The Necessary Changes

   I’m going to be very honest, when I say that this semester was difficult for me it is no joke.  I found that taking eighteen credits my first semester probably wasn’t the best decision, and learned some very strong lessons.  I found that after the first part of the semester was over, I was struggling to keep afloat, and didn’t know how I would be able to come back from the hole that I was stuck in.  However, at this point I took the initiative to meet with my advisors and reorganize myself immediately. I was so incredibly happy when I was able to sit down with some of the teachers whose classes I was struggling most in, and that I was able to figure out a new game plan to get myself back on track again and this was extremely beneficial.  It seemed at first that I really was stuck in the dark, but then the sun finally came out again. I reorganized every piece of my schoolwork, and began making lists for every day, so there was absolutely no confusion.  I also found myself to be not as stressed once this change was made, and had more time to complete assignments, that before I had no idea how to do.  I really learned what works best for me in terms of organization, and I’m glad I learned this lesson early, and have, made the necessary changes that will prevent me from having the same struggle in the future.

Unaware Learning

“Nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.”

    This quote is exactly expressed in the class that really gets my mind going.  Exercise science has really promoted new ways of learning to me that I really never understood in the same way before.  It is true that the majority of people, including myself would never want to willingly write a paper.  However, in this class we are assigned a series of questions that requires us to research a topic and find out for ourselves the answer.  I really didn’t even realize that I was learning anything in this class until I was able to give a full explanation to my teacher contrasting two different state laws, something that to me seemed very complex. Of course when these topics are assigned, I’m the least happy camper around, but I’m glad that I actually am retaining the information that is taught, whether or not I agree with the method. It is therefore proven to me that simply being told the answer doesn’t truly make you understand something, you must apply it yourself.  I also find myself doing lots of puzzle activities in which we break into groups to solve problems. This again I didn’t think was very significant to start off with, but now I find we all get a lot more work done in this fashion, and are able to help each other find answers, a true demonstration of teamwork.  This again is a case of finding out for ourselves that working together to solve problems while applying ourselves is something you must find for yourself. 



Study Spot



      This is the ideal spot for me to study, right outside of the Adanti student center.  On a day of nice weather, it is ideal for sitting and meeting with people, or judge reading over notes.  It is common before I have a math quiz for my class to meet right here, and ask each other questions, then we go inside and go over problems and solve them.  I also like to be outside, so this spot is great for getting fresh air, instead of studying indoors, like most others. In addition, it is right in the middle of where all my classes are, therefore I don’t have to travel very far from this location to anywhere that I have to be, and this is very useful.  I also enjoy the fact that here is right in the middle of where everyone passes by, so I see a lot of people I know throughout the day here.

“There are no regrets in life, just lessons.”

Grade Inflation Discussion

      Tuesday’s class really opened my eyes further to the reality of grade inflation.  The whole idea of what “the average” really is I hadn’t considered as much before.  I believe that grade inflation really has an impact on what determines an average student from the above average student.  This is because students may see that if they work incredibly hard and don’t receive the grades they feel they deserve, they might feel as though it isn’t necessarily worth going through the struggle.  They might feel as though the extra boost of their grade is necessary, and become more reliant on this.  Additionally, I felt the point made in class that if we rely on grade inflation, we will miss out on a big part of our education.  This is because teachers don’t necessarily mean to disregard hard work, but more so offer to challenge students to make them better.  In the end, students should take this challenge for themselves because the end most often will justify the means. 

A Simple Cup of Coffee

      This week as usual, I was bombarded with plenty of assignments that caused my week to be filled with the usual stress. However, I decided (even though it was an assignment), to squeeze in some time to do something that I enjoy.  This was probably something I should have done all along because it is critical to set some time apart from your day for just yourself to avoid getting too worked up.  My anti-stress activity was going to get a cup of coffee with a really close friend of mine.  Since school began there hasn’t much time to really talk to people I’ve been close with, and the time spent was definitely beneficial.  One of the reasons for this was because I got to see how my friend was doing at his school, and realized that his weeks are just as much stress as mine, and he gave me some good tips to organizing my schedule since he more experienced with me.  This helped a lot, because not only did I get some time apart from my studies for myself, but I got to catch up with a close friend who has a much better way of managing things.    

Midterm Change

    This past week has really been a wake-up call for me in terms of my midterm grades.  There are some classes that I feel I really excel in, and these classes I really enjoy.  However, there are some classes that I feel need extra time put in that is necessary for the second half of the semester.  I think that I have finally settled in and gotten a grip on what is necessary for me to do my best.  I also have changed my study habits and strategies, so hopefully my newly found confidence will help me make some changes happen over the course of the next few weeks.  I am glad that midterm week came, because this was necessary for me to assess myself, and make changes where needed.  I feel that I was very overwhelmed with work this first half, and didn’t always take the most time doing the most important things.  This will change, and I am looking forward to the challenge of doing better in the areas I feel I need to.  I also have set a small list of short-term goals, and this approach has me feeling less overwhelmed because I feel as though I accomplish something each day, rather than feeling like a goal is out of reach.  This approach seems to be working, and I already feel as though I am getting back on track once again.