Reflection of Year

            When I first got to Southern I wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to handle the amount of work. However, after a few weeks went by I realized that I needed to learn how to use my time wisely. I started to make set times to get my work done and make sure I set deadlines and goals for myself. I was starting to get bored with just going to class, the dining hall, and back to my room. I then realized that I needed to get involved on campus because just doing work and sitting in my room wasn’t making my semester worthwhile.

            On the day of the club fair I decided to go check it out with my roommate Chris. I went to the booths and ended up talking to some guys from the Beta Mu Sigma Fraternity and was interested. I ended up then going to their rush events and really liked it. I realized that this was something that could get me involved and really living life in my first semester at college. I ended up making friends and brothers that I know will have my back all throughout my college career.

            Some strengths that I have realized about myself this semester is that I work well under pressure. This also comes along with the weakness that I wait until the last minute to do things, but the pressure of it creates my best results. Another strength of mine is that I am very friendly and can create many resources that will be able to guide me through my college experience; Beta Mu Sigma Fraternity is a big resource that I can use that will help me throughout my whole life and I know I can get help at anytime.

 A weakness of mine I discovered is that I have a lot of trouble waking up early in the morning; even if I go to bed early my body just doesn’t want to get up early. I’ve tried to work on it and picked later classes for next semester so I don’t have such a problem with it. Another weakness of mine is that I am not able to juggle my time wisely and get work done early when I have some free time. I plan to improve on that next semester and get my work done early, so I can have more worry free, free time to do what I want.

            In my opinion I have grown a lot since I first got to college. I wasn’t as focused in high school, I didn’t know what goals I needed to set for myself and didn’t realize what a huge responsibility it is to be on your own at college. I came to realize that nobody is going to help me achieve my goals but myself and only I can make that happen. I’ve also realized that the friends you make in college mean a lot more than the ones in high school because you are together much more often and there is a much larger and diverse selection of people.  I think that most people grow a lot in their first semester of college because a lot of things force you out of your comfort zone and to get responsible for your own life. This causes you to become an individual and not follow others and be the leader of your own life.  

            I think that I have definitely taken risks this semester, not only academically but socially. I had to take a lot of risks when I decided to rush a fraternity, I knew absolutely none of them and had to walk in and be confident. I tried to challenge myself academically by pushing myself to set higher and higher goals for myself. I also took the risk of keeping my girlfriend from high school even though I knew the distance would be hard. I had to trust her with the distance and try and avoid the many temptations at college, which was really hard.

            I don’t really have any huge regrets this semester, only that I could have done better overall in school. I know I did decently, but I regret not being able to excel even more. I wish I had taken more time to focus on each class rather than wanting to sleep or go out and hang out with friends as much, but that’s not necessarily realistic for a college student. Next semester one of my biggest goals is to get all A’s and B’s. I know it will be really hard but I figure if I set that as my goal I’ll come closer than if I had no drive at all. I definitely don’t regret getting involved, it has taught me a lot about the campus, getting involved, and mostly about leadership. I know it took up a lot of my time but the rewards I took away from it are far greater than the lack of time I had.

  

Final Project - Involvement

Time Management Project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XUNCe583rI

Time Management Project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XUNCe583rI

Psychology - Yes or No?

          When choosing a major in college it is important to really enjoy the major you choose because you will most likely be pursuing it for the rest of your life. It is essential that you know that you want to pursue this major for the rest of your life because you wouldn’t want to change your mind or be unsure about it down the road. If you end up changing your mind down the road then you have ultimately wasted your time and money. This is a very tricky subject because at one point you may like one subject but down the road find out that it’s not for you. This is why it is recommended that you take classes in different subject categories because then you have a variety of choices to see if they are the majors you want to pursue. Most college students don’t choose a major until their junior year and even then some are still unsure about it. It is different with every person and it is ultimately up to that person to decide what is best for them.

            The major I have chosen is Psychology. Psychology to me is a very interesting subject and has a broad variety of possibilities for the future. There are different fields of psychology that you can go into, such as: medical, educational, clinical, and etc. It is difficult to decide which the right one for me is but I believe that down the road I will figure it out and end up pursuing it. As of right now I’m still not too sure about my major, even though I have chosen psychology because I haven’t really researched any other possibilities out there, but I still have time for all that. I am currently taking a Intro to Psychology class and I can say that it is very interesting and I am leaning more on pursuing this field of study.

                                      

What is a Good Blog?

           What makes a good blog? Everyone has their own opinion on which blog is a good blog and what is good about each blog. A good blog is one that is interesting and unique from others. It stands out and catches the reader’s attention and makes them want to read more. A good blog shows creativity in the writing and is not only informative but gives an opinion that is interesting and shows the writers point of view. There is also a good amount of illustrations and links to go along with the writing. That is a major part because you need to have back up information on your topic that you are writing about and you need to have illustrations to have it stand out. Also a major part of your blog that catches the reader’s attention is the title. No one wants to read a blog when they see it has a boring title. Mostly everyone will not even look at the blog if the title is boring, that is why you should have a title that is unique and appealing to the public.

            After reading some blogs throughout the weeks, I will have to say that I have come across some pretty interesting blogs. But one blog that really stuck out at me was Oscar’s blog, I Write Sins Not Tragedies. His blog is very unique from others and just by looking at his page you could tell its going to be interesting. He also uses very unique titles that catch the reader’s attention.

            There are many other good blog posts out there and I don’t think I have found one that isn’t good. It is just that others are more creative and interesting in their posts rather than the same thing being said over and over again. Just remember to make it interesting and unique.

Time Management Skills

For my digital storytelling project I was a bit confused at first on what to do with my project. I couldn’t decide on a topic to base my project on. After thinking about what interested me I thought of time management. Everyone needs help managing what they need to do in their lives. Time management is the key to success. If you can’t find time for things then you are never going to get done what is needed to get done.

Everyone has their way of managing their time. It would be interesting to see how a professor and a student manage their time and what different strategies they have. In order for a college student to be successful they have to manage their time wisely. What is a good way to manage your time? What are some tips on time management? What can I do to manage my time? If you are asking yourself any of these questions, you are more than likely in help of managing your time. There are tips online at the southern website that can help you with time management. There is also a study skills center in Engleman Hall that you can visit to help you with time management skills.        

For my project I intend to help others with their time management problems. If I cannot do so I will push them in the right path and show them where they can get help on time management. This is an important life lesson that you will not only need now but throughout your whole life. It is better to have good time management skills now than to try and change your ways later in life.

Southern Hockey Game

               One event that I attended so far here at Southern, was the hockey game this past Thursday, September 30. It was a game between rivals, University of New Haven (UNH) and Southern (SCSU). The game was very intense and each team did a great job. Even though Southern should’ve won on several occasions, it was still a great game and they tried their best.

                This hockey game was the first ever hockey game I’ve ever been to and seen live in person. It was one of the most intense games I’ve ever seen. Southern was in the lead going into the last quarter of the game, winning by two to one. It looked as if Southern was going to win this game with nine seconds left of the game, but then UNH ended up scoring within less than a second left of the game, to tie it up. At that point everyone started screaming and yelling because there was no way they could believe their eyes, and no one was expecting that to happen. Everyone thought the game was over and there was no way UNH could catch up.

                The game ended up going into overtime and both teams were playing harder than ever. Then as the game was going along Southern ended up scoring but there was a big commotion near the goal area that the referee didn’t end up seeing the puck go in. Even though the referee didn’t see it I know it went in and I know that Southern was the true winner of the game. The game ended in a stalemate but it was definitely worth going to see. After seeing this game I will definitely attend more of their games, and I encourage those who haven’t seen hockey being played live to go do so. 

                               

                                                            

Pro Blogs

               What is a blog? A blog, according to the dictionary, is a journal written online that is accessible online for others to use. A blog is a good way to get all your thoughts down somewhere and be able to get things off your mind. You can blog about anything you would like, but you should always remember that anyone can view it. Now that we understand what a blog is, what makes a blog a good one? A good blog is one that expresses the blogger’s way of writing and shows individuality amongst other bloggers.             

                One blog that really stood out amongst others was Jester’s Journals blog. It really shows individuality because the blogger is not afraid to express his opinion. Jester blogs about everything and whatever’s on his mind, and he uses his blog as a way to vent about his life. One of his blog posts that I found interesting is I Just Can’t Keep It In No More!! I found it interesting how he was not afraid to express how he feels. He uses honesty to make it into something funny.

                Another blog I found very interesting is the blog about the New Orleans Saints. The author talks about everything that goes on within the team. It is truly a place for all New Orleans Saints fans to go visit and get updated on everything going on. The author really goes in depth with everything and even gives his opinion. It’s different from the other blog I was reading about because this blog is more informative while the other is more like free speech and writes about anything. 

                                                   

Procrastination = BAD

           What is procrastination? According to the dictionary, to procrastinate is to put off till another day or time or to delay. It is to wait till the last minute or last amount of time available to complete something. Why does everyone procrastinate? Everyone mostly procrastinates on doing their homework. They would rather socialize; play videogames, or anything else they can imagine doing other than the work they are given. In the end they regret not doing their work before hand because they are up in the dead hours of the night trying to finish the homework they could have easily done before. Sometimes they are unable to complete all their homework because they cannot stay up any longer or their work is completed poorly because they are half asleep and cannot think straight. Yet everyone knows the consequences of procrastination why do they still do it? Procrastination is not done knowingly, because no one wakes up in the morning saying they are going to procrastinate today. They are aware they are procrastinating but they don’t think much about it till later when they actually have to do their work. Like every person, they would rather go out and have fun and not try to think about the serious work that needs to be done. No one wants to sit inside and do their homework.

            In order to stop procrastinating a person must put their mind to their studies and not think about what is going on outside or what else they could be doing. They need to sit down and focus on what they are doing. I know one way that helped me stop procrastinating is that I tell myself that if I do my work now then I have the whole rest of the day to do anything I want and I won’t have that constant worrying about getting my homework done. This way you do your work and it is done in a timely orderly manner. You have to close out all distractions and keep telling yourself that you have to finish. Don’t leave things for the last minute because then you are running around trying to finish everything. What happens if something goes wrong? Such as your printer doesn’t work or your computer dies, etc. No one ever knows so it is better to not wait till the last minute.

                                         

Soccer is Life

               Throughout my whole life the one thing I can remember doing from when I was a little kid was playing soccer. I’ve been playing soccer almost all my life and it is a true inspiration to me. Soccer inspired me to become who I am because it taught me that there is no quitting in anything you do, no matter how tired or worn out you are, you must keep going further. It showed me that things you want you have to work for. If you want to be the best player on the team, you are going to have to put a lot of time, effort, and practice into it. That is similar to life because no one goes to the top and is successful unless they work hard for it.

                As a little kid I use to be one of the best players on my travel team and I would always push myself to be better than others. My grandfather would always attend my games and my parents would come when they could. It was rare that my father would show up to my games and when he did I felt like I had to do my best to impress him. But as my parents got divorced it was hard on me and my only escape from all of it was playing soccer. On the field all my other problems would just go away and for those ninety minutes of playing time I was in peace and all I could think about was playing the game that I love. Soccer was that true inspiration to me that helped me go through a lot, especially my parents’ divorce; it was as if when I step onto that grass covered field I was in a whole other world. Even till now when I step onto that grass field I remember that playing soccer is what shaped me into who I am today and what got me through everything.

                                            

Outcasts United

              Over summer break the incoming freshman class was told to read this book, Outcasts United by Warren St. John. It was an inspiring story about a group of refugee kids in the small town of Clarkston, Georgia. The book was about this lady named Luma Mufleh, who came over to America from her country of Jordan and changed a group of refugee’s kid’s lives. Luma came over to America to attend college and hope for a better future, but she never ended up returning back home. Passing through Clarkston she saw a group of young kids playing soccer, each with a diverse background. She later became the coach for these kids and showed them the meaning of life and how good it is to be diverse. All these kids were refugees from different countries and Luma brought them all together to join one team and one family. She showed them that no matter how different everyone is we are all the same. Luma was more than just the coach for the kids, she helped them with their school work and even helped the parents find jobs, and be able to survive in this new world. The refugees had a hard time getting accustomed to this new country because all the dominant ethnicities looked down upon them and treated them as though they are nothing. In school they were only allowed to play Americanized sports like basketball, with no diverse background to it. They had trouble getting use to everything but thankfully for Luma they were able to make it through everything and make a better life for all.

                This connects to college because everyone is new to the whole scene and everyone is trying to get accustomed to it. It’s very different from life before as we knew it because we are on our own here. Also in college there are many diverse and different people around and everyone has to learn to get along with each other no matter their differences. College is a whole new experience, just like coming to a new country.

                                   

Greatest challenged faced in college so far

                Coming into college this fall there have been many changes to my life and some are harder to face than others. It’s a whole new neighborhood and a whole new life where everyone is basically independent and able to do as they please. Being independent though comes with responsibilities. There is no one on top of your head telling you to do something or reminding you of stuff you have to do such as homework. You are alone to do what you want and no one will tell you what is right or wrong.             

                One of the biggest problems is balancing out the time you need for studying and the time needed for socializing. Since I am new to this school, along with the whole freshman class, I want to go out and socialize and meet new people. This is hard to do when given a lot of homework because you have to balance out when to do your work and when to go out. Sometimes the work is unbearable and time to go out is needed. But it is hard keeping up with your studies if there is a constant pressure of going out and socializing. Since I am independent now no one is there to stop me and tell me to do my work or to go in my room and study instead of go out.

                Being new to college everyone wants to go out and socialize with everyone but you have to learn when to stay inside and do your work. I believe that is the greatest challenge I faced so far in college because I am not use to this freedom of having no one on top of my head telling me to do my work and not to go out. I have done well so far but hopefully I can keep up with this and make sure I do all my work.

                                             

Response to Readings

               For Inquiry class we had to read many articles pertaining about time management, educated people, deep thinkers, and much more. Out of reading all these articles none caught my attention but two. These two being, “An Educated Person,” and “How to Become a Deep Thinker at College.” These made me really think and wonder what is the relationship between “the deep thinker at college” and the definition of the “educated person.”

                A deep thinker at college is a person that spends lots of time on their readings and studies and goes above and beyond to really understand them. The spend at least an hour more than needed on their readings just to fully grasp and understand what they are reading. They think outside of the “box” and look at the different perspectives of what it is they are reading. They put lots of time and effort into it.

                An educated person according to the article is a person that is able to evaluate and understand their readings. They are able to interpret it and see what the meanings are. They are able to understand their piece of writing and give their view on it. An educated person is a person built off of books and what they get out of it.

                To compare an “educated person” to a “deep thinker” will be very much similar in a way but also different. An educated person only will be able to understand what they are reading or studying in the way they see it and the way their books say so, but the deep thinker will be able to interpret the text beyond just what they see on paper. The deep thinker will be able to take the work beyond just what they read and provide many viewpoints and real understanding of the work and the different views on it.    

                Although they are different they are also alike as well. They both have an understanding of the text and what it is they studied. I think you will need to have a little of both. You will need to be able to understand the text and be able to analyze it but be able to view it in different ways. You will need to spend lots of time on your readings and fully understand what it is you are studying, and that’s what makes a good college student.

Myself

               Looking at myself it is hard to describe all of me in just five words. After thinking long and hard about who I really am and what words best describe me I have concluded to the following: individual, friendly, family orientated, optimistic point of view, and athletic. All these have to do with who I am and what has shaped me into becoming who I am today.

                I am a leader when it comes to anything. I do not like following other people and doing the same things as others. I feel as if they do that more to fit in than to just be themselves and be accepted as who they are. Everyone is different and when someone truly accepts how different you are then you know they must care. I try to stand out amongst many because it’s those that stand out that really get ahead in life. Being an individual means you are able to do your own thing without caring what everyone else thinks.

                Being friendly is one of the traits I think is the most important to have. It is good to be friendly because then you are able to meet new people and make new friends. Everything is a lot better when you get along with people.

                Another one of my traits is being family oriented. I will do anything I can to help out my family and support them through everything. Even though I am in college now I still stay connected to my family. Ever since my parents got divorced it seemed like I was more connected and involved in my family trying to look out for my younger siblings. They are the people that are there for me no matter what.

                I always have an optimistic point of view on things and I try not to think bad thoughts and bad things will happen. If you always think positively then you will get by in life and everything will go for the better. Always think positively and nothing bad will occur.

                My last trait is that I am very athletic. I have played soccer almost all my life and I also been on a basketball league. Almost all my life I have been active with playing sports and it is a big part of my life.

                             

College Life

           College life at Southern Connecticut State University. This is a big step and most people work their whole lives to get where I am now. Those fortunate enough to attend must take this time to set their lives out and see where they can go. But what is college? To some it may seem as another step in their road to success, to others the beginning of the rest of their lives, and to most an amazing adventure one must take to succeed in future goals today.

College to me means a start of the next chapter in my life, filled with opportunities, whole new people, and an independent lifestyle. College is the start of the rest of everyone’s life. It is where you succeed to better your future and get a better job. College will broaden your horizons and show you how far education can take you. It shows the importance of having an education nowadays, and nothing is given, you must work hard and take what you want. You must put a lot of time and effort into what you are doing because nothing in life is given easy.

Diversity is another thing one will experience at college that will help them in the future. Learning to work and see different points of views from different people is a great life lesson to learn. Everyone is an individual and they all see thing s differently, so it’s better to accept the differences in everyone rather than trying to make everyone the same.

At this step in life everyone gets to see who is really important in their lives and worth sticking around for. I hope to find out who I really am and what I have to offer in this world. By attending college I hope to accomplish all my goals of becoming a strong independent person, and create a better future for myself. By sticking to my school work and grades I will be able to accomplish all this.