Final Video Project

Below is a link to the iMovie video I created for my Inquiry final.  Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnifvXwDxIE

16AB

"The Big Wrap Up"

Since I started my first semester at Southern Connecticut State University, I have learned a lot about myself.  College presents a lot more responsibility for students because there is a lot more work to do compared to high school.  It is entirely up to the student to schedule time for the classes and all of the homework that goes along with the class work.  I have learned to organize myself so that I can be prepared for my classes attend the classes, and then do the assignments in a timely and organized manner.  It is a lot for an incoming freshman because there are a lot of other things that a student can be doing.  I feel that I have accomplished my goal of time management because I have attended all of my classes, done all of the assignments and was prepared for every class.  I wanted to do a good job so that I could get good grades.  I was a little worried that I would not be able to handle the responsibilities.   Being in college has made me realize my priorities and to focus in school to succeed in life.   I am glad that it has all worked out so well for me here at Southern.  I enjoy going to school here and will continue to be a student at Southern Connecticut State University in the spring of 2014.

I also believe that certain habits help a student achieve success at college.  One of the main things is getting to bed early and getting enough rest.  Students cannot stay out every night because it will make them tired, irritable and unable to make it to class on time.  When a student gets enough sleep, they can get up early, get to class on time, and focus during class.  Many teachers take attendance so it is important to go to class.  Also, there is a lot of information given during class time so it is important not to skip classes.  Also, if I sleep well, I can do more during the day such as getting my homework done and going to the gym to work out.  Another important habit is eating right every day.  It is important to eat properly so that we can be our best every day all day.  All of these habits enabled me to complete my classes and pass.

I believe my biggest achievements this semester have been adjusting to college life.  It was a major adjustment to leave home and live at college.  This meant I had to make all new friends, adjust to a new living environment, and attend college classes. I also learned how to organize my living space so that it was more efficient.  I was very used to living at home with my family and my mother did so much for me.  Now I had to learn to become much more independent and this was very good for me.  Living independently and doing well here at Southern has given me more confidence.  I know now that I can do more on my own and this was a very big achievement for me.

When studying, I have learned to do group work instead of working on assignments and studying alone.   I have been able to make new friends by working together and we all seem to get better grades because we all help one another.  It is good to review material and help one another because we all help reinforce the concepts.  I found that in my classes, group projects were assigned and I needed to be able to work well with others in order to earn a good grade.  In group projects, each student depends on the other to complete their part and I wanted to make sure that everyone knew they could count on me for my part in a project.

I want to continue to be successful in my classes by learning from this semester.  I have gained much knowledge from my first semester here at Southern and will continue to do the things that I have discussed.  I plan on continuing to work hard on my assignments and push myself to do a better job.

                                    

16V

"We The People..."

Freedom;

Google defines the word “Freedom” as, “The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.”

Another word that relates to the word “Freedom” is the word “Liberty.”  Google defines the word “Liberty” as “The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views.”

The word “Freedom” also connects with the word “Independence”, which is defined as “Freedom from outside control or support the state of being independent: The time when a country or region gains political freedom from outside control”.  (Link: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/independence).  Here in the United States we all enjoy many freedoms because of the Declaration of Independence.

16I

Want To Be A "CC"?

#4. Visit a CC in a residence hall and find out the steps (and benefits and responsibilities) in becoming a CC. Post info, answers to inquiry questions, and a photo on your blog.

For my Involvement Blog this week, I chose to complete and describe activity number four.  The question asks to visit a Community Coordinator in one of the residence halls on campus and find out the steps in becoming one.  Resident Hall Directors live in the Residence Halls and are responsible for students and activities in order to maintain a positive learning environment for all students.

I visited a Community Coordinator in Neff Residence Hall named Sarah Macone who lives on the second floor.  She is their floor leader and enjoys her experience as a Community Coordinator.  Sarah can help plan fun and exciting events for students in the dormitory to participate in.  For example, one day my friends and I painted pumpkins for Halloween.  We all had a great time and were able to take our pumpkins with us to decorate our dormitory rooms. 

Sarah told me that when a student becomes a Community Coordinator they would receive free room and board.  The Office of Residential Life offers employment opportunities for students, which will enhance leadership and communication skills.  Even though there are many benefits of being a Community Coordinator, there are also many responsibilities.  Sarah and the other Community Coordinators are responsible for the well being of each student as well as planning and organizing events.  After visiting with Sarah, it made me think about becoming a Community Coordinator next year.

15V

Fourth of July!

Autonomy;

When I Googled the word “Autonomy” and I found the definition was on (Link: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autonomy)

1:  the quality or state of being self-governing; especially:  the right of self-government

2:  self-directing freedom and especially moral independence

3:  a self-governing state

Another word that relates to the word “Autonomy” is “Independence” which is: freedom from outside control or support; the state of being independent and dependence is an antonym for Autonomy.

The time when a country or region gains political freedom from outside control (Link: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/independence).  This would be July 4, 1776 for the United States when the Declaration of Independence was signed.  America became independent and was no longer a colony of England.  The holiday is called Independence Day.  Our country became self-sufficient; “self-sufficient” is another word that relates to the word “Autonomy” because it means 1. Able to provide for oneself without the help of others; independent, according to The Free Dictionary.  (Link: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/self-sufficient)  Americans celebrate with family cookouts in the summer and fireworks are always lit up in the night sky.

15I

The Multicultural Center!  

#15. Go to the Interfaith Office or the Multicultural Center. Post info, answers to inquiry questions, and a photo on your blog

Southern Connecticut State University has a Multicultural Center, which was established in 1991.  Next to the name on the building, it reads “The Joy of Life Is Variety” because our world has so many cultures and people who live in it and we must learn to appreciate everything that each has to offer.

It is a resource center that promotes awareness for cultural diversity.  The Multicultural Center offers educational programs to students that attend Southern.  The programs include lectures and conferences.   I think this Center is useful to all students, including African American, Latino/Hispanic, Native American, and Asian American students.  After I visited, I learned that there are many clubs and organizations affiliated with the Multicultural Center that students could join.  

15B

Happy Finals Week!

The last week of classes is here!  This semester flew by and next week is already finals week.  I plan on studying every day before each of my finals.  Two classes that require a written exam are my Western Civilization and Mathematics classes.  My other classes require a major project, such as an iMovie video or a PowerPoint presentation.  For example, my Inquiry class is requiring an iMovie based on my experience at Southern, which is similar to our assignment for the midterm grade.  I have already begun working on the iMovie and I still have more to do to complete the project.  My Communication class requires my classmates and I to complete a group project, which includes a speech about a product that we must create.  My classmates and I are brainstorming ideas to prepare for our final assignment.

To prepare for my final exam for Mathematics, I plan to review all of the notes that I took in class.  In addition, I am preparing to study by completing practice problems with a friend in class to ensure that we understand the material.  Studying with a friend is helpful because each student can share their understanding of the content, share ideas, and help to explain concepts to each other. 

To prepare for my Western Civilization final exam, I plan to review the textbook as well as the notes that I took in class.  My classmates and I are also studying together for Western Civilization because we can discuss the historical events and share ideas with one another.

Stress always comes with major exams and tests but exercising and eating right will help to maintain a healthy and balanced daily schedule.  A minimum of eight hours of sleep is needed for finals week.  Also, I do not want to over study and try to cram too much information for each class.  I plan to study and prepare for each final a few days before the actual test day in order to review the information more than once.  Just think… Christmas break is almost here!

15A

iMovie Maker?!

The last week in Inquiry we are watching every student’s rough draft of his or her final video projects.  Watching these videos helps me with revisions to my own movie because I gain ideas from my classmates.  In addition, I can view another student’s video and see their strengths and weaknesses.  It is very interesting to watch other video productions, clip style, introductions and overall content.

I enjoyed watching Faith’s video because it was humorous as well as truthful. Briana’s video was also very organized because she had many clips recorded in it. Each video the class watched was interesting because of the variety of topics and content that each one displayed. I would like to make my video humorous, truthful and informative.  I will try to include enough clips to keep the audience engaged.

There were also many weaknesses or drawbacks in some of the clips.  For example, during one of the videos the audio recording of the student’s talking was not loud enough for the audience to hear clearly.  Sometimes a video did not have a clear topic or main idea.  Another problem would be a lack of a good beginning, middle and end to the video. I am going to revise my video so that it has a very clear topic, as well as a beginning, middle and end so that the audience understands my topic.

Creating a movie using the software iMovie for the midterm project helped me learn to be comfortable with the moviemaker on Mac computers. I am glad I learned how to use this software because I have the ability to make a movie using my own clips, music and pictures. Using this program for the midterm video project taught me how to navigate the software, making it easier to complete the final video project for this class.