Jasmine Grant:Stuff

There have been many great things that I have came across attending Xavier University. I haven learned many new things and have made some accomplishments. One of my greatest accomplishments to me is making it through pre-season for basketball. Some students think that it is really not that hard to play basketball for a university. It is comletely different from high school. Having practice two times a day and still managing to go go to class. Liftinng weights six days a week. No practice shorter than two and a half hours. The conditioning, to see if you have heart when you get tired.Not to give up because you have an injury. I did not think I would make it, I cried to my parents every night for the first couple of weeks because I didnt think I could manage my grades and sports at the same time. It has not been the easiest thing to do, it has been strugglings times but at the end of the day it is all worth it. Despite all of my complaining I am blessed and though it is hard to realize that while going through all of the hard work I still must to it. There are things that I plan to get better at next semester, not only on the court but also in the class room. It took some ajusting, from high school to college but I am getting there and I think that next semester will get better for me.

Stuff

Something great that happened to me was that I went to a club for the first time.  I had very high expectations for it.  I thought it would be really hot and loud.  Also I thought it would be really crazy and fun with everyone dancing.  When I walked in, it was actually the opposite.  Everyone wasn’t dancing, it was not crazy and fun, but it definetly was loud.  Most of the people there were just standing on the side by the wall.  I did not dance because I thought it was lame but my friends did and they got really wild.  To me it was a complete waste of time.  Another great thing that happened to me was meeting the people that I met.  Everyone I have met this past semester has taught me something in one way or another.  These two girls that I met, that shall remain nameless, taught me not to trust people until you really get to know them.  ALso they taught me that everyone is not meant to be a long term friend.  These two guys I met are some of the greatest people ever.  I have such love for them.  They look out for me no matter what and are really loyal.  They have done so much for me.  I also met this one girl who I have become really close with.  She has been here for me through all the drama that has been.  These people have truly made my time here a great one.  These are the great things that have happened in my life.

Stuff

This semester has been one of many changes. For the first time in my life I am on my own. The first few weeks here at Xavier I was a little scared. I had left all my friends and family behind and I knew no one. I joined different organizations on campus and gradually began to come out of my shell. I made new friends from every area of the country I could think of. I have managed to learn how to study better and more effectively over the course of the semester. I am still learning time management and how to organize myself. I have grown a lot in the past three months. I learned to accept and appreciate differences in others. I have met people that I would never have come into contact with had it not been for Xavier.

I have had many memorable experiences here at Xavier. There was the haunted house here on campus that I participated in. In was set up by the music department. It featured different music major volunteers. It was really fun and allowed me to meet music majors on campus. I also experienced the election of Barack Obama her on campus. The whole experience was one of the greatest of my life. Words cannot begin to explain how awesome it felt to experience history and be a part of it. There I stood celebrating with about a hundred other Xavier students rejocing and listening to music in disblief. We were so proud of the fact that we had elected and African- American president. Most recently I got to volunteer at the hornets game. That was my first proffesional basketball game and it was so much fun. After we were done we were allowed to watch the game from the press box. The view was awesome and It was a great experience.

Stuff

One of the many of things that happened to me this semester that was so great was when some of my friends and I went to the movies.  What made it so great was that we went almost everywhere. We went out to the movies, the club, by some friends house, and plenty of other places. It was so fun. But the best thing was when we went to the movies. It was so fun because when we got their a lot of people my friends and I went to high school with was their. I can’t remember what we went their to see but I can remember we had fun. When the movie was over we all left and went to IHOP in the east. IHOP was packed so we went to Mc Donalds. Since it was late we couldn’t go inside so we went into the drive through. After we got our food one of our friends said we can come by his house. Luckly my friend has a big house becuse a lot of people were with us. It was most of the class of 2008 that went. We all were the ones who stayed hear in New Orleans to attend college. I am happy that most of the people in my class is still in contact with each other. When we got to his house we had a party. We are adults now so we didn’t fight, break anything, or disturbed the peace. This was the first time we all were together without any problems. While we were there it seemed as though we planned for this. It seemed as though we had a very early class reunion. That was one of the best times I has had with the people I graduated from high school with.

Stuff…

I am proud about doing well in my science lecture classes. That is something great in my case because I’ve always struggled with science. Even though Biology is my favortie subject, sometimes the material just does not click. But this semester, for some odd reason, I’m understanding most of the information in class. I am making better grades than I expected even though Dr. Boutte sent me a letter saying i was basically failing. I don’t know what that is about but I know that I’m doing well in every one of my classes, with the exception of chemistry and biology lab… my b classes. But I am not going to get all worked up about that because I’m proud of how well I am doing in my other classes. I had to focus very hard when I got here, and I have to continue to focus, because I’m paying a lot of money to attend this school. The only way that I can afford the financial demands is if I am awarded scholarships from somewhere. Therefore, I have to make the grades to deserve a scholarship that is greater than the one I have now. So I knew that I had to buckle down and do well, and I feel that this first semester, I proved to myself that I can be a successful student. I am capable of being accepted into medical school as well. I just have to put the work in. And I know that I am able to do that. Just now I have an extra push and I am encouraged to do even better than I have been doing. There is always room for improvement.

Stuff…

I am really proud of myself for not giving up like I wanted to many times. I knew my first semester in school would be difficult after a few years of not being in school, especially with a husband and a three-year-old to tend to. I also faced a huge fear of talking in a class and I overcame it. In my English class, participation is mandatory in every class. I really died at the thought of it, but I have done it and I actually enjoy that class. It is an honors class and I have gotten A’s on all of my papers…another feat I am especially proud of. Another experience that I never had was to drive to New Orleans and back every day. I am proud that I have driven to school almost every day without many issues. I am really excited to be in school again and I am going to do my best to finish out this semester with great grades. I have had a great overall experience so far, but I still have alot of improvements to make in order to really succeed.

stuff

 

I think that something that im really proud of this year would have to be how well I did this semester. During high school by the end I found it really hard to concentrat and do my work, and I was worried that college was going to be the same but I was wrong. When I came to college I found out that everything is different the teachers are different the students are different and I felt different. I think college was a great experience for me and it is the greatest experience I have had this semester. In college I felt more free, you feel like you have so many choices to choose from.  You are your own person and are surrounded by college students like your self who are there to do something important, to have a new career and improve them self. College is not about the parties its about doing the best you can to sucessed in life and that’s really important. I think everyone should be able to experience college life because it’s  really fun. Its school for grown ups not kids, which were treated like in high school.i think thats what made college a new experience teachers dont yell at you to do your home work they expect you to do it and if you dont your the one that will get hurt at the end not them. Also you can pick classes that were not avaliable in high school . I think I really enjoyed my college experience.

Stuff

This first semester here at Xavier has been a challenge, but that’s what I expected. I work part time on weekends and Mondays. Despite that, I have still been able to keep my grades up at a level that I am content with.  Don’t get me wrong, I want the best and I know I am capable of the best. To me the fact that I was able to work my very first semester in college and do well at an institution like Xavier makes me really proud of myself. My great experience is just being here, at college for the first time. Living on campus away from my family is probably the best thing I could have done. Living in the dorm allows me to escape whatever drama may be going on at home so I can focus on my work. Here on campus I am right in the midst of all the school activities and the club functions. I am also a mere five minutes away from the Biology tutoring center, the Chemistry tutoring center, the Biology Lab tutoring center, the Writing Lab, the Math Lab, a few other centers I don’t know about yet. If I need help I don’t have to worry about getting a ride to go to the library or not having a quiet place to study. I am loving my college experiences, because they are allowing me to get to know myself even better. So far college period, overall has been a great experience for me, one I know I won’t ever forget.

Stuff

So far i have a good semester I have i had alot of fun. I thought college would not be like how it is at Xavier. It was like in the beginning i thought that college would be about just work and books and no play. I was wrong Xavier showed me that you can be anything  that you want to be. They have all types of organizations that you can be to sucseed in life. Xavier always take you to the movies when they have new movies coming out.

My first week at Xavier was kind of crazy because I didnt know where none of my classes were and I didn’t have any of my books at all. I remember that I was late for my nine o clock class so i went on to my ten o clock class but i wound up going to my nine o clock class, classroom I was so embrassesd but in the end it was kind of funny. 

When I came to Xavier I also came with my bestfriend it was like we are going to have the same classes and join all types of groups that we can join. But she wound up not making it far, like im going right now. When sh left i thought I would not never make any friends because I am not a friendly person. But I was wrong I wound up making more freinds than I thought I would ever make in one year. We got most of our classes and breaks together which makes it fun because we are always laughing and joking with each other. We are all trying to be in the same classes for spring which I can not wait for. Another grat experince that I have had is when you do group work. In my freshman seminar class I have a group that I really like to work with all of the time and they are real cool and fun to work with.

random

Well this note is great for me because many random things have happened to me since i have been here. However there is one random event that will forever stick out in my mind.

It was nearing the end of the Howard Hughes summer scholars program. We had a talent show. We saw the smart twins and marvin do a step; which was pretty good. We saw morgyn [one of our friday freshmen seminar own] along with my friend raven do a dance. I found it very fun and creative. Then we saw several girls sing [individual acts of course]. Some were very soulful and some were jazzy and some just were unique. We saw my homie Jason play the violin. His performance was lengthy but amazing. he started off with a little lion king song then went into an original piece, then he started free-styling. A very good performance.  

The last performance that I remember was done by the boys of Howard Hughes and a guy named Chris. Chris was the funniest guy I have ever met. Their performance was supposed to be funny and goal acconplished. Among others another one of our own from friday class [Freddie] performed many songs. They started off like a “Lil Wayne” video “A Millie”, a song that was popular at the time. In the video he is getting dressed throughout the whole thing. It is a funny video. Chris was Lil Wayne and as soon as we saw him we started laughing. He was running down the steps and people ran up to him and tied Louis Vitton scarf aroung his neck. Then someone put a shirt on him, then a belt. It was soooo funny! Then they sang songs as a music group. There was only one guy could sing, everyhbody else did the best they could. And to end every song one memeber of the group got carried away in the song ans the rest tried to calm him down. A very good show, that was great.

Stuff

 

            I am not sure if this experience is so much great as it is strange. Something I did this semester that was great was getting lost while looking for my nine twenty-five World Civ. class. On the first day of school I did not plan on making any new friends, I just wanted to go to class and go home. Unlike previous schooling experiences I had to register alone and find my classes on my own. I started  to wish I had one of my best friends with me. On the second day of school I was looking for room 102 in the Adminastration Building and it seemed to be hidden like a treasure. That’s when I saw a girl from one of my previous classes and I asked her if she knew where room 102 . She told me she was looking for the same class and eventually we found it. As we started talking we realized we had all our classes together. I must admit I was relieved that I would know at least one person in all of my classes. After that day Sarajevo and I  started helping each other with homework assignments, projects, reasearch, and studying habits. It is so strange that we have a lot of things in common. I have recently found out that Sara did not plan on making any new friends either. If this friendship isnt starnge I don’t know what is . We plan on taking the same classes next semester.  I am so glad that I accidently made a friend so that my college experience won’t be such a lonely one.

Stuff

I have really had any great experiences. But just the thought of being here at Xavier University has been great for me.  I have always knew that I would attend this school.  And so far the college life has been good.  Me to even experience going to college has been an excellent adventure for me.  Since I been here I have met alot of new people from here and elsewhere.  I admire the people who are from out of state, because I can’t see myself leaving my mother or the city for that matter, right now anyway.  My mon has been a big influence in my life.  And thats part of why Iam here today.  We both want me to accomplish my goals so we can live the life.  Although its going to take me some time to get there.  Iam willing to do whatever it takes.  If it means studying all times of the night, going to summer school, or even postponding my activities so I can do my school work.  Xavier has challenged me to become a better person and be more responsible.  And as for now the semester is almost over and I regret not being responsible because of my grades.  But Iam going to make sure that next semester I will improve tremendously.  Iam not saying that my grades are bad I am just not used to getting C’s.  When I started college I thought that it was goning to be like high school but I see that its a big change. And like I said Iam willing to do whatever it take to succeed and attending Xavier will ensure me that I can do whatever I put my mind to.

Week:12 Stuff

 The only thing that happened that was good was that I just got hired at Cafe Du Monde.  This going to be my first job ever. I never work before so this should be interesting. Besides that I went to the Cricket club it was my first time for a club action. never did that in my life either. I’m a quiet clam type of person so you won’t see me do that often. Also freshmen orientationwas kind of fun. My group soul gold had fun so did I. my great experience in school is that I’ am attending college for the first time. Away from my mom for the first time. On my own for the first time. It’s alot that has change in my life but it’s for the good. Becausenow I’m and adult I have to do things for myself. Life can be hard at times but you have to stick through it and try to do your best at it. So far life in college is totally different from high school. But overall I’m glad that I’m not in Hugh School and in college. So I can achieve my dream of becoming A ER(Emergency Room) Doctor. I’m glad that I’m in college so I can do what I always wanted to do since little child. After I graduated from Xavier University I will be attending medical school and proceed as a doctor.

Stuff

Something that I did this semester that is great was my participation in Mr. Freshman pageant.   This a great experience because it allowed me to use a variety of my skills.  First, I was forced to use my critical thinking skills.  These was applied by brainstorming on an intro.  Introduction is like the first impression, so it had to be great.  I stayed up all night just to figure out a great finale.  The second thing it cause me to do was to use my talent.  Everyone had to perform a talent, and this allowed me my chance to be me.  Sometimes in school, especially college, it pays off for some time to just be yourself.  At that moment, the stress from school was no longer there.  I felt calm and my mind was at ease.  It unexplainable, but I felt free of all worries.  The third and final thing that made this experience so spectacular, is that I had to use my thinking skills.  These was accessed because we had to answer a question that was proposed on the spot.  Other than that, I am proud that most of my grades are up to par.  I have became more mature and have learned how to manage my time.  I am very fortunate to finally have this study schedule and college preperation on the way.  I have picked up new study habits which are constantly improving my grades. I have all these things to thank Xavier for.  I feel as if I am becoming a better notetaker, student and person as a whole.

Week 12

One thing that i did this semester that was great was being really sociable and actually coming to teacher for help instead of trying to figure things out myself.  It was fun being more sociable beacuse it shows that i have good people skills and interacting with a variety of people no matter what their race and background is.  This can help me later on in the long run because i will have friends who are upper classmen and in my class who are there to help me whenever i need help ith things and they are there to explain it so i can have a better understanding of it.  I’ve become more open with teachers because in high school i was used to just learning on my own and not asking questions because i was scared of what my classmates would think of me because at times it was the simplest and easiest thing to understand but i still couldn’t get it through my head.  Even though I’m in college and it’s a whole new experience, the teachers are still there to help and guide me through the school work that i have to do and are able to answer the majority of my questions.  People who went to college while i was in high school kept telling me that the teachers were brutal and that they didn’t care about their students.  But coming to college and experiencing it myself, they were wrong.  The teachers here are very helpful and are willing to help and guide me to success.  Therefore, college itself has been a great experience for me as a freshmen.

stuff.

This semester I have done several things that I would qualify as great and that has impacted my first college semester. Specifically I have become more aware of myself and I feel as if I have grown as a person, due to my experiences thus far. Because of meeting new people and finding a new sense of independence, I believe that I have changed for the better and I will continue to do so. I believe this classifiessomething ‘great’ that I have experienced because people say that the person you become in college is the person you will be as you grow older. And I personally like the person that I am becoming. Therefore, it gives me a sense of hope and assurance about the future that everything will be somewhat okay.

Another great experience about my first semester, as previously stated is the opportunity I had to meet several different people and form bonds with them. I often am at Loyola University in my spare time, and I have met people there as well as people here at Xavier whom I feel that I will know forever. These people are extremely genuine and when someonemeets a genuine individual is hard to not to form a friendship with them. I consider meeting these new people a great experience because meeting new people is always exciting, especially when you and the person hit it off well. Also, there was a good chance if I didn’t go to Xavier or if I didn’t visit Loyola a lot that I would not have met these people so I cherish it.

There was a lot of other things that stood out as great to me but these to seem at the top of the list for reasons that would take forever to explain. But I’m excited about the spring semester and the many more experiences that come along with being a college student.

stuff.

So this semester was my first semester of college much like the rest of the people doing these blogs. I don’t really have an interesting story that was that great in my first semester of college. I have stayed at home, studied, went out, done everything the same since I had a car. I have high grades, I won’t say what letter, but good. Although that is pretty boring, I’ll just give you stuff that will go on in a few months. You can say that since I am from New Orleans, I have done everything the city has to offer, but to an extent it is true. If I were given this blog in the month after Christmas/Winter Break, I would have a whole load of stories I could tell. This Christmas will be the first annual Family Reunion for my family and relatives across the United States. We’ll be going on a vacation in Denver, Colorado at a skiing resort.

I’ll be snowboarding and skiing everyday with over 15 cousins and over 8 aunts and uncles. We’ll be enjoying and relaxing with family for the first time since my older cousin’s wedding and hopefully it’ll be a blast. This is the second time I am going to Denver for a vacation and this is my second time going snowboarding, which I love so much. It’s fun and all, but the problem is wiping out and faceplanting onto the snow, which HURTS a lot. The first time I went snowboarding, my face was red from falling, but I got better and better and now I can do simple jumps and flips.

Thats about it? I guess I’m proud of my ability and I’m excited about a new old experience?

-Hai Tran

Just stuff….

I didn’t do anything that was super exciting this semester. Even so, it has been a great first semester of college here at Xavier. Something that has been really great to me was making new friends. I met new people who I really enjoy spending time with. Although we are from all over, we had a lot in common. It felt nice to bond with them. I’m the type of person who doesn’t mind being by herself but coming out of that is pretty great. When I came here I wondered where I would fit in. I’m not a serious athlete. I’m not a girly girl. I’m not a nerd (completely). I’m not a slacker, though I have my moments. I’m just me. I’ve found that I just don’t fit the stereotypes. I’m a little bit of everything, I can be something new at any given moment. Well, as bipolar as that sounds (lol), believe it or not, there are people here who understand that. They understand that sometimes I like to leave my hair wrapped and go to class in a t-shirt and jeans. They understand that other days I might want to dress up, not for anyone else, but just for me. They get the fact that I like to look on point when I go out and will take a compliment but I don’t like to give out my number or make conversation. They see that some days I like to relax and play computer games but they still put up with me when I’m bouncing off the walls. They know I’m a little weird and they accept that. I guess it was the little things that made me happy this semester. This was a GREAT semester.  =)

My First Performance

One experience that I would consider great is the time I had my first dance performance.  At Xavier, we have a liturgical dance team on campus and perform occasionally but the first will always remain vivid in my mind.  In September of this year, we were asked to perform for a special mass celebrating the calling of the Holy Spirit.  I was extremely nervous but excited all at the same time.  We had rehearsed the routine a number times and even right before the actual performance.  Although weeks of practice went into the dance, it was still not perfect; however, we had to dance in front of family, friends, and strangers.

I remember learning dances on the spot that Sunday noon to the songs that were sung by the choir.  This may have been the worst part of dancing that day, along with performing for time.  As time went by, the thought of forgetting the dance kept running through my head.  I even remember talking to myself, trying to remain calm and remember that everything would work out.

Moment of truth finally came and I must admit that we did really well.  The girls and I were more prepared than I thought.  I amazed myself and realized that I did a lot of worrying for no reason at all.  Our teacher was proud of us and we all received positive feedback from the audience.  Now, I just look back on that day and smile because it helps to recognize I fret about small.  Every performance afterwards has always been easier and thank God because I could not handle repeating that first time.

Stuff

My best experience so far at Xavier has to be living on campus. The student living on campus are from all parts of the country New York, Chicago, Miami, just to name a few. I am currently staying at st. mikes dormitory, I got to say its not what I expected when I seen the brochures but the people make it better. I feel like I can relate to my roommates because they are all freshmen just like me. The RA’s are very concern about our well being. They try to check up on us, to make sure we feel comfortable staying in the dorms. For example they brought in a old pool table that was falling apart but it made it that much funnier to say in the dormitory. They try to have guess speakers to help us with any types of problems we might have. They do a great job of being involve in social activities such as hosting a friendly basketball game. Another plus about staying on campus is that you can just roll out of bed and not worry about being late to class. You also don’t have to worry about parking, which is a big hassle. Finally the one thing about staying in the dorm which I think is great is being able to meet so many new friends which you might never think about talking to. I made so many friends from different backgrounds that I have a better understanding to a lot of different cultures and customs.

Stuff

Just this past week, I’ve thought about a lot of things I’ve done since I graduated high school. I knew I was going to attend college and try to do the best I could at everything, but when I got here I took studying the wrong way. My first week I thought college was similar to high school. Studying wasn’t something I knew how to do very well. Because of the bad study habits, I received a C on my first couple of quizzes. I didn’t like that one bit. This was when I knew it was time to start studying harder. I changed the way I took notes in class and managed my time better. Because of these changes I made. I was happy during midterm time. The grades I had were okay, but I rather have all A’s instead of A’s and B’s and a C. It was a great experience because I was doing a lot of procrastinating about studying and being on top of my study. I became very distracted because I found studying boring and time consuming. All I wanted to do was shop and sleep. Those grades opened my eyes and made me see that there were more important things than eating and sleeping all day. That really would affect my grades and it did. I could have studied hard and had all A’s, but I didn’t take advantage of the time I had. Now I study every chance I get to get my 4.0 GPA. Great experiences make a difference

stuff

one great experience I had this semester was the boot i got on my car. So this is how it went.

I pulled into – what I thought was – the public parking lot and started scuffling around the backseat for my goggles. After a few minutes I came to the conclusion that they’re gone. Earlier this morning I thought to myself, “What a great morning.” Boy; was I ever wrong. Not paying much attention to my school I.D. in the cup holder, I grabbed my book sack and headed over to the bridge toward school. “I don’t think I’ll need it today.” Then again, I was always a believer in the bad luck shadow. When one bad thing happens, another one always follows behind. I didn’t know that this myth was going to apply to me that day.

While filling out a form sheet for a new pair of goggles, I felt “it” just lingering around the corner. “Where’s your school I.D.?” I looked at the receptionist blankly and realized bad luck had attached itself to my shadow. Praying for a little good luck, I reached for my books and headed back toward the parking lot. When I spotted a police car right across from me, I closed my eyes to the dreadfulness that was waiting for me. I walked over to the car to find a yellow gift hanging on the rim of my tire and some paper stuck to my windshield. The policeman who put it there looked at me with an arrogant confidence to proudly say I was illegally parked. Apparently, the cop from the other day who told me it was public parking told me complete lie.

I knew from the first day of school I should have just brought a decal instead of being so cheap. With the credit card, my I.D., and just five bucks, I walked back over the bridge headed for the police station next to the school to pay off the gift that was left hanging on the wheel. To my surprise, well not really, the police station only accepted cash; those five bucks weren’t going to be any use. “ATM is just around the corner at the library” said the lady. Those words were like sweet music to my ear. I felt lucky that I didn’t have to walk any longer. That little dim light of hope in the dark was about to be blown out however. As I arrived at the library, I knocked myself in the head. There weren’t any ATM in site.

I picked up my head and walked about five blocks down to the ATM in the Xavier University Center, which is a good distanced from the police station. The only luck I had all day was the money dispensing from the machine there; a pain for me to watch.

If there was a day when everything that could go wrong went wrong, this day was it. After I paid off the boot, I left the station to sit in the car. Leaning my head against the steering wheel, I started to reflect back on al the bad luck that happened to me. I learned a great lesson. Being cheap also cost a deal of money too because 75 dollar is way more than 50 dollar for a decal. I could have paid for a decal in the beginning and parked anywhere I wanted instead of paying for a ticket. Next time around, when bad luck is waiting for me I’ll be prepared.

Stuff??!?!

So far this semester, things have been going ok for me, I would say. I have made new friends and started to be a little bit more outgoing. My grades have been fairly decent and I am trying to keep them that way. I dont know of any GREAT experinces I have had so far since there’s still a lot to learn. I have attended some events that the school has had like the step show. I hear a lot about the fraternities and sororities but it is a totally differnet experince when you get to see just what they do. I had a good time at the Neyophite Show that night and I will never forget my first step show. But most of all for me I would say that an experience that I am proud of is how independent I have become. Even though I still rely on my parents for some things, I try to do things for myself now that I am in college. This might seem silly to others but it really means something to me personally. Another good experience that has come my way; is i just got my first job so now I am making money for myself. It took me so long to get a job because my mom gave me everything. However, I still try to help my mom pay some bills, since I don’t have my own just yet. But this is really one GREAT experince I would say for me because I am doing something with myself not just going to school. I look forward to more stuff coming my way this year, and hopefully I will be able to handle all of it.

Stuff…Stuff…Stuff…

When I began my first year at Xavier I had planned to accomplish many great things! I think starting school in itself was a very big accomplishment alone. I was able to get my financial aid straight..my schedule together..and so much more. But an achievement way beyond those would come my way and was defiantly on a more mental level.

During this semester there was a very important and life changing event that took place. It was the election on the United States 44th president. It was very historic and memorable and I was able to participant in this election. I think this was the greatest accomplishment yet! I was so excited that I would be able to cast my vote for the first African American president! Through out the entire campaign it was stressed how badly our country needed change. To make that change into a reality Barack Obama need the young vote and I did my best to help contribute to his win. I talked to as many people about Barack as I could. I campaigned in my own little was to ensure his victory. I could not believe how Barack was such a humble and knowledgeable person. Even though it has just been the first semester..I really think that this accomplishment will be really hard to beat. This was an extraordinary event in history! And I a so excited that I was able to participate in it. If all this happen in the first semester…I wonder what next semester has in store for me!

Shannon:o)

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It’s almost the end of the first semester, and I’m upset to say that I can’t think of anything that would be considered great that has happened to me.  Honestly, it felt almost like high school all over again.  I wake up, go to school, do my extra curricular activity, go home, study, and repeat.  Maybe it’s because of what I heard about most freshmen that made me act like this.  I guess I felt that I didn’t want to take the freedom for granted and end up partying every night thus doing horrible in school.  I feel that I can calm down a bit now that I know how college life is.  It’s more freedom, and many sleepless nights.

Some good things though happen in between classes.  I’ve made many new friends and am able to spend lots of time together with them.  I came to Xavier with only a handful of people that I knew, but now I have a giant social circle.  During my breaks, some of which are three hours long, we hang out and go to the mall or just goof around.  I feel like these little moments make college fun because in high school, it’s just a strict schedule of class after class.  Another thing that is different is the all-nighter.  It gives me a kind of rush knowing that I am staying up almost the entire night studying for a big test.  This is a college story that I’ve heard of and now finally experienced.  It seems almost exciting to me to make a pot of coffee to prepare for the long night ahead.  Maybe it’s just because I’m a geek or something.  Anyway, now that I have experienced college, I’m hoping to calm down just a little so that I can enjoy and make better memories of college than those I have right now.

Stuff

My first semester of college has been decent, better than I expected, but I wouldn’t say that anything “great” has happened.  I have had some good things happen to me.  I made a 105/105 on my chemistry exam that a lot of people failed.  I didn’t really study for it that much either; I worked the sample exams that we had and that was really the only studying that I did.  Another good thing that I’ve accomplished was having a 3.5 midterm gpa.  I wanted a 4.0, but it’s my own fault that I don’t have it because I don’t really study and do the work that I need to.  I’m proud of my 3.5, however, because so many people told me that being a biology pre-med major while playing basketball was impossible.  I’m proud of myself for proving these people wrong.  Another good thing that I’ve accomplished was getting through the “boot camp” portion of the basketball season.  I almost didn’t sign to play here because of this two week period of the year.  When it came down to it, it really wasn’t that hard.  It was annoying though; waking up at five every morning for two weeks for practice while having eight o’clock classes and having practice again at three.  I think that this was my best achievement because I was so worried about it from the time that I signed my letter of intent in May until boot camp started in September.  Even though I’m proud of these “good” achievements, I’m still waiting on my great accomplishments to come!

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This semester is almost over, yet I really just started becoming more social and talking to other people outside of the two people I would always hang out with.  Usually, if I was not with them, I would be in my room by myself doing homework or talking to my family whom I miss so much.  I was very homesick and really wanted to go home because I stay seven hundred miles away.

During Halloween, I participated in the Haunted House on campus.  I had a blast! This event allowed me to meet new people and become more sociable.  Some people may wonder how participating in a haunted house could be a great experience but to me it really meant a lot.  That was really the first step I took to start talking to more people.  Now, I am not as depressed or lonely even thought I am still far from home.  I actually feel that I belong instead of feeling like I am an outcast.  I think that by actually participating in different clubs, I can meet even more people.

Not only am I meeting new people, I have managed to bring my grades up.  I am still not quite where I want to be but I am determined more now than ever to do great on my next exams, papers, and final projects.  I will do what it takes and go the extra mile to make sure that I make the best grades that I possibly can.  This is a wonderful experience for me because before I came to Xavier, I questioned whether or not I would be able to be successful, but now I know for sure that I can do anything that I put my mind to.

STUFF!

I cannot think of just one particular event or experience that really sticks out in my memory as GREAT. I definitely had a few eye openers as far as studying and school work goes. In high school I really did not do that much studying but when I took my first test I realized that that method would fly so well because I did not do nearly as well as I could have done if I would have studied. But I learned from that experience and next time I studied and I got the grade I wanted. I am also happy that my midterm grades were A’s and B’s with the exception of one C. In combination with Gustav and learning to adjust I feel like those grades make a statement.

Coming to college I had a lot of different ideas about what college life would be like and some of the things I thought were true but then again some were not. I was actually surprised to find out that college was a lot like my high school. In some sense I feel like I have experienced college already. My first semester is rapidly coming to an end and I can honestly say that I have enjoyed myself so far. I know some people who have not had such an easy transition and I am thankful that I have survived what some say is the hardest semester of college. Lets hope that second semester and hopefully the rest of my college experience goes this well.

Stuff

Do you ever go to undergraduate school? if yes, I think that you must be very excited at the first semester because everything is all new for you. This is also my first semester in Xavier. At the beginning of this semester, it was a little strange to me and I was very worried. But I also felt that I did not have time to think this strange. Because I saw the others were studying hard. Therefore, I was changed my mind too.  I learned how to communicate with others and tried to do the group work with others.  I think this is the most important thing for me at this semester in Xavier.

On the other hand, I am a pre-pharmacy department student and I need to plan how to make the good grades to enter the pharmacy school later what I know. Therefore, I have made the schedule for my studying everyday. It is quite different from my high school time.  I learned from teacher’s presentations and from the network. There are also many stuff in undergraduate school, I tried my best to get used to them quickly by myself. One good experience that I have gained is how to do researching on my own. Moreover, working with the team group is one interesting job that I have never done before. Under this condition I think I am able to reach my goal by the first time.

Now, the first aemester to me in Xavier, it is not strange any more.

Stuff, Stuff, Stuff, & More Stuff!

I can honestly say that coming to Xavier has truly been a unique experience. I have met a lot of interesting people. Some and can tell you now, I will remember forever and some I will be forever trying to forget. But as a whole my experience here has been good I guess. Well since I’m being perfectly honest, there hasn’t been anything mind-blowing that has happened yet. I guess I might have to wait until next semester to see where things go. The one thing that I can classify as a good or great experience is the fact that I have found a group of amazing friends, who are all crazy and cool. Each and every one of them brings their own little something to the group. And that’s probably what makes it such a great group of people. We are always laughing and tripping out about something. Oh, I can think of one other good thing that has come from me being here at Xavier, I am more independent than ever. For the first time in my life I am completely responsible for myself. It’s kind of scary, but so awesome at the same time. I chose what I want to do and when I want to do, when I wake up and if I want to go to class. I pretty okay with making the right chooses when it comes to these things. I admitted, I wake up late sometimes, and I don’t always get to class on time, and sometimes I don’t go to class at all. Well that was in the beginning. I a lot better in those areas now. I am learning to handle things for myself. And it feels kind of good. So I guess I have had some pretty good experiences here at Xavier.  

STUFF

As my first semester in college, it has been consistently filled with many great and not so great experiences. As a whole I am actually pretty proud of my first semester on my own. I think I have adapted very well to being on my own and making my own choices. One of the things that I am most proud of or one of the greatest experiences would be having close to straight A’s at midterm. I was told by many people that the first year of college was something like the hardest and that many people failed, etc. I haven’t had an A average since before high school. Ever since my 9^th grade year and probably some time before that, A’s and B’s with the random C in math was commonplace.  Not only am I in a completely different environment devoid of my comfort zone, but there are many more distractions and still I managed to maintain an excellent GPA. Words can’t really express how proud I am of that. Even though my friends and I spend a lot of our time having fun and entertaining one another, we all managed for the most part to remain focused on what we are here for and that is definitely something to be proud of. I guess another great experience for this semester would be just meeting everyone from the different backgrounds and making new friends. I really love meeting new people and even though I am somewhat used to it because of my constant relocations, I can honestly say that the Xavier bunch is a new breed.

Stuff’

Well something Good that happened to me while I been  in New Orlean an semester have been I learn alot being my away from my parent and family and friends. I can say everythinng by myself and everything change since i been here my look of life it a women now am truely bless to be in college after I leave home I became a women I leave my childhood be hide me so I had to understand why my family and friends was cry on Aug 13,2008 but when I move to New Orleans for attend Xavier University. College life is so not I am use to like study the only time I have was for exams for high school but after having work every day and paper due the next day of class. What I had to understand that after being with you the whole summer I took you in as my own blood sister and your mother took me in as her other daughter and your family did the same for me I seen you grow into as women you should be. I know when we first seen each other on bad term. Xavier University is so grown up thing it take you places you never seen before you going to see your self into a world you never dream you would be in as a young women . 

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Something that has happened to me that I view as GREAT is me coming here. I am 8 hours away from home and I have never been away from my family and friends for longer than a week. Saying see you in a few months was so hard. When I first got here I was culturally shocked and because of that I have learned a lot about myself. Everything here is so different from home. To be honest apart of me was so scared because i heard a lot of ignorant stuff before I came. I didn’t listen but at the same time I didn’t completely dismiss it. I adapted well and have plenty of stories to tell when i finally go home. I can’t wait to tellthem of all of the great cusine that I have had and how I have met some of the nicest people ever. I am proud of the fact that I adapted well because I know plenty of people who couldn’t do it. My grades are good and I haven’t allowed myself to get too stressed out in hectic times. I haven’t let things get to me like I would’ve in the past. Overall i think I have matured so much from my few months at Xavier that I even find myself stepping back and saying wow thats a change. I think that leaving my family and friends has made us all stronger. We have gained a sense of appreciation for one another and thats the best.

STuFF

One thing that I am truly proud of this semester is maintaining an A/ high B in World Civilizations 1031 Honors. History has definitely never been my favorite subject since high school. When I reached my junior year in high school I thought history would continue to be my downfall for the rest of my high school and college career. The teacher that I had in the college level history courses in high school was not bad at all. He was a good lecturer and was what seemed like a genius historian to my classmates and I. Whenever he asked a question in class I prayed every time that he did not say, “Ms. Weber?” The biggest problem for me was studying for his tests, which were the same format and type of questions as the actual AP exam. I simply did not know how to study for history. Remembering many dates was way too confusing; and being that the tests were cumulative, remembering the all notes I had taken just seemed way too impossible.

When pre-registering I wanted to drop my honors history class this semester because I feared that it would be too hard since I did not do extremely well with History in high school. But, my advisor and my mom encouraged me to take a chance and stay in the course and I did just that. Now, I am very glad that I decided to stick with honors History. My professor is tremendously excited and passionate about what he teaches, so when he lectures his enthusiasm makes it easier for me to comprehend what I am learning. I also have to write Document Analysis Papers in his class every other week or so, which turns out to be a plus for me. This is because writing is my strong point. I did not know what to expect or how to approach my first paper because we were just told to write and did not really have any strict guidelines. However, I received a higher grade than I definitely thought I would. I think what frightened me the most about writing the papers at first was that I did not score very high when writing history papers in high school. Truly, I have impressed myself with how well I am doing so far in the course, mainly because I did expect to be doing as well.

Stuff

This semester has been alright so far, nothing really special happened. To me, this is somewhat like high school that I have had attended. The professors take attendance for absences and tardy; give out quizzes and tests that I have to study for. The only thing I like about college is the time. I only need to attend 3 or less classes a day and some of my earliest class of at 1:00 p.m. which means I can wake up at 12:30 and still make it to class. In this semester, I have not experienced any “GREAT experience” yet, hopefully I will in the next following semesters, perhaps, at other University. There have been many sleepless nights to study for tests, and those sleepless nights paid me back with A’s and B’s. Does that count as Great experience? I know staying up all night to study is something I have never done before in high school and I guess “sleepless” will follow me throughout my college years. Also, I stayed out late and got in trouble with my mother just because I wanted to study in the library. I got in trouble with my mom and amazingly, I talked back to her for the first time in my life, for her to take away my ridiculous 8 o’clock curfew. This is not something that is not exactly in the “Great Category” but it is something different to me. Since my curfew is no longer at 8:00 p.m., at least for now, I hope I can have the real fun of college life. For now, I trying to keep up with my grades and get this semester over with.

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One thing I can think of that I have done great is doing more community service. I didn’t think that in college I would have time for any extra because I would be so focused on school, but I was wrong. I’m glad that I am putting my time into something that other people can benefit from.

Another thing that has been great is not being as shy as I used to be in high school. Now, I start conversations with people that I wouldn’t even look at if it was a year ago. It seems like college is having me break out of my shell and mature more. I would have never thought I could grow out of my shyness but I am glad that I did because it feels good to change for the better. Most people change for the worse in college, but it I think I am changing and growing in a good way.

Lastly, I am glad that I am more independent. I don’t feel the need to call my mom every two seconds and now I can deal with little problems on my own. It feels liberating to not have to depend solely on your parents. It makes me feel like an adult, and that was a goal that I strived for when I entered college. I am happy that I adjusted to college and embraced my responsibilities instead of putting them on my mother like I used to do when I was back home. Things like this, have made my college experience seem worthy.

Stuff!

The things that I have done this semester I don’t really see any of them as great.  Well I am close to finishing my first semester in college and that is a great feat within its self.  I guess that’s it my own fought for not having such a great first semester.  Don’t get me wrong I had a lot of fun this semester at Xavier with my new  friends.

I think that my college experinece overall was great. The good times of laughter and the basketball games and student life. Memories like these cannot not be replaced by any other event. Every event that was pleasant and happy you take for granted but altogether they all make up the college experience.  Even the teachers that you don’t always get along with are wonderful because they help you to learn about the real world and how it won’t always be the way you want it to be.

Even the bad times of stress from one class to another helps add to great college experience that i have had.  For example next week I have two papers due, a speech due, and a bio exam but that’s just part of the college life  and my stress level. I’m just going to have to take that to and add it to the greatness level of college. Because when it’s all over then I will feel accomplished and proud of myself as a student.

The first semster of college as a whole was the greatest experience that i have had.

sTuFf

The best experience besides the clubbing and Burbon St. would probably have to be going to Baton Rouge for the haunted House. Ive been telling my friends that we should go but i thought we would never go because I mean its all the way in Baton Rouge an hour away. Well anyway the friends took me serious and everyone decided to go. So we drove to Baton Rouge and here we are at the place. Thirteen Gates. =) well I tried to build up the suspense and frightfulness by saying stuff ive heard about the place so kinda get every nervous. I was on the phone trying to get the person I was talking to come save me cause I know Ill be really scared because im not that much of a scary person kinda guy. Well we paided the money and we went through the haunted house. Was it worth it? I think it was. The price was kind of high but you can tell they put their time and dedication into that haunted house. The scenerios, the people, the blood and gore was so crazy and very outstanding. If you did not know that this was a haunted house in my opinion you would have thoght that all the people were real and the injuries were real also. Well after the haunted house my friend let me drive back which I wish he didnt because I got a speeding ticket because no one would call the dormitory to tell them we would be late. The cop said he clocked me at 94 which I think was a lie but I know people =) so its all good. Then we stopped by Waffle House aka the best breakfast place in the world.

A Lot of Stuff!!!

The greatest experiences I’ve had this semester are my grades and the atmosphere of being a college student. I have meet new friends that is making college transition easier. So far I have done many volunteer activities that were beyond my norm. We are helping students at St. Peter Clever. I’m honored and grateful to be apart of this wonderful opportunity at Xavier in caring for the younger generation. I joined the American Chemistry Society club; showing that I want to do more with others in the same field. By joining the group we helped New Orleanians saved tons of energy by replacing regular light bulbs with new energy-efficient bulbs. My college transition has been a big experience for me. I never thought that I would be getting involved in my freshman year. I figured college to be a lot of work and no play. I’ve overestimated how college would be in high school and was scared. My grades are good after knowing how hard it was going to be at Xavier. Now that I’m here things are totally different. I thought that Xavier was all about just working hard, but I see all the great activities and organization they have to offer. I have established good relationships with my professors. When they see me they know me by name compared to some colleges where all you are is a number. I never dreamed of doing such great things for the community. I truly can say that I’m living up to my goals and Xavier’s mission statement. All in all my first semester of college has been a great journey. ~Krissy

**StUff**

There are a number of things that I am proud of that i have done this semester. I have accomplished so many goals besides the fact that I’m actually at Xavier. There are so many great things to get from Xavier and I am glad that I was able to experience some of them.

When they said Xavier was small and they could work with you one on one they weren’t lying. I was able to bring not one but ALL of my grades up to “A’s” and “B’s” for the mid semester grades. Coming from a family where going to a school for medicine is not an average thing , I feel that being able to come to a school with such rigorous curriculum and be able to keep good grades is a great thing.

When I first got to Xavier, one class that I struggled to do well in was Pre-Cal. Another was Biology Lab. As of now I have manged to bring my low “D’s” to high “B’s.” I have also learned how to study for these classes better. Just the other day in my speech class that I was dreading, I presented my last speech. All the other speeches before this one mattered, but this one counted for a huge portion of the grade. I was able to make an “A+” on my speech and he gave me great comments.

With all my accomplishments i have made this semester, I know I owe all the thanks to god. I have did so many great things in my parents eyes just for following my dreams and not giving up when school became overwhelming. And I am also very proud of myself. I know that my future at Xavier is going to be bright.