For what I have obtained knowledge of while being in college. I have learned to be very useful in my future educational years or any academic career I end up at. And will be helpful to all future papers I will do. Also, the books that we use in my English class are different material than I’m used to but very useful and helpful in a different way and gives a good point of view. I have gained a lot of knowledge with these books so far already by reading them. Along with learning how APA style works and how it is used because I come from a high school that didn’t teach this style at all or any style for that matter in any class I took while there. Later down the road I saw myself going into the research path from my major communication sciences and disorders, I would want to go far in depth of the research of how hearing loss can happen. And what possible age groups and who is it more likely to happen to and is there any possible signs or anything you are born with that could possibly lead you later to hearing loss. And that is something of great interest of what could be the possible cause and is there anything that could prevent hearing loss from happening. I feel like the one thing I lack when it comes to research is focus because if it isn’t a topic of interest for me, I won’t have good focus on the research and will most likely not bring important facts about it because I won’t read that in depth on the subject. Depending on what I’m researching I will show my research to back up my ideas but also prove my facts about what I’m talking about.

In my short five weeks here at Longwood, I am realizing how important research is to my academic success here. In high school I hadn’t done any research at all so this was all new to me. What I have learned so far is helping me get the confidence I need to tackle any and all research projects. In the future I see myself researching with some of the biology professors on whatever they are doing. The only thing that I am lacking in is the ability to put my thoughts into words. Researching a subject is relatively easy but having to explain it to other people is difficult for me. When I do write about the article or paper I’m looking at I’m so scared that I accidentally plagiarized in my paper. So if there is one thing that I want to take away from this class it is how to not accidentally plagiarize in my papers. I am very comfortable finding sources to help back up my claims. I am also very comfortable distinguishing primary sources from secondary sources. But I will occasionally use a secondary source if it helps back up my claims. I have learned about asking a research question like not making it too broad and not making too narrow. It is about the thin line in between that two but I do struggle with making my research question too narrow. My journey at Longwood has equipped me with essential research skills, but it’s has also informed me of where I can improve. I’m excited about the chance of conducting research projects that challenge me and add on to my academic experience. With continued practice, I’m confident I’ll become a more better and effective researcher ready to contribute to the already expanding world of science and the human body.

You are now entering your 5th week of college, and in this class, at least, you have been knee/hip deep in research. You have learned the proper way to conduct research on the library’s website, how to determine the credibility of a source, and how to cite in APA format (for many of you this is new). Now you have read a chapter in An Insider’s Guide to Academic Writing that addresses the topic of research as well. Discuss, in this blog post, how you see yourself using the knowledge you’ve obtained thus far throughout your academic career here at Longwood. What type of research do you see yourself involved in? What do you feel you are still lacking when it comes to research? Do you feel more comfortable using your research to back up your own ideas? Are you confident in choosing and identifying primary and secondary sources? Are you confident in your ability to paraphrase sources without plagiarizing?

Clearly you do not have to answer all of these questions, but these are just some ideas to get you thinking about the possibilities of research that you might want to conduct while you are here at Longwood. Again, 300-500 words for the post.

I feel that me and Sarah’s summers were quite different due to our life choices. Sarah had more time and freedom to do things as I did not. I was only able to experience two weeks of my summer before I shipped off to basic training in Missouri, I spent one week in Florida with my best friend Nina, then my last week of freedom I just spent time with my family and working out as well as doing a little online shopping and having the things shipped to Nina’s house so that she could take it with her for move in day since we had already signed up to be dormmates. I would be missing quite a bit of college, so it was more convenient to do the shopping online. Phone time was not guaranteed in basic training so when I got the chance to be on my phone, I had to use it to do modules for college rather than be able to talk to my family. Sarah on the other hand had all of her summer to herself and was able to get a job which included doing multiple mini jobs, she was able to go shopping in person with her family and friends, she could spend time with them whenever, like for example the bonfire she had with her friends where they all talked about their futures or when she participated in a fishing event, or just simply talking to her parents about college. She also had a boyfriend at this time, I personally did not, I broke up with my ex-boyfriend before shipping off though I do not regret it, it was better that way. I was not as anxious as most other students that were also starting college simply because I was in a different stressful environment and I had to put all my thoughts and worries to surviving and making it out of basic training, the fastest way out is graduation. Despite that, I sort of envy Sarah’s experience even if she was quite stressed out and anxious about starting college, she was able to do things that I wish I could’ve done. I would have loved to do little jobs, spend time with my family and friends, or even just talk to them, participate in activities, a relationship isn’t top on my list, but I wouldn’t have minded it. Again, our summers before college seem vastly different but that is only due to the choices we have made in life.

My summer before starting senior year had both similarities and differences from Sarah’s summer. It seems that she spent the whole summer doing something. Whether she was hanging out with friends, family or working. I feel that I didn’t hang out once with my friends over the summer, but I did go out with my family constantly. I spent the first week of summer on my senior trip down in Florida. Unlike Sarah, I didn’t go to any graduation parties or bonfires over the summer. Besides that, I worked all summer at the job I had while I was still in high school so in that way I do relate to Sarah. It looked like she had a manual labor job which is different from the job I had. I worked at a fast-food restaurant and before that I worked at a grocery store. Something that me and Sarah do not have in common is her feeling sad on the drive on move in day. I actually wasn’t sad about it at all during the summer, but I did start to get sad after my family left. I felt sad for the whole first week until I started going home every weekend and it felt better. A big difference in our experiences is going to college without any friends from high school. I live in a dorm with 3 of my friends from high school so we didn’t have to do random roommates. Another thing I relate to is how fast the summer goes by in the book. It felt as if I reached the page where she moved in really fast even though it’s actually 50 pages in. It felt like Sarah’s parents just dropped her off and left without even going to eat with her for a last time whereas my dad and brother stayed with me until around 7pm. My experiences from the summer are overall similar to Sarah’s with a few differences in emotions and family.

After reading the first 68 pages of Freshman Year, I see how different my summer was compared to Sarah’s. She’s just out of high school, working summer jobs, figuring things out, and being told by her mom to spend more time with her little brother. I can relate to that part a little, especially the reminder to spend time with family.

But honestly, my summer was all about responsibilities. As someone over 40, a wife, life looks different. I wasn’t just preparing to start school, but juggling everything else. My summer was full of getting my house in order, like landscaping, gardening, handyman stuff, organizing my office and the house, staying on top of bills, doctor’s appointments, and even setting up an Excel spreadsheet for monthly budgeting, ensuring everything is on autopay, so I do not miss paying some bills. Helping my husband with his stuff: I am his administrative assistant; He is the CEO, and I am the CFO in our house (he said). I also had to complete so many school requirements like immunization records, health forms, and mandatory online classes on topics like drug and alcohol awareness and human trafficking. It was a lot.

But just like Sarah, I made sure to spend time with family and friends before school started. I know that once the semester begins, I won’t have as much time for them, and that I’ll miss out on stuff in the next three to four years while focusing on school. That “last hooray” meant a lot to me.

Sarah is just starting her journey into adulthood. For me, I’m returning to school after already living a full adult life. It’s scary and exciting at the same time. We’re in different stages, but we both spent the summer getting ready for big changes.

when I was reading this book, I immediately related to the pressure and uncertainty during the week of school. Like Sarah, I came in with high expectations. I thought that within the first few weeks, I would find my best friends, find a steady routine, and suddenly feel like I belong on campus. Instead, I found myself overwhelmed by the need to make friends quickly. Everyone around me seemed to be forming groups and fitting in and creating healthy routines, while I worried that I was falling behind. I relate strongly to Sarah’s quiet moments of observing others and wondering where she fit, because I am going through the same thought process. The loneliness that Sarah shows in her story is something I am also feeling as this week marks my 3rd week of college, going into my 4th. Even though I am surrounded by people, I still feel this sort of isolation, unsure if anyone really understands me. There are times when I question if I made the right choice in coming to college, because the experience isn’t immediately matching what I imagined. I have this sense of doubt that is weighing heavily on me, just as it did for Sarah. I also connected with her struggles in self-confidence. Being in a new environment full of talented, ambitious people makes me second-guess my abilities and wonder if I truly belong. Sarah’s internal monologue about doubting herself mirrored the thoughts I have almost daily. I often compare myself to others, worrying if I’m doing enough socially or academically. What I appreciate about her story is how honest it is about the messy and complicated emotions of starting over in a new place. It reminds me that these feelings are not just my own but are a common part of the transitioning into adulthood and seeing Sarah navigate those struggles made me feel less alone in mine.