Can being in a relationship influence your grades?

The entire time that I have been at Baylor I have been in a relationship. Although it makes me very happy and the relationship is fulfilling, it requires a lot of time and effort. I am just wondering, does being in a relationship influence your performance in college? I might not be as happy if I were single, but I think I may have better grades. So much of my time each day goes toward maintaining my long-distance relationship. Because we are not in the same city, so much time is spent on the phone, as well as driving back and forth to visit one another. If all this time was freed up, I wonder if I was use it wisely, I wonder if it would improve my grades.

To stay or to transfer?

Now that I have competed my 3rd semester at Baylor, I have started to seriously consider transfering. After losing my scholarship, I feel like I am wasting my mom’s money at a school that is very expensive when I am not even making good grades. I feel like the expense of Baylor would be justified if I was making good grades, and using the situation to it’s full potential. With the grades that I am making, I might as well be at a cheaper school. I’m not sure what to do...

Can your friends influence your study habits?

Although I know I should be the only one held responsible for my lack of studying, I do believe that my best friends have had a horrible influence on my study habits. Both of my roommates never study. Ever. This makes it very difficult not only to concentrate, but to simply stay on task. If I try to study at home, they are distracting by being noisy and going crazy around the house. If I try to go somewhere and study, they try to convince me to hang out with them and tell me about all the exciting plans for fun that they have. Even though I know I shouldn’t, 90% of the time I give into their temptation. It would just be so much easier if they would set aside time to study too, then I wouldn’t be tempted.

On-Campus or Off-Campus Housing?

This is my first semester living on campus, and I’m not sure if it has helped or hindered my academics. Although the cost is nearly the same, and you have much more space and freedom, it seems like the biggest downfall is the distractions. Both my roommates for this semester are my best friends, so having them around 24/7 is a huge temptation. Another downside is location. Our place is not really walking distance from campus, so the convenience of going to class within 5 min of class time is gone. Although I prefer living off-campus, I think it might be hurting my grades.

Looking Back at the Semester

Now that my finals are finally over, there are many things I wish I could change. This semester did not go as well as I thought it would. I expected to do well in all my classes, but now I’m sure I will not pass one of my classes. Also, my HP classes that I thought I would get an automatic A in, I’m sure I will not get a B. Hopefully things will still turn out okay.

The Curse of the Cram

No matter what I do, how I prepare, or how much I study in advance, somehow the curse of the cram always finds me. I can study everyday for a week before a test, and yet the night before, I still feel completely unprepared. I even made a study time line, outlining the specific times each day I would study and for how long, yet that still didn’t work. Somehow, no matter how boring my life seems sometimes, I find something that I just HAVE to do, something that just cannot wait until later, right when I need to be studying. I know that to be a successful planner, I have to stick to my schedule and get it done no matter what, so that is my goal for the rest of the semester.

The Difference a Teacher Can Make

It’s amazing to me how much a professor can change your outlook on a course. I took Biology 1306 last semester and HATED it! The teacher ran through notes at what seemed like 100 miles an hour, and he seemed to have no passion or interest in the subject. Not surprisingly—I decided to drop the class after the first few weeks. Now in Biology 1306 with Professor Hill, I LOVE IT! I look forward to class everyday! (Nerdy I know) It seems like she has a personal opinion or experience to share with us on nearly every topic we cover. Not only does this make it much more interesting, but it’s actually memorable.

Another thing I love about her, she understands us! Having only 5 test, and no homework during the semester, she wanted to give us an opportunity to do work than can boost up our test grades. One of the options was to complete a worksheet—after you visit…the ZOO! I just love her… I look forward to taking as many of her classes as I can!