Learning Styles

My learning style is an intuitive thinker, so I am focused on thinking logically and having a profound understanding of material. I agreed with almost everything in the description of my learning style except the fact that intuitive thinkers don’t memorize material well. I have found that I excel in memorizing study material, so this was the only area in which I saw differentiation in my learning style and the description. Also, I learned that mental pictures are important in this learning style because they help the thinker connect ideas to images making it easier to remember the material. Another interesting fact I found is that intuitive thinkers don’t enjoy working in groups but rather alone. I find this to be true for me because I always end up doing all the work, so it is easier for me to work alone and get the grade I deserve rather than giving someone a grade they don’t deserve. I enjoyed this assignment because I was able to assess myself and gain suggestions as to what may be helpful for me in future assignments

Study Habits

I usually study in my dorm room or in the library depending on the classes I have during that specific day. In my dorm room I can get distracted with talking to my roommate or wanting to lay around because my bed is right next to me. In the library, I find very few distractions. There is a quiet environment where I can focus and get my work done. I usually study all throughout the day in between my classes. I feel alert and awake until about 9:00 at night. At this time, I become exhausted from the long day and just want to relax. One study technique mentioned was to make a plan or overview of a chapter before beginning to read it. I have started to do this in my own studying because I like to stay organized and know the basis of what I will be reading before I begin the assignment. There were several other study techniques mentioned, and I feel that it would be a great idea to try out some different techniques to compare with what I am already doing

Transition to College

In some ways college has been what I’ve expected and in other ways it has been different. In academics, I knew college would be different than high school, but I just didn’t know all the aspects as to why. The assignments are much longer than high school and the schedule of classes is way different having much more gaps in between classes. I expected classes to be hard, so this was one area I knew would be different. My toughest challenge in moving away from home has been feelings of homesickness. I am extremely close to my family, so being away has been a hard challenge to cope with. I am looking for areas to find joy and focusing on the positive in each situation to brighten my day and not get bogged down with missing them. The easiest challenge to overcome was adapting to life with a roommate. My roommate and I respect each others time and space, each keeping the room organized with different tasks. I didn’t know what to expect because I’ve always had my own room, but that has been the least of my worries. I’m so glad that we get along and are able to have such a safe and comfortable environment to live in!

Connecting to Campus

One challenge I have faced this semester is homesickness. As I mentioned above, I am extremely close to my family, so being away has been difficult for me. ODU offers counseling, which I haven’t tried yet. As of now, it is just on and off depending on the week, but if I notice it becoming more regular I will make an appointment. The counselors are used to dealing with these situations, and I feel that it would be a good resource for me to hear some advice on how to adapt. One resource I would like to learn more about would be the Health Center. In case of illness, I would like to know more information on what services are provided, who to call, and the exact location of the service. I know it is in the Webb, but I am not sure exactly where at. A friend from CNU has dealt with homesickness, so I reached out to her for some advice and she has helped me along the way. It was nice to hear that I’m not alone and a lot more people deal with this situation than I thought. I have been attending Cru, a community passionate about sharing Christ with others, for the past six weeks. I reached out to this organization because I knew that I wanted to get involved immediately with some Christian organizations to get plugged in with the right crowd. I have enjoyed the bible studies and worship times, as well as, meeting new people who share my same passion for Jesus!