Why South?

Nation College Decision Day is May 1st and its a time where most students submit their acceptance to mark the decision on what university they plan to attend. In high school for national college day, all seniors were asked to wear a shirt representing the university they plan to attend. That morning, waking up and deciding to wear my red University of South Alabama shirt is a day that I'll never regret. I've always considered South to be one of my top choices, but when national college decision day came around, my heart lead me to South. I remembered the friendly students and staff, smiling faces, and beautiful campus, which all made the decision that much more clear and easy.

Choosing Engineering

Throughout high school I was sure that I would attend college, but the major and career path to follow left me with uncertainties. My interest in problem solving led to engineering. After deciding engineering would be the path to take, the next step was to determine which branch. Working numerous jobs, it became clear to me that the mechanical aspect of engineering sparked my interest most. With engineering I feel that it is most important to be safe and efficient and various jobs have those requirements, and they need to be met.

We Are...

We are United!

The catch phase "We Are South"can be used in a multitude of ways with various meanings! When i heard the phrase, it reminds me how united we are as a whole whether it be in or outside of the classroom. We are united in the aspect that we are all joined together working for a common purpose, to reach each individual goals. We includes each member associated with the University of South Alabama because every individual plays a vital role in making South united as we are!

5 Facts About South!!

5 Fun Facts About South

1. The USA Jaguars field 17 Division I athletic teams that compete in the Sun Belt Conference!

2.The undergrad student body is composed of 34 states and also has a group of about 880 international students from over 34 countries! 

3.South offers opportunities in more than 100 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree program!

4. The University of South Alabama was founded in 1963 and in April 1964, the University moved from 154 St. Louis Street to its present location in west Mobile.

5.The Jaguars football program was established in 2009 and played in its first bowl game, the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl, in 2014 against Bowling Green!

Biggest Challenge

Being a college student, some would assume the greatest challenges students would have to face would be a specific course or something directly related to the classroom. But personally, the biggest challenge for me as a college student has been time management. Taking 18 credit hours a semester, working, and finding time to sleep makes it seems like 24 hours in a day just isn't long enough. Being caught between wanting to go have fun and doing homework, its easy to see the choice that often gets selected over the other. With tons of activities constantly occurring on campus, I have the desire to attend every one. In actuality, attending them all is not realistic and shows lack in prioritizing. But finding a healthy balance in getting wants and necessities is the true challenge. I have found that planning specific times during the week for homework and studying to be very beneficial and a partial solution to what I feel is the biggest challenge of being a college student! 

Goals

The University of South Alabama provides challenges for every student, whether its directly or indirectly related to a certain classroom. As a result of those challenges, students create goals to counteract them. As a student, more direct goals for me can include making a desired grade in a classroom. But in preparation for the ultimate goal, which is finding a job related to my desired career, I have smaller goals in place to keep me on track. Those smaller goals for me include having a solid understanding of material, regardless of the graded outcome. This goal is important to me because with a better understanding I will be more proficient in things to come. Another goal of mine is to be an active member of groups and organizations that way it will allow me to create bonds and better understanding of the things that interest me.

What I Love About South

In honor of Valentine's Day, here are some reasons why I love South! One of the reasons I love South is because of the atmosphere and feeling you get from being a student on campus. With smaller classrooms, you are allowed to have a more personal connection with your professor and classmates. I love this aspect about South because it allows better understanding of material and also allows the bond you make with classmates to grow outside of the classroom. I feel that South is the perfect size, not too big or small. Allowing you to meet new people but also grow with the people you may have known since freshman year. South also has a diverse, welcoming campus that allows you to fit in and be yourself. This aspect allows you to meet new people from different backgrounds, resulting in you learning more about others and their customs.

Favorite course this semester: EG 283

For the spring 2018 semester I am taking 5 courses with one being paired with a lab. As a sophomore I am taking calculus 3, calculus based physics 2 paired with lab, linear algebra, american literature, and engineering statics. Of these five classes, engineering statics if my favorite for many reason. As a mechanical engineering major, statics is my favorite course because it is directly related to my desired field. My professor present real world problems that we may have to solve in the future. He also brings in problems that he is currently working on at the moment that we solve together. Another reason this is my favorite course is because like most problems, there are multiple ways to solve it. So the reason EG 283 is my favorite course is because of the material it covers, the professor that teaches it, and the overall message it teaches.

College Selection Tips

The stage of transitioning from high school to college is one of the biggest steps an individual has to take in their life. After preparing a list of the possible college you would like to attend, I would recommend creating a list of things you look for in a college. Three tips I would advise all prospective college students to take includes being sure that the college has their desired major, it provides extra curriculum activities based on their interest, and to take visits to that college's campus. It is important to pick a school that offers the major you wished to pursue a degree in because it is essentially the main purpose of getting a college education. If that college has the major you wish to pursue, determining if they have program or extra activities to expand on your interest is an important asset in the college selection process. Finally, the campus visit should be the final piece to the college selection puzzle. The college location, campus life, and other student will allow you to have a feeling for what the upcoming years would have to offer.

Down Time!

As a student at the University of South Alabama, there are so many things to do outside of class. When I am done with classes I have healthy balance of studying and relaxing. I would spend time reviewing material that I've learned, but most importantly I  take a break from school and spend time doing the things I enjoy. Going to sporting events, the rec center, and sleeping are some of the most common activities. There has not been a week without sporting events happening involving South. I enjoy cheering on my fellows Jags as they compete at a high level. If I am not able to make a game, I enjoy going to the rec center. At the rec center there are multiple things to do, playing ping pong being one of my favorites. Most importantly, when I am not in class I enjoy sleeping. After a long stressful day, returning home and taking a nap restores all the energy and prepares you for the next day.

Getting Involved

The beginning of freshman year I knew it was critical for me to get involved on campus. To enjoy college and to get the full experience I understood that getting out and meeting knew people could make school so much better. Instead of sitting in my room all day after class, I was persistent in leaving the room and finding new things to do. The first way i got involved on campus was with intramural sports. I learned about intramural sports while attending the rec center; joining was simple and the organization has something for everyone. A more academic aspect of campus involvement simply came from attending class. Based upon your interest, teachers and other students highly recommend and ask you to join organizations that they are apart of. An example of an organization I am a member of is SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). Being an engineering major, this organization allows me to get more real world experience and apply concepts that are being taught in class. At South there are tons or ways to get involved, no matter your interest, there are tons organization you can be apart of.