Concordia Experience Research Paper

Ryan Poppitz Jan College Transitions 17 December 2012 Concordia Experience
This class has been an experience to which I am thankful for. I believe this class should continue to be a must for all incoming freshman here at Concordia. By taking this class I learned so many things about how to successfully adapt from high school classes to college courses. Every day in your class was a new day for me to learn about how to prepare and plan for success for not only the next four years, but also for the rest of my life. The great thing about transitions though, is that I was about to meet so many great new people in my life. With all the interacting done between people in the class, I was able to talk and have conversations with everybody
In class, we have learned about some interesting and beneficial strategies that can prepare us for any type of adversity we may face. Thought mapping and Column notes have been most helpful to me. I have used these types of methods repeatedly to prepare for the many quizzes and test I have taken during this first semester. Another thing I have done well in is using note cards. I have used note cards in the past, but until this year I had yet to realize how much help they actually provide. After seeing other students use this technique and benefit from it, I tried it and it has helped me tremendously. Something that is hard for any Student athlete is being able to manage time. Between football, baseball, academics, and friends, it is difficult to find a balance between being well-liked and also striving for excellence in the classroom. In order to do well in one, you have to sometimes give up another. Sometimes I have given up a part of my social time with friends to do well in the classroom. This upcoming week is our finals week. Just like any other college, there are parties still taking place, but it is our responsibility as student athletes to know when it is time to have fun, and when it is time to work. The responsible upper-classman have set great examples for me. Getting their studying and papers completed early
In order to be a student athlete in today’s world, balancing of your time is everything. Fortunately I have not had too many struggles with this aspect of my life. You have to have strategies that work for you in order to succeed. When it comes down to in, in order to be a winner and on top of your game, you just have to do it, no questions asked. Having ADHD is another hardship I have to overcome when it comes to schoolwork. Something that has worked for me is making a daily list of what I need to do every night. I reward myself with various things upon my completion of these tasks. That strategy has just worked along with many others.
There are many different resources here at CSP when it comes to advising, course planning, and exploring majors and careers. The advisors here are very useful. Each student here has a Peer Advisor who can give advice and help with anything classroom related. I have not used my Academic Advisor as much as I should have this first semester. I do know that if I have any questions about anything, or I’m going through a rough patch, they are there for me regardless of the topic. Even though I know what I want to major in, they advisors are here to answer any questions I may have along the