Saturday, October 5, 2013

My Summer Upon Completion Of Graduation


One significant challenge that I have faced in my life of nineteen years that I’ll never forget was the University Access Program. The five weeks of this summer program at Southern CT was honestly the hardest achievement that I ever completed. I was stressed out physically and emotionally with taking on the responsibilities of a “real college student” for the start of my summer in June (just graduating from my high school a week before). What was really hard for me to overcome this challenge was adjusting to living conditions of living on campus with all of the rules the program held. I took five classes which were reading, English, math, and a college success class all of the classes were TONS of work. I felt overwhelmed because in order to go to Southern in the fall I had to pass each of the classes with a c+ or better. Another reason about the program that I struggled with was I had no personal escape. Examples of my personal escape would be working out, listening to music, and being alone when I need to be.

On the positive side of the program we had peer mentors that helped us throughout the program twenty four hours with day time mentors and our night time mentors. We were able to talk to them or ask for help if we didn’t understand an assignment. We also had a math tutor and an English tutor. Both of these resources from the UAP were much help to me. This UAP program did teach me in many ways to be persistent in my studies because I was put into these hard mock classrooms where I wanted to prove to myself that I am capable of being a successful college student at a university level. I was tested in all kinds of ways throughout this program. If we did not choose to do the work, or had behavioral issues, didn’t show up to class, or any other issue regarding to the contract we all signed we were kicked out. Even with all of the distractions at times I successfully was able to pass the program by trying my hardest in all the subjects, using the resources given, doing all my homework, and lots of studying. Strategies that I learned were to stay focused even when others were not, time management, prioritizing. Over all working through this challenge was really difficult for me and at times I did want to give up. However I knew I could get through it by trying my hardest and that’s exactly what I did.  I am proud to say that I was persistent in my work effort over the summer and I am using the study habits I learned over the summer and applying that to my courses now in the fall. This experience of being in The UAP program gave me the knowledge and the insight to understand how college can be overall. I was in the program for a reason and I know it’s because I needed that preparation. I was and still am very glad that I chose to be in the UAP program now I know more people on campus who are my friends from the summer program, I feel more prepared for what college will bring me and strategies that I learned will benefit me now in numerous of ways socially and academically. I learned that I can do all everything I set my mind to as long as I’m focused on one outcome which is to have my studies come first and keep earning my degree in mind.

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