Chemistry

I have never been good at basic chemistry with the algebra 1, in high school my algebra teacher did not do his job well and so I never really learned it well. So coming here and going into problem solving chemistry is a little difficult never really learning the basics. I have gone to SI and stayed after class to understand more but it is hard coming in being behind other students. I need this credit so struggling is not making me happy. On the current quizzes I have done better than I thought I would have, but I know these grades are not to my fullest potential. What I really enjoy though is how much my professor helps me and how easily he explains things, multiple ways. I get along with him very well and I am happy that we have a good student professor relationship. My class size is small so everyone knows each other and we help each other quite a bit. His teaching methods work well, and give us a lot of opportunities to have grades in the grade book. Everyday we have homework to turn in, a daily assignment then gives us more homework that is due the next time we see each other, which will be a quiz grade on occasions. I love this class but I am not happy with how I am doing in there and wish I could do better. I talked to my teacher about the possibility of having a private tutor because I know from experience I work well with one on ones. This private tutoring may be difficult because of my schedule being busy but that is college and you have to learn how to use your time wisely. With softball practice on Thursdays-Sundays it is hard to study as much as you truly need. On Saturdays our practices run from 9 am to 7 pm and the other days 1 pm to 7 pm. My other classes are coming more easily and the change from high school to college has slowly slipped in and now I understand why they say that college is totally different from high school. The professors here expect you to be the big adult that they never expected in high school. I enjoy classes still and I still enjoy Texas Lutheran.    

Struggling

School is school, the homework, the quizzes and test are all the same but the only thing has changed is that I have started study hall as a requirement for softball. I was actually surprised, because I found out like I like this study hall on Mondays and Wednesdays. At first the thought of the mandatory study hall made me upset and I didn't want to go. But now I like this because it makes me focus on doing my homework and here there are no distractions. No phones, no tv, no best friends, no talking. The internet is strictly for school related subjects, and getting caught leads to a lot of trouble. Softball practices start soon, and I am a little bit of nervous because I know I have to be more diligent with my time and my studying. My hardest class has to Human Anatomy and Physcology, this class takes a lot of concentration, reading and understanding everything that is being said about it. The first test is next week, and I am so nervous because I want to ace this test. My other classes require a lot of reading but I don't mind as long as I stay focus and mark up the text. Frex class has taught me to pay attention to each detail in the text and to read between the lines. This has certainly helped in A&P because I focus and know about what I am reading about. Currently out side of school, I have made a lot of friends and enjoy the community here, it reminds of being back at home and I haven't been homesick yet. I have heard about a lot of freshman missing their home and becoming homesick but I am not one of them. I enjoy being here except for the really really small town with nothing to do on the weekends. But the athlete teams keeps me occupied as well as my friends. I can not wait till softball season starts because I enjoy playing, and I can't wait to play at the collegiate level. I have played softball for almost all my life, of course I played other sports but I always stuck with softball and I hope I will enjoy these last years of playing.

A new beginning

Most teenagers want to explore the world and never look back at where they grew up, but that was not for me. Texas Lutheran offered many options for me, staying close to home (Katy, Texas), playing softball, a great Physical Therapy program and a warm welcoming community. Transitioning from high school to college was a very large step for me, I was leaving behind, family, friends and most importantly the place where I grew up. College has been an exciting adventure, but one I know I can accomplish with help from the professors. Here, I have learned to be well-organized, time management and to make new friends everyday. The courses I am taking to become a Physical Therapist mean I have to read more than I ever have and to really buckel down and not be a procrastinator like I was in high school. In high school, students could get by without reading there books for class and not knowing everything the teacher taught, but here it is much different. I was a "A" student in high school, and I loved studying but here is a whole new story, studying doesnt mean for just an hour, it means for several hours and knowing EVERYTHING the professor taught you. To this new challenge, I was at first scared, just like any new college student would be but after the first week was under my belt I knew I could take it on. College means a lot of growing up for high school students, now I know why most teenagers do not make it all the way. For me, that will not be an option, I know what I have to do in order to master all my classes as well as be a student-athlete and I am willing to make that effort. Texas Lutheran is my new home, and I am liking every moment here, yes I will endure those days where I absolutely hate it and wish I could just go back to my hometown and never return. My experience so far has been exciting and I hope this feeling never changes.