14V

Investment;

The word “Investment” is defined as “the investing of money or capital in order to gain profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.”  (Link: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/investment)

Last week in Inquiry, our class had a discussion about how Innovation, Investment and Motivation are all key words in the Inquiry course.  Some students argued that Investment is more important than Innovation and Motivation.  I feel that if I invest a great deal of time and money into a goal, I believe that I will try to work harder at the goal. The investment of time and money will then create motivation for me to do a better job or work harder on the goal.  I think that innovation, investment and motivation are all related, but investment seems to be a reason to be better motivated to do something.

14I

Write Away!

#13. Make an appointment and go to the Writing Center for help on any assignment for any class. On your blog, describe your experience and rate it based on ease and usefulness. Would you go again? Why or why not? What did you work on and how did your writing improve following your tutoring session?

This week, I visited the Writing Center on campus for help on my writing assignment for Media Studies.  My experience was very helpful and the students working at the Writing Center were ready to lend a hand with my assignment. I worked on my grammar and improving my writing skills.   It was very useful and I would definitely go again if I needed help with an assignment.  I would attend another tutoring session and would recommend it to other students as well.  I am taking English 112 next semester and will use the Writing Center to my advantage for writing essays, research papers, as well as other assignments.

14B

Gobble Gobble!

Every day is a day to be thankful.  Especially on Thanksgiving Day, where it brings family together and everybody gathers over turkey dinner.  Families reflect on the year and are thankful for everything they have in their lives.

The following is a quote from one of the articles that I read for my Inquiry class this week, "Happy people get a lot of joy from receiving benefits from others while people leading meaningful lives get a lot of joy from giving to others," explained Kathleen Vohs, one of the authors of the study, in a recent presentation at the University of Pennsylvania.”  (Link: http://m.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/theres-more-to-life-than-being-happy/266805/)

I agree with this because I related it back to the holiday, Thanksgiving, which is all about being giving to others and being happy with family.  I am very grateful for being able to attend Southern Connecticut State University this semester and my experiences along with it.  When I was a senior in high school and was accepted to Southern, I was so happy.  I was a bit worried about this new experience and was concerned about the adjustment.  I knew I would have to work harder and make new friends here at school.  My classes have brought out the best in me and I have worked hard this semester. 

I have also made many new friends here at Southern and enjoy a social life too.  I am thankful for the new friends that I have and the different activities that I do with them.  We enjoy Zumba, swimming and going to events here on campus.  The campus events such as the football games have been fun because everyone is enthusiastic and has team spirit.  The school is generous and gives us great T-shirts too!  I am glad that it has worked out well for me and I am thankful for this new experience. 

14A

Time To Relax!

This week is Thanksgiving Break for students attending Southern Connecticut State University and I am looking forward to spending time at home with my family.  Students are preparing for the final weeks of the semester by studying for all of their final exams as well as registering for their Spring 2014 courses.  I already registered for my Spring 2014 classes and I am very happy because I received all of the necessary classes to earn credits toward fulfilling my general education and major requirements.  Now I can relax during Thanksgiving break knowing that my classes are all ready for next semester.

During the week of Thanksgiving break, I am going to be sure to give myself time to relax.  On a typical school day, I wake up early to get ready for class and get breakfast with friends.  Then, after I attend my classes, I complete my homework and assignments.  Later, I exercise at the gym and eat dinner with friends.  Balancing time in college can be difficult because it is a major transition and change, which can cause stress.  I have adjusted well to balancing my schedule and making sure that I have enough time in my day to complete all of my goals.  In addition, finals week can be the most stressful time of the year for college students, especially freshman because they have never taken exams in college before.  I am prepared to study for all of my exams in order to pass of all of my classes this semester.

The following is a quote from one of the articles that I read for my Inquiry class this week, “A new and growing body of multidisciplinary research shows that strategic renewal — including daytime workouts, short afternoon naps, longer sleep hours, more time away from the office and longer, more frequent vacations — boosts productivity, job performance and, of course, health.”  (Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/relax-youll-be-more-productive.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) 

Reading this article made me realize that taking time out of the daily schedule in order to exercise at the gym is a very positive way to improve my physical as well as mental health.  I have been swimming and taking Zumba classes at the student fitness center and this has really helped me to relieve stress and also socialize.

During my time off for the Thanksgiving holiday, I am looking forward to spending time with my family. In addition, I am going to eat healthy, swim with my older sister, walk outside, and relax.

13V

What Is Your Purpose?

This week’s vocabulary word is "Purpose."  The Free Dictionary definition states, "The reason for which anything is done, created, or exists" (Link: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/purpose)  Another word that relates to the word “Purpose” is "Motivation."

Using Google, I searched the word "motivation" and the definition was, "The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way." I feel that this directly relates to the word "purpose" because that is the reason for doing something as shown above.  I also searched using the "Free Online Dictionary" (Link: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/motivation) and I found the following as the definition:

A. The act or process of motivating.

B. The state of being motivated.

C. Something that motivates; an inducement or incentive.

The word "Reason" also relates to the word "Purpose" because Google states that reason can be defined as "a cause, explanation, or justification for an action or event."

Intrinsically motivated behaviors are those in which a person is participating in the activity for their own enjoyment.  Motivation determines if a person will finish an activity or assignment or reach a goal.  For example, it is important to be motivated to graduate from college and start a career.  I am a very motivated person and I strive for my goals everyday.

13I

"Skills To be an Owl"

#11. Go to the Office of Study Skills Enrichment. Ask a question and get an answer, or attend one of their study skills seminars. Post info, answers to inquiry questions, and a photo on your blog.

This week, I went to the Office of Study Skills Enrichment in Engleman Hall C 016.  The workshop topics help students at Southern learn self-improvement skills.  This is done to help students to enrich their skills and educational experience.  The staff wants to help students grow academically by gaining better test-taking techniques as well as personal management skills.

The Office of Study Skills Enrichment Program helps assist students with their life at school and help them prioritizing their time.  The staff talked about researching, note-taking strategies and study skills to help college students with their studies.  All of these helped me be a better college student and teach me the skills to improve my grades.  I recommend that students attend the Office of Study Skills Enrichment workshops since they are available for all students and are very useful for everyone.