Now that I reflect on the beginning of the fall semester, I did not realize how much I have grown. From the beginning of the fall semester, it seemed like I was hard on myself, setting unattainable goals. Goals such as studying five hours a day were challenging because I am busy every day, work full time, and babysit, so it isn’t easy. I learned to take one step at a time and go with the flow by focusing on upcoming due dates. I also learned the importance of being prepared before class because there were times where I looked dumb because I did not know the concepts. Fourteen weeks ago, I wished I knew the importance of taking notes based on class discussions; I did not start doing that until the middle of the semester. I also wish I knew the importance of having one day as a mental break because this semester was very stressful. Overall my mistakes from the beginning of the semester will shape me to be 100% better next semester. I will try not to be as hard on myself, take detailed notes, study for at least 30 to 45 minutes, and create a balanced schedule for work and school.

Since I rarely have time for myself nowadays due to so much responsibility, I usually spend about 30 to 45 minutes studying each course every day. Compared to the beginning of the school year, I pushed myself to study three hours which was a terrible decision. Because I tried to study three hours a day, I had difficulty completing other assignments. Reviewing 30 to 45 minutes every day works well with my schedule because I have more time to work on other tasks. Overall, my study habits changed based on the amount of responsibility. I learned that balance is the key to success. I have yet to use any resources on campus, but I look forward to seeking help at the writing center next semester. Next semester, I will continue to use Cornell notes, a note-taking system used to organize notes.

The courses that I enrolled in this semester tied together because each class had topics relevant to my career. For example, in CHEM 105 N and 106N, my professor taught me that nurses measure patients’ medicine using cubic centimeters (cc’s). Like chemistry, chemists use millimeters instead of cc’s to measure liquids, and one cc is equivalent to one mL. HIST 104H taught me that learning about the social determinants of health (equity and equality) is relevant for my career because it is important to ensure that all patients receive equal treatment no matter the difference in demographic. SOCS 201s taught me the importance of knowing the theoretical perspectives (functional, conflict, and interaction theory) because the theoretical perspectives impact how the individual behaves daily, which is crucial to know for my career. HLTH 101 taught me that there are many job opportunities in the medical field. For instance, the nursing field has many branches such as RN, Nurse Educator, Nurse Practitioner, and more. The Social Determinants of Health event was most beneficial as a student because we make decisions that affect our future. Education is an essential social determinant of health because education leads to opportunities that increase or decrease healthy behavior. As students, we are responsible for working hard to achieve our dream career to live a happy and healthy lifestyle.