Institutions in my Life

Everyone has driving factors or institutions in their lives that shape the way they grow as a person. These institutions can be anything from family, friends, school or life experiences. All of these things play very big roles in making someone who they are, especially when they are all put together.
Over the years there have been many institutions that have shaped the person I am today. The first and probably largest of these would have to be my parents; they have always been there for me, helping me out with what ever it is that I throw at them. Having parents that both work, it is hard to find time when all of us are able to be together, but somehow they were always able to do it, at least to the best they could. They have always helped me in school, even when I didn’t want them to, and helped me get to and from my practices after school, although they were supposed to be at work. My dad has especially been a big role model for me ever since I was a kid; he has helped me through countless incidents even if the family shouldn’t know. I always try to model him in almost anyway I can, and so far it hasn’t led me wrong. He has always helped me and supported me through some hard times and done everything in his power to help me. I also have a younger sister that I think a lot about and try to be a positive role model to whenever possible. She needs to have a positive role model to help her make the right decisions while she experiences all of these institutions. My family as a whole has shaped me from a child by teaching me the lessons of life while allowing me to figure things out myself and I am grateful for them.
My second institution would have to be high school; I attended a high school of over four thousand kids in the middle of south Denver. Needless to say it was a very different atmosphere then here in Bozeman. Going to a school of this size in a busy city shapes people in many ways that many, at least myself, are unaware of until they have graduated and left. A school like this prepares you so much for college that the transition doesn’t seem so huge. Because the school is basically a small college, classes, teachers, friends and almost every other aspect are far different then that of other people I have met from smaller schools. There were so many different groups of people at my high school that it was easy to make friends with a group that fit you. There was basically a group for everyone, which gives you a very wide perspective of people. Even though I have a very wide perspective of people, coming to Montana State has opened my eyes to a completely different atmosphere. A few of my classes were lecture classes, just like here at MSU, where one teacher would teach fifty or more students. This style of teaching was extremely important because it taught me how to listen to a lecture and realize what the teacher actually wanted us to get out of it. Each one of my classes was in a different building sprawled across a campus that is a half mile by half mile. We had an open campus meaning you could leave during the day at anytime and go basically anywhere you wanted. Although many abused this privilege and skipped class, it gave you a glimpse at real life and made you have control of your own education. I believe this has drastically improved my college experience because I know how important class is to success. We also had to register for all our own classes in almost the exact way we do here, and it was not unusual to go an entire day without seeing a good friend because of the amount of people wandering the halls.
During the summer after high school I tried to prepare myself as much as possible for college, but nothing could prepare me for the first day in the dorms. Even though my high school is very similar to a college campus, the transition from high school to college did come with some very big life changing differences. When I first came to college I didn’t know exactly what to expect, I have always heard of the big party and school in there somewhere, but after spending a semester I have matured and realized the true importance of college and why it is important to go. The biggest change so far has been moving away from home to a completely different lifestyle. The dorms are a very unique place and I have realized that they force people to mature, even if it is in a transitional way. I believe that this move for me means so much because I have never moved before period, let alone by myself. It is a very cool, but intimidating experience for me moving out of state. Moving from the city where I was surrounded by millions of people on a daily basis to a town like Bozeman is much different in almost every way I can imagine compared to where I used to live.
My first yeas here at MSU has changed who I am dramatically. I have grown up a lot just in the last few months and have a much better understanding of life, at least I think. Living on your own for the first time, even if it is just in the dorms, is a very big change from anything I have experienced. I now understand the work and money that goes into supporting yourself. I have met many other students who are much different from kids in my high school, and I have made better friends in the past few months then I have possibly ever made.
I also believe I have figured out what my major is going to be, after taking Intro to Global Markets with Mike Gold I have realized that Business Marketing should fit me very well. Gold’s class is fun and exciting as he teaches us business not only out to the book but from life experience. He is a retired marketing president for several big companies across the world, including M&M’s, Heineken, and Mars Bars. With these positions comes some very interesting everyday advice that he passes on to the class very well. I have also made this decision based on the strong interest survey that we took in class. On the survey all of the career suggestions were in some way related to a business degree, which is exactly what I was aiming for before taking the survey.
The overall experience of college so far makes you grow up quickly and realize the real world much more then I ever thought it would. I now know how to budget my time effectively and manage when I need to go out with friends, and when I need to do my work. This took me several weeks into the semester, but has basically clicked now as we reach the end of the semester. Classes are extremely important, and they teach you the basic knowledge of life, however leaving the house and living on your own teaches you far more then the class room. I have learned so many lessons, even in the last few months and I now hopefully know a little bit more how life works.
If I was going to give any advice to incoming freshman, there would be a few big issues I would try and make them understand. I first would tell them that going to class is absolutely essential to passing class. If you don’t go to class there is no way you are going to get the information out of the class, even if you do all of the reading. The second thing I would tell them is to learn how to manage their time. You don’t always have to go out with the boys and have a good time. It is a very big part of college, but also needs to be enjoyed in moderation. If you are out late every night you are not going to be able to pay attention in class the next day. Finally, I would let them know that there are countless resources around campus that offer help, resources I didn’t find until late in the semester. Using the writing center, library, and teacher’s office hours give a huge advantage and can literally help your grades by entire letters.
There have been many institutions that have helped me though my life so far and there will no doubt be many more. It you are able to use these advantages and put them towards your life, you will have a step up on everyone else and hopefully succeed.