Final

Self Assessment

            Coming into my first semester at Southern Connecticut State University, I was entirely unprepared for what was awaiting me on campus.  I was expecting it to be what we see in the movies: students magically acing there tests as it cuts to a scene of students parting in their dorms followed by friends meeting up to get food.  I imagined everyday would be a breeze.  Although, with all this in mind, I was aware that school would be challenging.  I knew there would be work involved but I just simply wasn’t prepared to meet the demands of the college education experience.  Graduating from a technical school was a big disadvantage for me while trying to adjust to college requirements.  My high school education consisted of a concentration in the trade selection.  The academic aspect of my high school career was essentially a joke.  The academic program in technical schools, although no one would truly admit this, is designed to escort students to graduation in order to allow them to enter the work force as soon as possible.  This does not assist students in preparing for college.  SAT prep course are not offered and the guidance department encouraged students to attend a community college.  In summation, the only drive that technical students have for furthering their education must come from within.

            Coming to college with this academic background and while writing this self-assessment, I have realized again that I must use this drive to push myself to meet the demands of college.  Simply put, if I can’t get myself moving, I will be left behind and will not succeed in college.  With these disadvantages, I found it easy to make an excuse as to why something couldn’t be done or why I didn’t have to do it at that certain point in time.  If I haven’t learned anything from any of my professors all semester, I have learned that time management is the most important factor in succeed in college.  Procrastination has landed me in some very bad spots this semester: struggling last minute to finish papers, searching for notes right before quizzes to review last minute, etc.  Next semester, after failing in the ways I have this semester, I will be hitting classes with a different type of intensity.  I am making a promise to myself that I will not pass off school as I did myself.  The sad truth is that if I don’t step up my “school game,” I will most likely not make it to graduation or move on to have the career of my dreams. In order to progress in school next semester, I’m going to balance my time out better. The way I’m going to balance my time out better is by devoting more time to schoolwork and studying. In addition to this, I’m also going to try and develop better sleeping habits so that instead of waking up in the morning feeling groggy and tired, I will feel awake, refreshed, and ready to start my school day.

INQ

Being in the INQ learning community has provided me with a comfortable environment to start off my college career.  Seeing the same faces gives people some type of comfort I think because it gives you a sense of being familiar with what is going on around you.  Had I started Southern seeing different people all the time, I wouldn’t really feel like I belonged somewhere.  Be placed in classes with the same students almost gives you that high school feeling of going from class to class with each other which is good in a way.  Our three other classes (or sometimes more) shows us the other side of things so it’s a good balance between the two extremes.

            I think that the comfort feeling is what I will miss most.  Next semester I’m going to be in classes with a bunch of people that I don’t know and will only see the next time I go to that class so it gives less opportunity for a relationship to build between students.  Instead of just being a commuter floating between classes and not really knowing anyone, the learning community also gives me that familiar face feeling throughout the campus and not just in class.  So instead of just walking around not knowing anyone, I can get some comfort from knowing that I recognize someone.  Being in a learning community has given me a few contacts around Southern so I know I can call someone if I need help with a project or want to study with someone.  The learning communities provide a steady and secure bridge for making the connection to the campus community for first time students.

Dreams

            Lately I have been waking up angry in the morning.  It’s not because I woke up on the wrong side of the bed or had a bad night of sleep but it’s because of a more distinct purpose; my dreams.  I have been having dreams of a life that is nothing like mine.  I have been dreaming of waking up feeling care free and secure.   I proceed to walk outside dressed in a suit into the beautiful sun as I push the unlock button to my sports car.  As I go through my day, I am greeted by everyone I see with smiles and handshakes acting as if they are happy to even be in my presence.  In this moment I feel like I am where I’m supposed to be with no more confusion or uncertainty.

The unfortunate thing is I wake up and realize that, in reality, it’s the first time I’ve opened my eyes.  I never saw anything that I saw or felt any of the feelings I felt when I had woken up in my dream.  The frustration I feel after waking up like this tears me apart.  It leaves me disappointed with a false sense of accomplishment.  But I wonder if it’s just a taste of something I’m bound to truly be feeling at some point.  That thought only increases the feelings of disappointment and discouragement.  Is my dream the closest thing that I have to living my ideal life?  My ideal life is one that is filled with confidence, ambition, accomplishment, and happiness.  Waking up to a reality in which these feelings are real is my true desire in life, so for now I’ll let the frustration push me to carry on until I reach my goal.

Food...

I’m so sick of food. I’m sick of making food, and I’m sick of talking about food. Since I was fourteen I’ve been cooking, talking about, and selling different kinds of food. As much as I love it, it’s been my job for too long for me not to know the ins and outs of food; how it’s made, how it’s served, how it’s eaten, and who’s washing the dishes. Working in the restaurant business has given me a lot of knowledge about food and takes away the fun of just sitting down and eating a good meal. Instead of just being a normal person sitting down and enjoying their meal, I spend the time of my meal wondering how each portion of the meal was prepared, how the cook incorporated different ingredients to produce different flavors, and what else could have been done to increase the quality of the meal. While at a restaurant, I spend more time wondering what the kitchen looks like, what type of food is used, and what style of cooking is most commonly used. Did they fry, pan sear, or grill their chicken? These are the types of things I think about because of my experience in working at a restaurant. Before the meal comes I’m ready to critique it, and while I’m waiting for the meal I’m critiquing the service of the restaurant. I feel as if I cannot just enjoy food anymore because I’ve spent too much time working with it. So if you would like the best tasting fettuccine Bolognese let me know, but I’m not going to enjoy it with you. 

What's the situation?

    Difficult situations are pretty much second nature to me.  Frequently, I have found myself in situations that I would love to run and hide from.  The unfortunate truth is that no matter how difficult and unpleasant situations might be, we have to face them and fight our hardest to make it out of them.  No person has been successful without overcoming a difficult situation or obstacle and knowing this helps me push through every difficult situation I encounter.  No matter how big or how small the situation, they all should be faced with the same mentality: It can be done.

    Having to balance working two jobs and going to school full time is my most difficult situation so far during this semester. Meeting different deadlines pertaining to each obligation has been the hardest struggle within this situation because there are so many different requirements that need to be met weekly. For example, I have to make sure my blogs are done on time along with making sure all of my paperwork is collected and handed in on time to the Director of Underwriting at the financial group.  With all the typing and writing I have to do, it’s easy to forget or lose track of what needs to be handed in and when. I should probably make use of my daily planner although time goes by so quickly that by the time I look at it I’m a couple of days behind. 

I'm down for whatever, you just lead the way.

     During the course of my life, there have been many times when I needed to step up to the plate and be a leader when no one else would.  From the time when I was in elementary school and all throughout my schooling, I was used to taking the initiative and leading my group or class to get the project done or goal achieved. When I was in middle school, I remember being the student in my groups who got everyone focused and working together instead of messing around with other students like everyone else.  I have always taken work seriously and when its time to get it done I’m usually always the first to get started.

     Every November at Platt Technical High School, there would be a school wide canned food drive that helped stock the Milford Food Bank and feed the hungry during the holiday season.  The school always made it a competition between the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior classes hoping to inspire students to take part in the food drive.  In November of 2008, I took the food drive to another level.

    After working with my principal and student government, I was allowed to personally raise funds for the food drive.  So instead of just gathering canned foods from students, I was permitted to collect monetary donations that would in turn be used to buy more canned goods to be entered into the drive.  Every week, I persistently gathered money from faculty and students to support the food drive.  After three weeks, I collected over $1000 and purchased canned foods that filled three pick up trucks.  My principal allowed me and students of my choice to leave school in Milford, drive to Price Rite in Bridgeport and buy almost everything they had stocked.  

    At the end of the food drive, there were 16000 non perishable food items donated school wide and I was responsible for funding and purchasing roughly 10000 of those items.

Exploring Southern

As a commuter and with the schedule that I have, I am only on campus two days a week.  That means I take five classes each day I come to Southern.  Although it isn't that great of a schedule, I kind of find it easy in some ways.  For example, instead of going crazy remembering due dates for each class, I know that if it was assigned Tuesday, its due Thursday and if it was assigned Thursday, its due Tuesday.  That definitely has its negative side effects, but for now I'll just focus on the good parts.

Being that I'm only on campus these two days a week and in classes most of the day, I haven’t found a good place to study.  I don’t really like the library for some reason and the student center is usually too crazy around the time I would be there.  So as a result, I have found my sanctuary: the driver seat of my truck (which is soon to be sold along with my other car so you really will see me in a pre-owned BMW soon, I wasn’t kidding.)  The truck is always there in the parking lot, my seat is never taken, and no one is playing the harmonica (some kid was playing his harmonica in the student center last week; really?!) while I'm trying to get some homework done.  I can listen to my own music, put my seat back a little bit, crack open a book and do some homework.

      Now this isn’t my ideal place to study but it definitely has helped me this semester.  Sometimes it is also nice to know that I have somewhere to go to just unwind and get away from everything.  Every once in a while I take ride up to the top of West Rock (two minutes from campus, off of Wintergreen) and look at the view of New Haven/Hamden and do some homework.  The Ford Explorer is like a portable office/library and it couldn’t be more useful.  I should probably go change the oil soon…

Stress

Monday:  Wake up, work all day, homework, sleep.

Tuesday:  Wake up, go to school from 8:10 AM until 7:30 PM.

Wednesday:  Wake up, work all day, homework, sleep.

Thursday:  Wake up, go to school from 8:10 AM until 7:30 PM.

Friday:  Wake up, work all day, work all night, sleep.

Saturday:  Wake up, get things done, work all night, sleep.

Sunday:  Day off.

First off, I really hate my life at this point in time.  I am constantly stressed by my schedule and attempt to find relief from whatever is available.  The one thing that I can always rely on as a stress relief is going to the gym.  Before classes started in August, my weekly schedule was much different.  The gym was always incorporated into my daily routine and I was in the best shape of my life.  It felt good to hit the gym hard every day and looking good was a great confidence booster as well.  Now my life has made a big change.  I fit the gym in where I can and therefore am not as fit as I could be.

         The gym is the perfect place to blow off some steam.  Throw some weights around, get the stress and anger out and then look good as a result is a perfect plan for the easily stressed.  Sometimes if schedules coincide, I can meet up with the guys at the gym and talk about where we're at and what upcoming things we got going on.  Obviously we talk about the girls in our lives and how crazy that can drive us (which usually leads us to the gym so somehow it’s a vicious cycle).  The gym is great place to regroup and get your head straight.  Sometimes the best part is just not thinking about anything.  Just running on the treadmill or throwing up the bar on the bench can distract you from everything else and I've found that thinking about nothing is sometimes the best thought you could ever have.

Damnation from Inflation

During Tuesday's discussion, we talked about grade inflation and the mostly negative effects it has on students.  Although a simple thing like adding a few points to a test or average may seem harmless, it has the potential to do what I'm going to call "misdirecting the students."  Grade inflation misdirects the students because it gives them a false sense of accomplishment and confidence.

When students get good grades, the natural reaction is for them to be proud of themselves and feel accomplished because they did what they were supposed to do.  So if a student's grade is inflated, they didn’t actually do what was needed to be done in order to obtain that grade.  While students are going above and beyond and working hard for that A, some students end up getting the same grade or close to it only because of the inflation of their grade.  That misdirects students into a false understanding of what is needed to be done in order to be a successful student and therefore will never fully comprehend what a good student does.

Grade inflation also gives students a false sense of confidence which could be found directly after the sense of accomplishment they think they have.  After the student receives the grade that has been inflated, they see the mark on the paper, feel accomplished and then think that they did a really good job.  This leads to the students being confident in what they are thinking is excellent work while it just may be average work.  They become confident in thinking that what they did qualified as good work, so they will maintain that same level of confidence by producing the same level of work.  This could lead to bad performance in the real working world due to the false understanding of quality work.

Philosophy

Out of the five classes I am currently enrolled in at Southern, I think that the class I am most intellectually stimulated by is my philosophy class.  As we discuss different views on life according to different philosophers, it forces your mind into thinking even further than "outside the box" and create a clear understanding of how the philosopher is thinking and where the thoughts are derived from.  It's different than just simple thinking or solving a math problem because philosophers think so differently. A philosopher's thought process is different than that of a normal thinking.  They take basic thoughts and concepts and break them down to understand why it is the way it is.  Most people just take things for what they are and don’t bother thinking about why or how it became that way.  We live our lives without the necessity to find out more because we are consumed with so many other daily life things like work and appointments.  We never take the time to break it down because it is easier to just not think about it and accept it for what it is.

            My philosophy professor also makes the class intellectually stimulating because he is always asking us questions.  He will never accept something for what it is.  He always the breaks the readings down and deciphers what the persons saying and what it is in regards to.  This is because he is a philosopher so I guess it's just what he would naturally do, just as in the case of anything for him.

Back To The Starting Line

The day I logged on to banner web to check my midterm grades was a very disappointing day.  Although I knew I wasn’t giving school my best effort, I thought that I would have higher grades than I did.  After viewing the grades, it made rethink the decisions I had made in the past couple months.  It allowed me to take a step back and remember why I was enrolled in Southern in the first place; make the grade.  Slacking was not something I envisioned myself doing.  Coming from the rough past I’ve had from questionable decisions I previously made, I saw that college was a new start. How can I allow myself to start off on the wrong foot when this may be my only opportunity to start over again?

As a whole, I am not where I want to be in terms of my midterm grades. I’m not where I want to be because of my lack of time management. I did not put enough time or effort into studying because I focused on other things instead and put off school for as long as possible. In order to do well in school in the future, I need to have better time management. I also need to refocus my energy into school, grades, and studying. Lastly, I need to re-asses my priorities. Instead of putting other things such as work ahead of studying, I’m going to do my schoolwork first and keep up with my assignments. The goals that I have for myself for the remainder of the semester are to get my grades up and maintain B’s or better.

Making a change to make more pocket change

Recently, I started a new and challenging job with a financial group.  I landed this job while working at my other job oddly enough.  The CEO is a regular customer at the restaurant I work at and from seeing him so frequently we developed sort of a business like relationship.  During the summer, I was looking for full time work outside of the restaurant.  I was putting in well over forty hours of work, and was extremely stressed by my work schedule as well as the environment and type of work I was doing.  I was the boss without getting paid like the boss.  I originally started washing dishes at the restaurant when I was fourteen so with five years of experience my boss depends on me more than he depends on himself (and I really wish I was kidding.)  Being in the back of a fast paced kitchen where ducking sauté pans (again, I truly wish I was kidding) is not an irregular event with the stressed out, "overworked and underpaid" sentiment setting in, I knew it was time to make a change.

            While asking around for work, I remembered Dave owned his own company.  I also knew he was driving around in a brand new BMW M5 convertible; why the hell wouldn’t I ask him for a job?  A couple months later, I landed the job with R.S. Capital Group.  My job is to contact merchants all across the country that R.S. has worked with in the past and bring the news that we are no longer brokering deals and that there is no more middle man; we are the man. As his company has grown, they are now able do in-house loans and processing which means more money for R.S. and hopefully more money for me.  At a starting rate of twelve an hour, plus commission with bonuses, I'm pretty optimistic that my hope will become a reality.

            For my first two weeks of work, I've been told how great of a job I'm doing.  The Senior Account Executive told me I picked up on everything that he learned in months in a matter of a week.  Although that might be a nice compliment, knowing that I opened up six potential accounts and locked two new accounts down, it’s a bit of reassurance that it might be more than a compliment.  Before either one of us know it, you might be seeing me pull up in a new BMW…well okay, mostly likely a pre-owned.

Midterm

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v60JRvxupY

My First Semester

My first semester at college has been a very difficult adjustment.  I am still getting used to managing work and school.  It becomes hard to juggle everything without finding yourself slipping every once in a while in one part of your responsibilities.  For example, it is hard to be a very good worker and still be an excellent student.  Although we strive to be able to be great at both, we still often find ourselves let down in our performance due to other obligations and responsibilities that require much of our attention.

Another struggle is finding time to manage a social life with everything going on.  It's hard to spend time with friends and enjoy yourself when you have so many other responsibilities.  This is a hard time in a students life.  We want to be able to do it all, but we often still find ourselves not be sufficient in one area of  our lives.  I honestly am definitely having trouble with managing my time with everything going on, but I am starting to recognize the things I can change in order to make things easier on myself.  For example, instead of sleeping late on the weekends, I can wake up earlier and get more homework done so that way after work, I can use that time to relax knowing that I have accomplished things earlier in the day.

I am looking forward to the second half of the semester so I can use the knowledge of college that I have gained in the first half of the semester.

Peer Mentor

Having a peer mentor allows the students to connect with an older student and receive advice and information in a private classroom setting. This helps the students to feel comfortable asking questions and following older students' advice.  Sometimes when students interact with the professor or teacher, it’s hard to figure out what is really expected of them.  Having a peer mentors helps to break it down to a student’s perspective so we have a clear understanding of what to do.  Students need help when they are trying to manage multiple responsibilities so a peer mentor is very helpful in "bridging the gap."

A good peer mentor is able to keep an open schedule to meet with students and finds constructive and interesting ways to inform students of upcoming events and opportunities offered on campus. A good peer mentor is also able to multi-task so they can handle all of the students that they work with and meet with them without feeling overwhelmed.

After meeting with my peer mentor, she helped me understand that during the advisement period of our class, I will learn about what classes I need to take and what is required of me.  When I was picking classes during orientation, I wasn't sure on exactly which classes I need to take in order to work towards a degree.  After speaking with our peer mentor, it gave me an idea of where to look for advisement on classes and a "degree evaluation."

I think having a peer mentor is a great addition to a class and it has been very helpful.

Top Blogs

For this weeks second assignment, I had to do a bit of research on blogs.  I have never been a blogger, never read about blogs, and never read a blog.  I'm not sure what defines a good blog nor do I know how to blog properly.  Looking into other professional blogs has given me an idea of how to incorporate professionalism, humor, and information all into one.  I researched a political blog and a blog about "getting things done" which mostly pertained to technology.  The two had very different styles which would make sense due to the differences in the subject.

I used a website called Technorati.com to find these top blogs.

Thinkprogress.org:

Think Progress is a "hard-hitting progressive political news site" according to Technorati.com.  It has a very professional feel to it while also bringing in some nice colors and captions.  It mostly consists of pictures and links, while the other blog had mostly videos.  It tackles a plethora of different aspects of politics in regards to all parties.  Being someone who is not very informed about politics, I wasn't sure if it was a bias blog or which party it favored.  It also is not for someone who doesn't know much about politics.  So definitely be informed before you log on.

Lifehacker.com:

Life Hacker provides tips and downloads for making things easier.  It mostly has information on how to use technology in order to do so.  One blog I found interesting was How To Hack ESPN Fantasy Football To Get Any Player You Want (Update: Fixed).  Where else would you find something like that?  Most websites would tell you that hacking is illegal, etc.  This blog includes a lot of videos and links that help you find tips to use your Mac, iPod, wi-fi, or whatever your using at that time of day.  Really a great site for anyone looking for tips.

5...4...3...2...1...

Time management is something that I have always struggled with.  With many different responsibilities and obligations, it becomes very difficult to balance everything and find time to complete everything efficiently.  With school and work, its becomes hard to socialize.  When it comes time to socialize, its hard to balance time with my girlfriend or time with my friends.  Every activity needs to be managed so it could recieve the attention it needs in order for the obligation to be completed with enough time to move on to the next one and complete that task.

This week in class we talked about how many hours there are in one week and how we use our time.  I found that I don't have a lot of time to be flexible with.  I have 10 free hours in my week which could easily be given up to time wasted at a red lights, waiting in line at the store, getting caught up on the phone with an aunt or any other thing that we find distracts us (no disrespect to Auntie, but things need to get done).  Its easy to find us looking at the clock thinking "Where did the time go?" and in class this week it allowed me to break it down and know the answer to that question.

Every student has trouble managing there time.  Things might have been a little easier in high school when Mom and Dad were holding our hands through our days (this does NOT pertain to me) telling us where we needed to go, what needed to be done, and how we should do it.  For example, no one at work this evening reminded me that when I left at 11 that I needed to have my blogs done by 12.  A few blown red lights later (I guess I saved sometime down the road this week) I found myself at my computer on blogger.

Managing our time is key to success in college.  I am struggling to grapple this concept, but I am sincerely working towards mastering my week and putting the clock in its place.

TIme flies!

Outcasts United

While I was beginning to read Outcasts United, I was originally thinking "this is just another pointless, annoying summer reading project."  Well, I read on and continued to feel that way.  Few more chapters in I said to myself "well damn, I still feel the same way."  I soon realized that this wasn't just a book about a bunch of kids kicking a ball around.  This book had a bigger meaning and symbolized something more important that a soccer ball.

This book is the story of many different children and families who all came to the United States because of war and famine in their countries of origin.  Many of these children came from countries where shoes weren't even worn; they would walk around their neighborhoods barefoot.  Reading the different stories, I started to feel a connection with the children and families.  I imagined how hard it would be to live in a place where civil war was a daily routine.  I tried to imagine being in my home and having police officers storm through the door and kill my family members.  Then my final thought was "how can these individuals proceed to live a normal life and be successful?"  I still have not come up with an answer.  It amazes me that people are strong enough to endure all that physical, psychological, and emotional damage and over come all of the odds and start a new life.  To be a single mother with three children and have to commute an hour each way to work, and think about these scenes from the past.  It takes a very strong person to move on from these thoughts and experiences.

If put in a position of a refugee, how do you think you would cope with the stress and memories of a desolate homeland and family?

Young children in a refugee camp.

Image courtesy of google images

Blind Leading the Blind

Have you ever had the feeling that you are completely lost?  Have you ever felt that the world and everyone in it was moving, but you were just at a stand still watching it all happen? If you answered yes, you are not alone!  I have felt this way for a very long time, and being in college has only reassured me that I have lost myself along the way and I'm struggling to complete mission impossible and find myself. I'd like to think that the day I find myself, I'll be sitting there, waiting patiently, and welcome the arrival of a distorted me.

Changes in life cause people to lose themselves somewhere in the chaos, and I found that the self-recovery/discovery is the most difficult part of the process.  It is very easy to find yourself in a series of life changing events and feel as if you come out of them as a different person.  What's important to understand is that yes, you may come out of these situations more mature, with more wisdom and experience, but we cannot let the disappointment, pain, or loss change who we are on the inside.  We cannot grow cold or become bitter.  We must learn, grow, mature, and appreciate what we have been through and use it to our advantage.  We all know that life goes on, there are ups and downs and some call it a roller coaster.  Remember that all roller coasters do come to an end, so we should hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

Live Strong

In "Work Hard or Work Smart" by Tom Weber, the author talks about how many workers have trouble balancing the ideas of working hard meaning they "put there heads down, and keep their noise to the grindstone" and get the job done, or working smart and "looking for a shortcut, scheming to find an easier way...".  Many workers usually sacrifice one type of work for another meaning that a hard worker may work extremely hard and get the job done regardless of the difficulty but fail to find ways to be more efficient and find ways to get more done.  Likewise, some smart workers who pride themselves in finding ways to get it done faster also fail to be capable of just sitting down and getting the work done.  They may waste more time trying to find an easier way and may not be as efficient as the working counterpart, "the hard worker." This makes me wonder "do we need to sacrifice hard work in order to do smart work (or sacrifice smart work for hard work)?"

Personally, I believe the desireable, well balanced worker is somehow who has characteristics that pertain to both the hard worker and the smart worker.  A solid worker must be able to sit down, understand the work and the amount that must be done and be capable of getting it done properly and in a short amount of time.  Also, they must be able recognize patterns or other characteristics in the work and be able to manipulate it to find ways to get and be proficient.  Well if this is true then I don't believe we need to sacrifice one type of worker for another, but more importantly find workers who have the desirable qualities from each type of work.

The author closes the article with "work smart, work hard and live strong" and I truely believe that in order to live strong, we need to be able to work smart and work hard.  Smart work + hard work = strong living!

Obstacle Course

We all faces challenges and obstacles in our lives.  Some of us find it easy to face these challenges and overcome the obstacles while many of us get stuck struggling to figure out how to handle our situations.

Something I have struggled with in the first couple weeks of college is dealing with the transition from being in a technical high school where most of the work was concentrated on our trade rather than the academic aspect of school.  I also took a year off between high school and college to work which also adds in the difficulty of my current transition.  When I was high school, things seem to move along quickly.  I always had a handle on my work, was able to stay focused, but also had a negative "get in, get out" attitude.  I did not like my high school nor did I like the idea of being a tradesmen, specifically a plumber for the rest of my life.  Going to a technical school was not my first choice, and I do regret that I had the attitude that I had in middle school which influenced my mothers decision in enrolling me into the local tech school.  She felt that my attitude was a life long sentiment, and  with that attitude I might not succeed in the academic world.  Looking back I cannot argue with her insight, but I just wish she had known its typical of a preteen to be rebellious to the idea of doing homework in eight grade.

I have found that being in college and adjusting to the work load has been very stressful, and dealing with the anxiety of the requirements of this class and the due dates of that syllabus is something that I was not prepared for with the educational background that I have.  It's funny how preparation for one scenario entirely unprepared me for another.

I am going to work hard at renewing my mind and refocusing my energy and hopefully I can make the necessary changes I need to make in order to be a successful college student. 

Expectations of the college life!

In my personal opinion, college is a stepping-stone on the way to success. Graduating with a degree in something I enjoy and respect doing will not only give me joy, but it will give me the strength and knowledge I need to build a future.

Being a college student means staying up late studying, waking up early to go to class, and learning to have a good sense of time management. On a more personal note, I have some expectations for this year that I plan on fulfilling. For example, I would like to be able to manage the stress of working close to full time while also going to school full time. I want to learn how to managing paying for most of my expenses but not at the expense of losing out on my education and social life.

Socially, I expect that college will open the doors for me and allow me to create a close group of fun, smart, and mature friends. I hope that I will make life long friends and continue to communicate with them and keep a solid connection both personally and professionally.

In the future, I want to have a well paying job with a beautiful family and home. I expect that my college education along with my effort will highly increase the chances of this dream coming true. Although the economy and job market is very unstable at this point in time, I believe that with my degree and my perseverance I will overcome all obstacles, and put me one step ahead in this tough time.

Dreams...

So you want to get to know me?

It is hard for someone to sit and find five words that can define or summarize themselves without stumbling upon the fact that it is almost impossible to do so without leaving a characteristic or trait out. I can say that I am a happy person while I sometimes find myself sad. I could also say that I am patient, but I also can find myself screaming at a red light. However, I have learned that while I allow these characteristics and emotions to define me at a certain point in time, I have also learned that various traits and qualities will remain unchangeable.

Throughout my life I have found that determination is essential to success. I am determined to do well in school in order to improve the lifestyle of myself as well as my future family. I have always told myself that you can’t make it unless you want to make it. In the past few years, I have realized how badly I am determined to become something and be able to say, “I made it.”

When I was fourteen, I got my first job washing dishes in a small restaurant kitchen. I always knew that I was a hardworking individual as I made my way through school, but getting a job at such a young age, working as much as I did, and continuing to be employed at the same place five years later (with several raises and promotions) reassured that I am in fact that hardworking young man I thought myself to be.

School has given me the desire and capacity to learn. I can proudly say that I am an intellectual person with ambition and the ability to gain knowledge and be a life-long learner. Education combined with my intellect will assure success later on in life.

During my experiences as growing boy and becoming a young adult I have learned to have a good judgment of character and am able to dictate the results of certain situations based on prior knowledge. Being a very intuitive person, I know when I am in a place or around people who may not be a positive influence on others or myself. This wisdom allows me to keep myself out of trouble and make well-rounded decisions.

I am a very respectful individual. I have been commended for my customer service and always treat others with respect. I have never intentionally hurt another person, and I appreciate others for who they are, and I am respectful of their choices and situations in their lives.

Defining yourself is a very hard thing to do. I have decided to not let words, things or concepts define me as a person. Instead, I have chosen to let my actions define me because actions truly do speak louder than words