12-9-09

Today was a "dead day" at SJSU...which meant "no school!" Haha so yesterday was my birthday and im pretty sure i could say that it was one of the best birthdays i have had. My friends visited me from SF and we went to Santana Row to hang out. After that, i met up with different friends and we went out to dinner at Elephant Bar. Yum! :) We did sparklers (i think thats what they are called) late at night and we hung out till pretty late. I got home at like 2 or 3am and i was pooped! But i had a blast. Today, with there being no school i just relaxed at home in the morning and hung out with my friends later :) I cant believe the first semester is already coming to a close! NO SCHOOL TILL LATE JANUARY?! Yesssssssss!!

12-7-09

Today in class we briefly discussed our video projects. We did a check-in of how many views everyone has... and from what we last checked, i believe our group is in the lead! :) Haha, and we also did a 4 year plan type of worksheet. I didnt get very far on it though because i dont know what classes im plannin on taking :(

But on a lighter note, tomorrow is my birthday!! HOW EXCITING!! <3

12-2-09

So today in the muse class we were individually called up to discuss our grades and scholarly papers. Professor Dan gave me a short list of things to do in order to receive an A in the class. So a personal sidenote for myself was to finish the following things:

* continue with blogging
* revise my final paper & submit it.
* 2 muse workshops
* 2 campus events
* re-post audio

Radio Broadcast

MUSE Interview

Patrick Hennessey Interviewed Matt Won

Jose Interviewed Natalie

MUSE Interview- Patrick Hennessey Interviewed Matt Won in the MUSE 2 class.

 

11-30-09

Soooooooo today, i didnt make it to class :( There's so much crap going on right now. STRESSED!!! I feel like im so behind on my blogging and submitting to blackboard! Actually, I AM. Such a simple assignment.... but i can never get around to it. I probably shouldnt let my personal life interfere with my school work.. but i guess its a little too late. I need to focus on schoolwork now! The semester is almost over!

11-25-09 NO CLASS TODAY :)

Today there was no class! Yay for a long thanksgiving weekend :) Haha today i went to San Francisco with a few friends. We took the caltrain there & back. We shopped in Union Square, went to Chinatown, Little Italy, and Pier 39 :) It was great exploring the city and spending time with my friends.

11-23-09

Today we talked about future careers and jobs. We went around the class discussing our major and what we possibly want to do when we graduate college. I'm not exactly sure what i want to do when i graduate, but i do know that i definitely do NOT want a desk job. Haha.

Well anyways... some more from the book:
-Choose career options that much your values.
-Access your skills:
-Basic Skills (reading, writing, math, speaking, listening)
-Thinking Skills (creative thinking, problem solving, decision making, visualization)
-Personal Qualities (self-esteem, self-management, responsibility)
-People Skills (social, negotiation, leadership, teamwork)

11-18-09

We did the video broadcast today in class with a senior and peer mentor. It pretty much took the whole class period. It went really smoothly and a lot of our questions were answered.

So i havent really been reading the book lately, so i decided to open it up for a change. The first page i opened, said " The Money in My Past" and it wanted me to basically think about my experiences with money in the past - earning it, spending it, allowance, etc.

What lesssons have you learned from your family about money?
=My parents have always done their best to let my brother and i have what we want. Of course, they do this in moderation. We know the importance of money and that every dollar counts. Every dollar is hard work and it must be carefully spent. My parents gave my brother & i an allowance of $100 a month. For being the ages that we were, that was a lot of money. My brother has always been the one to save and be "cheap" with his money; however, i was always the type to spend it if i ever wanted something. But now that i work and know how much work goes into each dollar, i am more careful about what i spend my money on.

11-16-09

So today, we discussed a new in-class project. We were to make up questions that we wanted to ask a senior or peer mentor. It was set up as a radio show and we were going to record the audio. Our assignment was to think of at least 5 questions we had for them.

- Did you enter college with a major already in mind? Or did you come in undeclared?
- Which year was most rigorous for you? (in terms of workload)
- Why did you choose SJSU?
- How has peer mentoring added to your college experience?
- What's one piece of advice you would like to give to freshmen?

NOTES FROM CLASS:
Managing money- notes

Being a great money manager frees you up to focus on your education.
Earning a degree is the most valuable thing you can do for yourself

Source of income
-get a job
-work with caution
-look for work with light workloads
-be your own boss

Work with caution
-it takes a lot of money to go to college, it takes a lot of studying and hard work
-the same effort to earn the required fees may hinder one’s progress towards actually earning the degree itself
- adding and dropping courses cost money

Investigate work study/ internships
-work study programs are funded by the federal govnt
-awarded based on financial needs

Sources of financial aid
-grants (gift aid, federal pell grant)
-scholarships
-loans



***REMINDER***: FINAL EXAM ON DEC. 15th (9:45-12:00)

11/11/09

Yay! Veteran's Day! :) Haha you know what that means...NO SCHOOL! So today i spent time with my cousin. We went to the grocery store to buy some ingredients to prepare our lunch. We figured that making our own homemade lunch would be a lot cheaper and healthier than eating out. It was fun preparing the meal & it was definitely a lot of fun eating it too!

I suppose I should do some work from the book, since we didnt have class today :P

11/9/09

Today in class, we talked about the radio podcast project. We got a better understanding of what exactly we were suppose to do for it. A lot of us were confused about the purpose behind it. The main concept was to interview a senior or a peer mentor. We not only had to interview them, but we had to record the conversation on audio. We were to ask them any questions we had and it would serve as a time to get any questions answered. Also, Professor Dan went around the class and asked each person what their major was and if we had talked to an adviser.

11/4/09

RSS feeds

www.feedburner.com
-sign up with a Google account
-enter URL of blogsite
-atom vs. RSS (get RSS feed)
-subscribe to RSS feed
-follow to feed link
-choose icon to subscribe with
-click back to feedburner; set up steps

-Configure Podcast
-choose categories
-other info: title, summary, email, image, etc

-Feed Burner Stats
>click throughs
>item enclosure
>i want more

-Done With Feedburner

-Go to blogsite
-Add "feed" gadget
-Enter URL for feedburner
(found under "edit feed editing")

11/2/09

Instead of going to class, we went to the library today. We took part in a meeting and were able to learn more about current problems on campus. There was a time of Q&A where the students could directly ask questions. Some of the key points that were brought up were:

Vision for next year
-make university better and stronger
-shrink the size of population (graduate more students/accept less people)
-4 initiatives (better retention, graduate students, diversity, going forward)
-problem (decrease in funds/budget)
-how they are going to approach next year/ provide more classes

Policy on remedial classes
-complete remediation within one year
-dire budget problem (cut $44 million dollars this year)
-furlough (24days a year)
-enrollment was cut 12% this year

OUR VIDEO PROJECT!

We are done with our video project! :) Please take a look!




We already have 250 views! Haha lets keep 'em coming :)

10/21

COLLEGE TEST TAKING (Tips & Preparation)
- relax.
- have confidence that you will pass with flying colors.
- don't linger on hard questions- move on & go back later.
- don't get distracted.
- use mnemonics.
- use flashcards.
- manage time/ make sure you study.
- avoid cramming (studying a little bit MANY times is much more effective than studying a huge chunk ALL AT ONCE)
- use notes you took in class.
- get a good night's sleep & have breakfast.

DO'S & DON'T DO'S
- DO read questions carefully.
- DO answer all questions (unlessed penalized)
- DO make an educated guess.
- DO watch for trigger words.
- DON'T second guess yourself.
- DON'T answer a question without having read the whole thing.
- DON'T waste too much time on one question.

KEYS TO SUCCESS
- self esteem.
- goal setting. (challenging, realistic, long-term & short-term)
- knowing your strengths & weaknesses.
- academic integrity.
- know yourself.
- honor your values.
- develop good test-taking strategies.

10/14

Hmm... today we shared our video project ideas with the class. The other groups definitely had different ideas. Professor Dan seemed to like our idea and told us that if we used the keywords : asian girls, lesbians, trannys, etc we would get more hits. HAHAH funny, but true. We are suppose to film our video this friday, so it should be interesting! (and funny!)

We also talked about the scholarly paper and our take-home midterm. We will get the midterm next class on Wednesday.

10/12

So today there was no class because we had a schoolwide furlough day. The weather has been so off & on lately and it's driving me crazy! I wish it would be consistent for once! Haha its like POURING rain one day, and sunny the next?! Ughh!

But other than that, I guess I will take this blog entry as my chance to stop and think about what I've been up to lately. Soooooo i guess first and foremost.. I have been working a lot. I work at my church for a children's after-school program. I get the chance to tutor and interact with kids, which is a lot of fun. I work mon-thurs 2:30-6:00. My life pretty much consists of work. church. class. & friends. Exciting or what?! Haha :) Okay, that's all for now.

10/8

So today we talked about our video project idea. Our video sounds like it's going to be pretty hilarious (as long as we organize our ideas efficiently :X) My group members are: Lisa, Bryan, Michael, and myself. Without all the details, our story is basically about a boy and girl that have interest in each other after seeing each other in the library. The girl has to go to the bathroom and while the boy is waiting for her, he realizes he has to go to the bathroom as well. While he is going to the bathroom, to his surprise he finds her in there too! Wait a second...Why is she in the men's bathroom?! Haha... Bathroom surprise or what?

MUSE VIDEO

MUSE VIDEO



So today in class, Lisa and I had to make a video explaining about the class and what it's all about. We learned the techniques of using the moviemaker software, the effects we can use in a video, and etc. It was kind of embarrassing having to do it in front of the whole class, but all in all, it was fun.

Mon, October 5th.

Today we talked about the Ten Writing Guidelines. To basically sum everything up, this is what it consisted of:

1.) state interesting/surprising elements but don't give away EVERYTHING at the beginning.
2.) use active voice: subject, verb, and objcect.
3.) remember that nouns and verbs are stronger than adjectives.
4.) avoid jargon; use well-known terms
5.) include defining details
6.) write (tell!) the story as if you were trying to catch the interest of a friend.
7.) after you write something, set it aside for a while and go do something else. then go back and review the story with a fresh prospective.
8.) read the story aloud and make corrections
9.) don't rely on soundtrack.
10.) screen the complete audio and video story as a "doubting Thomas."

Self Portrait Poem

Jenny
Outgoing, Extroverted, Responsible, Artistic
Mom, Dad, and Older Brother
Loved Ones, Success, Education
Freedom, Happiness, Energetic
Respect, Love, Success
Friendship, Equality, Trust
Heights, Failure, Loneliness
Adulthood, Future, Success
Sunnyvale, Vienna Drive
Kim

Group Discussion- 9/23/09

Types of Speaking Opportunities:
- Delivering a researched position.
- Give an extemporaneous speech on a topic.
- Group speaking (Case presentations, panel discussions, and debates) This works best when group members can coordinate their individual pieces and practice together.

Writing a Good Speech:
- Define your purpose.
- Engage your audience.
- Building a message.

Choosing Topics and Keeping the Audience Interested:
- Do not overwhelm the audience with statistics and stories.
- Instead choose your evidence carefully to create both emotional and logical appeal.
- Reflect what you've learned from the course.

- Relate to the audience as much as possible. Know your audience.
- Do not choose a topic that does not interest you or your audience.
- Be strong on your stand point. Don't get distracted by the audience.

Speaking Strengths & Weaknesses/ Plagiarism

Causes of Plagiarism
- procrastination
- last resort (when you can't think of anything on your own)
- laziness
- because it's easier to copy & paste as opposed to thinking/writing on your own

Effects of Plagiarism
- major consequences (whether it be with the law, your school, etc)
- self degrading/ ruins reputation
- shortchange of learning

Whether plagiarism is intentional OR accidental, it is still the same. Always be cautious!

My writing weaknesses:
- I have difficulty organizing my main points
- I overthink many prompts & take FOREVER to finally settle on an idea
- I get distracted easily

My writing strengths:
- good vocabulary
- I get my point across
- I put myself in the reader's POV

Getting to know Jenny...

Myers-Briggs Personality type: ENTJ

-extroversion
-intuiting
-thinking
-judging

Description: outgoing , logical, decisive

Possible career matches: Managerial and administrative; marketing personnel, sales

It was really interesting to see the results to my personality type test. The description matched me very well and I agreed with the results. The only one thing that was a bit different was the result of being decisive. In fact, in general I am really INdecisive when it comes to making simple decisions; however, once I know what I want, I strongly push forth that idea. It was also ironic to see my possible career matches because my major is business marketing. Maybe these " silly tests" aren't so silly afterall!

Rough Outline of My Scholarly Paper

INTRO
Thesis: As much as tremendous technological advances have been made since back in the day, my mom's lack of knowledge on this matter still remains the same.

BODY 1
- what technology was "in" at the time
- the significance of being born in a certain era.
- my mom's lack of interest

BODY 2
- what technology is like today
- mom's reaction to these technological advances (pros&cons)

BODY 3
- mom's old-fashioned mindset
- things to learn from the way my mom feels

CONCLUSION
- wrap up main points
- "technology has advanced for the better, but not completely."

Procrastination...

This week I spent too much time on:
- the computer (not doing anything productive... Facebook, AIM, etc)
- working (although it is a set # of hours per week & beyond my control)
- going out (hanging out with friends)

This week I spent too little time on:
- spending time at home/ with family
- blogging
- reading, studying, exercising/ productive work

Procrastination is like a double edged sword.
At the moment, I am happy about not having to do the work, but the aftermath definitely comes soonafter. Personally, I happen to be the queen of procrastination and no matter how hard I try not to, it is so easy for me to push back having to do something. This is something I really want to work on :(

In order to do so....

I plan on changing one habit at a time. Better yet, getting rid of it all together.

Goal for the week: Reduce time on the computer.
- I usually go on the computer without any restrictions. Whether it is for 10 minutes or for 4 hours... I have no sort of limitations for how much time i spent browsing the web. I plan on changing this habit by creating a time limit for myself. (w/ the exception of when I am doing homework/ researching)

My Values

- Respect others; especially elders
- Do things only because I want to, not because others want me to
- Work now, play later.
- Go to class/ have persistent attendance


As this whole "college experience" is starting up, I am beginning to realize that there are more opportunities for my values to be tested. Because I have so much freedom, it is difficult to prioritize around what I SHOULD do, as opposed to what I WANT to do. I know that I should stay on top of my game by really focusing on my schoolwork, but it seems it is becoming harder and harder to do so. Only having one class is really frustrating because coming to school always seems like a waste. I have to take the light rail for almost forty minutes to get to school. Then I am on campus for an hour and fifteen minutes for my MCOM class and I leave again right after. But I have learned that I must adjust to work with what I have. This is the situation I am in, and nothing can be done currently. As hard has it is, I must stick to my values and make sure they are not overshadowed by what I may WANT to do at the moment.

High school VS. College.

Now that school has been in session for a few weeks now, I am starting to get the hang of things. I definitely see the differences between high school and college. For starters, I have definitely noticed the endless freedom that I have. I am responsible for my own actions. I have to get myself to class on time without a bell having to remind me, I have limited homework, and there are so many new faces on campus. Everything is new to me and I don't know where a lot of things are. I am excited to attend events, meet new friends, and just enjoy my college experience!

9-9-09

9-9-09

So today was a pretty slow day. Class was held in the library in room 213. Professor Dan was out today due to injuries and we had a different teacher lead today's lesson. He explained to us how to use the library and the sources it can provide. He showed us how to search different books by using the online catalog. We also learned many different tips and tricks on the different websites. Overall, today was pretty informative and I hope to really use these resources when I need them!

Labor Day!

Ah... a three day weekend :)
Definitely no complaints there! So this weekend has been a good one and I am glad I had the chance to take a breath and relax. I spent all of Saturday in Santa Cruz with my church, which was a lot of fun. Today, I spent the afternoon with one of my best girlfriends, Lauren. It was nice spending time with her because I hadn't seen her in a while. We went shopping at Great Mall and also grabbed some lunch too. All in all, this weekend was great and I hope there are more weekends to come that are similar to this one!

Blogger.com & Blackboard

Today we went over what our blogs should look like and what was expected in them. It was nice to have an idea of what Professor Dan expected. We had the opportunity to look at each other's pages and add or take things out. In addition to this, we also learned about www.blackboard.com and how we will be using this source in our class this year.

10 Favorite Websites

Sept. 2, 2009

Jenny's 10 Favorite Websites

www.facebook.com
www.myspace.com
www.forever21.com
www.google.com
www.playlist.com
www.youtube.com
www.photobucket.com
www.yahoo.com
www.fandango.com
www.nordstrom.com

In-Class Discussion

Sept. 2, 2009

On Monday, we discussed amongst our group about our first week at SJSU and also about our weekends. Everyone had a pretty normal first week in college except for Chris and myself. Chris unfortunetly got caught smoking in his dorm room on the very first day! As for myself, it was very stressful because of my class schedule. Lisa told us about her very bizarre, but actually quite scary weekend. She was harassed and followed by a group of guys and was in a very dangerous situation. Luckily, the group of guys eventually left and she was not harmed. Bryan had a normal weekend and said nothing eventful really happened; however, he did say that he was cut off of by two different drivers while he was driving.

My First Week...

Wow... What a week. A terrible one at that. The first week was probably the most stressful and draining week I have ever had. I only have one class (this one) because all of my previous classes were dropped. I have talked to many professors, crashed multiple classes, and still no luck! It has been a rough transition and I am honestly not very stoked about SJSU anymore, but I am hoping that this will change sometime in the near future.