Northern Arizona University Top Questions

College (noun)- an institution of learning at the highest level (dictionary.com). This is the true definition of college; a place where you learn in order to succeed in a future career. However, for me, college has been so much more than an institution of learning. In only one semester at Northern Arizona University, I have experienced more than I imagined possible. I started the year off with classes that will be a positive attribute to the rest of my college experience. I had teachers that offered valuable input and lessons that will be meaningful in shaping the rest of my time here. Not only have I been in classes that were enjoyable and important, I have become a part of Greek life. I participated in sorority recruitment and pledged to be in Pi Beta Phi. Joining a sorority has helped to make college an incredible experience. I have met girls I can forever be friends with and these “sisters” will always be there to support me, whether it be in life or school. Making these positive decisions have helped me to begin a new chapter in my life and I know these college experiences will guide me forever.

Throughout my first year as a college student, I have realized that I am dedicated to my work, whatever that work may be. I might not always like what I have to do, but I know that I have to get it done. I've also gotten a sense of who I truely am and what really matters to me. I have realized that I am a very family oriented person who likes to solve problems and be in a city environment where there is always something to do. My personal relationships and my professional relationship (as in school) have really stood out to me this year. I have close friends who I love spending time with and I enjoy meeting people who have the same interests as me. I find it easier to work with people who I get along with, and college has exposed me to many types of people. Being a college student has opened up the real world where I understand that it is up to me to either fail or succeed.

I am a mother of four and I work fulltime at the local hospital. I am sometimes overwhelmed by all my responsibilities. I have found that if I apply myself, I can accomplish anything! Northern Arizona University feels like a big extended family to me. My classmates and my professors are an incredible resource of support and encouragement! I have learned to appreciate my beautiful surroundings, manage my time, expand my horizons, question my preconceived ideas, believe in myself, and create lasting relationships. Out of all these incredible life experiences, the most important thing that college has instilled in me is a love of learning. The value of these experiences are priceless! I can not begin to fathom how far reaching their effects will be for me. I am more confident in my personal and professional life. My future can be whatever I want it to be! I hope that my desire for constant growth and learning will be infectious to all those around me.

There are a few things that I most value about my undergrad experience. First, education is a bit like traveling; it makes you realize that the world is exponentially wider than your own personal experience and perspective. I think this is a crucial realization to have to become right -sized and to understand that there will always be alternate view points to your own. Second, education helps you find your place in this world and helps you to see how you can contribute to it. My undergad work helped me to understand and embrace the idea that I could do good work for my fellows. Finally, I met professors who really cared about their fields (education, history, humanities, and others) and wanted to share their passion with the next generation of scholars. Ultimately, my undergraduate experience motivated me to grow up and jump into a life focused, at least in part, on helping others.

I have learned a lot about Zoology which is nice. But the best thing is that I have been allowed to find myself and what I want to do and who I want to be. It took awhile, but it was all worth it. And without NAU I wouldnt be the person that I am today.

I met some of my closest friends in Flagstaff, and I met my husband while working on campus. I was given many opportunities to learn more about myself and other cultures. I learned to be an adult while I was in college. I had to learn how to drive in the pouring rain and in snow storms, I learned to manage my money, and I was successfully transitioned from living on campus to an apartment in town without negatively impacting my GPA. NAU was a place I liked to be, and I still visit. It is a very comforting place, I think because it is smaller and feels safe. The campus is so beautiful and the locals are very friendly- my husband and I have talked many times about making a permanent move to Flagstaff. I definitely believe that I became my best self while I was in college.

When I first started high school, college seemed like something I could only dream about. For me, it didn't seem obtainable. That is, until I received my first acceptance to the school I am currently attending- Northern Arizona University. Having lived in Los Angeles, California my whole life, I didn’t expect to leave such a familiar environment and transfer to one in Flagstaff, Arizona. But when I arrived there I was in awe of its beauty and the people. From the very first week I had encountered some really great people and made friends fast. My RA is super friendly and is easy to talk to along with my roommates. Each class I had offered something new and different. The courses there challenge me intellectually and the people range from many ethnicities and personal background to likes and interests. The college experience is greatly valued by me because I know it will open up many opportunities in my future, ones I don't want to pass me by. This experience has helped me see that college is something I can do.; it doesn't just have to be a dream, it can be a reality.

Out of my college experience I feel that I have matured and have become more responsible. I have learned to socialise with other people from different places and ethnicity. I feel that its very valuable to me because its something that I can take with me in my future career. It prepairs us to be a more professional person over all.

I’ve attend McHenry County Community College now for the last year and a half and I’ve done really well. I’ve taken basic general education classes to help me transfer to a four-year college. I’ve improved my study skills and my learning skills immensely. I think going to a community college before attending a four-year university was a great idea and has actually benefitted me.

It has reawakened a desire to learn and to share what I have already learned with others. As someone who is working to become a teacher I am also able to evaluate my professors as to what makes a good teacher. What types of things do they do that make it easier to grasp the multitude of new material presented every class. This experience is also helping me work on keeping my life prioritized. This has been a time of interspection and making sure that what I am spending my time on has long term value.