Anderson's Blog

I have now been in Knoxville for two years attending school and as I am walking into my third year I have realized how much I have grown since August 17, 2007. They say that you never forget the dates that shape your life, and August 17th is one of those dates for me because it was the day that my mother fully let her oldest child go so that I can grow into my own. As I hugged and kissed my mother before she left campus on her way back to Memphis, I told her...mama's little boy is on his way to becoming mama's man! As I am entering into my third year of undergrad, I thank GOD every single day for the struggles that I have gone through, and even those struggles that I will go through because I believe that without struggle, there is no progress and through overcoming your struggle you find strength, and in finding strength you find your self and the way to make it. Its only a month and a half left before my Fall semester of my junior year starts and I see my self really growing into the leader that I am, and I am also doing the things that GOD has planned for me. I take on my junior year with my shirt called strength, my pants called prayer, my face called faith, and my book called the BIBLE...So I end this blog by saying.....NO STRUGGLE, NO PROGRESS!

Throughout my entire life there has been people that have been involved that has helped shaped me into the young man that I am today. From family, friends, church members, and even those people that I don't know but have ever given me an encouraging word have all helped me in more ways than they can imagine. I am and have been very grateful for everyone that I have ever come across. Of all those I have named, some of the people that may have touched my life the most were the ME4UT organization that I met during my junior and senior year in high school. ME4UT is the Minority Enhancement for the University of Tennessee in which they help in the recruitment of minority high school juniors and seniors. It was through this program that I got a chance to visit UT's campus numerous times before even getting accepted. ME4UT showed me exactly what college life here at UT would be like, through this program I was able to make one of the best decisions so far in my life by attending UT. Well, I was recently accepted as a member for ME4UT and I am so elated to be able to give back to an organization that gave me the hope of being able to attend UT. I have ME4UT in my heart, therefore I will give it my all to help high school students the same exact way I was helped, but even better. Giving back, which in my eyes is one of the best things that I can do for those who have touch my life so far.

Growth...a six letter word that brings a lot of responsibility with it. Growth is very essential in life, especially in College. Every day that I live, my main goal is to grow into a better young man than I was the day before. To be able to make it through college you must let yourself grow in more ways than one, and also not be afraid of the growth process because at times it can, and will be a little painful. I arrived here at UT on August 17,2007, and ever since that day I have grown and have evolved so much! I have learned and have gotten better with using my time wisely, I have experienced a lot of things as well as being tested in more ways than one. That is the basic fundamentals of College, which is to test you in every aspect of life in order to prepare you for your next step in life. I once was told from a lady at my church that "without struggle there is no progress, and without progress there is no growth." I remembered her words and I understand why she told me that because everyday you will have some sort of an obstacle that you must overcome, and only the strong and those willing to grow overcome those obstacles. By learning through living is when you GROW!

After my first year of college, I have a lot of plans and thoughts with my second year in progress.My first year included very high ups, and very low downs that, at times, I thought that I could not make it through college. I prayed to God, and stayed faithful in his word, that he would not put more on me than I can bare and in his word my weaknesses became strong points in my life. After my freshman year of college I realized how strong of a young man that I am, I made it through my first year of college. I was happy that my first year was over, but I wasnt content with just going through one year of school, I was hungry for more in life especially concerning school. I was told by my grandmother that the worst type of man there is, is a man that feels as if his job is done and that there is no more room for improvement and that he has done all that he can accomplish. My grandmother told me to stay focused and to never get full with life and with having this BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY attitude that I would make it in life. Now as I go through my everyday life and I proceed with school, I keep in my head that whatever it takes for me to make it, I will make it through this!

My first year at the Univeristy of Tennessee,it was up and it was down. I thank GOD every day that I had more ups than downs, I was tested mentally, physically, and even emotionally. College has its way on testing you in more ways than One,so get ready for them. It seem like it was just yesterday that I graduated from my High School and I was talking about going to COllege, well now I am in College and I am heading towards my second year. I have no doubts in choosing UT as the COllege for me to better my education, and I plan on staying here until after Graduates School. I met a lot of new friends, got reacquainted with some old friends, learned a lot in and out of class that I can use in my every day life. SO to the upcoming freshman, get focused, stay focused, stay focused, and did I say STAY FOCUSED.

Staying focused is a lot of college kids problem, there is so much going on around us. Sometimes is very easy to lose focus on what you are doing, and most of the times we would be losing focus to things that we can control. Things like getting on myspace or even facebook too much, which can lead us to delaying on finishing a paper or even a project. Staying focused is something that takes a great skill in doing, and its something that I have been good on and something that I am getting better with as the days go by. Last semester, I would catch myself being on facebook and myspace alot, watching tv and playing the game, and even going to the gym. This semester, the library is my second home, I go to the library as least twice a day. While im there, I dont get on facebook or myspace, I just focus on what I have to do pretaining to my studies. Then, when I get back to my room is when I would do the ohter things that I want to do. My family pounds in my head all the time,STAY FOCUS, STAY FOCUS, STAY FOCUS. Now that's all I can think of is staying focus!

I have always heard from my parents, church members, and family members to communicate with them alot. Well here in College, communication is very important with your professors. Sometimes, it can be the difference between an A and a B. I weekly choose to either meer with my professors, or email them, this has proven to be a very good technique of mine. With staying in touch with my professors, they all know me by name, and it has even helped out to gain extra credit. By me communicating with my professors, I am letting them know that I am very concerned about my grade in thier class, as well as being a productive student. SO, when you get to College, don't forget to COMMUNICATE!