Academic Plan

My plans for while I am at Butler are to stay here two years and then to transfer to a four year school. At this point in time, I am not for sure which four year school I would like to attend. If I would stay in Kansas, I would go to WSU. If I were to move to Colorado, I would go to CSU. What I am majoring in is Social Work, and that major has a lot of career options. I could stay at a two year, four year, get my Master's or Doctric. What I plan to do is once I go to my four year school and get my four year degree, in order to become a licensed therapist, one has to get there Master's. I will then continue two more years to get my Master's, probably staying at the four year school.

Learning Profile

Something that I knew I already had as a strength was motivation to do my homework. I know that in order to get what I want done in life, I have to do the work to get there. So I do not consider myself a slacker at all; I always get my work done no mater what is takes. I don’t know if it is something that comes easily to me or not; at times I have to push myself. I just consider it something inside of me that maybe some people do not have. So I think being able to have that motivation helps me with my study skills. I do whatever it takes to get my work done, so if that means, keeping the TV off to help concentrate, then I do it. What I would tell any person that is wanting to get through college is to identify their strengths by recognizing what helps them best with studying. If music helps you study, then use music. But if you are having a hard time finding what helps you study, I found a great website that plenty of students gave a lot of helpful hits of ways to study.Study Tips from Students
Through this course, I did find I had some weaknesses. I thought that I was a good reader, but I guess I still have some work to do. I noticed a lot of other people in the class could read better than me, meaning that they could read faster, and probably at a higher reading level than me. Through high school, I only liked to read books that I enjoyed, so I probably did not expand my horizons enough. So a lot of my problem now if I am not reading something that I do not like, I will not pay attention to it, or try to absorb what I am reading at all. The thing is though I am having to read things now regardless if I like them or not and it is taking me at least three times to read it to absorb it into my brain because I have to learn it. But I am trying to pace myself the best that I can, and concentrate on my reading. I have to tell myself, I want to learn this, and this is for my education. I found a site that was helpful for reading in college. Providence College - Reading Comprehension Tips and Speed Reading Strategies
I have learned a lot through out this course. Not only have I learned a lot about myself and my abilities as a learner, I have learned about other people too. Things that I know now, that I didn’t know before, are new ways to study, look up information on the Internet, and make it more efficient while doing it, and finding better ways to read. I would say what was the most helpful was the reading skills part of the course because it opened my eyes to a problem that I thought I didn’t have. I know now I need to improve my reading skills because it will help me make my way through college. This subject matter stuck out the most to me because it was the biggest challenge for me through the whole course.
I liked all the activities that we had in class because that was the part where I got to know more about other people. This one of my only classes where I have learned about other people, and I find it interesting because I want to go into Social Work. At the beginning of the course I liked it when we all played that game where we had to choose either one thing or the other. It made me see how diverse our school is. Then about it the middle of the course one day we had a group discussion about personal experiences with alcohol. I found it interesting listening to people’s stories, and hearing what all people had been through just at this young of an age. Then near the end of the course, we watched a video on Sam Spady’s alcohol overdose. That story touched me because it is so heart breaking what happened to her and her family. It is so tragic that things like that have to go on. She had so many things going for her, and peer pressure is what partly ended her life. I actually lived in Colorado around the time when this tragic event happened, and I heard her parents speak at the church I attended. I was very sad, but they are out there telling the story to maybe help prevent it happening to other people, like it happened to them. Since social work is what I want to do, I find these stories interesting, and maybe one day I can help prevent them myself.
On how well the course went, I think it went very well. I do not think anything needs to be dropped because everything in the class has been helpful. To me, I think what needs to be kept no matter what is the reading skills portion. Even though it was something that was not that enjoyable, it was something that was very helpful. I think it could be something that a lot of college students will find they will need because they may realize that maybe their high school reading skills may not be good enough for college. I think all the methods were fine, I think it is really just up to the student whether they want to be apart of class or not. I thought the activities were all good, that’s why I think maybe adding in a few more activities would be good for the class because learning about others and their experiences makes it a better learning experience for the class. I think everything was evaluated fine, all in all I think the course was set up very organized and good for the class.
To all students that take this course in the future, the first tip of advice I would give you is take this class seriously just like all your other classes because you have to do work. Once you have the motivation to take this course, I would say you are good to go. You will meet a lot of people in your class by getting to know them. You will do cool activities with your classmates, so I encourage you to get involved, because the more you open up, the more they will. As far as individually work goes, she will have a syllabus for you to follow. I will say this now, DO NOT GET BEHIND. As long as you get stuff done on the due date, it should not be that bad, but if you skip a blog or two, it is going to feel like a ton of work. I would also pay attention to the activities that are individual in class. For example we had this reading skills day where we got on lap tops. I found it very helpful. In the class there is also going to be some presentations that are interesting that you might be able to relate to. All in all it can be a very helpful class if you want it to be. By the end of the course you may realize you had skills you did not have before.
Now that I have taken this course, I am going to take what I have learned from this class into everyday living. I know that I needed this class to help me get through college because without my new reading skills that I now know I need to work on, I would have struggled really bad all the way through college. I will need reading skills to help me study for tests, to read books for literature class, and for any other kind of additional information reading could provide me. Once I am done with college, I will need to have reading skills. When I go into Social Work, there will be plenty of times I will need to read for information in my job. I will then have the skills to do so. Even someday when I have children, I can help them develop the right kind of reading skills they need to have to become successful. I believe you can only become successful with good reading skills.

Community Service

The life decisions we make currently in our individual lives ultimately will effect, be it better or for worse, the futures of our lives. For instance one who neglects to learn how to read will be handicapped by their inability to read for the rest of their life until they learn to read. Lack of curbing problems while they are still in their growth stage can be tremendously more difficult to curb when the problems have reached their maturity. For these reasons teens are at a unique time in their lives to be able to change, if they are in the right situation with enough leverage for a significant amount of time As their drug/alcohol use will ultimately still be in the growth stage. One of the best reasons to get a help for teens while they are still teenagers, beyond being a very formidable time in a childs life, is the consequences of inaction upon future generations. Statistics have shown that instances of teen drug addiction run in long chains from parents to children. This is why now is the time to either break the chain of teen drug addiction or stop it from forming. No amount of hard work, money, sacrifice is worth more than breaking a chain of substance abuse or preventing one from forming.
I have found a variety of places that teenagers can go for help anytime. There are the help groups called N/A (Narcotics Anoymous) or A/A (Alcoholic Anonymous). There is also a hotline you can call at anytime 1800 222 1222. To get information about teen addictions, you can visit the website http://www.focusas.com/SubstanceAbuse.html

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is very important to me. I think it is important because not only are you being honest with your instructors, you are being honest with yourself. Being honest with your instructors is important because that is their job to help you succeed in your future, and it would be a waste of their time to know that you were not trying to pass the right way. But really, it would mainly be a waste of your time to be cheating, because it only hurts you in the long run. You are not learning anything, so why are you wasting your time going to school? To get to where you want to go after high school, you have to learn everything on your own.
Maybe some reasons students choose the route of cheating is to maybe get by in one class they think they won’t need in the future. Or maybe deciding plagiarism (being the practice of claiming, or implying, original authorship of (or incorporating material from) someone else's written or creative work, in whole or in part, into one's own without adequate acknowledgement) is the best way to get through their English paper. (More about plagiarism at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism) So what could it hurt? A lot. If a student at Butler gets caught cheating, depending on the situation, you can be put on probation, be suspended, or completely expelled. You can see the Butler rules and guidelines at the following link. http://butlercatalog.butlercc.edu/2006-07_catalog/catalog%20pdfs/pg175-187%20Enr&AcadInfo.pdf.
Some suggestions that I have for not cheating is finding ways not to get so stressed with your homework, and thinking you do have to cheat to pass. At Butler ,tutoring could be an option for you, and if you want support, you can visit http://www.butlercc.edu/learning_res_div/index.cfm to find out about their services.

Coping with Change

I would say the biggest change for me the past year has been moving out of my parents’ house, and moving in with my fiancé Patrick right after I had graduated. I had actually moved in with him and his parents first. Then we looked for a place together. It was a little difficult at first. Patrick is mainly the money maker, but I was working too. We were able to make enough money to move out by mid summer. I had also needed a car because I had been using my parents. But luckily I had enough in savings and graduation money to get me a car.

Change can be hard, depending on the situation. It can be a positive thing, or negative. Sometimes change is necessary to get the things that you want. Patrick and I had to work hard to get what we wanted to move out together.

College hasn’t been that scary for me. It is only different from high school where you have more freedom to slack off. I liked high school in the fact that I knew I HAD to do it, so that is what pushed me. College is a choice; no one is forcing me to be here. But I tell myself, in order to get what I want, I have to be here. When it comes to initiating change, I think it is up to me to make it happen. I think receiving help from others is a good thing, but ultimately, we are the only ones that can make the change if we truly want it.

Time Management

Managing time is an important part of my life. So when I don't do so well managing my time, life can get very stressful. I sometimes get overwhelmed by all the things that I have planned to do, thinking that I had it all organized. Then when I try to do everything that I had planned, I eventually realize, I just don't have the time. Nothing ever good comes out of this. I usually run late for things, so that doesn't reflect good upon myself on who I am showing up for. I also tend to run myself down and sometimes can take it out on others. So it affects everyone and everything in my day. So then I feel like I have failed myself and others.

But when I do get everything done that I wanted done, it is the greatest feeling in the world. A simple day of when I went to school on time, came home and did my homework and chores, and got everything done that I needed done was an accomplishment in itself. I pleased my teachers, parents, and also myself. Simple steps that someone can take to managing their day planning ahead. Think of what you will be doing that day so you will be prepared. A simple example is picking out what you want to wear in the morning the night before, so you won't have to do it in the morning.

Even though now that my schedule has changed, my methods have not. I think about the day ahead, and prepare. Yes, there is always progress to be made, and I think that has to do with ones priorities. My priorities have changed since high school, and I am trying my best to prepare myself for my future career.

Butler Resourses

Dear Brook,

I know how it feels to struggle with grades, even as hard as you try. Then having the pressure of the parents, and what can be very important- financial assistance. I am also sorry to here about the legal trouble that has come your way. But in life, there are always solutions to problems. I have thought of a few things that might be beneficial to you in your situation.

With your grades, I know that for help you can go to the Learning Resources and Services Division. The Learning Resources and Services Division encompasses many service areas which provide support to the students, faculty, and the college through its diverse departments. I also know of another program. Academic Achievement Programs and Services has a mission to help meet the diverse needs of Butler’s students. These include a variety of college credit courses, developmental courses, and other programs and services that assist students in accomplishing their academic, career, and life goals.

If by chance you do loose your financial aid, there are always people at the college to help you figure out what may be the best options for you. You may what to go visit an advisor, and go see the Financial Aid Center.

Now dealing with the pressure from your parents is another thing. I always found it useful to go and talk to the school counselor, Linda Clark. Maybe she can give you some advice about having to talk with your parents.

So good luck with everything, and remember; you can find all of your resources right here on the campus.