This semester has definitely not been what I expected. I expected college to be hard and have to study, but did not see myself spending multiple weekends in the library to study for a test a week in advance. I have tried my best to keep with my workload and studies, although I have not received every grade that I would have liked, but that's life, I'm not always going to get what I want.

The study skills that I have learned thus far will definitely help me in my future college semesters. I can definitely improve how much I pay attention in certain classes, as well as approach different study habits. My skill both studying and completing work had definitely improved since I first began school. My professors (especially in smaller classes) have impacted me and definitely eased my first semester and helped it go smoothly.

After the semester, I am still in love with USC. I have not had one negative experience since i have been here. I knew my choice to come here would be well worth it. University 101 was a lot of fun! The class taught me many things about the school's history, classes, programs that I had no idea about. Being such a small class I got to know many people, as well as yourself on a personal level. I have made some good friends in this class, as well as got to know new people, as well as yourself.

Since this week is homecoming week and the homecoming game is this weekend, my life has been so hectic. Not only is this a busy week class-wise, but being a part of Zeta Tau Alpha I have required events to attend and many thins to do.

Monday on Greene Street was the Kick-off, tuesday was the showcase, wednesday spurs and struts, thursday cockfest-pep rally and finally friday is the parade and step show! It was mandatory for me to attend at least four of these events. I chose Kick-off, Showcase, Spurs and struts, and pep-rally. In addition to these events, every night after them we had to go and help put together our homecoming float with the Fraternity we are paired up with, Pi Kappa Alpha.

Watching a new friend and sister, Anna Lacerte, compete for the title of Homecoming Queen was so much fun! Although she did not win, she still did an amazing job. Also, tuesday I watched multiple friends and sisters dance in the "Spurs and Struts" competition. It was so much fun watching and cheering them on! Tonight I attended Cockfest-pep rally and a band came to play, along with a lot of other excitement. I am so excited for the game this weekend, and will be sitting in the students section! Goo Cocks!

My personal top three values are to pursue a career that I enjoy, have a happy and healthy family, and to have supportive friends and peers.

I would like to pursue a career that I enjoy because not only will it make my life easier and happier in the long run, but I would like to wake up every morning and not dread going to work like some people often do. To accomplish this goal, I know that I must start immediately. Being in college, I am still trying to find the right major for me. Once finding that major and those classes I enjoy, pursuing internships in the field of my choice will definitely make sure that I am enjoying what career I am in. Also, after graduate school, finding a satisfying job that meets my needs, wants etc. will definitely be helpful!

Having a happy and healthy family, I think, everyone wants. In order to accomplish this goal, I plan of finding a husband that makes me happy. Someone like me, who is there to support me. Also my immediate family is also very important to me. Keeping a good relationship with my mother, father, brother and grandparents will make our relationship stronger and healthier.

The third goal I have for myself, is to have supportive friends and peers. The friends and environment I choose to surround myself with will definitely help shape my life. In addition to my friends, I hope for my peers at work to look up to me and support me. To achieve this I would like to hold a position of recognition with my job. I believe the support of these people around me, will help me succeed.

According to Webster, Diversity is defined as the condition of having or being composed of differing elements, also known as variety. Personally, I think that being diverse is when someone or something that is different from the majority of people or things surrounding them. Such as, a litter of black puppies and one outcast white puppy, or a group of caucasians and one or two African Americans. Many do not support the idea of a variety of different things, but they believe in keeping all of their surroundings and people around them the same. Much like the movie "The Stepford Wives." A movie filmed in 1975 and remade on 2004 about a perfect group of women with a perfect lifestyle and community, associating themselves with perfect people. But in reality not everyone is perfect.

One experience that I have encountered involving diversity I would like to share. Although I have never been personally discriminated against, I have had some positive diversity experiences. I have been playing soccer since I was 5 years old and loved every minute of it. My skills improved and grew throughout my soccer career. And by the time I entered high school I was able to make the Varsity team. A team I grew very close to. These were the girls I was going to spend the next 4 seasons with and I got to know every one of them on a very personal  level. Some were tall, short, African American, Caucasian, heavy-set and even skinny as a twig. I didn't care that everyone was different. All of these girls I know I can count on whenever I need someone. Diversity doesn't have to always be a "bad" thing. Diversity had forever more enhanced my life and gave me life long friends.

I have been looking forward to the next few weeks for quite some time now! This weekend my grandparents are flying down from New York for a convention my grandpa's company is hosting in Charleston. They are driving to pick me up from USC on friday and I am going to go with them back to Charleston. I haven't seen either of them since mid-august when I left for school. Before I left for college I saw my grandparents at least three times a week, since they only live five minutes from me. I'm so glad that they decided to come and visit, even though I am going home in a week for fall break!

On that note, I am also so excited to go home for a few days next week! I love college,  but I miss my family and friends! My best friend who attends University of Maryland-College park is also going to be home. I am so excited to see her! While I'm home, I plan on going back to my high school thursday afternoon because there is a soccer game thats going to be on! I have played soccer since 6th grade with the same group of girls and I haven't played since I've been at USC. I miss watching the game as well as playing and I am so excited to see all my friends that are still in high school on the team! In addition to a soccer game thursday, my high school football team has a home game saturday afternoon I will be attending. Last year, our football team went undefeated in the season and won the "Long Island Championship" game and the Rutger's cup. This is the farthest a Long Island school can go in season, since football doesn't have divisionals, nationals or worlds etc. I am looking forward to  how this years team compares!

After taking the "Wellness Wheel Inventory Quiz" I believe my results were nailed pretty much hit right on the head. The social dimension of my life, according to this chart, is most well. This doesn't surprise because I am aware that I am a very friendly, social and confrontational person. I try to reach out to others and find mutual interests..aka I love making new friends! The dimension I am least well in is the "Occupational Wellness" section. This, as well, does not surprise me. I have been looking into changing my major the past few weeks. I am currently a psychology major and am thinking of switching to public relations. I plan on talking to my guidance councilor as well as my ACE coach about this when I attend my appointment next week!

My "wheel" is not very "round." Some areas such as Social, Emotional and Physical wellness are well above 20. While on the other hand, other areas like Occupational and Spiritual wellness are not so high. I consider myself socially well because like I said before, I love meeting new people and making new friends. I also am very physically fit. All throughout my life I have played multiple sports at a time, even in college I try to go to the gym at least two or three times a week and I always try to eat as healthy as possible! My career and spiritual goals are not quite as distinct and clear as my physical and social goals as I said earlier.

In the near future I hope to get a clearer view on where I want my future to go and have a better balance of peace and harmony in my life. Stress is something that I often experience, but I plan of improving on that also. Study skill I have acquired throughout college thus far have already helped me so much. I started planning out when all of my major assignments are and plan on studying much further in advance, so I have much less stress!

I have always enjoyed going out with my friends on the weekends. For my 18th birthday my friends and I decided we wanted to go to a club called Glo-a few days before I was leaving for college. We went to an 18+ club and I wanted to be at the club at midnight; the start of my birthday. I figured since I was turning 18 at 12 that there would be no problem getting in at 11. With me being a worry wart, I called just to make sure. Thankfully I did, because the manager I spoke with said you have to be 18 to enter, no exceptions. Since all of my friends were already 18, they didn't think this was a big deal. They simply found me a friend of a friends 18 ID to use for the night. Considering I did not have much interest in going to club Glo in the first AND that I am such a worrier, I wasn't too fond of the idea. But I went along with it anyway because I knew I was going to have a good time. So we went to the club, I got in no problem and had a great time but I still didn't feel I was doing the right. I had an amazing birthday but from that day on I will never use false identification again!