GROSSMONT COLLEGE – As the end of the year approaches students both rejoice and mentally prepare for the next semester. Meanwhile, others like myself will leave our Grossmont campus nesting grounds in order to pursue further ventures throughout the world.
Although there is a good six-week lull until the Spring 2012 semester, it’s considered good etiquette for all to plan ahead. While most serious students have already registered for classes, others are still attempting to cram in as much as possible before being completely swamped by next year’s activities, studying, workloads and aspiring goals on each person’s agenda. As an avid planner, I’ve had my experiences dealing with unforeseen circumstances when it comes to scheduling conflicts, wait lists and overflowed classrooms. Take it from me, it’s not fun nor exciting losing out on a semester’s worth of classes.
2011 has been a year of drastic change for Grossmont College. Not only have students seen the price of tuition per unit almost double, but the amount of classes have also been slashed by over 8%. Visually, the campus has also taken a new direction. Newly developed buildings such as the Griffin Gate and Student Center have graced the campus through a complete remodel and will be available for student use at the beginning of 2012. The recent completion of the parking structure in 2009 as well as the newly constructed Health Sciences building have brought the campuses beautification aspect up to par with the Tech Mall, Science department and Media Communications building. While the newer generation of students reaps these benefits, these drastic changes were well appreciated additions to those of us who used these buildings before the upgrades.
Aside from the aesthetics added to the campus, faculty has changed over almost on a yearly basis. While most of your old teachers will remain in their same departments, others have been relocated or unfortunately let go during these hard economic times. Luckily, during my stay on campus, I have yet to lose any of the great teachers I’ve grown to enjoy and admire. The website, http://blog.ratemyprofessors.com, when attempting to register or get information on a certain instructors persona can prove invaluable before stepping into an unknown semester.
Grossmont College may not be the most lavish campus, but its amenities provide students with immeasurable opportunities through helpful staff and resources. Being able to research projects in a comfortable library environment may not be a luxury students at other colleges can stress. Not to mention the low tuition prices. To me, this campus has been a godsend during my time of need and having a faculty that actually cares about student success can be rare. Being allowed ample amounts of hands-on experience as a first-year student also provided me with the sense of confidence to accomplish my educational goals. You too can enjoy these same beneficial experiences at Grossmont College in the coming years.
As I ascend upon the stairway into evanescence, I look down on my fellow classmates, instructors, friends and loved ones and offer best wishes in your life endeavors. My gratefulness for being able to attend this college knows no bounds and as much as I enjoyed spreading the knowledge about ongoing campus departments and events, I wish I could have done more. Always keep looking to the horizon.
Best of luck to all!
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Jeitler is features editor of the GC Summit. He may be contacted at [email protected]
