I am basically unprepared for college. After eight years away from school and an education where I never once was required to write a paper I am pretty sure I should have started this education adventure with a little less zeal and a few less classes.
In one class, I dropped the ball.
Without that class, I have a 4.0 gpa.
With that class, maybe a 3.7 gpa.
Two problems:
I thought I had turned in an assignment to the online dropbox when, apparently, I never did.
I procrastinated on the Final. Like BAD. And it was an intense final.
I partially blame that on my fear of writing my first research paper. I also blame it on chronic illness, a migraine that lasted three days and sent me to Urgent Care and on single parenting two preschoolers and one kindergartner during the week.
Unfortunately for my sanity, I am a perfectionist. For anyone else I would cheer on a 2.5 gpa and think that was wonderful! For myself, only a 4.0 will do. And, honestly, only a 4.0 that is 100%.
So what have I learned this first semester?
1. Give yourself a break. Be kind to yourself. This is hard.
2. Start final projects well ahead of the due date.
3. Spend more time reading good research papers to understand what is required.
4. Double check your dropbox submissions!
5. Double check your dropbox submissions!
Last, and most important:
Do not lose sight of the love for library work that drove you to this in the beginning.
EDIT: by some miracle i pulled off a 4.0 anyway. and this semester is much more relaxed, and still maintaining a 4.0. maybe balance and success are not exclusive.
In one class, I dropped the ball.
Without that class, I have a 4.0 gpa.
With that class, maybe a 3.7 gpa.
Two problems:
I thought I had turned in an assignment to the online dropbox when, apparently, I never did.
I procrastinated on the Final. Like BAD. And it was an intense final.
I partially blame that on my fear of writing my first research paper. I also blame it on chronic illness, a migraine that lasted three days and sent me to Urgent Care and on single parenting two preschoolers and one kindergartner during the week.
Unfortunately for my sanity, I am a perfectionist. For anyone else I would cheer on a 2.5 gpa and think that was wonderful! For myself, only a 4.0 will do. And, honestly, only a 4.0 that is 100%.
So what have I learned this first semester?
1. Give yourself a break. Be kind to yourself. This is hard.
2. Start final projects well ahead of the due date.
3. Spend more time reading good research papers to understand what is required.
4. Double check your dropbox submissions!
5. Double check your dropbox submissions!
Last, and most important:
Do not lose sight of the love for library work that drove you to this in the beginning.
EDIT: by some miracle i pulled off a 4.0 anyway. and this semester is much more relaxed, and still maintaining a 4.0. maybe balance and success are not exclusive.
