Student Profile with Introduction
Rontavius Jamal Snipes, 23
Biology major
Clayton State University, Georgia
Working twenty-two hours while taking sixteen credits means that I rarely get enough sleep because I have to stay up late studying. So my biggest goal for now is to find a way to better manage my time. 
Setting both long- and short-term goals has always been important to Rontavius Snipes. After high school, when he found himself living in Atlanta and working at a dead-end job, he set his sights on going to college and enrolled at Clayton State University. Now that he’s in college, he’s majoring in biology with the goal of attending dental school after graduation, and he knows that getting good grades and staying involved on campus will help him achieve that ultimate goal.
Like many students, Rontavius also needs to balance working (he works at a pharmacy 30 miles from campus) with attending and participating in school, so many of his goals have involved small steps. “I am currently the president of the pre-dental student association,” he explains. “The group is small, but this semester I plan to attend a leadership seminar to get some extra motivation to be able to lead a successful student organization.” He also gets involved on campus in smaller ways by promoting concerts and plays, which helps him stay connected with other students. He acknowledges, however, that working while attending school does have its challenges, which he is still trying to solve. “Working twenty-two hours while taking sixteen credits means that I rarely get enough sleep because I have to stay up late studying. Finding a social life away from my roommates and my girlfriend can be difficult too, so my biggest goal for now is to find a way to better manage my time.” Still, Rontavius knows that the hard work will pay off. “Prior to attending college, I never thought about things deeply and took everything at face value. I have greater intuition now and definitely feel that the price I pay for education is well worth it,” he says.
In the future, Rontavius hopes to travel the world tackling issues such as poverty, cultural barriers, and the economic glass ceiling that many people face, and his favorite class so far, Sociology 1101, plays nicely into those goals. “That class pushes my life message,” he says, “that we should try to understand other cultures and not be so close-minded. I have been the subject of negative stereotypes, and I just love how this class shows how these ways of thinking came about.”
Rontavius knows how important a college education is to his future economic status, but he also knows that going to college presents him with many learning opportunities that he couldn’t access any other way. He has already discovered how important it is to think deeply and has recognized that he has leadership skills. Rontavius is also encountering challenges, primarily in time management. He has to work and also wants a satisfying personal life. Therefore, he wants strategies to help him better manage his limited time and maintain good grades.
This book is designed to help you both overcome the struggles that face you and explore all that college has to offer. As you read this book, you will discover your own strengths, learn to be a good thinker, and become skilled at making good choices. You will develop an appreciation of the power you have to direct the aspects of your life, such as managing relationships with your friends, instructors, and family, selecting out-of-class opportunities to pursue, and allocating your time to school, work, and leisure activities. But the most important skill you will need to learn in college is how to keep learning throughout your life. As you’re settling into your new college routine, we want to welcome you to the demanding and rewarding world of higher education and equip you with a set of strategies you can use to do your best.
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assess your strengths Think about the topic of this chapter. Do you already have a good understanding of the benefits of college? Do you have a clear sense of purpose? What personal and career goals do you want to pursue in college? Describe the experience you have with setting goals and reaching them. If you are not quite ready to answer these questions yet, return to them as you read through this chapter. |
set goals Think about a challenge you have had in the past with understanding what college is all about or setting personal goals. As you read this chapter, set a goal that relates to chapter material, and be prepared to talk with others in your class about why you selected this goal. For example, you might set a goal to understand the research on the value of a college degree and apply it to your own personal goals for your future. |