Last week I had the pleasure of stopping by Professor Nichol’s office and getting to speak with here one on one. Before  coming to college, I thought that this wasn’t a possibility as I thought that the professors would either be too busy with other work, or just have way to many students to make time to meet. However, Nonetheless, I was pleased with this entire experience. From the start she broke the stereotype of college professors not caring about performance. I could tell instantly that she cared about the way that I preformed and that she wanted to help me improve.

Throughout our discussion we realized a large amount of things that I could work on; the first being organization. In high school, I did not really have to study to succeed, I could just go to class, pay attention, and learn that way. However, since being in college, I found that this method does not work. Professor Nichols taught me that If I plan out my day, I will find myself on top of my work, and far more ahead than I was before. Because of this, I know set all of my activities in my calendar app on my phone including studying, relation time, and homework. This method has been working wonders for me ever since. Another thing that she taught me is that I should not only read the textbook, but also I should be going online and taking the quizzes and reading the chapter recaps. This way, I can be more prepared for exams and go over things I might have missed throughout reading.

Another thing that we talked about was the importance of managing time in the long run. This can help lead to less nights when I am up until the early hours of the morning grinding assignments. She suggested that I get a whiteboard or some sort of physical planner that I can look ahead and see the things that are coming up within the next few weeks or months. I really liked this idea because even if something isn’t due the next day, you can plan out to do a little bit each day and get it done. With this method you are not only reducing stress, but also creating a better end result as there is more thought and time going into your work.

I think with a mixture of all these things, I will be ready for the fall and even ahead of most of the incoming freshman. I can’t wait to get a new schedule for the fall and see how I adapt to it. Lastly, I will never forget the feeling of being noticed and the strategies that Professor Nichols has given to me.