How I've Grown and What I've Learned

This first semester of college has been a very new and very good thing I believe. Sure the initial transition was tough because this is something totally new. Being the first child in my family to go to college I didn't really have any advice from family members...other than my Mom telling me the story about how she had her car battery stolen at nursing school... several times. I was glad that I had my Hixson folk there from the beginning, that helped a lot.

Independence wasn't something that I can say I really gained. I've honed my independence skills (if you want to call them that) since I've been here. I was a Boy Scout and since I was little I was tossed out into the wild unknown, so I got over my homesickness back then. Granted it took me quite awhile to do so, and I still get homesick every now and then while I'm here, but being away from home for long periods of time has come to scare me even less.

All in all, I've learned a lot about myself, more about what I want to do later in life. I've grown even more independent and more self-sufficient. The growning and learning will never cease throughout my college career... this is just the beginning.

What the Hixson Award Means To Me

     I remember my Grandma calling to tell me about the Hixson award and that I should fill out the application, or at least look it up, so I did. I filled it out and received my letter that said I was the recipient for Greene County. I was so excited when I read that first sentence I called my Grandma and various other relatives to tell them, I thought that was cooler than being accepted into Iowa State itself. It helped with college so much both of my parents let a huge sigh of relief, because as soon as I turned in the application we had our fingers crossed. If I wouldn't have gotten the Hixson Award I wouldn't have made it past the first year financially. The Hixson Award means a lot to me in terms of financial support, but I've also met some amazing people in the program as well that I intend to stay friends with.

     I believe I've come a long way this first semester of college, sure it hasn't been an easy adjustment, it's something totally new, but what this award has entitled me to has helped in every way possible. It's something that helps in ways that I don't see, not only does it help me, but it takes a load off my parents, knowing that while I'm over here there is a group of people who represtent the award watching me and making sure I don't crash and burn, and there to help me up if I do. It's because it's not an award where they hand you the check and say "Good luck." It's the award where we as recipients are held to a higher standard. We must work to earn this award, and it pays off in more ways than just financial. That's what makes this award special to me. 

Diversity Event

     I attended which was called Healing through Imagination. It consisted of a doctor talking about her experiences working humanitarian missions. She described her experiences healing patients through art/dance therapy, poetry, and dreams.
     It was pretty interesting in a sense that what she talked about worked. She gave use several examples about how they did infact work, herself included. It's something that is cool to think about when you have dreams with say a repeating event or totem meaning animal or object, and taking into consideration what it means. I'm not talking about dream interpretation, but more along the lines of paying attention to what you dream instead of just shrugging it off.
     All in all it was interesting, her poetry was a little weird and made no sense, but the general idea was good. I'm glad I went.