Ruffing PAGE 5
Blair Ruffing
Phillips
ALS 199-002
10 September 2014
Adjusting to Changing Environments: An Analysis of the Challenges of College
English: Oregon State University in Corvallis, Dix...
Oregon State University
English: Weatherford Hall at Oregon State Universi...With college comes change, and with change comes opportunity, but it is up to the individual to determine how they are going to face the specific struggles that come with adapting. Making the transition from the South to the West Coast will force me to face various amounts of differences between the cultures; however, the adjustment will allow me to be immersed into a new community that will open my eyes to new experiences and values. Furthermore, college is made up of many different individuals coming from a plethora of different circumstances and environments. Having this many backgrounds and identities entering my life on a daily basis can possibly lead me to alter some of my core values, so I have to make sure that I not only stay true to my character but also hold myself to a high standard when it comes to both my athletic and academic career at Oregon State University.
Growing up in the South, I have constantly been exposed to very conservative values and beliefs toward certain subjects; however, I am extremely liberal when it comes to politics and ideals, so I always felt like a black sheep. Making the transition from the South to the Pacific North West, I can see how many individuals share my same mindset, so that has played a major role in making me feel more comfortable in this new environment. In The Shock of Education: How College Corrupts, the author states that when one goes off to college, "one world opens and widens and another shrinks" (Lubrano 47). In a sense, I hope this becomes a reality for me since I desire to feel more...