Written by Student Intern: Jasmine Gaffney
Getting a 4.0 G.P.A. in college for the semester is challenging, but maintaining that level of academic success for four years is a monumental achievement. Ohio State Marion early childhood education major Hannah Stuckey did just that and has some advice for incoming students on how to achieve their academic goals.
According to Stuckey, the first step to success in the classroom is simple, but important, finding the right place to study.
“At home, my kitchen table is the best place for me to study, or the library. Just where there is a quiet room, with no music, with all my papers spread out.”
She also shared that organization is a big part of her personal success.
“Just staying on top of things and not procrastinating,” said Stuckey. “Some things are going to be very overwhelming. Professors lay it out piece by piece, they keep you on pace, so if you just follow that, you will be fine.”
College professors suggest for every one credit hour in class, a student should study for two to three hours outside the classroom.
“A lot of early childhood education is projects and planning, so I would say it matches the two to three hours required outside of class to study ratio,” Stuckey explained.
Stuckey also explained that taking breaks while studying is very important.
“Taking breaks and doing things I enjoy in-between really helps me. I think its gives time to settle in what you have done or think about projects that you have created a little bit before you go and finalize work on them,” Stuckey said
Stuckey felt that finding balance between studying, classes, work is valuable when it comes to being a college student,
“Life is not all work and school, I am a big believer in making connections and having time with friends,” she said.
Stuckey felt that she needed a level of maturity and self-reflection before she chose education as her major. She originally started out as a family consumer science education major and soon realized her passion was working with younger children, which prompted her to change majors. Her mother has been a teacher for 31 years and growing up in her classroom gave Stuckey the love for education she has today.
“After a semester I switched to early childhood education because I was in a field placement, and of course being in my mom’s classroom, I just realized that younger kids is where my passion is,” said Stuckey
“Maturity is a lot of it, you are only 18 when you graduate and you are supposed to know kind of what you want to do for the rest of your life, which is hard. I knew one of my passions was education and teaching, but I wasn’t sure if that was what I wanted to do as a career for the rest of my life,” she said.
“Don’t get so worked up about the first year. Everything can seem overwhelming.” Stuckey explained. “What I found my junior and senior year is that I really enjoyed my classes more because it related more directly to my career and my passion of teaching.”
“You really start to make some friends during your junior and senior year,” she added.
Through her years as a college student, she maintained a strong work ethic, which she attributes to her working parents.
“My mother always told me that teaching isn’t really a career, it’s more of a lifestyle because you spend so many hours of time just prepping,” said Stuckey. “You don’t get to leave at 4 and your day is over, it’s a lot of planning.”
Stuckey stated that attending the Marion campus allowed her take advantage of more opportunities than she had expected, contributing to her growth as a person.
“I really enjoy the small campus here at Marion,” she said. “I love being able to get to know your professors with the more one on one that you get here with smaller classes.”
“I really enjoyed the professors and I would contribute most of my success to them because they wanted to see me succeed. They have done everything that they can to see all students succeed.”
Stuckey works for her husband’s family owned business at Pickwick Place in Bucyrus, Ohio. After graduating in December 2019, she hopes to substitute teach and continue growing her experience and getting a feel for different school districts in the area and later teaching full-time. She would also like to incorporate her education degree and her experience growing up on a farm to create an education program at Pickwick.
“I can see myself developing an education program with field trips. Growing up on a farm, I love teaching people where their food came from. In the summer, developing summer camps and field trips in the fall and spring,” said Stuckey.