Brigham Young University-Hawaii Top Questions

I have to admit, I was a little nervous as to what to expect starting college. It didn't take long for things to fall into place. I have learned that English is not my best subject, Architecture is alot more involved than I ever realized, but I have really learned a lot about people in my Psychology class. The biggest thing I feel I have learned so far in my new college adventure, is to be more responsible for myself. I know as a college student, there are no notes sent home to Mom & Dad, there are no report cards. Everything falls into my lap, I am totally responsible for all my actions. The teachers are there to teach and if I choose to unplug, well, that's all my problem. In other words, I think college is the first big step in a teenager's life to becoming a responsible adult. Don't get me wrong, I've learned things as far as my classes, but I'm only in my 3 semester, so I've got a long way to go as far as the educational process, but the life lesson has surely began to register.

Starting college a year after I graduated high school helped me realized all the oportunities I missed. College builds a network of connections to become aware of the options to prepare for life and school. It builds relationships with teachers in order to have a better understanding of what choices to make for an education. College forces to make friends who share the same aspirations as in order to have a support system to help each other. Now that I am attending college, I feel more inspired by all the choices I can take advantage of and become aware of the world. College inspires me to look forward in studying abroad in other countries while making a difference in my community and in my family. I plan to explore different lifestyles and customs all around the world because I want my perspective of life to grow. I want to discover how I can make a difference and inspire others by following their high expectations by attending college. I also want to show how college can improve not just how one evaluate ideas and come to educated conclusions, but also have a better life regardless of where one begins.

At the Houston Community College dual credit courses offered at Houston ISD High Schools I am able to take classes which are more challenging than those that the school or states own circulum requires and most colleges in and out of the state will accept my credits in classes such as English, Government, and Economics for college credit to knock out some of my common ciriculum classes. Since I am taking these classes while in High School I do not have to pay for Houston Community College fees which are covered by the school/school district and we are only required to purchase our text books for that class unless you are on free or reduced lunch in which case the school will cover the fees for your text book.

I have been attending school at Cosumnes River College since the spring of 2007. During this time I have been taking all of my major courses which include a variety of construction classes. I am one semester away from earning an A.S. in Construction Management and an A.S. in Construction. During my first semester, in which I completed the construction pre-apprenticeship class, I had to do volunteer work as part of the course requirements. All of my volunteer work was for the Habitat For Humanity and included a variety of jobs for me to do. The volunteer work was performed on homes for needing family's in and around Sacramento. College has really turned my life around and in fact I will be only the second person to graduate from college in my entire family. This experience has been great for me and after I complete both degrees I plan on going into the electrical field of construction. So far I have earned plenty of certificates for construction in which I can use on my resume. Once these degrees are on my resume I should have no problem in entering into an electrical company.

Being in college provided me with resources that helped me to understand what fields I could be good in and allowed me to develop skills that would help me progress in that particular field. I've also been able to develop and strengthen relationships between peers and professors that have made me a better person and contributor of my community. College allows a person to grow more in life and profession.

While trudging through my grueling high-school years, I repeatedly heard the statement, "I can't wait to get out of here and go to college!" For many, this statement reflects the desire for freedom, for change, for being on one's own. I looked forward to advancing my education, learning knew things, and focusing on the carreer that lay ahead of me. Eventually, graduation came with its tears of sadness and joy. Summer passed in a blur of carefree days and sleepless nights. And, finally, the first day as College Freshmen began. While I always anticipated the freedome to choose exactly what I wanted to learn and the freedom to make my own choices, I never once anticipated my freedom to grow. Looking back at my life before college makes me realize just how far I have come through various trials and tribulations that had once seemed insurmountable. I see the girl I left behind and the woman I have and will become. I see a newfound strength within me that I never anticipated to find. I see how the freedom of higher education has molded me into the person I am today.

My most valuable experience of being a college student is the ability to catch many opportunities that are waiting for me. It is my first time being away from home and family, and I have learned to socialize and deal with many problems on my own. I love college life and am grateful for the opportunity to attend this wonderful campus. Thank you!

The most important thing I have learned from my college experience is that hard work pays off. In high school, the teachers really let me slide by and never really required much from their students. When I got to college I thought it would be the same way. I was wrong! My first attempt at college ended very quickly when I failed out and had to withdrawl. I took a semester off and really decided what I wanted to do with my life. I realized that it is hard to find work without a college degree and that was when I decided to go back to school. From there I enrolled at a community college and took things much more seriously. I am always on top of my work and getting extra help before classes and currently have a 3.6 GPA. If you want to succeed, you need a degree and getting a degree is hard work but in the end, it will definitely pay off.

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My college experience has taught me the power of family, friends, dedication, hard work, and integrity (just to name a few). I am living on my own for the first time in my life, keeping a job to pay for my school and supporting myself. I have received a crash course in life without family and the pain of being alone. I know that although I have always loved to travel, life is not worth living if there are not loving people to spend it with. I have learned about the dedication needed to finish through and get good grades. I have learned that hard work pays off, and no one can change the effect it can have if you incorporate it into your life. I have learned a lot about honesty and integrity. Integrity is who you are when you have a final and the student next to you has their answers in plain view. It is about what you do with a misplaced answer key and how you respond to an interview question you do not know the answer to. As Abigal Adams once stated, "It is not in the calm of life that great [people] are made."