Daily Post with Weekly Reflections
Week 1 ( Jan 12th – Jan 16th )
- Daily Reflection- Jan 12th
- I really enjoyed today and starting up at my internship. I was able to talk to Mrs.Ross about my project and to catch up since we haven’t since each other for while. I like my workspace it’s quiet for now but I’m able to stay focus and motivated while I’m here which is nice because I want to enjoy going into work. Today, I started conducting my literature review for my program at UHC by reading American College Health Association White Papers and other peer reviewed articles. Alongside that, I procure CDC and WHO’s website for data on smoking and tobacco use among college students and young adults. The goal of this is to organize my findings into a paper where my supervisor and others can read on the current landscape of smoking and tobacco use among college students and to help frame the focus of my program and research question for the semester. Further, these steps in the process of program planning matter because showcases and quantify the need of an smoking cessation program. Also, these step help me become more knowledge about the health problem and understand the context of how I want this program to help and fit specifically UGA students.
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- 1.2.3- Conduct Literature Review
- 1.2.4- Procure secondary data
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- I really enjoyed today and starting up at my internship. I was able to talk to Mrs.Ross about my project and to catch up since we haven’t since each other for while. I like my workspace it’s quiet for now but I’m able to stay focus and motivated while I’m here which is nice because I want to enjoy going into work. Today, I started conducting my literature review for my program at UHC by reading American College Health Association White Papers and other peer reviewed articles. Alongside that, I procure CDC and WHO’s website for data on smoking and tobacco use among college students and young adults. The goal of this is to organize my findings into a paper where my supervisor and others can read on the current landscape of smoking and tobacco use among college students and to help frame the focus of my program and research question for the semester. Further, these steps in the process of program planning matter because showcases and quantify the need of an smoking cessation program. Also, these step help me become more knowledge about the health problem and understand the context of how I want this program to help and fit specifically UGA students.
- Daily Reflection- Jan 13th
- Today, I dedicated my full focus to the literature review, transitioning from a broad search to a more structured and intentional organization of my ideas. By diving deep into databases like ProQuest, UGA Libraries, and the American College Health Association, I was able to identify high-quality sources and begin the heavy lifting of paraphrasing and synthesizing the authors’ work into my own words. This process felt significant because it moved me past the “collection” phase and into “critical thinking”; I’m no longer just reading what others have said, but I am actively connecting their findings to build a foundation for my own research. This matters because a well-synthesized review is what will give my project credibility and a clear sense of direction. Moving forward, I feel much more organized, and my next step is to use this new outline to spot any remaining gaps in my data so I can refine my final search and begin drafting the full narrative.
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- 1.2.3- Conduct Literature Review
- 1.2.4- Procure secondary data
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- Today, I dedicated my full focus to the literature review, transitioning from a broad search to a more structured and intentional organization of my ideas. By diving deep into databases like ProQuest, UGA Libraries, and the American College Health Association, I was able to identify high-quality sources and begin the heavy lifting of paraphrasing and synthesizing the authors’ work into my own words. This process felt significant because it moved me past the “collection” phase and into “critical thinking”; I’m no longer just reading what others have said, but I am actively connecting their findings to build a foundation for my own research. This matters because a well-synthesized review is what will give my project credibility and a clear sense of direction. Moving forward, I feel much more organized, and my next step is to use this new outline to spot any remaining gaps in my data so I can refine my final search and begin drafting the full narrative.
- Daily Reflection- Jan 14th
- Today, I worked on my literature review by writing the introduction and gathering global statistics on tobacco use, nicotine’s effects on the body, and smoking-related mortality. Through this process, I learned that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and contributes to millions of deaths worldwide each year. This information reinforced the importance of my research in public health, as many people especially young adults continue to engage in smoking without fully understanding its long-term health consequences. Recognizing smoking as a preventable cause of death highlights the urgent need for effective smoking cessation programs. Moving forward, I will use these global and national statistics to support the development of a targeted smoking cessation program for University of Georgia students at the University Health Center, demonstrating the need for intervention within this specific population. Lastly, I finished today with doing training for Point n Click which is the EHR system UHC uses.
- Summary Matched with Competencies.
- 1.2.3- Conduct Literature Review
- 1.2.4- Procure secondary data
- Summary Matched with Competencies.
- Today, I worked on my literature review by writing the introduction and gathering global statistics on tobacco use, nicotine’s effects on the body, and smoking-related mortality. Through this process, I learned that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and contributes to millions of deaths worldwide each year. This information reinforced the importance of my research in public health, as many people especially young adults continue to engage in smoking without fully understanding its long-term health consequences. Recognizing smoking as a preventable cause of death highlights the urgent need for effective smoking cessation programs. Moving forward, I will use these global and national statistics to support the development of a targeted smoking cessation program for University of Georgia students at the University Health Center, demonstrating the need for intervention within this specific population. Lastly, I finished today with doing training for Point n Click which is the EHR system UHC uses.
- Daily Reflection- Jan 15th
- I worked virtually today and continued developing the introduction for my literature review, with a specific focus on identifying and synthesizing global data on nicotine use to provide context for the health problem. Through this process, I examined prevalence rates and patterns of nicotine consumption across different populations, which helped me better understand the widespread nature of nicotine addiction and its role in sustaining tobacco use worldwide. This work reinforced why nicotine use is a critical public health issue, as its global reach and addictive properties contribute significantly to preventable disease and death. Moving forward, this foundation will allow me to clearly frame the significance of the problem in my literature review and transition into discussing the health impacts of nicotine and the need for effective prevention and cessation strategies.
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- 1.2.3- Conduct Literature Review
- 1.2.4- Procure secondary data
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- I worked virtually today and continued developing the introduction for my literature review, with a specific focus on identifying and synthesizing global data on nicotine use to provide context for the health problem. Through this process, I examined prevalence rates and patterns of nicotine consumption across different populations, which helped me better understand the widespread nature of nicotine addiction and its role in sustaining tobacco use worldwide. This work reinforced why nicotine use is a critical public health issue, as its global reach and addictive properties contribute significantly to preventable disease and death. Moving forward, this foundation will allow me to clearly frame the significance of the problem in my literature review and transition into discussing the health impacts of nicotine and the need for effective prevention and cessation strategies.
- Daily Reflection- Jan 16th
- Today I worked on identifying data gaps in the existing literature and outlining potential topics for my results section, which helped me better understand where current research on nicotine use and tobacco dependence is limited or inconsistent. In doing so, I learned that certain populations, outcomes, and emerging products are underrepresented in the data, highlighting areas where conclusions are less definitive or where further investigation is needed. This matters because recognizing these gaps strengthens the quality and credibility of my research by preventing overgeneralization and clearly justifying the focus of my results section. Moving forward, I plan to use these identified gaps to refine my results framework and continue developing the section next week.
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- 1.2.3- Conduct Literature Review
- 1.2.4- Procure secondary data
- 1.2.6- Identify data gaps
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- Today I worked on identifying data gaps in the existing literature and outlining potential topics for my results section, which helped me better understand where current research on nicotine use and tobacco dependence is limited or inconsistent. In doing so, I learned that certain populations, outcomes, and emerging products are underrepresented in the data, highlighting areas where conclusions are less definitive or where further investigation is needed. This matters because recognizing these gaps strengthens the quality and credibility of my research by preventing overgeneralization and clearly justifying the focus of my results section. Moving forward, I plan to use these identified gaps to refine my results framework and continue developing the section next week.
Week 1 Reflection
This week marked a strong and meaningful start to my internship, and it felt rewarding to see my literature review take shape in a logical, intentional flow from broad context to focused analysis. I began the week by reorienting myself to the workspace at UHC and reconnecting with Mrs. Ross, which helped ground my project within the practical goals of the organization and reinforced my motivation to produce work that is both useful and relevant. From there, my literature review progressed systematically: I started with broad landscape sources such as American College Health Association white papers and CDC and WHO data to establish the scope of tobacco and nicotine use among college students and young adults, then moved into deeper database searches where I synthesized peer-reviewed research to build credibility and direction. Midweek, I transitioned into writing by drafting the introduction and integrating global and national statistics on smoking, nicotine’s physiological effects, and preventable mortality, which clarified why this issue demands attention in a campus health setting like UGA. As the week closed, I shifted into a more analytical phase by identifying data gaps and outlining results section topics, ensuring that my review not only summarizes existing knowledge but also highlights limitations and opportunities for targeted intervention.
Week 2 ( Jan 19th – Jan 23rd)
- Holiday Jan 19th -MLK DAY
- Daily Reflection- Jan 20th
- Today, I finished writing the introduction for my literature review and gathered key data on tobacco use and smoking among young adults in the United States, which allowed me to clearly frame the scope and urgency of my topic. As I progressed, I transitioned into examining smoking and tobacco use specifically within college settings, helping me better understand how this health behavior manifests in environments where young adults experience increased independence, social pressure, and exposure to substances. This matters because the data reinforce that tobacco use remains a significant and preventable public health issue, particularly among young adults and college students who may underestimate long-term health risks while being heavily targeted by tobacco and nicotine industries. Recognizing these patterns strengthens the relevance of my research by highlighting the need for targeted prevention and education efforts within college communities. Moving forward, I plan on writing and identifying any gaps in the literature pertaining to tobacco use and smoking among college students. The goal of the lit review is to help frame the focus and help provide context into smoking cessation programs and college campuses.
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- 1.2.3- Conduct Literature Review
- 1.2.4- Procure secondary data
- 1.2.6- Identify data gaps
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- Today, I finished writing the introduction for my literature review and gathered key data on tobacco use and smoking among young adults in the United States, which allowed me to clearly frame the scope and urgency of my topic. As I progressed, I transitioned into examining smoking and tobacco use specifically within college settings, helping me better understand how this health behavior manifests in environments where young adults experience increased independence, social pressure, and exposure to substances. This matters because the data reinforce that tobacco use remains a significant and preventable public health issue, particularly among young adults and college students who may underestimate long-term health risks while being heavily targeted by tobacco and nicotine industries. Recognizing these patterns strengthens the relevance of my research by highlighting the need for targeted prevention and education efforts within college communities. Moving forward, I plan on writing and identifying any gaps in the literature pertaining to tobacco use and smoking among college students. The goal of the lit review is to help frame the focus and help provide context into smoking cessation programs and college campuses.
- Daily Reflection- Jan 21st.
- Today, I identified key gaps in the literature by focusing on the lack of routine behavioral health screening among college students, the social and environmental influences that encourage tobacco use in college settings, and the ways traditional cessation programs fail to align with students’ lifestyles, preferred communication mediums, and shorter attention spans. Through this process, I learned that these gaps are not just academic but reflect systemic shortcomings in how public health interventions are designed for young adults, with much of the supporting evidence for my results themes coming from SAMHSA data. This matters because it reinforces the idea that current approaches are missing a opportunity to reach college students at a pivotal stage when tobacco and nicotine use patterns become established, which directly connects to the broader public health goal of preventing long-term addiction and related health consequences. Moving forward, I plan to continue strengthening each results theme by integrating more peer-reviewed sources alongside SAMHSA data, while also beginning to think critically about how these identified gaps can inform more student-centered screening and cessation strategies that are realistic and effective within college environment.
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- 1.2.3- Conduct Literature Review
- 1.2.4- Procure secondary data
- 1.2.6- Identify data gaps
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- Today, I identified key gaps in the literature by focusing on the lack of routine behavioral health screening among college students, the social and environmental influences that encourage tobacco use in college settings, and the ways traditional cessation programs fail to align with students’ lifestyles, preferred communication mediums, and shorter attention spans. Through this process, I learned that these gaps are not just academic but reflect systemic shortcomings in how public health interventions are designed for young adults, with much of the supporting evidence for my results themes coming from SAMHSA data. This matters because it reinforces the idea that current approaches are missing a opportunity to reach college students at a pivotal stage when tobacco and nicotine use patterns become established, which directly connects to the broader public health goal of preventing long-term addiction and related health consequences. Moving forward, I plan to continue strengthening each results theme by integrating more peer-reviewed sources alongside SAMHSA data, while also beginning to think critically about how these identified gaps can inform more student-centered screening and cessation strategies that are realistic and effective within college environment.
- Daily Reflection- Jan 22th
- Today, I concentrated on deepening my understanding of the factors that influence tobacco use among college students by reviewing literature on peer norms, campus culture, stress, and targeted marketing. This exploration helped me recognize how strongly social environments shape students’ health behaviors and how these influences are often overlooked in existing public health research. I learned that many prevention and intervention efforts assume individual choice without adequately accounting for the powerful role of social pressure and environmental exposure during the college years, a pattern that is consistently reflected in national data sources such as SAMHSA. This is important because college represents a critical transition period where behaviors related to tobacco and nicotine use can become normalized and persist into adulthood, increasing the risk for long-term dependence and adverse health outcomes. Moving forward, I plan to expand this section of my literature review by incorporating more peer-reviewed studies that examine campus-specific influences, while also considering how these insights can guide the development of more responsive, student-informed strategies that address the realities of college life.
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- 1.2.3- Conduct Literature Review
- 1.2.4- Procure secondary data
- 1.2.6- Identify data gaps
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- Today, I concentrated on deepening my understanding of the factors that influence tobacco use among college students by reviewing literature on peer norms, campus culture, stress, and targeted marketing. This exploration helped me recognize how strongly social environments shape students’ health behaviors and how these influences are often overlooked in existing public health research. I learned that many prevention and intervention efforts assume individual choice without adequately accounting for the powerful role of social pressure and environmental exposure during the college years, a pattern that is consistently reflected in national data sources such as SAMHSA. This is important because college represents a critical transition period where behaviors related to tobacco and nicotine use can become normalized and persist into adulthood, increasing the risk for long-term dependence and adverse health outcomes. Moving forward, I plan to expand this section of my literature review by incorporating more peer-reviewed studies that examine campus-specific influences, while also considering how these insights can guide the development of more responsive, student-informed strategies that address the realities of college life.
- Daily Reflection- Jan 23th
- Today, I made a lot of progress toward completing my literature review by finalizing the introduction and completing one major theme section, while also continuing to gather data on screening practices. Through this process, I learned more about the gaps in screening, particularly within college health settings, and how inconsistencies in screening can contribute to missed opportunities for early intervention and prevention. This matters because effective screening is a critical first step in identifying risky health behaviors among college students and connecting them to appropriate resources, which directly impacts student health outcomes. Moving forward, I plan to continue building out the remaining theme sections of my literature review, focus on synthesizing the screening data more clearly, and begin identifying implications for practice and policy that can inform more consistent and student-centered program approaches.
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- 1.2.3- Conduct Literature Review
- 1.2.4- Procure secondary data
- 1.2.6- Identify data gaps
- Summary Matched with Competencies
- Today, I made a lot of progress toward completing my literature review by finalizing the introduction and completing one major theme section, while also continuing to gather data on screening practices. Through this process, I learned more about the gaps in screening, particularly within college health settings, and how inconsistencies in screening can contribute to missed opportunities for early intervention and prevention. This matters because effective screening is a critical first step in identifying risky health behaviors among college students and connecting them to appropriate resources, which directly impacts student health outcomes. Moving forward, I plan to continue building out the remaining theme sections of my literature review, focus on synthesizing the screening data more clearly, and begin identifying implications for practice and policy that can inform more consistent and student-centered program approaches.
Week 2 Reflection
This week felt really productive and grounding because I was able to move from broad framing into more focused, meaningful analysis of my topic. I completed the introduction of my literature review, developed a full theme section, and consistently gathered and synthesized secondary data on tobacco use, screening gaps, and college-specific influences like peer norms, stress, and campus culture. As the week progressed, I became more confident in identifying clear gaps in the literature especially around inconsistent behavioral health screening and the mismatch between traditional cessation programs and college students’ lifestyles which reinforced how necessary and timely this research is. What stood out most to me was realizing that these gaps represent real missed opportunities to intervene during a life stage, not just academic shortcomings. Overall, this week helped solidify the direction of my literature review and strengthened my ability to connect data, public health competencies, and real-world implications for more student-centered screening and cessation efforts on college campuses.
Christopher Floyd's Portfolio 