Honors Classes

Growing up in a competitive academic environment with a rigorous class schedule, I am familiar with the demands that advanced classes require. While participating in the Honors College at the University of Arkansas this semester, I am taking two honors classes and can clearly notice the difference in rigor between the two honors classes and the rest of my schedule. I strive to be able to challenge myself by taking even more honors classes at Texas Tech in order to not only learn more but to continue developing my sense of self-discipline and perseverance. Both in high school and at the University of Arkansas my advanced and honors classes included a much smaller class size, which helped tremendously in learning and truly understanding the material.

While obviously every class cannot be the small, discussion based classes that are typically sought after and there are benefits in the large lecture hall style classes, I enjoy being able to actively participate in classes and interact with my classmates which is much more achievable in the smaller classes that the Honors College provides. While in high school, I took Advanced Placement and honors classes as well, so I am no stranger to the hard work that being in the Honors College would entail. I enjoy taking classes that make me think critically rather than simply memorizing material and repeating it back for a test. I would be a good fit for the Honors College at Texas Tech because I am dedicated to my studies and want to pursue the best education I can while in college.

Three weeks before I left to start college, my little brother passed away in a freak camping accident just days before his fourteenth birthday.

If I wasn’t already feeling nervous about going to college, this turn of events made it so much worse. Growing up I went to an all-girls school from the age of three to seventeen. Starting a new school already was already nerve-wracking, but changing from my graduating class of 123 into an undergraduate population of over 25,000 seemed insurmountable. One lesson that I’ve learned throughout the past few weeks is that one of the most important skills in life is to realize what makes you happy and have the courage to act on it. When I started school this past semester it didn’t take me long to figure out I was in the wrong place. The campus was beautiful and my classes were interesting, but I still didn’t feel like I was in the place I needed to be. However, since the school year started and as the semester continues, I am trying to make the most of my time here at the University of Arkansas and I keep trying to do what I enjoy. Now I don’t mean happiness in the material sense that I need to have objects, instead I mean that I do not want to live my life regretting opportunities I have missed out on. Entering into college, there are thousands of new opportunities for me to partake in and I have been taking full advantage of and continue to take full advantage of these

activities.