1. Self Evaluation
As my first semester ever as a Penn State student draws to an end in a crescendo of fear, finals, and formals, I have to take the chance to evaluate myself as a student of good ol' State and as a person in general.
I am not the organized person I once was. This is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking back on this semester. From forgotten homework assignment to the post-Katrina state of my half of the dorm room, it can be said that I lacked organizational skills this year. I have lost my wallet, key, phone, shoe, shirt, remote, etc. countless times this year, often finding them in ridiculous positions within my room. This really traces back to my lack of time management, as well as my chronic procrastination, but I will be sure to improve upon this area in future semesters at University Park.
Despite this lack of organization, however, I have found a way to improve my study habits. Knocking out many hours in the Paterno Library has done me well, and most of my major writing assignments and midterms have displayed my preparation. This is a stark contrast to my study habits in high school due to the fact that they were non-existent. College definitely raised the bar on the amount of personal preparation and commitment to the material from high school, and I have stepped up to meet it... for the most part.
Another positive attribute I have gained from these first few months at Penn State is a greater appreciation for other people. This includes art, ideas, and social encounters, as well. Through English 15S, I was able to delve a little deeper into the art world than I would typically be accustomed to, taking me to the museum, arboretum, and vast supply of art on the internet. Also, reading the compositions by my peers, whether on paper or on their blogs, has increased my grasp of what makes good writing and solid communication. These are the intangibles that only a college experience will allow you to attain. Lastly, through social experiences at Penn State, I feel that I have become a better communicator: verbally, emotionally, and through body language. The clash of hometown-cultures at Penn State is incredible even though most outsiders would not consider our campus an incredibly diverse place. Whether it is common sayings and slang like "jawn", "lampin", "doe", "chill-to-pull ratio", and countless others, or the way people party up here, it was a mixing pot of the pop culture of my generation from across the United States, as well as a few foreign countries.
Finally, though clichéd as it is, I have learned a lot more about myself this year than I ever have in the past. I have learned that I cannot trust my own memory when it comes to important things to remember, which proved itself numerous times this semester. Also, I learned that I am a pretty adaptable and easygoing person. I never would have thought I could put up with the annoying things my roommate does, or the minimum-wage-job-esque aspects of pledging, however I have put my head down and not let either bother me the least bit. I have gained a lot of confidence this year, both in my writing and in the way I carry myself. I can attribute all of this to my experience and education at Penn State, and I feel that I am beginning to find out why the alumni are so head over heels for Dear Old State.
With seven more semesters to go, I can only hope that Penn State will continue to have the positive influence on me that it has had up to this point. I anticipate many more 5-minute friends on the White Loop, sleepless nights after football games, and small victories after a late night paper. Basically, I can not wait to look back on my years at University Park with fond memories and no regrets as I drop my future kids off at East Halls.
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3. Hi, Ms. S--I completed my SRTEs!
