Jessica
Swanson
Holly
Pappas
English
101
March 6,
2012
Memoir
Assignment
My first semester of college was a whole new world to me coming
from the high school. In high school I
felt like the teachers did not know how to teach me when I struggled in certain
areas. They would just do the work for
me. How do I learn from that if they do
the work for me? Also I was the shyest
girl in the classroom because I was always afraid of people making fun of me if
I answered a question wrong. Also one
time in high school a student took my seat in the crowded lunch room and I
asked him to move and he wouldn’t move.
After I got the dean involved and he wouldn’t listen to the dean
either. Then the police removed the kid
because he wouldn’t listen. As the
student was leaving with the police everyone in the cafeteria started clapping. This was the worst memory of High
School. Furthermore, this caused me to
be afraid to talk in class because most students were not mature enough to
handle situations. However, in college
the people and the environment was a lot different from high school. I feel
like teachers know how to help me when I struggle in certain areas. I also feel like the students in college are
a lot more mature so it makes me feel comfortable to talk in class.
In college I had more
supportive teachers than I did in high school.
Even though I had difficulties in certain areas I was able to get
through them with the teachers I had my first semester of college. English 090 was one class I had trouble with
that semester. In English 090 I wrote
very well written papers reflecting my life. “Did I get all A’s and B’s on
them? No I didn’t because I had trouble with grammar.” The first paper I got back was a C. It had notes written all over it saying
sentence structure, fragment, run-on, and pronoun agreement. I ripped up the paper and gave up on
writing. I thought to myself, “I can’t
do this and I will never be a good writer.”
I was upset that I didn’t get the help I needed in high school when I
had these problems. Throughout high
school I always had sentence structure, fragments, and run-on problems. All the teachers did were fix the problems
for me and didn’t explain to me how to correct them. Fortunately in college I had a supportive
teacher who inspired me and helped every individual. She taught us about sentence structure,
run-ons, fragments and lots of other grammar skills. When I wrote one
assignment during class, she would have conferences with each student
individually and go over the editing notes she wrote on our papers. What encouraged me to write was when she
would laugh when she read my papers and tell me that she can picture it in her
head what was happening. She would
always encourage me to go to her office whenever I needed help. Therefore I
ended up learning a lot and that I can become a better writer with practice.
Furthermore, now that you know about my experience in my English
class, my first semester of college I also learned how to manage school and my
home life. Trying to figure out how to
manage my home life and school life gave me the biggest headache at first and
it took some time to figure out how to do both without having stress in my
life. During the first week of college
I was sitting in my first class and my English teacher came in the room. She came up to me and said, “You’re playing
games on your phone! Shouldn’t you be studying while you’re waiting?” After that I built a whole new schedule for
me. Then it was the second week of classes
and I sat at my desk and noticed I have fifteen minutes before class. Therefore I got out a piece of paper and dragged
my pencil across the paper and then the teacher came in and looks at me with a
smile and says, “I am so proud of you, being a productive student.” When class is over I headed to the gym and I
had sweat going down my face with my eyes going from left to right on a boring
textbook. After I learned how to use my
time wisely I didn’t have to stay up till eleven at night doing my homework.
Also I was able to have a life with friends and family.
Another skill I gained in college was confidence and
independence. Having confidence in
myself was the hardest thing for me believe it or not. Throughout my whole years of school I would
always be the girl that would sit at my desk with my lips sealed and not one
peep out of me while everyone else participated in the discussion. I was always afraid of kids laughing at me
and making fun of me if I asked a question or said a wrong answer. And then at the end of class I would walk out
without understanding anything. I had a
splitting headache when I tried to do my homework because it was like I was
learning a new language and I would always go to my mom with water coming out
of my eyes and my hair sticking up. I would always tell her, “I don’t
understand this ridiculous homework and I am going to get an F if I don’t do
it!” So she told me, “I will email your
teachers and explain what is going on for you.” In college it was a respectful environment
full of grown up and mature adults. When
it came to class discussions I would not keep my mouth shut. In my reading class I would answer ten out of
the 13 questions my teacher asked.
Everyone else would sit there with their mouths shut. I even asked questions when I didn’t
understand something and was always going to my professor’s office hours for
extra help.
Even though college was a big transition for me coming from the
high school and I had throbbing headaches, I got through it all and learned a
lot about me. I can do anything I put my
mind to and I can get through anything and shouldn’t let obstacles get in my
way. Also even though I was frustrated
that I didn’t get the support I needed in high school it’s a whole new
education for me and I can start off brand new and look at how far I gone in
college with all the struggles I had.
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