Melissa

Melissa


Melissa is entering her junior year at UNH as a Nursing Major. She comes from a family that for generations has worked in the health care field. Melissa is proud to continue the tradition as she prepares to become a nurse. With Melissa's learning disability, she spends much time studying for her classes but she finds balance in her life by spending time with her friends and running. Melissa's ran in her first marathon two summers ago.



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CHOOSING A COLLEGE
COLLEGE  CLASSES

BALANCING ACADEMICS WITH A SOCIAL LIFE

ACCOMMODATIONS

STRATEGIES
BEING A NURSING MAJOR

HAVING A LEARNING DISABILITY

MOTIVATION

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CHOOSING A COLLEGE
I looked at a college book which specialized in what was available to students with learning disabilities at different colleges. That’s important but that shouldn’t be your whole basis when you are looking. You should look at the size, the majors that they offer and what your interests are. First look at the academics and the social aspect and then look at what they offer for services. I am glad I came to a large school. Being in larger classes forces you to become an independent learner. That is valuable. And socially I wouldn’t have wanted to go to a school where everyone knows each other. You are always in situations here where you can meet new people.



COLLEGE  CLASSES
In high school, I didn’t take my academics seriously. I didn’t feel like it was meaningful. The material in your classes doesn’t seem relevant to your everyday life. In college it is. It prepares you for your career and makes you an educated person.

My first semester freshman year I took three courses. That was a big help. I had enough time to focus on those classes without feeling overwhelmed. I wanted to get into the nursing program and I knew it was very competitive. I had to get good grades. I went to four courses second semester and I handled those courses well. It wasn’t a huge adjustment.  The big adjustment was between high school and college.


BALANCING ACADEMICS WITH A SOCIAL LIFE
College is about academics but it is also a transition in lifestyle. It’s learning to become independent, living on your own away from your parents, and making choices. When you first get to college, your choices are most critical. Are you going to go out all the time or focus on your academics? The sooner you determine your priorities, the better.

 I had a lot of anxiety my freshman year. I don¹t know if it was not having a close group of friends, the stress of class work, or my grades. Now I have learned to balance my social life with my studies. I got into the Nursing Program so even though I still take my work very seriously, I understand how important the balance is so I don’t have that kind of anxiety.  Now I have a better sense of that balance having been here three years. Everything falls into place I believe.



ACCOMMODATIONS
In high school my accommodations were a lot more dramatic than they are now. I spent a lot of my time in the prep room. I took all of my tests there and got a lot of help from my teachers. When I came to college it was scary to think I wouldn’t have that support system. I had to do this by myself now. It made me take everything very seriously. I met with the Access Office over the summer. Freshman year I got books on tape and note-takers. I didn’t end up using the books on tape and I didn’t need the note-takers until sophomore year. A lot of professors use power point presentations which really helps. When they don’t, I can’t write while I listen and get everything down so that is when I use notetakers. I also take my tests separately and get extended time which is all very helpful.

I meet with all my professors. The thing that makes it easy is you have an accommodation letter (to take to the professor). It is not just you and you don’t know where to begin. Professors appreciate when you take your time and introduce yourself to them.  Some are more helpful than others. I had two teachers freshman year who never dropped any of my tests off (at the Access Office for extended time). I would go to Access all ready to take one. That was discouraging. One class was a huge Introduction to Psychology class and I would have to walk in while everyone was taking the test and say to him, “Can I please have my exam so I can take it to the Access Office". It was embarrassing. Some teachers have been fantastic and couldn’t have helped me more. It is all about the individual professor. You have to stay on top of them.



STRATEGIES
 I knew I needed services in college because I needed them in high school. It never crossed my mind not to have those services. I live with 7 other girls and one has it (LD) but she doesn’t use her resources. I think she struggles more than she really has to.
 
I never really developed my learning style until I got to college and then I learned what worked for me. When I have had difficulty with classes, CFAR gave me pointers on different ways I can learn the material. Taking notes while really doing the reading so you know the material takes a long time but it makes things so much easier.  When I don’t get it read, I really notice the difference.

I am done taking my general education course.  I have my nursing courses left and others classes I choose to take. From now on, I am going to take those other courses pass/fail.  I want to have the time and energy needed to focus on my Nursing classes. Since they offer pass/fail, I feel like I can take non-nursing classes and learn from them and not have to kill myself over it.



BEING A NURSING MAJOR
My family is in Health Care. My mom, aunts, and grandmothers are nurses. My father’s a physician and his father was one. I am the youngest of four children and I am the only one going into health care. So that made my parents very happy. But I didn’t just do it for my parents. I did it for myself. It is the only thing that interests me. Right now is a great time to go into Nursing. They need nurses, it pays well, it is rewarding.  It is strenuous but I proved to myself freshman year that I could handle it.  I have clinical everyday so I am up at 5:00AM and I drive to the hospital and am there until well into the afternoon. It is very time consuming and stressful but worth it. I have one patient assigned to me.  I go in and look at the chart and give him his morning medicine. I shave him and give him a bed bath if he needs one. If he has any procedures during the day, I go down with him and observe. I also help classmates with their patients.

It is all about finding yourself in college. It is exciting figuring out who you are, what your goals are, what you want to get out of life. When I first went into Nursing, I wanted to become a Nurse Practitioner and midwife. But with everything I have learned and been exposed to, there is so much I can do. Right now I am open to everything!



HAVING A LEARNING DISABILITY
All my friends know I have a learning disability. They also know how hard I work and how well I do. Never do they think that I am not smart. When I get to know people in my classes and then I don’t take my tests with them, they don’t ask why. I don’t want to blurt it out, if it comes out that’s okay. When girls see me in the library every night studying so hard and then I just get by, then I will mention it to them.

I didn't notice how my learning disability interrupted my learning until this semester. Clinical has huge amounts of material to remember. Memorizing vital signs and mathematical formulas for mixing medicines and converting things from units to grams is very difficult. And there is an overwhelming amount of information. I sit down and I don’t even know where to start. I try to compensate by making note cards, but it is almost impossible to stay on top of it. It took me weeks to memorize all the numbers when everyone else in my group got them right away. It is discouraging because I am used to studying for a test, working very hard and doing very well. Now I am studying very hard and I am just getting by. All I can do is keep plugging away the best that I can.
MOTIVATION
I ran a marathon last summer. I worked really hard training for it. It was really rewarding. The way I prepared is how I try to go about things in life. What motivates me is working toward something. If I can’t see what I am working towards, I don’t know what my purpose is. Having a goal gives my actions a purpose. Nothing good comes without adversity or struggle. I strive on getting beyond the challenges.


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