Blog #1

Q1:
I chose to go to college for a variety of reasons. The main reason is because I knew I needed to go to college to achieve my dream of becoming a nurse. I think in our society it is expected for people to go to college, get a degree, and then have a career. I also think that people my age tend to look at college as a chore. However, starting this new chapter in my life excited me and I was very eager to go to college. Even if I didn't have my parents to support me(which I do), I still think I would attend college. Speaking of my parents, they have been my main "cheerleaders" throughout my whole schooling. Even though we had some disagreements during the college process, everything fell into place. My dad graduated from CSUSM and my older brother is also attending this school; so they have both been a great resource for me when I have questions. Furthermore in these first two weeks of school I have enjoyed myself and all that CSUSM has to offer. Growing up in San Marcos, I was worried that going to college close to home would be too similar to high school. Thankfully I was very wrong. I am very excited to continue this journey and see what else college has to offer.

Q2:
 I think my two most important characteristics that will help me be successful are my motivation and my ability to be hard working. I realized around junior or senior year that I had an interest in becoming a nurse. From there I became motivated to find out if a job in nursing would fit me. I worked hard in my health class to learn basic knowledge about the health care field. Also I got an internship with Palomar Health which has helped me tremendously. Not only has the internship given me some experience on a hospital floor, it has assured me that nursing is what I want to do. My motivation to get as much experience as I can also pushed me into volunteering at an senior living home during my senior year. Even though I didn't always work with the medical side of people, I was able to help them with other needs. I know it is important to carry my motivation and hard working nature with me wherever I go in life.

Q3:
My biggest concern for my first semester is being able to time manage. I have school 5 days a week, I play on two soccer teams, I have my internship, and hopefully I will find time for family and friends.
School is definitely my priority, so I know I have to complete my homework before I can have social time. I think it is important for me to develop a schedule and stay extremely organized with a calendar.  I have class from the morning to the early afternoon. After that, I see if anything is going on at campus. When I go home I do my housework and than try to get my homework done before I have to go to practice. On the weekends I have soccer games and finish any homework. Also theres one day a week where I serve a shift at the hospital. This may sound very chaotic, but I do have a schedule in place that I typically stick with. As my work load increases things may become more challenging and my system might have to change. Another concern for myself is not finding my place in the college experience. I don't want to be the student that just attends class and then goes home. I truly want to become involved and I have been exploring different organizations to see where I might fit in. I hope I can soon find a "home" away from home at this university.


Thanks for reading!(: