Some college updates...

[Chickerdoodle13]

Just a few college updates from down here in South Jersey.

It's been an interesting few weeks. I've had a good time, but weekends can be a little borring because a lot of people go home. However, that's been nice to get the necessary things done like homework, laundry, etc. I completely cleaned my room this past weekend and did a whole lot less reading than I was supposed to! I'm doing well though! All my work has been in on time!

I had two essays due already, but they were short and fairly easy. I was really proud of the first one, but now that I've been thinking about it I'm starting to worry. Anyone good with reading stuff want to give me some tips for the next one? lol

My classes are pretty cool. I love the honors class and my holocaust class, but the 8:30 class kind of stinks just because it is so early. I'm definitely not good at that time in the morning. The class is interesting (it's about anthropology and I'm sort of testing out that field to see if that's what I might want to do. I'm still undecided in my major.

I will be going home the last weekend in sept. I'm really excited! I do miss home sometimes, but I just keep trying to remember that I have a really long christmas break! It's nearly a month and a half long!

I have some pictures I will eventually post for you. I've met quite a few people and even found out that one boy has a bit of a crush on me...(lol, never had that before so it's all new to me!)

Ok, well I have some reading to do. I'll try to keep you posted though! I miss home cooking, but I love the breakfast they have here! Gotta watch how much I eat though! Ice cream after every meal is NOT a good thing! LOL

 

[arlee453]

Congrats on getting through your first few weeks!

My tips for good essays...(from a recovering middle-school teacher)

Give your opinion/overview (depending on whether an opinion type paper, or a paper on a topic) in an introduction.

Then give three reasons/facts that support your first paragraph. Make a paragraph out of each at least, unless the essay is very short.

For example, let's say you were writing on the Crossing of the Delaware during the Revolutionary War. You would define/describe the event in the first few paragraphs, then explain WHY Washington was able to win with three reasons in three paragraphs: ie, (1) it was a unusually cold, bitter winter, and the Delaware was so frozen that the Hessians felt safe from attack. (2) Washington made extra precautions to keep the attack a surprise. (3) The victory was used as PR to rally the Continential Army and national unity/morale to build momemtum for continuing the war,etc.

If you can come up with 3 or more reasons/details/explanations then it shows your professors and teachers that you have a good command of the topic.

Finally, make SURE you have a good summary paragraph at the end. A summary/concluding paragraph is very important for the reader to feel good and satisfied about your essay when they are done reading - leave them with a good feeling and you're more likely to get that "A". DON'T leave them hanging! Even if you have tons of supporting details, if you don't conclude well it makes it seem like something is missing and that equals a potentially poorer grade.

My experience in college was that if you had a few good facts about a subject and wrote well with what you had, that would get you a better grade than having a ton of facts, but not have them well-organized or well-written.

Also, mind your Ps and Qs... avoid run-on sentences, non-parallel sentences and sentence fragments, as well as good punctuation and spelling - ALWAYS spell check before you print!

Hope this helps! These strategies got me through 4 yrs at UNC-Chapel Hill. One thing history education majors get to do is to write TONS of essays, papers and essay exams. All that writing got me through with a 3.8+ GPA though!

Susan