My beliefs have blossomed into a never ending love for God and a desire to become closer to God every single day. My values have been tested to the

College is a great place to grow as a person, but you have to plan out what you will do in order to have the greatest experience possible. Without having a plan you will not be able to go forward with great confidence that you have made all of the right choices in college. This means you should not party and make bad decisions that will ruin your chances at making a great career out of your time and money that is going in for your education. I believe that you should not be part of the crowd that is only at school to party and to has fun, I believe that you should join a group that will help with your education and that you can still have a good time with. You should also have great relationships with your professors in order for you to go to them and talk about problems or issues that you are having with the classes you are taking and maybe they can give you advice on how you could improve in the class that you are struggling in, or maybe they can just be a person to talk to. Professors are great tools for you to use to start doing the best you can possibly do with the help and guidance that only professors can give.

One of the biggest problems I have ever had to face is whether to continue my education or not. As a high school student I thought I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to go to the University of Georgia, become a veterinarian, and then make my own practice one day. Things didn’t go as smoothly as I would have liked for them to go but I think it has led me to be more confident in myself and have a healthier happier life. My first year of college was the biggest challenge I have ever experienced but I am glad that stuck with it.

Well my first semester of college is nearly about to wrap up and I gained a ton of new knowledge that will last me a life time. It was just seven months ago that I graduated high school after twelve long years of public school. Now, it’s been seven months officially being on my own and being an adult where I need to take on new responsibilities in my life. There have been new obstacles, new strategies to overcome those obstacles, and new outcomes to these challenges.

My mother once asked me what college I wanted to attend after high school and where I saw myself in the future. These questions had been brought up the night before my first day as a freshman at Waiakea High. Seeing as I was still, at the time, a naive prepubescent teen, I just stood there dumbstruck, with a blank expression on my face. One could say I looked like a deer in the headlights. After the initial shock of the unexpected question passed, I first felt overwhelmed and flustered because I had no idea how to respond, and then I became concerned. Concerned because I knew my academic skills were subpar and there was no way I would make Division 1 Cross Country on scholarship. I felt as though I was in a hole. “Maybe I’ll just go across the street,” I replied referring to UH Hilo in a jokingly manner.We continued to talk for a while longer, but the thing that she said that sticks with me till this day was, “Aim higher, I know you can do better if you try.” Looking back on it, I can say that I was afraid. Afraid of wanting to dream high and end up failing in the end.

As Dan West has stated every story has a beginning, middle and an end to it. I can tell you all sorts of stories from the past two years. Some of the events I have experienced are like none other and can be only described as a college experience. No matter how the story goes, or the content of the story, a constant theme of learning and growth is present throughout everyone. Throughout these past two years, I have learned several bits of information about myself. College can be described as a learning experience, and that is exactly what I would describe my college experience.

Have you ever experienced a time in your life where you just did not care about anything? Is that normal? I do not want anyone to think I was depressed or anything because I was not. I just was not happy. I am not sure exactly why either. Maybe because I did not really hang out with people or even talk to people. I blame myself for that. I could have hung out with all my friends they were almost always free. Now that I am looking back at it I think I tried to seclude myself from everyone. I liked being alone and to myself. I have always been kind of shy and before 6th grade I was an utter loser and did not have any close friends. But the summer of 2016 was different because I had all my best friends I simply just did not want to hang with them. When the end of the summer came around, soccer was starting. I was really excited because I love everything about the sport and I was going be able to play at a varsity level. The only part that gave me anxiety was the fact that I might not like or want to be friends with my team. After a while I learned to love everyone. We got to practice with the boys almost every day and we always had the funniest conversations and best practices. I was finally starting to feel like myself and I am not hundred percent sure if it was because I was playing soccer all day, everyday or because of the people I was with.

My first year of college I encountered an abundance of struggle. When signing up for classes I chose poorly the course load I could manage. I took many challenging courses all in one short span of time. I was not accustomed to the differences of college and high school. I started out anxious but sure I would succeed. Shortly after starting, I began to fall behind due to challenging course work and inexperience with the structure of college classes. I was unsure of where to turn for help and I felt very helpless. I believe I started to have anxiety in high school but with a strong support group I was able to flourish and had never needed to seek a mental health professional. As I started to do poorly my anxiety came to a peak. I would bawl daily unsure of where to turn. I had panic attacks every time I did a homework assignment. My mind would tell me if I get this question wrong I would get another wrong, I would do bad on the assignment, I would fail the class, then all the hard work I put in to come to WSU would be for nothing, I’d never get a career, and I’d never be able to support my son. I studied extremely hard for exams and when I got to the exam room would forget everything. I would often start to black out from the stress. I did so very terribly my first year and was given another shot my second year. I sought out a mental health professional and was diagnosed and given ways to cope with my anxiety. I was in better contact with my advisor and began to attend

This week has been one interesting, hectic experience. Every since I came back to my father’s place after summer break from graduating, I had did nothing but apply for Columbia Southern University. Afterwards, I applied for FAFSA to get government grants to pay for my college considering I was no longer in High School. During August, I did not anything the entire time until school started online. Whenever I received the Critical Thinking (Third Edition) book through the mail, I knew I needed to learn more responsibilities. First week of my online classes passed by and then everything started to form together.

Going to college is a whole knew experience, and it can be scary to some freshman. Going to college can be a great experience or it can not be a great experience it all depends on yourself. Going to college may mean bad eating habits, or there may be a high level of stress. Going to college may mean that it is the first time to be away from home all on your own. There are many aspects of being a freshman in college, and

A week and a half before Thanksgiving break I found myself overwhelmed in an instant after learning the sheer amount of events and work that would come up. Leading to November sixteenth and seventeenth, the deadline for all my assignments, I was given my first college research paper to due, an important essay for my connections class, a midterm for my calculus two class, and two quizzes and a test for my Japanese class, all due in the span of those two days. I additionally had individual issues around then that affected me further, they include the stress of registration, roommate issues and the knowledge that my mom would not be home for Thanksgiving due to her visiting my grandma to stay with her through the sickness. At that moment I felt a multitude of emotions, which prompt my mental breakdowns and crying consistently. I felt insufficient and futile, how would I complete this work on time and with good marks?

College is all of what you make it. You meet many new people, and see many faces. You will start new friendships, and possibly end some that you’ve had for a while; just know that it’s okay when it happens. Friends come and go, especially in this big transition. That’s what the college experience is, one big transition. Whether you are moving to a new city/state or even just moving down the street, college is a whole new chapter. It does pay off to be social in college, but you still need to have that balance of social and academics.

This is my second year of college, but my first time away from home. I attended a community college in my hometown, and I transferred to Texas A&M- Corpus Christi with a 3.86 GPA. Last year, I made some big changes in my school habits and who I am as a student. I devoted a lot more time and focus to my school work because this schooling is a choice and not available to everyone; if I was going to do this, I was going to do the absolute best I could. So, starting that year I kept an eye on my grades at all times, and aimed high with my GPA. These goals were important to make, because I would not be where I am now without them. It was challenging to change and still is, but I am not going into debt for average grades and minimum effort. Setting goals in my classes and for my overall year is important to me, and is how I plan to have a successful year.