14I.14: Javier Colon

On Monday November 25^th I went to the Farnham Programing Space for a musical performance. The winner of the first season of the show The Voice came to sing on our campus. His name is Javier Colon and he was from Stratford Connecticut. When he won I thought it was so cool that someone from our area was able to win the show and demonstrate their talent on worldwide TV. When I heard he was going to come here I was very excited and just as I had expected he was just as good in person as I had seen on the show. I was also honored that I was able experience this for free.

14A: Don't Stress and Don't Cry

With just a couple of weeks left of the semester I have reached the most feared period that we had been warned about known as “CRUNCH TIME”. There seems to be so little time and so many time consuming assignments that have been squeezed onto my plate. In a time like this my stress levels go out the roof and I find myself in a struggle to keep my sanity. So the question that me and many others have been faced with is “how am I going to make it through the end of the semester without having a mental breakdown?”.

The first step I have taken in preparation for what is to come in these final weeks is schedule. I have written down all my assignments and the dates that they are due in my planner so that I am aware of what needs to be done and how I have to manage my time accordingly. Another method of action I have taken is to constantly remind myself to relax and not worry so much. During Thanksgiving I went the whole day without even touching my school stuff so that I would have an entire day to debrief from the workload. Unfortunately, those twenty-four hours flew by but it still was a great moment of renewal. Speaking of renewal I have noticed that taking breaks and setting aside time for myself has helped me stay grounded. I take naps, listen to music, eat snacks, go for a walk, spend some time with friends, and then I find that when I go back to doing work I am re-energized and focused.

I hope that I can continue to make things work as I have managed to do thus far. My biggest goal is to finish out the semester strong with grades that I can be proud of. I know that these last few weeks will probably be the most difficult but with effort and the support of my friends and family I can succeed. Now I just have to keep in mind ‘don’t stress’ and ‘don’t cry’ because it’s almost over and once it is it will be worth it.

14V: Investment

Investment means to put in or give up things that are of value now to receive a greater compensation later. Although this is common with money such as business investments in which companies give a certain starting income to then maximize their profit. As students we also invest money because we pay tons of money on tuition in hopes that one day we will graduate with a career that will be able to recompense the money we spent on school and also keep us financially stable. However, we also invest other things like our time and energy because as students we often have to sacrifice a lot of time that could be spent with friends and family to instead complete stressful homework and study.

A new word I learned this week is ameliorate. It means to improve something or make it better than it was before.

Another word I came across is euphemistic. It means to make mild or replace something harsh or embarrassing to something more pleasant.

14B: Give Thanks!

Most of the time we become forgetful of the things we should be thankful for and end up taking them for granted. Then when this time of year comes around we become more aware of the things we should be grateful for. After taking a step back to reflect on my own everyday life I was able to point out endless things that I should be thankful for that I often overlook or don’t notice.

One of the things I am thankful for is food. I know that I am a picky eater and that I often complain about the slightest of things when I eat. However, I am glad I have the opportunity to be eating to begin with because I know that there are millions of people around the world that die of starvation and would love to eat what I would so easily turn away from. I am also thankful for the clothes on my back, the shoes on my feet, and the roof over my head. I appreciate the privileges I have of being able to have a bed, take showers, brush my teeth, watch TV, use a computer, listen to music at the touch of a button, etc. Although these are all things that seem routine or unimportant to us not everyone has the same advantages as most people in our country do. On a more common note I am also thankful for my health and for having loving friends and family. This semester some of the more recent things I have become thankful for are being able to pursue a higher education, work towards a good career, and experience living on campus.

 
All being said there are several things that we can analyze as being a privilege and deserving of thanks. I am thankful that I am able to have so many of the opportunities that I do. I try to keep in mind when I complain that although there are several things that I wish I had I should just be grateful for having anything at all. I Hope everyone reading this had a Great Thanksgiving and had time to appreciate what they are thankful for. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!