New Beginnings

“Oh that dreaded first day of class”. From elementary school to college, everyone whether it is minimal or extreme has that first day of class anxiety. Questions begin to arise; will I be able to make any friends in class? Am I prepared to compete with the smart kids or will I be overshadowed? What if the course is so rigorous that I will not be able to stay on track? And the number one question, what if I FAIL? These are questions that are on a continually growing list that many students both young and old contemplate on their first day of class.
For some individuals this is something that has such an effect on the person that it may ultimately hinder their learning experience throughout their academic career. To think that something such as the constant fluttering of questions that arise before the class commences can cause future problems, is nauseating. Seriously, if all students did was worry about little things as this, how can any individual get a good quality education? The only concern that students should have on their minds during the first day of class is; how can I grow as an individual amongst the greater society by taking this course? Contemplating question as this may reduce the anxiety that results from that first day experience.
Overcoming the awkwardness and the eerie silence that seems to be overpowering to the point that heartbeats become apparent and the tick…tock…tick…tock becomes as loud as a concert, is the first step to begin a learning experience. If that was not enough, there is also the thundering and pounding that slowly and then rapidly overwhelms the minds of students who know that their time to present or speak is near, and this may heighten the severity of the first day of class anxiety. However, all is not to worry for the solution to overcoming the fluttering of questions that besiege the most studious of students is found within the student itself.
“Hello…Hey…What’s up? All can be the starting point to overcome this type of anxiety. Further dissecting the problem concerning the first day of class anxiety reveals that the greater problem lies within the students self esteem. For the most part, many students are not only concerned with the class as a whole but more importantly to them are their overall perception held by their peers. If at all possible every individual student could cease to concern themselves with such questions, their learning experience will be free from anxiety. To an extent this type of demeanor is not all held by every student, but even the most humbled type of students still reflect on what type of impression they will make on others. More importantly is for the students who do suffer from this type of anxiety to realize that their overall success of overcoming this problem is a self evaluation on how comfortable they are among new people.
Although I have found myself in this same type of predicament, I have come to realize that there is a greater concern that must be addressed than that of which occurs within starting a new class. If we as a collective student body are to succeed, we must reach out to those who find themselves overwhelmed by that first day of class and make the classroom environment as welcoming as possible. Ultimately in order to flourish as a student and an individual, it will rely on who we surround ourselves with. I would like to extend a welcome greeting to all those students who are attending Fullerton College for their very first year, and hope for the continued success throughout their academic career.