Reflective Essay On Freshman Development

Before I began my Freshman Development Seminar course with Professor Furet, I believed that this class would not be of good use to me. The reason for this was because of my beliefs in self-teaching myself to learn the basics with additional help from other sources. However, it did not turn out the way I wanted it to be. Therefore, I had to pay to get taught what I could have done on my own, at least that is what I convinced myself then and there. Throughout my class sessions with Ms. Furet, I learned more than I could have ever imagined. I was truly grateful for taking part in her FDS class. If I had to pick a chapter that benefitted me the most, I would choose Chapter 6. It was entitled, “Gaining Self-Awareness.” Chapter 6 taught me how to recognize when I am off course, identify my self-defeating patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior, as well as how to improve them. In spite of all my efforts to succeed …show more content…
I was able to become the successful student I wanted to be. At the beginning of this class, I assumed that it would have been easier to self-teach myself this information; however, by taking part in this class, I gained more knowledge than I expected. I recognized that I was off course when my grades began to drop and I participated less. Once I recognized that I was doing poorly in classes, I identified my self-defeating patterns. Some of these bad habits included getting high and drunk with my friends, playing games, going out to parties, procrastinating, and sleeping less. I discovered my weaknesses so it was time to build my strengths. I improved my study habits by going to class on time, getting 6-8 hours of sleeping, studying in a quiet environment, refocusing when anxious, and using the CORE learning system. This resulted in higher grades and better attendance. Chapter 6 taught me to learn from my failures and succeed in all