Major/Career
What is your intended major and why did you choose this major?
My intended major is nursing. I have always found the medical field interesting, so when it came time for me to pick my major, I did research and felt nursing fit me best. I have always liked caring for other people. Another reason I want to become a nurse is because I have family members in the medical field who have inspired me to follow this path.
What skills or abilities do you possess that make this major/career a good choice for you?
I have several skills that make nursing a good major and career choice for me. I work well with others. This is a huge part of nursing. Not only are you constantly working with patients, but you are also working with other nurses and doctors. I am also very organized. This skill will allow me to be successful in college and when I am a nurse. Finally, I am constantly pushing myself to learn. I think this will help me with my major and career. It will push me to become the best nurse I can be.
What experience, if any, do you have that relates to your chosen major/career?
I do not have much experience that relates to my intended career. The little experience I do have is from taking care of my grandpa while he struggled with lung cancer. I would go to his house and help make him food or do anything around the house that he could no longer do. I also babysit, so I have experience taking care of children.
In what type of setting would you prefer to work?
I would prefer to work in a hospital setting. As of now, I would love to work with patients healing from surgery. I know that I like the fast pace setting of a hospital, but I would not be opposed to working in a clinic or a doctor’s office either.
What are your career goals (in 5 years/in 10 years)?
My 5-year career goal, I plan to be out of nursing school and working as an RN in a hospital. My 10-year goal is to go back to school to get my master’s degree and become a nurse practitioner.
Complete the MyMajors quiz: https://odu.mymajors.com/quiz/. Provide a screenshot of your results. Of the majors on your top 10 list, which 3 would you like to learn more about?
The three I would like to learn more about are dental hygiene, nuclear medicine technology, and cytotechnology. Dental hygiene has always interested me, but I have never heard of nuclear medicine technology and cytotechnology. I would definitely be interested to learn more about them.
Transition to college
What do you expect to be the biggest difference between high school and college?
I know that there will be many things that I have to get used to in order to do my best in college. The workload in college compared to high school is much larger and more challenging. I expect to have to push myself instead of having a teacher make sure I stay on top of my work like in high school. The most obvious is having classes online, which I have not had to do, so this will be the biggest difference.
What do you expect to be your biggest challenge this semester?
I expect the biggest challenge this semester will be having everything online. I am not the best with computers and technology, which will be challenging. I am used to having face to face classes where I can ask questions and have the interaction with my teacher and peers. This semester I will not have that. Some of my classes do not have a scheduled time so I will never see my classmates. I know that will be the biggest challenge, but once I get used to it, it will be no big deal.
If you live on campus: What do you expect to be your biggest challenge with moving away to college?
OR If you commute to class: What do you expect to be your biggest challenge with commuting to campus?
I will be commuting to ODU from Virginia Beach this semester. The most challenging thing will be making sure I make it to class on time. I will have to leave early enough to make sure I account for traffic and finding a parking spot.
Do you have a job/ or plan to get a job? If so, where? How many hours will you be working per week?
Yes, I have a job. I work at Jump Trampoline Park at Lynnhaven mall. I am the cashier and work about 12 hours a week. I also teach dance on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Those two days combined I work 8 hours.
Study habits
Is there a difference between “studying” and “homework”? Explain your answer.
I believe there is a difference between studying and homework. Homework is usually graded; therefore, students feel obligated to do it. Studying is not graded, that means it is up to the student whether or not they want to study to better their grade and be prepared for class.
How much time do you plan to spend studying for each class every week?
I plan on studying at least 3 hours a day. I will have to break those hours up between my classes. I will make a schedule that allows me to study for certain classes on certain days. This will allow me to stay organized and not feel overwhelmed and that I have to study for all my classes on the same day.
For which class do you expect to spend the most time studying?
I expect to spend the most time study for chemistry. I have a chemistry lecture and a chemistry lab which will take up a lot of my study time. A class like chemistry has a lot of moving parts which makes it challenging. I plan on studying most for that class because of the many formulas and experiment’s I will need to know.
For which class (other than HLTH 101) are you expecting to spend the least amount of time studying?
I expect to study the least for English. Although there will be a lot of writing and reading in that class, there will be less to study on a regular basis.
Where do you plan to study?
I plan to study in my room. I just recently turned my room into a “dorm”. I will be studying at my desk with my door shut.
What potential distractions can you anticipate?
I can anticipate a lot of noise. I come from a family of five who are constantly coming and going thought the day. My brother is a musician who is constantly playing his guitar and singing. Along with that, my mom is watching my 4-month-old niece several days a week.
How do you plan to avoid these distractions?
The main way I plan to avoid the distractions will be closing my door. I will also fit my studying in when Charlie (my niece), goes down for a nap. This will help me avoid distractions because my house has to be quite for her to stay asleep.
What time of day is your best time to study and why?
The best time for me to study is at night. I have a hard time just sitting down and reading or studying during the day. At night, my family members go to sleep, which allows me to focus just on school and study for as long as I need with no distractions.
This Fall, you are in online courses, some of which do not meet at a specific time, how do you plan to manage all of your assignments?
Having classes online that do not meet at a specific time will be challenging. I have never had to take a class like that before. I plan on scheduling time for those classes just like if they were online. I have sociology on Thursdays from 8-9:15 am. This will give me the rest of the day on Thursday to complete the assignments for the classes that do not have a set time. Along with that, I plan to fit studying in for those classes whenever I have free time in between zoom calls.
Think about all of your commitments i.e. job, family, social life (from a distance and wear your mask! #ReignResponsibly). How do you plan on balancing your various commitments?
I do have many commitments, but school will come first. I live at home, so I am able to see my family and friends whenever I want and able to. I enjoy working, it gets me out of the house and allows me to experience new things. If I ever feel as though juggling school and work becomes too much, I will have to reevaluate and work less.
Learning style
What specific study techniques do you think work best for you?
The study techniques that work best for me are reviewing my notes, making sure to do my homework, and study groups. Reviewing my notes allow me to jog my memory of what we went over in class. This is a way to study things that have already been discussed and just make sure I understand what was said. Doing homework will help me when studying. I can use the homework to study for tests and quizzes by using practice problems and examples. Study groups work for me because I am able to hear from my peers about what they think and know about the topic.
Do you use different study techniques for different classes? Provide examples.
Yes, I use different study techniques for different classes. For English, I will read and understand what is being taught through the book. With classes like chemistry, it helps me to understand it better by doing practice problems and hands on experiences. Study groups would work best with history. We can discuss what took place on certain dates.
Connecting to campus
Name one academic resource at ODU you can use to help you earn “As” this semester.
One academic resource at ODU I can use to help me earn A’s is the learning commons. This will be a good place to go if I need different resources. I can go there and use the computers, printers, and the meeting rooms. This is a good place to meet for group projects as well.
Name one non-academic resource at ODU and how it can help you this semester.
The financial aid center is a non-academic resource that will help me this semester. This will allow me to ask for help if needed. I can get financial help which will allow me to expand and focus on my studies instead of worrying about how I will afford it.
Name one resource you think you will use this semester.
I will use the peer educator program this semester. I am glad ODU has a program like this one. I can go to my peers and ask for help when I need it. It is good to know that they are willing and able to help. Most likely they have taken the classes I am in and have tips to give me on how to succeed.
Name one resource at ODU you would like to learn more about, and why.
I want to learn more about the study abroad program. I love the idea of studying overseas. I know a few people who had the opportunity to study abroad and loved it. I am looking forward to learning more about this program and the options it has.
In high school, what clubs, organizations, or activities did you participate in, if any?
In high school, I was a cheerleader all four years. My freshman year I was on JV and the other three years I was on varsity. I enjoyed cheering in high school. It gave me a way to meet people and make friends. I was also in the National Honors Society. We volunteered with school events, babysat for teachers, and helped our community when and where we could. I was also a student mentor. I would go to my neighborhood elementary school every Monday. As a student mentor, I was assigned a third grader who needed extra help. I spent an hour a week making her feel special by playing games, tutoring her, and giving her advice when she asked for it.
Is there a club or organization you plan to join this semester and what do you expect to gain from this experience? If not, why not?
I am not against joining a club at ODU, I just have not found one that I would join yet. Maybe in the future I will join a sorority. I am in no rush to join a club as of now because I am trying to get used to college first. Hopefully once I get a good schedule and get used to college, I will find a club to join.