Running head: MY DEVELOPMENTAL JOURNEY

My Developmental Journey
Donna Carney
Georgia Southern University

MY DEVELOPMENTAL JOURNEY

My Developmental Journey
I grew up in Valdosta, Georgia. I began college as a 19-year old at Valdosta State
University in my hometown. I continued to live at home with my parents while in college. I had
a part-time job at a local accounting firm. I found out life was very different being a college
student. I will be comparing my development in college to Arthur Chickerings Seven Vectors of
Student Development. Chickering formulated a theory for assimilating the data involving
college students and identified seven vectors of development (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005).
Chickerings pathways describe the changes a person goes through as he develops his identity
while a college student.
The first vector discusses how college students develop competence. Chickering
identified three areas of competence: intellectual, manual skills, and interpersonal competences
("Seven Vectors," n.d.). During my freshman year, one of the biggest challenges I faced was
getting used to the world of college learning. I had made good grades in high school and
graduated with honors. I was not prepared for the fast-paced classes and the immense amounts
of reading. I desperately took notes in class. I called myself studying but I realized my study
skills were insufficient for college. I was attentive to the instructors and tried to determine what
I felt was noteworthy. As I became accustomed to different styles of teaching, I began to
perform better on my exams.
I remember a finance instructor that was very tough. Students hated taking this
instructors class. Students had to be prepared to answer questions in the classroom. The
instructor would humiliate unprepared students in the classroom. I ended up doing very well in
the class even though the classwork was difficult. I began to feel competent as the instructor

MY DEVELOPMENTAL JOURNEY

spoke nicely of me in his class because I was prepared for his lectures. This competence
overflowed into my other classes and I became more comfortable and settled with the college
experience.
As I progressed through my college career, I discovered as I acquired new knowledge,
my emotions were changing. Chickerings second vector, managing emotions, began to unfold
in my life. Life was different at college. I was treated as an adult but I still felt like a child. I
have never had a great amount of self-confidence. I was a sheltered child because I suffered
from asthma. As I matured into a teenager I was allowed to spend more time with friends, but
was never allowed to participate in extracurricular activities. Had I been allowed to participate
in an extracurricular activity in my youth, I would have been better able to handle my emotions.
I became more self-confident as I advanced through college. I discovered I could
succeed in college. I was the first person in my family to go to college. I always felt like
everyone figured I would not be successful and were eagerly waiting to belittle me. My lack of
self-confidence was deep but I had to surpass it. As I discovered I could do the college work and
be successful, I became more set in my emotions. At times I would get upset about a poor test
grade. I learned it was all right to get upset, but I needed to find a release for the pent-up
emotions.
I enjoyed accounting and knew I could earn a decent living as an accountant. I wanted to
feel needed and I could satisfy that need by working in accounting. After a while I had to take a
break from college. I had to decide if I was going to college for me or for someone else.
Chickering explained in his third vector how students struggle with the need for approval
("Seven Vectors," n.d.). I was struggling for acceptance and approval. After a year off, I went

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back to college with a strong resolve to succeed and graduate. I became independent and did not
care what people thought of me. I had progressed through Chickerings third vector of moving
through autonomy toward my interdependence.
By my junior year in college, I had numerous friends and we enjoyed spending time
together. I felt good with the relationships I was building. I was moving forward through
Chickerings fourth vector of developing mature interpersonal relationships. My friends
respected me and encouraged me. Among friends we were able to accept each other and
embrace our flaws. I felt comfortable in these new relationships. I was finally around students
who were serious about completing their education and I felt comfortable with them.
I continued to live with my parents while completing my degree. I had my freedom and
respected my parents opinions. I was able to do as I pleased but I respected the household rules.
I became more dependent upon myself and knew I would be able to make it on my own in the
world. I wanted a degree so I would not have to depend on anyone else to provide a living for
me. My determination helped me graduate with confidence.
Chickerings fifth vector deals with establishing ones identity. Developing ones identity
involves aspects such as developing a genuine sense of self ("An Overview," n.d.). I always
dressed in a professional manner while attending college because after class I went to my
accounting job. There was no need for me to dress casually for class to only have to change
clothes when I got to work. I took great care in my appearance around other people.
I was feeling comfortable as a woman. As far as being around men, I was relaxed with
them. I seemed to be attracted to the wrong type of man. I wanted one I could feel secure with

MY DEVELOPMENTAL JOURNEY

but I always seemed to attract losers. It was several years after I completed college that I met the
man that would become my husband. I would not say my husband has changed me but he has
made me feel good about myself and my career.
Chickerings sixth vector of student development is based on a student developing a
purpose. I always loved working with numbers and enjoyed most of my mathematics classes in
the public school system. I began to feel convinced that I was called to work in accounting by
the eve of my junior year. Some of my accounting classes were very difficult to understand but I
was able to pass them. My part-time job benefited me because I was delegated more
responsibility as I advanced through my college career. I began to feel as if I belonged in the
world of accounting. I enjoyed the work and felt as if I had found myself.
It was difficult to stay in touch with my college friends as I progressed into my major
field. I was busy either studying or working and did not have much free time for pleasure. My
views on life began to change as I advanced through college toward becoming a college
graduate. I did not feel like the high school teenager any more. I appreciated that I grew up in a
Christian home and I had strong values from my upbringing. I respected myself and cared about
how I looked in the publics eye. I had accomplished Chickerings seventh vector of developing
integrity in my life.
I brought a tremendous amount of emotional baggage with me to college. The
progression of my college career helped me develop into a well-rounded human being. I was
awarded a college degree and had a wonderful job as an accountant. My development through
Chickerings seven vectors was not easy, but I made it and learned many valuable lessons during
my developing years as a college student.

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6
References

Chickerings seven vectors. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://studentdevelopmenttheory.weebly.com/chickering.html
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
The seven vectors: an overview. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://cabrini.edu/communications/ProfDev/cardevChickering.html