The biggest lesson I've learned South: Discovering my passions

 

I've learned a lot over the last few years at South. I'll be graduating this fall, and I don't think I would be the same person I am today without all these experiences that have shaped me.
I've definitely grown as a person and have learned more about what I am passionate about.

When I first started college I thought I wanted to be a doctor or nurse. I never gave myself the opportunity to explore my options until I went through a year of nursing school and discovered that profession wasn't for me. I realized that while I enjoyed helping and caring for people, I wasn't meant to work in the health field. This was really hard for me because I was always someone that needed a solid plan for the future. Finding out that I didn't enjoy the career I thought I wanted for most of my life was very jarring, and I had to stop and reflect on myself for a while to discover what I really wanted to do in life.

It wasn't until I took the time to explore myself and my passions that I realized I really enjoyed writing and being creative. Now I'm going to graduate with a degree in communication with a concentration in strategic communication, and I don't think I've ever been so excited about learning and developing my skills.

I don't regret any part of my college journey at South. All these changes and mistakes have helped me grow as a person and truly discover what kind of career I would like to have.

-Paola

If I Could Go back in Time: My Advice to My Past Self

Although I have appreciated everything I've learned while here at South, there are definitely some things that I would have done differently. In this week's blog, I'll share the number one tip that I would give myself before starting college.

I changed my major about three different times before finally settling on strategic communication. All throughout high school, I thought I wanted to work in healthcare. So I spent my first three years of college studying biomedical sciences and nursing. I went through one year of the nursing program, and once I actually started working at the hospital, as a student CNA, and going to clinicals, I realized that I did not want to work in healthcare

I wish I had kept an open mind about the different career possibilities I could pursue before starting college. I would advise anyone that is not sure, and even those of you who are sure of their future goals, to really research and explore all the different possibilities you have. Take personality quizzes, really try to learn what you like to do before you commit to a major. Learn about the various career paths you can take with any major you are considering.

Choosing your major is such a huge decision, and you want to make sure that you explore are your options and don't feel obligated to stay in one program because you've already started it or it was something you always thought you were going to do.

I never would have thought I would love the communication and
marketing fields, but here I am about graduate with a degree in strategic communication.

 

-Paola

Preparing to come to USA! 5 Tips for Freshmen and Transfer Students

 Making the transition from high school or community college to university can be overwhelming. There is so much you have to remember to do before you make that big change, and sometimes you have no idea what you need to do or where you need to start. I know that when I was preparing to start my freshman year at South, I was so overwhelmed and had a million questions.

In this week's post, I'll share with you five tips to help you prepare to make that exciting transition much easier and less stressful.

1. Housing

One of the most important things to think about is your living situation. Are you planning to live on campus? or rent an apartment? or live at home and commute? Regardless of your answer to that question you will need to prepare in advance so that you won't be stressed trying to figure everything out right before classes start.

If you plan to live on campus, you'll need to apply for Housing. If you haven't already applied to Housing at South you still have time to submit your housing contract. If you don't have anyone you'd like to room with, don't worry. South has a roommate matching program that will pair you up based on your preferences.

2. Register for orientation

Everyone is required to attend orientation at South. It's really important that you attend because you'll be registering for classes, getting you school ID, and learning more about the resources and services South has for us students.
I highly suggest you register for the earliest orientation session you can. That way you can be assured that you'll register for all the classes you need because sometimes the slots do fill up. That leads me to my next tip.

3. Figure out what classes you need to take

 I wish someone would have told me that I could look at the list of offered courses on PAWS before attending orientation. If you already have an idea of the major you want to choose, you can go to that department's website and see all the courses that you would be required to take for that specific major.
You'll get all that information at orientation, but I know I would have been way less stressed making my schedule that day if I would have known I could know what my curriculum looked like beforehand. 

4.  Make lists and fill out a calendar

I needed to write out everything that I needed to get done before starting at South so that I wouldn't forget. There's so much you need to do and there's so much information given to you when you're preparing to start university. It's really difficult to keep track of everything without writing out a list or putting it in your calendar. That will help you stay more organized and ensure you don't miss any important deadlines. Always check your jagmail for any communication from South!

5. don't be afraid to reach out

 You can always reach out to your recruitment counselor by email, phone or text. If you don't know who your recruitment counselor is you can go to this page https://www.southalabama.edu/departments/admissions/recruitmentteam/ and find out who your recruitment counselor is based on where you live or go to school (if you live in Mobile).

You're recruitment counselor is there to answer any questions you have and help you as you make the transition to South from high school/community college.


-Paola

Spring Time: Enjoying the Outdoors on Campus

It is finally Spring time, and I am so excited that the cold is finally going away and the days are starting to get longer.

South has a really nice campus, and it's so great when the weather lets us enjoy being outside. There are plenty of spaces around campus that anyone can go to enjoy the outdoors. In this week's post I'll share some of my favorite places to enjoy nature and spring.

One of the best spots to go for a walk or just enjoy the outdoors is a trail hidden away near the allied health building on the east side of campus. Across the road from Allied Health is a little pond and trail. The scenery is really nice, and you can occasionally encounter ducks and other animals while over there. Overall, that area is a nice and peaceful place to take your mind off school and other stress.

 There are plenty of other outside areas around campus that are great places to relax and enjoy nature.  Some of my other favorite spots are the areas around the library and humanities building, and there are nice spots around the Mitchell Center and Moulton Tower.

We really do have a nice campus here at South, and it's great when the weather allows us to enjoy the outdoors.

Happy Spring!

-Paola

Giving Back: Tips on Volunteering in College

While it's so important to make sure your grades are good and you are involved in campus life, it's also good to remember to volunteer in your community. This week, I'll share some tips I've learned over the years that could help you get involved in your community, either back home or here in Mobile.

One of the best things you can do is participate in all the volunteer experiences that your clubs and organizations offer. Plenty of organizations an campus are always looking for members to volunteer for events and charities in the Mobile community. Doing volunteer work through your campus organizations can help you merge two activities. We all know that we get stretched pretty thin while in college, so merging club participation and volunteering can really help makes things easier for you.

Another good tip is to volunteer at your church (if you attend). If you already attend church every weekend it could be a good idea to find ways to volunteer and help out during the services. Again, this would be a good way to combine activities that you are already doing to take advantage of the time you have.

There are plenty of volunteer opportunities for you to get involved with the community. It's just a matter of searching and making the time to volunteer!

 

-Paola

A Typical Week at South for Me

In this week's blog, I will be giving you a glimpse into my week as a South student.

Moulton Tower view from the parking lot I use every day

Monday and Wednesday

Fortunately for me, this semester I don't have class until 11 a.m. all week. Usually I try to get up a few hours before so that I can work on homework and have breakfast before class. On MWF I have my web design class and French II.

Afterwards I go to work from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. And after work I'll come home, go to the gym, cook myself dinner and work on my online Marketing classwork.

If I have the free time, I'll watch TV, Netflix, or YouTube.

Learning to use CSS in Web Design class

My desk for Web Design and Media Planning classes

Tuesday and Thursday

 My Tuesdays and Thursdays are a bit longer than MWF. On these days, I have my Strategic Publication Design, Strategic Writing, and Media Planning classes until 3 p.m.

Afterwards I go to work from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. And after work I'll do the same routine as every other day.

Every other Thursday, I do have an American Advertising Federation Chapter meeting to go to after work.

Made myself a salad for dinner

Inspirational cup of tea every morning

Working on designing the back of a business card in Adobe InDesign for class

Friday

 On Friday, I have the same classes I do on Mondays and Wednesdays. The only difference for my Fridays is that I don't have to work. If I go home that weekend, I'll come back to my apartment and pack and clean after class. Then I'll head back to Mississippi for the weekend.

Friday nights I usually spend doing homework and spending time with my siblings.

This Friday, I stayed in Mobile for USA day the next day so I just cooked myself dinner and worked on my Web Design blog post.

Writing my weekly blog post for Web Design

Web design class blog prompt and weekly course material

Preparing turkey meatballs for dinner

Saturday 

Saturdays are pretty calm and relaxing for me. I'll occasionally go out with friends or my boyfriend, but usually I'll just take the day to relax and catch up on my shows. I also like to go for walks with my dog and siblings on Saturdays.

This Saturday we had USA Day, so I stayed in Mobile for the weekend.  Had so much fun Saturday! Lots of walking! I did go shopping at Ulta and Target later that day, but I was too entertained to take some pictures.

Almost 11K steps for USA day!

Sunday

 On Sundays I will usually go to church with my family, and then head back to Mobile for work at 5 p.m. After I get off work at 7 p.m., I'll come back to my apartment and get ready for the school week to begin again.

Since I stayed in Mobile this weekend, my Sunday was a little different. I went to church at 11 a.m., and then went to eat at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Then I went back to Target to shop some more because who doesn't love Target.

Went out for pho after church 

Spring rolls after church

-Paola

My Top 4 Places to Study and Relax on Campus

 Today I'll be discussing some of my go-to spots on campus to relax or catch up on work in between classes. I rarely get free time when I'm on campus, but on the rare chance I do these are some of my favorite places to go to.

1. Communication Building Library

I spend most of my time in the communication building. Nearly all of my classes are in that same building, so I always spend any free time between classes in the small upstairs library. There's couches and computers for people to work and study at.

2. Mitchell College of Business (MCOB)

 

As a marketing minor, I also spend a lot of time at MCOB. There is a library there as well that is really good for students to go study at. I also like to take a break in the seating area around the POD if I have any time in between my classes.

3. Student Center

My second most frequented place on campus is the Student Center. If I have long enough time in between classes I like to head to the student center and grab lunch and catch up on homework or just relax. It can get noisy at times, so when I need to be extra focused I'll head to my next option.

4. Marx Library

I will occasionally go to the Marx library to do homework or work on a project. There is a new group room on the first floor that is great place for students do their work. I also like to grab a table in the other floors.

-Paola