Bye Bye Blogspot

I can't believe that this semester is coming to an end. Everyone always says that college will fly by and I now see what they mean. I just can't believe my first semester in college is basically over. I feel like i have adressed the questions in the blog to the best of my ability. Some entries sparked more interest in me so some of them are a bit longer. I enjoyed keeping this blog. I now have a journal commemorating my first semester in college. I feel like the blog was a good addition to the course. I was weary about it at first but as the semester went along I came to enjoy it. I think I kept up with it pretty well. I also like looking at the other students' blogs. It helps get to know them better. I enjoyed this blog and I enjoyed this class. I might even miss it. College doesn't seem so bad after all.

All You Need is Loveee

Public speaking is always easier than it seems. The hardest part is before the actual presentation. Dreading getting up in front of the class is always the most horrible part. As usual, once I actually do the presentation I feel a hundred times better. I still get really nervous when speaking though. I can't help but get red and forget what to say. I must say that post presentation is when I experience the best feeling in the world, relief. It feels so good to finally get something done. I think my favorite presentation was Meagan's. I absolutley agreed with everything she said. I am also a huge Beatles fan. The Beatles are one of the most timeless bands. N'Sync did have their time but they just couldn't stand the test of time. N'Sync brings back some childhood memories. I also like that she played music during her presentation. It kept me more focused on what she was saying.

Public Speaking

I have many apprehensions about my oral presentation. Public speaking is my worst fear. My stomach gets all sick and I get shaky and my face turns red. It is an absolutely horrible experience. I hate it. I signed up for Friday because there was no way I was going first and I like to see what other people come up with it. Sometimes presenting is easier when a student sees someone else go first. It breaks the ice and it makes the presentation seem not so bad. Rehearsing a presentation can also be helpful. I know I don't do this but other people say it works. Knowing the material being presented inside and out can make the presenter feel more confident about it. The one thing I try to do when a presentation is assigned is to try to get it done as soon as possible. I won't go first but I also won't go last. The worst part about public speaking is waiting your turn. It is terrifying sitting and waiting for your chance in the limelight. Getting it done as soon as possible leaves my stomach more time to not be sick.

Decisions, Decisions

The picture on page 375 shows a man standing in front of shelves of books, deciding what to pick. The books are humorously organized by attention span, the options being short, medium, and long. I feel like books are classified in a convenient sections already. In bookstores, books are put together with the same subjects. This seems to be the easiest way for me to find a book. You could classify books by how interesting they are, how much they will make you cry, how mad you will be at the end, or how well they will put you to sleep. There would be rather-pluck-out-my-eyes to omg-cant-put-this-book-down for the interesting section. There would be not-a-tear-in-sight to i-need-a-bucket for the level of sadness books. There would be the feeling of saw-that-coming to I'm-gonna-rip-this-book-to-shreds for themadness section. There would be not-even-remotely-tired to zzzzzzzzz for the sleepiness section. These would all be a matter of opinon so the way bookstores are set up now is probably the best, unbias way.

The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell tried to explain how little things can make a huge difference in our society. I found this book to be very interesting. I liked how Gladwell said that it takes only a few people with special "gifts" to start an epidemic. These are the Mavens, the Connectors, and the Salesman. That part made complete sense to me. Epidemics don't start out with a lot of people, that's just how they end up. These people with their "gifts" spread information like wildfire. The explanation of the stickiness factor was also another part that I believed in. Without the stickiness factor, Sesame Street wouldn't have become so popular. One strength of the book was that Gladwell included relatable examples such as Sesame Street and Hush Puppies. These examples helped me understand some of his points better. I was impressed by the amount of information that the book provided. Gladwell put a lot of research into The Tipping Point and it backed up his points. The book explained every step in the starting and spreading of an epidemic. The weaknesses of the book would be that it is somewhat repetitive and at some points it lost my attention. It was a lot of information to take in.

Second Multi-Draft

I was actually surprised when I got back my first multi-draft paper. I did a lot better than I had anticipated. There are some things I need to work on though. One of my goals for the second multi-draft paper is to improve my proof-reading skills. I made some dumb mistakes in my first paper that could have been avoided if I looked harder. The peer revising was very helpful but it also makes my nervous. I don't like having someone else read my work. I need to be more open to others reading over my papers. My second goal is to focus more on my thesis. I tend to drift away from the main point of my paper as I write. I also need to work on supporting the points I make in a paper. Towards the end of a paper, I tend to write less and less. I hope the second multi-draft goes as well as the first one. Hopefully I'll surprise myself again.

Yes We Can

Some advertising companies blow my mind. There's so many kinds of "sticky" advertising. I personally enjoy the jingles companies come out with to promote a product. The Freecreditreport.com commercials are my favorite. If I see one of those commercials, the song will be stuck in my head the rest of that day. For me, songs that go along with something always stick better. Bright colors and catchy slogans are always good too. This is a picture of my friend's band. They changed the picture to look like those Obama style pictures. They also changed the "Yes We Can" slogan to "Yes We Ska." I thought this was a pretty cool idea. I helped them out with this earlier this year. This was eventually turned into a poster for one of their shows but I didn't have a copy of it. They turned a catch phrase into something that fits their music. I feel that this could be considered "sticky." Everyone has seen the posters of President Obama so this was an interesting spin off of them.

They're Greeeeaaatt! (Or Not)

This broadcast is about the cereals that are advertised to appeal to children. The newscaster goes on to say that the top ten least healthy cereals are the ones children want most. The entire broadcast is about how these cereals surround children in a "toxic" food environment. The newscaster literally spent like 30 seconds talking to a woman against this claim. Even when she makes valid points, he shoots her down. Obviously the broadcast was against cereals such as Reese's Puffs, Frosted Flakes, Coca Pebbles, Lucky Charms, and others. It presented little to no facts about the pros of these cereals.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=8913445

My Forgotten Memory

Thinking back to my sophmore year there is one event that, no matter how hard I try, I will never live down. My own stupidity is shown in this story but the true character of my so called friends is as well.  At the ripe old age of 15 I had my first and hopefully last encounter with alcohol poisoning. It was a Friday night so everyone was pretty pumped for the weekend. My best friends decided it would be a good idea to get wasted in Huddy Park. Not only is this a public park down the street from the courthouse but it was also a cold night in November. We managed to get about 100 dollars worth of liquor and it started off as a good night. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. Last thing I remember is walking away from the drinks and talking to my best friend Rachel. My next memory is waking up in a hospital bed with IVs in my hand and I noticed I was in my pajamas. My first thought was "Damn, my parents caught me." I never once thought "Holy crap I almost died."
As the story goes, I apparently was more drunk than I had thought. I was all over the place and in and out of consciousness. My neighbor by some stoke of luck was downtown that night and found me. She called my mother and my mother called the cops. When the ambulance and my mother arrived guess how many of my friends were there? I believe it was 2 out of the over 10 people I was there with. My best friend since first grade left me there. My friends that I have known for years abandoned me. My one friend Rich is the one I have to thank for being here today. He apparently didn't leave my side. He tried to keep me warm and made sure I didn't choke to death. He did a good job considering the doctor said hypothermia was setting in and my BAC was high enough to put my in a coma. I still have no idea what happened that night. What I do know is that if it wasn't for Rich and my neighbor I wouldn't have seen the rest of sophmore year. I am eternally grateful for having them in my life. I learned the hard way who my true friends were.

Campus Activities

I haven't begun to get involved in any activities on campus. My classes take up the majority of my time when I am on campus. I would like to eventually become involved in something. Clubs and other activities are a great way to meet new people. As of right now, I am actually pretty stressed out. I am overwhelmed with my classes and having to go to work as well. I barely have enough time to actually sit down and relax. Maybe next semester I will get involved. I am thinking about living at Stockton so that should make getting involved easier. I would love to do something with my friends. I haven't had much time to even hang out with them when I am on campus so maybe next semester things will be easier.

Conference

I feel that our conference was short but very helpful. You helped me realize that my thesis was too broad. You told me my thesis wasn't provocative or arguable. I have to go all the way back to the drawing board but at least my final paper will have a proper thesis. You were very fair about your criticisms. My thesis was definitely not what you wanted. Writing the thesis is always the hardest part for me. I like the idea of having a conference. I feel better knowing I have someone to go to with my questions and concerns. You were very helpful. It's always good to have another set of eyes look over a paper. The only thing that would have made the conference better would be if you looked over the rest of the paper. It might have helped in coming up with a new idea for the thesis. I was glad to hear your criticisms. I will keep them in mind as I write my next draft.

Relation Between Education and Career

I would like to believe that whatever I end up majoring in here at Stockton will help me in my future career. It's typical for college students to switch their majors 2, 3, even 4 times before they graduate. Some students even graduate with a degree in something they are no longer passionate about. I hope this doesn't happen to me. As of right now, I don't have a major. I'm tossed between psychology and early childhood education. I think I'm leaning more toward teaching little kids though. I love children. I think they are so cute and fun. I would like to make a difference in their lives. I want to be that first grade teacher you don't forget. My elementary school teachers are unforgettable. They really made me happy when I was there. My career isn't set in stone yet. College offers tons of classes on everything imaginable. Keeping an open mind and trying new things will help a student figure out what he or she wants to do.

Nickel and Dimed

Barbara Ehrenreich's predicaments throughout the chapters make me angry. Not only does she not have a good attitude but she shows how poorly minumum wage workers are treated. People who work in minimum wage jobs work harder than most. She talks about the living situations of her coworkers and it makes my sad. Most of her coworkers live in a car or with a crappy roommate. Most of the them can't afford healthcare and other needs. Not only do these people work hard for nothing but their bosses treat them like garbage. She mentions not being able to eat in front of customers or even being able to chew gum. She can't sit down and some days she doesn't even get a break. During her job as a maid, she mentions how one owner even says to scrub another part of the floor since she's "already down there." This just shows how people feel superior to part of the working class. It is angering to know that there are people in the world like that. Humans can be such jerks and the minimum wage workers have to deal with the brunt of it.

Superwoman Has Nothing On Her

My mom is a telecommunications specialist at Highpoint Insurance. I still have don't know exactly what she does. Her title is a mouthfull though. Judging by her lengthy phone calls and time on the computer I would say whatever she does is important. I know my mom loves what she does though.  She is responsible for a team of people and a whole lot of projects. There's always something to fix or someone to yell at. I can't tell you how many times I have gone downstairs to the kitchen at 1 in the morning and my mother is on the phone. Her job is very demanding and I know she is usually stressed out. My mom's job does follow her when she comes home. Her career is somewhat part of her identity. She is always within arm's reach of her phone and computer. If there's a problem she's obligated to drive all the way back to work, no matter what time it is. My mom isn't just her mouthful of a title. My mom is the best person I know. Not only does she do all this, she also manages to take care of me, my 2 sisters, and my dad. She always manages to take us out, cook us dinner, stick up for us, clean the house, and make us smile. She's my mommy, my best friend, and she will always be my hero. I don't know how she does all she does. She's really amazing.

T.V Series Centered Around Work

A t.v. series focused on work is House. House is one of my favorte shows. It is centered around the lives and problems faced by multiple doctors in a hospital. It shows all the steps the doctors take to diagnose and treat a patient. Even though it is humorous, it provides serious information. The show manages to keep you interested, laughing. and sometimes crying. You also get to learn some useful information. In my opinion,  it is a really good show. Dr. House's humor is crude but hysterical. He has the kind of humor I love and enjy. The only problem with the show would be that it always has the same story line. Its always a mysterious disease, multiple tests, and then in the last 5 minutes everything is solved and okay. Besides this, I will continue to enjoy watching the show. I am also very excited to watch the season premier tonight. =)

Use of Time

This week was the first week we actually had class on Monday and I'm already wishing Monday would disappear. These first weeks in college haven't been too bad. I have managed to get my work done and still make time to hang out with my friends. I am plagued with procrastination and I'm easily distracted. I hate doing math homework so if someone offers me something better I will probably abandon it. I believe my use of time is improving though. I have learned to utilize my three hour break during the day and I have been starting assignments days before they are do. This is very unlike me so this means I am getting better at time management. Being organized is keeping me from being stressed out. I write everything I have to do down and all my notebooks are in order. I always check my email and I always look at the syllabi. College is going to break me of my procrastination habit.

Learning Style

The learning style inventory was kind of fun actually. I thought it was very interesting. Beforehand I already had a good idea of what kind of learner I am. I already knew that I am an independent learner.  I tend to get things done when I only need to depend on myself. I can't think well in a group. I was surprised to know that I am more of a creative person. I always thought of myself as the person who worked better when I am told exactly what to do. I never thought I would be categorized as creative. Creative writing is not my strong point. I am also an emotional and abstract learner.I always tend to care more about what people think and I do like to think about the "big picture". I also already knew I was a spacial learner. I love diagrams and charts. I think clearer when information is organized in front of me.

High School v.s College

High school was way different from college. There were many more classes and I had to be there everyday. In high school, I had 6 actual classes every day. This semester I only have 4 classes and I only have to be on campus 3 days a week. In high school, I was allowed a total of 21 unexcused absences each year. I took great advantage of that my last 2 years in high school. I only took advantage of it because it was easy. I didn't have to worry about missing much. Most of my teachers would gladly inform me on what I might have missed. Now in college I can't miss a single day. The professors also expect me to figure out what I missed.
I have a lot more to deal with in college. The professors want more from me and the work is a lot harder. I remember having months to complete a project in high school. This was perfect for me. I procrastinate like it's my job. In college it looks like I will have a weekend at the most. College professors are much more specific in what they expect from their students. The first day of classes each of my professors gave me a sheet of paper clearly stating what I was gettting into. None of my high school teachers did this. In fact, my English teacher constantly changed her mind about what we would be doing without ever telling us. College is going to be a challenge for me. High school was a breeze compared to what is expected of me now.

How do you read?

I can't just read words. I have to understand them. I will reread a whole paragraph if I have to. I hate reading a whole page in a book and not understanding what just happend. Visualizing characters and settings helps me read. I have a mental movie in my head the entire time. I would't be able to read without an image in my brain. I am a big fan of movies but I will tend to read the book beforehand. The movies always end up being better when you can imagine your own cast. I like to get completely lost in books. My mind focuses on nothing else. I love books. Reading is one of my favorite things to do. Books that provide a lot of detail and new information always stay with me. I try to read and learn as much as possible.

What do you expect of yourself here at Stockton?

I expect a few things of myself here at Stockton. I hope to expand my education and learn some life skills in the process. I hope to open up and make new friends. College is a good place to grow both mentally and socially. Here at Stockton I expect myself to work harder than I have had to through high school. College is what you make it. Students who spend all their time partying and slacking off aren't going to get much out of college. This is supposed to be the best time of our lives. We have to balance school work with fun time. If there's too much of one thing, you won't get to enjoy the other. Acquiring an education is a wonderful thing. I hope to learn about everything possible here. I want to leave college with good friends, vast knowledge, and an open mind.