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.

Spirituality

I dont' know a lot about these things. I grew up without going to church or hearing about religion or spirituality. Some of my family is very devoted to Christianity, some of my family don't know what they believe. We've always celebrated Christmas, I feel like that's when I'm most connected to the idea of Christianity. It makes me want to learn the stories of the bible.
I think faith and religion are the group you identify with. Being part of a certain faith or religion means you comply with some or all of their traditions and you beliefs are similar to theirs. Spirituality I think is an inner thing. It's hard to describe because it isn't an object or a being. It's just inside you. It's what makes you fulfilled, centered, happy, etc.
I'm not sure exactly what I believe about Christianity, I would have a lot to learn. I think one day I'll have desire to learn and my friends and family will support me in learning and respect my beliefs. It's very complicated, I think I'm just not ready yet.

Relationships

Some new relationships I've formed are with friends and classmates. My roommate, kids on my floor, kids in Capstone, kids in my classes. I've met a lot of really nice people that I see about everyday. I feel really good about my choices of friends. They are all decent people who are fun and care about me. I've had some really great friends looking out for me lately, and it's so good to know that I have them. I want to support them just as much as they've supported me.
I think the best way to create healthy relationships is to be friendly and kind even to aquaintances. Certain people will become closer to you and you can decide how close you want to be to them. Sometimes things don't work out, you find you have differences or you drift apart. I don't always know how to handle my life or relationships, but I do believe in being there for people and being considerate and honest. Those are the qualities that I find most important in a relationship.

Capstone Conversation

I went to the conversation Meredith Ross, the student body president. There weren't a lot of people there, and I kind of expected more. It was interesting and kept my attention. She didn't talk about student government stuff the whole time. I feel like its always nice to here about the great college experiences people have had. It makes me really excited to create my own memories. She was also talking to Dr. Hickey about the alpine tower and the ropes course. I'm really excited to try that. I'm a little afraid of heights, but I think the challenge will be pushing myself to do the actual climbing. I'm such a weakling. I have done a ropes course though, and once I tried to climb an alpine tower, but I couldn't make it very far.
I really am not interested in student government. I knew it must be hard, but she confirmed my assumptions. I'm definitely not made for that. I did like her story about the presidential inauguration trip she made. I'd love to do something spontaneous like that and have the chance of a lifetime. Right now I just need to focus on getting through this semester.

Capstone Cinema

I went to see Border Story with some of my friends. It was soooo depressing. I had no idea that there was a civil war going on over there. I had heard something about Burmese prisoners of war or refugees on tv, but it wasn't a news program and I didn't think much of it. The images and stories were pretty graphic. I knew I was going to tear up and I was right. While the stories were sad, I feel like it is necessary to bring those stories to people's attention. There isn't much people can do about the government and the war, but they can do what they can to help the people whose lives have been so unjustly interrupted and altered. The only thing that really messed it up for me though, was that I couldn't read the subtitles. Its imperative that you can read the subtitles in a film and I had people sitting in front of me. So chunks of the stories were confusing I lost my focus. But it was a really great idea, moving content, and well edited.

Study Abroad

I'm totally freaking out about study abroad. I need to find a program that will allow me to take the proper classes for my major and won't be too expensive. My parents are trying to pay for college and build a new house. They do not need to be spending a fortune on sending their daughter out of the country. I do have some money saved up that I could pay part of the cost with. I know I'll want to take advantage of the trip by going on extra excursions. Since I'm majoring/minoring in marine science, I'd like to go to Australia. I'm also open water certified and there is no way I'm going to Australia without scuba diving. But I know it's going to create plenty of extra expense. It's also awfully far away and I dont' know a thing about airfare. Still, I would really love to go. I think the experience would be amazing and I know it could really bring me out of my shell and open my eyes to the realities of my career choice.

Hand Involvement/Success

I've really been enjoying the mentoring experience. My mentee is very sweet, polite, intelligent, and interesting to talk to. I feel like we get along very well and it's easy for us to talk. She seems pretty comfortable with me. We've talked about what classes she's thinking about taking next year and what she wants to do in the future. I'm not sure what kind of clubs there are at Hand. I don't think the chorus or drama classes have seperate clubs, but I could be wrong. I know that she is interested in dance. She is part of a church dance group I think, and she's tried out for dance at school but didn't make it. However, she doesn't seem too discouraged. She must really like it. I told her that I tried out for dance once and didn't make it. That was the end of my dance career. My three questions for involvement would be:
1. What clubs or classes have you participated in that you enjoyed/didn't enjoy?
2. What clubs or events does youre school or community offer?
3. How can you/would you like to participate in these activites?
for academic success:
1. What classes are your strengths/weaknesses?
2. What are your study habits like for these classes?
3. How can you improve your study habits?

Wellness

Well here we go again. I'm STILL adjusting. College is hard and theres been a lot of ups and downs. Thank goodness the semester is almost over and I can learn from my experiences how to make a better schedule. The one thing I think I'm really good about is planning. Planning is easy. It's the action that's hard.
I wish I had more time for sleep, visiting family and friends, and I wish the pool was closer. I really need to exercise and I feel like it's just never going to happen. If the Blatt was closer I would be swimming all the time. Swimming is comfortable and easy. Swimming is fun. Running, walking, and using work out machines doesn't really appeal to me. I think if I had a buddy who could walk to Blatt with me, I would go all the time. I miss swimming. I feel like I haven't done it in so long because I've been treading water in a lake and not swimming in a pool. I miss pools. I miss the beach.
Capstone has a bunch of money. We should get a pool in an effort to promote campus wellness. An indoor heated pool :]

Hand Visit 2

My student loves to talk. She's told me so much about herself already and it's like i hardly have to prompt her at all. I think she just needs someone to talk to. She has some family things going on, but it doesn't sound they're a big problem, just a little drama. She's told me a lot of funny stories about her family, and she's told me a bit about her friends too. She was to be a hair stylist. I suggested that she take business classes so she could run her own place and she said she's thought about it and definitely wants to take them. She asked me what classes I took in middle and high school. She said she really liked being in chorus, but she's thinking about switching to drama for a new crowd. Of course, I encouraged her because I think basic theatre classes are good for everyone. They are fun, energetic, build confidence, and foster relationships. Theatre can make you bolder, more friendly, and it can really boost your self-esteem when you get a laugh. She seems like she's got a good head on her shoulders. She is very polite, thoughtful, and self aware.

Mutual Expectations

The mutual expectations gathering was actually very interesting. I didn't know what to expect at all. I really liked that there were seperate tables where individual groups of students and instructors could briefly get to know each other before the discussion began. It was easy. The group leaders explained everything and facillitated conversation and kept the dicussion moving without dwelling on one issue for too long. Everyone got a chance to speak and put our concerns in our own words. And it was really great that we were with instructors we didn't really know. Otherwise I think, yes, it would have been awkward to say how you felt about an instructors performance. We probably would've just kept our mouths shut and not gotten the issue out at all. It was nice to hear from the instructors. They were very friendly and didn't sound demanding at all. They just wanted us to actually try. Come to class, pay attention, read the material, study the appropriate amount of time.
I think this whole first semester so far has been a wake up call for me. This experience basically just reinforced the things I've been finding out the hard way about school and studies.

Diversity

Diversity was usually meant as having a group of people of different ethnicities and backgrounds. I think as I got older it just became broader. Diversity covers every aspect of the human being. It's personality, the way they look, their views, their backgrounds, the way they handle situations. I feel like I see it all the time. It doesn't have to be difference in ethnicity. It can just be personality. If three people are on an elevator, they dont have to have different ethnicities to be diverse. Although, that is the general idea of diversity. But I feel like diversity ranges over everything and so it is everywhere.
There is definitely diversity at Hand Middle. Not only are these kids from different ethnicities, backgrounds, family values, income levels, but they are all different ages, heights, levels of maturity, personalities, etc. Middle school brings on a big transtition. It happens over the course of those 3 years. Sometimes it continues into high school. That age range can mean a lot of different things and it creates diversity.

ACE appointment

I scheduled my ACE appointment for thursday from 7:00 to 8:00. It really didn't last that long. I went for math because I'm doing poorly on my tests in precal and it's very discouraging. I don't know if I'm forgetting the material because I don't pay enough attention in class or if I'm just not studying correctly. All we have in that class is tests and I need to do well. So there were some other people there when I went for my appointment. When it got to be my turn, the ACE coach/instructor/tutor guy helped me with the extra credit opportunity we finally got in math. It was only two questions and it didn't take very long at all. After that I basically just asked for some study advice. He told me that practice was really the only way to learn math. He encouraged me to look up extra problems to work on, focus on concepts I'm having trouble with until I'm comfortable with them. I think that will really help a lot. And I'm glad he helped me with my extra credit because now I know it's correct and I'll get the bonus points I need. I think I'm going to do the drop in hours again during the week.

Marine Science

I really want to major in marine science. I feel like that is really my passion. I decided that was what I wanted my major to be at least by the time I was a sophomore in high school.
It is certainly not about the money. And I don't think any of my interests are things that would guarantee me a career with lots of money anyway.
I just feel like this is something I could do for the rest of my life. Preferably, I want to do things hands on. I want to be the person who goes out into the cold salty ocean to research humpback whale behavior. I want to monitor a coral reef's growth in the Carribbean. Lug scuba equipment around. Get stung by jellyfish. Hose down the research vessel.
Unfortunately, marine science is based in math and chemistry fundamentals. Two things I am not great with. This is and will continue to be a difficult road for me, I am sure. But I've told myself: this path is the longest and hardest, it's the one I need to try first.
If marine science doesn't work out, then I'll have to turn to another interest of mine.
I should get into photography so I can be an underwater photographer/videographer. You don't have to have a marine science degree for that right?

Freshman Fall '09

Omigosh this semester has been both fun and stressful. Mostly crazy. Now here I am coming in with a super late blog. Late late late. AGAIN. Sorry :[
Great things this semester: making friends, meeting new people, creating home away from home, getting things done on time.
Hard things this semester: getting out of my room, making it to 8 a.m. math on time, trying to eat all of my 21 meals, organizing my priorites, getting things done on time, being sickly, walking to classes without huffing and puffing.
Things I want to change: balance of my level of activity (somedays need to be more active, some days need to be less hectic), organization abilities, study tactics, number of hours in a day.
What I want to do differently: find time to relax, focus continuously on the most important tasks, create a schedule for next semester that does not encourage feelings of regret, improve study skills and ability to wake up on time and actually be awake, drink more water.
Also, I need to figure out how to properly estimate the time it will take me to do things. I had a million things planned for fall break. I knew I wouldn't get them all done, but I thought at least I could make significant progress. Well although I made several things happen, I didn't accomplish near the amount of things I wanted to. I need to change!

The meaning of Service Learning

Service Learning is a great way to benefit several people at once. When you participate in a service learning program, not only are you helping others and improving their lives, but you are improving your life by doing good and learning from the experience. Just because you are supposed to be the one teaching or the one helping does not mean you cannot be the one who learns a valuable lesson. By interacting with the people or organizations you are serving, you learn about situations and how to deal with them. You learn how to accomplish new tasks.
For instance, in our program we'll be mentoring 6th graders. We'll get a chance to see how they feel about middle school; their point of view. We may be faced with the challenge of trying to help them develop a study schedule or learning method that works best for them. We may be faced with the challenge of addressing important issues and finding the right advice to give. We can learn things by interacting with these kids that could help us in the future. At the same time, we are helping them succeed.

Campus Safety

I was really confused when I saw a female police officer after I had heard a lot about the “brotha-man”. I thought she was really nice though. She seemed friendly, understanding, and I liked that she incorporated specific past events as examples for the situations she was talking about. She seemed very approachable, which is really nice in a police officer.
I thought the presentation was very informative. She covered a lot of information it seemed like. I knew certain things about being safe on campus like not to walk alone and to pay attention to your drink at a party. I definitely didn’t know that you could just call them for an escort if you were alone at night. Sometimes I don’t do things or go to meetings because I don’t want to walk by myself. That will be helpful for future reference.
Overall, it went pretty well, no falling asleep, she kept my attention and I feel like I learned a bit more about being safe on campus and the campus police.

Scuba Club

I went to the first scuba club meeting in the Blatt PE Center. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. There were several people, some of whom had been certified or already in the club. They talked about what they mainly do, which is organize scuba trips for fall and spring break. Thats what they spend the money they're given on. I couldn't participate in this years fall break trip, but I'm really interested in the spring break trip. They said that they've organized a trip to the Florida keys before that was very successful, and they'll most likely do it again next semester. I'd love to do that, because I'm an inexperienced diver and I could use the guidance of club members and the clarity of the water in the keys.

I was slightly disappointed that these two trips were all they seemed to offer. Theoretically, I could suggest more trips or activities, but I'm not sure how much I need to do to make that happen. Hopefully, I can keep with the club, become more involved, and possibly go on the spring break trip!

Meeting My Professor

I got a chance to talk to my marine science professor, Claudia Benitez-Nelson, after class. She is so nice! I told her I was a marine science major, so I really want to do well, and I was so nervous about this class. We just had our first exam and many of us didn't do very well. Thankfully she took pity on us and we took it again to get extra points. She said I was doing just fine, my exam came out to be a decent grade, and she also reminded me that she lets us drop and exam at the end of the semester. She is very approachable, encourages visiting her, grades on a curve, and offers extra credit. I think I'm going to meet with her again. I'm so glad I got to talk to her about my exam, and I'm not so nervous anymore.
I would advise people to meet with their professors, most of mine are very friendly and approachable. You just have to actually go and talk to them, email them, set up a meeting. They can tell you things about the class you may not have known. They can help you find ways to do better. Just don't be so nervous that you never get to know them. I'm shy, but I'm so glad that I've gotten a chance to talk to my marine science professor.

Hand Middle School Visit

I loved Hand Middle! It was so pretty, I loved all of the artwork everywhere, covering the walls. I would have loved for my school to look that way. I'm very excited to be mentoring a sixth grader who is interested in at least some art form. I hope that I'm matched up with someone who is interested in the things I participated in at my high school: drama and chorus.
It was also very strange seeing middle schoolers again. I forgot what it was like to be a middle schooler. Some of them look like babies, and some look my age! I'm really excited though! I think it'll be fun, they have a great campus, and we can walk around while we get to know each other.
I hope I can be a help and build a good relationship with my student. I know if I can impact them in a positive way, I'll fell very accomplished and good about myself. Yay!

Hand Middle School

I'm really excited about tutoring, but I'm really nervous too. I suppose I expect things to be a little awkward at first. I'll be trying to get to know my student, and they might be a little shy or indifferent. I also hope I know what to say. Sometimes I know exactly what to say to stangers, and sometimes we sit in silence. I hope I can relate to my student well enough too. I've probably been through everything they're feeling about going into middle school, and I can give them advice that they probably can't get from their parents (who haven't been in middle school in a while) or from their friends (who can't possibly know much about it either).
This can be a very positive thing for both of us, and that's my goal. I want to make their transition a little easier, and know that I've helped someone. It might be awkward at first, but I hope I can be a friend to them. I just really hope they like me and will open up to me so I can help them out as much as possible.

LASSI

That LASSI test was weird! I was asked the same questions again and again. I guess to see if I would answer the same way each time. I really didn't like some of the questions. They created a situation that seemed improbable for me, and didn't give me an option to choose that I liked. Some of them I just had to guess on.
I wasn't terribly surprised with my results. My lowest score was on time managment. I can be pretty bad at that. Thats why I'm so excited about my new weekly planner! Now I just need to make sure I write everything down. I'm still getting used to my schedule and planning my assignments accordingly. College is hard! I really liked Laura Dixon's suggestion to dress up everyday, or just on test days. I tried it on Friday, and it didn't work out like I had planned, but I think for most of the day it made me feel a little bit better about myself.
My highest score was in self testing, whatever that means. I suppose it's when you study by going over the things you know in your head and deciding what you need to study in notes or flashcards. I made some flashcards for a test on wednesday, and I think they really helped. I just wrote down some things in my notes on index cards, which organized the information better, and looked through them. We'll see how it turns out!

Service Learning

I'm both nervous and excited for mentoring a 6th grade student. I hope I can help them and have a positive influence on them, but I worry about connecting with them. I want them to like me and respect me. I also want to know that I'm giving the best advice I can.
I haven't been a part of many service projects. I volunteered at my local humane society because I have a weakness for animals, and I've done things over the years for Beta Club. I participated in operation christmas child, helped out at nearby elementary schools, made blankets for a pediatric hospital, and donated a few things.
This weekend, a little boy I used to babysit came to my door. He was selling popcorn with cub scouts, and we bought some. His parents were there and we started talking about their daughter. She's going into the sixth grade this year, and they talked about how different it will be. Lockers, gym class, no recess, etc. I was really excited to tell them, hey I'm going to mentor a 6th grader this year! It felt like I was going to be doing something really helpful. Yay!

Organization

Organization is not my forte. I am only good at organizing when the inspiration hits me. These first couple of weeks have been kind of crazy and unorganized. My new schedule has been a little overwhelming, and I don't quite have a routine down. Going off to college is an extreme change in a person's life, depending on their situation. It definitely has to be handled carefully.
I just got a weekly planner today. I've always had a calendar for my wall and my backpack/purse, which worked great in high school. But now that i have different classes on different days at different times, its a lot harder to keep up with assignments. I definitely need a weekly schedule where i can write out everything i need to do on a certain day.
I'm kind of nervous about managing my time properly. I know I can do it, but I know it might be really difficult. For one thing, I know I wont be out late before a test, I have to prioritize, and I have to keep up with my reading. If I make it through the first semester, that is the most important thing. I will have gotten myself accustom to this lifestyle and into a routine that works for me.

Involvement

I was so excited about the student organization fair! There were so many booths and people that I didn’t even get to see everything. However, I was there in between classes and I was full handed with heavy books, so I didn’t stay long. Dropping my books on the ground once was enough for me.
I couldn’t believe that I didn’t see the scuba club! I’ve been looking for them online, and all of their stuff is outdated. I looked, dropped my books, and looked, but I couldn’t find their table anywhere. I would have loved to join the scuba club. I have joined SEAS (Students Engaged in Aquatic Sciences) and signed up to get more information about the female acapella group “Cocktails” and Broadway Our Way.
I love the ocean, swimming, scuba diving, singing, acting, wakeboarding, traveling, cooking, eating, and just hanging out. I can’t wait to try skydiving too!

Carolinian

I have always been obsessed with water. Growing up in south Florida, I started learning to swim at 6 months old. I loved going to the beach, swimming in the local pool, and taking snorkeling trips. Now that I'm here at USC, I'm so excited to be studying marine science.
I expected USC to be very athletics oriented, but also have good arts programs. I'm glad that I can participate in the school spirit that comes with a football game, and audition for a theatre production as well. I loved be part of the musicals at my high school.
Things have been a bit overwhelming, but I feel like I'm doing well. I've made friends and kept in touch with my friends from high school. I miss them, my boyfriend, and my parents a lot. But I'm glad that I am only less than 2 hours away from all of them.
I feel like the Carolina Creed makes a lot of sense for me. I agree with what it says and what it asks of students here at USC. It reminds us to be decent, honest, hardworking people.