Final Project 2012

My experience as a first year student has been very interesting. I have developed a strong mindset on my goals for the future, gone through many challenges, and succeeded in certain things that I did not think I could do. One of my biggest challenges was letting go of my past habits. These habits include going out with friends all the time, procrastinating work, and being a mediocre student. As most people know it is very common to be uncomfortable with coming out of your shell or nervous when trying something new. Since I am from a small hometown called Portland, CT going to a school where you did not know everyone or people were from many different states was extremely different.  To say the least I have experienced things that I did not think I would at the beginning of the semester.  Studying for more than two hours was something that I have gotten used to, unlike high school I could not wait till last minute to start a project or review my notes. I have also met new people who have helped push me along the way.   

Even though I have my family and close friends from back home it is still always helpful to have someone there for you when you are stressed out. Believe me college is a fun and relaxing place at times, but when you have many assignments or exams to study for in the same week it can become overwhelming. I think that I have developed the proper mindset to help me get through the rest of my four years of school.  Being someone who does not have a set major it was hard to take classes that I had no interest in. Even some where I thought were pointless but I still stuck with them and did all the work that I was required to do.  This task is important because through out life there are going to be many different things that you do not exactly “like” but you are forced to do. It will make you a stronger person inside and out.

One of my favorite quotes is “It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.”-Jane Austen, This quote to me signifies that if you want to achieve something you can’t just say it or think it you have to actually do something about it. This quote motivates me to accomplish my goals in life.

The goals that I hope to accomplish in my next four years of school is to major in something that I enjoy doing, get the right education, and end up finding a steady occupation to continue my future. How I plan on succeeding these goals is by never giving up. I will strive to do well and stay focused on the more important things. Since I have found it easier to stay on track with my schoolwork and still have time to be with friends it will hopefully become a habit for me to continue. I plan on making daily tasks to help me remember what it is I have to do and manage my time more by having less distractions. This will result in a wider range of study time and will allow me to take advantage of some of the resources on campus. The resources that were most helpful to me were tutoring sessions and the writing center. 

Each resource helped me raise my grades and teach me how to properly understand the specific material I had difficulties in. It is important for students to be aware of the places on campus that will benefit them. I hope that the tough experiences I went through this semester will be lessons learned and the positive ones will be routines to carry on.