Last Blog!

I really enjoyed University 101. It was more work than I expected, and I certainly wasn't excited about that, but we had such a great class and I feel like we all got to make friends through our discussions and activities. It was really great to have Jimmie and Ben. You two are so genuinely enthusiastic about helping us improve our college experience, and I think that really makes a difference to students.
These blogs were really hard to remember to do. I didnt' think they would be, but I seemed to always forget. Some blog posts came easily and I think helped, but other prompts I found difficult to talk about. I felt like I didn't have enough to say for the mentoring blogs. Some of them I felt didn't apply to me and my mentee, if that makes sense. I think it was a good idea, but maybe the requirements or prompts need to be adjusted.
I would recommend University 101 to a new student, but I hope they don't have too much work to do.

Personal Challenge

I have been struggling with the feelings that my classes are too much and I won't be able to handle the next bunch. I've been reallyworried that I won't be able to handle all of the marine science degree requirements, which is really scary because that is the plan. That's what I want to do. So my personal challenge was to create a four year plan that would allow me to take things a little slower but still make all of my requirements in four years. I made an ACE appointment with Ben, who was such a huge help in figureing out how to organize my schedule and prerequisites properly (Thank you!). Now I have a plan that incorporates all of my marine science classes, prerequisites, gen. ed.s, fun classes, and a summer with the National Student Exchange. Of course, I'll probably have to make adjustments, but now that I have a plan for the big picture, I feel a lot more confident about getting in all of my requirements without too heavy of a workload.

Truffles!

Kaitlin and I went to the presentation on the history of truffles at the McCutchen House. It was interesting and so so delicious! Some of the information I already knew, like how people hunt truffles by letting pigs sniff them out, but I didn't know that it was only female pigs, because the truffles smell like a male pig's pheromones. Now, people are using dogs to hunt truffles. There are a few different types of truffle, some light, some dark. Truffles come from France and Italy. They are insanely expensive and don't last very long. They have a very unique flavor and can be incorporated into many dishes. We had a sample of truffle soup - one of the best things I have ever tasted! Truffles inspired the chocolate truffle, a bite size smooth chocolate covered in cocoa powder. You can find chocolate truffles almost anywhere, the recipe varies greatly, but people love the taste. I definitely recommend trying chocolate truffles, and if you get the chance to sample a true truffle or truffle dish, do it!

Thanksgiving

Every Thanksgiving my family goes to Zebulon, GA to have a big thanksgiving reunion with my dad's side of the family. Everyone brings part of the meal: turkey, ham, stuffing, asparagus casserole, squash casserole, broccoli and cheese casserole, green beans, sweet potato casserole, rolls, cole slaw, cranberry sauce, chocolate cake, carmel cake, rice krispy treats, white chocolate cereal clusters, brownies, and my mom brings pecan pie. After we stuff ourselves, we all spreadout and mingle with relatives. Some of the kids go outside to play soccer. I usually hang out with my third cousins who are my age. Then the next day, my grandparents take their kids and grandchildren to do something fun in the area. We've been to Stone Mountain several times, Callaway Gardens, Savannah, and this year we went to the Pine Mountain Animal Park for the second time. Yay Thanksgiving! :)

Hot Cookie Friday

So I actually went to a Hot Cookie Friday a while back. That was the first time I had been up to the study shack. It was definitely an interesting set up, being in that house. Me and my friends got there when there was a bunch of people. We could barely walk through the rooms. People were in the kitchen pouring drinks and puting cookies in the oven. People were sitting at the tables talking and waiting for cookies. People were playing Wii games. We waiting a while and finally got cookies. They were so good because they were warm, just out of the oven. Those are the best kind. My friends and I stayed a while longer and met some other Capstone kids who were playing apples to apples. We played a couple of rounds and exchanged numbers. I continue to eat cookies and earned the nickname "fatty". Very flattering.
I wanted to go back after that, but I could never make it. On Fridays I go to a marine science seminar at 3 and if I'm going out of town I've usually saved my packing for Friday. Next semester I guess.

Strengths/Weaknesses

My strengths: friendly, empathetic, creative, does well with collaboration. Depending on what I'm working on, I can organize fairly well. I feel like I can promote teamwork and contribute creative ideas.
My weaknesses: organization, focus, working on too many projects at once. I can get really bogged down in projects if what I'm working on doesn't interested me. If I have too many things to do, I have trouble organizing them all and prioritizing. Chances are I'll forget about one of the projects.
Hopefully I can get involved in the SEAS club more. I've heard they have these Outreach programs that go to schools with touch tanks and teach kids about marine life and conservation. I feel like I could be really good with that. Kids seem to like me okay, and I'm really passionate about marine conservation. I'm also really interested in helping animal shelters. If there isn't a club for that, maybe I could foster that idea and get a group together to promote responsible pet care and help animals in need.

My Hand Student

I really like my mentee. She is so sweet and well mannered, interesting and optimistic. She definitely wants to continue dance, I think she'll try out for Hand's dance team again. I know she wants to try drama and hopefully something like that will bring her out of her shell and give her a little confidence. It seems like she's doing well academically. When I met her teachers they seemed to interact well together and I'm sure if she started to have problems she could go to them for help.
I don't really know how I'll say goodbye. I'd like to continue through the spring, but I'm very nervous about my schedule next semester. Idk how I'll get through 8 am calculus let alone chemistry, english, and marine science. I'm worried that I won't be any good to anyone next semester. I think it's best for me to say goodbye when fall is over.
I think maybe I'll write her a nice encouraging letter and give it to her at the end of our last meeting.