Congratulations on your acceptance to Middle Georgia State College! Is it not an amazing feeling finally to be finished with the admissions process? My name is Josiah Chin-A-Young, and I am writing this as a freshman in my first semester English Composition I class. I have not been at MGSC for very long, but I have been busy. Life has been crazy, especially during the first few weeks of school. Everything was so new and unfamiliar. I would like to explain several things I have found that might be a help toward finding the way in college. Let us look at the Academic Resource Center, note-taking skills, Club Rush and intramural sports, and the Counseling Center.
The Academic Resource Center is a fantastic service available to students at Middle Georgia State College. Amy Carter, our Student Life Program Coordinator, recommended the ARC as “the best place to start” and commented, “Those people know what they are talking about.” Group study rooms, provided by the ARC, are a great way for homeschooled students to adjust to the collaborative college community. “The rooms all have whiteboards and some have computer terminals for group work. The rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis for study groups of two or more” (MSC “ARC Services”). The ARC also provides students with peer tutors who can work with them one-on-one in a wide variety of subject areas including, but not limited to, Math, English, History, Economics, Communication, and Public Service (MSC “ARC Staff”).
Another fantastic way to improve in the sphere of academia is to develop note-taking skills. Those of us who have been homeschooled may struggle to keep pace with the barrage of information often presented in the unfamiliar lecture format. Taking notes during lectures “increases [students’] attention and concentration in class” and heightens the probability that students will “remember the most important aspects of that information when tested later” (Cuseo, Fecas, and Thompson 106). Lectures are a critical part of the college-level learning process (Dartmouth College) and taking notes can enhance your ability to retain the essentials.
Few people are naturally talented note-takers; most of us have to concentrate on developing skills, such as observing, analyzing, and organizing, in order to take notes effectively. Observation is the key to learning, and it is the key to successfully “reading” your professor’s gestures and tones as you try to pick out the important details they present. In addition, do your best to jot down as many relationships between ideas as possible; the relationships are easier to remember than the facts. Lastly, because it is generally impossible to recall every detail of a lecture, it is often quite helpful to utilize a sort of overview or outline with which you can categorically store information as you receive it. (Cuseo, Fecas, and Thompson 110-111)
Thirdly, Middle Georgia State College also has much to offer beyond bookwork. Imagine nearly all the MGSC student organizations gathering to explain their identity and purpose as well as the steps for getting involved with them. MGSC offers an event exactly like this, Club Rush (MSC Office of Student Life). Amy Carter recommends “checking out something that you’ve never experienced before, like a new experience.” Club Rush is a recurring event early every semester, and it is a fantastic time for students to learn about new ways to connect with Middle Georgia State College. If you would like to pursue further information, then you can contact Ms. Carter at (478) 757-2625 and at amy.carter@maconstate.edu, or you can visit her office in the Student Life Center, room 118.
Given the vast array of organizations and options presented at Club Rush, perhaps it would be helpful to speak a little more specifically about one group in particular, intramural sports. Intramural sports can be very beneficial in many ways and especially in the area of social connections. Students who have at least one interest in common now have a reason to gather and laugh, work, play, and develop relationships, all at the same time. Practicing for intramural sports also keeps students on the campus longer and allows the team members more opportunities to meet and interact with peers.
Getting involved in one of the intramurals at Middle Georgia State is easy. The first step is simply deciding which one, or maybe two, to pursue. Have you ever wanted to smack a ping-pong ball, snag a Frisbee, or score a touchdown? Now is the time to go for it! Once you find something up your alley, head over to the Health and Wellness Center to speak with Harley Miller, the Intramural/Club Sports Coordinator. If you do not have time to make it by his office in the Health and Wellness Center, then you could also give him a call or shoot him an email, Mr. Miller’s number is (478) 471-5786 and his email is harley.miller@maconstate.edu. Harley Miller is very friendly, knowledgeable, and easy to work with; he can walk you through the simple sign-up process and have you on the field in no time.
Lastly, Middle Georgia State College offers students access to a whole slew of services, one of which is the Counseling Center. Amy Carter mentioned that many people falsely assume that counseling is limited to “breaking down crying on a couch with a tissue.” However, the Counseling Center is so much more than a harbor for emotional shipwrecks. The Counseling Center helps assist “students to develop personal awareness and coping skills to manage life challenges that are interfering with their ability to be successful” (MSC Counseling Center). Amy Carter said homeschooled students, in general, come to college well prepared with the skills necessary to adapt and succeed; however, they often initially struggle to “adjust to a formal education setting” (Bolle-Brummond 241). Two areas that the Counseling Center specifically targets are testing strategies (Carter) and testing anxiety management techniques (MSC “Let’s Talk”). Given their often-informal prior test taking procedures, students from a homeschooled background may find these services especially helpful.
Beginning the first year of college as a student from a homeschooled background can be a very challenging, but extremely rewarding, experience. At Middle Georgia State College, there are many resources and opportunities available for motivated students. The ARC is a great place to start out with because they can facilitate group studying and connect you with other resources on campus. In addition, essential note-taking skills can go a long way in helping to digest the information presented in lectures. Thirdly, Club Rush and intramural sports are a great way to explore what is out there and to connect socially. Finally, the Counseling Center is a fantastic resource for students who need assistance with any adjustments to academia. Though there are many challenges associated with beginning college life, I believe Middle Georgia State College provides more than enough resources for a smooth transition.
Sincerely,
Josiah C...
Works Cited
Carter, Amy. Personal Interview. 05 Oct. 2012.
Cuseo, Joseph B., Viki Sox Fecas, and Aaron Thompson. Thriving in College & Beyond. 2nd ed. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt, 2007. Print.
Dartmouth College. “Classes: Notetaking, Listening, Participation.” Dartmouth College. N.p. 09 May 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2012.
Macon State College. “ARC Services.” Macon State College. N.p. n.d. Web. 10 Oct 2012.
Macon State College. “ARC Staff.” Macon State College. N.p. n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012.
Macon State College. “Let’s Talk.” Macon State College. N.p. n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012.
Macon State College Counseling Center. Counseling Services. Macon: Macon State College, 2012. Print.
Macon State College Office of Student Life. Get Involved. Macon: Macon State College, 2012. Print.
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