Response+to+My+Freshman+Year+part+2

Donielle Tubioli Response to "My Freshman Year" (p.41-66) Back (to Personal Page)

In the second part of the reading for "My freshman year” I noticed a lot of similarities that the author pointed out such as how students got adjusted to classes and to relating with students. One similarity in particular was at AnyU the students were required to read a book over the summer that helped them become prepared with college. In fact. The book was used as a good discussion tool for students to become familiar with talking with other students. Bloomsburg also did something very similar for freshman. We were required to read the book, “Freedom Writers”, this was a very good book that helped us to understand the differences amongst students and taught us moral lessons about being able to achieve goals as long as we work hard and strive to do our best. This book was later used during freshman Welcome Weekend to help students evaluate the book and the important lessons learned from it. The discussion served as a tool for students to become comfortable talking among a big classroom and being able to use other people’s responses to build on something students may not have thought of. I remember sitting in the classroom with people I have never met before, feeling scared to answer questions because I didn’t want to be wrong in anything I said. Now I even find myself in class worrying that I wont be correct in my response but I learned through experience that in college It doesn’t matter if you are wrong or right in your responses, in fact there is never really a right a wrong answer, usually as long as you support your response in a discussion it makes all of the difference. It is also key to remember that students might also feel timid or afraid to answer but once one student opens the door to answering questions, it is a chain reaction and no longer do students feel uncomfortable.

I found that “My freshman Year” has brought about very good points such as the idea that students often struggle with community. I can really see where Nathan is coming from when she says that when students are often offered opportunities to get involve such as when RAs offer residents multiple activities that are scheduled to join together and become closer with one another, students often flake and do not make it to these gatherings either because they forgot or did not have enough time between working for a job, or doing work for school. On the other hand, when students are introduced to the idea of Greek life, joining a sorority or fraternity they often turn away from this commitment because they must dedicate a lot of hours into this obligation. Other concerns involve the right to be your own person. Many feel that joining a sorority or fraternity deprives students of being who they really are. So how are students dealing with community, is there a happy medium between getting involved and having enough time for yourself? I find at Bloomsburg the same obstacle arising. Students tend to want to be involved in more activities, but find themselves not having the time or afraid of conforming. School work is usually an issue because students are not sure if they could juggle course work, activities, or work study positions. Then, there are those that get themselves so involved in Greek life or club organizations that they have no time for schoolwork. For me I feel like in college there are so many options in college and so many ways of getting involved that It is almost overwhelming because I want to do this, or that but I get too ahead of myself and lose sight of what’s important. I feel that many students feel the same way. They may want to get involved in an activity, but don’t have the time to do so. Students like having the option of getting involved, but not the obligation that if they miss it they will be held responsible. For instance, in many sororities or fraternities there are mandatory meetings that you must attend or you can be reprimanded. In other clubs such as PSEA, you may only have to attend 2-3 meetings a semester and still be considered a member of the club.