My First Semester
My first semester as an Old Dominion University student has been an excellent learning opportunity. Since the beginning of the semester, I have developed stronger study habits, gained more insight into my future career, and developed connections with my peers. College has given me the opportunity to explore new things and challenge myself.
At the start of this semester, I expected to meet many new people, spend an extensive amount of time studying, and explore a variety of organizations on campus. This semester exceeded my expectations in many ways. I found it much easier to balance classwork and studying with my social life. Additionally, I developed an encouraging and healthy friend group within the first week of classes. Overall, this semester was an excellent start to my college experience.
At the beginning of the semester, I was worried about taking Anatomy and Physiology and Chemistry in the same semester. However, it has been very manageable and I am maintaining an A in both classes. This would have been relieving to know fourteen weeks ago.
Study Habits
Compared to the beginning of the semester, I study for each class the same as I did in the beginning of the semester. I typically start studying for an exam a week prior and increase my daily study time two to three days before an exam.
At the beginning of the semester, I mainly studied in my dorm’s study rooms. However, as the semester has progressed I have found more study spots including coffee shops, the library, and the Chemistry building. My other study habits such as time management and how I study have remained the same.
This semester, I utilized the Science Tutoring Center which helped me prepare for multiple Chemistry exams. I plan on using this resource again next semester as I continue to take science-heavy courses.
Next semester, I will continue to plan out my schedule at the beginning of every week. This helped me prioritize my tasks throughout the week and not procrastinate. Additionally, I will use the Pomodoro Studying Technique next semester. This technique breaks up studying into twenty-five minute increments with five minute breaks. It helped me stay focused for a longer amount of time when studying large amounts of information. This semester gave me the opportunity to improve and alter my study habits to fit college expectations.
Health Professions Learning Community
This semester, I took HLTH 101 and CHEM 105/106N as part of the Health Professions Learning Community. HLTH 101 taught me crucial study habits that I was able to utilize in Chemistry. Additionally, this class allowed me to reflect on my progress throughout the semester. As a result, I made changes to my study habits which better prepared me for my Chemistry exams. In Chemistry, my professor briefly discussed a variety of health professions and how they related to our Chemistry concepts that week. While these courses may not seem to tie together, there are many connections that enhanced my learning experience.
Parallel Plan
This semester, we heard from many speakers on a variety of majors in the Health Sciences field. While I am certain that I want to continue pursuing a major in Nursing, I learned about a few other fields that were fascinating. Nuclear Medicine Technology is one major I found interesting because of its focus on imaging and diagnosing issues with organs. I also found Health Education fascinating because it combines teaching people and working in the health field.
Having a parallel plan in college can be extremely beneficial. It allows me to have a backup strategy to rely on if my current plan is not successful. If something were to go wrong with my original plan, I could easily pivot to my parallel plan and earn my degree without stressing over where to start.
A major in health education could have a positive impact on my path of pursuing a nursing degree. Health education informs individuals about wellness and how they can improve their health, as well as minimize risk of disease. As a nursing major, being aware of these topics will help me improve my health and the health of future patients.