Cole Sessums Professor Leslie Batchelder Portland 1 December 2013

When I decided to attend Portland State University after high school, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. My parents and family members had always told me that college is the time of your life and that the connections I made there would last a lifetime. But I had a great high school experience and an incredible set of friends throughout. I thought I had already made my fondest memories and had the time of my life. How could college be better than that? But after a few months went by, I began to realize how right my parents and family were. I suddenly found myself immersed in a unique, diverse community; one that I soon fell in love with. I will never forget the sunny September day that I moved into dorms. My parents had driven me up to Portland and stayed to help me unpack. I met my roommate, Dom, for the first time as I entered room number 706. As the first week went by my experience had felt more like summer camp then school; but then the first term began. As I started going to my classes and tackling homework assignments, I found myself seamlessly integrating into college life. I was seeing new faces and making new friends almost everyday, thoroughly enjoying my newfound independence and unfamiliar surroundings. One aspect of my new college life that thoroughly surprised me was my willingness to go to class. Unlike high school, Portland State allowed me to take

classes as a freshman that had to do with my major. This really motivated me to go to class and retain the knowledge, knowing that what I was being taught would help me in my career. One class I really enjoyed was my Communications class. The class I took was called Mass Communications and Society; a 200 level class taught by Professor Lee Shaker. Mass Comm. covered topics such as the historical development of media and how different faucets of mass media have helped develop the unique society we live in today. Professor Shakers course also covered basic advertising and personal relations aspects, both of which are career choices I have been considering. Our unit on advertising was the most meaningful to me. Ideally, I would like to one-day work for an advertising firm, helping develop advertisements that cater to certain companies and personal interests groups. Professor Shakers unit on advertising really helped me understand the career I had been considering and furthered my interest in the field. Another course I thoroughly enjoyed was my Introduction to Philosophy class. Intro to Philosophy was another 200 level course taught by Dr. Spencer. In Dr. Spencers class we learned about different cultural philosophies and religious beliefs throughout human history. The section that was most meaningful to me was our unit on Buddhism. The Buddhas teachings about suffering and human happiness have always been important and influential to me. It was really interesting to learn more about Siddhartha Gautamas life and how his teachings affected the native people of that time and those to come for thousands of years. One adjustment that was difficult for me to make was proper utilization of my time. I had so much more free time when I first started at Portland State than I

had ever had in high school. Throughout my high school career I was always playing sports or working, and had always had to manage my time accordingly. When I started college, the only things I had to focus on were schoolwork and socializing. Finding a balance between these two posed to be much more of a problem than I had thought. But soon I began to balance my workload and my free time and that challenge was overcome. As a college student, there is still a lot for me to work on. I need to learn to manage my time better, and keep better track of deadlines and due dates. But regardless it is still a great feeling to know that I have a term of college life under my belt. During these next few terms of my freshman year I am going to work on my organizational skills and time management and hopefully find a balance between social life, work, and studies. As I gain experience and understanding of how college works, I am sure that I will be able to step up to the plate and take whatever Portland State throws at me. This upcoming term may pose some challenges as I begin two jobs and take on the same credit hours at school, but using my University Study Goals I will be able to prioritize my responsibilities and excel in the different aspects of my life. I am excited to continue my educational journey and learn more about communications, advertising, and the wonderful city of Portland.