Update on college (hopefully some inspiration as well)

Post Reply New Topic

Hey all,

It has been quite a long time since I posted on WP. Since then I have grown a little and wanted to share some insight into college life as I see it and perhaps help others who are considering high education. When I last posted about college, I was starting my degree at NHTI for Animation Game and Graphics. I am finishing up my second semester at the time of this posting. It has not all been smooth sailing, but since starting college at NHTI, I have made a good group of friends, done fairly well in classes, learned more about myself, and even have myself a wonderful girlfriend (who I am fairly certain has AS herself) and a job (which I hate, but what can you do?).

Back in highschool (and even before that), I hated school. I was bullied, had horrible social skills, few friends, etc. It didn't help that I have moved 14 times... At one point I dealt with severe depression and was on medication for it (took myself off a few years back, have done great since). I was living in Portland Maine in a constant state of self loathing/pity. I wanted to make something of myself, and make a positive change in my life. I had two false starts at different community colleges, but I learned lessons about what is really needed to hack it in college (speaking of which, I should be typing a 5 page essay due tomorrow that has yet to be started... but that is neither here nor there). Anyways, after those two attempts, I was a little discouraged but determined to succeed. I asked my parents to support me on a last chance attempt to show them I could handle college. I need to thank my parents and extended family for being as supportive as they have, for without them I would be in a very different place right now.

After much research into various schools, I found NHTI. I new I wanted to do something with computers but was uninterested in a traditional Computer Science degree. NHTI offered the AGGP program which was not only what I wanted, but was also much more well rounded as a degree then pretty much any of it's contemporaries. So, I applied, got in, and started last semester. It was a little bit of a shaky start. I had a single room which helped, because I had my own space. For those first starting out in college, I strongly recommend a single for your first semester if you live on campus.

Dorm life can be a mixed bag. Obviously there is the room itself, which is a different experience if you have a roommate or not. I have done both, and if you have a good roommate it can be a lot of fun. More often then not, the noise/problems come from whatever "party people" live in your hall (if only destroying bass systems was allowed...)... Since I moved in I have made more friends in the last year then in the last 12 before. This is with my having a reputation as extremely weird, a bit of a creeper (but in a good way..) and such. People tend to accept you more. I have met several kids without AS who have much more social trouble then me. As long as you don't cause problems and such, people tend to like you. Despite being known as weird, I am also known as considerate, a good friend, a chill guy, etc. Dorms come with their fair share of BS though. Hall Fines that you didn't cause can be frustrating. Also many dorms are like a forum, the RD (resident director) is the Admin, the RA's are the Mod's, and we are but the lowly members. If you have good RA's it fine, otherwise it can feel like power hungry mods on a bad forum. But, BS aside I don't regret any of it.

My grades have been a little mixed. My grades for classes in my degree have been pretty much straight A's. Gen Ed classes are a little more varied... *cough*. Part of what will determine grades is your teacher and how you learn, but something they don't tell you that is VERY different from HS is this; Teachers in college don't have to be good, they just need a PHD in that field. It is up to YOU to learn and get the work done. s**t teacher? Too bad. Its sad but true. Luckily for me, NHTI has great supports in place (learning center, library, study groups, etc).

College is a great place to discover who you are as a person. You will make mistakes, both academically (did I mention that essay I need to do?) and socially (I swear to drunk I'm not officer), but you will also achieve personal victories. You just need to know what you want.

I am happy to say that at the moment, I am passing all my current classes with at least B's. Next semester, I get to make Xbox 360 games for homework. I will also have over 30 hours of HW/wk, I will also probably be stressed, tired, and make mistakes. But if college is something you want, I say go for it. For all the stories about people having serious trouble, I hope mine give some positive light on it.

Good luck to all,

--VVJ