California State University-Long Beach Top Questions

My college experience was unlike most other students. There were times when I had taken years off here and there in order to work and support myself. At one point, I had three jobs and a full-time school schedule, which inevitably made it the most difficult time in my life. Often I felt like giving up, however I pushed forward, knowing someday that it would all be worth it in the end. These last few years I have come to realize that my education and the hardships I have gone through to achieve my degree have been priceless. Not only have I gained a vast knowledge in mathematics and chemistry, but I have gained an appreciation for hard work and dedication. The value of my education truly lies in the fact that I enjoy learning and have the opportunity to do so. I do not view my education as a ticket into a good job but I view it as an integral part of myself, and something that has shaped who I am as a person. Whether or not I find a job related to my studies, I treasure all that I have learned over these years.

While attending high school, I attended a two year college. While attending both schools, I ran Student Council, was my junior and senior Class President, National Honor Society Vice President, a DECA officer, and participated in 6 other organizations. Many wondered how I managed these activities while I wondered how I managed to stay sane. But now, I know that I have my college experience to thank. Attending a community college taught me various things. I learned how to take the reigns and organize events. I obtained the ability to manage my time wisely and maintain organization through responsibility. Nevertheless, I gained amazing social and business skills. For instance, I matured enough to converse to complete strangers and contact businesses in order to gain needed information. My college experience has allowed me to be more independent and reliable on myself. It has been long, tough, unique, yet amazing; it was worth ever second of my time. Attending a local community college has made me prepared for my future journey. Therefore, it was greatly vital to experience. Because of my college enrollment, I now know I will be prepared for a four-year college and extremely successful in the professional world.

I learned that college is supposed to be a place of growth and learning. The university that I attended primarily acts as a commuter school and students don't get the growth experience they would if they lived on or near campus. Much of this has to do with the students economic situation, but it also has to do with school policy and their lack of choices to implement proper and affordable housing and jobs for students. School is about meeting new people and having new experiences. And I believe that is what colllege is really about.

My college experince isn't over yet, but from what I have experienced so far, I have to say that it has certainly been a roller coaster experience. I definitely did not feel like I was fitting in when I first started out. My soul goals were to just get to class, stay awake in class, and leave campus as soon as class was over. No questions, no making friends, no interaction. I was there strictly to learn the material, not another students life's story. It wasn't until my second semester that I realized I couldn't go through my entire college life being absent from a social life. I needed people with me to help me get through the toughest classes, the toughest school and work schedules, and to just help me get through life. I needed to be able to make friends. I started making the effort and actually utilizing the help offered to me at school, and now, here I am. Looking for scholarships, trying to help myself a little more to get through college. And if it hadn't been for the new friends that I made, I probably wouldn't have tried.

I learned to be better organize in school and life. I make better use of my time and do the thing I need to get handle out the way so I have more time to thinks I enjoy doing and exspecially having a son, education and organization last forever.

I am only a Freshman attending CSULB this Fall 2010 semester but so far, I know that it's a much different experience from high school. Having orientation and signing up for classes is really something different than having counselors help a student pick out their courses in high school. To add, meeting new people is a really differnet experience. We are all accustomed to having friends who around our neighborhood but in college, there many people who don't even live in the same city as one may live in. I feel as if heading into college will help me mature and will let me grow more independent for the future. You really have to be wise and precise upon what classes one picks because it'll evenutally add up to what you what to be. (Major) Though entering new territory may be really frightening, new experiences only gain more lessons and I know that college will have a different influence on everyone.

College has helped me experience many different aspects of life. For instance, for two years I have been involved in the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and was an active officer as the Correspondence Secretary in which I attended frequent weekly meetings and helped organize events such as our annual Blood Drive coordinated with Life Stream. I gained so much experience being a member of Phi Theta Kappa where I also participated in a Beach Clean-up, spoke at and helped organize a Human Trafficking Informational Event in which I organized and also successfully collected materials for victims of Human Trafficking through a Basic Needs Drive. Recently I worked with the Red Cross to raise funds for the Haiti earthquake victims and other similar international disaster relief needs. I am very focused in helping the community and working in events such as these for people in health and circumstantial needs and crisis. Long Beach will help me help others. That is what I love to do and in the long run would want my career to be in Health Sciences in order to keep on helping other people.

Stepping onto California State University Long Beach State's campus in Fall of '06, was emmensly overwhelming. Standing as a young eighteen year-old among 48,000 fellow students was quite intimidating. Over the following five semesters I went through a rollercoaster of emotions. I battled trying to find a positive friend base, inter-active clubs, and a right fit major. After multiple trys at each trial, during my eighth semester I seemed to have finally gotten it right. Throughout the previous semesters I had enrolled in various Theatre-Arts courses as a part of general education, I had also met several Theatre majors who had a passion and a love for what they were studying. Before that time I had learned a variety of subjects, however, nothing seemed to draw me in like Theatre. Over the next three semesters I had the great honor of studyng Theatre as an art form. I have learned the history, the political impact, the emotional opportunity, and the varying acceptance of theatre. I have been exposed to a wide-variety of students and professionals who have one common passion and goal; to educate and expose the public through the miraculous entertainment of Theatre.

While at CSULB, I had the opportunity to study a variety of my interests and really explore the possibilities for my future. As a music major and marketing minor, I had opportunities to work in the LA music industry. Even though I attended school as a full time student, I was able to balance both my career as a performer and my responsibilities as a student. I toured several times during my school breaks, and released four albums as a solo artist. I feel that my business classes were extremely advantageous for me to take, and I find that I apply the skills I learned from my professors on a daily basis. The faculty at CSULB is extremely supportive of its students, and I still communicate with several of my professors regularly. The most valuable thing I've learned from my experience at CSULB, is what I've discovered about myself. Before college, I thought I would only obtain my bachelors degree and barely scrape by as a local musician. Since, I've been accepted to graduate school in Ireland, and I hope to one day obtain my doctorate so that I may teach and spread my joy for music.

Out of my college epxerience I have recieved a world of confidence and pride. I recently recieved my A.A. and am now moving on to a radiology degree. With completing my two years of college, a number of oppurtunities have presented themselves. I am able to move up in my career, I am able to compete to higher paying positions, and my family now sees me as an accomplished woman. Attendeing and completing college have layed the stepping stones for me later in life and i have been able to prove to myself that if I work at it, and have the proper education, then possibilties in life are endless.