Service-Learning site visits

After visiting my service-learning site last week, I have a lot of thoughts. First, I am questioning my ability to really mentor someone over 6 years younger than me. At the same time, I'm excited that I have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the life of someone in such a pivotal stage in their lives. I remember my days in middle school. There is no way I could've gotten through it without the help of my older siblings and mentors. While at Hand Middle School, there was a least four of five students that came up to the person showing us around asking her when the mentoring program would be starting. I am really excited to know that these kids actually want to participate and meet with us, rather than being forced to. One worry that I have is that I won't be able to connect with my mentee. I want to positively influence them, and I know that I must earn their trust and respect first before doing that. In mentoring, I hope to gain some knowledge. Being the youngest in my family, I haven't really known what it's like to have someone look up to me. I want them to know that having fun is great but starting early on the right track for school will make life so much easier for them. I am excited to be participating in a community service project that will truly influence other lives.

Patrick Hickey Presentation

My experience as a Capstone Scholar has been so positive. I didn't really understand the concept of a "living and learning community" in a residence hall. Now, I realize it means that we don't only live in Capstone, we learn in Capstone. Every residence mentor I have encountered has been full of advice and ideas for club participation and Capstone events. I think that this dorm is so different from all of the others. I am not embarassed to ask for homework help, knock on doors about the organization I'm starting, or even say hey to someone in the hallways. One thing that really surprised me was all of the opportunities presented to us every single day as a Capstone Scholar. Community service, movies, and hot cookie Fridays are just the beginning of a long list of things to do through this program. 
After being here for a whole month (I can't even believe how fast it goes by), I think my expectations were a little off on what to expect. I thought that homework would be a very small part in the equation of college. I was seriously wrong in this thought. I have studied more in this month than my whole senior year combined. My brain has really hurt lately, you know? It really has paid off, with good exam grades and positive comments on my papers. Still, I sometimes forget why I'm even here. That's right, to get an education. I don't think I expected to meet as many genuine people as I already have. There are so many awesome people here looking for great friends and great times just like I am. For now, my experiences have far surpassed any expectations of the monumental freshman year in college.

Time Management, Goal Setting, Personal Challenge

I set a lot of goals for my student engagement plan. First, I want to continue getting signatures for my Model U.N. club and turn in the organization packet by next week. Also, I really want to start working out more. My goals really encompass just being more proactive and involved in the campus and school. I think working out more is going to be an easy goal to achieve because I have people all around me that go work out all the time. I think starting Model U.N. is going to be a lot tougher because I have so many factors to address. For example, time, place, funding, and all of the other things that go into planning an organization. My personal challenge is to become fully involved in two organizations besides Capstone and my sorority. Therefore, Model U.N. will be one. I haven't really decided what else I want to be involved in. I'm thinking about getting on the committee for Dance Marathon. It seems like a really great cause and a great way to give back. I've already began to accomplish this goal by attending the student organization fair. Also, I put myself on the e-mail list for the other clubs I'm interested in. Next, I will attend the meetings of a few and decide exactly which one I want to devote my time to. I can't wait to start accomplishing my goals and getting involved on campus.

Academic Success

This week we took the LASSI. When I got my results, I was pretty comfortable with them. I definitely agree that my self study skills are lacking. It's really hard for me to find new and interesting ways to study. Also, I'm not the best at seeking out all of the resources available to me to reach success. I didn't really agree with the time management part of my results. It said that I didn't need much work on it. However, I think since I've gotten to college, my time management skills have definitely been lacking. I try to balance everything, between school, siblings, my sorority, and friends. Sometimes I make the decision to hang out with friends or my roommate instead of studying. I think that hit me when I got an 84 on my first math test. Although it is a B, I really think I could've done much better than that. One strength that I definitely use everyday is my attitude. I try to have a positive outlook for every task that I take on. This really makes the worst assignments a whole lot easier when I'm positive. I plan on using my resources much more to experience success. For example, I would like to take my papers to the writing center to have them looked over by someone who really knows what they're doing. Or, just simply going to the library to get motivated by everyone around me studying.

Service-Learning Training

Service has always been a huge part in my every day life. In high school, it was imperative for me to participate in service activities as much as I could. I was the president of NHS and the public relations officer for Key Club. As such, I cordinated many events with the March of Dimes, Myrtle Beach Marathon, and American Heart Association. Although I loved doing it, serving my community was much more beneficial and enjoyable. Through fellowship of Christian athletes (FCA), we feed the homeless every other Sunday and provided them with a Christmas and Thanksgiving meal. Also, the main service project that I feel most connected to would be Salkehatchie Summer Service. This Methodist-based mission trip is the best thing by far that has happened in my life. I honestly wouldn't have half of my friendships or faith that I have today with this event once a year. I've never had service connected directly to a course. Therefore, I'm very excited because I think service is a great porthole to so many opportunities. It also makes it a lot easier to become involved when your teacher can provide very reliable resources to get you connected. If I could provide service anywhere, it would definitely be right in my own backyard, South Carolina. I think people don't realize the poverty that lies right here in our state. Through Salkehatchie, I have seen so much despair and helplessness turn into such great things in just a week. The reason would just be to change people's lives. The vicious circle that people can sometimes face in rural South Carolina will never be broken if we don't do something about it. I just want to make people's lives better in any way that I can and give them a chance to succeed in the same way that we have been provided with the recipe for success all of our lives.

Labor Day Plans

For Labor Day, all I did was work, work, and more work. I feel like Labor Day always ends up being the resting period after a fun-filled weekend. This weekend I went to the first Clemson game. Traitor, I know, especially according to my family. But, a lot of my friends went there, and I missed them so much! The dynamic at Clemson is so much different than at USC. The student section is nothing like USC. Although it was so refreshing to see my friends, this weekend was just reassuring that I'm right where I'm meant to be. So, as I leave this blog, just know my Labor Day was filled with homework and facebook. What a good combo.

Student Organization Fair

As I walked up to the fair, I was definitely overwhelmed. I think I knew how much there was to get involved in at USC, but all of the clubs packed into Greene Street was something completely different. I'm pretty sure I was asked to join every club imaginable on the planet, from Young Life to an outdoors club simply there to fufill an adventure pang you might catch in your stomach. Two organizations that I am very interested in joining is the Young Life here at USC. We never had Young Life in Myrtle Beach. However, my youth group attended many Young Life trips, and they were amazing! I also signed up to join First college ministry. I would like to think volunteering is a huge part in my life, and their flyer was geared towards Hope for Haiti which really intrigued me. Suprisingly, I am actually in the process of starting at Model United Nations club at USC. This makes me really nervous but at the same time excited. It's such a big responsbility to take on, but I know that with the right help I can do it. I really can't wait to get involved here at USC.