MY ACADEMIC JOURNEY

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Introduction.

College life can be a daunting affair if approached in a reckless manner, much in the same way life becomes difficult the moment you start being irresponsible. That period of four or so calendar years, during which you are expected to assimilate a large quantity of information and knowledge passes by quickly as I have come to realize over the course of my life in college. New challenges emerge almost every day, as the existent ones shift. However, being the resilient student, I have been able to overcome most of what has been thrown at me.

My academic journey.

Being a student has its fair share of hardships as any person who went through this stage in life will admit. There are many things to like and dislike while one goes through their academic journey, and my dislikes mainly revolve around public speaking. Every student has to master this skill as it prepares them for one of the most critical parts of human life-that of communication. Worth (2004) reports, “the ability to deliver an effective talk is one of the most valuable skills you can possess” (p. 46). I have always found it hard to do this since fear usually overcomes me leading to reactions such as trembling and stuttering.

College life for me presents an opportunity to cultivate responsibility, which should be done if one is to become a productive member of society. I like the way we are left to our devices when it comes to decisions relating to leisure, relationships and entertainment. These being important parts of a student’s life, the ability to effectively manage them in relation to academics cannot be over emphasized. During weekends when I find myself with a lot of free time, polishing up my writing skills has become a norm. Even while I partake in another of my favorite hobbies, which is hiking, I find myself having carried my notepad or I pad just in case I come across an event worth recording. I have recently realized that my dislike for the controlled set up we find ourselves in while in college is growing. That might be attributed to an ever growing workload coupled with the general dislike for conformity in young people. In addition, striking a balance between personal life and academics can be an arduous affair, but with the use of daily planners and a generous dose of compromise, I have done it.

Originally, writing was an intimidating activity for me as the fear of lack of talent as well as inability to efficiently communicate on paper posed as great problems. The ability to transfer thoughts and/or experiences from my mind to those of potential readers was nonexistent, according to me. I had a fear that most readers would fail to make sense of my words leading to my failure as a writer. However, Hamton & Resnick (2008) report that “most strong readers make these parenthetical inferences about words and sentences almost unconsciously” (p. 25). This ability to create relationships between words really excites me. It leaves me with the duty of providing material and starting off the process. Once I write something down, the reader has the ability to establish his/her rhythm-something which elates many writers.

Conclusion.

As an ardent reader, my bag never misses a book or two. I have a somewhat strong attraction towards inspirational books as well as true stories as these have a significant bearing to my life as an aspiring writer. Having the aspiration to grow in these respects means I have to keep learning everything there is about becoming an excellent writer, hopeful that I become one myself.

References.

Hampton, S., & Resnick, L. (2008). Reading Comprehension. Reading and Writing With Understanding: Comprehension in Fourth and Fifth Grades (p. 25). Pittsburg: Reading and Writing With Understanding: Comprehension in Fourth and Fifth Grades.

Worth, R. (2004). Speaking with Confidence. Communication Skills Career Skills Library Ferguson career skills library (p. 46). New York: Infobase Publishing.