Sydney Davis’s Academic Profile

Hi everyone, I would like to introduce you to my fiercely driven and incredible partner Sydney Davis. Working with Sydney in the last week or so has been such a calming process especially when having such an easy going and flexible partner.

Describing herself as a successful, motivated, and creative student, Sydney has come a long way from her days of procrastinating school work and minimizing academic importance. Following a traditionally normal academic path of grades beginning as a kindergartener at McLendon Elementary School and working her way up through Shamrock Middle School and eventually to Druid Hills High School where after completing twelfth grade she graduated with the goal of continuing her basketball career, thanks to a scholarship to Georgia State University. Originally only considering her venture to college as something she did “mostly because [she] got a basketball scholarship” she soon understood that her time there could be so much more.

Over the last year and a half at Georgia State Davis has changed her view on college and writes that she “continued to do college so that [she] could have a career. Now regarding college as a way for her to be successful it is no shock that being goal driven would be such an important motivating factor in Sydney’s academic life. As a Health Science major and hopes of becoming a nurse, Davis writes that her “biggest influence on her academic self is to be [successful] in her career,” clearly setting herself up to be shown as someone who is driven by her want to accomplish what she has set her mind to. Often describing her greatest influences to be those of motivation to achieve the certain goals she has set before herself and excel above and beyond what the standard before her was. Describing how she hopes that through her perceived academic achievements and future endeavors she could be a role model to her little brother, especially by being the first child in her family to graduate with a college degree, Sydney highlights herself as such an admirable and humble character in such an effortless way that makes us all want to have that same kind of grace and motivation.

Even though Sydney has mentioned the influence her mom has over her, she is not her greatest advisor in life. Davis describes life itself as her best mentor describing how she honestly does not have any mentors but instead saying, “I go off of life and what life has to teach me,” creating a phrase that is so simple yet holds so much truth. The go with the flow personality that I have experienced through interacting with Sydney is definitely an accurate reflection of these words. While Sydney remains peaceful and easy going, she has found that while taking English 1102 and US History the challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic and online learning have become proven pressure points for her in her college experience. Nevertheless, Sydney is proud of the academic self she presents to the world today as someone who is punctual and serious about the material she is learning and the work she is doing that will help set her on her career goal.

I really admire Sydney’s work ethic and patience through life and academically. It was an absolute joy to be able to connect with another student during this time even with the conditions we have been delt as a nation. This assignment goes to show that while in person contact will never be replaceable there is always still room to establish new relationships.

Academic Self – Thomas Munoz Vasquez

Thomas and I have known each other for a short period of time and have had interesting conversations through chat which has helped us to get to know more about each other. We felt that conversing over text was best suitable for both of us. Thomas told me that the readings and videos from week 2 helped him as they gave some strategies and ideas about studying. Thomas identifies himself as a male and goes by he/him. He is 19 years old and his nationality is Colombian. The three academic self words that Thomas goes by are organized, hardworking, and motivated. A proud moment for Thomas is that he can overcome any class by putting enough effort into learning the material given and he likes to stay motivated as he thinks about the achievements he will get by passing the class and getting the work done. My partner mentions that during high school his academic self was not disciplined at all, and often found it difficult to get himself to make his assignments, moreover, he feels that as he transitioned into college he has become more disciplined but often faces problems time to time due to procrastination.

 

My partner Thomas was born in Colombia and moved to the United States when he was 15 years old and due to this transition, he found high school to be challenging. He completed his k-12 in Dunwoody high school and decided to pursue a college degree directly after high school as he would like to be the first person in his family to finish college. Thomas chose Georgia State University as he believes that it is a good college and has the necessary resources to successfully complete the degree. He is doing his second semester at GSU and is enrolled in the Computer Science Major. He is taking three classes this semester which are precalculus, American government, and English.

 

Thomas believes that improving his attention span would help him to develop his academic self. He organizes his assignments and classes every week and tries to complete all assignments during his day off from work. When Thomas and I discussed about our IP-2 assignment, he told me that he gave the idea to make a video about the software GSU provides because it would be easier for freshman students to adapt to the learning pattern. Besides college, Thomas loves to do skateboarding and makes sure he does it every day, he also works part time as a cashier. He would prefer to take classes face to face after the pandemic is over. This conversation with Thomas has helped me to expand my information on how everyone has their own academic self.

Major Project Ajoi & Shawnice

Shawnice’s Academic Self

 

            Shawnice Tasher Academic Profile

        Shawince is twenty year old humble and determined student. Growing up Shawnice always looked up to her older sister Loyata. She is her absolute role model. Shawince confided in me how much she looked up to her. Her sister was very intelligent and filled with determination which was no doubt passed on to Shawnice. She lived in New York City and graduated from Martin Van Buren High School. She did not really enjoy going to school due to the early morning bus rides and hustle of the city, however it provided her the sense of street smart. After she graduated Highschool she immediately started school at Nassau Community college. Shawnice ended up moving to Georgia and now she has been attending GSU for about two years. The most frustrating thing about college she described was starting over the application process and getting all the documents submitted from another state and the run around Georgia state gave her.

       Shawnice is currently majoring in health and science to become a dental hygienist. When I asked her why she wanted to be a hygienist, she told me she’s always been a little obsessed with people’s smiles and maintaining her healthy teeth. Not only is Shawnice very focused on her life goals and what she wants to accomplish, but she is also a very loving person. She believes God put her on this earth to help others and make others happy. Like myself, Shawnice is a very caring, loving person. You can tell she loves her family a lot. She prides herself and spends most of her free time being a good aunt. Helping her sister take care of her nine-month-old nephew and seven-year-old niece.Shawnice loves spending quality time with family.

          Shawnice described her academic self as being determined. From what she’s explained to me throughout her college career, she has had a hard time figuring out what exactly it is that she wants to do, which we bonded over sharing some of our interest and first time confusions about starting college. But when she finally figured out that she wanted to be a successful dental hygienist, she stuck to it and dedicated most of her time to studying and completing her goals. Humble and dedicated, she took six classes per semester to catch up on all the courses she failed when starting college. All while still maintaining a full-time Monday- Friday job. Not only is Shawnice and I both dedicated to our school work. We both had other similarities, such as our work schedule, loving supportive families, and liking to be independent even if it is a bit hard at times.

            Having one more semester left to graduate with her associates and start the dental hygiene program, Shawnice describes her last few semesters as being the hardest because not only were classes getting harder, but there are a few life obstacles that she had to get past as well, but she stayed focused and determined to become the young lady she is today.

Getting To Know Ajoi’s Academic self

Ajoi is eighteen years old and a freshman here at GSU, she described her college process as confusing. Ajoi explained how she struggled deciding if she even wanted to attend college in the first place. At a young age Ajoi always had her nose in a book and even said she failed Physical Education in fifth grade because the only thing she did was read during class. She explored many subjects in school like cosmetology, theatre, and early childhood education. But none of them piqued her interest to make it into a career. However, she said that school is the only thing she succeeds well in and was determined to get an education. In high school Ajoi prided herself in her grades and study habits. But she never considered going to school until senior year. She settled on going to school for Human Resources and is majoring in Business Administration, which she says is a lot harder than she expected it to be. She is also considering sonography and keeping an open mind on anything because she has not found her passion or ‘dream job’ yet. She felt pressure to come up with an answer to ‘what are you doing after high school’ so she decided to pick one that satisfied those around her even though she was not quite sure. 

However, things changed when she got to college. Ajoi explained that she went through a lot of ‘firsts’, first time doing school online, first time having no friends in school, first time not talking to her teachers and so many more things. Her study habits also changed she said procrastination became a regular thing and lost her motivation to do good in school because everything was so overwhelming. This is what she describes as one of the most difficult time in her life because she was dealing with numerous other issues. She struggled turning in work weekly and finding a set schedule. Ajoi started her new job the same time school started so she did not know how to handle so many things at once. She explained how she felt like a failure compared to high school herself. By the end of the semester, she managed to get A’s and B’s. She learned and grew a lot in just one semester in college and is ready to use her experience for this semester. I have learned through Ajoi that life is unpredictable and to always keep your head up.  

In conclusion, Ajoi and I relate a significant amount and communicating with her brings a sense of relief knowing that there are other people who know the struggle is real. School is an opportunity to expand your mind and find yourself which is exactly what Ajoi is doing. This is a sign to remain positive and never give up no matter how hard things might be. 

Academic Profile of Ellie Hegwood

I want to introduce you to Ellie Hegwood my wonderful partner who is an Obedient, Reliable and Eager student! I love how she used those words to describe her academic self because I know for me it is hard to be obedient, at times reliable and eager to be a student! For Ellie to be in high school and know her academic self already is great to me! I always thought it was cool that high school students were able to do dual enrollment! I wish I was eager like her when I was in high school to do dual enrollment! Ellie went to Cogburn Elementary School k- 5th grade and after that attended Hopewell Middle School Ellie 6th -8th grade! Ellie is currently a senior at Cambridge High School and after that she will be attending University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the fall! While attending University of Tennessee she will be studying Forestry, where she wants her career to be a research scientist at the national park service!

Ellie told me something that stood out to me to support that she is eager to learn is that “I am not taking a year off because I want to go to graduate school and get my PhD so I want to get into school as soon as I can, plus I really enjoy school!” and also when she said It’s always been my plan to go to college after high school, since it is an option that I am lucky enough to have available to me I can’t think of a reason why not to take advantage of that.” I feel like those exact words support that she is eager and for sure obedient and especially at such a young age! She has goals and I know for sure she will achieve whatever she wants in the future! While she is at Gsu she is currently taking Elementary statistics and English II. Ellie’s biggest influence on academic self is a drive to succeed in her career, she is very passionate about what he wants to study in, that’s why she continues to work hard. A very big influence on her academic career is author Rachel Carson, what intrigued her was that she wrote an influential book for the environment movement. A mentor in Ellie’s life would be her old environmental science teacher who has been very helpful and important in her journey for the love of the environment!

In our interview I asked her what was she most proud of when it comes to her academic and she said “I am very proud of how productive I am academically and how success oriented I am and hardworking I am as a student” I feel like that is wonderful and very well said! Her favorite subject is English, specifically literature. I ask her how is scheduling when it comes to dual enrollment because I know the overload can get quite hectic. Her response was that “It can take a lot of specific scheduling and planning to make sure I don’t mix things up” but she gets it done because she knows that in the future she will succeed. I was wondering is her class work and college work ever overwhelming or does she focus on one more than the other, and she simply told me that they are both the same, they both must get done regardless. This semester she is a little more focused on her college classes as her high school classes are mostly done and she only has one a day. So that’s pretty cool, less stress! In the interview I asked her what her favorite video with the video that was talks about how to manage time well. I can see why she would like that because she always strives to be an obedient student! With time management you have to be obedient and dealing with her schedule with high and college I know could be hectic at time!

During this interview I had fun and learned a lot about Ellie’s academic background. It’s crazy how you can share a class with someone and never ask or even know about their background history. We are all achieving the same goals just going on different paths! I wish nothing but greatness and success for Ellie and I thank her for sharing her inspiring background with me!

Academic Profile Emma Cohen

What do you want to be when you grow up? Everyone has been asked that question as a child. The journey to becoming what you dream of, comes with different seasons, challenges, and levels of academic progression. Academic performance is related to how well you do in school. However, I believe a person’s academic self is defined differently depending on their upbringing. The person I interviewed is an example of how different upbringings reflect your academic self. We conducted our interview through emails, where we shared educational value, and hobbies, and career goals.  

Emma Cohen is a current student at Lakeside High School. Her favorite subject is English Literature. Her academic self-shows that she is structured, lively, and determined. Influenced by her grandmother who was a Missionary worker. It has always been of value for Emma to help those in need. As a child her parents always laid a firm and strict foundation about her academic performance. Although her parents are divorced now, they both still implement the importance of education. Looking for a new challenge, Emma chose to compete with self. She signed up for the Dual Enrollment program, and this is her second semester at Georgia State University. She told me “I take Dual Enrollment to challenge myself, and I love the independence it gives”.

Emma has been a gymnast since childhood. Having a strict coach and strict parents has increased her structural skills. She is very competitive and disciplined. Emma’s biggest struggle is Mathematics, and her fear is taking standardized test. Since Math is a struggle for Emma, she creates study projects to increase her memorization. A study schedule, with color coded tabs, helps her study for tests three days in advance. It also allows her to participate in extra tutoring, and personal activities. Addicted to be becoming a master of all trades, she and her sister competes with GPS average and who brings home the most A’s.  

In conclusion, at this moment in Emma stated her academic journey she has no frustrations. Ms. Cohen is enjoying the liberation of College life. Her major is Political Science, and she plans to become a (defense) lawyer. She has not decided if she wants to practice corporate, or entertainment law. Her academic self has been molded by a foundation of structure, determination, and discipline. Emma’s determination to organize and pursue such crafts, at a young age is inspiring! She shared different ways I can study and utilize my time more effectively.

Ajoi’s Academic self Draft

Ajoi is eighteen years old and a freshman here, she described her college process as confusing. Ajoi explained how she struggled deciding if she even wanted to attend college in the first place. However, she said that school is the only thing she succeed well in and was determined to get an education. She settled on going to school for Human Resources and is majoring in Business Administration, which she says is a lot harder than she expected it to be. She is also considering sonography and keeping an open mind on anything because she has not found her passion or ‘dream job’ yet. She felt pressure to come up with an answer to ‘what are you doing after high school’ so she decided to pick one that satisfied those around her even though she was not quite sure.

Sheila Dixon’s Academic Self

        This essay contains information from an interview transcript with Sheila Dixon about her academic self. We called each other on the phone and shared our academic histories, frustrations, and goals. Sheila is 45 years old and is from Buffalo New York. She attended grades k-12 there, but she did not go to college immediately after high school. When I asked her if there was a specific reason as to why she did not go immediately, she said, “I ended up getting pregnant and I wanted to be the one to raise my daughter. I did not want anyone to do that for me.” She first went to college in 1997 where she attended Erie Community College. Later in 2014 she moved to Georgia and started at Georgia State University in the Spring of 2019. She is majoring in Nursing, and her overall career goal is to start her own traveling nurse business. Her favorite subject is psychology which she believes is important in nursing because you should know how the mind works.

        When asked how she would describe her academic self she said that she is a hard worker. She is often very busy during the day but still manages to make time for her schoolwork. She is quite intuitive and tries to find ways that make college work the best for her. An example would be that she is going right for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree instead of just becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and then going back to school. She even said, “I did not want to leave to become an LPN and then come back to school later because I know once I leave school I will not come back.”

        During the interview Sheila told me that I should get to know my professors. She said that even though I am online I should email them, so they will know who I am as a student. She believes that you are likely to do better in a class if you develop some kind of a relationship with the teacher. What she said here is linked to the Vimeo video about the differences between in person and online courses. When you are taking an online class, you are not able to talk to classmates, or ask about due dates right then and there. This means that when you are taking an online class notifying your professor during their office hours through email, text, call, etc. is extremely important. If you have a question about your work, you should ask the professor. This way you can be sure that you are going to get the grade that you want in the class. Sheila’s advice that she gave me goes along with the information given in this video.

        College can be fun, but many people face challenges throughout their college experience. Sheila mentioned a few challenges that she is facing right now. The first one is that since she is 45, she has a harder time with some subjects since she is not right out of high school like other college students. The second challenge for her is that she finds it annoying that she must take prerequisite classes that have nothing to do with her major. The final challenge she deals with is test anxiety. She tends to get nervous while taking tests and often second guesses herself. She said that these challenges make it hard for her however, she mentioned that she found something that has helped her. Sheila said she really liked Dr. Steven Chew’s videos on study strategies and metacognitive behavior that help students become successful. In the videos he gives good studying strategies to follow and mentions what not to do when studying. Sheila took note of what he said and has been trying new studying tactics.

 

        The conclusion of the interview with Sheila is that no matter how old someone is, or what challenges they face in life, they can still go to college and reach their goals. Sheila was a young mom, but she did not put too much pressure on herself about going to school. She waited until the time was right for her. She really thought about what she wanted to do and chose the right degree program for her lifestyle. Even though she may not be like the typical college student she has found ways to be successful, and she encourages others to do the same.

 

Sources:

Chew, Stephen. “How to Study.” How to Get the Most Out of Studying, www.samford.edu/departments/academic-success-center/how-to-study.

Dixon, Sheila. “Academic Self.” 29 Jan. 2021.

 
 

Parisa Talukder’s Academic Profile

It has been a pleasure being paired with Parisa Talukder and getting to know more about her for this Academic Self Project. As incredibly busy students juggling both school and work, we decided it was best to communicate through text. Our swift exchange of information made me realize how incredible of a person she was. Parisa’s academic story, filled with mental and emotional struggles, not to mention her road to recovery, is one many would admire.


Though originally from New York, Parisa attended her k-12 years in Georgia at the following schools: Suwanee Elementary, North Gwinnett Middle School, and North Gwinnett High School. Afterward, she started college at GSU in the Fall of 2016, interested in math and technology. Parisa’s transition from high school to college did not come easily; she experienced inner turmoil regarding what she wanted to do and who she wanted to be. It led to her decision to take a two-year break to focus on herself before returning with the determination to complete her computer science degree. Parisa plans on continuing her associate degree at GSU’s perimeter college and eventually earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the future.


As I got to know Parisa more, I noticed there were certain aspects of her academic self I could undeniably relate to. She described her past self as irresponsible, confused, and uncaring due to her battle to find a balance between school, work, and personal health. Constant distractions and procrastination harmed her productivity, something I feel most students go through. Parisa also struggled with mental health illnesses, some including ADHD, depression, and anxiety, which affected how she perceived her academic self. To her, it was like fighting a losing battle until she was able to get proper help. Not only did she deal with mental health issues, but she also encountered problems with stalking, relationship mess, and academics. Parisa revealed she “had a severe problem with giving up,” and luckily, she wanted to change that aspect about herself.

 

Upon realizing the dangerous path she was on, Parisa took time off to reevaluate her goals and improve her mindset. She spoke to specialists who encouraged her to work on personal development skills and taking ownership of her actions. During her break, Parisa managed to find a major to pursue, become a top employee at her retail store, and be a reliable background extra for the tv show “Legacies”. She even gained the confidence to return to school again with the intent to dedicate herself to her studies. Parisa received immense support from her family and most importantly, her boyfriend. Her improvements over time allowed her to describe her current academic self as organized and confident.


While some college courses may be dull, Parisa has found taking Dr. Becky’s courses rather fun and helpful. She finds the content interesting and even has a favorite article from the previous semester with Dr. Becky. The “Face-to-Face Courses are Superior to Online Classes” was the one Parisa like the most as it helped her change her mind about online classes. She initially struggled with online platforms but with effort, it was something she could overcome. Parisa also had to find a way to continue her diligence towards her academics with classes being mainly online. She found that “communicating with the instructors or peers increased my work ethic” and encouraged her to manage her limited time wisely.


I feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn about Parisa’s academic self. I realized that all students have their own stories and struggles that have played a role in developing who they are academically and as a person. Parisa exemplifies this as someone who was able to turn her struggles into determination for success. If she could do it, so can you. It is possible to turn your life around if you are truly willing to change yourself for the better.

 

Julia Tipper’s Academic Self

 

 

Julia Tipper: Academic Profile 

 

Julia Tipper is an intelligent and well-rounded teenage girl. She is currently still in high school and is enrolled in a dual enrollment course that allows her to take college courses while still in high school. While talking with Julia, I learned that she is basically a grown adult that is still in high school. Julia works, is enrolled in dual enrollment, wakes up early to go to the gym, and she is preparing herself for her future. Julia’s dual enrollment was my first clue of just how intelligent she is. During my interview with Julia, she told me about her time in gymnastics and how that shaped her in being a professional in time management. I learned that Julia wants to be a Physician’s Assistant at the end of her academic career, and she is taking every possible step to get it finished as fast as possible. After a few days of Julia and I emailing, I was able to finally paint a picture of her academic self in the proper form. 

When I think of a teenage girl, I think of a girl watching YouTube make up tutorials, making TikTok videos, and gossiping about boys. This is not Julia Tipper or at least it isn’t her academic self. Julia is a full-time high school student who is enrolled in dual enrollment. Dual enrollment is a program that allows for smart and successful high school students to take college classes so that they are ahead of the game. I asked Julia “What made you choose dual enrollment and how did you know which class to pick?” This is when I learned that Julia has always been smart and that she decided to use her intelligence to its full potential. This was evident when she responded to me with “I’ve always been a year ahead in literature as it’s also been my easiest/best subject and so I decided to do dual enrollment this year to get some college classes done.” (J.Tipper January 2021) I have no doubt that Julia is going to be successful in her academic pursuits.  

My goal in getting to know Julia’s academic self was coming up with a story of who she was as a younger girl and get the story for life experiences that have shaped her into being who she is today. Julia’s biggest story is the one of her competitive gymnast years. When telling me about her three academic self words, Julia took the time to add in one more, time management. “This wasn’t one of my words, but I wanted to add it to tell you a little more about me. Another word is time management.” (J, Tipper, January 2021) Competitive gymnastics was so time consuming for Julia that she had to take online courses in order to stay on top of her schoolwork. She was able to not only compete in her sport, but also was able to keep her grades up which is not easy for such a young person.  “Not only was the sport physically demanding, but also mentally. I did the sport for so long that I found my identity in it.” (J. Tipper January 2021) During her time as a gymnast, Julia learned how to use her time effectively and to its full power.  

Ms. Tipper’s amazing story doesn’t just end at gymnastics and dual enrollment. Julia has bigger plans for herself which comes as no surprise since she is already extremely successful academically at such a young age (17). A career as a Physican’s Assistant is what Julia has begun preparing herself for. “. I decided to do dual enrollment courses to try and get my freshman year classes completed in high school that way my bachelor’s degree would only take three years to complete. My school has a healthcare program that’s three years long and I’m currently taking my last year of it.” (J. Tipper January 2021) As amazed as I was, I asked Julia how she was able to juggle all this schooling with being enrolled in two schools and working full-time. I asked her if there were any videos she watched from our class assignments that helped her at all. “The video about the organizational strategies just because sometimes it’s hard for me to stay organized with my classes. From the video, I learned that I can utilize my icollege calendar to help me keep track of upcoming assignments.” (J. Tipper January 2021)  

Julia Tipper’s academic profile is simple. She is determined, reliable, courageous, and exhibits impeccable time management. Julia’s academic self was shaped at an early age due to her love for competitive gymnastics. Gymnastics taught her the invaluable lesson of time management as well as determination. After losing her passion for gymnastics, Julia still held onto the lessons learned and dedicated herself to her academic success. She is an incredibly smart and determined young woman who is enrolled in college courses while still in high school. The pay off and end goal for Julia is becoming a Physician’s Assistant. Everything she is doing today is to prepare her for the day that she gets to bare the title Julia Tipper, PA.  

It’s said that life events shape us to be who we are today. For Julia, her younger self shaped her for academic success. What has shaped YOU for your academic success?