My First Semester

How have you have grown from the beginning of the semester to now?

When the semester began, I was unsure of everything. I had no idea how to act, what to do to be successful, where locations were, or who to approach for help. While I still do not have everything figured out, I have grown enough to admit that it is okay not to know everything, and nobody expects me to. Even today, I sometimes feel like an outcast—the quiet student who just started their first year in public school—and that is okay. It took me eighteen years and one semester in college to accept that and cherish the few wonderful people who appreciate me despite how I may feel. I have grown to stop worrying about minor inconveniences and start caring for myself. I am proud of how I have grown, and I know that I will continue to do so.

What were your expectations for this year? Did this semester’s experiences meet your expectations?

By the end of this year, I expected myself to know the intricacies of campus and to get my life straightened out. I expected myself to be better. I have not done either of those things, but this closing semester has taught me that it is okay not to have every single thing—every expectation I have of myself—accomplished in a rush. That realization has exceeded my expectations like nothing else has. I may have complained about my workload in the past, but I still appreciate this semester’s experiences that have changed me into a person who takes breaks and is okay with it. I may not be better physically, mentally, or socially; however, I improved academically as this semester pushed me to limits I was unsure I had through a journey of self-discovery.

What is something you wish you knew 14 weeks ago?

Fourteen weeks ago, I wish I emphasized how essential time management and starting assignments as early as I have access to them were. I can admit to having better time management skills compared to the start of the semester, but there is always room for improvement. I wish I prioritized research projects from the beginning so that my overall skills employed in each step of the research process are better than what I currently think is sufficient. I wish I knew that the words in my sentences do not have to be the most sophisticated and professional all the time as long as I get my point across. Most importantly, I wish I told myself that it is okay to take a break—most of my professors have been understanding, after all.

Study Habits

How much time do you spend studying for each class now vs. at the beginning of the semester?

At the start of the semester, I spent nearly ten hours of my week studying and completing assignments at Perry Library. While that estimated time has not changed, especially in preparation for finals, I learned to truly appreciate having an easygoing space to focus on my work compared to attempting my academic responsibilities at home. I never minded how much time I spent at Perry Library—I honestly enjoy watching the seasons change and feeling how much warmer it is in the building than the rest of campus. One thing that has changed is how each hour is used effectively, unlike the first half of the semester, which used some hours to complete tasks without deadlines. I am happy with this change and hope I can improve upon it after each semester.

How have your study habits changed?

A good friend suggested I use an “IB student method” that helped them immensely: set a timer to count down for at least an hour or how much estimated time is needed to finish an assignment. The strategy was stressful at first, but over time, I used that pressure as motivation to finish assignments quickly while still maintaining my writing quality. At the same time, I have gotten better at categorizing my work by importance and how long each would take. Longer assignments, writing annotated bibliographies, or proving the completion of a math knowledge check, for instance, would be worked on first; at least half of these assignments should be completed, if not already. Shorter assignments would be last since they typically require the least deep thought, lack a deadline, or affect my GPA the least. Had I not been committed to this prioritization, I would still be doing shorter assignments first, using most of my efforts on them just to feel accomplished when there are other tasks to worry about.

What resource have you used or learned about this semester that will assist you next semester?

The Information Literacy to Health Professions course is overflowing with valuable resources—only going over one resource would be impossible. Since I will still be in the health sciences field, databases like PubMed or MedLine Plus will remain my lifesavers, particularly when another activity involving research or in-text citations is assigned. I never understood the more professional, let alone medical, area of the internet, so these databases, techniques to evaluate a good source, and presentations to look back on have helped me with many skills I can hopefully reuse and refine next semester. Outside of my courses, I learned more about the Office of Counseling Services, a resource I am sure to use now that I know how to make time for it; just like the ODU website says, the Office of Counseling Services provides more than its name implies. After eighteen years without it, I finally have the freedom and access to free mental health services, and I will not let it go to waste!

What study habits/techniques will you use going into next semester?

I plan to continue setting a timer to count down my time to work and dividing my work into sections. I have accepted that my academic weakness will always be finding the motivation to begin an assignment. However, if presented with a technique that helps me overcome that, I will gladly understand it. In the next semester, I plan to use a planner since visualizing my schedule and assignments is vital in keeping me up to date with everything (not to mention the many empty annual planners I have that I feel bad about). Along with these techniques, I will try to have a better habit of taking breaks and eating meals during my study time. The more I spent days studying by staring at a screen on an empty stomach, the more I realized my well-being was just as important as my grades. I plan to turn my studying time into chunks rather than a long day as I go into the next semester.

Health Professions Learning Community

This semester you were enrolled in at least SOC 201S, and HLTH 101. Many of you were also enrolled in CHEM 105N and CHEM 106N, and some of you were enrolled in HIST 104H with Professor White.

On the surface these classes do not appear to be connected; however this semester each professor was intentional about drawing connections between content, and subjects discussed. How might these courses be tied together?

This semester, I was only enrolled in HLTH 101, so I have no way of knowing what content the other courses have gone over. Still, having taken Sociology in high school, I see how the study of human interaction and influences can relate to the communities built within the health science field and the interplay between the patient and healthcare worker. Realizing these interconnections gives students expectations of what to expect once they enter the social part of careers. There will be an understanding of why people behave the way they do and where the behavior comes from—an understanding solidified by History 104H. History, even little bits, exposes students to the evolution of patient-doctor interactions, medical procedures, and medicinal tools, notably when learning about war. Lastly, students will have a basic comprehension of medicine and its elements, an aspect that can connect to nearly all courses provided in college.

Parallel Plan

Which two other majors would you be most interested in and why? 

Considering the different majors presented over the semester, I was deeply fascinated by recreational therapy and speech-language pathology and audiology to the point of changing my major. I have always had an interest in recreational therapy, and it was only enhanced when presented with the many opportunities to work with children, the only demographic I interact with the best. Growing up, helping others with daily tasks they cannot complete by themselves felt like the most fulfilling responsibility; pursuing a similar job is a dream come true. This same rewarding experience applies to speech-language pathology and audiology, especially when children are the most prevalent patients. I love helping others—knowing I can improve a person’s life if I work hard enough encourages me to stay motivated and accomplish my biggest goals in life.

What benefit is there to having a parallel plan (or two) in place?

Having a parallel plan provides a plan B for those who are unsure, reducing stress and increasing preparation for the many paths of life. Similar to my situation, I was unsure of what major I wanted to take. After being introduced to the many parallel plans in the field of health sciences, I can now clarify my career goal of being a recreational therapist and fall back into other occupations with similar routes and responsibilities. Parallel plans also facilitate the process of changing majors as these plans are typically similar to one another. Skills learned from the first plan can be used when entering a parallel one, similar to how classes may overlap and prevent more years of required schooling before graduation.

How could one or both of these two majors benefit your current intended major?

My current intended major, recreational therapy, can benefit from speech-language pathology and audiology by receiving more insight into the lesser-focused aspects of everyday speech. I could have a more in-depth understanding of how speech, a vital ability, works and how to avoid issues that can affect it, such as improper chewing and swallowing. Courses in a speech-language pathology and audiology major may require Child Psychology or Clinical Observation and Writing in Communication Sciences and Disorders, both of which can teach me vital skills a proficient pediatric occupational therapist needs. I may also familiarize myself with the lifelong effects of little auditory training and speech reading, and turn it into a method of comprehending and comforting another patient mentally, physically, or socially.