For each class, I spend relatively about three to four hours or so studying per class every week. The time I spend studying per class can become longer or shorter depending on if I do or do not understand a particular topic in said classes all too well. I do believe that I do need to spend a little more time studying chemistry because I’m having a slight difficulty in fully understanding what we are currently learning. Often times, I tend to study in my room or I go out into the dorm hallway and sit out there and study. I occasionally find myself getting distracted while studying but lately it hasn’t been too often of an occurrence, but in the end I tend to get easily distracted in the first place. To try and remove any type of distractions, I tend to turn my phone and tv off so that I’m not tempted to text friends or watch netflix instead of studying and doing my work. A lot of times I find myself tending to study around 4pm/5pm and I study until about 7pm, go get food, come back, and then continue until about 10pm. During this time I do tend to feel very focused and alert considering I’ve had a little time to chill out between my last class ending and me beginning to study.

I think a specific study technique that works for me is that when studying I tend to set up little stopping points to take a 2-3min break so that way I retain the information a little better versus studying for 2-3 hours straight. That way in the long term I actually remember the information that I’m going back over and studying. One thing that I’ve tried and tend to do a lot now since starting college is that when I start to get bored with studying one topic, instead of completely stopping for the time being, I start studying another so that I can regain my focus.

It’s honestly very debatable, in some aspects, college is just how I thought it would be like but at the same time it is completely different than what I thought it would be like. My college experience has been different than what I expected in just how very laid back and chill most professors are and the workload so far isn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be but then again, I am only in my first semester of college so that is subject to change. The only thing that has really surprised me about my experiences this semester is the fact that one of my professors cancelled class just because they wanted to go buy hamilton tickets and the other cancelled class just because they felt like it. I guess really the only toughest challenge I’ve had going from living at home to living on campus is the fact that if I just really need a deep talk with my mom, I can’t just walk downstairs anymore. I haven’t really had a challenge that I can easily overcome yet, truthfully.

One challenge I have encountered this semester is currently the fact that I’m struggling just a little bit to fully understand and comprehend what we’re learning about in chemistry so I fully intend on utilizing chemistry tutoring in the oceanography building. My roommate Devyn has helped me a lot this semester just by keeping me focused and not letting me procrastinate and wait until the last minute to do some of my work. I have attended an interest meeting for ODU’s rowing team and I fully intended on trying out and doing it but I have really bad inflammation in both of my knees so it kept me from trying out.