Summertime with the UCI Transfer Student

After plunging through class after class at a community college, I've decided to take my first summer break since summer 2006. It feels great!!! At the same time, I get a reality check of how things will be if you don't really keep in the [school] loop. There are times where I feel like I should have something done by so-and-so date, yet I remember, "Oh hey, I'm on summer vacation!" Being on a break for once helps remind me that things do not get done unless you yourself will do it! Because, in summer, you have a schedule all to yourself! I will start up the second summer session at UCI (couldn't go without school for that long!) on August 3rd. Classes that will be taken are: English 28B and Math 2E.

Upon reflection from the two quarters that I've experienced at UCI, I can definitely say that the UC system is much more challenging than the community college system. This is mainly because staff/faculty of the University system could care less of what the individual does-- in a sense that you're not spoon fed your material. They are not given the same material/literature constantly, nor are they reminded too much about upcoming deadlines. It is solely the individuals' responsibility to keep up with his/her engagements. This also leads to the observation that University students are friendlier than community college students on the whole. I found that students at the University tend to collaborate as a group more than community college (CC) students. This I suppose is because most CC campuses tend to have students who are in and out of the campus; be it they have a job to go to, a family, or they just aren't in the mood to be "in school."
Overall, I can say that being in the UC system challenges me in so many ways, mainly in the areas on managing time & resources. The UC system provides the student with abundant resources and new technology at their disposal, it is just the way the student uses it and interacts with these tools. When I think of myself at UCI, I feel that it is like being at a sand-box. We're here to prepare ourselves for whats "out there."

Cheers.