This is the parent page for the first five journal assignments.

Journal One

The main difference between Eduardo and Maria is that Eduardo had a better ability to adapt to different situations. Due to his intellectual flexibility, Eduardo looked at each class and assignment with the understanding that each held a separate set of expectations and requirements. He analyzed his classes, adapted to the different strategies of analysis, and interpreted the varying materials to fulfill his professors’ expectations. This is extremely important, because both learning and writing strategies vary significantly from subject to subject. While college writing should always be grammatically correct and formal, there are different ways to interpret the formation of one’s sentences. A student cannot write a chemistry lab conclusion with a creative or poetic flow, as this muddles the information that should be highlighted and well defined in a scientific paper. In comparison, he/she cannot write an English essay or poem using the overly rigid, direct style that one should use when writing a scientific paper. In terms of learning styles, Eduardo would have suffered greatly had he not been able to adapt from a highly abstract, discussion based learning environment, like in Sociology, to a more mathematical, memorization based learning style that better serves Chemistry. While both learning styles are very active, they require two different approaches and different study techniques.

Journal Two

From youth, I have been an avid reader. I had a very difficult time making friends in school, and my home life was very turbulent; so, reading offered me an escape from my problems. It was this passion that inspired me to write, and to want to interpret life through my own perspective. I have never found difficulty in diction or grammar, quite the opposite in fact. Lacing words together in artistic and thought invoking structures is something I take great joy and pride in when writing. However, I do struggle with my writing in several ways. When emotionally charged, it is very difficult for me to structure my sentences in a way that conveys my gravity to the reader and avoid blundering through a paragraph without creating a connection with my audience. Given this, I am also a naturally pessimistic person. First person narratives are very difficult for me to write about, because I have a naturally bitter inclination towards the past instead of finding those little gems in life that create such beautiful literary subjects. I take an immediate position towards arguing the concept of the prompt given, or I will struggle to stay on one subject as I have little inclination towards first person narratives entirely.

Journal Three

            With consideration for my future, my career, and the potential for me to successfully raise a family, I would like to settle outside of Seattle, Washington. This is all still very theoretical, as I am young and poorly traveled; however, I hold a very romanticized admiration for Seattle’s weather, their wildlife and location on the Puget Sound. I would love to have a home near enough that I can take my children in to Seattle and teach them about marine life, show them Dungeness crab in fresh Sourdough bread bowls, take them hiking in the mountains on weekends, and enrich their lives with all the amazing opportunities that exist in Washington. I can show them California, with her artichoke farms and tall Red Woods. The West deeply interests me, and Seattle by far holds the most tolerant weather, economy, and lifestyle

Journal Four

            The transition to college has been a journey. On a campus that seems so small, there have been so many people, so many opportunities both taken and lost. My priorities and the priorities of my friends dip and rise, sometimes in conflict and sometimes forming strong coalitions. I have come to the realization that we cannot always be a team- and sometimes, being an individual and focusing on yourself is much more important than keeping up with the rate at which your friends are hanging out with each other. I have yet to get into research and internship opportunities, but my position at the university feels much more solidified now that I am an Old Dominion student-athlete with the women’s novice rowing team. Unfortunately, school, sports, the upkeep of my health and my social life conflict with each other. I feel tugged on so many sides, and it frustrates me when I cannot do something that I know is important to my family or myself. I am prioritizing my studies above all else, of course, and am quite proud that I have not missed any of my classes yet. With the combination of exams, projects, and regular homework, my class loads worry me. I feel as though I am being stretched, but I in no way have given up. If anything, I feel hardened into an intense resolve to rise and succeed over my deadlines. This is a new feeling for me. In high school, I did not push myself this hard because my grades were largely determined by in-class work. In college, it truly is dependent on your individual work ethic. I enjoy being able to take ownership of my education, as stressful and time constraining as it is.

Journal Five

            Midterms week as a first semester college freshman can be very overwhelming. The demands of each social role we hold become tasking. As a friend, one is required to be there for each friend emotionally and ensure that everyone is okay. As an individual, sleep, hygiene and food command our bodies and our time usage. To falter in these responsibilities results in physical and mental fatigue as well as a poor emotional state. Beyond this, the demand to be involved in our community, in our majors, and in sports is exhaustive. One club meeting passes another, often overlapping each other or in conflict with class study sessions. Classes press on with exams, homework, essay submissions and project deadlines march forward with a vengeance. To keep afloat requires constant vigilance over blackboard and an active presence in the activity of all seven of my classes. Today I realized that I had only turned in the physical copy of an essay and failed to turn in the digital copy on time— this has certainly had ill effects on my mental state and my grade point average as well. I have no patience for dramatic friends because I have no time to entertain trivial detriments to my mental state, and friends that irritate me or drag me down are the leading cause of my stress. Today has involved a two part history midterm, the completion of a five page post-lab for chemistry, studying for a sociology exam scheduled for 8 am tomorrow, completing my chemistry lecture homework, my history homework, registering for a chemistry exam for this Friday, and completing my NCAA registration paperwork. Despite reaching out to the director of the IGNITE Pantry for community service, scheduling a meeting with the head of the Medical Technology Department, and scheduling an appointment with my student advisor, I am still behind on speaking with the head of the nursing program as well as achieving a steady community service position within the health community. I also need to look more into internship, co-op, and study abroad opportunities to learn more in my career. To build my resume, I am also pushing myself to earn some form of health profession certification. As a member of my community, I was supposed to give blood today in support of my nation and its citizens in need. Unfortunately, I will have to schedule a time later for tomorrow’s blood drive as I was not in physical health adequate to donate today. Among the many responsibilities I hold as a family member, these are a few of the challenges that I am struggling to balance as a new college student.