Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Any Last Words?


Any last words?

It’s my last shift here at Office of Admissions at Corning Community College. I’m trying to have an epic subject to blog about... perhaps it’s still too early. Is 9:16 AM too early? My morning is all discombobulated (sp?) though. My alarm didn’t go off on my phone AGAIN. 

Why does it hate me so? I’ll need to bring an alarm clock with me down to Disney. Could you imagine if that happened to me down there? I’d probably get terminated. I should be prepared...

Oh! Good transition to my next subject. 

I want to share some tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way to prepare new coming, current or transfers from CCC. I figured it might be a good farewell blog.

How to succeed at CCC and beyond...

  • Pay attention in your FYEX (First Year Experience) class.  I know a lot of it seems like common sense, but this class is created to not only teach you about things to help you succeed in college, but life in general. How you treat that class is how you’ll treat any class that you may feel you don’t want or need to take.
  • Learn how to use the CCC online Library early! A lot of instructors require you to use this resource instead of others. They will teach you in classes like your Comp 1 or FYEX so pay attention during those sessions. Not only is it helpful with CCC classes but I used it after I transferred to a 4-year. I had the option of using the new schools but I still had access to CCC’s online library, why learn a whole new system when the old one worked just fine?
  • Ask your advisor to SHOW YOU how to schedule classes. I’ve helped so many friends schedule their courses because they never learned how. You don’t have to meet with your advisor every semester! You can do it from home. I think you can register early and get entered to win a gas card... but I never won. So, I would meet with an advisor but I always ended up switching my schedule around.
  • When having to do group projects, don’t automatically group with your friends. Group with the people who contribute to class discussion. Well, contribute productively. They’re the ones interested in the class; they’re the ones who will be driven enough to help get you an A. Especially when you all receive the same grade. I HATE these types of projects; I’d rather work alone for my own grade. But, unfortunately some instructors think it helps your social skills.
  • Don’t take your laptop to class if it’s a subject that bores you. Trust me. You will spend the entire time on the internet doing everything EXCEPT taking notes. And while this may seem appealing to you, don’t be surprised when you end up with a grade that drops your GPA.
  • Don’t be the class clown. We aren’t in high school anymore. A lot of people would rather let the instructor get through their agenda for the day than listen to you do your stand-up comedy. While I’m not saying you can’t have fun in class... respect others time.
  • Same subject... don’t be a know-it-all. If a subject interests me and I’ve had the opportunity to study it outside of a class... I feel like I should share my knowledge with others. I learned very quickly that people don’t care what I have to say unless we’re required to speak for a discussion. Make an appointment with your instructor to talk about the subject more in-depth outside of your other classmates’ time.
  • Go to campus events! Most of the time there is free food, fun activities and great people to meet! My favorite is SpringFest!
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are countless amounts of resources available on campus, not to mention your instructors are your best resource. Classmates can be great too! They know what you’re going through.
  • Public safety can break into your car and jump your battery. Yea, if you’re like me you’ll need to know that...
  • Take a class with Benny! Harold Hunziker (more popularly known as Benny) is one of the more well-known instructors on campus. I honestly don’t think I’ve heard a bad word spoken against him. He teaches Psychology courses, a subject I was never interested in until I took his Social Psych course! Almost all of you will need a Psych101 class, so I would encourage you to get a class with him.
I think that’s all I’ll leave with you. I’ll try to write at least one blog to update everyone on how I’m doing down in Disney. :) 

--Kate

Self-Doubt Ain’t Got Nothin’ On Me


As I’m approaching my departure date, I’m becoming more nervous and feeling more unprepared than ever.  I’m getting constant reminders from numerous people that soon… I’ll no longer be home. I get asked every day, “When are you leaving?!” I hate the reminders! I’ve been trying not to think so much of leaving but more about arriving.
But that’s been freaking me out just as much, if not more…
DETAILS! I forgot about all the details I need to worry about when moving away from home. This weekend will be dedicated to packing my car full of all the things I want to take. If it doesn’t fit, I can’t take it! That’s a horrible thought.
What’s making me even more sad is that I’ve been  packing the stuff I don’t want to take and putting it in the basement so my family has an extra room to use… for whatever. I wasn’t asked to do this; my mom was kind of offended and hurt when I told her what I was doing. Poor mommy.
 I figured it’d be nice, since when (and if) I come back, I plan to move out. My stuff will be all packed up so it’s one less thing I have to worry about. Wait…
 MOVE OUT??? Temporarily was fine, but now I want to leave home permanently???
Sounded like a good idea at the time… Welcome to life, Kate.
I’m not new to these feelings of panic though. I’m reminded of when I first started college and basically any class that I’ve taken that I thought was too difficult for me. A feeling of urgency and self-doubt. It’s the feeling of… being a college student. Which, I’m beginning to find, doesn’t stop with being a college student. I guess I’m realizing it’s going to follow me throughout the rest of my life.
I sound like such a downer, but that’s not my goal here. My goal is to encourage you to push through this feeling. I also want you to recognize that you’re not the only one experiencing this stomach turning bundle of emotions.
If only we could have a Pepto-Bismol cure. *sings and dances* Nausea, heartburn, indigestion, college students, diarrhea! (Yay for a new jingle for CCC!) If you’re unfamiliar with that jingle, I’m sorry that you live under a rock. Here’s a reference. :D
Did I really just side-track to that? Yes. I. did.
My point is, when in this situation of experiencing “college student symptoms” I try to remember the results I’ve encountered when pushing through.
My favorite was when I waited until my last semester (for my first degree) to take my lab science. After completely failing (by my own standards) the first half of the semester, I pushed through. I knew I could do better. I studied harder, got help from the instructor and dedicated myself to that class. I ended up getting a 99/100 on the final!
Is there a time that you felt like you didn’t have the will-power to do something, but ended up exceeding your own expectations?
Kate

Is It Tea Time Yet?

So, 27 days before I leave and I still have so much to do. I decided not to book a hotel. I’m going to wait. My brother wants to drive a ton the first day, but I want to drive a ton the second day. Oh, siblings… I’m not going to worry about it though because either way, we’ll get down there somehow. I can’t wait to meet all of the amazing people I’ve been talking to who are either down there already or will be. And I’ve been becoming more anxious to find out what attraction I’ll be working.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/

If you visit the link, you can get a little idea of where I *might* be working. There are so many attractions! I have no idea what one I’ll be placed it. It’s exciting but nerve-wracking at the same time. I’ve been taking the time to post things that I’m excited about through Disney on my own personal Facebook account. And while I’m excited to experience all the things I loved when I was on vacation at Disney World, I’m more excited to do things like this…
  
I wasn’t able to go on the Tea Cups the first and only time I have been to Disney World. And as silly as it sounds, I’m most excited to go on them above anything else! Why? Advertisement. When I was a child, I remember seeing commercials for Disney World. All I remember was the Tea Cups. I remember thinking, “I can’t wait to go on those!”

You see, my grandparents were Disneyaholics (if there is such things, they were it!) And they would always vacation at Disney. I have 4 siblings (3 older brothers and 1 little sister) My grandparents took my oldest brother to Disney when he was a kid and promised to take the rest of us as well. They managed to take my brothers but kind of forgot my sister and I! I don’t mind as much now because my grandparents sent us with my mom a couple years ago. I was 20 years old but I was able to appreciate everything around me.

Except the Tea Cups. I don’t even remember seeing them. There was so much happening, and my mom and my sister weren’t interested in going on them… so I missed my opportunity. Well, I’m determined that the first ride I will experience will be the Tea Cups!

Do you have a favorite attraction? Or what one do you look forward to the most?

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

My Informative Speech Topic Choice

This summer I’ve opted to take a few classes to lighten my load, in the semesters to come. I am currently taking Public Speaking, and it has proven to be a very interesting class. Not only am I honing in on my communication skills, but I’ve also been given the opportunity to further explore unique topics as speech material. This week I’ve been given the assignment of choosing an informative speech topic and I’ve narrowed my options to something that I’ve previously learned about in my psych classes here at Corning. My first instinct was to choose my three favorite sub-categories of psychology and define, explain, and illuminate all of their valuable contributions; after giving it some thought, I’ve come to the realization that may be a little dry, and although it’s an exciting topic to me, it just may put my audience to sleep. So I thought about it, I brainstormed, I discussed it over breakfast, and I finally came up with a worthwhile topic. Britney Spears: A Psychological Assessment!  Psychoanalysis and behaviorist theories that aim to explain her transition from a Disney star to a full-fledged whack-job! Who doesn’t wonder, from time to time, how on earth someone who was once a role-model for children has taken such a sharp turn towards drugs, alcohol and racy tabloid articles. Stay tuned while I use knowledge and resources from both my General Psych and Adolescent Psychology class to illuminate the craziness that lies within Britney Spears!