1V Math, English, History and... Inquiry??

When I first viewed my schedule in may at orientation, I was familiar with all of my classes but one. What was Inquiry? I noticed I was taking math, english, and history which were classes I’ve taken throughout my k-12 experience but I’ve never heard of or taken an Inquiry class.

Curiously, I looked up on my phone what of Inquiry ment. I found a very simple definition; an act of asking for information. It started to make more sense now. As being a new student to a university with so much to offer, a college freshmen would be more likely to ask for help or gather new information about being a college student. Inquiry will be a way for students to learn more about how college is different from high school and how to transition smoothly into the college setting. 

I’m hoping that taking this class will give me the knowledge and tools to be a successful college student that I can use throughout my years at Southern.

1I The Quiet Zone

Last night, after hanging out with some friends in the quad in front of Chase hall, I went back to my dorm to start my second blog post. At home, I would normally do all my homework in my room, but I found it to be extremely difficult here in a college setting. The television in the room was on, my roommate was on the phone with her friend, and music was blasting from the room next to us. I began to realize I needed a quiet space if I was going to get any of my work done this semester.

The next morning I woke up earlier than I had to and headed over to the library before my 12:10 class started to finish my second post. I went to the second floor which was practically dead silent and began typing and editing my post. Not only was I able to focus and finish my blog post, I also got a huge chunk of reading and note taking done for another class. I was very surprised with the amount of work I got done just by changing the environment I was in.

The library was very easy to locate for the first time, its right across from the student center. I was glad I made the decision to do my work in the library, I will definitely choose to come back whenever I need a quiet environment to work in.  

1B Am I Doing This Right?

When I found out I would have to create a blog about my first semester in college I was a little overwhelmed with the idea. I have never used a blog for writing purposes. A couple years ago I created a tumblr account which is another blog site, but I only used the site to post or reblog photos, quotes, or videos I found amusing. Blogger and Tumblr are definitely different in the way people use them. Learning and getting used to Blogger will be a challenge and a new experience all in one.

Looking at other blogs on blogger helped to give me ideas of how to make my blog better and more personalized. I browsed about three blogs and all were different and personalized to their specific taste. One blog I looked at was filled with colors and showed a lot of visuals within their text. I like the colors and the visuals in this blog because it grabbed my attention. I personally believe brighter colors are very inviting and make it easier to engage in the blog. Another blog I looked at was vastly different. It was very bland and simple. The background, the text, and the photos that were posted on the blog were in a black and white color scheme. This blog would not normally grab my attention but from looking at a bright, vibrant blog to one that was only black and white I wanted to learn why the blogger decided to stick with simple colors. After looking more into it, the blogger wanted the readers to focus more on what the post was about rather than what colors were being used.

For my blog, I want to create a very inviting blog. With bright colors I’m hoping to grab the readers attention and make them interested in what I am posting about. As I begin to learn and get familiar with blogger I want to add more color to my page, improve the way I post and write on my blog. I hope by the end of the semester I feel more comfortable writing and blogging about my experiences of being a college student.

1A New Start, New Outlook

           Waking up on a warm, sunny late August day I was ready to begin a new chapter in my life. All four of my high school years were geared toward preparing myself when I took my first steps on a university campus. So when move in day finally arrive I was filled with so many questions. Was I going to like my roommate? Where are my classes? How do I do my laundry? Will I make friends? As I finished packing my Dad’s truck, which was filled with all my personal belongings, it was time to leave my friends and family, who I had spent the last 18 years with. Though I was sad I was leaving, I was ready to tackle what college had to throw at me. 

Going to college and getting an education degree was my first priority when I sent my application to the university in January. It has always been a dream of mine to be a teacher. With becoming a college student I was also very excited to experience the social aspect of college. Meeting new friends, going to social events on campus and getting involved in clubs is very important to me. As I spent my first weekend on campus I meet a ton of people who were in my building, on my floor and even people who were in different buildings. I also went to events that were put on by campus clubs and organizations. 

As the semester continues and I become comfortable with my classes I want to grow and develop as a college student by expanding my knowledge and becoming a better student than I was in high school. I know college is a huge step up from high school and I want to stay on top of my school work and improve my study skills. I have a very positive outlook for my first semester and can’t wait to see where it takes me.