I’ll be introducing Ali Hamidi and who he is academically. Ali was born in Georgia, but his family is from Afghanistan. Ali spent some years of school in a private religious institution before transitioning to public. At Georgia State Perimeter College, he is a 1st year majoring in Business in Administration. Through this major, Ali wants to pursue the role of an accountant. Outside of his studies, some activities Ali likes to partake in are gaming, playing sports, or going to the gym. 

As Ali attended both private and public schools, he was able to share some of his experiences. Compared to his time in public school, he felt that he had more spare time in private. Ali stated that the school didn’t have a strict attention span toward the focus on core lessons. There wasn’t a condition where he had felt pressured, or in a way, challenged by his classes. Because of not being in a rigorous position, he’d spent most of that time on his hobbies or doing something enjoyable. He brought that same mentality he had in his previous schools to his new environment. During 8th grade, Ali applied to GSMST where he did Advanced Algebra for a while. Public school was different for him in such a way that he had to put in more effort to stabilize his academics. Where’d he thought his atmosphere would be unchanging, Ali had kept the same mindset. Having that same previous mentality poses a bigger challenge.

Ali is also working on top of school. Based on his experience, he stated that working has a negative impact on his schooling. This has led him to change his schedule to one that would work out for him. Having a side job may be a big demand, especially with classes planned on certain days. You’d have to work things out with timing and scheduling. If it isn’t done with thorough arrangements, it may take time off your studies. This is something Ali claimed to also be conflicted with. In this situation, working would be suitable while on a break from school. Ali’s experiences with taking breaks haven’t been very convenient. For him, it takes a while to adjust and get back on track. When he took dual in Economics during his 12th-grade year, Ali struggled the first half of the semester due to missing out on a lot of the information.

 The change Ali described with the comparison he felt being in private versus public school as well as his experiences with taking breaks can also be evident during the pandemic. Having the time, Ali would play video games and start to put off work. He’d go back to that zone where his environment was similar to his years spent in private school. However, as he went back to class, face to face, Ali improved in his studies. Ali’s experience with the pandemic reminded me of the article we read, “COVID-Era College: Are Students Satisfied?” The part that talks about students’ experiences post-COVID. The sentence that stuck out was in paragraph 5, “Envisioning life after Covid, nearly one-third ‘never want to take another class via zoom.’” Then there were surveys on students’ satisfaction and expectations on certain topics. Based on the article, with satisfaction level, students were surveyed on their connections with friends, lecturers, staff, and services. The survey for expectations was on the change COVID brought forth. Going back face to face instruction helped Ali differentiate his demeanor toward his learning. Though there were many adjustments along with the change, Ali was more accomplished than he did virtually. This shows that Ali does academically well in an engaging, open environment. 

As Ali indulges himself in his studies, he’s able to gradually alter himself from being unproductive easily. He does well during different seasons of the semesters, though not so well on ones with long breaks. Ali also shows effort in his work, mainly the ones that interest him. He once changed his major due to this. Ali previously did nursing, which he felt dispassionate about due to the amount of information, note-taking, and workload. Not only because of those factors but also because he wasn’t captivated by what he was learning. After being introduced to his present major, he was engaged with the materials. His interest in accounting is due to its role in managing. 

Being in an undertaking environment helps him with his productivity. An activity that assists Ali with his conduct towards school is going to the gym. During the pandemic, he felt unsatisfied with how it had affected him. After going to the gym, Ali not only improved physically but also mentally in health. When working, he prefers a peaceful and quiet surroundings. He can also listen to music from time to time without distractions. Ali’s work environment consists of building up to being motivated to do what he’s obliged to. 

Citation 

• Ezarik, Melissa. Student Experiences during COVID and Campus Reopening Concerns, 24 Mar. 2021, https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/03/24/student-experiences-during-covid-and-campus-reopening-concerns?utm_source=pocket_mylist.
• Weaver, Rebecca. PhD. “Major Project 1.” February 2023
• Hamidi, Ali. Profile Pairing. February 20234

Ms. Azriel Melvin-Georgia State University

This essay will be about Azriel Melvin’s academic profile. I had a brief interview with Ms. Melvin about her academic self. During our thirty minutes zoom meeting, I had the chance to discuss her academic life, experiences, job, hobbies, and passion. Azriel is 17 years old and will turn 18 this April. She was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She went to Charles R Drew Charter School from k-12 and currently, she is in 12^th grade. This is Azriel’s second semester at GSU as a dual enrollment student. She preferred to finish high school with dual enrollment classes rather than taking regular high school classes; she said “I want to get used to college and the experience before graduating.” She wants to start college immediately after she graduates; she wants to start college immediately because she wants to be independent, and work in her favorite passion. She doesn’t have a major right now but she wants to pursue a degree in business administration with a concentration in human resources. After earning her bachelor’s, she hopes to get her master’s, and one day she wants to work in a high position like Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).

The three words that explain Azreil’s cadmic self are Curious, involved, and social. As she said the words curious and involved go hand in hand for her. She loves to ask questions. She said, “When I’m being taught, I often find myself needing clarity.” In general situations, she always wants to know the detail. “I don’t like “half information” as my mom calls it,” Azriel said. She told me that she is social because she usually never has a problem adjusting to different social situations or learning environments. As she said she also likes to believe that she communicates well which goes into being social.

Azriel is the 4th child but she was raised as the oldest. Her mom is her biggest influence because she cares a lot about her education and keeps her on track. She also helps her with scholarships and college applications. There was high expectation for her to be a good student so she can be a good role model for her younger siblings. She is proud that she always finds a way to finish the assignments on time, and she never gives up; her favorite subject is social studies. She loves to eat ice cream, sleep, and watch stream shows. Her favorite video was the college-creating poverty ted talk by Sara Goldbrick. She said that she agrees with the idea that “the new economics of college is creating poverty. Hunger, even homelessness, are holding students back.” She thinks students shouldn’t pay a high amount of money to get educated. Azriel said she likes Dr. Chew’s videos and it was so helpful for her. One of her favorite videos is “How to get the most out of studying” she said this video change her mindset about her method of studying. Azreil doesn’t work currently she wants to focus on her education now. Nothing is frustrating for her in college so far, she didn’t come across too many obstacles yet.

In conclusion of our discussion, I can say every student has different methods and styles, and ideas for achieving their academic or none academic goals. Azriel is one of the thousands of students that want to achieve her goals by studying and being focused. She has a visual learning style. She is a hardworking student who trying to achieve college credits during high school. I enjoyed listening to her experiences and learned some new studying methods from her. I hope she goes as far as she wants.

Citations:

Azriel Melvin, Pair review transcript, January 2023.

“College Is Creating Poverty: Sara Goldrick-Rab: TEDx Philadelphia.” YouTube, 1 July 2019, https://youtu.be/dSqW43aTuRM.

“How to Get the Most out of Studying: Part 1 of 5, ‘Beliefs That Make You Fail… or Succeed.’” YouTube, 16 Aug. 2011, https://youtu.be/RH95h36NChI.

This profile is a compilation of an interview that was recorded on a phone with Sasha about her academic self. We had 2 interviews in which Sasha was sked several questions about her academic self and her journey of education so far. In this interview we recorded her experiences and got to know how she got here. Sasha is 25 and she spent all her life here in Georgia. Unfortunately, due to her family circumstances she did have to switch between several schools through k-12. She describes as these transitions between schools were very challenging but also interesting at some moments. Sasha did take a break after attending college for one semester as she did not do so well but decided to motivate herself and return to college. When asked about the difference between schools in different counties, she mentioned something very interesting like the pace at which different schools go about their teaching. She said that the cobb county education system is very faced paced versus the Dekalb county education system. She also thinks that it is hard for students to catch up so quick in cobb county rather than in DeKalb.

The three words that Sasha described her academic self as were exploring, adjustable and reflective. She says that she is exploring a lot of things as far as college in concerned as in different ways to learn and how different professors have different styles of teaching. She also says she is adjustable as she is trying to adjust in this new environment, which is college and as a student myself, I can relate to how difficult this adjustment could be. The third word was very interesting to me which was reflective. This word was interesting because she said she still reflects on her past works from high school, and she also does a lot of self-reflecting of how she was as a student in high school versus college. Overall, her three words were very interesting to me. Sasha seems to be a very interesting person and seems like she has a lot of experience from different school systems and her life experiences indicate that she has seen a lot in life. After meeting Sasha and listening about her academic self, I could relate her understanding of studying and revision to Dr. chew’s metacognition video in which he talks about how to study in detail. 

Sasha says that she sees herself in the healthcare field in a couple years down the line. It is very interesting how she describes why she wants to be a doctor when she says she wants to save lives which was very heart touching. She says she is very proud of the way she has been consistent in anything she has done so far in her life. Sasha is also very much invested in writing, and she feels that writing might change her career path in the future.

Overall, interviewing Sasha and getting to know her was an amazing experience and it was very interesting to know a person who has been through so much and has had a tough path to reach where she has today. 

work cited 

Radford, Sasha. Interview. Conducted by Ayaan Lakhani, Jan 26, 2023. 

My partner’s name is Austin Williams. Austin is a senior at Charles R Drew Charter High School in Atlanta, Georgia. You may be wondering why then Austin is not in English 1101 let alone a college English class anyway, and the reason for that would be because Austin is also a dual enrollment student, meaning he takes both classes at GSU Clarkston and his high school. The three words Austin chose to describe himself are outgoing, collected, and disciplined. He is also a basketball player at his high school and has been playing since he was only five years old, so these words do make sense to hear from a basketball player. He attended Greenforest Christian Academy for pre-k up to fourth grade, then that is when he made the switch to Drew. Although he left his Christian school behind, he did not leave his Christian beliefs behind, as he is a strong and firm believer in Jesus Christ. He plans to attend Kennesaw State University and is torn between what he would like to major in: Engineering or Finance.
Austin Says that the biggest influence on his academic self would have to be his mindset. The way he explained it to me was the way he sees himself in his mind is usually the version of himself he tries to bring out and showcase to other people. So, he knows he is a hardworking student and he wants everyone to know without a doubt that he is a hardworking student. The picture featured at the beginning of this paper displays Austin in a Cap and Gown. While this may not be his exact cap and gown he says that he took this picture because he wanted to remind himself of his primary and current focus which would be to graduate. Austin says he comes from a family where a lot of his relatives didn’t make all the right decisions leading them not to be able to see their high school graduation day. He does not resent them for this, but he does not want that for himself; he wants all the world has to offer. Austin says he will break the cycle by making the right decisions and hard work; I can say one thing by judging his character; he will prove his point because he is never afraid of hard work. As Sara Goldrick-Rab says in the TED talk College is a great investment and pays off by changing the dynamic and increasing the chances of success.
Another word Austin used to describe himself was collected. Being an athlete, especially a basketball player, Austin knows all about being cool, calm, and collected. He said growing up there was always pressure on him whether from his parents, coaches, mentors, or whoever. He said that pressure is nothing new to him and that “Pressure is a part of life. If you aren’t feeling any pressure, you aren’t putting yourself in the right situations”, and Austin has learned how to deal with pressure and stay calm and collected through it all.
In Conclusion, Austin is a very deliberate and hardworking person. I agree with him on one main thing, being calm and collected under pressure. He has his goals and priorities straight, and he knows what people expect from him. His character is strong, and he gives his one hundred percent to everything, whether sports studies or any aspect of life.

Work Cited

Goldrick-Rab, S. (2019, July 1). Sara Goldrick-Rab |College is creating poverty | TEDx Philadelphia. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSqW43aTuRM

This is Stella Starla, she is the classmate I was assigned to write an academic profile on for our English 1102 class. She is eighteen and is currently working through her second semester of college acquiring an associate’s degree in health-science medical technology. She’s attending college because if she chose not to, her mom said that she would have to figure out life on her own. Her mom wants her to be independent and rely on herself, not others. She’s had many career aspirations in her life such as being a singer, baker, and OBGYN. However, Stella settled on working with ultrasounds because she wanted to be in the infant medical field, but she didn’t want to attend college for twelve years. Georgia State University was her first choice for her career path. 

In elementary school, Stella showed her liking towards school by being sociable towards her classmates and teachers, she even considered herself a teacher’s pet. She was on the Principal’s list and received good grades. Unfortunately, Stella experienced a traumatic experience involving sexual assault towards the end of her elementary years. Her assailants didn’t face as serious of consequences as they should have. She no longer felt safe at school, commonly arming herself with sticks and rocks in case she ever got attacked again. Stella became quiet and unmotivated in school following her assault and no longer had the relationships with her teachers she once did. 

Stella got high grades in her regular classes in middle school and was recommended for honors classes. She attended Coretta Scott King for high school where honors classes filled up her schedule. She surrounded herself with the smart students of her school, yet she hesitates when referring to herself as a scholar. She’s a perfectionist, she doesn’t like turning in her assignments unless they’re perfect which often leads to procrastination. She liked and related to our week three reading, “Strong Writers and Writers Don’t Need Revision,” and pointed out when Laura Giovanelli talks about procrastinators staying up late working on a paper and that “writers need revision because revision is not a discrete step” (104). Stella tends to edit and revise as she writes instead of writing rough drafts. However, she’s working on her procrastination now that she’s in college because she knows she can’t get by with that mindset. 

Stella went through school in her sister’s shadow, being compared to her sister by teachers who taught them both. The comparisons caused Stella to feel as though she needed to prove herself to others, but recently she’s ignored those expectations because she’s come to the conclusion that she’s her own person and is not her sister. She wasn’t bothered much about her grades unless she had put high expectations on herself beforehand. She says, “I’d be upset if I thought I did really good on a test but ended up doing really bad” (Starla). However, if she had gone into the test feeling as though she wouldn’t do good, the bad grade wouldn’t affect her. Her father wasn’t very involved in her academics, he wouldn’t ask about or pressure her about her grades and her mother was happy as long she passed her classes and would encourage her to do so.

School didn’t interest Stella, especially taking core classes that she didn’t enjoy. High school was more of a chore for her, she went through it to get her diploma, not enjoying the process. She suspects she was depressed toward the end of her sophomore year and she contemplated dropping out constantly, coming close to following through. However, she knew she needed her diploma in order to have the life she wanted in the future.

Despite facing many hardships in her life, Stella persevered and graduated in May of 2022. As she walked across the stage, she felt excited about making it through some of the hardest years of her life. She looked out at the crowd and met her mother’s eyes. Stella says she wouldn’t have made it as far as she did if it wasn’t for her mom. Her mom is her best friend and motivates her to keep going and try her hardest in life. Graduating quickly became Stella’s proudest moment. 

Works Cited 

Giovanelli, Laura. “Strong Writers and Writers Don’t Need Revision.” Bad Ideas. Pp. 104-108. 

Starla, Stella. Peer Review Interview. February 2023.

Weaver, Rebecca, PhD. Major Project #1, Academic Profile. February 2023.

For this portfolio project, I was assigned Adrian Samuel from our English 1102 class. I interviewed Adrian two separate times, learning how he behaves as he approaches school, and how his life affected these behaviors. Adrian asked that I keep his age private but add that he is, quote, “way older than me”. I am 17, so do with that information what you want.

Adrian was born in New York but quickly moved down here to Stone Mountain. He attended Hambrick Elementary School, but he doesn’t remember much about it. For Middle and High school he went to Stone Mountain Middle School and Stone Mountain High School. He reported that he did not have good experience with either institution. It is important to note that Adrian grew up with little to no technology, so he was not used to it.

After graduating High School, Adrian decided to pursue the military instead of college. He told me that his mother had gone to college, and was in the medical field, but it was not a big interest to him then. To escape college, Adrian went to the army to pursue a career in linguistics, only to be turned down. His next option was to be an air traffic control personnel, but they determined he didn’t have the qualifications for it. The military then offered him a position in the Medical Corp, which he accepted begrudgingly. Adrian commented on this saying, “The medical field is what I was trying to avoid, and that is exactly what they offered me.” After some odd years serving as an X-ray tech in the military, all personnel was given an email to contact loved ones when deployed. Adrian told me, “I never touched the email, I just kept using the phone”. This story reinforced his distance from technology.

After 11 years of service, Adrian was given the chance to go to GSU under the GI Bill to get the education required to qualify for a career. Though after only one semester he was offered a job at Grady Hospital as an X-Ray tech. After 8 years of working, Adrian maxed out his position and wanted to expand his horizons to a new field: Nursing.

Adrian is back at GSU this semester to get a degree in Nursing. He is being paid to go to school here but is still working at Grady. He talked to me about how challenging it is to do both school and work when getting a degree, but that he still needs the money. On top of this, his issue with technology grew as more online assignments were implemented into the GSU curriculum. When I asked him to explain his dislike of computers he told me, “Every professor has a different way of organizing assignments, and all the tabs are hidden and jumbled. It gets confusing and I can’t find where things are.” Adrian likes to follow his own system, and so seeing other organizational methods can be hard to decipher.

Adrian told me that he didn’t want to be in the medical field, and instead, his dream is to be involved in politics as a policymaker. He told me about his love of government and listening to topical issues, and how he wants to find “what issues there are, how it affects us, and how we can change it for the better.” He talked about how there is an evident difficulty for lower-class families to go to college because they lack proper funding and that he would want to work on that kind of policy. This example struck me because of how similar it was to one discussed in the TED talk: College is Creating Poverty. The TED talk mentioned bright students who got into their desired college but couldn’t afford basic necessities because of tuition and other costs (College). His love of policymaking outweighs that of the medical field, but he continues at Grady regardless.

School realistically played a very small role in Adrian’s life, so his academic self reflects that. When directly talking to him about it, he said that he was interested in practical knowledge, subjects a person can tangibly use. He doesn’t like philosophy because you can’t interact with thoughts, you cannot use them physically as you can do in an experiment in biology for example. He always approached academics with the mindset that: if you are required to take a class, but don’t like it, “just get it done.” I noticed through interviewing Adrian that he is a very organized person. He attempts to keep aspects of his life separate. For example, he has 4 phones, each serving a different purpose. Keeping them separate helps him focus one at a time. Throughout all of our conversations, I learned that Adrian Samuel is a very educated man, trained not by school, but by the school of life.

 Adrian Samuel (credit Adrian Samuel)

Works Cited

Adrian S, Evan P, et al, Profile Project Written Transcript, January 2023

Sara Goldrick-Rab, TEDx Talks “College Is Creating Poverty,” YouTube, 1 July 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSqW43aTuRM&feature=youtu.be.

Rebecca W, Ph.D.; Major Project 1, Academic Profile, January 2023, GSU Clarkston