<p>Here’s the deal. </p>
<p>I’m a freshman in college who’s had a serious time adjusting to this new concept of “freedom”. I’ve spent my whole life on a short leash at home and it seems like as soon as I was shoved off into the deceptively glamorous world of college I lost almost all concept of time management and responsibility that I was once so anal about in my years of high school. </p>
<p>In short, semesters “Fall 2010” is a complete disappointment, and “Spring 2011” probably isn’t going to look too fabulous on my transcript either. </p>
<p>I know, at the very least, that I can maintain my first semester’s GPA. It was a glorious 2.4.</p>
<h2>The Excuses? (To the merciless ones and to those who dislike long posts: Please feel free to skip this section.)</h2>
<p><strong>Semester 1.
Ah, Karma’s a **</strong>*. I did well for the majority of the term. I declared biomedical engineering as my major. I joined clubs, volunteered for UNICEF, studied hard, went to my classes… I was going through the semester at 200 million miles per hour. I scoffed (in my head, of course) at a lot of the seemingly trivial things that a lot of my friends seemed to be concerned about their first year out:</p>
<p>(Homesickness? Pah. What a wussy. The food in the dining hall sucks? Pah. Suck it up! Eat it now, taste it later. You’re worried about your GPA? Pah. What lazy ass. Why don’t you go and study for a change?)</p>
<p>At about two-thirds into the semester I contracted a mild intestinal virus. (<em>ahem</em>I could not sit/stand in any single place for longer than 20 minutes before having to rush to the restroom before my insides would instantly liquify and threaten to stain my pants. Conditions lasted for about 1 week 1/2.)</p>
<p>I was forced to slow down. However, my significant decrease in speed (and definitely the forced absence from a few days of class) made me realize a lot of things. I had been so busy that I hadn’t really thought of my family. I became so pathetically homesick that I would cry as soon as I came home, alone, from classes/social events/trips to the library. It got to the point where I flat out stopped doing my homework and going to class.</p>
<p>My (long-term) boyfriend would try to console me and stay with me occasionally but, despite all of his help, I seriously didn’t care if I failed all of my other classes. I just wanted to go home. That was a little impossible, unfortunately. My family lives overseas in Korea.</p>
<p>**Semester 2.</p>
<h2>I went home over the break, came back feeling “bulletproof” and ready to kick second term’s ass, but forgot to watch my grades and homework during this period of arrogant, unwarranted optimism. In my quest to do my best and enjoy life, I focused a wee bit too much on the “enjoy life” part. How embarrassing. </h2>
<p>Considering all of the above, I’ve most obviously become unqualified to renew for my full tuition scholarship and am I’m off job-hunting so that I might be able to pay for school. (My parents have offered to pay, and I’ll accept the help when I need it. I’d much prefer to pay what I can on my own. My family isn’t dirt poor, but then again we’re not rolling in piles of gold either.)</p>
<p>I graduated high school with a stellar GPA, with honors and as a runner up to the Valedictorian. I’ve taught my own class of 6th grade Sunday School students, I’ve been the NHS president, hand picked by teachers and administrators as a student representative when the accreditation team came to our campus, played student government, I scored high ratings in MUN conferences… </p>
<p>Yeah. I was once <em>that</em> “amazing”, nerd of a student who was going to be successful in everything, become president of the next fortune 500 company, future president of the United States, be listed as an MD.Phd and become a multi-gajillionaire upon receiving my bachelor’s degree. </p>
<h2>But now, as soon as everything that I do actually matters I manage to screw it all up within my first year. </h2>
<p>I recently went to a resume workshop hosted by the career services at my University. The woman who tore apart my resume promptly dismissed all of my accomplishments, including the fact that I’m currently the secretary of our UNICEF group, as “high school stuff”. Sure, she helped me to definitely improve my resume in the end, but it frightened me nonetheless.</p>
<p>I’ve got a few decent contacts for references, including the Pres. of our UNICEF group, high school counselor, and one of my internship supervisors. I’m looking for a clerical position in the healthcare, or research and development, setting.</p>
<p>I need some help. Your honest advice is appreciated. :(</p>
<p>Is my current GPA really going to destroy me in the end? Has any of my work actually counted?</p>
<p>What if the “GPA” question comes up during an interview when they see that I haven’t listed it? What do I say?</p>