Each of my classes that I am taking this semester have different requirements and amount of time needed to study to be successful within the class. For chemistry, I study about 12 hours a week studying, whether it be in the library or in my dorm, I am almost always studying chemistry since I know that the subject is becoming more difficult. Being completely honest, my grade within the class does not reflect the amount of study time as I was sick for an entire chapter and truly did not understand what I was doing on that portion of the exam. For sociology, I study roughly 3 hours a week as that class is becoming easier and it is also becoming more a subject of common sense. The amount of study does reflect my grade within the class. Although chemistry and chemistry lab go hand in hand, I really don’t study for the chemistry as I enjoy hands on more than I do reading off of a PowerPoint. The amount of study time does not reflect my grade in the class as I have almost a 100% as my grade. Lastly, I study for my history class around 5 or 6 hours a week due to the common nature and interest I have involving the past. My study time does reflect on my grade as it could be better, but it is not horrible. I do need to start studying more for my history class. I primarily study in the library with some of the people in the class and also some of the people in the fraternity that I am a pledge for.

I haven’t really tried a new study technique yet as I feel that I am doing fairly well within my classes. I have thought about trying different study techniques but most I feel would not beneficial towards my type of learning and digesting information. I study by taking my notes that I take on my computer and rewriting them into my notebook so I can fully digest the information. This varies from class to class as there is one class that I cannot use my computer in, this causes some difficulty with taking notes as I can type a lot faster than what I can write with a pen or pencil. For that class, I usually use a study group with some of the people in the class and we just discuss the information and make sure that all of us understand it. For my other classes, I usually prefer to study alone, but once the information becomes second nature, I then proceed to teach other people in the class on how to do it.

So far, college has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Some days I will be as happy as I’ve ever been, and other days I just feel full of doubt in myself and it really brings me down. Other than that, college has been what I’ve expected. It’s been full or memorable times with my friends, it’s been full of doing dumb stuff and truly getting the experience that I needed. The biggest thing that college has done for me is help with my social anxiety, which has been something that I have struggled with most of my life. Since being here, I have really come out of my shell by constantly meeting new friends while also getting an education that will further change my future. The biggest thing that has surprised me this semester was that I rushed a fraternity. Coming into college I had no intention of joining a fraternity as I saw them as being the stereotypical jocks and drunks, but as I got to know some of the brothers in Sigma Pi, I truly fell in love with what they did and the people that were in the fraternity. That alone, has already helped me quickly adapt to college and being away from home. Not many things have surprised me this semester besides the number of friends that I have made so far. The bonds that I have made so far have already grown stronger than some of the bonds that I made back home in Stafford. There are many things that I love about campus, but the best thing about campus is definitely the size. Compared to other Universities, our campus is extremely small, which helps when going to classes and just getting across the campus in general. The toughest challenge that I have come upon is the workload for my general education classes. Compared to the general education classes in high school, it would make these classes seem like 4^th year major classes. Especially in history, with just the amount of writing and work in general, it is just a lot of time put into a class that I will not need for my future occupation.

One issue that I have come upon this semester would have to be fully understanding the information and implications within the class, more specifically chemistry. I haven’t really used anything on campus yet to help me with this issue, but I have gone to the professor’s office hours, which did indeed help me fully understand the information given to me. One thing that I could do in the future would be going to the chemistry tutoring in the oceanography building. This would help me see how to do it in a more understandable way than what the professor might have taught it in. I haven’t really gone to anyone in particular to help me with any of my issues besides brothers within Sigma Pi. I have gone to them for not only Chemistry, but also sociology. They have not just helped me with issues in classes, but also people skills in general. The brothers within this fraternity have truly helped me grow as a person, not only in education but also in communication skills and people skills as a whole. Although there are many clubs on campus, I have not gone and talked to any of them or gone to any of their events as I feel it would be too time consuming considering that my schedule is already packed as is.