JWCC...My college for my life.

Transferring

jwccstudentblog — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:10:23 +0000

For most John Wood students, transferring is a common topic. The process starts by sitting down with your advisor and mapping out what classes you need to take to get on the right track. It is also important to have in mind where you think you may want to transfer to make sure the classes you take and credits you earn will all transfer.

I am majoring in exercise science and plan to transfer to Western Illinois University. When I first sat down with my advisor, Mrs. McLaughlin, she told me what classes I needed to take to get me started toward the career that I desire. My first semester, I took a HPR (Health, Physical Education and Recreation) class as well as a general biology class. This semester, I am enrolled in an anatomy and physiology I class. When signing up for classes it was made aware to me that I would also have to take the anatomy and physiology II class during the summer before I could enroll into the WIU classes and pick up where I am leaving off from John Wood. Last month I went and toured the campus at Western. I was pleasantly surprised! I am most excited about the rec center and the kinesiology building that was expanded last year. My transcripts were sent from my high school and from the first semester at John Wood and now all that is left is for me to go to WIU and sign up for my classes for next fall!

Just Another Day

jwccstudentblog — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:32:26 +0000

Monday January 30th…Just Another Day.

8:30am — I woke up, washed my face and got dressed.
9:00am — I grabbed a bite to eat for breakfast then headed to my first class- Religions of the World with Mr. Palmer.
9:30-10:45am — I took notes (and doodled a bit) during class.
11:00am — My second class of the day started- English 102 with Mrs. Vlahakis.
11:00am-12:15pm — I took a vocabulary quiz, and took notes on how to prepare my research paper.
12:15-12:30pm — I took a restroom break and ate a banana.
12:30pm — My final class began. This is my speech class with Mrs. Rittof.
12:30-1:45pm — The class started by greeting each other. Then we watched part of the State of the Union address and discussed President Obama’s speech and performance.
2:00pm — I arrived home and made a quick lunch before getting ready for work.
3:00-8:00pm — I worked in customer service at the Broadway Hy-Vee.
8:00-10:00pm — I worked on homework and prepared myself for Tuesday’s classes.
10:00pm — I jumped in the shower and got ready for bed.
10:30(ish)pm – I talked to my boyfriend on the phone before going to bed.

Find Your Voice

jwccstudentblog — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:41 +0000

When I was first contacted about writing this blog, I was very flattered. It seemed like a neat idea and I was thrilled to be a part of it! Although I did not have much to do with the actual process of setting up this page, it was really exciting for me when I first saw my blogs being posted! I can also see that there are many people following my blogs and I’d like to say Thank You! I want to invite anyone who is interested to post comments, question, etc. Also, please feel free to post ideas of topics for me to write about! I think this would be a fun and interesting challenge for myself and a good way for others to get involved. So please take it upon yourselves to post directly on this page or e.mail me at easchemann@jwcc.edu. I look forward to hearing from you!

Get Into the Swing of It

jwccstudentblog — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:58:37 +0000

After a nice long winter break it’s time to get back to the structured schedule, classes, and homework. This semester’s classes are going to be a lot more time consuming. Last semester I was just getting my feet wet and although I did take my classes seriously, there were still plenty of times when I slacked and procrastinated. This semester, however, I cannot allow myself to do that! On the flip side, I am very excited about some of my new classes. This makes it a lot easier to stay motivated. One class that sparks my interest is my anatomy and physiology class. My major is exercise science so this only makes sense! Although this may seem very odd to most people, one of the things that excites me the most about this class is getting the opportunity to dissect a cat in the lab portion of the course. Seeing how things work and how everything is connected fascinates me. Another new class that I am taking this semester is the world religions course. My instructor is Mr. Palmer. This is a good thing because my world religions class is the first class that I take on Monday and Wednesday mornings and Mr. Palmer has a very animated way of teaching that really wakes me up! This semester I am also taking a speech class. This is one class I was really dreading and if I had a choice, I would not take it at all. Today I gave my first speech and although it was only one minute long, I feel a lot more at ease! I am looking forward to the future challenges this semester- I know they will all pay off.

Crunch Time

jwccstudentblog — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:24:51 +0000

The last week of the semester was a crazy one! Studying, turning in books, and making sure all of your assignments are accounted for. It is so nice when all of these things are done and you can finally breath! It is crazy that the first semester is already done and it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The final grades for the semster have all been posted in everyone’s solar account and I urge everyone to check it out. I hope everyone enjoyed their break as much as I did. Stay tuned for new stories about the new semester and the new year!

New friends and fun

jwccstudentblog — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:27:29 +0000

Going into John Wood Community College, I was aware that there would be about twenty students from my graduating class who would also be attending JWCC. This made me feel more comfortable in a way because I knew I wouldn’t be completely alone. However, I was excited to break away from the high school crowd and meet new people. I have met new people from each of my classes. Some people may think that community college is just high school relived, but there are so many people that I never would have met if not for my classes at John Wood. Because I was able to branch out, I now have new friends and acquaintances…and I met my boyfriend. John Wood also hosts many activities for the students such as bingo and karaoke that take place during the day at John Wood or other activities like movie nights. All you have to do is bring your student ID to the movie theatre and you can get in! Its a good deal and a great way to meet new people!

Communication is Key

jwccstudentblog — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:34:04 +0000

For the past week I’ve been feeling pretty lousy. I went to the doctor and got some medicine. However, I missed a few classes. In high school, if I was ever sick, the teachers would help keep track of the work that I missed and it was never a big deal. In college, you have to take things into your own hands. I made sure to email my instructors before my missed classes to let them know that I wouldn’t be there. Luckily, I was able to turn in my work and get the credit even though I couldn’t make it into class. I am learning fast that I have to look out for myself at all times because nobody is going to hold my hand and baby me anymore.

“Please exit the building…”

jwccstudentblog — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 08:25:55 +0000

Last Tuesday I was sitting in my college algebra class going over a test review when loud sirens went off. At first I thought it was just another drill because I knew the fire alarm test was supposed to be the previous week but got cancelled. A loud voice came out of speakers saying that this was a fire alarm and we should all evacuate the building. As I was walking outside I noticed that it wasn’t just a test. Luckily, there wasn’t a fire and someone just pulled the alarm. Next time I should take that stuff more seriously in case there is a fire!

Thursday-The New Friday

jwccstudentblog — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:34:43 +0000

I have been a John Wood student for seven weeks now and I am still trying to get used to having EVERY Friday off school. This is a good thing to have to get used to! All through grade school, middle school, and high school I have had school five days a week. I didn’t realize that John Wood didn’t have regular classes on Fridays. This was a really fun surprise for me! However, some students do have classes on Fridays. Certain science classes and labs are still offered on Fridays and the library and computer centers are still open in case students need access to them. If you get in touch with an advisor soon, you can plan out your own schedule to fit your lifestyle nicely. For instance, some students only have school for two days a week. Depending on a work schedule, you can also have morning classes or night classes. I personally like my schedule because Monday through Thursday my classes start at 9:30 am and Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday I am done with my classes at 1:45 pm. On Wednesdays I have a lab that lasts till 3:50 pm but most days I am able to finish early. And I have every Friday off!

Blazing Your Trail

jwccstudentblog — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:41:44 +0000

There is a new recommended class at John Wood this year for all new comers to JWCC. It is the FYE (First year Experience) class called Blazing Your Trail. I wasn’t overly stoked when I found out that I had to go to this class. I thought it was going to be pointless and a waste of 50 minutes. However, this course only lasts 8 weeks and it can be helpful. During the first week I learned how to log-on and use my BlazerNet portal account. In the second week everyone got split up into groups. Throughout the course we were told that we would have to make a slideshow presentation with our groups. I didn’t really know anybody in my assigned group, even though I had many of my friends from high school in the class with me. This forced people to get to know different people and work with each other. Next week is the eighth and final week of blazing my trail and it has flown by.