The following text consists of my reflection after completing half of my first semester of college. The link below will take you to the original document. Enjoy!

MY REFLECTION:

Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G-rx7f4HQ0wfbz7soq8R2lyYhDWMtGNyTqEtDnmaI8g/edit

Study Habits

• What classes are you doing well in, and why? 

As I mentioned in the Pre-Semester Reflection assignment, I feel as though I am still doing well in all my classes. My midterm grades were all As, so I feel as though that reflects how I am doing in my classes as of now. The reason I believe that I am succeeding in my classes is because I have figured out how best to study and am also understanding all the concepts we are learning at the moment. 

• What classes did you identify as needing assistance in? 

In the Pre-Semester Reflection, I felt like I needed assistance with self defense. However, what I failed to understand was that it was a half semester class. Therefore, I have already finished it and successfully completed the course with an A. 

• What changes have you made (i.e. amount of time, location, campus resources, study strategies, etc…)? I have not made any significant changes from my Pre-Semester Reflection regarding the times and resources I use for classes. As mentioned in my previous assignment, I study chemistry through pre reading the lecture slides and then testing my knowledge during class. However, I did not mention that I studied sociology by making Quizlets of the terms. This is a method I did use since the first test; however, I failed to write it before. As of now, I would say that I study relatively the same amount of time I did in the beginning of the semester. 

Transition to College

• What expectations did you have coming to college? 

In my Pre-Semester writing, I discussed how I thought the assignments and testing would be different in college than it was in high school. In addition, I stated I would learn new skills and meet new people as well as struggle with commuting. 

• Have those expectations come to fruition, or not? 

As of now, I would agree with my statements from the Pre-Semester Reflection. 

• How?

The assignments and tests in college are a little different from those in high school. I have learned that there is a difference between these because the professors assign material and the students are supposed to complete the assignments at home; meanwhile, in high school the teachers gave you time in class to do assignments. In addition, I would agree with the statement that I learned new skills this semester. I learned how to do self defense moves, how to properly dress in a lab, and many other things so far. With that being said, I also agree that I would meet new people. So far, I have met a lot of new people especially in self defense and lab class. Lastly, I would also have to agree with the statement about struggling with commuting to school. 

• In what way is your college experience different from what you expected?

My college experience is very similar to what I expected it to be. The only differences that I can say that I have seen is that it is easier than I thought it would be. In high school and middle school, many teachers point out that professors in college would be harsher. This put a thought in my mind that college was going to be stressful and teachers would make tests and assignments ridiculously hard. Yet, I have not felt very stressed about college classes. The work is more manageable than previous teachers made it seem. 

• What has surprised you about your experiences so far this semester?

This semester, I was surprised by how much I liked self defense class. The other students and the teachers were so much fun to be around and I thoroughly enjoyed the class. In addition, I enjoy writing in English class more than I expected to as well. The teacher is very nice and really makes English a class to help curate creativity.

• OR  If you commute to class: What is the toughest challenge with commuting to campus? Easiest challenge to overcome?

The toughest challenge with commuting to campus is sitting through traffic. After a long day of classes, having a normally 25 minute commute turn into an hour commute is not enjoyable. The easiest challenge to overcome was waking up and going to school. It has been easier than I thought to attend my eight a.m. lecture class. 

Major

• Name something you have learned about your intended major that you did not know at the beginning of the semester.

After experiencing half a semester of college, I learned some new things about nursing. So far, I learned about the many different aspects involved in nursing such as the job position and the skills you need. More importantly, I learned there are a plethora of other positions that I can do in the medical field. At the beginning of the semester, I did not know that nuclear medicine was a job field. However, now I know that it is an option if I decided not to do nursing. The same applies with recreational therapy.

• Have your feelings changed about your intended major? List some thoughts you are having.

Even though I have gotten to see new careers, I have not changed my mind about pursuing a nursing degree. I have thoughts about what I would like to specialize in such as pediatric oncology that may change, but I still am excited about what a nursing degree could give me. 

• Is there another subject (major or minor) that you are interested in learning more about? 

I would like to learn about minors that would give me opportunities outside of nursing. For instance, the minors I would be interested in would be ones like real estate, business, and others that I may not know about yet. I have passions for opening my own business, investing, science, math, art, organization, and interior design. I would want to have a minor that would allow me to pursue those.  

Connecting to Campus

• Name one problem or challenge you have encountered this semester, and which resource(s) at ODU you have/can utilize to assist with this situation. 

At the beginning of the semester, I had a difficult time making friends. As a commuter, I don’t attend many of the events that would allow me to meet new people. In the future, I want to utilize the clubs and intramural sports to help me connect with people outside of a classroom environment.

• Is there a friend, roommate, professor, advisor, or group in the ODU community who has helped you so far this semester? If so, how did they help you? 

My friend Marina has helped me this semester. She has been my friend since junior year of high school and having her here with me is a comfort. She helps me simply by being someone to talk to and relate with both in and out of the classroom.

• Have you attended an interesting meeting for a club? Why did you decide to get involved or not get involved?

I have not attended an interest meeting for a club yet. I haven’t gotten involved because I am trying to get involved in volunteering outside of school more. As well as maintaining grades and a job. These things make it more difficult to get involved, but I am planning to get involved next semester after I figure out the best way to manage my time.