Montclair State University

So week two and we're still getting hammered with snow, with no signs of the end. :(
It actually hasn't effected my classes much this week. There was 1, maybe 2, delays until 10 and classes start at 11:30 for me so, that wasn't a problem. I did have 2 classes cancelled but what can ya do?
So this week just still getting adjusted to this new schedule. It's not too bad. Keeping up with my homework so far. I got a job on the weekends to keep myself busy since I have Friday-Mondays off and so, so good. It isn't keeping me so busy that I'm neglecting my studies so that's good. Other than that, this upcoming week should be very interesting...

Posted by Aiesha Lee at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So I'm back for the second half of my Freshman year and I am pretty excited. I feel like this is sort of a new start within a new start. I didn't really grab last semester by the horns, so hopefully I will do that this semester by pledging, getting a job, continuing my Ambassador position, and continuing the CA application process. Lots to look forward to this semester!
One thing I will say about this new semester is that just has I was really starting to get in the swing of things last semester (as far as my schedule and sleeping habits and everything) I take a break and come back to a completely different schedule. I like how I arranged my schedule, but it's just going to take some getting use to. But I'm glad I had a month break to transition into this change! Lol.

Posted by Aiesha Lee at 9:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, I'm just about done my first semester here at Montclair State as a freshman. I have two classes left to attend, one portfolio to hand in, one group project to present, one paper to hand in, and three finals to take, then it's home for the holidays!
This semester has definately been a learning experience, and of course the learning definately isn't over. I have had my ups and downs this semester already, and am hoping next semester is a little more stable, followed by an even more stable sophmore, junior, and senior year.
I think I picked a really good class schedule to start out my college career. Classes that weren't too hard, but still kept me on my feet. I suggest to anyone beginning college to schedule "doable" classes your first semester. The transition from high schol to college is hard enough, you don't want to overload yourself with classes.
I've also learned that college isn't all about school work. College is a collective learning process. We're not only learning from books and professors, but we're constantly learning from our peers and from ourselves. We grow every day and face different challenges every day and mommy and daddy aren't here. So, that's what I've realized college is, an overall learning process.
So when you start college, don't expect anything, because it will surprise you, but don't accept just anything either...if that makes any sense.
Happy Holidays!

Posted by Aiesha Lee at 5:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, we have come to the end of the 2nd to last week of classes. Time flew! Just one more week of classes, and then final week, and then home sweet home. Pretty exciting stuff. So things are getting slightly more stressful. A lot of things have been due this past week, and more stuff next week. The anticipation of my college finals is building up. I haven't thought about it as much as I thought I would, mainly because my mind has just been on everything else due, but it's definately a thought.

What's good though, is that in 2 of my classes instead of finals we have to hand in a portfolio, which is just a bunch of assignments. So, at least I won't have that anticipation of a written exam for 2 of my classes. And then for my one class we're doing a group project for our final grade, so that's less stress too. So, I just have to worry about 3 of my classes, which I'm only really worrying about 1 because I have a handle on the other two.

Other than that, school is going good. Had another Gospel Choir rehearsal this week, we sound good, I think. We're supposed to be opening up a Kwanza concert for the OSAU I believe it is...? That should be interesting. I also had to give a tour in the rain this week. :-( But it really wasn't too bad because the people I gave the tour to were nice and talked so, it's all good.

I think that's it though. Next week will be my final blog. I look forward to reflecting on my first semester in college, at MSU! :-)

Posted by Aiesha Lee at 8:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Let me be honest, I have been slacking off this week, not good at all. I guess I feel less pressure because next week is Thanksgiving, so there isn't a full week of classes. It's just been a very laid back week, for better or worse. Nothing exciting happened, at all. I think I've just been counting down the days till this weekend, which is when I get to go home, which is very exciting. I enjoy Montclair, but home is where my heart is.
But, my slacking this week means I'll be making up for it next week. After I get back from Thanksgiving break there will be about 2 weeks left of classes, which I'm use to the end of a semester (or marking period as it was called in high school) being jammed packed with work that teachers didn't get to, that they HAVE to cover. I'm not sure if it'll be like that here, but we'll see. I'm nervous for finals and everything, but I guess that's a bridge I'll have to cross when I get there.
Other than that, have an awesome Gooble day! I know I will! :-)

Posted by Aiesha Lee at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This week I’ve mainly been focused on my research paper I have to do for my College Writing 105 class, which is a requirement. Writing is weird for me because it takes me a lot of time to find the words, and when I do, they don’t stop coming out, which is good I guess. Anyway, my research paper is on adolescent love: the negatives outweighing the positives. It’s a topic I’m very interested in, which is definitely motivation to get it done, but I’m not used to doing so much mental leg work. I think that goes for college in general, writing especially for me. I’m not sure how anyone else’s high school was, but I didn’t have to do THAT much work to get A’s and B’s. Here, and in college in general, you can’t just get by, you HAVE to put in the work or your grade will show if you aren’t. It’s a wake-up call. For me the first few major assignments of my college career didn’t turn out too well, because I was still stuck in that high school mentality, but once I realized that wouldn’t work anymore, and started putting in more work, my grades started to show it. I now have A papers hanging on my desk, just to constantly remind myself that I am capable of that.
In other news, though, I went to Gospel Choir for the first time this semester. Gospel Choir is a student run choir and I’m pretty sure it’s brand new this year so it’s really small. Hopefully they keep it going so I can continue to be in it throughout my years here. It was fun though. I sang in high school, and since I’m not a music major or anything here I don’t get to sing much. I love to sing, and I was DIEING to sing, and I finally got to do that in Gospel Choir Thursday night, so I was happy about that. It was really chill and kind of experimental. It was just a few of us together trying to figure out how to sing this song and make it sound good, and we did accomplish some things and I’m sure it’ll be good by time we have to perform it. I’m excited about that!

Posted by Aiesha Lee at 6:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I had to give a speech in Speech class this week. I didn’t do too well. It wasn’t because I was terrified or anything, it’s just because I wasn’t prepared. Another thing in college you’ll definitely come to figure out, if you aren’t prepared for a speech, it’ll definitely be noticeable. You can only “wing it” so much. Other than that, this week I gave my first tour by myself. It was cool. It was a group of seniors, no adults, so they didn’t ask many questions, which I suggest you should ALWAYS do when you’re going on tour at a school, or anything of that nature. Tour guides LOVE questions, at least I do. It helps avoid the sometimes awkward random questions we have to ask to get the group involved. So, in your college search, don’t be shy and ask too many questions, it’s better to know too much than not enough.

Posted by Aiesha Lee at 6:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It’s so cute! A lot of people on my floor have decorated their doors for Halloween! Unfortunately me and my roommates don’t have the time or creativity for that, so our door just continues to be plain. Besides that, it’s the end of October already, that’s ridiculous. I have no clue where this month went. I guess I’ve been so focused on school work, I haven’t been paying attention to the days. Overall this month has been good. School work has of course picked up because we are in the middle of the semester so professors are realizing they’re a week behind in class, which apparently pretty much always happens. Professors plan a schedule with the hope of staying with it, but sometimes, actually a lot of times, discussions in class may get really interesting and we end up not getting to everything we were supposed to do that day. That’s one of the things I like about college, and especially this college, because the class sizes are such a good size and professors are so personable that class discussions can get extremely interesting and even fun. It almost becomes like a big group of friends just talking, and we happen to have a professor that has joined in on the conversation. I love it. But, so far school is going good, can’t wait to see what next month brings!

Posted by Aiesha Lee at 6:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

October is flying by. We’re already coming up on the last week of October, crazy stuff. So, this week was a pretty decent week. I participated in a photo shoot this week, pretty awesome stuff. The perks of being an admissions ambassador! So, if you see my picture on your acceptance packet, don’t be surprised! I had my first midterm this week, well my first “official” midterm. It was for my Speech class, and it was pretty easy. I keep realizing that tests and quizzes are extremely easy when you pay attention in class and study! I’ve heard other people talking about midterms though; I think I’m lucking out this semester with my classes. I won’t say my classes are easy, but they definitely make my academic transition into college a little easier. The down side of this week, I missed one of my classes which is a big no-no. I feel horrible about it, but I just had one of those mornings where I could not wake up to save my life. I can’t wait to get back to that class on Monday though and catch up. I already feel behind. Hopefully I didn’t miss too much though. I definitely won’t make a habit of missing class though, it’s not so fun. Anyway, I think that’s it. I’m looking forward to this last week of October. Everyone’s getting in the Halloween spirit!

Posted by Aiesha Lee at 6:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My week started off a little behind. I went home this past weekend because I was sick and did not feel well enough to come back to school on Monday. That meant I was missing two classes and The Players Club meeting, which I've yet to attend. -___- Anyway, I was kind of freaking out about missing my Humanities class on Monday because we were having our first big test. But luckily I was able to get a doctors note and made up my test on Thursday! I was really stressing about this test because it was the first big one of my college career so I did a fair amount of studying. When I finally took the test I was super confident. I knew everything on the test. Its amazing how far showing up to class, paying attention in class, participating in class, and studying can go! I only wish that I would have had more time to write more, because it was a completely open ended test - no multiple choice. Then to top my week off my last class of the week, my writing class, was cancelled! I like that class, but it was a huge relief to cancel it because I had an essay due that I still needed to tweak a little more to make it finally ready to turn in, and now I have the rest of the weekend to make it perfect, or as close as I possibly can! Other than that, classes went fairly well this week. It was a slow but fast week. It was slow while it was happening, but Friday is already here. That's kind of how school is going in general. Sometimes I find myself thinking 'Its only October!' And other times I find myself thinking 'Wow, its October already!' But, so far so decent. We'll see where things go from here.

Posted by Aiesha Lee at 6:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)