Florida Atlantic University students and others throughout the country are taking their final exams this week of December 7 through 12. The successful completion of the fall semester is a milestone that sums up tremendous efforts toward the fulfillment of a set goal and the end of a long and somewhat arduous semester program.
Every semester is like a new season with its particularity and expectations. Every season brings a different atmospheric flavor, and a semester a new learning experience, some excitement and curiosity about something new and efforts to deploy to meet the expectations. I personally feel this way every time, and even more so during the fall term of 2015, based on the challenges I had to overcome. I started the fall semester just like any others, with a renewed perspective and excitement and being in a new environment, which consists of professors, schoolmates and new materials to study that contain different aspects of the core curriculum.
Like other students, I am always eager to know at the beginning of every semester about every material of the course and the course itself; what it’s about and how I am going to grasp and digest the substance of it.That long fall semester was no different. Having reached the upper division in Mass Communications (Journalism) or in any area of study requires a stronger commitment and dedication to overcome the challenges. I, personally, had to put the vehicle in high gear this fall as if I was attempting to reach the summit of a steep hill. This is how I measure success in anything of value.
In this regard, I discipline myself by setting high standards that meet success criteria. For example, based on my work schedule, I go to bed early and wake up very early, sometimes one or two o’clock in the morning. By so doing, I have about five to six hours of valuable time to study and to write in the serenity of the night. Another thing I do is this: as I study every chapter, I use a notebook to write down the most important details of the book and also the most likely scenarios where exam questions would be taken from. Class participation and turning in assignments on time are also part of showing students’ efforts, commitment and quality.
Qualities of a Successful College Student, according to Rogue Community College, are:
Possessing a positive attitude
Being flexible
Having knowledge about academic policies and deadlines
Using good communication skills
Having good time management skills
Being able to organize yourself
Having a clear sense of your goal
Being independent
Knowing when and how to seek help
Strong commitment to completing your program of study
Perhaps you’ve noticed that you use most of these qualities in everyday life at home and work. These are traits that are valued in all areas of life. You may possess some of these skills, while others may require more attention. Most importantly: You can master all of these qualities.
It’s gratifying to know that after all the hard work, the headache, the missteps, all the "I wish I had done it this way or that way, and also all the personal question marks," the fall semester has ended well for me. In fact, it’s not an ending I would bet on; it’s, nonetheless, one that brings solace and a sense of fulfillment. I am trying to graduate with at least a B average in the course. But sometimes, the ups and downs are inevitable. A university career is like a journey with bumps along the way.I fall, and I get up; I make a misstep or I strip, and I pull myself back together to proceed to the finish line. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do,” said Confucius. This quote epitomizes the career of every university student, the venture of an entrepreneur, and every dreamer of success, including me.
This fall semester brings a different perspective for the two classes I took. They were part of the core Journalism classes. Since I have an inclination for writing and politics, I excelled in the United States Journalism class, also know as JOU 4004. In contrast, the other class, Coverage of Public Affairs, was a different story. In that class, I didn’t consider myself falling or stripping, but barely passing it with 75.5 over 100 proves how challenging the course was to me. However, I am still maintaining my equilibrium of 3.0 GPA (grade-point average) for the fall semester. I am clarifying my point this way. With an A in JOU 4004 and a C in Coverage Of Public Affairs, it’s like I am defying the algebraic theories by combining the two classes’ GPA to a B. It's done by substituting each variable by its equivalent value where A = 94; B = 84; C = 74. Then, the average of A & C = B or 84.
Like all other students, I put the fall semester behind me and now I am relaxing and breathing a sigh of relief. My personal assignment during this Christmas break is to build a blog that I will link to my webpage. Therefore, I am now ready for Christmas and for the upcoming spring semester with its new flavor, its new milestone to reach and with all its expected challenges, but above all with the overall successful completion of that semester.
