Riding the Semester Coaster!

There are no words to describe my first semester here at Southern Connecticut State University. My experience has been a blast! From my first class, to the last class, I learned so many new things about how I deal with pressure. College has been a new chapter in my life. During my high school days, I was not reliant on myself. I expected things to come to me and did not put effort into many things. Now that I am a college student, I am taking more responsibilities and actions towards my life and certainly my education. Although I improved my habits, I know there is still a lot more to come; as I am only at the beginning of the process.

Things will definitely get harder, and I will have to learn to cope with what is going on. One thing that challenged me this semester was that in some classes your whole grade depends on one or two tests. I find this to be very difficult because if you fail one of the tests, your grade is most likely not going to be an A like you wanted it to be. This puts a lot of pressure on you to make sure you know the material and study. In order to overcome those challenges, I would think a week in advance so I know what is coming up. This way I get a heads start on the material and for the parts that I do not understand, I have time to review. Another challenge I faced was how a college professor expects much more from you than a high school teacher does. In high school, all a student has to do to get a good grade is do their homework and come to class. In college, it is extremely different. In order to get solid grade, one has to go home and understand the topic before they come to class. In addition, there is much more reading to do in college then high school. I have learned that everything a professor says in class is valuable.

Although I have had some difficulties this semester, I also had many achievements. One of my biggest successes this semester is time management. I was able to handle a big amount of schoolwork, as well as handling my job. I thought I was going to have a ton of sleepless nights because I would have to work when I have to study but that was not the case at all! I learned to use my time wisely when I was not at work to finish any schoolwork that needed to be done and if I did not finish I tried to finish at work! I probably had one or two sleepless nights this whole semester! Next semester, I might quit one of my jobs so I have more time for my schoolwork. I have been satisfied with my grades this semester despite some minor setbacks. I enjoy some classes more than I enjoy others and I believe that has been deciding my grade. For example, I do not really enjoy my math class, actually I dread going, which is why I probably have low grade. On the other hand, I enjoy going to inquiry class. I love the discussions we have and the students in my class. All these reflect my grade in the class. I believe I am achieving my goal of expanding my education and learning something new every day.

This first semester has definitely taught me many things. For instance, it has taught, college is all about how with growing up also come a lot more responsibilities. It also gave me a blast of confidence for next semester because now I know what to expect and now know all the resources southern offers that I can go to if I need help. For next semester, I plan to continue to strive in my education and to spread my wings to study abroad!  I plan to continue to use the same techniques next semester such as, time management, and good study habits to get good grades.  I enjoy coming to southern because it is a university with many good resources for students to strive in their work. My first semester has been a memorable one and I hope to keep expanding my education. Here is a short video of me explaining my thoughts! Enjoy!