6V: per-sist-ence

per·sist·ence firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.

In my own words persistence is to keep going and pushing through even when it gets tough. In college you need a lot of persistence.  As the year goes on I know the work will become more difficult and I will have to really devote a lot of time to studying and doing my homework.  I have to be persistent in order to keep my grades up.  When the work gets hard or overwhelming, I can’t just give up. Even though that may seem like the easiest thing to do at the time.  Persistence is about the outcome in the long run.  You have to keep your future in sight in order to try your very best.

Some other words that relate closely with persistence are patience and stoical. Patience is the ability to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.  Patience is a great trait to have, and if you don’t have this trait working towards it would be a good idea.  It’s hard to be patient all the time, especially if you want something at that exact moment.  It’s better to have patience than to rush through life. Enjoy the little things along the way.  The word stoical is one you probably don’t hear often. Stoical means enduring pain and hardship without showing one's feelings or complaining.  This is a very hard thing to accomplish in my opinion, simply because I love to complain.  It’s definitely something I need to keep working on. I think being a stoical person means to care less about the little things, and focus on bigger things in life.

6A: Keep moving on

This month I have been facing one of the hardest challenges in my life so far.   Since the beginning of my junior year in high school I was in a serious relationship.  My boyfriend and I did everything together, and I mean everything.  Before I had my license he would pick me up after track practice, and we would hangout almost every day after school.  He would help me with my homework and make sure I was keeping up with school.  We went to his senior prom and both my junior and senior prom together.  This past summer we started getting into arguments all the time, I just thought nothing of it.  I thought all relationships went through rough times and that it would make us stronger.  It started getting worse though, over time it wasn't us getting into little arguments, it was him taking out his personal problems on me.  When something went wrong with his family he would get angry and be grumpy around me for no reason.  Even though I knew it wasn't right of him I stayed quiet and just dealt with everything all the time.  One day in the beginning of this month things got really bad, instead of staying quiet like I usually did, I finally stood up for myself. 

I had to be persistent and stay strong even though it was really hard, and it still is.  Even though I still think about it all the time I know I made the right decision by ending things.  A relationship is both people working together equally.  I should have realized earlier that I didn't have to put up with all the arguments and mood swings.  Even though I went through a horrible experience that I haven’t gotten over yet, I don’t regret anything.  I think that facing this challenge in my life has taught me a lot about myself.  I can’t just let people walk all over me; I had to learn how to stand up for myself.  As I continue to face this challenge I just keep trying to remember how much of a better person I am becoming by going through all of this.  The best thing I can do right now is forgive him and move on, I need to use this challenge as a learning experience rather than think of it as a mistake. 

5V: I've got the power

a·gen·cy  The condition of being in action; operation. The state of acting or exerting power.

When I first heard the word Agency, I thought “what does a word that relates to business have anything to do with my class?”  I was wrong, agency doesn’t only have one meaning, it has two. The other meaning of the word agency is power that is within.  You need to have the agency to get all your homework done before the weekend.  In class this week we have been talking all about tips for success and how to manage your time for the best possible outcomes.  Agency has a lot to do with this because it is the force inside you that drives you to do those things, and it’s that little voice inside of you that tells you to finish your work before you go out with friends.

Some other words that relate to the word agency are, Incentive and Spark. Incentive is something that encourages a person to do something or to work harder.  Incentive can come from within or it can be from a reward.  Whatever it may be, it makes you work harder to achieve your goal.  The word spark may mean something is burning, but it has a second definition just like the word agency.  A spark is to set off a burst of activity.  Relating this to study skills and time management you need to have that certain spark that it takes to get everything done.  Instead of procrastinating it is less stressful to finish things so you don’t have to worry about it later!

5B: So little time

After completing the time study chart this week I really found out where all the hours go!  When I am not sleeping or doing homework I’m at work or socializing with friends!  The days fly by and sometimes it seems like there just aren't enough hours in the day, but in reality, there are. 

After looking at my completed time chart I realized that I had a pretty good balance between homework and socializing.  This balance can be really hard for college students to achieve.  Too much studying and too little interaction is never good.  But it also isn't good to hang out with friends and go out all the time and just push homework to the back of your mind.  A certain balance has to be kept in order to be successful.  There were sometimes that I had to sacrifice hanging out with friends in order to have enough time for homework.  Although at that exact moment it’s hard to do, on the weekend I feel better about the decision.  I’m the kind of person who likes to relax on weekends (especially Sundays) and not have to worry about homework. 

Now that I have a clear idea how my time is actually spent I have a better understanding on how to change things and use my time.  In the upcoming weeks I am going to try and complete most or even all of my homework by Friday night.  Even if that means sacrificing time with my friends I will have the whole weekend to spend doing whatever I want without having to stress over school.  On my time study it shows how I left some homework for Saturday and I had work that day too.  I want to eliminate the homework from my Saturdays so that all I have to worry about is going to work.  Now I know for the future how much time I need to devote to school and homework, and the sooner it’s finished, the sooner I can relax.

5A: Looking back

It’s so awesome and even somewhat scary to think that my first four weeks of college have already passed. At first it was very overwhelming. Sometimes it still is, but I definitely have gotten the hang of things.  After my first week at Southern I knew I couldn't keep track of all my homework unless I wrote it down all in one place.  Buying a personal planner was just about the best decision I've made so far.  In high school I would always vow to use one but then I’d never follow through and I got lazy after a while.  College is so much different though, there are so many assignments and things to keep track of that I couldn't just wing it like I used to.  Now after every class I write down what I need to complete and I write tests and quizzes in highlighters so I can't miss them.  Even though my planner warns me that a test is coming so I don’t get caught off guard, it won’t help me pass the test unless I properly prepare myself.  One big disappointment so far was my Geography and Conflict test.  I still haven’t gotten the results but I know that I was not prepared enough.  We didn't finish the notes until two days before the exam, and instead of studying what I wrote each day I waited until we had finished the notes.  I only had two days left to study 15 pages of confusing notes. 

After reading the assignments for this week I now know many tips I can use in the future to make sure I won’t be unprepared for an exam again.  One of the articles said to study in short chunks, not all at once (like I did the night before my Geography exam.) It said to only study for a short period of time every day so you don’t tire out your brain.  The article also said to study alone, and to read your notes out loud so you can hear and understand them better.

In the future I know now, college tests are not easy!  Days of studying are definitely needed, not just one night of cramming it all in. I know I will continue to use my planner and stay organized so that I turn everything in on time.  I just have to continue working on my study skills in order to achieve the good grades that I want this semester. 

5I: According to the media

In my media class we have recently been analyzing ads and looking at the deeper meaning of things.  One subject we came across many times was how media portrayed women.  Out of all the ads we looked according to the media there were only two options of being a women.  An ad would either show a girl being sexy, modeling in few clothes or a girl being sweat and innocent.  There was no in between. The ads were basically all saying that you’re either sexy, or very innocent. 

Today, in the lobby of Engle man hall I noticed a big poster board with a bunch of magazine cutouts on it.  I stopped by to take a look.  I came to find out that this little presentation was exactly about what we were talking about in my media class.  The poster was titled “How to be a woman... according to the media.” Next to the poster were popular magazines and scissors.  They were asking girls to cut out ads from the magazines that showed how media portrays women. I participated by cutting out a skinny girl modeling in just a bathing suit.  All of the pictures were very revealing and talked about dieting and being skinny.  None of them actually portrayed what the average girl looks like. 

While I was at this little convention I also picked up a flyer. The flyer informed me that almost every magazine cover and ad image is altered to make the girl look extra perfect.  I think that this gives false hope for girls and makes them feel insecure.  The media should be using average girls with flaws of their own for advertising to make the readers feel good about themselves and not feel like they have to live up to such perfect standards.  Before I left my friend Brie and I took a sticker that said “Everyone is beautiful” and we wore them around campus all day.

 

4V: Patience Please

Delayed Gratification: The ability to wait in order to get something later. I think this word means to resist temptation and to wait for the better things instead of just settling for less.  So many people in this word are very impatient, and I have to admit, in some cases I can be that way too. Everyone wants what they want right then and there, waiting doesn't even come across as an option for them. Some times waiting is so much better than being impatient though.  If you wait for something worth it in the end your result will be a lot more satisfying to you.

Patience: This word goes hand in hand with delayed gratification. The definition of this word is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. Having Delayed gratification means that you have a lot of patience.  You can wait for something instead of getting mad and wanting a result right then and there.

Procrastination: The action of delaying or postponing something. This word has haunted me forever and there is no getting away from it.  I have been getting better with not putting homework off but procrastination still creeps in every once in a while, and I'm sure that is true for almost everyone. In order to be successful time management is key.  Don't push back things that can be done now!

4I: Let's go owls!

Last night I went to my first football game here on campus!  I went with a group of my friends and had an amazing time. I enjoyed french fries from the snack stand while watching the Southern Vs. Merrimack game.  The score stayed close almost the whole game, making it thrilling to watch.  At half time the game was tied 21-21.  The dance team came out to preform and the cheerleaders did a few tumbling passes down the track.  They also threw up a few t-shirts into the stands but unfortunately, none came over my way.

The owls ended up making a few touchdowns and we won the game 40-27.  I think the game was entertaining as well as a spot where the whole school can really come together.  It was a nice feeling to look around me and see everyone wearing southern apparel to support the team.  Being at a game like this makes you feel like you really are a part of something big, a big group of people all supporting each other.

4B: Asking Myself

After watching "Don't Eat the Marshmellow" I had many questions about if this test was actually accurate.  If a child eats the marshmellow before the 15 minutes are up does that really mean that they won't be as successful in life as the children who did not eat the marshmellow and waited?  

In my opinion I don't think that the marshmellow test is an accurate test to predict the child's future.  Most children probably wouldn't wait for the marshmellow and if they did wait, maybe they didn't even like marshmallows in the first place.  The video and article said that the children who waited to eat the marshmellow had higher SAT scores and were just overall more successful in life.  I do not think that this was an accurate test.  After reading "Just Let Them Eat The Marshmellow" I found out that not all the kids from the original experiment were tracked down later in life.  Therefore the results wouldn't be correct.  Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman both agreed "its a ridiculous way of predicting their future achievement" and I couldn't agree more. I think that delayed gratification and patience are learned in life and can be improved.  Just because a child couldn't wait they were 4 years old doesn't mean they won't be successful in future years.  That is like saying someone will never change and that isn't true.  If a person goes through life practicing patience and challenges themselves to succeed they will learn these things.  Just because they were one way as a child does not mean they can't be different in their future.  Every one has the potential to grow and improve as a person.  Being one way doesn't mean you  will stay that way forever, there is always room for improvement!

4A: Good things come to those who wait

Have you ever heard the phrase "Good things come to those who wait"?  Well, I am definitely a strong believer in this phrase.  Something that I had to wait for was qualifying for states at track.  My freshman year I started brand new to the sport and I wasn't very good.  Each year I improved and got better and better.  At first I was so discouraged when I saw how many girls on my team were making it to higher competitions and competing at a state level.  Although inside I was very discouraged I kept trying my best and knew one day I would eventually make it there with hard work.  Within two years I made it to that level and qualified for states along with all the other girls I had previously looked up to.  Know looking back I am so glad that I did not give up and that I pushed through all the hard times because the result was finally worth it in the end.

I do believe that Americans have a hard time with delayed gratification, or waiting for a certain thing.  I think this is somewhat because of the Internet.  Let's face it, when you want something you want it right then, everyone can admit to that!  Online shopping is a great example of that, there's no need to wait until you can go to the store anymore, just a few simple clicks and done! Online shopping is only one example of many.  The Internet is a tool people use and it is always right there when they need it so there is no reason to wait.  I think this is why Americans have a hard time with delayed gratification.  Everyone is used to getting what they want when they want it, which is instant gratification.  No one looks at the whole picture and is willing to wait anymore. Honestly, I have no idea what we can do to change that but I think people should appreciate what they have more. A quote from the readings this week was "Out of sight out of mind." I think if the temptation is not right in front of you it will be easier to resist. Instead of always wanting wanting wanting people should be more willing to wait for the good things in life, because good things come to those who wait!

3V: Beleive in yourself

There are many different definitions for the word motivation. One of them being: Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to do something. In more simple words it’s the drive that pushes you to do something, whether you are doing it for yourself or for a reward.  Internal factors come from within, and it is when you personally motivate yourself to do something because you want to reach a certain goal.  External factors are rewards, doing something not for enjoyment, but to gain something. Although both types of motivation differ from each other they can both have positive outcomes.

Other words:

In my Media and Everyday Life class I learned about the co-production of meaning.  It is the process which persuaders and audience arrive at a mutually agreed upon meanings for words and for symbols. I also learned what a Mediated World is.  A mediated world is when environment media serves as intermediaries in the communication process between audiences and persuaders.

3A: Think positive !

          Shakespeare once said “There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” At first looking at this quote it may seem a bit confusing, but the meaning of it is simple.  Personally, I think the quote means that everything is what you make it.  Nothing is good or bad unless you look at it that way.  In Inquiry class this week we had a very interesting conversation about growth mindset and fixed mindset.  The conversation we had related perfectly with Shakespeare’s quote.  Having a growth mindset set means that you are willing to take on challenges and are willing to learn.  A person with a growth mindset always wants to improve their intelligence and learn new things.  Having a fixed mindset is the opposite.  Someone with a fixed mindset thinks that they are born with a certain level of intelligence and they do not challenge themselves to be any better than they already are.  Relating back to Shakespeare, a fixed mindset person would think of something they don’t like as bad, but a growth mindset would look at the positives and have a willingness to learn and make it good.

           There are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.  Intrinsic motivation comes within.  In order to have it a person must set goals and achieve them for a sense of accomplishment.  Extrinsic motivation comes from a reward, whether it be money, good grades, or even a trophy.  Most people have both types of motivations depending on the situation. Shakespeare knew that in order for an outcome to be good, you need to have a growth mindset and be able to motivate yourself to reach your goals.

3B: When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

When most people look at me for the first time they just see a girly girl with blonde hair, but there is much more to me than that.  What people don’t see is that I’ve always been very athletic.  I participated in many sports growing up:  gymnastics, dance, softball, and track.  After hurting my back and not being able to tumble anymore I joined my high school track team.  This was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  Even though I was new to the sport my freshman year I gave it my all.  On the first day of practice my coach handed out goal sheets, where each girl had to write down their personal goals for the season.  I remember writing down that I wanted to try high jumping and that I wanted to break my personal running goals.  Every day after school I changed into my running sneakers and willingly stepped out onto the track and gave it my all. I even woke up early Saturday morning for practices.  I improved every day and even learned how to high jump.  Track is something that makes me happy.  Most people say “running is so boring” or “running hurts”.  I agree with both of those things… but when I am running I don’t think of it as “boring”, I think of it as a time to clear my head.  All my worries go away and I just focus on what I have to get done.  And yes, running definitely hurts, but I love feeling my body get stronger and faster.  High jumping is a whole different story, it doesn’t clear my head, it actually makes me think.  At the end of my senior year season my coach wrote me a letter, in this letter he said he always noticed how I set goals for myself and took them seriously.  He commented on how I would always ask questions on how to improve my high jumping techniques and I always wanted to better myself.  

I think it was easy to motivate myself because I always had a goal to accomplish.  I think I can apply the mindset I had at track to my college education if I set goals for myself.  I need to have a feeling of accomplishment when I get things done.  In the future I can make goals like reaching deadlines for homework, maintaining a high GPA, and getting into the childhood education program.  I can also ask questions on how to improve, just like I did with high jumping.  By setting these goals I can push myself to reach them, just like I did at track.  When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

3I: An eye for art

 When rushing from class to class you probably don’t stop and look at things around campus, I know I don’t.  My main focus is to grab a coffee and not be late, but when I have an hour in between classes I take my time.  One day as I was walking I spotted a really interesting work of art on campus, something I probably wouldn't have paid attention to if I was rushing. It was a slanted platform with two cylinders balanced on it and four pillars standing tall in the back.  This work of art specifically caught my eye because I had no idea what it was, and I still don’t. I did find out something though, that it is called Serie Metafisica XVIII and was made by Herk Van Tongeren in 1983.

      

Another work of art that I noticed on campus was a pretty gate that I walk under every day.  After seeing it many times I finally took the time to read the plaque. I found out it was called Founders Gate and was built to honor the traditions of older classes.  Next time you have a few minutes between classes I would suggest to take a small detour other than your usual route, you may find something interesting!

2V: Take the Initiative

The definition for word Initiative is the ability to assess and initiate things independently, or in other words the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do.  I think this word has a much deeper meaning than just this.  I think this word means to do something because you know it is the right thing, and not because it was asked of you. In college, sometimes you are expected to do things even though they aren’t asked.  Like to take notes on an assigned reading, or to ask your own questions.  In high school the teacher would always give exact directions of what to do, in college it is simply up to you.  I have learned that if you don’t set goals and have determination none of these things will ever get done.  A goal is the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.  In order to reach that desired result a lot of determination must take place. Determination  is simply never giving up no matter what happens.

2I: I scream for Ice Cream

On Friday afternoon a few friends and I attended the Ice Cream Social event outside of the Student Center.  I love ice cream, but I think the event was a lot more than just enjoying a delicious treat!  After our Media class Brie, Sam, and I headed over to the student center.  There was such a long line for the ice cream but we had fun while we waited.  While in line we took a picture with the Owl mascot! After we finally got our ice cream we sat down on a sunny bench.  The ice cream didn’t take too long to eat, but we just spent time talking about things and really bonded!  Although Brie and I attended the same high school for four years we never really had the chance to talk.  I realized that we both have a lot in comment and get along really well.  Sam on the other hand, I didn’t know at all before college started last week.  I found out she lives in the town next to me and we have many mutual friends.  The ice cream social was such a fun event and gave us an excuse to just hangout and eat a snack!

2B: Being a better me!

College is a big place, with lots of different people and places to fit into.  Some people try to reinvent themselves and become someone that they are not, just to fit in to a new crowd they want to be a part of.  I knew that when I came to college I did not want to reinvent myself, I wanted to better myself.  Not be someone who I’m not…but just be a better version of myself.  In high school I was a good student, but I did not engage myself in class discussions as much as I should have.  I also was not a very organized person.  This week my goal was to really pay attention in all my classes and to raise my hand at least once, whether it was to answer a question or to ask one.  My first class was Spanish, and I don’t understand Spanish at all!  I knew I wouldn't be able to answer a question in that class, so I made it a point to ask one.  I tried to really understand what I was learning rather than to sit there totally confused like I usually tend to do in Spanish class. I continued this in all of my classes this past week and got involved in class discussions.  Sometimes it was a little hard to do in a class that I didn't feel completely comfortable in.  After opening up more this past week I want to try and get involved more every week.  Another one of my goals this week was to get more organized, and think I already got a great start.  I went out to Wal-Mart after classes on Tuesday and bought myself a cute pink planner! I knew if it was cute I would probably use it more.  I found myself writing in all my assignments each day and checking it each night to make sure I got everything done that I needed to.  I know that using a planner is just a small step to stay organized but I think that it is really going to help me.  All my life I have been an unorganized person, and if you take one step into my bedroom you would know exactly what I am talking about!  I really want to keep using my planner this whole year to stay on task, I just hope I will actually stay organized for once in my life! 

2A: Work Hard or Work Smart?

For a homework assignment my classmates and I were assigned a number of readings to look at and to take notes on.  I’m not going to lie, I found some of the articles a bit boring and confusing.  Other than those few boring articles I found the other ones quiet enjoyable and helpful.  I think my favorite one was Work Hard or Work Smart written by Tom Weber. (http://www.deliverfreedom.com/blog/work-hard-or-work-smart/)  Right as I started reading this article I immediately connected with what it was saying.  What caught my eye the most was when he said “This is what you need in order to start your year strong.  Start with the work smart part, here’s how.” I knew right then that this article was going to give me tips on how to prepare myself for all the hard work yet to come, and I need all the advice I can get! Tom gave a very useful tip in his article. He said you need to really evaluate your situation first.  You need to realize what you need to get done, and how you are going to get it done.  Although this tip may seem a bit obvious most people do not really think about things before they do them.  Tom says in this article in order to work hard you need to be smart and make a plan.  I think making a goal can really help you achieve something.  Writing it down makes it seem more realistic and easier to reach, whether the goal relates to school or not.  In my opinion the best part of this whole article was about working harder than you think possible.  A quote from the article that really inspired me was “You have way more in you than you can imagine. You are stronger than you think you are, you are more creative than you believe yourself to be, you are infinitely more powerful than you believe you are and you can reach that summit.” This quote really made me realize something, that even when something seems hard or impossible you may surprise yourself when you believe in yourself.  When your mind is set on accomplishing an important goal you can be greater than you could ever imagine.