| College is the time when we young people grow, experience new things, and get a higher education. I am currently a first year college student here at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. I originally came to Knox with the intended major of International Relations/Global Studies. When I sat down with my Academic Advisor, we talked a lot about the Political Science aspect of IR and I wasn’t really interested. So I started classes that are in a sense random yet beneficial to me. My favorite class that I’m taking this term would have to be Intro to Africana Studies. I feel like I’ve already learned so much more about Black History than I have ever before.
I feel like the main thing that has surprised me the most about my college experience is how involved in class discussions I am. Prior to coming to college, I was really nervous about not feeling smart enough to participate in class discussions, but since my classes are so small, each with 10-20 people in them, I feel more confident to let my voice be known. Another surprising aspect of my college experience is how non-involved in school activities I am. In high school, I was involved in nearly every club on campus, and I was pretty much president of every organization I was in. So, here at Knox, I’ve just been bouncing around from different club meetings and genuinely getting a feel of my academics before I started getting myself into anything I can’t already handle. So far, I’ve become more familiar with myself personally and emotionally. Since I’ve been at Knox, I’ve only really been homesick about once or twice. I simply try to find the good about every situation I’m faced with. I’ve also learned who my real friends are here at Knox and at home. A lot of people loose touch once they get to college, but if a relationship is legitimate, both parties will do anything to keep the relationship strong. |
