I usually turn to Cristina Barba Or James McNicholas for help… I work
with them in the Student Recruitment office on campus… They can
usually answer most of my question… and Cristina gives me advice on
which classes to take for my degree… At Chemeketa we also have great
counseling services available for all the students that go here…
Well, when I first started here, I wasn’t really excited about coming
here because it was a community college and not the college I always
dreamed of going to. My first impression was that it’s some public
community building with lots of old people. There wasn’t much that I
really liked about it. But during my first term my opinion has changed
a lot. I learned about the different opportunities and what Chemeketa
has to offer to the people that go here. Yes there are a lot of older
people going to school here on campus, but they don’t bother me. It is
actually very fun to talk to them and I still can make friends in my
classes that are my age. The professors at Chemeketa are very nice and
want you to be successful. They will do everything possible to make
sure you have what it takes to pass their class. Chemeketa has a very nice
campus and has a lot to offer to its students.
What I really enjoy taking for my elective credits are PE classes. They always help you relax and get rid of some stress. They help you stay in shape and are a lot more fun then your pre-requisites. Also I took a photography class and it was the funnest class I took; I learned a lot and it was actually the class that made me decide to get a degree in Visual Communication. Art classes are also fun to take for elective credits. 
10. How to properly apply for scholarships and write your personal
essay.
9. No one really cares if you come to class late.
8. Textbooks are VERY expensive.
7. It is important to PARTICIPATE and be very active in class, it will
help you get a better grade.
6. I’ve become more independent and responsible.
5. Take at least one PE class per term, it helps release stress and
it’s fun!
4. Classes are actually not that hard, as long as you come to class
and pay attention, and if you have questions ask them.
3. Professors want you to be successful and will help you get there.
2. Get advising on which classes you need to be taking for your degree
or else you might end up taking classes you don’t need to.
1. Make friends in every class, it will make classes more exciting and
fun for you 
What is your major? How did you decide to major in that?
As of right now I am working towards my AAOT (associate of arts
transfer) Degree. When I have completed that, I will transfer to a 4-year
university. I still haven’t decided what exactly I will be studying then. While working
towards my transfer degree I will also be taking classes for my minor,
which is an associate degree in visual communications. Since I came to
Chemeketa I have changed my major 3 times, but I think I’m pretty
stable right now and am sure of what I am going to be studying for the
next few years.
I have never taken any on-line courses… I guess in a way I am still not
very secure with the whole “doing your work on-line” or “get your
degree on-line”. I prefer working directly with a teacher and coming to
class. I learn a lot better that way, especially in math. Attending
class helps me connect and build relationships with other students as well as the
instructors. However, I have heard a lot of positive feedback about the online classes and for
a lot of people they are more convenient.
As far as the diversity on campus at Chemeketa, it is great… great variety! There are so many different cultures here on campus, so many different people with unique personalities. Students from all over the world come to Chemeketa because we have a student exchange program. I actually had a chance to meet a few foreign exchange students, one was from Germany and the other from Vietnam… it’s so interesting to hear their stories… especially for me because I pretty much grew up in Salem and went to school here my whole life and now I’m in college and still close to home. There are very many people with different nationalities and personalities.
As I mentioned in my biography, I come from a Ukrainian-Russian family background. The educational system in the country I come from is very different from what we have here in the States. My parents both finished “high school” or ten grades of basic school. My dad, Yuriy, went on to expand more in his education to something that would be compared to a “university”. I believe he finished four years there, and got some sort of degree in the electrician field. My mom, Anna, after finishing the basic education school went to a sewing school. She got two years of education there and finished all the requirements for the program. I am the oldest in my family and therefore also the first person from my family to go to college. When I just started, I really had no idea what I was doing. My parents did not help me with applying or choosing where to go, because they haven’t gone to college here and don’t really know how the system works. After high school, I was completely on my own. I got denied financial aid and my parents decided that they were not going to pay for college because they paid for my three years of private school and have already put a lot of money towards my education. I am currently on my third term in Chemeketa and I am very proud of myself and where I got so far. However, my parents have always been there for me and helped me along the way. My dad actually pays for my book and all the required fees. That helps a whole lot. Being the first to go to college from my family was kind of scary because I was so unsure about what I was supposed to do and which career path to choose. But there are people at Chemeketa that have helped me very much on getting started. 
