It is hard to believe that my first semester at Iowa State University only consists of one last week of classes, followed by finals week. It seems like just yesterday I refused to sign up for Destination Iowa State, and met my roommate for the first time. A lot has changed for me since moving to Ames, and it has been nothing short of a huge adjustment for me, but all in all, I can sort-of say that I have grown from my experiences in the past sixteen weeks.
There are many classic examples that High School seniors hear from others about the differences in college, but it never really hits a person until they go through it. I had been on five campus visits, stayed two weekends with my sister in her dorm on campus, and explored Ames numerous times before this fall, and as ready as I thought I was for the change, it still hit me. I learned the hard way, as much of us did, that my study habits were crap: on a good day. Crazy enough, with only finals left to be added to my grades in almost all of my classes, I can say I have learned from my stubbornness, and I'm satisfied with my grades.
I have also been able to expand my horizons, and make new friends. As fun of an experience college is, it would be one boring day after day if you did nothing but studied and went to class. By socializing and trying new things, my new friends and I have made it a transition to the "free life," and yet I still have been able to keep up my grades which is an accomplishment considering how easy it can be to fall behind. All in all, I look forward to even more opportunities moving forward through college, because of my experience in the past few months. I have seen the vast opportunities presented in college, and one semester is nowhere near enough to find your belonging at Iowa State University.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Hixson Award
It is hard to explain what the Hixson award really means to me. There is the obvious appreciation financially, the approximate $15,000 in funds for college will help enormously toward my goal of graduation debt free form college. Then, there's another well seen fact of it being the largest independently funded scholarship at Iowa State that makes one proud of being apart of the Christina Hixson Opportunity Awards, but if you ask me, as a recipient myself, the Hixson award goes deeper than that.
In my short time at Iowa State University, and with the Hixson program, I have a couple of reasons to believe that what Christina Hixson is doing at Iowa State, as well as at other colleges, is no ordinary donation. After meeting with Christina herself, I can see for myself her expectations for all of us in the Hixson program. With less than 1.3% of Iowa State students being Hixson Scholars, we represent a small, but powerful group of people.
Because the Hixson Award is seldom among college students, I'm very thankful for the opportunity , but I sill feel something more from this scholarship. I won numerous other scholarships upon graduating high school, but it seems that none have pushed me as much as this one. I feel obligated to succeed as a Hixson scholar, and not only when I take a miss-step do I feel I let myself down, but I also feel that I let down my peer's, and maybe even Christina Hixson. This scholarship is a tremendous opportunity and step in the right direction toward the direction I wish to proceed my career, as well as my life. I don't only wish to be thankful, but I want to be a good representative of my peers in the Hixson program, to prove what a tremendous thing it is to be apart of.
In my short time at Iowa State University, and with the Hixson program, I have a couple of reasons to believe that what Christina Hixson is doing at Iowa State, as well as at other colleges, is no ordinary donation. After meeting with Christina herself, I can see for myself her expectations for all of us in the Hixson program. With less than 1.3% of Iowa State students being Hixson Scholars, we represent a small, but powerful group of people.
Because the Hixson Award is seldom among college students, I'm very thankful for the opportunity , but I sill feel something more from this scholarship. I won numerous other scholarships upon graduating high school, but it seems that none have pushed me as much as this one. I feel obligated to succeed as a Hixson scholar, and not only when I take a miss-step do I feel I let myself down, but I also feel that I let down my peer's, and maybe even Christina Hixson. This scholarship is a tremendous opportunity and step in the right direction toward the direction I wish to proceed my career, as well as my life. I don't only wish to be thankful, but I want to be a good representative of my peers in the Hixson program, to prove what a tremendous thing it is to be apart of.
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