It is strange to think that my first semester of college is already complete. It seems like just yesterday that I was sitting in Orientation sessions with strangers. However,
upon my completion of this semester I have not only gained many new friendships,
but I have also gained academic knowledge, and a time management reality
check.
I was extremely nervous about meeting people and making friends at Bethany; however, after only a few short days on campus, that fear was put to rest. Initial I connected with the students in my orientation group. I later found out we were all going to be members of the same Freshman Honors seminar class. The group as a whole gets along exceedingly well with one another and we challenge each other
academically. Additionally, this group has established an incredible support
system in which we can rely on one another for almost anything.
I have also grown very close to my sorority sisters and brothers. Though
I never had the intention of becoming involved with the Greek system in college,
after meeting and talking with some of the Sigma Phi Omega members, I felt
pledging their sorority would be a good opportunity to network and develop
relationships with people I otherwise would not have the chance to get to know.
It was a great choice! I have made so many new friends, and I even have the
chance to get to know Alumni. Looking back, I can’t believe how nervous I was at
the beginning of the year in regards to making friends. I absolutely love all of
the people here at Bethany and can’t wait to develop more friendships with the
students.
The academic work load in college is far greater than I expected. Though people did warn me, it took me a significant amount of time to adjust to all of the tests and papers. At times, the Honors seminar class was a bit overwhelming due to the intensive reading and writing requirements. Additionally, the music courses were
very demanding and most concepts were completely new to me. Not only was I
budgeting time learning how to improve my singing and playing skills, I was
required to learn the fundamentals of composing, dictating, reading, and
teaching music. The Aural Skills class was especially demanding. Learning how
to train your ear to hear certain intervals or dissonances takes a fair amount of practice and patience. Nevertheless, through all the stress and sleepless nights, I believe the knowledge I have gained is incredibly valuable. I have learned how to think in different ways and I now understand the benefits of diligence and practice.
The biggest lesson I have learned over the past semester is how to correctly manage time. Throughout high school I was involved in countless activities and still managed to keep high grades. However, I have learned in college that I cannot be involved in everything and stay on top of my class work load. There is a fine line between enjoying college functions and being overly committed to organizations and
co-curricular activities. At one point this semester, I was pledging a sorority,
participating in a play, practicing for both of my music lessons and piano
class, studying for all my other classes, performing in concerts, trying to have
a social life, and once in a will trying to get some sleep. It was way too much
and it was at that point that I realized I needed to take a break and focus on
one of two activities a semester. Additionally, I learned to schedule out each
day of the week in order to most effectively use my free time for homework and
music practice. Though studying for a test may not be as much fun as attending a
club meeting, I have learned how essential it is to budget time and not overly
committed yourself in co-curricular activities.
I don’t think I could have asked for a better college experience thus far. I love
Bethany College and the people who attend it. I have grown as a person in the
short time I have been here and hope to continue to develop my skills. I feel
incredibly blessed to be able to study here and I look forward to what the
future holds for me.