Going from a high school setting to a college campus is never an easy transition. When I was in high school I always pushed myself to be the best that I can be. Coming into college and being accepted into the Honors College I was hoping that it would continue to push me. I have had many struggles through this past year, especially in my chemistry courses, but the people who I have surrounded myself with have helped me through it. I have taken three honors courses this year, which have all pushed me in someway to work harder than I have before.

It was not my honors courses that I found to be the toughest courses though. I struggled the worst in my Chemistry 111 course. I needed the course so I could take Organic Chemistry in the spring semester. I excelled in chemistry in high school so my thoughts on general chemistry were that I wasn’t going to struggle. I was wrong. Professor White had a different style of teaching than what I had been acclimated to before. It was hard for me to follow his lessons. Throughout it all I knew I had the support of my professors and fellow students. These are the people who showed me what scholarship was all about. I hope the incoming freshman can encounter challenging courses like I have because it really opened my eyes to just how tough college can be.

Sophomore year was not any easier. We went online halfway through the spring semester because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I found that having online classes especially courses like science and math were difficult to take online. I found out about myself that I need that in person instruction because it sets the material in my head firmly and I have the ability to be shown where I went wrong and how I can fix where I went wrong. I am hoping to be able to be back in person this fall because it will really help me academically.

Junior year was a little easier than the end of sophomore year. Students were allowed back and a majority of my professors opted for in person classes with the ability to be on zoom if the student chose to be. I saw myself grow in my passion for the sciences and for my studies. I found myself improving in my studies and my study habits and I believe that being in person has greatly helped.