A Place to Belong

My first week or so at Wartburg, I really tried figuring out who I wanted to be. In high school, I felt like there was a lot of pressure from my peers to be a certain type of person and I wasn't sure that I wanted to be this person here. I mean college is a new start so I had the chance to be whoever I wanted. I met some really nice girls on my floor right away and clicked with them. They were people I could go to the Mensa with, watch TV shows with, etc. However, I still didn't really have that feeling of belonging yet. Track had not started yet at this time but I had been hearing from everyone about how close nit the track and field family was. Some people even described them as a cult that only stayed within their own group and didn't branch out. I am one who likes to be involved in all sorts of different activities and socialize with all types of people. That's just how I was raised so this idea kind of intimidated me. I wasn't sure what to expect but Tuesday we had our first day of practice as a team and I felt like I fit in right away. The upper classmen made me feel at ease, comfortable, and most of all that I had a right to be there. Throughout this week so far, the team has shown tremendous support for each other. Our hardest day this week was probably yesterday. We were to attempt to run two 300 meter shuttle runs, complete as many pushups that you could in one minute, and then as many sit ups possible in one minute. It was so cool to see how everyone cheered each member on. If you were struggling you had 20 to 30 some girls there motivating you to finish. They don't allow you to quit which I think is a huge attribute for a person to obtain. The team was like a family not a cult and I finally felt like I found the place at Wartburg where I belonged. I loved it.

Chelsey:)

Time Management = Iffy

Time management was never a problem for me in high school. I could get most of my homework done during school hours and the work that I didn't complete I would finish after practice or games before school the next day. I never once had to turn in an assignment late. I was the type of student to stay on top of things. I still feel like I am that same type of student just with a lot more work and a ton less time. This past week I was very overwhelmed with my first test, reading assignments, smartwork homework, but mostly the test. I almost didn't even care about my other classes because of my nerves over this one test. I started studying three days in advance thinking that would give me plenty of time to retain all the information and the night before the test I was feeling good. I understood the material very well and I could teach most of it to someone who didn't understand the concept. This good feeling lasted for only a moment until I realized that I had not completed two problems on my smartwork homework that was due at midnight. It just so happened that my realization occured at 11:30. So with a half hour before my homework was going to be counted past due, I crammed and went through formula after formula until I finally came up with the correct answer for both problems. This crunching of time wore me out. I vowed after that night that I was not going to put off homework or studying again. The way I am going to avoid this experience happening again is to keep going over the material I am learning in my classes as I learn it and new material. This is especially going to be key in my more complicated classes such as Biology and Chemistry. I plan on beginning to study more in advance and not waiting until the last minute. Lastly, I am going to put off other unimportant distractions such as skipping a favortite TV show or social event in the presence of a lot of homework. I feel that these tips/goals will keep me more up to date on classes and allow me to manage my time more efficiently. Feel free to use any of my tips on managing time. Until next time...

Chelsey:)

Am I cut out for this?

First week of college was a breeze. I had so much fun meeting new people, making friends, being exposed to new opportunities, and experiences. It seemed like college was going to involve very little stress. That's where I was wrong. People had told me ahead of time that it requires more time, effort, and definitely more reading than what was needed to get by in high school. I found out very soon that they were absolutely right. Some classes need more time focused on them than others, Biology being one. I haven't taken biology since my freshman year in high school and here I am majoring in it. (Not so sure if that was a good idea for me yet) The homework seems like it never ends. The minute I feel that I am finally ahead or caught up, the homework just piles up again. There have been very few nights that I have just been able to sit down and relax. I'm not used to this. In high school I got most of my homework done in school and I definitely did not read the textbook and could still get good grades. I realize this is not going to fly in college so I have been reading tons and tons. It gets so stressful trying to find time to read the content, take notes, make sure I understand what is going on, and doing my other homework on top of working as a lifeguard at the W. I've had very many nervous breakdowns already and it's only the third week of classes and it's only going to get worse. This coming Monday I have my first ever college test in Biology. I am super  nervous already and it is only Wednesday. I'm not sure how much to study or if I am going to study the correct information. I am most scared of failing. I haven't failed a class, test, or paper my whole entire high school, middle school, or elementary career. I don't want to start now so I am going to work my butt off to make sure that this does not happen. So I better go study now. Until next time....

Chelsey:)

Taking Things for Granted

Have you ever thought about all the things that we take for granted? I am one who doesn't ever really realize the importance of little things until those things are taken from me...gone. This weekend I took a visit home for the first time in three weeks. Some of my friends had been going home every weekend since they had moved in and I just hadn't really felt like I needed to. The main reason I really didn't want to is because I thought that I would for sure have to go through the homesickness feeling all over again so I put it off. During those three weeks that I was here, I talked to my family and friends from back home. There were times that I felt really home sick especially on those not to good days but I fought through it and I feel that I am pretty much over it now. I mean there are still times that I miss my family like crazy but I know that I am a strong enough person to make it through that but anyways back to my visit back home. I left right after my last class on Friday. I was super excited. Picture me bouncing in my seat constantly looking at my watch counting down the minutes till I got to be on the road back home. The drive is two hours long (not too bad). As i was driving home, I thought about all the necessities I had lived with out or that I had to share with many other girls since I had moved in. It made me sad but sooo excited that soon I was going to be able to have these all back. I had never realized how much I loved my own shower, my own bed, my OWN room :) (not that I don't like my roommate), and last but definitely not least homemade meals. These simple things had me jumping in my seat anxious to get home. I don't think that I have felt that way in a long time and all for what... a homemade meal, a bed, and shower. I learned something that first visit home. I have began to realize that I need to appreciate the simple things in life and never take them for granted because when they are gone, life is still good but not as good as if they were still there. Just remember that. Until next time....

Chelsey :)

A Classic....Jurassic Park

So you know how college is full of new experiences. Well I just had a new experience in IS 101 class the other day. My teacher came in and told us that we were going to be watching Jurassic Park. Now I have heard of the movie before. I knew it was about dinosaurs that lived in an amusement type park but I had never seen it before. I was never really into dinosaurs growing up and as I got older I thought that the movie would be too childish to watch. I had no idea what the movie content was like or what really happened in the movie. I soon found out that Jurassic Park is definitely not a kid projected movie. Dinosaurs eat people and animals very brutally. There are many parts that make you jump and lose your stomach. The movie has a lot of scientific ideas in it and really makes you think especially at the end because it leaves it open. They don't explain what happens to the park or the dinosaurs or even the characters that leave on the helicopter. It allows you to use your imagination and come up with your own ending to the movie. In my opinion I think that the dinosaurs live for awhile but eventually just die off because there isn't anyone there to take care of them anymore if they get sick or to feed the carnivores. I assumed that the movies just ended after this Jurassic Park however my fellow classmates informed me well after the movie was over that there are two more Jurassic Park movies to follow the first. I guess the dinosaurs migrate to the cities somehow and cause a huge amount of trouble. I guess I have two more movies to find time to watch. I'd really recommend watching this movie: 1. It is a classic. 2. People will make fun of you if they find out you have not seen it yet. 3. It is a pretty interesting movie. 4. It is scientifically educational. There ya have it. You need to go out and have a movie night with your friends to watch Jurassic Park. Let me know what you think of it. Until next time.....

Chelsey :)

Scary First Thoughts

     College! Everyone makes it seem like a terrifying new step in your life and it is...well at least before you actually get there. I was so nervous at the thought of being away from my parents and the rest of my family. We're are pretty much the Brady Bunch. We eat supper as a family every night, I can talk to them about anything, and I rely on them a ton to help me through tough and stressful times. I wasn't sure who I would be able to go to once I was here with my problems. I mean I realized that I'd still be able to talk to them on the phone and with our technology these days there's skype but it just didn't seem like it'd be the same. I got nervous whenever I thought about who my roommate would be. All of my friends who were going to the big universities found out their roommates way before I did. Some of them had roommates where they had nothing in common. I was super scared that was going to happen to me. What if we didn't get along? I have to live with this girl for a whole year in a small confined space. Then I started thinking about homework and classes. Everyone says college is super hard. That it requires a lot of studying and time. I wasn't sure if I would be able to hande the workload along with being involved in a sport.
       However, all of these insecurities about college are filled with excitement once you finally get all moved in. So far since I have been here, I have felt a little homesick but not too bad. I don't have a lot of time to really think about it. I have made friends with a good group of girls who live on my floor that I know I could go to if I had a problem or needed someone to talk to. My RA of my floor is also super cool and has already reassured us that she is here for us and will help us through anything if we ever need it. I have felt so much more comfortable since then. I haven't had any problems with my roommate yet either. We're really good friends so far and have soooo much in common. It's actually kind of creapy. We have the same favorite color, are interested in the same type of stuff, and so much more. I feel like I got very lucky. And lastly the homework load is a lot more than high school. I'm not going to lie to you. It takes a lot more time and effort. In high school I never read my textbooks. I didn't really have to. College is a whole other story. You have to read your textbooks, take a lot of notes, and study quite a bit. It is a lot of work but I have figured out so far that I can handle it. I just have to manage my time.
      So as you can see college can be very stressful, scary, and emotional at times but it is the best time of your life. You get to discover the real you and prepare yourself for being successful in your future.
Until next time......

Chelsey :)