First-Year Student Journals : C.J. : Journal 3

C.J. | Profile | Reflections | Journals: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

The Introduction

I’m finally beginning to settle into the college life. It’s amazing how quickly I’ve grown accustomed to it. I feel like I’ve been here for a few months as opposed to a month and a half or so. For the first time since I’ve been here, I can honestly say I’m comfortable. That’s definitely a welcome feeling compared to how I felt when I first arrived. If I were to guess exactly what brought about the change, I’d have to say it was because I was able to establish a routine. The earlier you can establish a routine here, the faster you’ll become accustomed to life at the university.

The Routine

My usual weekday begins at 9:30 a.m. here at The University of Texas. No, I can’t lie to you. I set my alarm clock for 9:30 a.m., but when it goes off, I reset it to go off around 10:15 a.m. and go right back to sleep. I’m horrible about getting up in the morning. I’m not afraid to admit it. The key, however, is that I’m aware of this. To address my problem with getting up in the morning, I set my clock 15 to 20 minutes ahead of time. So, for instance, when it’s 9:30 a.m., according to my clock, it’s actually 9:45 a.m. Mind games, ladies and gentlemen. Anyway, after I stumble to my feet in the morning, I get ready to start my day. It takes me about 20 to 25 minutes to get ready, and honestly, I believe that’s a little too long for a college student. I do not, however, believe I’m your everyday college student. I have to dress well. My clothes must be ironed and matching. One of the first things you notice when you get here is that no one dresses up for class in the least bit. It’s as if most people here just wake up and go to class. That’s it. Well, to each their own, I suppose.

I used to get to class by riding the bus, but as time passes my patience grows a bit thinner. Waiting for the bus can get frustrating, so since I know how to get to my first classes of the day from San Jacinto, I just walk. I can afford to do that now, because we’re no longer in August, so the temperature is a bit more tolerable. Now, as I walk the campus, and pass hundreds of people daily, it can sometimes seem as though almost every person you pass does not look past you, or even around you, but rather, through you. This was difficult to deal with initially, because it was never like this in high school. Things change when you attend a university with 53,000 students. I have at this point, though, gotten used to it. Anyway, my classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday begin at noon, and at 2 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Late, so very late, I know, but it’s necessary. Like I said before, I can’t wake up in the morning. Eventually, I’ll correct this problem, but dealing with this problem while I try to get acclimated to the college life only complicates things. So, I recognize my weaknesses and adjust accordingly.

I must say my classes are incredible. I am learning so much in each one of them and I love every bit of it. I don’t know how other freshmen are dealing with the college classroom atmosphere, but personally, I really enjoy it. It’s for the most part straightforward and easy to follow. Taking notes is essential. And in order to take notes, you must attend class, right? Attending class is also a must. I don’t understand how people skip classes. Isn’t that what you’re here for? It’s certainly what you’re paying for. Anyway, I believe the only problem I have with the college classroom atmosphere is in comparison with high school. It’s so impersonal. You’re one of many in a class of up to maybe 300 students. When you sit in a class with 300 or so of your classmates, the feeling of being just another number at The University of Texas at Austin never feels so real. This is why making the campus “smaller” is very important. The size of this campus is overwhelming. It’s important that you meet people, establish a routine, attend your professor or teacher assistant’s office hours, and maybe even join an organization or two to make life at the university a bit more personal.

The Far West Bus

And here I have yet another interesting experience to share with you all. Before I begin this story, I’d like to suggest to you all that you do not let your curiosity get the better of you when it comes to riding buses. You’ll soon understand why.

So it was a hot summer afternoon in Austin, Texas, when I was struck with curiosity about what exactly was the destination of the Far West bus. The curiosity was sparked by a lack of space on the Forty Acres bus, which I knew took me basically wherever I needed to go on campus. You see, a lot of people use the Forty Acres bus, so it’s usually packed full of people, and I really didn’t want to deal with that at the time. So, I began to wonder if the Far West bus could possibly take me back to San Jacinto Hall. To appease my curiosity, I boarded the Far West bus. It wasn’t nearly as packed as the Forty Acres, so for a brief period, I actually felt a sense of triumph. That was until I realized that the Far West was taking me farther and farther away from the campus. It was then that I began to think it wasn’t such a good idea to get on this bus after all. But when the bus drove onto the expressway, I knew full well that getting on this bus was a horrible decision. As I sank back into my seat and slid on my headphones listening to Dru Hill’s “Dru World Order,” I began to wonder if I’d even make it back to the campus. After 45 minutes, the bus came right back to the bus stop where I initially boarded it. I couldn’t have gotten off that bus any faster than I did. Thankfully, I made it back to the campus. Unfortunately, I lost an hour of my life due to my careless curiosity. Through this experience, I learned that it’s important, and I do mean important, to be informed.

I can’t believe I shared that embarrassing story with a Web audience of a countless number of people….

Something you want to know? I’ll address it in my journal. E-mail me at JaHeeZy689@hotmail.com. I’ll try and respond to e-mails within five days of receiving them.



	C.J. \| Profile \| Reflections \| Journals: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Home
	The Introduction I’m finally beginning to settle into the college life. It’s amazing how quickly I’ve grown accustomed to it. I feel like I’ve been here for a few months as opposed to a month and a half or so. For the first time since I’ve been here, I can honestly say I’m comfortable. That’s definitely a welcome feeling compared to how I felt when I first arrived. If I were to guess exactly what brought about the change, I’d have to say it was because I was able to establish a routine. The earlier you can establish a routine here, the faster you’ll become accustomed to life at the university. The Routine My usual weekday begins at 9:30 a.m. here at The University of Texas. No, I can’t lie to you. I set my alarm clock for 9:30 a.m., but when it goes off, I reset it to go off around 10:15 a.m. and go right back to sleep. I’m horrible about getting up in the morning. I’m not afraid to admit it. The key, however, is that I’m aware of this. To address my problem with getting up in the morning, I set my clock 15 to 20 minutes ahead of time. So, for instance, when it’s 9:30 a.m., according to my clock, it’s actually 9:45 a.m. Mind games, ladies and gentlemen. Anyway, after I stumble to my feet in the morning, I get ready to start my day. It takes me about 20 to 25 minutes to get ready, and honestly, I believe that’s a little too long for a college student. I do not, however, believe I’m your everyday college student. I have to dress well. My clothes must be ironed and matching. One of the first things you notice when you get here is that no one dresses up for class in the least bit. It’s as if most people here just wake up and go to class. That’s it. Well, to each their own, I suppose. I used to get to class by riding the bus, but as time passes my patience grows a bit thinner. Waiting for the bus can get frustrating, so since I know how to get to my first classes of the day from San Jacinto, I just walk. I can afford to do that now, because we’re no longer in August, so the temperature is a bit more tolerable. Now, as I walk the campus, and pass hundreds of people daily, it can sometimes seem as though almost every person you pass does not look past you, or even around you, but rather, through you. This was difficult to deal with initially, because it was never like this in high school. Things change when you attend a university with 53,000 students. I have at this point, though, gotten used to it. Anyway, my classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday begin at noon, and at 2 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Late, so very late, I know, but it’s necessary. Like I said before, I can’t wake up in the morning. Eventually, I’ll correct this problem, but dealing with this problem while I try to get acclimated to the college life only complicates things. So, I recognize my weaknesses and adjust accordingly. I must say my classes are incredible. I am learning so much in each one of them and I love every bit of it. I don’t know how other freshmen are dealing with the college classroom atmosphere, but personally, I really enjoy it. It’s for the most part straightforward and easy to follow. Taking notes is essential. And in order to take notes, you must attend class, right? Attending class is also a must. I don’t understand how people skip classes. Isn’t that what you’re here for? It’s certainly what you’re paying for. Anyway, I believe the only problem I have with the college classroom atmosphere is in comparison with high school. It’s so impersonal. You’re one of many in a class of up to maybe 300 students. When you sit in a class with 300 or so of your classmates, the feeling of being just another number at The University of Texas at Austin never feels so real. This is why making the campus “smaller” is very important. The size of this campus is overwhelming. It’s important that you meet people, establish a routine, attend your professor or teacher assistant’s office hours, and maybe even join an organization or two to make life at the university a bit more personal. The Far West Bus And here I have yet another interesting experience to share with you all. Before I begin this story, I’d like to suggest to you all that you do not let your curiosity get the better of you when it comes to riding buses. You’ll soon understand why. So it was a hot summer afternoon in Austin, Texas, when I was struck with curiosity about what exactly was the destination of the Far West bus. The curiosity was sparked by a lack of space on the Forty Acres bus, which I knew took me basically wherever I needed to go on campus. You see, a lot of people use the Forty Acres bus, so it’s usually packed full of people, and I really didn’t want to deal with that at the time. So, I began to wonder if the Far West bus could possibly take me back to San Jacinto Hall. To appease my curiosity, I boarded the Far West bus. It wasn’t nearly as packed as the Forty Acres, so for a brief period, I actually felt a sense of triumph. That was until I realized that the Far West was taking me farther and farther away from the campus. It was then that I began to think it wasn’t such a good idea to get on this bus after all. But when the bus drove onto the expressway, I knew full well that getting on this bus was a horrible decision. As I sank back into my seat and slid on my headphones listening to Dru Hill’s “Dru World Order,” I began to wonder if I’d even make it back to the campus. After 45 minutes, the bus came right back to the bus stop where I initially boarded it. I couldn’t have gotten off that bus any faster than I did. Thankfully, I made it back to the campus. Unfortunately, I lost an hour of my life due to my careless curiosity. Through this experience, I learned that it’s important, and I do mean important, to be informed. I can’t believe I shared that embarrassing story with a Web audience of a countless number of people…. Something you want to know? I’ll address it in my journal. E-mail me at JaHeeZy689@hotmail.com. I’ll try and respond to e-mails within five days of receiving them.