My Bucket List

Things to do before I graduate from Iowa State:

1. Make the Dean's List every semester
2. Earn a 4.0 every semester
3. Become a "true" Iowa Stater
4. Make life long friends
5. Be involved on campus
6. Build a good resume
7. Get an internship
8. Graduate in four years
9. Win an intermural t-shirt
10. Study abroad

Things to do before I die:

1. Get a good score on the MCAT
2. Get into medical school
3. Become a pediatrician
4. Get married to my best friend
5. Travel the world
6. Have children
7. Make a medical breakthrough
8. Live in my dream house
9. See something truly breath taking
10. Visit all 50 states
11. Make someone's life better
12. Get involved in charity work
13. Get the autograph of someone famous
14. Give back to my parents for everything they have done for me
15. Help children in other countries
16. Live a life free from worries

Assignment #1

As I am entering into my the next stage of my life, college, I am starting to look back at what my life was like before. There are moments, both good and bad, that stand out. Some of these moments I would do differently, but with others I would not change a thing. One of the moments I would not change is from my high school composition II class.


On the first day that I had comp class we were told that at the end of the semester we would have to turn in a twenty five page research paper. I thought, along with the rest of the class, that it would be impossible to stretch out a paper for twenty five pages. The topic we were given was what career we wanted to have. We were then given the topics for the nine mini papers that would be put together to make the research paper. The nine topics covered everything form why we wanted to have a certain career to the education needed for the career to issues involved with that career.


The career that I had been thinking about for around four years was being a pediatrician. So, with my topic chosen I began writing my paper. At first I didn't put a lot of work into my papers, but I always turned them in on time. After about the first three papers I began working harder and started turning them in earlier. With this research paper I began writing the best I ever had. I would turn in a rough draft and not have any mistakes, so I would have a paper turned in over a week early. I continued to do this until I had all nine mini papers turned in.  When I turned in the final draft of my whole research paper I received a grade of 100%.


One thing that my comp class taught me was that if I put in a lot of work ahead of time I will get better results in the end. By working on my papers earlier than I had to, I had more time to make sure everything was just right. This should help me in college, because if I can get used to doing my work sooner rather than later I will not have to rush and I will not stress out about getting things done.


I am really grateful for everything my comp class taught me. I believe that writing a twenty five page research paper has helped prepare me for the amount of time and hard work that will have to go into my schoolwork for me to succeed in college.