Inquiry Final Video

Inquiry Final Assessment!

Allessandra Paglia

Professor Guarino

Inquiry

14 December 2010

Personal Inquiry Assessment

“This INQ section challenges students to immerse themselves in the college experience: juggle multiple tasks, be problem solvers, ask questions, take risks, grapple with difficulty, be creative, learn from failure, take ownership over their own learning, and apply abstract concepts to their actual everyday lives.”

            When stepping into our Inquiry classroom for the first time I did not know what to expect. I did not even really know what the class was going to be about, all I knew is that it was some type of course that helped ease the transition from high school to college. After a bit of confusion, I finally figured out that it was an immersion course that forced me to step beyond the boundaries of my comfort zone and fully participate in college life. It was designed to allow each individual student to take away new skills that they have been able to learn in the class. Although it proved to be difficult, it was an overall positive experience!

         During this first semester I was able to achieve some of the goals outlined in the syllabus and learn new skill sets that have helped me during this semester. In this class I was challenged in many different ways, especially the part that required me to step outside of my comfort zone. The campus safaris were one of the things that helped me the most. I was basically forced into doing things that I probably would have wanted to do, but never would have. I was able to visit Southern’s radio station, attend a football game, and even go to the health center to learn about some of the services that they provide. While I was able to step outside of my comfort zone I was also able to successfully transition from high school into college.

It was not an easy transition but it was not incredibly difficult either. Academically I felt very prepared and I was ready to take on the college work load. I also learned in this class how to begin to transform my mentality into a more analytical thought process. I began to take in information and ask questions about what I was taking in. I was motivated to do more research on an interesting topic outside of class rather than just taking in information and forgetting it after the exam. I think that this is a crucial step when determining whether you have successfully transitioned into college.

From a social perspective I have met a wide array of new people and I have made several friends along the way. This was a bit more challenging mostly because of my personality. I have slowly begun my transformation into a more social person and I would like to continue meeting new people and making new friends. I feel that another important step in college is having the ability to make friends and become a social person. In the real world it is not only about you. You have to be able to work with all different types of people and I think that Southern gives us the perfect opportunity to be with diverse groups of people.

This leads me to one of the most important things that I have learned in Inquiry and in college, and that is finding my voice. I have always had opinions but I have chosen to keep my comments during class discussion to myself. In this class and in other college courses I was required to work with groups of people that had different ideas than I did. I realized how important it is to express your own thoughts and ideas while respecting that of those around you. I can now confidently express myself without being judged.

All in all I think that this Inquiry class is necessary. I think that the assignments, especially the readings (online articles), can help students like me to adjust to college more easily. I have been able to experience both success and failure and I have learned my lessons along the way. One are for improvement is both increased class participation and better time management. I saw what the effect of pushing a paper until the very last minute can do to a person and I definitely learned never to do that again! My successes are my grades and my slowly expanding social skills. I have been able to maintain good grades this semester and I expect to continue until I graduate from this school. I have also been able to make friends and I will continue to do so.

I have been able to start to learn my place as a college student. I have taken the time to know most of my professors and I know who I can rely on if I ever have a problem. I think I have certainly become more responsible and independent as an individual. In college I have to be my own person and I have to do the things I need to do. There is no one reminding me when assignments are due or that the semester is coming to an end and that I should start studying for finals. I have to do most of this on my own.

I have also been able to find my own voice. In high school I was around people that were fairly similar to me and we shared many of the same beliefs. Here at Southern it is different because it is such a diverse environment, and that is by no means a bad thing. It simply means that I have been able to be myself around people that are not like me and we are all able to accept each other’s differences. I think that this is another crucial step in transitioning into college. You have to be able to find your voice and stand up for yourself and who you are while still respecting those around you.

This second semester will surely go much more smoothly now that I know what is expected of me. I now have all of the resources and tools available to me to continue growing as both a student and a person. I have friends and professors who I can go to for help with anything. Inquiry has certainly helped me on the path to becoming a successful college student and I hope that future students take advantage of all the benefits of this class. I wish all of my classmates and friends the best of luck this second semester; I know we will all do great!

On my last day of high school in my Theology class, my teacher Mrs. Mazz handed each of us an a plastic acorn and described it as our potential. We are all acorns and we all have the potential to grow into an oak tree, but it is up to us to do so. As we can see, hundreds of acorns sit in our backyards, but few of them grow into oak trees. Here in college and for the rest of our lives we must rise to the challenge and be the few acorns that grow into full oak trees!

**The link I inlcuded is a great article about always growing by getting out of your comfort zone. I think it is a wonderful article!

A New Set of Goals

College, just as life, is all about setting goals and working hard to achieve them.

Academically I would like to maintain a high grade point average and hopefully all straight A’s. I would like to make the Dean’s list; it would be such a wonderful honor! As I said in a couple of earlier posts, I want my academic career in college to be different from the one I had in high school. It took me two and a half years to become an Honor student. I am promising myself that I will maintain above average grades in college. This of course requires a lot of studying, something that I am certainly willing to do. Of course, everything requires balance. So while I wish to achieve good grades, I also want to have a social life and hold my job.

Socially I would like to make more friends. I have met many people this semester and I have made several new friends. However, I would still like to meet new people and keep making friends. I would also like to participate in a couple of different clubs here at Southern. When this first semester started I did sign up for a few but with my schedule I was not really able to fully participate. Now that I have improved my time management I am hoping to participate more.

Personally I would like to continue growing as a person. There is a lot in life that I have yet to learn and I hope that some of my daily experiences here at Southern help me to grow more as an individual. I would also like to find the time to volunteer as a tutor where I was last year. With my new schedule it is hard to find the time to tutor, go to school, and work. I am really hoping that I can work out a way to start working as a volunteer again! I miss my kids!!

Success and Failure

As they say, with success comes failure, and that is certainly true for me. I have seen success in many areas and I have failed along the way.

My first semester has been a very interesting and mostly positive experience. I have certainly grown more independent and even more personally responsible than I was before. One of my greatest strengths this first semester has been academics. I have been able to maintain A’s and B’s in all five of my classes and this is a big deal for me. It was extremely important for me to start my college career strong because I do not want a repeat of the beginning of high school.

I have been able to maintain the balance between school and work. I have the ability to both attend school and work and not have to choose one over the other; both receive my best.  

Personally, I think my greatest weakness has been my lack of participation in class discussions. My personality is that of a more quiet and reserved person. I find it fairly difficult to talk out in class and I know that this is crucial for some classes. It is odd because I find that the smaller the class the easier it is for me to participate. It also helps when I know the people in my classes better.

My Spanish 305 class is the class that I participate most in. I attribute this mostly to my level of comfort in the class. I truly enjoy the class, there are only eleven people and we have all come to be friends, and I absolutely love my professor! I need to work on participating more in all of my classes.

Overall I am content with how my semester has gone so far. I still have work to do and with patience I will soon be where I want to be!

Life After College

This is something that I constantly think about: my future! I have goals set for myself and plans for my future.

I would like to graduate from SCSU with my degree in Spanish and my certification in teaching at the secondary (high school) level. I would really like to teach at Sacred Heart Academy, my alma mater. This school holds a very special place in my heart and I truly feel like it is where I would like to end up teaching. I hope to end up teaching either Spanish or Religion or maybe even both!

Eventually I would like to get a degree in Theology and counseling. As funny as it may sound I would truly want to be a religion teacher at some point in my life. My religion has been a big part of my life and it has defined part of who I am. I hope that I can use my faith to teach others and help them to understand the same things that confused me. I would also like to volunteer time at a community center to help counsel at-risk youth.

On a more personal level I would like to get married and have children some day. Having a family of my own is definitely something that I want. I think marriage is something very sacred and being able to totally share yourself with another person is a special gift. I hope to have two or three children, as they too are very special gifts!

One other thing I would like to accomplish is the opening of my very own restaurant. One of my dreams is to carry on the many family recipes that I have learned. Growing up in a bicultural household has been a blessing! I would like to share the fusion of food with others.

So….this is basically my future! I have a lot of things that I would like to accomplish and with patients I know I will be able to!

“When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.”

Thank you to my senior year Theology teacher, Mrs. Mazzariello, for being my source of inspiration!

A Time of Reflection

I have truly enjoyed my time in this learning community! It made the transition a little more comfortable because we were able to be around the same people and we grew together. As a group that spent so much time together we had the ability to make friends and feel confident asking each other questions if we saw each other around the campus.

Personally, it helped me and I was able to make a friend and get to know other people. I know that even though I am not close friends with everyone, when I see someone I can say hi and have a conversation. Everyone in the class has been very kind to me and even though they might not have known it, they have helped me in my transition into college.

I will miss this class for many different reasons. We have shared many laughs and have felt the stress of completing projects for both, English and Inquiry. We also grew fairly close and got to know each other. We completed activities with Lee that allowed us to know things about each other that we may have never known.

Lee is definitely someone that I will miss! It was wonderful getting to know her as a student, role model, and eventual friend. She has taught me a lot about life, not only in college but also outside of college. She is a very bright young woman and I wish her the best!

All in all I think the learning communities are necessary in transitioning into college. They provide some sort of stability to this change. I will certainly miss my classmates and it will be different not having classes with all of us together!

“Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not all still friends.”

Yellow rose of friendship <3

A Post about Food on Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is one of my three favorite holidays! I love the time of year and the way it signifies the start of Christmas (at least for me).

My family celebrates Thanksgiving the way most others do: the turkey, stuffing, and all of the other dinner staples. This year’s holiday was a little different because most of my family was unable to come. My great uncle is ill and many family members stayed with him in Florida and my grandparents traveled to Florida. So, this year it was just my parents, my brother and sister, my uncle, and my cousin. It was definitely a quiet holiday, but it was still wonderful.

It was the first year that I have not spent with my grandparents and it was also the first time my mom and I made my grandmothers stuffing recipe. Surprisingly, it went very well and I was proud that we got so close to her recipe. This year I made dessert and I took the liberty of choosing two things I had never tried before.

I made a pumpkin chiffon pie; a recipe that I saw on Paula Deen’s show. It was very simple to make and I initially thought it would be a nice change from the authentic pumpkin pie. I was wrong! I did not like it at all and honestly no else did. I took a chance and it did not work out.

I also made a pear and apple cobbler; a recipe from Down Home with the Neely’s. This recipe was slightly more difficult and more time consuming but it was a success! Everyone loved it and it was a great change from the usual apple pie. It was served warm with vanilla ice cream and fresh whipped cream.

All in all I had a nice Thanksgiving; I just hope it’s never this quiet again! I also decided that I would try a different recipe by one of my favorite chefs: Paula Deen.  

Table!

Watching football!!

Inquiry Final Very Rough Draft

It is hard to believe that the semester is already coming to an end! At the end of every semester we all know what awaits us, finals!

Our Inquiry final is a video project about how we plan on differentiating ourselves from countless other graduates and what makes us unique individuals. I decided to do my video project on my future career in teaching. My video right now is in its earliest stages, it is a very, very rough draft. I would still like to add pictures, narration, and a video interview. I have a lot of work to do!

A Sticky Situation...

One of the most difficult situations that I have been in this semester has been the adjustment to college and making new friends.

I am not going to lie, it has not been easy for me adjusting to college and making new friends. The academic part of adjusting was never the problem; instead it has been the atmosphere and the lifestyle change. I have never been in a school with more than five or six hundred students total, so Southern is a huge change for me. My high school was fairly small, with a graduating class of one hundred and twenty or thirty something students. I was part of a very tight knit community, where everyone knew each other and we all shared a common bond (it is very hard to describe this). It was difficult accepting that I probably would not get to know everyone in my graduating class and it was very weird at first. Now I am getting more and more comfortable at Southern, my high school will always have a special place in my heart, but now my school is Southern!

Making friends has been quite a challenge. I am a quiet and shy person, I cannot help that, it is simply who I am and I have learned to accept myself that way! While being quiet is a gift, it can also have some negative impacts, especially when trying to make friends. I am proud to say that I have actually made friends with at least one person from each of my classes, and that is a big deal for me. I am gradually becoming closer to each of these individuals, and I am just taking my time.

I am also happy to say that I am beginning to get to know people more in our Inquiry class! I felt a little out of place at first but I feel like I am beginning to fit in a little more. I realize that some people may interpret my quietness as a snobby or rude person, but I truly do not intend for this to happen! I have promised myself to open up a bit more and make more friends, I know that it will be a slow process but I am confident that it will happen!




"The strong bonds formed at SHA shall ne'er in life be broken..." <3

 

Being a leader

When I first read the topic of this blog I panicked a little bit, I really did not think that there was a time when I was an actual leader. However, when I put the question into perspective, I realized that I have been a leader in several distinct ways.

One great memory I have a being a leader in the more literal sense, was in high school. I was a volunteer tutor at St. Rose/St. Francis School in New Haven and I was asked to tutor groups of students instead of one-on-one work. I have always been quiet, a quality that has been both a blessing and a burden, and having to be in charge of others seemed to be a daunting task. Instead of going into panic mode I decided to embrace the challenge and this was the final push I needed that showed me I was going to be a great teacher.

I had a group of seven fifth grade students: five boys and two girls. They seemed a little afraid of me at first, but once I was able to get on their level, while still maintaining authority, they began to both respect me and like me! I made doing school work fun and still showed them the importance of learning and education. I loved being a leader and a role model for these great kids! It was not long before every student in the tutoring program wanted to work with me! It was an honor and I was so happy that I had taken on the challenge!!!

In the end, I ultimately feel that being a leader means you are not being a follower. By being a leader you set a standard for yourself and you are confident in making your own choices; in essence you do not let peer pressure influence you. I feel that I am also a leader by standing closely by my morals and values. Many of my friends drink and they have often asked me to join, but I have always held my ground and simply said no. That definitely is not my scene, and thankfully they respect my always unchanging no! To me this makes me a leader, being able to stand up for what I believe in regardless of what others think. Today we have to be strong minded individuals if we want to succeed in college and in life!

An Intellectually Stimulating Class

One of the main purposes behind a college education is to force us to become “deep thinkers”. By this I mean we do not simply take in information being taught to us, instead we analyze and look for deeper meanings, ask questions, and do research. Generally people have that one class where they are constantly learning new ways of thinking and their thought processes are being challenged. For me personally, that class has to be my Spanish Conversation and Culture class (level 305), taught by Professor Sobeira Latorre.

This is definitely a class where I feel intellectually stimulated. In my AP Spanish class last year we covered some topics that I have learned about this year, but the biggest difference is that we have gone more in depth. I have also learned about many new topics this year.  

In this class we cover different countries, their history, current events, and politics. We covered Puerto Rico and its transformation into a Commonwealth of the US. More deeply we discussed the most heated debate on the island: should it stay a Commonwealth, become a US state, or become an independent country. We had to weigh in with our opinions and our reasons why.

 One of the topics that I found most interesting was our work on the Mirabal sisters. While working on a chapter about Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic, we also did research on those who opposed him and what happened to them. The Mirabal sisters were four women who revolted against Trujillo and led underground opposition groups. The dictatorship was horrifying; people were constantly being captured, tortured, and killed. This was no different for three of the four Mirabal sisters. Three of them were tortured and jailed, eventually Trujillo had them assassinated. We were able to watch a movie about the women and learn about their impact on their country. It was so interesting it motivated me to want to learn more, so I went out and purchased a book by the only surviving sister, Dede Mirabal.

This class has shown me things I never even knew existed. I have the ability to express my opinion and back it up with facts; I do not have to just listen to a lecture. I leave the class with a list of topics to look up and learn more about!

A Place to Study...

Every person has a favorite place to study. That place usually has a couple of characteristics: quiet, comfortable, familiar, and relaxing.

Being a commuter student I am not on campus as much as those who live there. I do not have a very cool place where I study, but I still like it! My favorite place to study while on campus is the library.

There is just something about being in the library. I feel safe, relaxed, and in a good mood to study and do work. I like the way I feel when I am surrounded by books. The library is the perfect escape from the hectic and buzzing of the campus. In between classes I go to the library and sit in my table near the window. I like sitting near the window because when I need a break I can look outside. I just watch cars going by and people walking or simple things like rain falling and leaves blowing.

I know it probably sounds like I am crazy but I assure you I am not! I guess you could say I like the simpler things in life. I do not really have a secret, cool, or off-the-beaten-path location. Instead I have I generic study spot, but somehow I am ok with that!

STRESS...

Stress: the word that seems to define the life of many high school and college students. Every single human being has experienced the feeling of stress, the difference lies in how people handle it. Since I have been in college I have had times of immense stress and others of barely any.

This past week was a very stressful one for me. Not only did I have a lot going on in school, but I also had things going on at home. I had two papers due on the same day and it was just a homework heavy week. This is my fault, but I started the papers close to the due date and I was stressed out trying to finish them. I made the situation worse by thinking of the worst case scenario, which would be not finishing them on time.

The first thing I did was put away my laptop and leaving the area I was working in. Music is one of my greatest passions and when I am stressed I immediately turn to music as a source of relief. I tend to listen to something upbeat or a song that I really like at that moment in time. To me music represents an opportunity to escape from reality for just a few minutes; you can put yourself in another place. After listening to music for about fifteen minutes I went back to work on my papers. I was newly focused, I was in a better mood, and I was motivated to do my work.

I would recommend listening to music when feeling stressed. Just find a place where you can just sit alone and relax while listening to music for just a few minutes. Another option is just sitting quietly in a place that you feel comfortable and taking a moment to just think and clear your mind. I also read about the benefits of breathing exercises. While completing a campus safari I stopped by the counseling center and grabbed a paper with ideas for stress relief. If you are feeling stressed take a deep breath and try one of the afore mentioned techniques. Good luck!

One of my favorite artists right now! Drake's music motivates me!

Grade Inflation

So what is grade inflation? Grade inflation is exactly what it sounds like; many universities have engaged in the act of raising students grades without merit. Many people argue that this practice is fair because students with lower averages have a harder time getting into graduate school or getting a job. Others oppose this idea by arguing that it is unfair and it gives students grades that they do not deserve.

Personally, I completely disagree with the idea of grade inflation. I never even knew something like this existed until I read the articles. It is ridiculous that any school give out higher grades so that the students look better when applying for a job. How can the person be qualified for a job if they did not even earn their grades?

This also raises the issue of unfairness. What happens to the students that actually earn their grades through hard work? They get nothing in return. I was never the perfect, straight A student, but I sure did have a lot of respect for those students. Many of my friends in high school had high honors which were constituted by a 3.8 GPA or above, but I did not. Like I said in an earlier post, it was not until my senior year that I made high honors and it took a lot of hard work and perseverance. That is something that no one can take away from me because I earned it!

Grade inflation is not fair to anyone. It is not fair to those that honestly earn their grade and it is not fair to those who essentially are cheating themselves out of a good education. You earn your grade; the same way you earn an A you earn an F. It may sound harsh but it is true. Work hard and earn your grades because this is how real life works, you get what you deserve, no one cares how hard you tried.

Midterm Reflection

So far my grades are good! My grades consist of A’s and B’s, this is what I am looking for because I would like to maintain a high grade point average.

I have an A in my English class. We have only written one paper so this is a very small portion of what will eventually be a big picture. I enjoy writing and I feel that I will be able to excel in this class. I should not have too much of a problem. I have an A- in my Spanish 305 class and I am pleased, although I would like to raise that grade. I know that I need to increase my participation as it is 20% of our total grade.

I also have an A in my Sociology class. Although I have a good grade in this class I have to improve my reading technique. I do read the chapters, just not the way that they are assigned. I generally procrastinate and have a lot of reading and studying to do the night before a quiz. I have a B in math, and this is due to a low test score and a low midterm grade. Math is my hardest subject and to improve I have to study harder and get extra help when needed. I also have a B in Inquiry. This is due to a missed blogging assignment, a missed homework, and some lack of participation. I have to keep up with homework and make sure to post blogging assignments on time!

For the remainder of the semester I would like to maintain my grades and take the steps mentioned above to improve. I have never been a straight A student so it would be incredible if I could start out my college career with all A’s! It will not be easy, but if I really put myself to it I know I can accomplish it!

**Check out the article I linked about how to improve grades in college!

Stepping Outside...

I am a naturally reserved person and I am quiet and shy. Sometimes I worry that I come across as rude or better than others, but that is truly not the case! I really am not. It is just very difficult for me to be as outgoing as those around me; it is very difficult for me to jump into conversations and discussions in class. This in turn affects my ability to make new friends and receive credit for class participation.

With this in mind, I decided to begin participating more in class and trying to talk to students in my classes. While this may seem silly to some and come naturally to them, it is difficult for me. This past week I consciously made myself participate in all of my classes once. Even though it was hard, it was nice. I always have comments and responses running through my head, I just usually keep it to myself. So it was nice to be able to vocalize those comments.

I also began talking to my classmates. I now have two more new friends here at SCSU. It has always been hard to make new friends because it is so difficult for me to open up to others. I became accustomed to others seeking me out instead of putting myself out there. Here at SCSU I have to find my own friends and not always wait for others to find me. I am slowly changing, and I know it will take some time, but I am confident that I will succeed in making new friends and coming into my own here at Southern!

**I linked an article about tips on how to participate in college classes. If you are interested take a peek!!

"Generation Me"

In all honesty I feel that today’s society is more self-centered than ever before. Right now the world is a very cutthroat place where there is no room for failure. People tend to think that if they don’t think only of themselves they will fail. This is truly unfortunate because it is creating a culture without compassion and understanding for others.

The idea of always thinking of yourself is different than loving yourself. I love myself, but I do not consider myself a selfish person and I constantly try to put others, especially family and friends, before myself. I think this is partly due to the way I was raised and things I have experienced in my life. People often complain about silly and unimportant things and they fail to see that others may be going through much worse situations.

My younger sister recently lost a friend to cancer; he was only fourteen years old. I think back to the wake and the funeral, the mass and the burial, I think about his parents and his family. His parents lost their only son and I am complaining because I have to wash dishes? Never again! I think about how they must feel and realize that in reality I have no problem that I cannot overcome. I can study harder and do the chores I dislike, but they can never have their son back.

People need to take time to have compassion for others and realize that they might not be the only one having a bad day. Always keep yourself grounded and never forget who you truly are. Love yourself without losing yourself.  

*"Generation Me Article"*

RIP Nick 4-15-10 In our hearts and minds forever. <3

Digital Storytelling Midterm: Motivation!

As we all know our midterm for Inquiry required us to make a digital storytelling video. I have never made a video before and as I worked on this project I learned how easy and difficult the process can be. It is a very detail-oriented process, that requires a lot of fine tuning. Although the project was very challenging for me it was fun to learn how to use this program.

My video is about motivation, more specifically about the motivation behind attending college and what factors influence that decision. For my first time making a video I think I did an "ok" job. I would like to learn how to improve so that in the future my video looks more professional and more creative. Seeing the videos that other classmates have made give me the desire to improve for the future.

Having a Peer Mentor!

The one thing that our Inquiry class was missing was a peer mentor, a role now fulfilled by a wonderful young woman named Lee!

I think that having a peer mentor in our Inquiry class is an integral part in our learning experience in that class. We are able to see the school from a student’s perspective, rather than just the professors. She is realistic and does not hold back when we ask her questions, she is honest! I like her “tell it like is” attitude, it’s good for people to hear that.

I also like the fact that she as an opportunity to meet with us for the beginning of class because we usually do an activity that prepares us for class and makes us think deeply or de stress. So far we have had a laughing activity that was a lot of fun and a poetry activity that allows us to search within ourselves and learn more about who we are as individuals.

As I stated earlier I think a peer mentor adds an outside factor to the class. Lee is someone we can look up to and at the same time be friends with. She is a student but at the same time we see her as a role model and someone to look up to. In the short amount of time that she has been with us I have learned a lot from her.

Lee has shown me how to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new, in the confines of the classroom. I enjoy listening to her stories and her advice about college and life in general. She is a role model to me, she is a living example that starting over and making in life is possible! I see her and strive to be that actively involved in the campus and maintain a high grade point average at the same time. Thank you Lee!!

SCSU Homecoming and Family Day!!

I have had a great time at Southern so far, but today was the most fun that I have had all year! I went to my first football game, I got three different free t-shirts, and I was able to show my family around campus.

I started the day by going to the breakfast at Conn Hall with my parents and my younger brother and sister. I took them to the student center where they saw the gym, the bookstore, and the food court. We also walked over to Engleman Hall and then my dad wanted to explore the bookstore. After this little adventure we went to the parade and the pep rally and finally ended up at Jess Dow Field for lunch and the exciting football game.

This was my first Owls football game so I was very excited, especially since one of my favorite sports is football. My family and I were able to get great seats, right at the forty-five yard line. The first half was a bit dicey and Southern actually ended the half trailing by one point. During the third quarter Southern scored two touchdowns totaling in thirteen points and had a 26-19 lead going into the fourth quarter. Unfortunately Bentley came back to score two touchdowns and a field goal to take a 36-26 victory against the Owls on homecoming day.

Even though the Owls lost it was a great experience. The atmosphere was wonderful and my family was able to see a side of Southern they had never before experienced. I know that I will be back for more SCSU football, and hopefully they will win! All in all, it was a great day!

Ryan and Liana

A Great Blog!

What does make a good blog post?

In some ways I do not think I know the correct answer. Blogging was and still is very new to me. I occasionally read professional blogs related to the entertainment industry, nothing very deep or moving, and my own blog is a constant work in progress.

To me a good blog post must have several different components. First it must have a factor of intrigue. The title should be catchy so that it draws attention and makes people want to read the post. The post itself should be fairly interesting and it should give people a desire to read on and find out more about you. When a post is boring people will close the screen and move on to a better blog.

The post should also be of reasonable length. If it is to long people and drags on people will get bored, on the other hand, if it is to short it may not provide the reader with an adequate amount of information. Grammar is also very important. A blog may be considered informal writing, but regardless it should be grammatically correct. In my opinion it is unprofessional to present any type or work, especially writing, when slang terminology and spelling and grammatical errors are present.

Lastly the blog should also include picture and links. This makes the blog interactive and it allows the reader to seek more information and see visual aids. Links to outside sources provide the opportunity for readers to see what you are seeing and get your perspective. Pictures also allow the readers to know you on a more personal level and they provide visual representations of ideas that you may have.

These components are what make a blog post good to me: catchy, professional, and personal. Make your audience want to always come back for more. Be intriguing and fun, with that professionalism always poking through!

*Click on the link to see which blog is one of my favorites!*

What I've Been Called To Do...

Ever since I was very young I have known what I want to do. I remember playing teacher at preschool and at home with my younger brother and sister. As I grew up I changed my mind constantly, but teaching always stayed with me. It was not until my sophomore year in high school that I realized my true calling, my vocation, was to be a teacher! For me it was a matter of deciding what grade level to teach and what subject area. So it was during my sophomore year that I began doing my research.

I began doing volunteer work at St. Francis & St. Rose of Lima school in New Haven. I tutored students in grades three to eight twice a week. Most of the students were learning English as a second language or were bilingual. I enjoyed tutoring the fifth grade students the most. I would work with one, two and sometimes groups of five or six. I loved the age level of the students and initially I thought I wanted to be a fifth grade teacher. After I spent several days in a fifth grade class room I realized I did not like having to teach all of the subjects and be in the same classroom all day.

Instead I began spending time observing middle school classes. I enjoyed the older students and the ability to teach a single subject and the possibility of having a home room and even a religion class made this grade level even more appealing. Along with middle school I also liked the high school level. Each level is very different. In middle school the students are quite young and they are essentially coming into their own and discovering who they are. While in high school the level of thinking is much higher and the discussions require a much deeper level of thinking.

At this point I have decided that I want to go into secondary education with a major in Spanish. I would like to work with inner city youth. I love business and maybe someday I can make that a part of my career. Right now this is what I want. I want to show the youth of America that no matter who you are or where you come from you can be what you want to be! I want to make a difference in the lives of as many young men and women as I can; I want to be a teacher!

The mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates.  The great teacher inspires.  ~William Arthur Ward

Motivation...

For my digital storytelling project I chose the topic of motivation. The articles about motivation were very interesting to me: “Motivation: The Elusive Drive.” The title plays over and over in my head. In fact, it had such a profound impact on me that it became my topic. I wanted to know the reasons why people chose to attend college and why they ultimately chose Southern Connecticut State University.  I asked myself why I chose to go to college and that gave me the desire to find out why other people made that same choice.

I decided to go to college for many reasons. I want to go into secondary education, and in order to do that I need a degree. I also want to go to college for my mom. She was never able to finish college and I would be the first person in her immediate family to have attended and graduated from college. She wants me to accomplish the things that she was never able to do. This made me think about family situations and how that played into the motivation and drive behind attending college. How much of an impact does family actually have? 55

Those are the main questions my project consists of. The hardest part of this project for me will be the movie aspect. I have never made a movie and I am definitely not the most creative person, so this project will certainly have me outside of my comfort zone! I am planning on using pictures and some speaking. I am not sure on how I will organize the project, but after seeing examples I am confident that I will be able to come up with a good idea.

So why are you attending college? Why did you choose SCSU? What is your motivation?!

Club Fair!

One of the first events that I attended at SCSU was the Club Fair. It was one of the best experiences that I’ve had! I learned so much information about numerous clubs. I had no idea that Southern was home to such a large number of clubs, organizations, sororities, and fraternities. Several of the clubs interested me and I joined a few of them.

The Southern Future Teacher’s Organization was my first stop. As a future teacher I knew this was one organization that I had to join. I also joined O.L.A.S., the Organization of Latin American Students. In high school I was a member of UNITY and being that I am half Hispanic I knew this club would be a perfect fit for me! I also joined Catholic Campus Ministry. This club has a weekly mass, retreats, and volunteer opportunities for students who a part of the Catholic faith.

I feel that it is very important to get involved in university clubs, especially since I am a commuter student. It is the perfect way for me to get involved on campus and be in the “know” about what is going on. I also have an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Personally, I need to be involved in clubs like these in order to be around people that I can relate to. I need to be around smaller groups of people in order to open up to them and make friends. It is not easy for me but I can do it!

Blogs That Interest Me!

Two blogs that I check up on are the PopWatch Blog and Blogamole. I usually look at these blogs once a week and/or when I am bored. Both of these blogs are about entertainment and celebrities, music, movies, and television shows.

PopWatch is an American blog written by Entertainment Weekly. It covers various topics: books, movies, music, television, and celebrities. The blog is geared toward people between the ages of fourteen and over. It appeals to teenagers because it is not difficult to understand and it talks about topics that they are interested in. It also appeals to adults because the writers often talk about past television shows, shows that they would currently be interested in (late night TV, etc.), and books by popular authors.

This blog has a more serious theme and it is fairly simple. The style of writing is uncomplicated and formal. It is easy to understand and there are generally no grammatical or spelling errors.

Blogamole is a “place to get the low down on Latin culture and entertainment news.” It is a blog written by Tr3s, the Spanish language channel for MTV. Blogamole is a very fun blog that talks about music, celebrities, and the latest entertainment news in the Latin world. It is geared towards teenagers and young adults (mostly Hispanic) because it covers topics that appeal to the “younger crowd.”

This blog is fun and easy to read. It is not as formal as most blogs because it is often written in English but switches to Spanish or uses Spanglish terms.

While both blogs are very different they are similar at the same time. They are great to read when you have free time and want to get in “the know.”   

Time Management

Time management is something that everyone has struggled with or is currently struggling with. In middle school procrastination was my middle name. I much preferred listening to the radio, watching a show, or fooling around with my brother and sister than actually doing homework. I would wait until the last possible moment and it was in high school that I realized that this tactic would no longer work. I struggled mightily my freshman year because of my poor time management and procrastination. I would wait until the night before to study for my tests and this simply did not cut it.

Going into my sophomore year I knew that things had to change. My parents sat with me and told me straight out that they would not continue to pay for Sacred Heart Academy if I was going to waste my education. So I decided to change my habits and start being a personally responsible student. I used my planner and wrote down every assignment. I reviewed my notes every night in preparation for future tests and I worked on projects over time instead of the few days before.

At times I would slack off, especially if I was not particularly fond of the class but seeing the good grades kept me motivated. Again, we see the connections between the readings in class and how they are interrelated. In order to change your habits and to succeed you have to be motivated. I was motivated by my parents, by my improving grades, and by my personal will to succeed. I want to become a teacher and I have a goal, in order to reach that ultimate goal I have to do well in school. In the end my hard work paid off, I graduated with High Honors my senior year and I maintained an A+ average in my Small Business Management class (the first class I had ever been able to do that in). Time management can make or break you in college. I have been able to manage my time in a way that gives me ample time to study, complete homework, and have free time.  Remember to prioritize, use a planner, and work over time. Do not procrastinate!

Image from themillionaresecrets.net



Obstacles...

College is all about change. The biggest obstacle I have faced over the past two weeks is a combination of many different things. The first would have to be making friends. I consider myself to be a very quiet and reserved person, naturally it is difficult for me to meet new people and open up right away. I am confident that in time I will start making good friends with my fellow students, instead of just acquaintances.

The second biggest obstacle that I have faced is the transition itself. I am the type of person that settles into something and has a hard time adjusting to big changes. I came from a fairly small, all girls high school (127 members in the class of 2010), to me Southern is absolutely huge! It was overwhelming at first and I wondered exactly what it was that I had gotten myself into. I was afraid of what people might think of me and I was terrified of getting lost and not being able to find my classes. However, I faced my fears and now I am adjusting and I am beginning to love it more and more each day.

It is important to know that valuable lessons can be learned from these experiences. The most important thing that you should know is that change can sometimes be a good thing. Even though change may be very hard for you, you should face it and work hard to overcome that obstacle. Being here at Southern has taught me to embrace change! I want to get involved and I want to meet people and make new friends.

Chinese symbol for "change"

Our New Digital World

One of our inquiry assignments required us to look up and read several articles, some about technology and others about success. The one that caught my attention the most was the article entitled "The Risks of Parenting While Plugged In." This article was mainly about the negative effects that technology can have on young children.

In today's society technology is what we are about. While technology is positive in many ways, it can also be harmful. In my opinion there is currently a fight between children and technology and which one gets the most attention from parents. I have witnessed parent’s texting in elevators or restaurants with their children at their side calling their name and being ignored. This should never happen! How have we allowed ourselves to be controlled by society?

A striking statement made in the article shocked and angered me. A woman actually had to be asked by her son to stop using the computer. A 3 1/2 year old child actually has to set a timer on the microwave so that his mother can spend time with him! This leads me to my next set of questions: Do adults have self-control? Does technology have such a strong hold on people that they are willing to risk a relationship with their children?

This article has forced me to think about my own habits when it comes to technology. I realized that I should spend less time on the internet and texting and give my mind a true break. I do not want to be so obsessed with technology that I neglect my kids to play with my phone. Technology is a wonderful tool that can be used for good, but as we have seen it also has its negative effects. Use technology, but never forget that there are more important things in life!

So...What Is College?

Everyone has a different definition for the term college. To me, college is a place where you go to learn and to grow. You grow academically, socially, and personally. It is essentially your journey to adulthood. Being a college student means that I am making all or most of my own decisions. There will not be a professor reminding me about due dates or missed work due to an absence. I will be responsible for me!

Academically I expect to do well in all of my classes. The expectations in college are held very high and I feel that my high school adequately prepared me for college. I look forward to the challenges of college work.

Socially I would like to meet new people and make new friends. I am a fairly shy person and it can be difficult for me. In college I am hoping to gradually step outside of my comfort zone and do things that I do not normally do.

Finally I want to grow as an individual. During orientation we were told many times that Southern has many unique people that all leave their mark at Southern. I want to do the same thing; my goal is to leave my own small mark at SCSU. I will strive to become an involved student and reach my full potential here at this university!

What Defines Me...

1. Family!

My family is the most important aspect of my life! They have been my guiding light and they have raised me to be who I am today. They have stood by me through birthday parties, trips, and graduations, the happiest and most memorable times in life. They remained by my side for the tragedies that life brings us, the deaths of loved ones, and unwanted change. Through it all they have remained supportive and regardless of what my future holds I know that they will always be right here by my side.

2. Friends

I consider my friends a part of my extended family. They brighten my days and stick by me through thick and thin. My best friend, Kristyn, is like my sister! She has always been there for me in the toughest times and during the happiest times. We have withstood the test of distance and it has made our friendship stronger than ever. She has shown me what a true friend is and I consider myself blessed to have met her and remained her friend over these years. Now we begin our journey as college students!

3. Culture

My culture has helped to make me who I am. I am Italian and Colombian and I wear my pride on my sleeve. I have learned to appreciate all types of people. My culture has allowed me to learn the Spanish language and be a part of two different worlds. Being bicultural is truly a gift!

4. Music

Music is my escape. It brings me to another world where I can forget about my problems and hide even if it is for only five minutes. My taste in music is varied. I listen to Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop, some Rock, some Rap, Reggaeton, Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, and Vallenato. Music is also representative of who I am and I love it!

5. Sports

I am not an athlete, yet I love to watch sports! Baseball is my all time favorite, but I also love football, hockey, basketball, and soccer. I am in favor of Boston – Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, etc. I greatly admire and respect athletes and I feel that they represent true dedication, passion, and resilience. I love sports!