The journey in college education is not easy, but it is worth it as I have gained useful knowledge and skills, and I have undergone significant changes both academically and personally. My first week in college was a little hectic because I was not used to the pressure that comes with balancing between education and work. As soon as the orientation was over, and we were introduced to various courses, I was overwhelmed by how much work I needed to do with the many reading materials assigned to us. I was excited and nervous, but I had made a few friends by the end of the first week, hence, the experience was gratifying. When compared with my early days in college, I now have the essential study skills and I can effectively utilize the various required readings and textbooks. The difference between my present self and that of the first week in college is the ability I have gained in managing time. I also have good friends with whom we do meaningful group work to ensure we attain good grades.
There are many positives, and I am pleased with my current accomplishments in college. My G.P.A. is excellent because of my outstanding study habits and proper time management strategies. The study group of four members has been helpful since the second term of the first year in college, and we have made significant progress together. I also have a personal schedule to ensure I follow strictly to ensure I manage my time well. According to Rabia et al., effective time management strategies are the key to academic success in college (894). Therefore, I had to structure my time well and balance my social and academic life. I progress towards the S.M.A.R.T. goals I set for myself at the beginning of college, including maintaining a high G.P.A. The emotional intelligence qualities that I maximize include motivation, self-awareness, and self-regulation. Through these, I can manage my emotions and predict the way they affect other people. Therefore, I am on course to the goals I set myself earlier, and a study group and a personal time management schedules are helpful in my quest to accomplish those objectives.
The college experience has strengthened my critical thinking and information literacy. For example, I critically evaluate information in the module materials and online content using Rabia et al.’s approach of reading for understanding examining arguments, clarifying thinking, and cultivating habits of mind (896). For the scholarly course resources, I used the C.R.A.A.P. rule to evaluate the relevance of their information. With this approach, I would easily identify if the source is reliable for my research. I ignored the sources that failed to pass this test because they were not credible; thus, critical thinking and information literacy are beneficial for college students.
One of my career success attributes is communication and networking. I plan to undertake a networking course to help me further my experience in my field of interest. A related campus resource that is helpful to my blueprint is the student placement services. This center can enable me to gain employability skills that real-life work requires. However, with the widespread use of technology, my career path, educator, is slowly becoming obsolete. People have learned better ways of finding information from the internet, which means that teachers will find it challenging to avoid being replaced by computers.
Finally, the two topics from chapter 11 that will stick with me are intercultural communication and the need for a robust support system. With globalization, it is inevitable to work with diverse groups, and cross-cultural communication skills will be essential. Besides, with an increased risk of stressful and traumatic events, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic, one needs a strong social support framework as a coping strategy to manage the unavoidable adverse effects of the coronavirus disease and other challenges. I will apply practical intercultural communication skills learned from this course to prevent cross-cultural conflict; thus, I have been equipped with the skills to fit in a diverse world.
References
Rabia, Mahwish, et al. “A Study on Study Habits and Academic Performance of Students.” International Journal of Asian Social Science, vol. 7, no. 10, 2017, pp. 891-897.