This is the parent page for journal assignments eleven through fifteen.

Journal Eleven

I feel as though college is a repetition of all of the growing up I have done in the past eighteen years. I see myself going through the same moods, and I see myself learning to practice the same lessons in life that I have spent so long working to understand. I remind myself that in kindergarten I learned to control my temper in challenging settings. In primary school, I learned how to work with others and make friends. In middle school, I learned how to respect others and how to be resilient in the face of judgement. In high school, the management of my school life, work life, and academic life taught me to hold myself to a standard of performance. College has put me through all of these lessons again, but with an intensity which dares me to do more. My academics and my athletic life have taught me that I can push myself harder than I ever thought possible. But it is being with my friends and an actively social part of the community that has taught me passion and empathy for others. Watching my peers and teammates push themselves to their limits, I have learned to be caring and understanding of others. Everyone can be excellent, and it is the individuals who reach into their potential to bring out beautiful results that are truly inspiring.

Journal Twelve

After the review of essay structure and the writing process in UNIV 150, writing essays and research papers in future classes will be faster and easier. I have worked to fine-tune my grammar, punctuation, and essay organization. UNIV 150 has also taught me the importance of creating outlines for major essays. This will allow my essays in future classes to answer the question in a direct, well-organized format. I have also learned the importance of revising my writing after I draft the rough content. This allows me to make frazzled, unpolished sentences smooth and concise. My writing now conforms to a process; and this includes researching, drafting an outline, writing rough content, and revising until my essay is grammatically correct and organized.

Journal Thirteen: Learning APA Formatting

Due to the variety of writing styles and information displayed in different courses, there are also appropriate formats for writing pieces. It is very important to be flexible when writing by knowing each of these formats. It is also very important in clarifying with the professor what format is expected of students in each assignment if it is not already expressed in assignment guidelines. By doing these two things, a student will be able to set his or herself up for success in any writing assignment and effectively avoid committing plagiarism. I plan to learn APA formatting by studying with Purdue Owl and Khan Academy, so that I can use this format effectively when writing scientific article reviews or other research papers in upcoming nursing courses.

Journal Fourteen: Getting Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is as important in college as studying. I have already seen other freshman miss their midterms, fail exams, fall ill, and become deeply depressed after not sleeping for days or consistently sleeping too little. Personally, I struggle with falling asleep in class after practice. I do my best to stay engaged in lectures, but it is very hard for me to stay awake when I am sitting down and am already exhausted. I miss class lectures and course information which I need to study hard on my own time so that I do not fall behind. I need to sleep more at night by going to bed early. I already limit social interaction and go to bed earlier than all of my friends, but I think that I need to cut off social time an hour earlier. I also want to start taking sleeping pills so that I can fall asleep easier. It is very hard for me to fall asleep at night because the dorm hall is very loud and there is a street lamp right outside my window.

Journal Fifteen: What I am Thankful for this Thanksgiving

            This Thanksgiving is the best Thanksgiving I will ever have in my life, and it is for the same reason that every Thanksgiving is about every year. I am very excited to go home and see my family for Thanksgiving. Before leaving home, Thanksgiving was always about the cooking. I never appreciated the novelty of saying grace before dinner, and I certainly never appreciated how much it means to sit around a table with my family for a meal. I feel humbled, and I feel honored to be able to spend time with my family. It is a privilege to see my friends and neighbors, and to see my extended family who so rarely visit. I feel proud of my accomplishments in college, and I am proud of how I have grown in their absence. But I am most excited to visit so that I can share my growth with them, so that I can show them how much I appreciate having them in my life. I would not trade my family for the world and I hope that they will always know how much they mean to me.