Reflections of a first year college student

[McGoddess09]

I have almost completed my first year of college. How do I feel about it? Let's put into what I miss and what I don't miss.

What I miss:

- the teachers. My teachers were pretty cool.

- the consistent schedule. Most of the time, I like the fact that some days have less classes and I get to have new classes every semester. However, once in a while, I miss having the same classes everyday. Which leads me to my next point.

- homework load. Since I had the same classes everyday, the homework was due the next day. There was no planning the entire week of what I will do based on what is due what day. While I do like the fact I get extra days to do what they give me, I miss the consistency of having homework due the next day. Of course, when assignments were due the next day, there was very little to do.

-home cooked meals, even if I cooked them myself. I miss experimenting with spices and marinades and making different combos of things.

-helping my sister with her homework. I miss that face she gets when she does get something I explain. It is a warm feeling I get everytime.

- seeing my family whenever I want. At any given day, I could get in my car and go see my grandparents or I could go visit my mom at work.

- cuddling with my kitty every night. He would meow at me if I stayed up too late and would follow me to bed. I would fall asleep to the sound of his purring. I even miss how he would wake me up with his incessant meowing.

-my real friends. I miss Tattoo, Boo Bear, Holmes, Muscles, and my IHOP gang.

What I don't miss:

-my old high school. I no longer care about what goes on there. When I do go there, it is to visit my old teachers. I don't care about their accomplishments or failings. When people tell me these things, they actually think I care and I don't. They would ask me what I have heard and I tell them "I don't keep up with them. I don't keep up with town news."

-drama. Being a tiny town, word travels around fast and it often gets twisted around and everybody knows it by the next class period. I have some people who still go to the high school on my facebook and all they talk about on their statuses is the drama, drama, drama. Who slept with who, who is a slut, who is a prude, who is dating who. I don't freaking care!

-the close mindedness. Heaven forbid anyone come out of the closet! For the few of us who did, our lives were made miserable. Insults, hate mail,hate mail, isolation. Yep. Been there. Done that. Heaven forbid you didn't go with everyone else with your clothing style or hair style or sense of humor!

-the mentality. There were a few choices you could make after high school to be accepted. You could A) dropout B)Just have the high school diploma or GED (nothing wrong with that) C) Get married right away and start having a family (again, nothing wrong with that) D) Go to a community college for a year or two and then stop or E) go to one of the few universities that everyone went to, but dropout after two years.

Let's just get this out of the way. There is nothing wrong with those choices. They are up to the individual person. I don't care what you decide. However, none of those choice worked for me. I wanted to go to a different university and complete my bachelor's at least. So, I went with that route. Now, I am an outcast and a "traitor" to my fellow townspeople. You know what? Eff you! My family and real friends support me and that is all that matters.

-my fake friends. These are the people who only hang out when it is convenient for them and got really mad when I told them I was going away or got mad because I had the audacity to say when I would come home and not when they wanted me to be there. Oh and heaven forbid if I want to just have a weekend with my family! I understand, I am in town. However, I have every right to just be with my family because they too hardly ever see me.

This was just on my mind. Thank you for listening!

[JoitheArtist]

Congrats on an almost-complete first year! I came from a tiny town too, so I know where you're coming from on things you don't miss...

Anyhow, you deserve some for making it through the first year! Keep up the good work!

[Greenday]

Reflections of a college student in their last year:

Can't freaking wait to be done with this crap.

On that note, if you miss having homework always being due the next day, you could just procrastinate and wait until the night before it's due to do it like I do.

[McGoddess09]

I don't like procrastinating though. If I do, I get this nagging feeling that it needs to be done and it will cause anxiety and loss of sleep. That and my profs LOVE to give out as much homework as possible.

I make a study schedule so I'm not as stressed out. My profs have syllabi that they tend to stick to, so it helps when planning out the week.

For example, in my planner, under all the times it gives, I have a list going like this:

read chapter 7
reading response Hume
MathXL 5.6-5.8

And I know what I am talking about in my list because above it, in each time slot is the full assignment!

[AdminAssistant]

Reflections of a 2nd-year Ph.D. student: Somebody get me the hell OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!



Congrats, McG! I also came from a small town. My first year was kind of tough, but now I don't miss it at all.

[SteverinoNY]

Congrats to you on finishing up your first year soon!...the first year and the second year are often the hardest. Hopefully the third and fourth (and in your case) fifth, are much easier!

I'm so proud of you for what you have accomplished and how far you have come. You are one smart woman!

Now for reflections from a 2nd (and final) year Masters' student

1. Going to a big name school (aka my graduate university in the heart of Manhattan) is not all its cracked up to be. Some of my professors have been fantastic and others could not give two sh*ts. I know this is going to sound SC-like, but for the nearly 40 grand a year it cost me to go there, I should have professors who actually want to teach, not throw in your face that they have tenure and that you as a student will be lucky to find a job. Also, for the expense of the school, how about having more than one elevator that works in the main academic building on campus.

2. I love the close knit nature of my program. With the exception of one woman who is a massive idiot (and sleeps her way thru class) and one other woman who contradicts every word out of the mouths of the profs, all of my classmates are wonderful intelligent people who know the purpose for being in school and work hard to make better people of themselves. I have met probably one of the nicest people I have met who helped me out of a significant bind after I lost my place of residence and has been a supportive friend ever since.

3. The experiences of going to school in New York City and living there for a year are something I will never forget and will be better for it. It's also made me appreciate my little podunk town even more. I found out the hard way I was not cut for living in the big city and I am glad to have learned that life lesson.

4. When things were going bad for me in between the first and second semesters of my first year, I found an inner strength I did not know I had and was able to persevere through it. I feel proud of myself for handling what I did, despite all the obstacles.

In retrospect, going to *insert large school's name* was both a blessing and a curse, but because of it, I am a stronger person and will hopefully be able to become the person my parents expected me to become and also to be able to provide for the one person I care about very much (you know who you are)

Sorry to threadjack, but thanks for listening

[Jester]

Now, I am an outcast and a "traitor" to my fellow townspeople.

Fuck 'em. Small-minded idiots that can't see beyond next Sunday's monster truck rally. And good for you for breaking out of that mold.

I know this is going to sound SC-like, but for the nearly 40 grand a year it cost me to go there, I should have professors who actually want to teach, not throw in your face that they have tenure and that you as a student will be lucky to find a job.

Yeah, right! Welcome to academia!

[ralerin]

Reflections of a college student in their last year:

Can't freaking wait to be done with this crap.

On that note, if you miss having homework always being due the next day, you could just procrastinate and wait until the night before it's due to do it like I do.

Goign to agree with Greenday on this one. I had fun with college until I had 11 papers due in the same 2 week span on the same few days. That killed any joy I had and turned me into the bitter old maid I am now.

[Magpie]

I don't like procrastinating though. If I do, I get this nagging feeling that it needs to be done and it will cause anxiety and loss of sleep. That and my profs LOVE to give out as much homework as possible.

Now I know this doesn't sound that bad, but I used to do that. Worried about homework? Clearly the response is to do more of it. I overstudied one term and got first in class. That is a sign that I was working too hard - most of the people in my programme were keeners, insanely good at academics, or both. Cook more elaborate meals, join a second [third?] club, do something to make sure you stay well-rounded. I didn't, and I'm paying for it.

Reflections of a 2nd-year Ph.D. student: Somebody get me the hell OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!

Took you this long? I admire your persistance.

[dalesys]

Reflections of a 2nd-year Ph.D. student: Somebody get me the hell OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!...

Isn't that what the catatonic said after his psych left him in the walk-in oven?

[AdminAssistant]

Isn't that what the catatonic said after his psych left him in the walk-in oven?

:P I dunno. It's just hard because I'm still quite far away from the end goal. Another year of coursework, 6 months prep time, then comps, and THEN I finally get to spend a year or more writing a dissertation. However, to quote Shakespeare, "I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er."