a flamingo in a flock of pigeons?

All throughout my high school years I was considered one of the "strange ones". You know the type: the girl that nobody really wants to hang out with because she's so different than everybody else. In this case, "different" at Pee Dee Academy meant you didn't hunt, never owned camo, and randomly burst out in song. Because I was looked at in this way, I was terribly nervous about starting college. What if I can't make any friends? How hard will the classes be? These are just two of the many questions that ran through my mind on the long drive up to Spartanburg. However, as soon as I stepped on campus I immediately felt at home. Everyone I met was so welcoming and helpful. I realized that there really wasn't anything to be afraid of. This shows that, in reality, every other freshman is just as nervous as I was. I soon found out that there are actually other people in the world who enjoy the same things I do, and that definitely made me even more comfortable in my new home. Another thing to remember about the wonderful world of college is that it's perfectly fine to ask for help if you need it. Understanding the basics behind all subjects is the key to success and good grades. It's especially helpful if you have friends in your classes who understand what is going on because I find it a lot less intimidating asking them for help. Yet another thing to be learned about college is that you will get tired of the food in Gee. They have good food, yes; however, after a while, you'll notice that it gets repetitive very quickly. If you find this to be true, there are many tasty off-campus restaurants that offer tasty food for cheap. This last tidbit of information could be the most helpful of all: time management. Time management is a very, very, very helpful thing, trust me. During the first few weeks of school I didn't have a set schedule for anything and found myself extremely stressed because I had so much to do. However, after making a schedule and forcing myself to follow it, I found that it was a lot easier to get everything done. Because I had all of my schoolwork done I had time to spend with friends. This brings us full circle-don't be afraid to be yourself at college! I guarantee there's someone just like you. So, let's review what we've learned, shall we? Number one: don't be afraid of what others will think about you; they feel the same way about you! Number two: food in Gee is good, but good food can also easily be found off-campus for less cash. Number three, and most importantly: time management. You will have time for everything. You just have to make good decisions on what you spend your time doing!

So Much To Do, So Little Time!

     Let's face it-distractions are everywhere. They come in many different forms; text messages, phone calls, Facebook, social events, the list goes on. With all of these wonderful options of entertainment, we find ourselves slowly drifting away from what we really should be doing. My biggest problem with time management begins with getting distracted by all of the fun activities and programs that Converse has to offer. There's theatre, dance, music, and hanging out with friends; not to mention all of the things to do outside of school, like exploring downtown Spartanburg, taking trips to Greenville, going to concerts, and just finding excuses to get off of campus. All of these things are great, up to a point. However, by declaring a music major, a lot of time has to be committed to practice, studying, and, of course, attending class. At times, I get frustrated with homework or practicing and think, "Oh, I'll just finish it later" and my work never gets done. That leaves me feeling unprepared and nervous about classes or performances. Procrastination and frustration are two major things that affect my time management skills. Over the years, I have come to realize that procrastination has another form. This is commonly known as Facebook. Yes, I, like most everybody else in the whole entire world, can very easily get distracted by being able to reconnect with old friends with the click of a button. It seems that every time I get on my laptop, I somehow end up on Facebook. Alas, this is a bad habit that should be broken. All in all, time management is the key to being successful in college. However, if you're as easily distracted as I am, it takes commitment and dedication to get your work done before going out and having fun. With that said, I'll go and finish my Theory homework! :)