Looking back at the semester there have been some obvious changes made to my study strategies. The biggest change is probably in my biology class. Instead of using a Quizlet for memorization of terms, I focus more on learning the processes as a whole. I find this to be more productive because it allows me to have a more holistic understanding of the content. I think this is helpful because I am a visual learner, and when I understand a certain biological process or concept it allows me to draw images and charts. Since I was able to find such an effective study method for biology I am doing exceptionally well in this class. Another class I am doing well in is statistics and I am very shocked by this because math has never been one of my strengths. I think this is because I learn well based on the professor’s teaching style. During her lectures, her work on the board is very detailed. Another thing she does to benefit us is that she scans her notes at the end of class so that way we do not have to focus too much on writing everything down. This allows me to really observe the steps she uses and ask questions when needed. One class that I am struggling to find an effective study method in is chemistry. I think this is because this class requires a lot of application of material and I can not find good resources to practice with. On our most recent test I did use some worksheets I found on google to study and my test grade did increase by a few points. Overall I have also been able to find better times to study like in the morning before class instead of at the end of the day when I am burnout. I have also started to study more in different locations such as in the Webb and on different floors in the library because I do not like always studying in the same place. 

Coming to college I expected a lot of freedom and responsibility which is something that I have had a lot of, especially when dealing with my academics. This is not always a bad thing because it does allow me to control what classes I take and at what time. One thing that is very different from what is expected is that college really is what you make it. I have started to realize that if you invest in yourself and your academics then things will not seem to pile up so badly. I learned this while trying to develop the best study techniques for each of my classes. For example, in many of my classes if I would have stuck to the first study method I tried my grades would be much lower. With that being said something that has surprised me since coming to college is the abundance of resources available to me to ensure my success. This is comforting because I know I have someone who can help me with most of my classes if I need. Coming to college something I have struggled with is finding alone time, especially after I have had a bad day. The thing I have been doing recently is just walking the long way back to my dorm or finding an empty space in the Webb for a little while. During this time I will either listen to music or a podcast or read a book and just unwind. One thing that I have been able to overcome easily is combatting being homesick by making sure I talk to my family and friends back home to stay connected and keep a steady support system. 

One thing that I have learned about my intended major that I did not know at the beginning of the year is how broad the field of public health is. Learning this has only made me more excited to pursue a degree in this field. I like knowing that I will be able to choose a field that I enjoy while always having places to grow to love. Since the beginning of the semester, I have decided to pick up a minor in biology since many of the classes overlap with my major and pa school prerequisites. 

One challenge I have faced this semester is being able to write the papers I have been assigned in my art history class because they are much different than any paper I have written before. One thing I have done to get help with this is schedule meeting times with my professor to get additional help. I could have also reached out to the writing center located in the library, but thankfully my professor was able to give me some really good pointers. Since coming to campus I have also joined the global medical brigades club and am considering going on a mission trip with them this summer. I chose to join this club because I thought it would contribute to my public health degree tremendously by giving me hands-on experience in underserved communities.