personal challenge.

I am deathly scared of heights, like deathly, and anyone who has been around me whenever I am kind of high or around obstacles of height, I get really scared and get really quiet.  This fear of heights has also caused me not to go to places like Carowinds or any other amusement parks very often because the heights of the roller coasters kill me.  Even if I would go to these places, I would not ride the rides.  This semester, however, a group of my friends wanted to go to Carowinds and begged me to go.  I finally decided that I would go with them, but was very nervous about going.  I bought a ticket though, and trudged up the road to Carowinds.  I was okay until I saw the new ride, the Intimidator, which pretty much goes straight up and straight down for its first hill, and that was the first ride I saw once getting out of my car.  My friends reassured me that I was going to ride that ride, and so I walked into the park shaking.  However, I was determined not to let my fear of heights stop me from having a good time and not ride these rides.  Right before my first ride, on the same seat that I was suppose to get on, the girl that got off right in front of me had a seizure.  Yes, way to comfort me and my nerves.  After a few test runs though, they let us on to the roller-coaster and I sat in the same seat as the girl who got sick, yes just another comforting factor.  However, I survived that roller-coaster, and rode every ride that my friends wanted me to ride, including Drop Zone, which was probably one of the most scariest.  I was proud of myself, though, because I challenged my fear of heights and did not let it get in my way of riding the rides.  I believe this experience also helped conquer some of my fear.

service-learning wrap up.

Although I only got to go to one school for Cocky's Reading Express, and when we got there, we did not get to do much, it was definitely my favorite experience during this service-learning.  It made me wish I could go on other trips with them, although, I had class on all the other dates.  It was definitely fun though, and I loved getting to talk to some of the little kids and see them get excited to see Cocky as well as look at all the books because that night, Hand Middle School had their Family Reading Night, in which they got to each pick a free book from their library.  A group of us was surrounding the free book table in the library and the book Holes was laying on the table.  We started talking this book up of how good it was and how much we enjoyed reading it when we were younger.  As soon as we stopped talking about it a little girl looking at the books on the table grabbed Holes for her free book.  It was so precious and just reminded me of how much little kids look up to older people and how much we can have an impact on these kids with a simple remark or action.  Although I stickered books for the majority of my time at my service site, I found it very beneficial because I know it was going to help little kids because they would get a free book and this book might be their only one.  I think I might continue volunteering at my service sight next semester, even if I just try to make some of the school trips with Cocky.  It is definitely something that I want to continue to be involved in.

capstone social event.

I went to the Hot Cookie Friday on Friday, November 19, 2010.  Because I had not been able to make any of the other Hot Cookie Fridays or Everybody's Birthday this semester, I was not sure what to expect when I walked in the door.  However, I walked in to the smell of, of course, cookies baking in the oven, which is my absolute favorite smell.  Also, Capstone Scholars were just hanging around, sitting in every corner of every room, talking and eating cookies.  In one room, there were a group of guys playing some kind of video game, which kind of surprised me because I did not expect to see a video game system in the upstairs of the house of the study shack, but I definitely thought it was a good idea and definitely attracted a lot of students.  I was able to socialize a little bit and meet some new people, which I always love to do, and especially since I am not in the Capstone dorm, I do not get to have as many connections with as many Capstone Scholars as I would if I were living in the dormitory.  Even though I was impressed by the game system that was being played on the television, and loved the smell of the cookies baking, I never got a hot cookie.  They were all gone by the time I got there which was pretty disappointing.  However, I did have a great experience at the Hot Cookie Friday and look forward to going back next semester.

thanksgiving.

I am very excited to be going home for Thanksgiving.  It has been a while since I have slept in my bed, so I will be very grateful to do that.  Of course, though, I am excited to see my family and get to spend some time with them because it has been a while since family bonding has happened.  Also, you cannot forget about the turkey and dressing that will be eaten on Thursday.  My family, which consists of my grandparents, my mom, dad and sister, will go to my aunt and uncle's house for Thanksgiving dinner, which we have during the afternoon.  I really cannot wait to get some actual good homecooking.  I have definitely missed this since coming to college.  Also, on Thursday morning I will be waking up to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  It's a tradition for me; everyone in my house knows that I get way too excited to watch the Parade because it marks for me, the start of the holiday season.  So after Thursday, comes black Friday, which my friends and I will go through all that early bird madness to shop, or at least watch people madly shop for their presents, so that will be fun.  Friday night though, will be when our whole town heads to W.L. Varner Stadium to watch the Woodruff Wolverines, our high school team, play Central Pageland for the Upperstate Championship.  That will be a very intense game, and I am looking forward to it since I love high school football and have missed getting to see it every Friday.  Other than that, I will probably just hang out with my friends and family, and catch up on some much needed sleep.  Hope you have a great Thanksgiving as well!

sustainability.

I define sustainable as using resources to the fullest and best way capable.  I believe that I am a sustainable person because I try to use a lot of things that I have in an efficient manner.  Especially now, as a college student, with not a lot of money in my bank account and the responsibility of buying my own groceries and necessities, I have to try to use what I have as much as I can as well as long as I can because no one wants to use all their money on just the necessities, especially if you are a girl and love to shop as I do.  Because I want some extra spending money in my bank account along with some money to put gas in my car on a road trip, I try to expand all my toiletries the best I can, and I have to say that I have become quite good at it.  The one thing, though, that I could do better to be more sustainable is to not use as many paper towels and napkins.  I tend to use a lot of these in my daily routines from drying my hands to cleaning up messes, or using them while I eat.  I always use more paper towels and napkins than I should and I have noticed it before, but I am such a messy person, as well as a little bit of a germaphobe, that I feel the need to use excess paper towels and napkins because I don't want to reuse them.

capstone conversation.

I went to the Capstone Conversation on Wednesday, November 17, in which the head baseball coach, Ray Tanner, spoke.  I definitely loved all of what Coach Tanner had to speak on.  He has lived a life that suites this year's Capstone motto of "Dream Big.  Impact the Community.  Leave a Legacy".  He says he has always dreamed big, it is something that has always propelled his life.  I think this is an awesome way to look on life because all your big dreams do not always come true right away, or they are very difficult to achieve.  However, this never deterred him.  In baseball, he has been the head South Carolina coach for 15 years, and for 15 years he has dreamed of a National Championship, however, for 15 years, he was not successful at reaching this goal, but he continued to dream and did not give up hope and he finally got his National Championship.  He is also has a big impact on the community with his own foundation here in Columbia, as well as he and his wife are constantly involved in the community and helping others.  His baseball team also is committed to helping the less fortunate, which he has helped instill in them.  And of course, leaving a legacy is something he definitely achieved this summer, as Whit Merrifield got a base hit to win the first national championship ever for the University of South Carolina, even as the underdogs in many of the games they played.  He and his baseball team not only made it into USC's history and legacy, but also in the legacy of the College World Series as the 2010 Baseball National Champions.

capstone cinema.

I went to the Capstone Cinema on November 15, in which we watched a a short video called The Story of Stuff, in which Annie Leonard discussed how wasteful our society is.  Watching the video brings a lot of points to mind that usually are not thought about when buying, using, and throwing away materials.  When you throw something away, I don't normally think about where it is going, where the trash is taken, or how it effects our environment and that it could one day be a major problem which will actually effect us and our living space.  In middle school and high school, speakers would come in and talk to our class about the environment and wastefulness, so I was familiar with the impacts our society and its trash can make, however, I do not usually keep this in the front of my head, always worrying about it, so I could definitely work on that.  Also, buying stuff at a store, which I love to do, I have never thought about who makes it, or for that matter I have never realized that a good I buy in the store could have put people's life in danger or crippled people because of the gases and stuff they come in contact with making this item that is put on the shelf at a popular store in the U.S.  After this video, I believe I will definitely think more about my wastefulness as well as what I buy.

career center.

I am so excited about Thanksgiving break and I cannot believe that it is next week.  My favorite part of Thanksgiving would have to be the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade, which will definitely be in my plans Thursday morning before I eat some turkey and dressing at my aunt's house.  Over Thanksgiving, I plan to go home and probably help my aunt cook, or at least go watch and spend some time with her as she's cooking, maybe try to lick the bowl of a few treats she's cooking, because I just can't wait one more day.  On Thanksgiving, eat some turkey and dressing, and dessert of course, and on Black Friday, shopping is a must.
I really still have no clue what I want to be when I grow up.  I know I want to do something in Business, and I would love to own my own company one day, however, what kind of company that will be is yet to be determined.  I don't want to be an entrepreneur at first, though.  After I graduate from Carolina, I want to work in a big company, and then work my way up to a leader position in that company, and then later on own my own company.  I definitely do want to have internships throughout my college career, however, I do not know if I want one this summer just because I have no way of staying in Columbia for the summer, so it could pose a problem.
I found many things in the presentation that was useful.  She pretty much touched on everything I have been having questions about, such as what is needed for each major, and although I already have a resume, I liked that there is an actual application that can help me with building a resume.  The presentation was very useful to me and I will be using it a lot in the future, especially as I figure out exactly what I want to do with my life.

financial responsibility.

I think I am a financially responsible person because I have always seemed to have some sort of money in my pocket, even when I have chose to spend it, which I like to do often.  But, especially in this time of my life, as a college student in which I have to manage my own money and use it also for my needs, it is very important to be financially responsible.  Although I usually have some money left over, I have never prepared a budget, even though, I feel like it would be very beneficial to me because with a budget, I believe I would be able to spend more of my money than I do now because I would realize that I have a little more money than I think.  Ever since I have to pay for everything out of my own pocket, I have become a bit of a cheapo, and try not to spend much money.  In four years, I would love to have some money in my savings account, so I can buy a house or an apartment of my own and be able to support myself when first starting my career.  I will make this a reality by putting some of my money that I make from work or any money I receive in my savings account.  Also, I would like to have the least amount of debt and student loans to pay off as possible, which of course is everybody's wish, but I hope to make this a reality by applying to scholarships throughout my college career so I will not have to rack up so many of those loans that I will have to worry about once I graduate.

stress management.

I get stressed out by schoolwork, projects, or doing something I do not want to do, such as facing my fears of heights.  I can probably get stressed out a little too easily, but it's just because I want everything done right and I have goals for which I want my grades to be.  I usually deal with my stress by going to work out.  After I work out, I usually feel a lot more relaxed and it feels as if all the weight that was on my shoulders has been removed a bit and I can come back and work on whatever I need to with a lot more efficiency.  I also deal with stress by taking a break, although, this does not help as much as working out.  I will either take a nap, get on facebook, or watch t.v., just do something that I enjoy in order to relieve my mind a bit.  I am very glad to say that I have enjoyed my service site a lot and have not had any stress while there.  My service site is in a library, so it is very relaxful because it is quiet and I am just putting stickers on books and counting, so really, there is nothing to get stressed about.  I like going to my service site.  And, when we went to Hand Middle School for Cocky's Reading Express at their Family Reading Night, there was no stress either.  Actually, I loved getting to interact with some of the kids and being a part of the actual Cocky's Reading Express, although, we did not get to do much.

time management.

Although at the beginning of the semester, I did not believe to have time management down very well for my schedule, I now believe I have successfully tackled time management.  I have made sufficient time for school work, socializing and having fun, working out, as well as some sleep.  I am very proud that I was able to achieve good time management because I never saw myself as managing time efficiently, but, I guess in college, you are forced to do so and once you kind of realize the times to do certain things that fit you best, it is not too hard to manage time efficiently.  I wish I had more time to work out, though.  I am used to having a couple of hours out of my day to work out because of track and cross country practices in high school.   However, now I only am able to work out an hour a day, and do not get the full work out I feel like I need.  I am going to start going to the gym earlier in the day so I can have more time to do all the work outs I would like to do.  I  can also get a fitness buddy, in which they have also allowed in their schedule to work out for the same amount of time I have, so they can keep me accountable for having the amount of time I want and get to all the work out options I want to before I leave the Strom.

healthy carolina.

I believe myself to be a healthy individual.  I have a God that is always with me, I have great friends and family, and I am happy with myself; and of course for physical healthiness, I try to eat pretty healthy and exercise on a regular basis.  I have formed many new relationships while here at USC.  I have met many friends in my classes, in which we are involved in some of the same organizations.  I have also became closer with my roommate, in which we have gotten a long very well since moving in together and become very good friends.  I have also met people from my hall in which we all hang out together on a regular basis.  So coming to USC has been a very great experience for me and I have met some awesome people.  The new relationships I have formed this semester definitely support me and my success because we all support each other in whatever we want to do and what goals we have for ourselves.  And with our commonalities and some similar goals, it can be fun and sometimes easier to step out of our comfort zones with friends by our sides.  I look forward to the next four years and all the relationships I will make during that time, in which I will continue to further my success and reach for my goals.

spirituality and religion.

I believe religion, spirituality, and faith are different; although, they all relate to one another.  I think religion is where you put your faith, what you put your faith in; and spirituality is in your faith.  So therefore, I relate to all of them.  My religion is Christianity, which I put my faith in Jesus Christ and have a spiritual relationship with Him.  Growing up in the South, I have always been surrounded by the Church community.  Southern Baptist is one of the main church denominations of the South, which is the denomination I was raised in.  Being raised as a Southern Baptist, I would have to say that the South has a lot of religion in it.  Riding down the street in the South, you are more than likely to pass many churches along the way.  So many southerners have a faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible, and have a personal relationship with God.  Because I have lived in the South all my life, coming to USC, where there is so much diversity of people from around the nation, and the world, I have never encountered so many religions and beliefs.  It is kind of a shocker for me, because I guess you get used to being surrounded by people who believe what you believe.  However, USC does have a lot of opportunities for people of many religious beliefs, and has many Christian organizations where anybody is welcome.  USC has helped me in my faith as I am the one who has to make the time for God and to further my walk with Him.

study abroad/ national student exchange.

I am very interested in Studying Abroad because I think it would be an awesome experience that comes in college, and it will never be the same once you graduate.  I've always wanted to travel internationally to many different countries and studying abroad would be an excellent way to submerse myself in another country's culture.  Although the National Student Exchange is a really cool thing, one that I did not know about until coming to college, I would rather spend my semester somewhere out of the United States because it can be much easier to go somewhere in the United States for vacation with the family than going out of the country.  Even though I want to go to a lot of places, I think my number one pick would be Australia.  Yes, the popular pick for everybody it seems but I have always been fascinated by Australia, their accents, their beaches, and just their way of life, so I think it would be such a great experience and one that I would learn a lot from and never forget.
I have pretty much done the same thing in my service site every week, so I don't really have anything to choose from to be my favorite part.  I do love the fact that even though I am just putting stickers in books, I am helping to bring a smile to a child's face when they receive their new book.  So, even if I'm not right there giving the book to the child, I love the thought of being in the process to making a child's day better.

a student leaders perspective.

Leadership is when someone leads other people by actions, how they live their life, instead of forcing people to follow them.  When a leader speaks, people listen and take what they say to heart.  A leader is also someone who is enthusiastic, passionate, and not afraid to go out of their comfort zone to do things.  A good leader is easily approachable and listens to all who are involved.  I have been a leader on my cross country and track teams in high school.  I was voted captain by my teammates after the season, which meant a lot because it showed me they looked up to me, looked to me for guidance during practice, and I inspired them to run hard and run their best every day.  Although I am the younger sister, I often take the role of the bigger sister in my family.  My sister looks to me for support and of course, on how to dress.  I have had a leader position in my group of friends growing up also.  I have always tried to lead by example and just by being me and going about things the "classy" way.  I do want to be a leader here at South Carolina during my four years and I look to be a part of the leadership roles in groups I am active in and become active in as I continue my education in Columbia.

diversity.

  Before coming to USC, diversity, to me, was different people from different backgrounds, religions, race, and beliefs.  I have always been interested in what other people thought and their way of living, so diversity has never been an issue for me because I like to meet a lot of different people.  Ever since coming to the University of South Carolina, I have definitely had a first hand experience with more diversity than I've ever met before; however, I love to see all the different people as they walk around campus or talk with them.  I believe there is so much you can learn with these people and the different experiences and backgrounds they have had from you.  Seeing all kinds of diverse students at college, though, has not changed my view of diversity, but strengthened my interest in it, if anything, because you can learn so much from different people and become a more well rounded individual with less ethnocentrism.  As of yet, I have not experienced any diversity in my service sight because I have only been to the library to get ready for the Cocky's Reading Express trips which include a select few people that I see while there.  I am definitely excited to see the diversity and all the students at Hand Middle School on November 4 though.

south carolina traditions.

Carolina Traditions that I have partaken in are First Night Carolina and First Year Reading Experience at the very beginning of the year.  First Night Carolina was pretty interesting, although it was kind of ruined because of the rain and we had to all shuffle in Russell House for a bit while they rearranged in the ballroom instead of Williams Brice, so that was a bummer.  Although, it was interesting to see the different organizations, activities, and see all the different traditions they do at a Carolina football game with the cheerleaders, and the Carolina songs.  My favorite tradition would have to be Carolina football games at William Brice on game days.  From tailgating, to hearing "Welcome to Gamecock Nation", to the student section, sand storm, the multiple cheers and chants, and Gamecock football, it gives any Gamecock fan a thrill.  However, being a part of the University, and in the student section, makes you proud of being a Gamecock, as well as makes you feel more a part of the University of South Carolina.  So, I absolutely love the tradition in Carolina Football and look forward to it every home game.

alcohol. fall break.

     I don't think I really learned anything new today in class, maybe that roommates can get in trouble too with possession of drugs and alcohol, even if they are not responsible.  I guess I knew that because of AlcoholEdu, but I just could not remember exactly.  The discussion did not make me feel any different than usual; although, it is kind of cool to see what your peers think about the subject.

     Next semester, I am planning to take History, French, English, Philosophy, and a Science, so my spring semester will be a little more stressful than this semester, but definitely nothing I can't handle.

     For fall break, I am going to visit my friend at Lander for a little while and then head back to my hometown for the rest of the weekend.  Since there is a fair in Spartanburg too, me and my friends will probably go to it one night, so that should be fun.  Also, we can't forget about Woodruff Friday night football, which I will definitely be attending because even though I have Saturday football now, Friday football is pretty sweet to me too.  The rest of the time I have no clue what I am going to be doing.  Probably just hang out with my friends and spend some time with my family, so it should be a pretty great break! I'm so glad it is finally here.

brain rules ch 3&4. undergraduate research.

     I have enjoyed my time at Cocky's Reading Express so far.  Even though I have only put stickers in the front of books and stapled sheets together to make packets for the children, I really enjoyed it.  I enjoyed it so much because I knew that these simple acts would light up a child's face when they received the books or participated in the activities that Cocky has planned for them.  I also like that it is a very relaxed atmosphere in which our "boss" is very nice and we are allowed to play the radio while working; music is always a plus for me.  My strengths are that I like to work and I love to help people so I do not mind doing the "boring part" as some might say, or the behind the scenes part.  Because I like to work and accomplish the tasks that are needed to be done, I want to get stickers in all the books they have out for a particular trip, which can be like 250 books, which I guess could be a downfall of mine too because I don't want to stop until I finish them all; although, there are people that come in after me to continue working on what I did not get done.  Unfortunately, I have not volunteered anywhere else this semester but I know it would be a very fun and rewarding experience if I did.

mid-term exam.

     My favorite memory of the semester would have to be game day!.. so therefore, I guess I don't just have one favorite memory, because I love every Saturday that I get to go down to Williams Brice.  I love college football and it's absolutely awesome to be in the middle of it all on Saturday's at William's Brice.  From getting ready, to walking through and seeing all the tailgaters, to tailgating, to initially walking through the gates and hearing the words "Welcome to Gamecock Country" and watching the game with all your fellow Gamecocks, it is such an awesome feeling and rush you get surrounded by garnet and black on these days.  I love the whole process of Gamecock Game Day and the Gamecock community that you are submersed in when it is time for the Gamecocks to play.
     If there is one thing I would do over again, I think it would be my schedule.  After going to my adviser the other week, I realized I took all of my easier classes this semester so my spring semester will have more of the harder classes.  So, although I am not too worried about the harder schedule, not having as much work now makes me ready to go ahead and get on the work load I will have next semester.  Besides that, I don't think I have much that I would do over again.  I have enjoyed my time here at USC so far.
     I have been keeping up with my goals I made from the beginning of the year.  I have exercised 4-5 times each week, kept up with my homework and studying to get the 4.0, and looked into business organizations.  I have not made any new goals since; although, I'm sure I will add to my list in the coming year.  I am definitely on track to reach my goals by the end of the semester.  I have been motivated to stay in shape and stay focused and on top of school work, as well as get involved.

brain rules overview/ midterm review

     As I began reading Brain Rules, I did not think it was too bad, but some of the information pretty interesting.  I liked the first chapter about exercising helping cognitive activity because it allows me to have a better excuse for myself to take the time out of my busy schedule to work out.  So, reading about how it helps you in the long run, as well how it can help your brain activity and remembering things definitely helps me in getting to the gym, even when I'm not motivated to do so or believe I should study instead.  I think the rest of the book will contain valuable information that will help me throughout my college career or give me useful facts for everyday life.

     At the Information Fair, I actually did find another major I was interest in, hospitality and retail management.  I knew I had always been interested in this field; however, I never realized just how many jobs fit under that major, and I realized that a lot of jobs I have always been interested in fall under this category, like wedding planning, or of course hotel management. I am definitely going to look more into this major and see what all it has to offer and if I'd like to take it on.  I would at least like to have it as my minor.  Although I did find another major I am interested in, I did not discover anything new about my current major.

campus safety presentation.

     Having completed my first month of college, I would have to say my classes are going quite well.  I have not had too much trouble with any of my classes and have only had one test.  This one test thing kind of worries me though, as I am not sure if I am doing everything right, as in studying correctly, learning the information I am suppose to and all.  So, it seems really weird to say, but I kind of wish I did have some more tests, although, I am about to get a good taste of them because mid-terms are coming up in the next week, so hopefully, I will do good on those.  Overall, I really have no majorly hard classes so I guess I should enjoy the days of easy classes this semester because I know next semester will be a different story.  My favorite class so far would have to be dance appreciation.  I like this class because my professor is a professional ballet dancer and has her own dance company, so therefore she is very intense about dance and the material she covers.  I like the intensity she brings and I think the information she covers is pretty interesting.  Because I have no problems with any of my classes, I have not met with any of my professors outside of the classroom; although, I know they are there to help and I can go to them during office hours in the future when help is needed.

service-learning site visits.

     After visiting the South Carolina State Library and learning about Cocky's Reading Express, I am very excited to be able to be a part of this program.  The video showed made me ready to get on a bus with Cocky right then and go read to little kids.  This is an amazing opportunity, that will not only benefit little kids, but will also be so much fun and bless me as I get to see the students joy as they see Cocky and get their very own books!  I am ready to take a trip to a school to see little kids, which brings me to the point that I am worried about.  Because Cocky's Reading Express visits public schools, it would only be logical for them to be able to visit between the school hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, which makes it hard for me to get to go on these amazing trips, which I'm sad about.  The way my class schedule is, I will only be able to attend a couple of these reading experiences, which happen locally, so I'm glad I at least get a few options.  Ms. Jenkinson told us that hopefully more local schools will be scheduled, in which will give us more options, so I hope more schools will be scheduled.  I am excited about being involved in the process though, of getting the books ready to be given to the students.  Even if I will not be able to actually see the students receiving the books, I will still be blessed, knowing I have impacted a child's life as they receive a book.
     I know I will gain more humility as I pack books and get ready for Cocky's Reading Express trips.  It will also be humbling as I see these kids light up to be read to, to see Cocky, and get their own personal book.  Every time I am on a mission trip, I am blessed by the people I help.  I feel as if they bless me more than I could ever bless them.  I know seeing these kids that are less fortunate and the amount of appreciation they have for the simplest stuff will impact me more than I know.  I hope to gain friendships from this experience, not only from the people involved in Cocky's Reading Express, but also from the little children.  I hope I can make a positive impact and influence on the children's life, even if our time with them is short.

patrick hickey-presentation

     To be honest, coming into Capstone I was not sure what to expect or what I had gotten myself into.  I figured it was an honor to be asked into the program and that it would help me get involved with the University.  Capstone has proved to have major benefits, though, since coming to USC a month ago.  The Capstone Section of the University 101 class pushes me into getting involved right away, more than I would do myself because I am one who likes to sit back and kind of get a look and feel for everything before jumping in.  Capstone, though, does not allow much time for looking and feeling.  It encourages members to get into involvement right as you enter the University, which is probably the best way of doing things.  I also love the fact that it has many opportunities for social events, as well as those events that allow social and learning to take place.  From hot cookie Friday to Capstone Conversations and Cinemas, Capstone Scholars have the option to learn and meet many other fellow Capstone Scholars.  I've loved my time as a Capstone Scholar so far and look forward to the many opportunities to come.  I am glad Dr. Hickey came to speak to us yesterday; it made me even more excited about the program.
  Coming to USC a month ago, I was very excited to be moving on my own in a way, moving away from the parents, and kind of having a fresh start in which nobody knew me or could put connections with me and a family member, which happened all the time in my hometown.  I was ready to make a name for myself, by myself.  Although I knew that the college life would be different, I had no clue just how different it would be.  College life in Columbia is a whole different world than high school life in Woodruff.  I quickly realized all of the favors my mom did for me on a daily basis that were taken for granted will now always be appreciated; from getting supper on the table to washing my clothes.. that stuff takes time, time that I would rather not spend on doing laundry.  Also, I always knew that college classes were going to be different from that of a high school class, because people will always come back from their University and be like, "Enjoy your high school days, they go by fast and once you get to college, you'll want them back"... and gah, how true is this statement?!  Although I do not miss everything about high school, I do miss the easy and not so much work (even though it seemed like a lot then) I had to do throughout the years.  I never realized just quite how much college work is.. and how much time that you have to put in it, in which you have to figure out when and where to study because there is so many other people and so much else to do.  Even though for me it has only been a month of being a college student, I can tell college is going to be a great experience, no matter how different it is from my little hometown ways in which I was raised.  I never realized how much you have to put yourself out there because I have been with the same people for the past 18 years, however, I am up to the challenge and can't wait to see what my college future has for me!

time management, goal setting, personal challenge.

The first goal I set for myself is time management.  This one is a biggie for me because I work at it, but the management of my time never quite goes according to planned!  And usually for the average college student, more time is spent on socializing than studying, but oh no, not me.  I tend to stress about school just a little too much, and I’m the type of person who doesn’t like to do anything until all my work is done, but in college, I’ve learned, work is NEVER done.  Because of this discovery, I’ve realized that I am going to have to sit back and relax a little more and enjoy the college life more like I should.  So, it is really important to me that I make adjustments to my time management so I can have a balance of a social life and studying in which I am able to stay on top of all my assignments.  I also want to stay in shape in which I said I would go to the gym at least 5 times a week.  I cannot be gaining the Freshman 15 and I’ve always been in shape from running in high school so I want to keep that up.  I also want to have a 4.0 GPA at the end of the semester and get involved in an organization other than the Christian organizations.  The hardest goal to achieve will be time management because it has always been an issue with me. A 4.0 GPA will also be a hard task, but with my motivation, I believe it is attainable.  The easier goals will be staying in shape and getting involved in other organizations, although, I know going to the gym will have its hard aspects as well because some days I will want to go to sleep or go out rather than work out.  Finding an organization that I am interested in will not be that hard I don’t think, it will just require me to put in work to search for the right one.  I think time management would be a good personal challenge for me this semester, although I don’t know if this will be accepted.  I would like to use this as my personal challenge because I am not comfortable going out unless all my work is done and I think this is something that is important to work on because in college, I cannot have this mindset because I will never be able to have a life.  I will challenge myself to go out in the middle of the week without stressing or worrying about what all I have to do when I get back.  I think if I do this every week, it would allow me to focus better because I get a break from the middle of the week from school work and just have fun.

academic success.

     When i found out we were doing LASSI and found out exactly what it was, I was kind of excited just because I knew starting out in college, I was gonna have to prioritize my time and figure out all the study techniques and times that worked best for me and i figured LASSI would help me figure out exactly where I needed to improve.  I believe my LASSI scores are helping me to figure out ways in which I can manage my time more efficiently, although I do not agree with all of the scores.  I got 40% in my Attitude scores, which reads that I do not believe college is important to me or my future; which is very false.  I am aware that college is necessary and it is important to further my education in order fulfill my dreams of entering into the business world.  I do, however, agree with some of them.  In the "Selecting Main Ideas", I scored a 35, which shows that I pay attention to way too much detail when I study instead of selecting the main ideas.  This one I definitely agree with because I have always been told I am a detailed person and it usually takes me a while to tell a story because I have to manage to get all the details in because I think it all is important and don't want to miss out on anything, which is exactly what I usually do in my studies.  Since starting college though, I have tried to point out the main ideas and focus on them because I know that I would overwhelm myself if I looked at all the details in all of my classes.  I pretty much agree with my score of 60% in Time Management.  I try to time manage, I try real hard at it, but I am a very slow person so it takes me forever to do things and I am always the last one finished so it usually takes me longer to do school work than I’d like, so social events are sometimes sacrificed.  I know this is an area I need to work on, so I will agree with the 60%, which tells me I try, but it still needs some work.  

My major strength is motivation.  To do something, I have to be motivated, of course.  I am either devoted to things 110% or 0%, so when I am motivated to do something, I put everything I have in it.  I live this out everyday of my life, whether it be school, working out or just plain jamming out to music and having fun with friends. Motivation is very important to a college student though, because without motivation, no school work will get done, there will be no working out and that freshman 15 just might pack on, and nothing else will get done that a student needs to do.  So, my motivation is used on a regular basis, everyday for school work, to work out, and too mix some fun in there too.

  Time Management is of most importance to me right now because I feel like there needs to much improvement on it to get a healthy balance between studying and having fun.  I’m hoping to get a better sense of this in the next few weeks.  I’m planning to get a scheduled routine down and try not to get distracted or off topic quite as much, which leads to another weakness I definitely need to work on too-concentration.  I plan to strengthen my concentration by remembering the more I concentrate now, the more free time I’ll have later.  I might actually hang a sign that says this beside my desk so I’ll see it when I start getting off topic.

service-learning training.

over the past four years, i have realized that service is something that is very special to me, although i do not give back as often as i should.  every year, my youth group goes on a mission trip with the organization World Changers.  for a week, we sleep on high school classroom floors, eat the school’s cafeteria food, and from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., we split up into crews and work on houses throughout the city in which the homeowners’ cannot afford the repairs.  our jobs can range from re-shingling roofs and building rooms or decks to painting.  this mission trip is one that i look forward to every year because it always shows me a different view of what people’s lives are like and their story, as well as inspires me and blesses me to watch the homeowner’s reaction to their renovations.  my youth group has also had other service projects where we do simple stuff such as painting, cleaning up the older people's yards in our town, and helping with helping hands.  i love to partake in service opportunities because i love to help people that are less fortunate than me.  although i have never had service connected to a course, i am excited that i get the opportunity to connect a college course to a service project.  i would love to help  kids of all ages in America.  I do not specifically have one place that i would like to go because i think it would be amazing to travel throughout the country and see how children grow up in different parts of the US; although i would love to travel out west.  i would love to have a mentoring service, so i could establish a relationship with them and inspire them to dream big because they are the ones that can make a big difference in this world.

labor day plans.

i decided to go home for labor day weekend, seeing as most of my friends were leaving campus too and it would be good to go home to see friends and family because i do not know when i will make the trip back to woodruff again.  i also wanted to see some woodruff friday night football, which is a very big deal in my hometown and one of the things i miss most since moving away.  so, i was excited to get back on friday and get to w.l. varner stadium to see the kickoff and see all my high school friends again.  i sat with my best friend, as always, on the thirty-five yard line and cheered for my wolverines, although it was not quite the same because it was no longer my school or my peers playing on the field.  it was still a good game, although we lost by one point.  after the game, i visited with everyone on the field and got to see my two favorite coaches, and of course, me and my friends made a usual post-game friday night run to waffle house.  saturday, i spent the day with my family and we went and ate at lake lure with my aunt and uncle, where my aunt told me she was getting a “blueberry” [instead of a blackberry].  saturday and sunday night, though, i spent the night with my best friend.  it definitely took me back to the old days when we were in high school.  we had our usual late night sonic runs, skype dates in the middle of the night, stories to tell, movies watched again and again because we keep getting distracted, and all nighters.  it was good to get a taste of those good memories that i loved so much in high school because i no longer have them at my fingertips since moving to Columbia.  i had a great, lazy, fun labor day weekend, that made me miss my high school days, although, it made me realize that although i have been gone only three weeks, i have moved on from my high school career and have to cherish the memories made and the ones to come, as well as appreciate the friends i have made throughout my time in woodruff and keep the ones most important close.

involvement-student organization fair.

I did not know exactly what to expect as I headed to Greene St. for the student organization fair today, but when I got there, I was really impressed and really excited that so many organizations were there and you just had to walk up to the booth to get information.  Some clubs I would not even had known about if I had not attended, so it made me really excited to get involved in some of the clubs and organizations and find more information about clubs on the USC website.  I am interested in joining the Carolina Productions and the Student Ambassadors or being an Orientation Leader.  I think it would be awesome to help plan and promote events for the University, as well as share what i love about Carolina to incoming freshman and high school students that are thinking of being a gamecock once they graduate their high school alma mater.  I loved Amanda's idea about starting an organization for Model UN; that's something I would be really interested in actually.  I had thought of a club, kind of similar; I would start an organization that is like Palmetto Girls State, where there is a mock state with a mock government and those members would be able to come up with plans and ideas they thought was best for the university, or even the state, and if both the House and Senate approved in the mock state, they would be able to take their ideas and present them to the president of USC.  I was in the Senate when I attended Palmetto Girls State and absolutely loved it, as well as gained a lot of knowledge on how the government and Senate worked.  I think having an organization like this would be an awesome opportunity to gain leadership ability and experience, as well as make connections and give students a chance to have an impact on their university.