First-Year Experience Seminar Reflection Paper (Written Three Semesters Ago)

Final Reflection Paper: Part I

1. Transition to College from High school. 

           I was home schooled so the differences between them to me are different but not a whole lot, so the transition wasn’t too hard for me. I also took a year off after high school to work and because I worked so much I was always out of the house which I think helped me to detach from always relying on my family.

           When I was about twelve we started to go on family vacations at least once a year for about a month. I believed this helped me to adjust to being in a different place than home no matter how far away I planned to go to college and because we did a lot of camping I was fine with going on Archways.

           Sharing a room with someone wasn’t hard for me. I grew up in a three bedroom house so the majority of my years living in that house I was always sharing a room with one or both of my sisters.

           I like the atmosphere of the college life better than being in high school because I’m not surrounded by my family twenty-four seven. I just wished I had my car. I’ve really enjoyed my first semester of college here at Asbury.

2. How you have changed or are different from the beginning to the end of your first semester in college.

           I am more open to asking for help when I need it now than when I first started the semester. I’m not one to be the first to raise my hand but I have found myself doing that more often since the halfway point of the semester and I love talking with my professors if I have a problem.

           I am more open to trying new things such as going white water rafting with the Asbury Outdoors program and even doing the Archways trip. It’s easier to make new friends here because you see the most of the same people in class and around campus. Being homeschooled you don’t really make a lot of friends because the majority of them went to an actual school, the only friends I made were from church or at work. I have made more friends here than when I was in high school.

Final Reflection Paper: Part II

1. What have you learned about yourself from the First-Year Experience Seminar course? 

             I found that I have become more open to try new things and step out of my comfort zone. I have learned that I can keep track of time to study and have fun during my semester. I have really become more reliable on my calendars and lists of things that need to be do at a certain time.

             I also learned about my five strengths Input, Belief, Responsibility, Discipline, and Intellection and I got to interview three people who are close to me. I felt that with doing those interviews I’ve learned a lot more about myself through the three people I have chosen who have known me for a while. I’m glad I chose the three people I did. It was interesting to see the results from the strength finder test and the answers from the interviews.

            While reading about and practicing Creator Language, I learned that I tend to speak like a Creator, and I find myself blaming others or seeking solutions and by doing the Wise Choice Process, I learned that I can get through my money situation to pay off school loans or any situation if I can find help in the right places or know where to look. While writing out my actions and then putting them into the quadrant charts, I learned that I’m pretty even in quadrants one through three. I’m sure I’ve done more things the past two days but I can’t remember. I thought I would have had more actions in quadrant two. I’m glad to see that I’m using the majority of my time for studying and not just for fun and games

               In reading and writing about my inner conversations, I have discovered that even though you are battling with your inner conversation you have the choice to make. It will either be a good choice or a bad one and you get to deal with the outcome of the choice you made.

2. How do you believe this knowledge about yourself and your strengths will benefit/be helpful/influence the rest of your college and future life experiences. 

          I believe that with having the different knowledge and strengths will be beneficial in college and in life, it will help me get good grades and a great job when I use scheduling and calendars to keep track of important dates and assignments.

         I believe that with having the different knowledge and strengths it will be helpful in college and in life, when it comes to getting to class on time or even when it’s time to interview for a job.

         I believe that with having the different knowledge and strengths in college and in life, it will be will be influential in whatever career I choose whether I become a student minister, a director or a physiatrist. I know I will be able to influence people in which ever career I choose, even if I only influence them in a small way. 

Final Reflection Paper: Part III

1. Describe in detail your goals for next semester and what tools you plan on using to accomplish them.

                  My plans for next year will be to get up early enough to get breakfast and get ready, study more with my school work and in the word of God, and just enjoy what God has planned for me next year. To get through next semester I will be using many tools to help me out, such as, my five strengths, the Creator Mind Set, and my three personal qualities to help me with my motivating goals, plus many other tools including prayer.

                  I plan on using my five strengths to help me to succeed in completing my long term and short term goals, as well as staying focused in completing my assignments.

 With ‘input’ it will help me get far with my studies because I love to learn. It will also allow me to understand what my professors are teaching. I feel ‘belief’ might be a challenge only because I stand for certain things and my friends and professor may have different viewpoints on what I say or write. I think to overcome this I will have to be wise with how I put sentences together as to not upset the others viewpoints. I feel with the ‘responsibility’ strength that it is a blessing because I will be able to use it to complete homework on time and be able to have time left over to spend with friends. ‘Discipline’ is a blessing because I like organization and this will help me keep track of my homework and the extra time I have during the day to study. I feel that ‘intellection’ is a blessing because it will allow me to be able to communicate with my professors if I have questions on a certain problem with the homework or the subject being taught in class.

             I also plan on using the Creator Mind Set and Creator Language to help me complete my goals to move forward in life to get into the right working field God wants me to. By using the Creator Mind Set and Creator Language to help me I know I can accomplish anything even though I may mess up a time or two but by messing up it will strengthen and make me into a better person. I don’t like to see the down side of things, only the positivity. I’ve made plenty of mistakes, and I know I will make more, but I know I can find a way to overcome them.

            I will also use “my personal rules for success in college and in life.” I will show up on time, I will always do more than what is needed, I will always do the best work possible, I will always participate and I will always ask questions. By using these I will be successful in college and in my future job.

            One of my most motivating goals as a student is that I will one day graduate with my college degree in whichever job I choose, whether it be as a youth minister or a physiatrist. I will use three personal qualities, confidence, bravery, and organization to help me achieve this educational goal.

                I had a ton of fear coming here and just throwing my hand vigorously up into the air to ask a question about anything I didn't understand, especially in my history class, but that doesn’t matter anymore. I have become even more confident and braver now in myself than I have ever been. Having organization will help me to stay focused in school and it helps me to turn in my homework in on time or even in some cases earlier. When it comes to organization I won’t be losing things, like homework, my cell phone, and time. It also keeps me from stressing out.

             My short term goal for the spring semester of 2015 is to complete my assignments on time and have them turned in on time and to get a 'B' or an 'A' on my tests next semester. My long term goal is to stay in college and graduate in 2018 with a degree in the field I plan on working in, whether God wants me to become a student minster or a physiatrist, and then use that degree to inspire and encourage people to be the person they truly are.

            I thank the Lord for allowing me to come here to Asbury. I can’t wait to start the next semester and seeing what God has in store for me. This first semester was a little bit of a struggle but I got through it and I really am glad I learned so many new tricks to help me prepare for next semester and I am really glad God has placed me here.