Students blog

It’s amazing what a few hours a week of community service from a dedicated group of people can accomplish! My team, Xi Pi – the Phi Theta Kappa chapter at Polk State College – recently had such an experience. We spent some time volunteering in our on-campus greenhouse, making it beautiful and functional once again. The project was a great example of why volunteering can enrich our lives as well as the lives of others.

Rolling up our sleeves

The greenhouse had been built years before, but due to lack of manpower and general disinterest it had fallen into heavy disrepair. We selected it for our service project because it sat directly in the center of the campus for all to see. It had so much potential. Our first step was to remove what seemed like tons of depleted dirt from around the established plants. Bucket after bucket was hauled slowly out, because maneuvering carts was impossible in the enclosed quarters. We started many different food plants from seeds, like carrots, broccoli, tomatoes of all varieties, papaya, and peppers. We replaced the old soil with nutritious compost and rich peat moss. Then we installed our new plants around the ornamental plants that were already growing strong in the existing beds.

A greater payoff

One of the main goals of volunteering in the greenhouse was to raise fresh, organic food to be donated directly to our on-campus student assistance program. However the raised awareness for our hungry and homeless students was by far a greater payoff. By having a presence around campus as we completed our volunteer work, we were able to explain the issues that so many of the college’s students were facing.  Our work demonstrated that such hardship could be occurring where we don’t even expect it to.

Strong connections

This was a great project, not simply for our cause, but also for the enrichment of all the members who volunteered with us. We developed important skills such as practicing communication, networking within the community, and pitching and presenting concrete solutions to problems within our community. It was also a priceless chance for our members to learn about the actual hands-on aspects of working with plants and in a greenhouse.  The connections we made with each other are strong after so many hours collaborating in the hot Florida sun. The connections we made to our school, local businesses, and local charitable organizations are irreplaceable.

This project is just one example of volunteering at its finest. It was an activity that developed and improved not only the people that it is done for or the community, but also the volunteers themselves.  Did I mention that we were also able to write about this experience for a competition and even won sixth in the entire nation? Everyone should try volunteering. Find an organization or activity that truly speaks to you, so that you can have an impact and opportunity to grow, too!

Where are you going to volunteer and make an impact? Share with the Pearson Students community by commenting below!

This year I learned the real meaning of success. Success is being able to recognize what you did wrong and then picking yourself up again… even when you feel like everything is in shambles.  Maybe if I tell you my story, you’ll see why I feel this way!

So many changes

I had always dreamed of going to a real university and becoming a scientist. Last year I was accepted to an online program with a university across the country. I took on a full class load, bought a house, got a full-time job, got married, and adopted four pets all around the same time. Suddenly so many changes were all happening at once. With my family and friends back in my old town, I felt isolated and unsupported. Slowly all the things I was juggling started to fall to the floor. My job was literally killing me and my studies plummeted. My pets were left alone all the time. I couldn’t sleep. I never saw my husband. My house was looking more and more raggedy every day.  On top of it all I was blaming myself and feeling guilty that I couldn’t handle all these things perfectly. It felt like a spiral that was inescapable, and it was all my fault.

As low as a person could be

The breaking point came when my knees gave out at the age of twenty-five, due to being overworked at my job. I woke up one morning and I simply could not walk. I had to go to physical therapy for months and I ended up quitting because my bosses expected me to go back to work – and “ignore my knees”. Now I was jobless and I had failed my first semester and dropped out of the school. You can bet I felt as low as a person could be… to the point I had to seek counseling.

Untangling the knot

After completely shutting down and feeling like the most frustrated and useless person, I had to forgive myself. I had a tangled knot of a life in front of me. The only thing left to do was to gently pick it apart and lay out the strands so they’d never get so hopelessly tangled again. I picked up the smallest tasks and worked my way up every day to the more difficult things. From scooping the cat litter boxes to contacting the Dean to explain my situation and request forgiveness on both my tuition and grades. In the end, everything came out okay. I could finally get up and get into a routine. Then I was able to refocus my goals to something more manageable and attainable.

Living the total picture

This is the ultimate kind of success that I can think of. Forgiving oneself is sometimes the hardest thing you can do when everything seems hopeless. Now I have a lab assistant job, I am in school part time, I take part in a volunteer organization, and I make plenty of time for my homework, husband, pets, and home. If that isn’t the definition of personal success, I don’t know what is! If you’re feeling down and out like I was, just remember that what’s done is done. The sooner you start to pick up the correct pieces to your own puzzle for success, not somebody else’s puzzle, the sooner you will be living that total picture of your own success. 

A new semester of school reminds us to reassess how we will organize for school and for our lives in general. In the past, I have lost sight of my goals due to clutter in my schedule and home. So I believe that the very best way to stay organized for the school semester is to literally clean house. Get rid of or store away anything and everything that will not support you as you go through school. Organizing your mindset for the semester is also a huge part of this process. Maybe you will find my tips helpful as you try to keep it all together in this new semester.

Put away all distractions

Commit your mind to school. This consists of putting away all the things that you already know you won’t have time for during the semester. For example, I know that I can’t play Skyrim without spending hours and hours on the Xbox 360. Therefore, I put away my Xbox where it is difficult to set it up. That way I know that my time will remain effective and organized. This helps to actively prioritize my school schedule over my video game schedule.

Get ahead of chores

Declutter, take out the trash, dust, wash and put away everything so all your surfaces are clean, low-maintenance, and ready to go! You will start the semester off right and feel motivated to keep this organization going.  My process involves cleaning all the nooks and crannies of the house.   Finally, I sit down and make a budget to ensure I won’t have to worry too much about managing my money over the next few months. It sounds like a lot of work, but if you do it before you go back to school, it will be worth it.

Make a schedule!

Block time for every single thing you will do into a schedule – including time to get organized! Set time aside consciously for things that you must get done in your day. That includes preparing meals, grooming, playing with pets, etc. This may sound awfully regimented and not very spontaneous, but you will find that you can reach your goals if the tasks you complete each day are tied to those goals. Leaving the day open to interpretation means you can quickly get off track. It might be fun in the moment, but it will take you so much longer to enjoy the satisfaction of achieving your dreams.

Overall, most of this pre-semester preparation is meant not only to help you clear your space and save you time, but also to clear your mind and help you focus as you move through the semester. You can save yourself a lot of stress if you keep your eye on the prize!

What is the best way you stay organized throughout the semester? Share with the Pearson Students community by commenting below!