Study Habits

What classes are you doing well in, and why? 

I am doing well in most of my classes, especially chemistry, because I feel like the material is just coming really naturally to me. I am also doing really well in English because I really like my professor and the way he explains things and grades everything. 

What classes did you identify as needing assistance in? 

I am struggling to keep up in History but I know it is my fault that I’m not putting in enough time. I really understand the material after the class discussions but struggle when it comes to understanding the reading material on my own. 

What changes have you made (i.e. amount of time, location, campus resources, study strategies, etc…)?

I have tried out a couple different places to study in. I used to only study in the library, but now I have found that I am more productive when I’m in Webb or one of the buildings that I have classes in that have little study areas. I have found this to be true because I like to have a little bit of noise while I study and the library is just too quiet for me. I have also found that not all classes require the same amount of time to study and I find myself using most of my time for History. 

Transition to College

What expectations did you have coming to college? 

I expected that I would have poor time management and always just be out with friends. 

Have those expectations come to fruition, or not? 

I have found that I am fairly good at setting time aside to do homework and study and telling people I can’t hangout when I’m doing work. 

How?

Although I am doing better than I thought with my time management, there is still room to improve because I am still struggling in History.

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

It has surprised me how much I have liked all my professors. I was honestly a little nervous about that but I really lucked out and enjoy all of their classes. 

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

It has surprised me at how little time I spend in my room. I was expecting me to just lay around all day when I wasn’t in class and do all my work in my room. I’m glad that this hasn’t been the case however because it is much more fun to go out even when it’s just to do work. 

What has been your toughest challenge with moving away to college? Easiest challenge to overcome?

There hasn’t really been a tough challenge but I would say my only challenge, more of an inconvenience was that when I run low on toilet paper or hand soap and stuff like that, I have to go to the store and buy it myself. Sharing a bathroom with three other girls has been a little inconvenient sometimes when we’re all trying to get ready in the morning, but it hasn’t really been a big problem for me personally because I wake up first out of the four of us most days. 

Major

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

I knew it was going to be very competitive when I go to apply for graduate school but I didn’t think it was going to be nearly as many people as it is. Before four months ago I hadn’t even heard of exercise science and over the summer I had to change my major to it because that’s when I first heard about it so it caught me off guard when I met so many people also pursuing it, especially with the intent of going to PT school. 

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

I have been introduced to recreational therapy which has caught my eye. I think it would be more fun and rewarding for me personally to pursue but I am worried about their salaries because when I get older I want to have a big family and I’m not sure I can support that off the salary of a recreational therapist. 

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

I am going to talk with my advisor about recreational therapy more during my advising meeting that’s tomorrow to see if it is a possibility with my goals in life. 

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. 

The only problem that I have had to reach out to a third party for is when my sink got clogged. I reached out to my RA and she helped me out and gave me suggestions and told me what to do. 

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? 

All of my friends have really helped me just get out more and have fun. This has helped me not get so stressed about school work because when that happens that’s when I tend to fall behind. 

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

I have attended the Global Brigades interest meeting because I felt that it would be a really fun opportunity but also go along with my major. I was excited to learn more about it because I would go to Panama with a group and we would offer health relief to those struggling in Panama. Ultimately I could not go on this trip do to prior plans that I have made with my family but I am going to try again next year.