Eastern Washington University Top Questions

I have recieved many different experiences throughout my college experience that have shaped the person I am do. When I decided to attend this school I did not know anyone so I decided to join the rugby team. Joining the team was one of the best things that I did my first year of college. On the team I not only learned what it means to be a member of a fast paced sport but also that school comes first. School right now is my number one focus and I have placed all my time into accomplishing this goal. I have also taken away a new sense of tolerance to other cultures and have learned a great deal about the countries in which these cultures come from. Additionally my study habits have also changed alot from when I was in highschool. I have learned to focus more, and take detailed notes that will help me throughout my life and the career that I go into. Learning about my major has shed new light onto the industry and helped me decide on a career that I would like to recieve once I graduate from this university.

I’ve always envisioned myself as a college graduate. However, recently the attainment of this goal has become increasingly meaningful. I began college after graduating high school, but left early on after I had my first son. I was fortunate to stay home for the next decade to raise my amazing children. I am ecstatic to call myself a returning college student. Now my ambition to complete college is unstoppable. I love my time spent on campus. The intellectually stimulating environment suits me and I enjoy interacting with fellow students. Two novel results of my venture back to school have been my sense of determination to succeed and my appreciation for the knowledge that I am able to gain. At this point in my life, my understanding of the paramount importance of education sets me apart. While my near perfect grades are rewarding, it is the opportunity to learn and grow that now motivate me. Having previously overcome numerous struggles in my adult life, my drive to graduate from college and extrapolate from the experience as much knowledge as possible is fervent. I don’t question my ability to succeed; I know that with enough work and dedication I will.

I have received many valuable experiences from attending college. First, I was given the opportunity to make lifelong friendships with my classmates, coworkers, and professors. My classmates and I would spend long hours studying for exams and we created strong relationships while uniting together against our common enemy-the exam. Although I considered classwork my greatest enemy during my undergraduate education, it has transformed into my greatest blessings during graduate school. Without the knowledge and work ethic that was instilled in me during my undergraduate years, I would not stand a chance in my current graduate program. In addition, I have developed professional mentor-mentee relationships with my professors that enabled me to gain acceptance into graduate school. My main mentor, Dr. Anderson, was extremely influential and encouraging during my graduate school application process. My graduate school experience has provided me with a different set of valuable experiences. I am learning the fine art of balancing time for my family, school, and myself. In conclusion, my college education has given me the opportunity to create lasting friendships, to be guided by wise mentors, and to develop the ability to critically acquire knowledge-all of which are valuable beyond measure.

After some family set backs with my great grandma died and my parents divorcing, my college experience has been well over what I had expected. Not only have I made more friends than I did in High School but I have also stepped beyond my personal bubble. Before college, I was always the quiet kid that was independent and followed more than lead. College brought the child out of me and opened up my eyes to all the possibilities a guy like me could have. I learned more in my first history class than I did all four years of my High School. College classes soon turned me into a strong leader, which landed me a leadership opportunity with a great part-time job. I am now working two part-time jobs during school leading groups on rafting trips, kayaking adventures, and even snowshoeing hikes during the winter. Then I started making friends everyday which soon led me to my girlfriend. If I had not gone to college then i would probably be working minimum wage in a small town at Subway, reserved, and hooked to my TV. My faith has also flourished through Jesus Christ. College really changed me!

My college experience gave the best of both sides of what college should be I believe. I learned and completed a great area of study, and also felt socially part of the campus. My professors in the accounting program were all top professionals who came to class with real world experience and they always shared that knowledge with us. I am very pleased for the education that I received with how little my tuition was when compared to most other universities in the state. I feel that I got an equal, if not better, accounting degree than other public college students and even on par with those students from private schools. College was valuable to attend because in today's tough economic times, students need to work harder and strive for more than ever before. It isn't enough to just blend in with the crowd and breeze by, but students need to motivate themselves to be more than average and stand out from the crowd.

When I came to college I had no idea that the thing that would ultimately change me most and for the better was joining a fraternity. I entered college with the same stereotypes of "frats" as nearly everyone else, but met a small group of Fraternity Men who have shaped me into the young man I am today. I now look back on the time I wasted not in my fraternity, and look at those who like me came in thinking that, but then stuck to their guns. A college education with no real extracurriculars, not even necessarily Greek Life, is nothing but a race towards a little piece of paper. I have learned and grown many times over more from the experiences from my fraternity than from taking 18 credits of subjects that ultimately don't help me towards my end goals. I am lucky to have found the greek system at my university, it helped me find my major, my purpose, and the love of my life.

I have only experienced one year in college but already it has opened me to new adventures and new people I never would have gotten to experience in my life without going to college. I am caught in a wonderful friendship with who is my new best friend and family member and I have never been happier in my life till now. Home is not a very happy place for me and I have realized, being at school, that it is okay to smile and mean it again.

What I've gotten out of college is that there are a million and one paths to take in life, and that more often than not, college is the best way to take the first step. Attending college shouldn't just be about doing whats expected of you. College is valuable in that the things you learn and the experiences you have will quite literally be there throughout your career. College is what you make of it. If you work hard and squeeze as much meaning out of it as possible, it can only benefit you later on.

By attending college I have learned a lot about myself that I previously did not know. High School was so easy that I didn?t have to try and when I entered college it was a rude awakening. It forced me to be organized and work my hardest on every assignment that I received because it was no longer going to be easy for me. I have learned in college that anyone can do anything they want to and put their mind to.

The most prominant thing I have gained from college is confidence. I have been able to break out of my shell to meet new people in such a way that I feel accepted and wanted. This is a huge feat for me, because my whole life I have been more of a homebody and felt out of place. I've gained this knowledge in a grand way, however. I still have plenty of time and motivation to focus on my school work, yet still keep up with my social life, eating, and sleeping. Confidence is a wonderful feeling.