What?
Well, to accurately portray my past year experiences I have to go back to the beginning, meaning fall semester of 2015. If I had to describe fall semester 2015 in one word it would be trying. I describe that semester as trying because it really tried my time management and organization skills. I was taking 17 credit hours, doing research in the Biological Sciences Department 9 hours a week, taking Ecology, Organic Chemistry I, and Global History of WWII (Honors Study Tour), while also working 10-13 hours a week in the Criminal Justice Department of CECH. I knew fully ahead of starting fall semester what I would be in for and I am glad that I embarked on the path that I did during that semester. I was able to learn a lot about myself because of the different activities that I was consistently involved in during the semester. I will say that at times I struggled, especially with Organic Chemistry I, for some reason I just had a hard time grasping the concepts/topics that I was being taught. Even though I had difficulties I reached out to both my professor and peer tutors in the LAC. This helped me however, the subject matter was still difficult. At the end of the semester I did not do as well as I had hoped and this was a challenge that I had to overcome over this past year. I felt that I could have done something differently or something better to change the outcome of my grade, but it was an experience that I had to go through in order to learn from it and do better the next semester in Organic Chemistry II.
My fall semester was not just filled with challenges, I also became more active in the UC Community by becoming a McMicken Student Ambassador. It was not really until spring semester did I become really busy with the Student Ambassadors. Towards the end of the semester there were Saturday events called Bearcat Brunches where ambassadors and professors met with incoming students in there major. So, my major is Biology and I met with incoming students wanting to major in Biology. I also got the chance to do Bearcat Chats, where I called students who got accepted to UC to see if they are planning on attending, reminding them to accept their admission, and answering any questions that they may have about the University. Each of the experiences that I had with incoming students was very enriching because I was given the chance to share with them my personal experiences at the University and hopefully make them feel as though they had gotten a true and genuine depiction of the University from a student perspective.
So What?
When spring semester 2016 rolled around, I was ready to take on Organic Chemistry II and do way better than I did in Organic Chemistry I. I still used my resources, such as, the Learning Assistance Center and Supplemental Instruction which I felt helped me to succeed. Other than those resources I was more confident in my abilities because I did not do as well as I wanted to the first semester I knew that I needed to take extra time with the subject matter and immediately ask questions if I did not understand. I ended up doing extremely well spring semester and received the highest GPA that I have ever received over my past two years and I will continue to do that well or better each semester until I graduate.
By having the opportunity to be a McMicken Ambassador it has given the opportunity to connect with incoming students and be a source for them if they do decide to come to the University or if they just want more information about UC. I also was able to network with professors in my department who I will be able to ask questions or seek guidance from as I move upward in my college career. I have learned how to become more of a people person from being a McMicken Ambassador, for I am able to talk to large groups of people without being nervous about public speaking.
Now What?
I have definitely learned a lot about myself over the past year. I have become a part of new organizations McMicken Ambassadors and the McNair Scholars Program. I have remained active in community service through Darwin T. Turner Scholars, Cincinnatus Scholars, and the Louis Stokes for Alliance in Minority Participation (LSAMP) Scholars. I have also been able to travel abroad through Honors on a study tour to London and Paris. The Global History of WWII was one of my favorite classes this year and it taught me a lot about how I respond in group discussion settings. I also enhanced my writing abilities by taking Honors Intermediate English and I was successful in creating an ethnography (my favorite paper this year), which was something that I had never heard of before. I believe that each year I have grown and am starting to really understand how to tailor my college experience for my future by engaging in activities that will strengthen my strengths and eradicate my weaknesses, so that I can be the most prepared for my future. I am still trying to figure out how to go about it, but each year in college I am becoming better and better equipped for what lies ahead.
Well, to accurately portray my past year experiences I have to go back to the beginning, meaning fall semester of 2015. If I had to describe fall semester 2015 in one word it would be trying. I describe that semester as trying because it really tried my time management and organization skills. I was taking 17 credit hours, doing research in the Biological Sciences Department 9 hours a week, taking Ecology, Organic Chemistry I, and Global History of WWII (Honors Study Tour), while also working 10-13 hours a week in the Criminal Justice Department of CECH. I knew fully ahead of starting fall semester what I would be in for and I am glad that I embarked on the path that I did during that semester. I was able to learn a lot about myself because of the different activities that I was consistently involved in during the semester. I will say that at times I struggled, especially with Organic Chemistry I, for some reason I just had a hard time grasping the concepts/topics that I was being taught. Even though I had difficulties I reached out to both my professor and peer tutors in the LAC. This helped me however, the subject matter was still difficult. At the end of the semester I did not do as well as I had hoped and this was a challenge that I had to overcome over this past year. I felt that I could have done something differently or something better to change the outcome of my grade, but it was an experience that I had to go through in order to learn from it and do better the next semester in Organic Chemistry II.
My fall semester was not just filled with challenges, I also became more active in the UC Community by becoming a McMicken Student Ambassador. It was not really until spring semester did I become really busy with the Student Ambassadors. Towards the end of the semester there were Saturday events called Bearcat Brunches where ambassadors and professors met with incoming students in there major. So, my major is Biology and I met with incoming students wanting to major in Biology. I also got the chance to do Bearcat Chats, where I called students who got accepted to UC to see if they are planning on attending, reminding them to accept their admission, and answering any questions that they may have about the University. Each of the experiences that I had with incoming students was very enriching because I was given the chance to share with them my personal experiences at the University and hopefully make them feel as though they had gotten a true and genuine depiction of the University from a student perspective.
So What?
When spring semester 2016 rolled around, I was ready to take on Organic Chemistry II and do way better than I did in Organic Chemistry I. I still used my resources, such as, the Learning Assistance Center and Supplemental Instruction which I felt helped me to succeed. Other than those resources I was more confident in my abilities because I did not do as well as I wanted to the first semester I knew that I needed to take extra time with the subject matter and immediately ask questions if I did not understand. I ended up doing extremely well spring semester and received the highest GPA that I have ever received over my past two years and I will continue to do that well or better each semester until I graduate.
By having the opportunity to be a McMicken Ambassador it has given the opportunity to connect with incoming students and be a source for them if they do decide to come to the University or if they just want more information about UC. I also was able to network with professors in my department who I will be able to ask questions or seek guidance from as I move upward in my college career. I have learned how to become more of a people person from being a McMicken Ambassador, for I am able to talk to large groups of people without being nervous about public speaking.
Now What?
I have definitely learned a lot about myself over the past year. I have become a part of new organizations McMicken Ambassadors and the McNair Scholars Program. I have remained active in community service through Darwin T. Turner Scholars, Cincinnatus Scholars, and the Louis Stokes for Alliance in Minority Participation (LSAMP) Scholars. I have also been able to travel abroad through Honors on a study tour to London and Paris. The Global History of WWII was one of my favorite classes this year and it taught me a lot about how I respond in group discussion settings. I also enhanced my writing abilities by taking Honors Intermediate English and I was successful in creating an ethnography (my favorite paper this year), which was something that I had never heard of before. I believe that each year I have grown and am starting to really understand how to tailor my college experience for my future by engaging in activities that will strengthen my strengths and eradicate my weaknesses, so that I can be the most prepared for my future. I am still trying to figure out how to go about it, but each year in college I am becoming better and better equipped for what lies ahead.