which ________ a burden for some of them.
I arrived to my new town and I loved every second of it. I had a great host family—they took me around the United States and made me feel at home. After using a dictionary for a(n)1weeks, I quickly learned American expressions and the2and some people couldn't tell I wasn't from Arkansas. I loved my classes and made a lot of friends in my new school. Every day I learned something new—a new phrase or word or the way people do things. I liked to3life in the United States and Russia and learned that both of the ways 4.I also took5in communications, media and cultures around the world. That year6so fast and it was time to go home. When I 7,I still had one year of high school left and a lot of exams to prepare for. That year I studied like I never did before and was looking for all of the8I had. I couldn't be an English teacher in my hometown anymore —I had to9what is out there for me.
While I was10to a language program in one of the universities in Moscow, I also found a university in Missouri. I couldn't believe my parents let me go again! This time it was for four more years, or maybe more.... I left again and started my college11in the United States. College of the Ozarks offered free tuition(学费)to every student12a campus work program. Plus, you could pay for your room and13by working over the summer. It is a wonderful14— you work on campus and keep it running, while15work experience and getting education. I enjoyed my time there, but I was on a roll and had to keep my momentum(势头)going.
Whether a student is moving to a new college or attending for the first time, there is a certain period of adjustment that's required. Students that have never previously attended college must adjust to life as college freshmen（大学一年级新生）. With college, there comes a new level of responsibility in terms of education. Students are confronted（面临）with classes that are often more challenging. During their freshman year, students may feel at a loss or stressed about these changes to their new life. Fortunately, there are ways for students to adjust successfully to college life.
Get Involved
Getting involved in college activities can help freshmen adjust to college life. Activities can help students feel as if they are a part of their environment, and help them to relieve（缓解）some of the everyday stress associated with classes and studying. Students may consider getting involved in clubs, sports, student organizations, or other activities that take place outside of the classroom. This will also allow them to meet and interact with new people on campus.
Stay Positive
Freshmen have a lot to adjust to and at times it can feel like too much to handle. When a student feels at a loss by meeting new people, adjusting to new professors, studying, and college life in general, he or she may start to feel negative about the whole experience. When this happens, it is crucial that students stay positive with both their behavior and thoughts. Associating with people who have a positive outlook on their college experience and avoiding those who do not are great ways to feel better. Thinking of long-term goals will also help students feel more positive about college and education in general.
Go to Class
Attending classes is one of the most important student responsibilities. With the new found freedom that college brings, some freshmen may want to skip classes for other activities. At certain colleges, attendance is critical, particularly for classes that are in high demand. Failure to attend may cause a student to be dropped from the class. In classes where attendance is not taken, students may miss critical information necessary for their studies and may fail the class. Unless a student is ill, he or she should make every effort to attend all of their classes in a timely manner.
Communicate Productively
New college students may feel uncomfortable when it comes to communicating their needs. This difficulty could arise when it comes to speaking with professors or with fellow students, such as roommates. No matter where the problem falls, it is necessary for freshman to develop the confidence and the skills to communicate effectively. Speaking with confidence and respect will help students to get the information that they need and help them to avoid confusion or complications with other students.
I'm an 18-year-old pre-medical student, tall nd good-looking, with two short story books and quite a number of essays my credit. Why am I singing such praises of myself? Just to explain that he attainment of self-pride comes from a great deal of self-love, and to attain it, one must first learn to accept oneself as one is. That was where my struggle began.
Born and raised in Africa，I had always taken my African origin as burden. My self-dislike was further fueled when my family had to relocate to Norway, where I attended a high school. Compared to all the white girls around me, with their golden hair and delicate lips, I ,a black girl, had curly hair and full, red lips. My nose often had a thin sheet of sweat on it, whatever the weather was. I just wanted to bury myself in my shell crying "I'm so different!"
What also contributed to my self-dislike was my occasional stuttering (口吃), which had weakened my self-confidence. It always stood between me and any fine opportunity. I'd taken it as an excuse to avoid any public speaking sessions, and unknowingly let it rule over me.
Fortunately, as I grew older, there came a turning point. One day a white girl caught my eye on the school bus when she suddenly turned back. To my astonishment, she had a thin sheet of sweat on her nose too, and it was in November! "Wow," I whispered to myself, "this isn't a genetic(遗传的) disorder after all. It's perfectly normal." Days later, my life took an-other twist(转折). Searching the internet for stuttering cures, I accidentally learned that such famous people as Isaac Newton and Winston Churchill also stuttered. I was greatly relieved and then an idea suddenly hit me—if I'm smart, I shouldn't allow my stuttering to stand between me and my success.
Another boost to my self-confidence came days later as I was watching the news about Oprah Winfrey, the famous talkshow host and writer—she's black too! Whenever I think of her story and my former dislike of my color, I'm practically filled with shame.
Today, I've grown to accept what I am with pride; it simply gives me feeling of uniqueness. The idea of self-love has taken on a whole new meaning for me: there's always something fantastic about us, and what w need to do is learn to appreciate it.
Everyone looks forward to progress, whether in one's personal life or in the general society. Progress indicates a person's ability to change the way he is living at the moment. Progress must lead a better way of doing things. All these, however, remains true only in so far as people want to accept technology and move forward by finding new and more efficient ways of doing things.
However, at the back of the minds of many people, especially those who miss the "good old days", efficiency comes with a price. When communication becomes efficient, people are able to contact one another no matter where they are and at whatever time they wish to. The click of a button allows people miles apart to talk or to see each other without even leaving their homes. With the communication gadgets, such as mobile phones and ipads, people often do not take the effort to visit one another personally. A personal visit carries with the additional feature of having to be in the person's presence for as long as the visit lasts. We cannot unnecessarily excuse ourselves or turn the other person off.
With efficiency also comes mass production. Such is the nature of factories and the success of industrialization today. Factories have improved efficiency. Unskillful tasks are left to machines and products are better made and produced with greater accuracy than any human hand could ever have done. However, with the improvements in efficiency also comes the loss of the personal touch when making these products. For example, many handcrafts are now produced in a factory. Although this means that supply is better able to increase demand, now that the supply is quick and efficient, the demand might fall because mass production lowers the quality of the handicraft and it is difficult to find unique designs on each item.
Nevertheless, we must not commit the mistake of analyzing progress only from onepoint of view. In fact, progress has allowed tradition to keep up. It is only with progress and the invention of new technology that many old products can be brought back to their old state. New technology is required for old products to stay old.
It is people's attitude towards progress that causes the type of influence that technology has on society. Technology is flexible. There is no fixed way of making use of it. Everything depends on people's attitude. The worst effects of progress will fall on those who are unable to rethink their attitudes and views of society. When we accept progress and adapt it to suit our needs, a new "past" is created.
Mike Sullivan, a former construction worker, took up woodworking after he and his wife, Judy, retired. He was enjoying carving things in his workshop, but he wanted to create something with more purpose.
Sullivan had been thinking about the single present he'd received in 1954 when he was growing up in a small mining town. His father earned $1 a day and couldn't afford a New Year gift. He then made a small wooden horse, which Sullivan considered the best New Year present ever.
Sullivan talked about it with Judy and they decided to start making wooden toys to give away to kids on New Year's Day. That first year, they made 360 toys.
The Sullivans now make about 1,500 toys each year to donate to local children's charities, school districts and homeless shelters. Local businesses give them much of the wood, but the couple still dip into their own money every year to keep their workshop running. "My sales policy is not to collect a single penny. Everything we make is given away," said Sullivan.
Last year, the couple's daughter started a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of some materials and tools. People have donated more than $1,500 so far this holiday season.
This December, all the toys they made were distributed to local charities to behanded out to children from poor families. They are now getting a head start on next year's toy workload.
The couple are now at work on the toys seven days a week, sometimes for 10hours a day. "Making toys keeps my mind active. I can't just sit there and stare at a TV all day. The work really gives me a boost. Some days are easier than others, but they're all rewarding," said Sullivan. "I might take a day or two off after the New Year, but that's it. As long as there's a need out there, I don't get to take many vacations."
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