This Semester…
As a college student, every semester is like a roller-coaster. It goes up, down, and all around. It goes slow, fast, then faster, and then it goes out of control. You’re probably either having the time of your life, the scariest time of your life, or you’re probably just keeping your composure until it’s time for you to puke in the bathroom. I feel like that’s how every college student feels about a semester in general. It’s make or break. You’re either going to rise or fall and there are a lot of things that come with that journey. Classes, family, relationships, friends, organizations, commitments, money, etc. These are just a couple of things that the average college student goes through a semester. Let’s face it: everybody has a story about how their Fall semester went. Which is why I decided to ask two of my closest friends to share their story on how their semester went. Which includes me as well. I hope our stories strive for you to be the best you can be next semester.
Janae’a Brown
College: Texas State University
Major: International Studies with a Business Concentration
Minors: Spanish and Business Administration
Classification: Senior
To be honest this particular semester, Fall 2017, was my hardest semester yet. Before this semester I had a 3.84 GPA. At the finish of this semester, I will be one year from graduating. School has always come easy to me which is why I went into this semester with a sense of “chill”. My semester began with a few surprises. My two hardest classes, Computer Information Systems and Accounting were both online with the professors barely available to assist in learning or general questions. Still believing that school would be a breeze I didn’t give it much thought. I mean I literally had all A’s last semester so how hard could this be? I even did well on my first exams in those classes. I soon realized that these classes were much more advanced than I expected. I had to fully compose essays in Spanish for my Advanced Composition class, I had to craft websites for Computer Information Systems and I had projects for Accounting. All three of these classes posed major challenges for me because I had never taken classes like them before. Also being a member in my service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, I had made an unbreakable commitment outside of my school work. This alone was enough to break a normal student. In addition, I had bills on top of that. My rent was 200 more expensive than my previous two years, I started paying my own phone bill and in the middle of the semester, my car broke down. The stress almost became too much for me. Somehow by the Grace of God and extreme perseverance on my end, I made it through the semester. Though I got my first C, and I was disappointed to find that this would be my first semester off the deans list, I’ve learned so much about myself and my own strength. I hope that next semester goes extremely well.
Sule Baedee
College: Stephen F. Austin State University
Major: Management
Classification: Senior
This semester I was fearful of my own being. I was afraid of what was to come. I was afraid of who l’ll be. I reasoned with the side that fear is a choice. However, choosing fear just seemed like the safest option. Soon I will graduate college in a semester. Logically, I have quite a few months. Personally, I have no time. Yes, I have a goal for my life. Yes, I have a dream. Truly executing my plan, one may define that as prospering. Though what if I don’t? What if I don’t succeed? Am I going to fail? Recently, I was informed that I possibly had cancer. This semester I was afraid of the person I will be in that certain condition. Although life takes on shapes in many forms, these are thoughts I think about daily. I hope that one day I’m just bold enough to prove myself wrong.
Deon Egenti
College: Stephen F. Austin State University
Major: Marketing
Classification: Senior
At first, I wasn’t going to write about how my semester went because I don’t really like to make certain things about me. However, Janae’a insisted that I should so here we are. What can I say about this semester? Honestly, this was the best semester I’ve had so far. I am proud of the things that I’ve accomplished. It wasn’t easy, but it was never supposed to be in the first place. I’ve had the opportunity to do so many things such as being in leadership positions, marketing/advertising competitions, creating events, acting, filming, creating/selling products (#AMAHATS. Lol), writing blogs, writing and making music, going out of the city, receiving awards, killing cyphers, meeting new people, networking, building my brand, and being myself overall. I know that was a lot, but that’s how this semester was for me. It was one for the books. I even stepped it up academically and it feels like my parents are really supporting me again which has been a long time coming. However, this semester didn’t come without its downs. Family issues were around a lot more than usual, I wasn’t as responsible with my money as I wanted to be, and I just got (or kinda still going) through a painful break-up with a woman that I still truly love and care for. This semester really taught me a lot about growth in certain aspects. I grew up mentally and spiritually. God helped me go through this semester with my head held high no matter what was in front of me. Without Him, this semester would not have been great at all. What I’ve learned about myself is that I am never satisfied with the things that I am doing. I always want more. This Fall semester was great, but next Spring will be one for the ages by God’s grace. Mark my words. Hey, like I always tell you guys: It’s Only Going Up From Here.
