Flashback: You literally just graduated high school and EVERYBODY is asking, "Where are you going to school? What will you major in? Are you living on campus or commuting? Did you get a scholarship--for how much?" They really want to know. You're swimming, more like drowning, in circles. I just want to get my open house thank-you cards over with so I can enjoy my summer and get my mom off my back.
One month goes by: You're at orientation and an enthusiastic welcome committee is throwing A LOT at you. "Welcome to [insert college or university here], if you'd kindly follow this group to the auditorium we can begin our orientation." Do I take my parents with me? Is everyone else taking their parents with them? Crap--I didn't bring a pen. Mom, please stop crying. Okay, everyone is heading in by themselves...Do I have time to go to the bathroom?
Orientation is finally over and you've got all of your classes picked out: Contemporary Ethical Dilemmas (whatever that means), Intro to Earth Science, Algebra, and English. Not so bad, considering I scheduled all of them for after 11:00AM and nothing on Fridays. Now where do I get books? That guy in the polo shirt might be able to tell me. Okay, made it to the campus bookstore. Oh good, the line is out the door.
Present day: It's officially the end of July and it seems you've got almost everything you need. 12 mechanical pencils, 11 spiral notebooks, 10 Bic pens, 9 giant erasers, 8 rad t-shirts, 7 neon highlighters, 6 pairs of shoes, 5 three-ring binders, 4 huge containers worth of toiletries, kitchen and office supplies, 3 awesome band posters, 2 back packs, and a FUNNY LOOKING, BRAND NEW ID! It's all packed and piled in the corner of your bedroom, awaiting its debut.
Fast forward: It's move-in day and the trip so far has been wonderful to say the least. You definitely weren't just arguing with your sibling over who gets to take the Harry Potter movies...and lost. You haven't been trying to hold it together so your mom doesn't burst into tears...for the millionth time. You certainly did not forget your all-time, favorite, ever, blanket that is folded neatly at the foot of your bed at home because you slept with it last night and didn't remember to pack it with your new bed-set. You are just thrilled to be squeezed tightly in the back seat surrounded by all of your stuff for the entire way to school--microwave on your lap. All statements above are SO not full of sarcasm. That was sarcastic.
When you arrive on campus, a relentlessly cheerful Resident Assistant hands you your keys along with a bunch of forms that you CAN NOT FORGET TO FILL OUT AND RETURN TO HER BY 4:00PM TOMORROW, then mentions that the elevators are out and points you to the stairs. After a grueling hour of moving everything from the car to the room, you begin setting up and your mother moves everything around, disregarding your comments about the need to share the space equally with your roommate that hasn't yet arrived. Then it's time for your family members to head back home. More waterworks; this time, even you get pretty choked up. After you say your goodbyes, you meet your new roommate. It seems like we could get along--not that I'd really have a choice. Thank goodness I took that "common interest" sheet seriously when I was filling out housing applications. Oh, she brought a fridge too. Yay, two fridges! Wait...this is how it starts, the Freshman Fifteen.
After a few days of "Welcome Week" activities, you're nervous to start school, not to mention, pretty mentally and physically exhausted. You are aware that you didn't read enough this summer, which is a major bummer because reading anything always seems to sharpen your mind and enhance your vocabulary, but oh well. I'm sure I'll get my share of reading if I want to pass my classes this semester. You know that you heard some people say that you should meet your professors and get to know them, especially during the first week. Therefore, you've amped yourself up and are prepared to courageously answer their questions and shake their hand after class if given the chance--even if they try to intimidate you with a hefty syllabus. You remember the advice about meeting other classmates, exchanging numbers, and looking for opportunities for study groups. Then you stop, look around, and realize that everyone, for the most part, is sitting in the same boat of confusion and chaos and suddenly you feel a little better because it is really happening. No more anticipation or anxiety about the what-ifs. A whirlwind of mixed emotion crosses over you. All you can do now is what you came to do: Go to class and let the adventure commence. Here we go, wish me luck.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
On Reflection
It is SO important to take time to reflect after completing a college course. What did you actually take away from the class that you just paid hundreds (or thousands) of dollars for? Think about that for a second. If you can't automatically spew at least one major concept that you really grasped, you probably just wasted a lot of your time. And effort. And money.
I know what you're thinking:
For example, in my Entrepreneurial Marketing & Finance class I had to learn how to fail--over and over again. I think that out of the 115 prospective clients that my group pursued, only four said "Yes," and purchased our product. That's a lot of no's (111, to be exact). But being a true entrepreneur isn't about making all the right choices and immediately succeeding. It's about trusting your initial instincts, handling constructive criticism, tweaking strategies, refusing to allow others to take advantage of you, and overall, digging deep to stay motivated. It is a process.
Some extremely brutal classes may just remind you that life is hard and that not everything comes easy--thanks, Accounting 2. While others may teach you that every college student deserves at least one "Easy A" and life doesn't always have to be taken so seriously--thanks, Intro to Jazz Appreciation.
OR
You may not carry academic lessons with you at all. College forces you to manage time, interact with a diverse group of people, deal with stress, rise above distraction and temptation, put on your big-girl pants and face the music--even when you are overworked, underpaid, sleep-deprived, and therefore highly considering a "career" at your local ice-cream shop. Reflecting on these experiences is just as important if not more.
Just do yourself a favor (and whoever else that has a hand in paying for your education) and truly take something away from all of this. By reflecting on lessons learned you are giving meaning to your college experiences. Without meaning, college is just a money pit you fall into where Mrs. Donovan "wah, waah, waaahs" you to death for four-plus years.
I know what you're thinking:
- "I suck at math. I'll never use math again--not algebra, not trigonometry, not calculus. I'm done forever, hallelujah!"
- "You won't find THIS guy writing research papers in my future career."
- "Who uses Microsoft Access anyway?"
For example, in my Entrepreneurial Marketing & Finance class I had to learn how to fail--over and over again. I think that out of the 115 prospective clients that my group pursued, only four said "Yes," and purchased our product. That's a lot of no's (111, to be exact). But being a true entrepreneur isn't about making all the right choices and immediately succeeding. It's about trusting your initial instincts, handling constructive criticism, tweaking strategies, refusing to allow others to take advantage of you, and overall, digging deep to stay motivated. It is a process.
Some extremely brutal classes may just remind you that life is hard and that not everything comes easy--thanks, Accounting 2. While others may teach you that every college student deserves at least one "Easy A" and life doesn't always have to be taken so seriously--thanks, Intro to Jazz Appreciation.
OR
You may not carry academic lessons with you at all. College forces you to manage time, interact with a diverse group of people, deal with stress, rise above distraction and temptation, put on your big-girl pants and face the music--even when you are overworked, underpaid, sleep-deprived, and therefore highly considering a "career" at your local ice-cream shop. Reflecting on these experiences is just as important if not more.
Just do yourself a favor (and whoever else that has a hand in paying for your education) and truly take something away from all of this. By reflecting on lessons learned you are giving meaning to your college experiences. Without meaning, college is just a money pit you fall into where Mrs. Donovan "wah, waah, waaahs" you to death for four-plus years.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Get Tough or Die
I've been hearing a lot of whining lately, and a lot of it is coming from me. I didn't want to believe it at first, but I caught my friend looking "through" me when he asked how I've been doing lately and it dawned on me. Crap, I am the whiner.
For those of you who have not heard it already, it sounds something like this:
"Senioritis"-- a term that has always made me roll my eyes, has actually caught up with me, jumped on my back, is simultaneously yanking at my shirt and dual-fistedly pounding on my skull. Plus, winter is smothering me and if I drive another mile in white-out conditions I am going to freak. It is just so hard to stay motivated. Writing papers is no longer glamorous--in fact, it seems incredibly monotonous. Reading textbooks now puts me to sleep. I have actually had to use this as a tactic once or twice this semester because I am usually so stressed out that it is impossible for me to get any quality shut-eye. And HOW does my instructor expect me to test over eight chapters per week?! It's just cruel!
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blahhhhhhhhh...
Even when my complaints are somewhat creatively disguised, they are still complaints. As my ever-so-eloquent father always said, "Get tough or die." This was a phrase he most often used when my sisters and I would show him our bruises, soliciting for a bit of pity. He would then, without skipping a beat, take his thumb and press on it until we let out a yelp, flashed him a look, and ran off. Of course, this gesture was always out of love (paired with a little sadistic humor for good measure.) He's right of course. Complaining is not going to change a thing. If anything, dwelling on problems only makes our attitudes more negative--and it sucks the life out of whomever has been forced to listen.
So, I apologize. I need to get over myself.
At least I am going to college. At least I am getting an education. I won't preach too much here, but as we know not everyone has that opportunity. Sometimes it is necessary to remind ourselves of this because school can be stressful, and stress is a variable in the function of becoming a curmudgeon. Sometimes we need to look at life and say, "This sucks. Oh well. I'll get through it." Chances are, you've persevered through much worse than a tight deadline, a slippery road, a challenging exam, or a sleepless night or two.
I have about 65 days left until I graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Business and as of right now, nothing is going to stop me from getting it. Not even myself.
For those of you who have not heard it already, it sounds something like this:
"Senioritis"-- a term that has always made me roll my eyes, has actually caught up with me, jumped on my back, is simultaneously yanking at my shirt and dual-fistedly pounding on my skull. Plus, winter is smothering me and if I drive another mile in white-out conditions I am going to freak. It is just so hard to stay motivated. Writing papers is no longer glamorous--in fact, it seems incredibly monotonous. Reading textbooks now puts me to sleep. I have actually had to use this as a tactic once or twice this semester because I am usually so stressed out that it is impossible for me to get any quality shut-eye. And HOW does my instructor expect me to test over eight chapters per week?! It's just cruel!
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blahhhhhhhhh...
Even when my complaints are somewhat creatively disguised, they are still complaints. As my ever-so-eloquent father always said, "Get tough or die." This was a phrase he most often used when my sisters and I would show him our bruises, soliciting for a bit of pity. He would then, without skipping a beat, take his thumb and press on it until we let out a yelp, flashed him a look, and ran off. Of course, this gesture was always out of love (paired with a little sadistic humor for good measure.) He's right of course. Complaining is not going to change a thing. If anything, dwelling on problems only makes our attitudes more negative--and it sucks the life out of whomever has been forced to listen.
So, I apologize. I need to get over myself.
At least I am going to college. At least I am getting an education. I won't preach too much here, but as we know not everyone has that opportunity. Sometimes it is necessary to remind ourselves of this because school can be stressful, and stress is a variable in the function of becoming a curmudgeon. Sometimes we need to look at life and say, "This sucks. Oh well. I'll get through it." Chances are, you've persevered through much worse than a tight deadline, a slippery road, a challenging exam, or a sleepless night or two.
I have about 65 days left until I graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Business and as of right now, nothing is going to stop me from getting it. Not even myself.
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