Laura JagGuide

Hey baby Jags! This week we have been reflecting on how South has prepared us to reach our goals, whether they be short or long term. I could go on forever about how much the staff here has helped me through every little bump in the road. I am a Professional Health Sciences major with a concentration in Health Management, and my "minor" is Pre-Occupational Therapy, so I belong to the Covey College of Allied Health. The health field as a whole at South is state of the art in every aspect. From my freshman year, each staff member I have come in contact with has pushed me to my highest potential. I want to give a special shoutout to my academic advisor, Mrs. Stearns. When I felt like I would never graduate (trust me, you will all feel like this at some point) and when I was questioning my choice of major, she laid out options for me and helped me think of a back up plan in case things didn't work out the way I planned. Just knowing I had another option to fall back on to...

Hey baby Jags! It's Valentine's Day and this week we are reflecting on the many reasons we love South Alabama. I could honestly go on forever about why I love South and what drew me here, but I will keep it short and simple. South is family. From the second I walked onto our campus I felt at peace and at home. I was surrounded by professors who truly cared about me and my education and people who continuously lifted me up through the late night study sessions and 8 am lectures. College is hard, but South has made it a little easier these past three years. So here's to you and me, South Alabama. Thank you for my 11,761 family members. I am so thankful to be a small portion of Jag Nation. Love & light xx Laura Jag Guide

Hey baby Jags! We are well on our way into this semester and so far it has been smooth sailing for me. One of my favorites classes this semester is BLY 121: Life Science I. Because I took my harder sciences my first two years, this class is filled with mainly freshman and sophomore students. So far it has been a refresher course of things I learned in high school Biology. I am getting to re-learn how our body works and all of it's functions and it has been extremely interesting to me. Also, any class is enjoyable when you have a great professor. My professor makes sure she makes things relatable and tries to interact with us as much as possible to keep us involved in lecture. Honestly, I am enjoying all of my classes this semester and I hope it continues this smoothly throughout the rest of the semester. Love & light xx Laura Jag Guide

Hey baby Jags!  Picking the college you want to attend can be extremely stressful. It can get overwhelming to muddle through a list of schools and deciding where you want to spend the next 4+ years of your life can be very scary. Everyone approaches the college-picking process differently, but I will give you three tips that I used to help decide on a university. 1) Money. For me, I looked into scholarship requirements and figured out how much assistance I could get from each university I was interested in. Finances are a huge factor for most people when deciding on a college. I found that South was the most affordable and I was able to earn the largest amount of scholarship money here as well. 2) Location. I come from a college town so all of my friends stayed in our hometown for school. I wanted to get away but also be close enough to home to be able to get to my parents if I ever needed them. South is about 3 hours from my hometown of Troy and about 45 minutes from the...

Hey baby Jags! The fall semester has officially come to a close at the University of South Alabama, and as I reflect on the past 4 months I realize how thankful I am to be surrounded by people who motivate me to be my best self and encourage me when I am at my breaking point.  First and foremost, my family has stayed by my side every step of the way. They constantly assure me that they are proud of me and that I am more than capable of being successful. Through every breakdown and phone call at 10 pm crying because I am overwhelmed, they remind me that the first step to getting back on my feet is getting on my knees. They pray for me and love me through everything, and I am so grateful for the motivation they give me.  The friends I surround myself with in Mobile are also a constant source of encouragement. Whether it be my sorority sisters letting me know they're praying for me before a big test, my roommate cleaning the apartment because she knows I'm stressed, or my b...

Hey baby Jags! Getting involved on campus is so important to getting fulfillment out of your college experience. Coming from a mid-sized high school where I was extremely involved in almost every club and organization we had to offer, I knew coming to South I wanted to keep that same energy and try to make a difference on campus. Joining Greek life was one of the easiest and most fulfilling ways I was able to get involved. Being able to participate in other sorority and fraternity philanthropy events, the outside community service you could do with your sisters, and our personal philanthropies allowed me to start giving back to South and the Mobile community as a whole within weeks of moving on to campus.  I also joined a few honors societies and a Pre-Physical Therapy club in order to meet other students who were dealing with the same curriculum and had the same ultimate goals that I did. We have an abundance of clubs on campus that are waiting for eager freshman to come...

As the holiday season approaches, specifically Thanksgiving, I find myself reflecting on all I have to be thankful for. Coming to the University of South Alabama and becoming a part of this family has been a blessing from the beginning. As a student at South Alabama I am most thankful for the professors and advisers that have helped me and influenced me along the way. All of my professors throughout my semesters here have been invested in my education and success. I have never felt like a number on this campus. I have been able to make connections with professors who would be sure to call on me by name and follow my progress to make sure I was on track to success. I had professors who personally e-mailed me and encouraged me to stay focused and continue to thrive while offering me letters of recommendation for scholarships if I ever needed them. I feel so fortunate to attend a campus where I am truly apart of a family. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the Unive...