New friends and fun

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

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…”

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

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

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.

The first day

August 15, 2011
Walking into John Wood for my first day of classes, I was a little nervous because it was a new and different school. Coming from Notre Dame High School, John Wood was significantly larger. However, I knew which way I was headed for my classes. A few days before my classes started, a friend and I went around the campus to find our classrooms. This was very helpful because I had never attended a school with more than one floor before. Once I figured out how to find each class, it was very simple though! For instance, if I have a class in room C158, I stay on the main floor, go to building “C”, and continue down the hall until I reach the room labeled C158. If you ever get turned around though, there are always people to help you find your way.

Going into john Wood I was pretty excited about my classes that first day. I started my day with biology in building A. Mrs. Dewitt seemed like she was going to be a very lively teacher! She was welcoming and laughed a lot. This made me relax a bit. Next on my schedule was Psychology. I was especially excited because I had never taken a class like this before and it seemed interesting. Mrs. Reinhardt was very pleasant. Right away, I felt like she would be a relatable person. Finally, my last class to attend for my first day was English.  I had always done well in my high school English classes so I wasn’t worried about this one.  My instructor for English is named Mrs. Vlahakis. I’m not entirely sure how to pronounce her name so I stick with calling her Mrs. V. She was also nice but I could tell that i was going to have to put more effort into her English class than I did in my previous English classes.  After my first day as a John Wood Community College student I felt confident that it would be a good year.

More than meets the eye

I believe there are certain stigmas about going to a community college. Kids may think that they are wasting the first year or two of the “college life”.  They think they are missing out on the parties and rushing for frats and sororities. They may even see it as missing out on the opportunity to get out of their house sooner and become more independent.  However, there are many upsides to attending a community college! For starters, it is an economically smart choice. I can stay at home, eat home cooked meals, and continue to work and make money while getting my education.  Community college can be thought of as a good transitional step between high school and a university.  For me, the choice to attend John Wood Community College seemed pretty clear!