Journal Entry
Relevant Lesson
The most important lesson that affects me today is the rise and problems of urbanization. This process began towards the end of the 19th century and continues to change people’s today (Corbett et al., 2017). The growth of urbanization makes people relocate from rural to urban centers, which led to social issues, including poor housing and transportation challenges. The problems are still evident today and even worse, such as climate change, due to an increase in transportation. Furthermore, many urban regions in the country still face housing challenges due to overcrowding; for instance, San Francisco. The issues affect life today because I have to contend with using transport systems that contribute to high levels of carbon emissions because of urban growth.
Advice to the Next Group of Students
The course has affected my life today as I relate some of the current events with what occurred in the history of the country. One of the effects refers to the 19th century’s foreign policies that continue to affect the country to-date. For example, the country’s interventions in the Arab World, such as in Afghanistan affects the ideological warfare (terrorism) today (National Commission on Terrorist Attacks, 2004). The course has enabled me to make essential connections between the past and present.
Incoming students should be aware of the voluminous readings that contain important information regarding the history of the United States. I would wish to advise them that the only way to succeed in this course is through extensive reading. For example, the class text, U.S. History by Corbett et al. (2017) has more than 1000 pages, with critical information about the course. Besides, many other sources include important complementary details that will help them to understand the history of the country and its connection to the current world. Therefore, only students prepared to read and understand will be successful in the course.
I have used various strategies that I believe new students might find useful to understand and earn a good grade in the course. Firstly, I studied a chapter or two ahead of the tutor to familiarize myself with its content before the class. Secondly, I would note down questions that I could ask the instructor during the lesson to increase my understanding of the material. Thirdly, after the lesson, I could look for other sources from the online library that could complement the text and the content of the lesson. I used the instructor’s recommendations to locate relevant sources. Lastly, I focused on assessments to test my level of understanding of both the book and the lesson content. Self-evaluation was my way of preparing for the class assessment. I was always familiar with the questions that the instructor could ask during the formal evaluation.
Overall, the most important advice I would offer to incoming students, especially those who are willing to give their best, is to encourage them to prepare for the lesson early and maintain a positive mental attitude. Learners should be prepared to learn from the tutor and read extensively from the class text and outside sources related to the subject. The library has extensive and informative sources with relevant information that they should study to succeed in the course. I would advise new students about the importance of reading and seeking support from the instructor in the areas they fail to understand.
