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.