3B: It sets me free...

I see trees of green,

red roses too.

I see them bloom,

for me and you.

And I think to myself,

what a wonderful world. -Louis Armstrong

What do you love to do?

 

We are all unique. Some of us react to things differently than others and some enjoy certain things more than others. Personally, what I find exhilarating is listening to music. I appreciate various genres and there are only a few that I can say I’m not very fond of. When I am listening to music I become engaged without needing to force myself to be, it just occurs naturally. It takes me to a different place and it seems as if the things around me fade as I become immersed in an alternate dimension.

I feel a connection with the music even though most of the time I haven’t experienced exactly what the person is describing in the song. It’s as if my mind interprets it in a certain way in which it can pertain to me through some other underlying emotions or issues. It’s an extraordinary experience that affects me deeply and makes me feel liberated as I sing along and express my inner thoughts.

 This activity is so easy for me to motivate myself to do because it is one of my ultimate sources of motivation for everything else. No matter how I’m feeling whether it be happy, sad, or angry, music always seems to make things a little bit better and easier to cope with. Music has been around for as long as people can remember and it must’ve come this far for a reason. I can’t imagine how my life would be without it because it constantly inspires me.

The enjoyment I get from music gives me a more positive attitude towards life. I can apply this to my education and career because I know it is a method of relief of stress and also a motivation starter. So whenever I find myself feeling low, discouraged, or inadequate I know it will help me to keep me going. I hope to use the energy I get from music to continually push myself to become a better person and to strive for a worthwhile future.

2B: TAKE A DEEP BREATH...

DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE RIPPING YOUR HAIR OUT?

While reading other peoples blogs I noticed many repeated issues that we college students commonly experience and always share that we would like to work on or change such as shyness, procrastination, and organization. These are all things I also struggle with and hope to one day fully overcome. However, the issue I am always constantly suffering with that I would like to change is stress.

I regularly stress over every little thing that makes its way into my routine such as homework, doing laundry, studying for exams, finances, and you name it. When all these situations accumulate at one certain point in time everything becomes misery. So this week I decided to work on my stress management so that I could relieve some of this strain and anxiety I find myself continually carrying. I decided that one way to decrease stress is by making a plan to follow. I set aside certain hours for chores and homework as usual but what I added was at least one hour per day for leisure. I realized I was overwhelming myself with a bunch of work and never setting aside any time for recompense. This could take a toll on anyone’s mood and personality. During my free time this week I listened to music and set all worries aside for that short period of time. It made me very relaxed, boosted my energy, and even made me feel motivated for the things I was going to do later.

 I am impressed by how something as simple as taking a deep breath can make me feel better. When I’m faced with daily troubles I now attempt to initially take a deep breath and process the severity of the problem before becoming completely tense and stressed out about it. I am glad that I have found methods of temporarily escaping the madness. I have noticed that these strategies will be useful to keep a balanced attitude and to find a comfort zone. Stress management is something I know I’ll have to continuously work on in the future and I also know that it is extremely essential for success. So I am constantly telling myself “DON’T STRESS!”

2A: If it sounds boring…Make it interesting!

I need a hook so you won't be the one that got away

I need a look that stuns you makes you want to stay

Don't want to speak in case it comes out wrong

Don't want to blink cause in that second you could be gone…

(Natasha Bedingfield)

All jokes aside I find it a struggle to be intriguing and to keep readers engaged on my blog. If you are still reading by this point I hope that you’re at least enjoying it. Speaking of reading things that are enjoyable, this week we were assigned to read several pieces that were filled with enlightening information.

Some were more complex than others but they all had useful messages. One of the articles that stuck out the most for me was What is College For? By Gary Gutting. “They see most of their courses as intrinsically “boring,” of value only if they provide training relevant to future employment…” This made me reflect on how I usually go about my classes and I realized this person had a point. In the past whenever I found myself in a class that didn’t seem to be of use to me I wouldn’t even bother to become engaged in it.

Now that I have begun college I am aware that it is a huge advantage to make the best of every course. The reason being not only because we are paying to be here but also because it will help increase our intellect and understanding of unique subjects. This article also brought another important concept to my attention which explains that practical things can often be learned on the job but the variations of skills and critical thinking that can be acquired from a college experience are seldom come by.

After taking in this valuable information that has brought me some wisdom, I have decided to put some of it to practice. I am determined to reach past my interests and to become more engaged in classes that might seem boring from the usual outlook. I hope to make every class interesting to me in their own individual way and also to make the most of my education while I have the opportunity of being here. I'm looking forward to a productive semester!

 

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/what-is-college-for/?_r=2http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/what-is-college-for/?_r=2 

2I.18: New Student Convocation

 Sitting there in that slightly dimmed auditorium, I began to remember high school graduation. The graduating class gathered in one place and people dressed in caps and gowns while designated speakers gave their heartfelt speeches and advice. It also made me realize how quickly those four short academic years passed by and how much I could’ve been part of that I missed out on. As convocation continued there seemed to be one reoccurring message that was mentioned through almost all of the speakers. It was clear how beneficial and rewarding being involved in the university’s social community and events could potentially be. This made me interested in becoming more involved this time around and accomplishing more at SCSU before these four years could find their way of flashing by unnoticed. After this ceremony I truly feel that the welcoming process has been completed and that the beginning of our journey has finally been formally established. I am excited for what there is ahead.

2V: JUST DO IT!

 Initiative is a word that most teenagers often hear when being lectured. It commonly involves a situation in which the parent wants the child to get things started or accomplished and they explain “you need to take an initiative on this…” or “you better take an initiative on that…”. In the midst of what we usually refer to as madness we rarely take a step back to carefully analyze the point our parents were trying to get across all along.

 Nothing ever gets done if we don’t set our minds to it or make an effort to complete it. This brings us to the definition which is described as determination or the action of taking a first step and following it through. This is an extremely vital concept not only for college but for life. We are required to accomplish tasks on a regular basis which would be impossible to achieve without the presence of initiative.

 One of the new words I took the initiative of looking up from my Sociology class this week is fastidious. It means to be observant and to pay very close attention to details. As students being meticulous is a beneficial quality to assure that we don’t miss any underlying information in what we’re studying. Another word I learned the meaning of is conformism which is the act of people frequently agreeing with common standards instead of looking at the other options. It is always important to critically analyze the different sides of situations to understand what is going on and to make the right decision.