Throughout the year when we have been reading “Freshman Year” by Sarah Mai, it has really helped me to look back at my own first semester of college here at Longwood. I also have looked forward to how my future spring semester might go. Throughout the book as Sarah had her experiences of moving away from her home, managing the college life, and making new friends felt very relatable to my fall semester here at Longwood. Although I am not finished with my first semester, I connect with a lot of Sarah’s experiences in the book. Like Sarah, I have had many moments where I feel unsure about managing my work in school and my social life. Sometimes the school work becomes a lot but I know it is important because you are working towards a degree. Her experiences in the book helps to reflect that it is normal to feel that way. It also helps to show that it will take time to learn to balance everything.

     Along with that, I think that a lot of my personal experiences reflect Sarah’s experiences. A good example in the book would be when she continued to struggle with balancing her classes and the homework within them, along with her social life outside of school. This is definitely something I have noticed in my first semester so far. I have also had to figure out how to prioritize certain assignments over others and to know it is okay to take a small break in between. Sarah has also talked and met new people which connects with me because I have met many new friends here during my first semester which is exciting.

     Even though there are a lot of similarities between Sarah and I, there are also a lot of differences. In the book, Sarah talks about her feelings of being unsure and having anxiety. A lot of which I do not feel as strongly as her. I understand the struggles having almost been through a semester of college but I do not feel the same level of uncertainty as she does in the book. I currently do not have any plans for Spring Break but I would love to take a trip with my hometown friends somewhere. It was very fun before college when we went to Beach Week so I am sure it would be enjoyable to have another trip.

     I am going to be honest when I say Spring Break will most definitely be on my mind from the start of the semester. I love Longwood but it is always fun to go back home and see my friends. Although, maybe this will change with time when I learn to be more adapted to college life. I also need to make sure I stay on top of my work as well. Reading Sarah’s stories in the book reminds me that it is important to plan ahead and learn a good school and social balance. Looking forward, I hope that my spring semester goes well and I meet so many more great people.

     Reading the book Freshman Year by Sarah Mai has definitely made me think about my very own college experiences and how alike mine and Sarah’s are. Similar to Sarah, I have continued to face many challenges and life shifts during my first semester here at Longwood. Reading how she goes through her classes, to making new friends, and even to the adjustment of living with a roommate has helped me think about my personal journey so far.

     One part from the book that reflected with me was attempting to manage the stress of everything happening at once. From classes, to different social events and clubs, to even time spent by myself. It takes a lot to juggle all of it because it is still so new. Being at Longwood, I have also had to work on “work life balance” as they say.  It is difficult trying to pick between hanging out with friends from the hallway or studying for that test you have tomorrow. There have been times that assignments from my classes have piled up and it just feels like I do not have enough time to get everything done. Similar to Sarah, I have had to maneuver being more organized and having more time management and knowing when to do assignments.

     As the semester comes to a close in a few months, I imagine looking forward to Christmas and the holidays. Being able to go home for winter break helps to bring me a lot of personal relief and it helps to get me excited to see family. However, I can also understand Sarah’s point of view because she feels very uneasy about returning home after how much has changed in her life since being at college. Being here at Longwood has definitely made me a more independent person and I can understand why she believes that home might not have that same magic as when we were kids. Now, something to keep in mind is that my experience here at Longwood might be different than Sarah’s because I am part of a smaller university. 

     In the book, the college also seemed to be very huge and overwhelming to her. Here at Longwood, it is easy to meet new people and I just feel like I am more part of a community. The Professors are always willing to help and the campus helps Longwood feel more personal to me. I think that being at a smaller school has helped me adjust more smoothly into college life unlike a larger university might make me feel. 

     In conclusion, reading the book about Sarah’s freshman semester has helped me realize that many students go through similar situations and feelings. While some specifics may be different between us, the feeling of uncertainty and independence seems very universal. I am excited for the upcoming break this upcoming December and to see how far I can grow here between now and then.

Now that I am entering my 5th week at college I can say I have learned a lot more about research then I knew coming into college. As APA is new to some people I learned the format to APA in high school so I know how to format it. After reading the chapter in An Insider’s Guide to Academic Writing I learned some information and got a refresher on what we have gone over in class. One of the key take-aways that I have not only taken away while in class but also in the readings is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source. Before college I did not pay attention to that and how it affects how my sources must be cited. As I am an elementary education major, I know I will be tasked to do a lot of research on children development and classroom studies so I know being able to tell if it is study or a reflection is going to be a very important part of my research. While I feel I have made a lot of progress on my research skills. One of my biggest challenges is making sure I read the whole article before I decide if it is a good article to pick. I find myself skimming articles more than I read them. So with that being said I am working on slowing down during research and reading the article fully before I decide. When it comes to backing up my own ideas. I find that it helps me get into the topic to a deeper level because it is not just my ideas that I can talk about and I have something to prove when I use information I have researched. I also feel like I am pretty good at paraphrasing while doing research, which I know will be a good skill to have for the rest of my life. Overall, I feel that this class is making me a better researcher to prepare me for the next 4 years in college.