9V: To Critical Thinking and Beyond

Critical Thinking: type of critical analysis: disciplined intellectual criticism that combines research, knowledge of historical context, and balanced judgment.

http://blog.employeedevelopmentsystems.com/Portals/59174/images/critical%20thinking.jpg

I spoke a little bit about critical thinking in one of my previous blogs this week, but I would like to talk about what that term really means. The dictionary definition of critical thinking is written at the beginning of this post. It is a way of analyzing the information you learn. You may be asking yourself: So what? How does this concept relate to my life?

Well, not every lesson in life is written out for you directly. There are times when someone will tell you something, but in order to fully grasp the meaning of what they are trying to say you need to really think. You can memorize facts all you want, but you cannot truly learn anything that way. Sometimes you need to question and look at the bigger picture. If I were to just write down what my professors say word for word in my classes I might get an average grade, but I have not actually processed the information. If you walk around like a zombie not absorbing anything you learn, what is the point of learning anything at all?

http://www.newmediaandmarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Critical_Thinking.jpeg

Two other terms that were mentioned quite a bit in my classes this week were Homogeneous and Heterogeneous. Homogeneous is defined as of the same kind; alike. Heterogeneous is defined as diverse in character or content. They are essentially antonyms. The context these words were used in were in relation to the sociology of marriage and cohabitation in my Sociology class. We were discussing why people choose to marry someone and one of the reasons was feeling at home with somebody. People want to be with someone who is homogeneous to them (from the same background). The people whose marriages tend to be less stable have more heterogeneous relationships where they are from different social backgrounds.

Learning new things is extremely important to the growth of your knowledge. I learn new words like homogeneous and heterogeneous every day at Southern, and I use my critical thinking abilities to absorb and remember them. 



http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/images/vocab.gif

9B: Midterm Grades (Or Lack Thereof)

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Let me start off by saying that technology hates me. It always has, so why would a website like Blackboard Learn work for me? The answer: It wouldn't.

 

This blog post is supposed to be about my midterm grades, but as you can see below, only grades for one of my classes and the language placement test I took months ago are online:

 

I have emailed my professors (besides Inquiry because I was given my grade at my advising meeting), and I am still waiting for responses regarding what my grades are at this point. Unfortunately, I cannot be as specific as I would like to be in this blog post about my grades because I do not know exactly what they are. However, I think I have a pretty good idea about how I am doing in these courses.

 

http://thebananasandwich.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/burning_pc.jpg

 

Let's begin with U.S. History. I received a 100 on the first exam and a 96 on the second. This would make my average a 98 because we have no homework assignments or other grades of any kind in that class. I am very proud of my achievements in this course. I studied for about 7 hours for my last exam in this class, so it appears that my many hours of studying have paid off.

 

Next, there is Inquiry. I received my midterm grade from my professor for this class, and I have an A. I always do my work, and I try to go beyond what is expected of me in this class. I really enjoy it, and I try to take all of the valuable information about success that I learn in that class away with me.

 

http://www.funnyjunk.com/text/4693708/Embarrasing+story+time/

 

Then, there is my Algebra class. I received a B on my first exam and an A on my second. My grade is most likely in the high B or low A range for this course. Honestly, for a math class, those grades are pretty good for me. I have never been great at math, and I had to study and practice for hours to receive those grades. After getting a B on my first exam, I visited the math tutoring center for extra help with my second exam, and obviously this paid off. They were extremely helpful. I will definitely go back to them for help before my next exam. Hopefully, this will bring up my grade.

 

My Geography and Conflict course is next. This class is the only one I am slightly uncertain about. I received a B+ on my first quiz, an A- on my second, and A's on the 3 labs we have completed so far. My grade in this course will probably be in the low A range. I am satisfied with this grade, but of course it could be better. This class is very hard to study for. The material does not make a lot of sense to me, so learning the information is slightly difficult. I have found that the use of flash cards for studying have proved to be very useful in studying. Maybe I will go to his office hours before our next exam or quiz and get a more specific idea of what I should be studying.

 

http://blogs.cio.com/sites/cio.com/files/u128/improvement.jpg

 

Finally, there is my Sociology/Critical Thinking class. I believe I only have one grade for this class because we only took one exam, and my professor has never assigned us any homework. I received a 98 on that exam, so that must be my grade for that course so far. In my opinion, this class is fairly easy. Most of the information goes along with common sense, so the information is easy to remember. Taking detailed notes also has helped me so far.

 

It appears that the strategies I use in my classes where I have good grades are working pretty well. Studying for a few hours for an exam, going beyond the requirements of an assignment, going to a tutor, using flashcards to study, and taking detailed notes in class are all great ways to get good grades. Maybe I can try to apply more of these strategies to the classes I am struggling with.

 

My goal for the end of the semester is to have A's in all of my classes. I am not far off, and I feel like it is definitely possible if I implement all of my strategies listed above and put my all into my education.

 

 

http://beststudentsloan.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/good-grades-pay-for-college.jpg



9A: Penny For Your Critical Thoughts?

"Oh the thinks you can think!"

-Dr. Seuss

http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/pilchj/CriticalThinking0001.jpg

 

Critical thinking was never a topic of conversation in my life until this school year. My education up to this point has just been about doing what is necessary to get by. I had never gone above and beyond what was required of me because I didn't have to. High school was a breeze on which I floated by with excellent grades without really even trying. My level of thinking went no further than to memorize something for a test and forget about it immediately after. College has taught me the importance of thinking critically.

 

At the college level of education, the bare minimum will probably be enough for you to pass, but that is all. In order to excel and succeed at Southern, I have to do what is asked of me and more. I need to go above and beyond expectations. I cannot simply memorize facts and expect to get good grades in all of my classes. I need to use higher level thinking and actually absorb what is being taught to me.

 

http://remotivate.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/the-thinker.jpg

 

To think critically is to ask why and how? Why is this fact true? How does one thing affect another? If you write an essay full of facts stated by other people with none of your own reflections and opinions incorporated, you will not get a good grade. Your professors want to see you come up with something original. They do not want you to repeat what they taught you because they already know all of that information. They are setting you up to make your own discoveries.

 

Critical thinking is all about taking in what you have learned and thinking about it in a deeper way. No one who has ever made a great discovery about the world has just accepted the facts given to them. They question, elaborate, and dig deeper into the concept. Once one question is answered, another layer unfolds and they ask a new one.

 

Even if you do not plan on discovering a new element in the Periodic Table, critical thinking should still be a part of your life. Analyzing and thinking about a topic can never hinder your knowledge, it can only broaden your horizons and create opportunities for new intellectual growth.

 

https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/10-reasons-to-learn-something-new-everyday/



9I: Your Honor

"People who live in difficult circumstances need to know that happy endings are possible."

-Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, My Beloved World

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonia_Sotomayor

This past Monday, the honorable Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, paid Southern Connecticut State University a visit. The author of My Beloved World left me pleasantly surprised after hearing her speak. To be completely honest, her memoir was slightly dry in my opinion, but in person she was energetic, funny, and very interesting! I was not expecting to enjoy her interview as much as I did. It was interesting to hear her real voice after reading her words in the book.

Justice Sotomayor said many inspirational things to the audience on Monday, but one thing she said really stuck out in my mind: She made her type 1 diabetes seem like a positive thing. The average person would view this disease as something very negative that hinders his or her ability to succeed, but Sonia never let her diabetes stand in her way. In fact, she accredits some of her success to the disorder.

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An extremely interesting idea she shared with us was that diabetes has helped her in the court room. Sotomayor explained that with diabetes, she has to constantly pay attention to how her body is feeling in order to prevent her blood sugar from dropping too low. This skill of paying very close attention to detail has made her very aware in court. She pays close attention to what others are doing and saying, and Sonia says that this ability has helped her greatly in her career.

I never would have thought that diabetes could help her become a more diligent person. I have great respect toward people who can turn a bad situation into something good. If my pen runs out of ink I tend to act like the world is ending, so kudos to her for not letting unpleasant things get her down. I wish I was that kind of person. She seemed extremely genuine and humble, and it was a pleasure to watch Justice Sotomayor give us advice on how to succeed in college and life in general.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/aug/06/sonia-sotomayor-confirmed-supreme-court

8V: Mastermind

"To become a master at any skill, it takes the total effort of your: heart, mind, and soul working together in tandem."

-Maurice young

http://www.kimconstable.com/tag/talented/

This week, my Inquiry class has been discussing what it takes to become a master of a specific subject. There are a few people who have lived who we consider geniuses in their fields such as Mozart, Bill Gates, The Beatles, etc. The question at hand is whether they were born with the skills that made them masters or if mastery can be learned? The majority of research supports the latter. Mastery is defined as expert skill or knowledge. A vast number of studies show that mastery in a subject can be gained by anyone if you follow the 10,000 Hour Rule: If you deliberately practice something you are passionate about, you will become a master after 10,000 hours of error-focused practicing. This idea is ground-breaking because it means that we do not have to be born with some special gift in order to become incredible at something. Anyone can achieve greatness if they have the drive.

Two other words that were discussed in my classes recently were Perspective and Conflict.

The topic of perspective was discussed in my Sociology class this week. The definition of this word in the context it was used is: the state of one's ideas, the facts known to one, etc., in having a meaningful interrelationship. There are three major perspectives of Sociology: Symbolic Interactionism, Functionalism, and Conflict Theory. My professor went into detail regarding these perspectives and how you can view society in very different ways depending on which you take.

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One of the courses I am currently enrolled in is Geography and Conflict, so naturally the word "conflict" is bound to be a major topic of conversation. It is defined as to come into collision or disagreement; be contradictory, at variance, or in opposition; clash. Many religious groups in varying areas of our country have been in conflict since the beginning of time, and it is important to learn the history of their disagreements in order to understand why society functions the way that it does today.

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Sometimes the most important words are not ones that we have never heard, but rather they are the words that we hear often but do not take the time to really think about. Most people are familiar with the three words I chose this week, but do we really understand their roles in the world we live in? We should take more time out of our day to digest the information we are given on a daily base rather than simply dismissing it after we take a test.

8A: The Master Bloggers

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After Stalking Everyone in both of Professor Guarino's Inquiry Classes, I have decided that the best of the best blogs belong to Stephanie (http://stepphhr7.blogspot.com/) and Samantha (http://samanthamonaco.blogspot.com/)!

 

Steph's blog was one of the first ones I had ever read where I was honestly impressed by the posts. She speaks very eloquently with advanced vocabulary which really shows how intelligent she is. Her B post for this week entitled "Role Models" was especially remarkable. Just by glancing at it you can tell how much work was put into it. The length far exceeds the requirement, and the paragraphs are very well broken up to avoid monotony. She extremely easily incorporates many different topics into one flowing post. She makes her posts very relatable by finding ways to blend higher level ideas such as mastery and the individual's struggle (in this case) with concepts that the average person can relate to. For example, in the last paragraph of her previously mentioned post she says, "Sonia Sotomayor can be seen as a hero to most with her passion and perseverance through her life. She can teach freshmen such as ourselves to always seek improvement on our weaknesses and to never give up." She ties together all of her ideas in a very conclusive way that gives great closure to her posts.

 

Sam's blog was one that I viewed for the first time today. The thing I love the most about her blog is how it is set up. I give her immense praise for her technological ability because I would have no clue how to make my blog as intricate as hers. The sidebar set up is a really unique idea that I have yet to see on another blog. Her posts are not only aesthetically pleasing, they are genuinely enjoyable to read. Her blog does not simply consist of a list of boring facts; she makes her posts into stories that keep the reader interested. Her posts also always exceed the requirements provided to her. Sam's 7A blog entitled "The Expectations Kids Face Today" is one of my favorites of hers. Immediately you are drawn into her writing by the first line: "'I can't fail. Failing is for losers. I'm successful. Failure is not an option. Success is the only option.' Sound familiar? Have you ever thought one of these thoughts or even all of them? Don't lie. Everyone has. And that's fine. You live and you learn." She engages the reader right from the start and makes you want to read what she has to say. She goes on to explain that first line, give examples of why it is true, and even give good advice on the topic.

 

In order for a piece of work to be deemed worthy of an "A" it must go above and beyond what is expected. In my opinion, both of these girls deserve "A"s. Their blogs stand as great examples for other students, and it is evident how much diligent work they both have put into their blogging every week.

 



8B: The Memoir of Me

"Thoughts become things; think good thoughts."

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/383509724489127522/

 

I have always said that I am my own worst enemy. I tend to over think EVERYTHING. If someone were to look at me strangely, I would appear calm on the outside but my mind would be racing at a thousand miles a second.

 

We are all more judgmental of ourselves than others are of us. If I have a blemish on my face I feel like everyone is staring  at it rather than looking at me even though they probably did not even notice it. I am sure others act this way as well. We focus more on the negatives about ourselves sometimes when we should be proud of all of the great things we have in our lives.

 

I decided upon my six word memoir at the beginning of this blog because life truly is what you make of it. If you think negative thoughts, bad things will inevitably happen because you are allowing them to. I am not saying that if you think positively nothing bad will ever occur in your life. Of course we all have to deal with ups and downs, but having a positive outlook can make those downs easier to cope with.

 

 

Sonia Sotomayor, the author of My Beloved World, always keeps a positive outlook on her life despite the adversities she has faced since childhood. Even though she grew up poor with an alcoholic father, a somewhat neglectful mother, and diabetes, she followed her dream of becoming a Supreme Court justice until she made it a reality.

 

Her book was chosen as the common read for SCSU freshmen this year because everyone can relate to it. My childhood was nothing like Sonia's, but I had my own battles that I had to fight to get to where I am today. Everyone has had to deal with his or her own trials and tribulations, and this book shows that education, grit, passion, and perseverance can conquer all struggles.

 

Some of us may feel hopeless at one point or another during our college experiences, but if we think good thoughts and never give up no matter how downtrodden and overwhelmed we feel, we will succeed. 

8I: A Major Event

Yesterday, I stopped by the Majors Expo in the Adante Student Center.

Although I've already decided to go into the field of Special Education, the expo gave me a better insight into my prospective major and also on possible minors I am considering.

After I signed in, I walked through a set of doors into the ballroom of the Student Center and was slightly overwhelmed by the vast amount of people and tables with information on all of the different majors Southern has to offer. 

As I previously mentioned, I plan on majoring in Special Education, but I am not sure whether I want to purse the Collaborative degree or the Comprehensive degree. The Collaborative degree would allow me to teach Special Ed students K-12 as well as Elementary Education K-3. The Comprehensive degree would only give me the ability to teach Special Education and no elementary. Collaborative may sound like the obviously better choice because of the flexibility and wide range of job opportunities it would provide me with, but that degree gives me three majors and a minor and takes almost twice as long to graduate with my Master's degree than the Comprehensive option does. The Comprehensive degree only gives me one major and one minor, so there is a little less stress and time involved. My only concern is that I am not sure what the demand is for Special Education teachers. If I choose to go with Comprehensive and cannot find a job in Special Education, what will I do? 

http://clubjourneyv.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/special-education-awareness-prevents-future-health-concerns/

I stopped at the tables for both my major and Liberal Arts to get some more information on them. I received a few pamphlets and papers with specific information on each subject as well as some free pens and candy! One thing I learned is that the Liberal Arts program allows you to split your second major into 2 separate minors so you can study more than just one of your fields of interest. Also, you can make up your own Liberal Arts minor! The woman I spoke to informed me of an option to create your own minor and take courses from different areas of study and combine them into a category of your own choosing. I have never heard of anything like that before.

The Majors Expo gave me clarification of certain gray areas in regards to majors and minors here at Southern. I spoke to quite a few very knowledgeable people and learned some new things that will help make my future decision making process here at Southern easier.

http://programs.findlay.edu/Portals/136995/images/success%20kid%20major.jpg

Video Blog First Draft: The First Year Experience Program

My video is about half way done, but it is not necessarily in the order that I plan on keeping it in. I have a few interviews done, but I plan on adding one more upperclassman interview and a professor's interview to the project. Also, I wanted to add some comedy to liven up the video, so the beginning is pretty goofy. I plan on adding a few clips before that part in my final video explaining exactly what an Inquiry course and a learning community are which will be more serious and informative; I just have not gotten around to filming that part yet.

My video so far:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-DWbZAOpPM

7V: To Fail or Not To Fail?

Once again, there a few words I would like to discuss that have been main topics of conversation in my classes this week.

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1. Failure- Failure is defined as an act which proves to be unsuccessful. I have touched upon the topic of failure quite a bit this week in my other blogs, but it is an extremely important concept for people to understand (college students especially). Failing at something should never stand in the way of our goals. When you fail to accomplish something it may be a minor detour on the path toward success, but it should not determine if you get there.

My INQ class has read quite a few articles on failure this week, and what I have taken the most from them is that failures are ultimately learning experiences. They show you what you are not doing so well and give you a jumping off point to fix whatever is not up to par to ensure your success in that field in the future (if you learn from it).

http://www.corynikkel.com/2013/05/08/succeeding-isnt-always-success/

2. Levelling- I heard this term for the first time in my History class this past Wednesday. Levelling is having no part higher than another; having a flat or even surface. It was used in class in reference to the checks and balances in our American government created by the Constitution. It makes certain that no single branch of the government gains more power than another.

3. Moral/Performance Character- Moral character encompasses your ethics, fairness, generosity, and other traits that make up your beliefs. Performance Character includes your effort and grit which motivate your actions. Character is an essential trait for success, and the combination of your beliefs and actions makes up who you are.

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7B: Fighting Failure

I am sure that many of you can relate to this next statement: I suck at math.

Math has never been my strong suit, and after getting an undesirable grade on my first exam last week, I knew that something had to change.

http://butters101.deviantart.com/art/I-Hate-Math-306789695

 

My Algebra professor and I have a bit of a language barrier. I am not 100% sure what his accent is, but it sounds Russian. He is extremely hard to understand even after hearing him speak four days a week since this semester started, and he speaks so fast!

 

I have done every single homework assignment he has ever assigned, (and we get homework every single day), but I did not do very well on my first exam in that class. I was positive that I knew how to do every type of problem he could throw at me, but then I received my test which appeared to be in a foreign language. I barely knew how to do answer any of the questions, and it was very discouraging.

 

Our midterm for that class is this coming Wednesday, so I need to figure out some way to improve my grade. This past week I have been using mymathlab.com quite a bit. My teacher had us set up accounts on this website, and there are questions of all different kinds based on the chapters we are currently working on. It is great extra practice outside of class.

 

https://sites.google.com/a/lsr7.net/gwe5thgrade/math

 

Another resource I have been utilizing this week is last year's midterm. My professor emailed the class a sample of what his midterm looked like last semester, and that has also provided me with some very relevant practice. Also, my boyfriend is a mathematics major in the honors program at Albertus Magnus college with a 4.0 GPA, so I have been making sure he is around while I am doing my math homework to check my answers and give me assistance when I am confused.

 

 I would visit my professor during his office hours for some extra help, but I feel as though it would be a useless effort. He is very difficult to communicate with, so even one-on-one time would not be very helpful if I can't fully understand him.

 

I am wholeheartedly hoping that my extra efforts in the past week will give me an edge on my midterm. I feel as though I am doing math problems 24/7, so I am looking forward to my hard work finally paying off. I am not one to accept failure. Failing at something just shows you what you need to work on so that you can do better next time. This applies to every area of life, not only school. If you lose your job, a relationship doesn't work out, or get into a car accident, you can take what you did wrong in these circumstances and grow from them. Sometimes we have to learn lessons the hard way, but these lessons always make us better in the end.

 

http://www.tanveernaseer.com/four-steps-to-turn-failure-into-success/



7I: So Many Books, So Little Time

My history class throws so much information at me in such a short period of time that I decided I need a little extra help understanding a certain topic...

 

Who Was Who In World Exploration by Carl Waldman and Alan Wexler is a book I found in the SCSU library yesterday. My U.S History class focuses quite a bit on the early exploration of America, but my professor flies through information on each person of interest without great detail. In order to be better prepared for my midterm, I went to the library and searched the database for books on the great explorers.

 

That search led me to the book above fairly easily. It was located on the first floor of the library, so I did not have to go far find it. The book only took me a few minutes to locate thanks to the computer system there. Who Was Who In World Exploration will actually be extremely helpful for my class. The book contains information on hundreds of well-known (and less-known) explorers. Along with each person is information on his life span, nationality, occupation, a description of his expeditions. Also, if you are searching for more information on one person in particular, the names are listed alphabetically which makes them extremely easy to locate. (There are also lots of pictures for those like me who can't read all of that history without a little visual interest!)
 

 

http://www.mycutegraphics.com/graphics/school/classroom/owl-classroom-librarian.html

I would definitely recommend that anyone having difficulties in any classes head to the library and search for a book to help give you a deeper understanding of the subject. This book was very helpful and contained a lot of great information. 

7A: It May Not Be An Option, But It Is A Reality.

"Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor."

-Truman Capote

http://www.tacticalsalestraining.co.uk/cms/uploads/failure.jpg

No one wants to fail at anything, but failure is an experience that everyone has at some point. The only way to avoid failure in life is to never attempt anything at all, and that really is not living. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, so why is failure such a terrifying outcome when it is a reality for all of us? 

We are trained from childhood that failing is the worst thing that could happen to us. Psychology studies have shown that toddlers who fail to potty train at a quick enough rate have self esteem issues for the rest of their lives. We are told from the moment we enter school that we cannot fail any classes, and then we feel humiliated when we fail tests. We live in a hypocritical society where we are not allowed to fail, and we have to deal with this looming pressure to succeed every day. I honestly do not know of a safe place where people can fail at something without feeling dejected and embarrassed.

 

http://www.tanveernaseer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Failure-as-learning-opportunity.jpg

Even within our families (the place we are supposed to feel the safest) we are not permitted to fail. If I were to fail to give my mom an insurance payment on time, or fail a class, or fail to come home at a reasonable time, I would have to deal with the consequences.
We are told from childhood by our families that we can be whatever we want when we grow up. Well, what if the little girl who wants to be a ballerina has two left feet? Or when the boy who wants to be a police officer fails his field test? We are being set up for failure from day one. These failures, big or small, can make our self confidence crumble. Sure, if you work extremely hard and practice very deliberately there is always a possibility that you will succeed, but no one is successful 100% of the time. That is completely unrealistic.

Failing is a part of life that everyone has to except. It is never fun, but as J.K. Rowling said in her speech to the 2008 Harvard graduates in regards to her own personal failures, "I was set free because my greatest fears had been realized, and I was still alive...And so rock bottom became the foundation on which I rebuilt my life." This is the attitude that everyone should take toward failure. Use it as a learning experience and an opportunity to change your perspective. If something in your life is hurting you or just not working out like you had imagined, remove yourself from it and set new goals. You are meant to do something; sometimes it just takes a while to figure out what that something is.

http://www.infinitesuccesses.com/a-new-beginning-on-a-powerful-journey/

6B: Tying Loose Ends

I have been attending college for 6 weeks now and each week has taught me something different about how to get the most out of this experience.

http://hootloot.southernct.edu/images/hootloot_idcard.jpg

As I mentioned above, these past few weeks have given me resources and tips on how to become a successful college student. Every lesson is equally as important as the last, but I would like to speak specifically about some topics that my Inquiry class has been discussing in the past couple of classes.

This week we touched upon the topic of admitting one's mistakes. This is an extremely difficult thing for most people to do. My group specifically listened to an audio recording of a doctor who held a deadly mistake he made in his carrier inside of him for over a decade. No one wants to admit their mistakes. Every person has this delusional desire to be perfect, but we are flawed humans and none of us are perfect. Keeping our mistakes trapped in our own minds is detrimental not only to ourselves, but to those around us as well. When we keep secrets to ourselves they eat away at us causing stress and negatively affecting our health. Also, if you do not share your mistakes with others, no one will have the benefit of learning from them. As said in the audio, "treatments exist today off the backs of those who died." It is a morbid concept, but the mistake one doctor makes could potentially save another patient's life in the future. 

http://www.businessesgrow.com/2012/03/04/my-five-biggest-blogging-mistakes/

Last week, our main topic of conversation was time management. Looking back on it now, these two concepts are actually related. The purpose of the time management schedules we filled out was to see how we were distributing our time and what we need to change in order to be better students with well-rounded lives. I'm sure the vast majority of us realized from this activity that we were not making the most of our time. We recognized the mistakes we made so that we can look back on them in the future and do things differently. Time management is vital to surviving college. If we do not allot ourselves enough time in any area or allot too much to one specific activity, we are making our lives that much more difficult. Too much socializing and not enough study leads to bad grades. Too much studying with very little socializing leads to stress and feeling overwhelmed. We must create "S.M.A.R.T. goals" (Successful Manageable Achievable Reasonable Timely). When planning our days, we need to be sure that the goals we are setting follow this criteria. We need that perfect balance between work and leisure, and we cannot find it without some trial and error in our daily scheduling.

http://www.askingsmarterquestions.com/time-is-money-improving-time-management/

The last big subject my class tackled that I am going to discuss is delayed gratification. This is the perfect topic to tie everything together because delaying gratification is at the very root of succeeding in college. Nothing about college is instant. You don't get your degree in a day and it takes a lot of time and effort to get to where you want to be. We are not little kids anymore. Nobody gives us what we want when we cry. We have to work ourselves to the bone and never give up. As said in an article about the marshmallow study, "Mischel argues that intelligence is largely at the mercy of self-control." It takes an immense amount of self control to toil for years and put all of your effort into your education until it finally pays off when you get to walk across that stage and get your diploma. However, until that day comes, we have to manage our time wisely, admit our mistakes, grow from them, and persevere.

http://www.liveandlovework.com/2012/03/13/beliefs-of-successful-people/

6V: "Energy and persistence conquer all things"

Today, I would like to talk about a few words that stood out in my classes this week...

http://monsieurstolli.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/persistence/

1. Persistence: Persistence is an extremely beneficial word to add to your vocabulary. The standard definition of this word is firmly continuing in a course of action despite any difficulty you come across. This word ties into the themes presented in my inquiry class this past week. College is a difficult hurdle for many people, and some do not have the innate persistence necessary to get a degree. Passing your college courses is not a task one accomplishes with minimal effort. There will be hurdles in your path that will take great energy and discipline to overcome. If you do not let those obstacles discourage you and continue pushing on toward your goals, you can accomplish anything.

The next two words are closely related and both were discussed in my Critical Thinking class...

2. & 3. Fallacy & Equivocation: There are no great lessons behind these words as there was behind the first, but they are terms I had never heard before this week. A fallacy is a deceptive or misleading argument. An equivocation is a type of fallacy in which ambiguous statements are used to confuse or mislead others. Both of these words relate to the subject of argument making. You cannot have a well composed argument with fallacies such as equivocations weaved within it.

 

http://sidewiseinsights.blogspot.com/2011/11/repugnicans-and-libtards-fallacies-part.html

 

 

Learning new words is part of the human experience. We have been doing it since we were infants and hopefully will continue to do so for the rest of our lives. If you take anything away from reading this post, let it be that you always remain persistent no matter what life throws at you and never stifle your inherent love for knowledge.

6I: Doctor Who?

This week I paid the lovely people at the Health Center at Southern a visit. I wanted to know about some of the biggest health problem facing my fellow students (and myself).

I had the privilege of speaking to Dr. Stiles who gave me a lot of great information on the various ailments plaguing Southern's campus. However, the health issue I found the most interesting was actually stress. She informed me that stress can even cause heart disease and cancer! I am dealing with quite a bit of stress at the moment myself, so I wanted to know: What are the main causes of stress for college students and what can we do to help us relax?

Some of the contributing factors to stress are what you would expect, like pressure at work/school, financial problems, or conflicts with family/friends. On the other hand, she mentioned some stressors that I would not have thought of. For example, health problems, poor diet, lack of exercise, and even not having someone to talk to can all cause stress. (The last time I exercised was at least a month ago, so no wonder I'm stressed!) 

http://blog.pdus2go.com

We all become overwhelmed from time to time so, what are the best ways to alleviate our stress? According to the wonderful doctors and nurses here at Southern, we could meditate, take a yoga class, write in a journal, exercise, eat properly, communicate with those around us, and make better time management decisions. We have to first determine what the stressors in our personal lives are and then decide upon a fitting solution. At least one of the stress-relievers listed above can help you relax no matter what your problem is. 

One question I wish I had asked the doctor is what the symptoms of excessive stress are. How do we know if we are over-stressed? I took at look at the Southern website (southernct.edu) when I got home and I found a little more information on this subject:

SYMPTOMS OF EXCESS STRESS

Unresolved stress can wear down your body.  When you are under stress, your body is not able to react or function at full capacity.  When this occurs, your immune system becomes compromised and you can begin to feel sick. Here are some common system of excess stress:

• Fatigue or exhaustion
• Tight neck and shoulder muscles               
• Feelings of anger
• Feelings of anxiety
• Insomnia
• Headaches or migraines
• Forgetfulness
• Sadness
• Depression
• Hopelessness
• Colds or congestion
• Indigestion
• Poor appetite

If you are experiencing any (or all) of the symptoms above, you have to stop and fix yourself. We cannot live healthy lives when we are put under an immense amount of pressure all the time. Stress can cause serious bodily harm over long periods of time, so learn to relax and manage your stress now before it is too late.

http://images.sodahead.com/polls/001666123/5837790513_relax_xlarge.jpeg

6A: Trying To Beat The Odds

What do I struggle with on a daily basis? Not falling victim to the hand I was dealt with. 

I read an article the other day about a woman named Angela Duckworth who came up with the idea of "grit." Grit is a personality trait that gives one the ability to stick with something for a long period of time until they master it. In this article, the author talks about the different factors that could cause a student to lack the necessary amount of grit it takes to earn a college degree. Some of those factors included being the first in their families to go to college, having one or more jobs, having a car to pay for, helping out with bills at home, assisting with the care of younger siblings, etc. Upon reading this, I realized that every single one of those scenarios applies to my life.

Dropping out of college has never been an option in my mind, but this article really made me think. I doubt anyone who enrolls in a college expects to drop out. Why would anyone even start college if they did not foresee themselves succeeding? No one in my family has earned a degree, so what makes me any different? 

http://www.financefox.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/student_dropout_rate_on_the_rise.jpg

Every day my life is hectic. I am balancing school, homework, 2 jobs, my life at home (which is a nightmare), my social life, and so many other varying tasks that sometimes I become so overwhelmed that I start thinking about how much easier my life would be without school. Almost every day I am struggling to keep up with every aspect of my life, and it seems like I can never find the right balance. However, I push on because even though I feel like I am going to have a breakdown at any moment, I know that my life will be better with a college education. I want a good job that will make me happy, so my plan is to struggle now and push myself harder than ever before so that I can have a great life in the future.

http://www.redstarresume.com/uploads/images/college_graduate_photo.jpg