UB101
Daniel Chowaniec
Reflection Paper This has been an awesome experience here at the University at Buffalo and it has all happened so quickly. I can’t believe how fast it has gone by. First day I remember sitting by Starbucks and thinking there are a lot of kids here at UB. I couldn’t believe the diversity that UB had, it is quite amazing for sure. It has been such a ride for sure. Meeting new friends, separating myself from people who would take me away from studying. Going to my first UB football game, and taking my first test. My experience at University at Buffalo has been nothing but good to me so far. I am ready for the first semester to end. I have worked really hard from start to finish, it has been really crazy with school work and late nights studying. I am very much ready to sit back and enjoy a few days off to myself. I am very happy it is almost over because although University at Buffalo is a great school, it’s nice to have a break from the books and the stress that comes from it. A lot has went well for me since I been here at University at Buffalo. I made a lot of new friends, and lots of people from different countries. The overall experience has been tremendous. The transition from high school to not just a college, but to a big University has been going well for me. At first I was a bit intimidated from the size of the school. I got lost several times, and lost my car in the parking lots. I would walk up and down the parking lots, and walk past governors all the towards the football stadium, and have no luck. Finally I would come across my car, and from now on I would take a picture of my surroundings so I wouldn’t lose my car for that long because that was very annoying, but funny at the same time.
My studying abilities have been really good since I started at University at Buffalo, but has gotten stronger since I been here. Each and every day I find better ways of studying and how to be more efficient with my time because time is precious. This class UB101 has helped me with prioritizing my time and being more efficient so I can a better student and more successful at University at Buffalo. I will not only use this for school, but when I graduate and get a big boy job, I will use these tools and it will separate me from a lot of people who struggling at using their time wisely. Some things that have not been going so well, is sometimes I get really stressed at something, perhaps struggling with an assignment and then losing sleep over it. I been struggling with my sleeping and although it hasn’t affected my grades, I feel really drained out. Also what I have struggled with is with my one professor for World Civilization, he talks very quiet and very slowly and its hard at times to stay focused because he struggles to get the words out of his mouth. At times it becomes very difficult to understand him, so I go home and study the power points by myself because I could not understand what he way saying. The highlights of first semester at the University at Buffalo has been that I been getting really good grades and getting to become familiar with my surroundings, with the school being so big. I feel really confident when I walk around the campus, and now I do not feel intimidated. It’s really a good feeling because that was a big part for me in the beginning. I was really nervous that I would get lost and not find my way back, but I did get lost in the beginning and I never let that affect me, I kept trying and now I feel really confident about my campus. The lows since I been here has been the long walks from my car to my class. It wasn’t a big deal when the weather was nice and sunny, but now that it’s windy and cold, it’s very hard to get to class. I just have to be prepared this winter for the walks, and I will just wear my ugly jacket to keep me warm. Another low is that since I commute, I use up a lot of my gas, and I pay for my car and gas. So I work 20 hours a week to pay my car and get gas in it. Some days I’m really tired, but I know I have to go to work because then I won’t have a car, and couldn’t get to school. I had the opportunity to dorm, but I feel it would be hard for me to focus, and the living arrangements are not the best. I have seen my friends who have been dorming and they definitely put on the freshmen 15. They go and party a lot and for me I’m not much of a partyer. I would rather just relax and watch a hockey game or something with food. I feel like since I been at the University at Buffalo I have grown as an individual. I have matured in a lot of ways. I learned that nothing good ever comes after 12, so if I do party I leave at 12. I used to be afraid to say no, but now if I feel that I have too much on my plate I just explain what I have going on with my life and I just say sorry I cannot at the moment with my schedule and it has been a really huge impact on my life. I used to always say yes and then I would disappoint in the end and it was really discouraging to say the least. Key moments that stand the most out to me had to be that I can manage my time really well. I used Jason’s idea to write all my important dates in Excel. I put all my exams and papers due date in bold so it stands out more and I can start doing them in a timely fashion. I can manage to work twenty hours, and still perform well in my school work, which is huge for me because a lot of student aren’t doing well and are not working. So in the future I will be better off than them since I know how to prioritize my time, and I know what should be done first. I think of it like a term in economics that I learned. Opportunity cost is something I go about. If I don’t study as much what will I lose versus if I studied more towards this subject. This effect has just been huge for me since I know have very good grades, and I live a happy life. Another moment that stands out to me is the fact that University at Buffalo is so big and has so much to offer. There is so much opportunity here, and has so much to offer that will enable you to grow as an individual. The people you meet are truly so nice, and it’s true the more people you know the better you will be because the world is a small world, and it is always good to have your connections. I been putting myself out there meeting people and separating myself from people that would distract me from my goals. It has been a really amazing experience here at University at Buffalo and I’m so happy with the results that I have gotten, and its only been one semester. The opportunity for me has just began to grow and have a lot more time here to make my time worthy and to be successful. I’ve learned a lot about myself since I been at the University at Buffalo. I learned how to face adversity and overcome and conquer. I’ve learned that I am a kinesthetic learner, and that I must take like 20 minute breaks in between studying something so it helps me retain information better. It was huge for me to learn that because I was never really truly sure what the best way for me to learn was and learning that saved me a lot of time and actually gave me better grades, so that was really good for me to know. I also learned that there are so many ways for you to be successful at University at Buffalo and that the libraries offer a lot to ensure you be successful during your time here. I’ve learned that down in the basement at Jacobs they have people to help you be successful, who make a schedule for you, and a schedule that you like and that you asked for. Although I haven’t used it yet, I’m sure that I will in the future as the courses will become more difficult. My goals as a college student is meet a lot of people and succeed in the classroom and out of the classroom. I want to be able to feel confident once I get my diploma, and land on my feet with a great career, in which I don’t have to work a day in my life because I love doing what I do every day. My goals have not changed completely, but I have found something that I enjoyed doing on the side and that’s learning about day trading. I have been going to work and going to class and doing my homework and studying, but on top of that I been watching three hour videos on day trading. I would love to successful in the stock market and make money there as well as in my job. My goal is to be smart with my money and really efficient. I think it’s important to be smart with your money and make good decisions with it. So I took it upon myself to buy this program and watch the videos and take notes on them. During my next semester I’m going to continue to build on my goals and expand on them. I’m going to find more ways to be successful in the classroom as well as in life in general. I feel it’s important to be a good role model and it’s my goal for someone to look up to me one day and I can tell them my stories and what I did to get to where I am today, and how I became the individual that I am. I am going to use the basement of Jacobs next semester to see if its possible to utilize my time more efficient because there’s always room for improvement. No one is perfect and I believe I still have some holes in my game, but I’m willing to learn more ways so I can improve myself as an individual. The experience of UB101 has been really amazing for me and I have learned a tremendous amount here. I thank Mr. Mathis, and Jason for helping us to be successful, and to learn what University at Buffalo has to offer. I felt that they truly cared for us because they would always email us, and after classes would always say be safe, and I really loved this class.