At my age completing college can be challenging and even overwhelming at times. When you are a teenager who is freshly coming into college you are likely to have one main responsibility, college. As an adult student, I have to manage more than just college. I must manage all my responsibilities including college, work, my personal life, and my health. Paying for school without any additional financial help makes those responsibilities even more challenging than it is. Up against the odds, I know that I am diligent and strong enough to not let my responsibilities keep me from my goal.
I completed three semesters at a community college with one semester off before being admitted into Belmont, so I am mostly still mentally prepared to be in school. I know I will have to make more adjustments this spring semester after having a semester off. Balance and sacrifice are the two biggest words in mentally preparing myself. I am going to work hard at maintaining balance in my life so that I remain mentally healthy but able to succeed in school. I will be able to do this through good time management and communicating with my boss when I am overwhelmed. Additionally, I need to maintain some healthy habits such as continuing to work out and meal prep for my overall health and my financial health to reduce stress and the effects of stress. Not only do I want to succeed, but I would also like to exceed the best I know I can be and in order to do that I must sacrifice as well.
Sacrifice has such a negative connotation, but it is important to give up some luxuries to reach your goal. I am going to reduce my social needs to a healthy minimum. I won’t hang out as much and prioritize my time so that my assignments are completed first. I may be able to balance some of my social needs by being more active on campus and engaging with other students. Also, I am going to reduce the amount I travel and even splurge on purchases to make sure I can afford college comfortably. I believe the Belmont staff is very supportive and the school provides many resources to help me balance my work and personal life with school.
Belmont’s mission statement stood out to me and mentions some very important factors that many students may take for granted. The mission statement says that Belmont is diverse and student-centered. Both of which I can personally attest to being true. I have felt more at home than I have at any of the three colleges I have attended. I am not just a number on campus, I have a name and people even remember my name, I feel human. While on campus I have seen a diverse array of students and I am looking forward to seeing and meeting more. Lastly, Belmont wants to send students into the world to make a change and impact the world. The key characteristics Belmont wants to instill into its students is something that all people who want to change the world should have; discipline, intelligence, compassion, courage, and faith. These characteristics were seen in some of the most impactful people in the world such as Martin Luther King Jr and Mahatma Gandhi. I can only hope that my strengths help me become the ideal alumna Belmont wishes to see in the world.
After taking my strengths assessment I learned about my top 5 strengths and what they mean. I believe my Achiever strength will most likely be my primary driving strength which helps me become that alumna. The Achiever is listed as, “People exceptionally talented in the Achiever theme work hard and possess a great deal of stamina. They take immense satisfaction in being busy and productive.” This will help me stay diligent and strong while in school but also in balancing my life outside of school with my life on campus. I think this nurtured would help me become an elite student and even better in my career. I hope that my other strengths are not overwhelmed by this one so that I can maintain a healthy life on campus outside of the classroom.
As an adult degree student, I sometimes feel out of place on campus as most of my classmates are so young. Although this is a challenge, I know I will overcome this, and I am hoping my plan to engage in the Belmont experience will help. I plan on participating in sports games, working out on campus when I have a class or when I am in the area on the weekends, if possible I would like to pledge in a sorority and I overall want to participate in as many extracurricular activities on campus as I can.
Despite the challenges, I am looking forward to completing my degree at Belmont. I am grateful and excited to be a Belmont student. I am welcoming all the challenges to come because it will make graduating much sweeter.
