I do believe my first semester so far has been good to me. Throughout my first semester, I am still growing intellectually, emotionally, physically, and socially. I was afraid to become that college student who only goes to class and go to bed. To my surprise I became that college student my first year. Now that I am a Resident Assistant, a member of Resident Assistant Council, and a writer for Odyssey, I believe I have more to contribute at Western compared to my first year.

If a lot of you may have forgotten, I a chemistry major with a minor in microbiology...who cannot wait to become a Pharmacist! What inspired me to become a Pharmacist is I love to know how the human body reacts, heals, and prolongs life to different medication. The classes that I am and will be taking at Western will intellectually prepare me for the real world. I know that without a doubt, there will be challenges. My goal was to intellectually open up to the world. I wasn’t sure to create solutions and solve problems. For this, I was willing to take on my challenges and be open to others' ideas, as well as managing time better. I can honestly say that time management was a gift and a curse. Through practice, I am now managing my time and stopping procrastination; This is helping me be intellectually responsible.

When my mother told me college will be a bit stressful, she was not lying. For me, I thought I was pretty good controlling my emotion. My goals were to accept the things I cannot change, and to reach an inner peace. I have still suffered from this since high school. I still need to understand that I cannot stress over things I cannot change. By doing those things, it will benefit to know my future is vivid, and why am I really here. I can’t worry about what’s preventing me from changing it, it’s more important to understand that you simply cannot change it.

I have physically bettered my well-being. I can sometimes be carefree about things, but self-image is still important to me. College was such a physically huge change. I learn how to depend on myself. I wanted to become more responsible and not always depend on my parents. I became more physically responsible and made the right, cautious decisions. I partook in physical events, still working to get enough sleep. I no longer drink caffeine or pop. I have been on a drinking-water-only diet, and I can’t explain the benefits of it.

My goal for becoming more social was exciting, yet purposeful. I believe in helping others, whether it be with homework, life issues, or even a small swipe. That's why i decided to become an RA.

I proudly believe I have more maturing to do. Luckily, most of perceptions of college has broadened. I learned to speak positively, stand up for what I believe in, and respect the mistakes I've made along the way. This experience has gotten me one step closer to my pharmaceutical dream.