How was your visit with your professor?
Although it was short, I think my visit with my professor was very beneficial to me. I feel like I killed three birds with one stone during my visit. I completed the assignment for this class, got on a first name basis with my professor, and I also got some advice for my paper we have been doing in class. I met with my English professor, and it made it a little easier once I realized that she was happy to meet me and help me out with my paper. I had to go out of my comfort zone to do it, so it helped that she was very friendly and glad to meet with me.
What was something new you learned about your professor?
Although I could have guessed it with her being younger than most of my professors, I learned that she is currently working on her PhD. I was surprised to learn about the amount of work she had to do to get the degree. I assumed it would be a lot, but never as much as she told me it was. The amount of writing required to complete her degree is absurd in my opinion. Hopefully I'll be satisfied after grad school and won't need to get a PhD.
What advice would you give to someone that is about to meet with his/her professor?
I would advise someone to have a backup plan with something to talk about regarding the class to avoid any awkward silences. Once I didn't know what to say any more, I just brought up the paper we were doing in class and discussed that for the rest of the time. Having something to talk about the whole time made it more comfortable for me.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Hand Middle School Visit
After your first visit at Hand what do you think this experience will be like?
Although I am meeting with an international student instead of mentoring a student at Hand Middle School, I will write about my visit to Hand. I really enjoyed our visit to the school. The principal was very kind and she seemed very excited to have us there. It was uplifting to hear how much the school and its students appreciate us coming there to mentor. I was also impressed by the art all around the school, my middle school looked nothing like that. Also, I like how we are given the freedom to mentor the students where ever we choose on the school campus, and the overall independence we have when interacting with them. It would probably be a lot less enjoyable for the students if we were required to go sit in the library every time we were there to mentor them. I think the experience will be very enjoyable for all of my friends who are taking part.
What do you hope to gain out of it?
Another tough question since I won't be part of the program, but I can imagine my classmates who are will all get a lot out of it. One thing I will get out of meeting with an international student is becoming more comfortable with talking to someone I don't know at all. Also, it will be interesting communicating with someone who may not speak english very well. I've never had to overcome this barrier before when meeting someone for the first time, so it should be a challenge for me.
Although I am meeting with an international student instead of mentoring a student at Hand Middle School, I will write about my visit to Hand. I really enjoyed our visit to the school. The principal was very kind and she seemed very excited to have us there. It was uplifting to hear how much the school and its students appreciate us coming there to mentor. I was also impressed by the art all around the school, my middle school looked nothing like that. Also, I like how we are given the freedom to mentor the students where ever we choose on the school campus, and the overall independence we have when interacting with them. It would probably be a lot less enjoyable for the students if we were required to go sit in the library every time we were there to mentor them. I think the experience will be very enjoyable for all of my friends who are taking part.
What do you hope to gain out of it?
Another tough question since I won't be part of the program, but I can imagine my classmates who are will all get a lot out of it. One thing I will get out of meeting with an international student is becoming more comfortable with talking to someone I don't know at all. Also, it will be interesting communicating with someone who may not speak english very well. I've never had to overcome this barrier before when meeting someone for the first time, so it should be a challenge for me.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Patrick Hickey
What are your expectations and thoughts about tutoring a student at Hand Middle School? (positive and/or negative)
Due to complications with my schedule I unfortunately had to opt out of the mentoring program at Hand Middle School and will be meeting with an international student. I expect that all of my classmates will enjoy mentoring the students. When I was in elementary school we were all paired up with older students from another school and it was an experience I still remember. I used to look up to my mentor like he was the coolest guy I had ever met. Knowing this, its unfortunate that I won't be able to have the experience of being the mentor. With regards to my situation, I don't really know what to expect with meeting with an international student. Its always fun to compare cultures with other people who live far away, even if they live in the United States. So for that reason I am looking forward to it.
Due to complications with my schedule I unfortunately had to opt out of the mentoring program at Hand Middle School and will be meeting with an international student. I expect that all of my classmates will enjoy mentoring the students. When I was in elementary school we were all paired up with older students from another school and it was an experience I still remember. I used to look up to my mentor like he was the coolest guy I had ever met. Knowing this, its unfortunate that I won't be able to have the experience of being the mentor. With regards to my situation, I don't really know what to expect with meeting with an international student. Its always fun to compare cultures with other people who live far away, even if they live in the United States. So for that reason I am looking forward to it.
Academic Success-LASSI
Look at your LASSI results. Reflect on them and record your thoughts, be sure to include what you agree/disagree on. Also how do you plan to change or increase some of your scores?
I think that the LASSI test is a very false representation of my academic success in the future. The scores I received in all the categories were very low and misinterpret my study habits and attitude about school. For example, i received a 5 in attitude, the lowest score possible. I tried to answer all the questions honestly but this score is absurd. If I had that terrible of an attitude about school I probably would not be doing this homework right now. Also, I received another score of 5 in self testing. This is fairly accurate because I don't think self testing is necessary to study properly, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to succeed in college. One score I agreed with was motivation. I still thought it was low, at 65, but it is high relative to the rest of my scores. Although I don't think 65 is accurate I think that it is accurately my highest score. I feel I am pretty motivated and can succeed if I am passionate about something. Next time in taking this test I'm going to answer the questions more optimistically and less honestly in order to receive a higher score.
I think that the LASSI test is a very false representation of my academic success in the future. The scores I received in all the categories were very low and misinterpret my study habits and attitude about school. For example, i received a 5 in attitude, the lowest score possible. I tried to answer all the questions honestly but this score is absurd. If I had that terrible of an attitude about school I probably would not be doing this homework right now. Also, I received another score of 5 in self testing. This is fairly accurate because I don't think self testing is necessary to study properly, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to succeed in college. One score I agreed with was motivation. I still thought it was low, at 65, but it is high relative to the rest of my scores. Although I don't think 65 is accurate I think that it is accurately my highest score. I feel I am pretty motivated and can succeed if I am passionate about something. Next time in taking this test I'm going to answer the questions more optimistically and less honestly in order to receive a higher score.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Week 3 post 2
Describe your past service experience.
My past service experience has all been connected with my church in Aiken. As a youth group, we would go to the local food bank and help out in transporting goods to those in need in our town. Waking up at 6:30 a.m. to participate always almost made me back out of doing it, but I went every time and never regretted it.
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer because it was an activity that our church asked us to do. Although it crossed my mind many times, backing out just to have a few more hours of sleep on Saturday was a pretty selfish thing to do. So, I didn't really choose to volunteer, I was asked to, and I accepted.
Are there any significant issues or areas you are passionate about?
To be honest, not really. I haven't had enough service experience to be passionate about a certain issue. But I did thoroughly enjoy the work I did helping out the hungry in our area. Even though all we did was bring bags of groceries out to cars, the people receiving the food would look at us like we had just made their week, when it seemed to us we weren't really doing anything. This made doing service completely worth waking up early.
Has any of your service been connected to a course?
Yes and no. Last year our class was required to complete a certain number of hours of community service to complete the class. But I never went out of my way to do service. The work I did for my church was a sufficient number of hours to complete the requirement. So although it was required for a course in the past, I was doing it anyway.
My past service experience has all been connected with my church in Aiken. As a youth group, we would go to the local food bank and help out in transporting goods to those in need in our town. Waking up at 6:30 a.m. to participate always almost made me back out of doing it, but I went every time and never regretted it.
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer because it was an activity that our church asked us to do. Although it crossed my mind many times, backing out just to have a few more hours of sleep on Saturday was a pretty selfish thing to do. So, I didn't really choose to volunteer, I was asked to, and I accepted.
Are there any significant issues or areas you are passionate about?
To be honest, not really. I haven't had enough service experience to be passionate about a certain issue. But I did thoroughly enjoy the work I did helping out the hungry in our area. Even though all we did was bring bags of groceries out to cars, the people receiving the food would look at us like we had just made their week, when it seemed to us we weren't really doing anything. This made doing service completely worth waking up early.
Has any of your service been connected to a course?
Yes and no. Last year our class was required to complete a certain number of hours of community service to complete the class. But I never went out of my way to do service. The work I did for my church was a sufficient number of hours to complete the requirement. So although it was required for a course in the past, I was doing it anyway.
Week 3 post 1
How do you plan to get/stay organized at USC?
As a lifetime procrastinator with no need for cleanliness in my room, it has been difficult to adjust to more organized habits here at USC. I plan to get organized by setting out a certain time every day to do homework and other school related things. So far this has worked out pretty well and has kept me from falling behind in any of my classes.
How do you manage your time?
Although I'm not very good at staying organized, I do manage my time fairly well. I am a very habitual person, and enjoy doing things on a schedule. For example, every day I go to the gym at the same time with my friends depending on what day it is. This is how I manage most of my activities.
What strategies have worked in the past?
In high school, I didn't have very good study habits, but I used the same strategies as now to manage my time. Over the summer, I would wake up at about the same time every day, and do different activities at about the same time. Some people might think this would be a repetitive way to live, but it makes an easy way to keep track of my schedule.
What adjustments do you anticipate making during college?
Now that I'm in college, school actually matters so I will be studying. This is probably the biggest adjustment for me. I never studied at all until now. It has had a bigger impact than I thought, its difficult to sit down and study when you have never done it before. I didn't really care about grades that much in high school but now it has become the opposite. So because of this, simply studying will be my biggest adjustment.
As a lifetime procrastinator with no need for cleanliness in my room, it has been difficult to adjust to more organized habits here at USC. I plan to get organized by setting out a certain time every day to do homework and other school related things. So far this has worked out pretty well and has kept me from falling behind in any of my classes.
How do you manage your time?
Although I'm not very good at staying organized, I do manage my time fairly well. I am a very habitual person, and enjoy doing things on a schedule. For example, every day I go to the gym at the same time with my friends depending on what day it is. This is how I manage most of my activities.
What strategies have worked in the past?
In high school, I didn't have very good study habits, but I used the same strategies as now to manage my time. Over the summer, I would wake up at about the same time every day, and do different activities at about the same time. Some people might think this would be a repetitive way to live, but it makes an easy way to keep track of my schedule.
What adjustments do you anticipate making during college?
Now that I'm in college, school actually matters so I will be studying. This is probably the biggest adjustment for me. I never studied at all until now. It has had a bigger impact than I thought, its difficult to sit down and study when you have never done it before. I didn't really care about grades that much in high school but now it has become the opposite. So because of this, simply studying will be my biggest adjustment.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Week 2 Carolinian/Involvement
Whats your story?
I was born on October 16, 1990 in Hollywood, Florida. I moved to Texas for about a year but I have lived the majority of my life so far in South Florida. For the first 12 years of my life I lived in the Fort Lauderdale area until moving to Aiken, South Carolina the summer before 7th grade. I played baseball my entire life up until now. I have been interested in other sports as well but baseball was always the most important. I grew up an Auburn fan so when I moved to South Carolina I had no preference between Clemson and USC. My decision to come here was mainly because it is fairly close to my home, but I also followed my best friends.
What did you expect USC to be like?
After going to orientation and still having no idea where anything was on campus, I was afraid USC would be overwhelming. I was surprised to find how easy it was to get around after the first couple days. Because of the initial apprehension, I was fairly stressed out about school upon arriving here. I also expected USC to be fun, which it certainly has been.
What do you think of USC during your first few weeks?
I have thoroughly enjoyed USC so far. It is fun always being with people and never being stuck with nothing to do. There is so much to do on campus, and many new people to meet. I have been a pretty shy person when it comes to meeting new people but I have enjoyed meeting lots of new faces since I got here. Also, my classes have been pretty easy so far so I am certainly happy for that.
How is the Carolinian Creed relevant to your life as a student?
As a student at USC, the Carolinian Creed establishes a reminder of the importance of integrity on campus. I feel like it gives the school and its students a sense of honor. Its a much better feeling when someone accomplishes something the right way with integrity, and I think the Carolinian Creed is a symbol of that.
Involvement
What were your overall impressions of the Student Organization Fair?
I thought the Student Organization Fair was impressive, but lasted too short. I was surprised by the high number of clubs there were here on campus. Many I had never heard of, and seemed pretty interesting. The Student Organization Fair was a reminder of all the opportunities provided for us here at USC. The Sky Diving Club and the SCUBA Club are examples of opportunities I am exposed to here at USC that I would have not been otherwise.
What are two organizations you would potentially join?
Two organizations I might be interested in joining are the Sky Diving Club and Young Life. I would like to sky dive simply because its something I would probably never do again. It would be a once in a lifetime experience that I would certainly never forget. Another club I may potentially join is Young Life. I would join this because I was a part of Young Life in my home in Aiken, and I really liked the people there. It would present a good opportunity for me to meet new people here at USC.
What are your hobbies/interests?
My hobbies are playing sports, video games, hanging out with friends, and going to the gym. Although I only played baseball in high school, I really enjoy other sports like football and especially ultimate frisbee. I love how ultimate frisbee is a ton of fun but also provides a really good workout. In addition to sports, I like hanging out with my friends. When there's nothing to do, we all like to play video games. In the past year a new hobby of mine has been going to the gym. Since I started going it has become a part of my daily schedule. Not only because I enjoy it but mainly because I believe its important to have daily exercise.
I was born on October 16, 1990 in Hollywood, Florida. I moved to Texas for about a year but I have lived the majority of my life so far in South Florida. For the first 12 years of my life I lived in the Fort Lauderdale area until moving to Aiken, South Carolina the summer before 7th grade. I played baseball my entire life up until now. I have been interested in other sports as well but baseball was always the most important. I grew up an Auburn fan so when I moved to South Carolina I had no preference between Clemson and USC. My decision to come here was mainly because it is fairly close to my home, but I also followed my best friends.
What did you expect USC to be like?
After going to orientation and still having no idea where anything was on campus, I was afraid USC would be overwhelming. I was surprised to find how easy it was to get around after the first couple days. Because of the initial apprehension, I was fairly stressed out about school upon arriving here. I also expected USC to be fun, which it certainly has been.
What do you think of USC during your first few weeks?
I have thoroughly enjoyed USC so far. It is fun always being with people and never being stuck with nothing to do. There is so much to do on campus, and many new people to meet. I have been a pretty shy person when it comes to meeting new people but I have enjoyed meeting lots of new faces since I got here. Also, my classes have been pretty easy so far so I am certainly happy for that.
How is the Carolinian Creed relevant to your life as a student?
As a student at USC, the Carolinian Creed establishes a reminder of the importance of integrity on campus. I feel like it gives the school and its students a sense of honor. Its a much better feeling when someone accomplishes something the right way with integrity, and I think the Carolinian Creed is a symbol of that.
Involvement
What were your overall impressions of the Student Organization Fair?
I thought the Student Organization Fair was impressive, but lasted too short. I was surprised by the high number of clubs there were here on campus. Many I had never heard of, and seemed pretty interesting. The Student Organization Fair was a reminder of all the opportunities provided for us here at USC. The Sky Diving Club and the SCUBA Club are examples of opportunities I am exposed to here at USC that I would have not been otherwise.
What are two organizations you would potentially join?
Two organizations I might be interested in joining are the Sky Diving Club and Young Life. I would like to sky dive simply because its something I would probably never do again. It would be a once in a lifetime experience that I would certainly never forget. Another club I may potentially join is Young Life. I would join this because I was a part of Young Life in my home in Aiken, and I really liked the people there. It would present a good opportunity for me to meet new people here at USC.
What are your hobbies/interests?
My hobbies are playing sports, video games, hanging out with friends, and going to the gym. Although I only played baseball in high school, I really enjoy other sports like football and especially ultimate frisbee. I love how ultimate frisbee is a ton of fun but also provides a really good workout. In addition to sports, I like hanging out with my friends. When there's nothing to do, we all like to play video games. In the past year a new hobby of mine has been going to the gym. Since I started going it has become a part of my daily schedule. Not only because I enjoy it but mainly because I believe its important to have daily exercise.
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