November 24, 2008

Daisy Santillan

Eng 250/260               

Can Confusion Be Good?

Going to college can be very confusing; you can be confused on educational goals and how to meet them. It can be hard to go to a new school that you know nothing about. You may feel alone, out of place, and may not know where to go to get help. Confusion is hard to deal with, especially by yourself. You might back away from what is best for you if you have no one to help you, OR you could find a way to confront it and get help. When you are new at a place you know nothing about, you do not know what they have to offer.

There are many reasons why incoming freshmen drop out of college their first year. Many are unprepared and unorganized, meaning they do not have the right material they need in order to succeed. It is hard to learn how college works; it takes time to figure out how to be a student in college. The article "Puzzling Experiences in Higher Education: Critical Moments for Conversation" states that "the most difficult thing was to get used to a different kind of academic work" (Ridley 95). You are new to college and you know nothing. It is difficult and confusing to figure out how you will be able to get through a new educational system.

The pressure of going to college starts in high school. As seniors, some of us did not take the time to talk to someone about college. If you were to talk to someone with more experience, such as a teacher, friend, or relative, it would have helped to have an idea what you need in order to succeed in college. This is one of the reasons why we get confused as freshmen. We do not know what to expect. But if you open your mind, you will be able to find out what sports, clubs, or activities they have for us to join so we can meet more people and become more involved in our school. This is how you will slowly start making friends around college. And you will learn more about your school and have people to ask questions.

However, the part that may confuse someone the most is not knowing which classes to take, or if you need the classes that you are taking. This is really hard to figure out by yourself. There are so many classes you have to choose from and it is hard to know which one is best for you. I recommend all new Gavilan students to take action as soon as they can. Set up an appointment with a counselor and they will be very happy to help you. You may be shy, or might not have the courage and/or time, to see a counselor. But there should not be anything to keep you from seeing a counselor. Counselors are here to help you succeed in college. It is not just their job; they like to help make your education easier. They try their best to figure out what your need is and what would be best for you.

It is very important to talk to a counselor because they help you get involved in school. Here at Gavilan College there is a program called the Basic Skills Network. There the counselors help you make an educational plan. Michelle Foguet-Mendoza, a counselor from the Basic Skills Network, says, "Students who are confused find it easier to drop out and work instead of looking for help." An educational plan is there to help you choose your classes. You may have a goal or not, and this plan helps you take the classes you need. "Students have been here for ten years without talking to a counselor, and have been taking classes they do not need," says Foguet-Mendoza.

-.          Also, a counselor will give the student a handout that has all the resources listed to help you get involved in school. On-campus resources can assist a student in getting help or connecting to useful programs. Some of these resources include TRIO Student Support Services. This resource is for "first-generation" college students, low income, or students with verified disabilities. Another resource is the Tutoring Center; there a student can get help on their homework (Gavilan Catalog 16). The counselors guide you to independent learning. These resources help you succeed in college and help you not to be confused about your education.

An educational plan can be very helpful in college. It does not matter if you do not have a goal, if you have a goal, or if you have a goal but you are not sure you want to do that. "The average student through out college changes their goal two to three times, you can always change your educational plan," says Foguet-Mendoza. This is important to know because maybe you will be embarrassed to keep on changing your plan, or you might have not known that you can change it.

The only disadvantage is, depending on the counselor you speak with, it may cause confusion. The reason being is because some counselors make the plans for you. They write down what it is that you need and it may confuse you. But if you do not feel comfortable with it, like my English teacher, Kyle Hull, says, "Don't suffer in silence." Let them know that you are confused and they will explain what it is that they did. Also tell them if you do not like something; they will work on what you dislike.

When I started my first semester, I was confused. I was not used to the new way of learning. I felt the teachers expected so much from me and it was hard. I was confused on my assignments. I did not ask for help from a teacher or anybody who could help explain the work to me. I was so confused that I felt like giving up. When I would do my homework, I would get confused and stop working on it. However, luckily I had some support at home that helped me keep on working. Additionally, when I would go back to class and work in groups, I would look at what other classmates had and I would start to understand the subject better. I would ask questions if I still did not understand something.

Also, another thing that helps in class is to have more communication with your classmates. My instructors passed around a sheet where students put their name, telephone number, and/or e-mail. This helped me because if I did not understand something about my homework, I would contact another student and ask. However, if your instructor does not do that you can do that on your own. One way is by writing down the same information from at least two of your other classmates. This will come in handy and help you a lot.

There are many solutions that can help your confusion in school. The main solution is to ask questions. "At one end of the continuum, the practices which may be causing confusion can be made explicit, and, at the other, more unobtrusive acquisition through encouragement and questions can take place" (Ridley 92). In other words, confusion can be good. Confusion means that you are learning something new, and when you are confused you have questions that will help you understand things better. Questions encourage you to learn more and you will achieve more because instead of staying confused you are seeing answers.

Do not deal with confusion by yourself. If you do, then this will be very difficult for you. There is always someone to be of assistance to you and your education will be much easier. Your success in college starts by communicating and asking questions. This way you will meet your educational goals and meet a lot of people who can help you throughout college.

Works Cited Page

Foguet-Mendoza, Michelle [Counselor, Basic Skills Network]. Personal interview. Gilroy, CA. 11 Nov. 2008.

Ridley, Diana. “Puzzling Experiences in Higher Education: Critical Moments for Conversation.” Studies in Higher Education 29 (Feb. 2004): 91-107.

“Student Services & Instructional Support.” Gavilan College Catalog 2007-2009. 2007: 26-27.