Carthage College Top Questions

Since elementary school I've known that I want to be a veterinarian. To this day, there is nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life helping animals. I know that I cannot do this without going to college, and a lot of it. I've started my journey at South Puget Sound Community College and plan to head to Central Washington University in the fall. For my first two years, I've learned more than I ever imagined I would. I remember going on my first day being so nervous and uncomfortable; now I look at myself almost two years later and I feel like a completely different person. I work at the college with my first job, I know someone in almost every class I have, I've made relationships with multiple professors, and I've gotten more of an education than I ever could have dreamed. It makes me so happy to think about because I know that this is only the beginning, I have 6 more years to learn. The opportunities for me will be countless once I graduate, and I know I wouldn't have them without an education.

My education is the experience I have had at Carthage College. Starting with the freshman core classes, I have learned very valuable aspects that enrich my mind and contribute to the person that I actually am. I now often address questions of morality, politics, philosophy, and religion constantly and without fear. The relationship that I have with my professors is truly unique, especially outside of the classroom. True education comes not from the formalities of the classroom, but from the tough questions that individuals tackle while in the company of each other. That is the wonderful education that I am learning here at Carthage College. It is because of this that I have become more globally aware of international politics, religions, and nations throughout the world. Carthage is without a doubt the right college institution for me. If I can continue to afford the tuition, I plan to continue to take advantage of the knowledge that Carthage offers, as well as the interpersonal environment that comes with it.

Before walking into Carthage on my first day, I was a nervous wreck when it came to public speaking; the simple act of standing up in a crowded classroom sent my nerves on razor-thin edge. For example, I was asked to conduct a piece at my spring band concert my junior and senior years of high school, and every time I stepped foot on the podium, I would get cold feet, I would break out in a sweat, my arms would be shaking more than San Francisco in an earthquake, and I would have no idea what I was doing. Throughout my two years of college, I have learned to be more self-confident, to ignore my anxieties, to have a good time in front of a class rather than losing my mind. I'll be much mroe relaxed next year when I conduct for my college bands, and I'll be much more focused and able to teach. Thanks to college, I've learned to cope with my once-debilitating stage fright; it's an experience I won't soon forget.

Traveling accross the country for school is a daring task. Coming from the west coast, I would know. At first I was nervous and unsure about the distance between school and home, but these nerves were quickley put to ease when the semester began. I wasn't just greeted warmly by the sports team I was participating with, all students and faculity were friendly to the incoming freshman class. Being away from home has taught me to be independent and responible. I am responsible for my education and athletic perfomance. This has allowed me to gain confidence and pursue a higher education. I have taken great strides in my schooling and am more motivated than ever to achieve a top GPA. Being at college has gotten me excited about my future. I want to try my hardest at school and am unafriad of taking risks in order to achieve my goals. I have never felt more excited about learning or participating on an DIII althletics team. In all, college has opened up a whole new world of possibilites, and therefore a whole new side of me that's waiting to build my future.

At Carthage, I have made friends that I will have for the rest of my life. I know that I am receiving an excellent education and that after I graduate I will be able to get a good job. I could not imagine attending college anywhere else.

What I have gotten out of college in this past semester is immeasurable to anything I have been apart of. I attend a liberal arts college and feel their opinion on a quality well-rounded education has been vital to the way I think and my beliefs on certain aspects of life. Also, I was able to heighten my knowledge on philosophical issues and open my eyes to new ideas. My experience has given me a sense of belonging in society and a purpose to pursue a higher education. One of my most difficult but personally beneficial classes has been microeconomics. I have a better general understanding of my nation’s economy and how it operates. Aside from education, I have learned time management and discipline. Attending Carthage College I was able to get my first job. I made a daily schedule to be most efficient and to use my time wisely. In addition, I am able to cohabitate with many other different people of different cultures. In conclusion, it has been valuable for me to attend my university because the meaning of education has been broadened beyond the lecture hall.

So far during my time at Carthage College I have learned how to make my own schedule and manage my time to accomplish all of my schoolwork and still be able to enjoy hanging out with friends that I've made at school. It has also been valuable to learn how to live on your own. I was also able to have the experience of taking part in a high ropes course, which is something I never would have tried on my own. I was able to experience the stock market through a month long simulation game, which I found very interesting since it pertained to my major of accounting. It has also been beneficial to learn the points of view from students attending that live in other parts of the United States.

Throughout the last two-and-a half years I have learned to manage my time, become more responsible and set goals for myself. Managing my time was a problem at the beginning because I would start an assignment the day before it was due thinking it was not going to take me long. So, I started to manage my time wisely, now I start an assgiment a week before it is due, therefore, I can have time to look it over. This is were responsibility comes in. Before I would make excuses for earning a bad grade and not take the fault because I did not dedicate enough time into the assginment. One of the goals I have set for myself is to improve my academic work in any way I can. When I receive an assgiment with a grade I was not expecting to get I talk with my professors and ask what I did wrong and how I can do better next time or if I can re-do the work. I think what I have learned these last couple of years will help me throughtout the following years.

My experience at Carthage College has been a great one! Not only have I learned tons of things relating to my future career, but I have also learned a lot of life lessons since having to adapt to living away from home. College has taught me that your experience while attending is entirely what you make of it. I have made the most of my opportunity to receive a good eduation thus far and intend to continue to do so until I graduate by making my school work a top priority. In addition, although life in college may not be as ideal as living at home where everything is always taken care of for you, by accepting and taking in the whole "experience" of living in the dorms and bonding with those living closely around you, one learns to make the most of any situation and appreciate the little things in life. Attending college will teach anyone a lot about themself. Most importantly, from attending college, I have learned that I can do just about anything if I set my mind to it. Today I am working hard to get good grades. Tomorrow I have may be changing the world!

This college experience has been quite the journey. Although I am still in college I seem to be learning something new with every passing day. College has taught me to think critically and effectively. It also taught me to always have confidence within myself and to know who I am as a person. Coming from the inner city of Chicago to a small private school in Kenosha, WI I felt rather intimidated and unimportant but as time went on I realized that everyone was put on this earth for a specific purpose and to never doubt your existence even if someone else has the audacity to. These experiences have taught me lifelong valuable lessons that are priceless to me. Being on this campus has also opened up alot of doors for me. For example, I never realized how much i genuinely enjoy helping others and giving others advice and now I am a major in social work and a minor in psychology. I thank God that I have erudited so much about myself in such a short amount of time but I still have a ways to go but I'm looking forward to every minute of it.