prospective honors students

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Patti Thomas, Sophomore

 

MAJOR: Elementary Education

MINORS: Reading, Early Childhood Education

HOMETOWN: Lake in the Hills, IL

EMAIL: pthomas6@sycamores.indstate.edu

 

What are your career goals, and why?

After graduating from Indiana State I aim to get certified to be an Elementary School Teacher. I love working with children and having an impact on their education and future would mean a great deal to me.

What hobbies or interests do you have?

The hobby I value the most is reading. I love sitting down with a good book and have often stayed up all night reading. In my eyes, if a book is too good to put down, it’s worth losing sleep over.

What other leadership roles do you have and/or what else are you involved with on campus or in the local community?

I am a Blue Team Leader for the Fall of 2012 and I am on the Honors Council for 2012-2013.

What was your favorite Honors class so far, and why?

My favorite Honors class so far was Classical Cultures of Greece and Rome (GH 101) taught by Marilyn Bisch. Not only was the topic interesting and entertaining, but the professor herself was so in love with the material that she shared it in an interesting way and made the class an entertaining and educational experience.

What do you like most about being an Honors student?

What I like most about being an Honors student is the faculty and their dedication to the students in the Honors Program. This year I was lucky enough to take an Honors class with Marilyn Bisch. She was so interested and in love with the material that her passion spread to the students. Dr. Bierly and Laura are so open and involved with the students and the Program as well. They are never too busy to take a moment and discuss a student’s questions or future plans.

What advice do you have for first-year Honors students about easing the transition from home to ISU?

The biggest thing that helped me transition from life at home to life at ISU was getting involved on campus and in my Residence Hall. By getting involved you meet so many new people and friendships blossom fairly quickly.

What advice do you have for first-year Honors students about time management?

Time management is very important in the first semester at ISU. I learned the hard way that spending too much time with friends can cripple academic success. In order to ensure good performance be sure to leave at least three or four hours per day aside for homework and studying.

What advice do you have for first-year Honors students about dealing with stress?

Stress is a big side effect of your first year of college. One way to combat stress is to avoid procrastination. I am a terrible procrastinator and waiting until the last minute for assignments and projects caused a lot of my stress in my first two semesters. If you are feeling stressed be sure to share your thoughts with your friend or visit the ISU Counseling Center. Even just getting more sleep can assist in stress relief.

What other general advice do you have for first-year Honors students?

Get as involved as possible in not only extracurricular Honors Programs, but also with the professors and faculty. They love interacting with students and helping with questions or research.