Blog #12- Reflection
As my final exams and final touches are being made to my classes, we figured that this week I would write a reflection piece about how school and writing these blogs have affected how I dealt with this semester. First of all going into this semester and writing my blogs, gave me a chance to write down what I wanted to do, and how I was going to fulfill those requirements. I was unsure how I would do all my assignments and my exams, being that they were all due so close together. Writing it down on paper gave me the chance to think about everything as a whole, and to break it down into smaller categories that I was actually able to work with. Doing this also made it feel like the semester went by that much faster. I really enjoyed it, and felt as though I was able to make an impression on old and new students. I felt good and secure about the work that I completed this semester, and found myself more often than not satisfied with the outcome of my overall grades for my assignments. I found that I had more time on my hands to spend with my family as where before, I knew what I wanted it was just a matter of being able to complete them. I also found myself being able to edit most if not all of my papers before sending them into my professors.
I have also found that writing my weekly blogs forced me to open my eyes to a whole new world of ideas, good habits, bad habits, etc… Weekly trying to find different things to discuss, that I knew would somehow benefit my readers, made me look at different every day occasions that I would not have normally looked at. Finding different possibilities, I found myself paying more attention to the classroom environments, and other things that were happening all around me while I was here at the college. I saw more friendly people that I knew were even here. I also found that in some cases I was in there was the possibility, which I was being taken advantage of. Noticing the possibilities, I was able to extend my friendships with certain members here at the college, and decrease the availability of myself to those whom I thought might have been using my friendship, a little more to their advantage then to anything else.
After carefully planning each week, I was hoping that new and old students would read my blogs, as I did not hear much feedback from the newer students; I was very pleased to hear feedback from some of my fellow classmates, and friends. It was nice to know that someone was reading them from the beginning. One of the most important things that I was able to learn this semester was how to self reflect. I enjoyed it, and it really did open my eyes to a whole new world. I find myself from time to time doing more self reflecting, and finding myself. I am thinking more of things I never thought about before, like what the aftermaths of things are going to be. If there is any more advice I could give people it would be to take some time, set a day apart for just you, think about things that you would never normally think about, and do a little of your own self reflecting.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Blog #11- The importance of Friendships
BLOG #11- The Importance of Friendships
So throughout the last four years at the University of Maine at Augusta Rumford/Mexico Center, I have developed many healthy solid friendships. It is important to have healthy relationships, especially when taking on something as stressful and time consuming as classes at the College. When I first started school here, I had absolutely no intentions on making any new friends. I wanted to go to school and get my degree, and not be bothered by anything or anyone. Soon after going to school I realized that I would need to plan a little more. I needed to have back up babysitters in the event that my mother would be unable to care for him. Finding someone that I could trust was going to be hard and it made it easier making friends at the center. Also, while taking my classes here at the center, I found it important to make friends for each individual class, so I was able to have study groups. I wanted to make sure that it was someone that I could trust would be there, and someone that I knew thought that there grade was as important to them as I thought my grade was important to me. Now, looking back at everything, I realize that it would have been very difficult for me to do a lot of the things I have accomplished if I had not had friends through my time here. Making friends could also become beneficial in the light of needing to borrow books for classes. Not only does it save money, but it also helps those who are willing to allow you to borrow their books out, and it allows you to start classes on time with your books available to you. Another thing is that in some cases, you are unable to borrow books and it does take a few weeks for your books to come in. In the event that this does occur, it is good to have friends in that class that you are able to share these books with for those few weeks. Do not be afraid to make these friends, nor to ask for their help, because the chances are that they themselves have been in the same situation and are more than willing to lend a helping hand.
I have been inspired by many students; those who work full time jobs and attend classes’ full time are of the many. The parents who have children to raise at home, work, and attend full time classes are one of the main groups of people who have had the most influence on me. I have one child at home, and attend school full time, I feel as though putting these together is hard enough let alone, having more than one child, and working. That equals to three full time jobs. It cracks me up when people say I ONLY have two children, and am ONLY going to school and taking ONLY four classes, like that is not a lot of work. I admire those students who are able to take and work a full forty hours a week, raise their children, and take four classes. I wish that at times I could only have been as strong as they were, and I would have enjoyed my classes more. But I found it difficult to take classes and work. I would have liked to have worked to help out with bills around the house, but was unable to do so. I would like to say kudos to you! Also I would like to thank a few students who have been loads of help to me as well as other students, so thank you; Ed for all the advice, help, and the books you have let me borrow throughout the semesters. Thank you Lorie for keeping me in the game and reminding me why I do what I do. Thank you Nicola for lending me books, and all the advice you have giving me. Thank you Melanie for all the cards, and gifts you have giving me to keep my spirits going. Thank you Michele for being you and making me laugh, when a good laugh was needed. Thank you Alyssa and Erica for all the help with class work, books, and advice when needed in taking the entire right course. Thank you Don for making me laugh. P.S. No I am not faxing anything to Santa or his elves this year. Thank you Sam and Megan, for being there when I needed someone to talk too about the work load. I also wanted to thank my HUS 349 class for reminding me that she was my professor and not some random Joe talking about nothing. I really appreciate it, in more ways than you think. You guys have defiantly made my time here memorable; you are all the best friends people could ask for when it comes to classes.
So throughout the last four years at the University of Maine at Augusta Rumford/Mexico Center, I have developed many healthy solid friendships. It is important to have healthy relationships, especially when taking on something as stressful and time consuming as classes at the College. When I first started school here, I had absolutely no intentions on making any new friends. I wanted to go to school and get my degree, and not be bothered by anything or anyone. Soon after going to school I realized that I would need to plan a little more. I needed to have back up babysitters in the event that my mother would be unable to care for him. Finding someone that I could trust was going to be hard and it made it easier making friends at the center. Also, while taking my classes here at the center, I found it important to make friends for each individual class, so I was able to have study groups. I wanted to make sure that it was someone that I could trust would be there, and someone that I knew thought that there grade was as important to them as I thought my grade was important to me. Now, looking back at everything, I realize that it would have been very difficult for me to do a lot of the things I have accomplished if I had not had friends through my time here. Making friends could also become beneficial in the light of needing to borrow books for classes. Not only does it save money, but it also helps those who are willing to allow you to borrow their books out, and it allows you to start classes on time with your books available to you. Another thing is that in some cases, you are unable to borrow books and it does take a few weeks for your books to come in. In the event that this does occur, it is good to have friends in that class that you are able to share these books with for those few weeks. Do not be afraid to make these friends, nor to ask for their help, because the chances are that they themselves have been in the same situation and are more than willing to lend a helping hand.
I have been inspired by many students; those who work full time jobs and attend classes’ full time are of the many. The parents who have children to raise at home, work, and attend full time classes are one of the main groups of people who have had the most influence on me. I have one child at home, and attend school full time, I feel as though putting these together is hard enough let alone, having more than one child, and working. That equals to three full time jobs. It cracks me up when people say I ONLY have two children, and am ONLY going to school and taking ONLY four classes, like that is not a lot of work. I admire those students who are able to take and work a full forty hours a week, raise their children, and take four classes. I wish that at times I could only have been as strong as they were, and I would have enjoyed my classes more. But I found it difficult to take classes and work. I would have liked to have worked to help out with bills around the house, but was unable to do so. I would like to say kudos to you! Also I would like to thank a few students who have been loads of help to me as well as other students, so thank you; Ed for all the advice, help, and the books you have let me borrow throughout the semesters. Thank you Lorie for keeping me in the game and reminding me why I do what I do. Thank you Nicola for lending me books, and all the advice you have giving me. Thank you Melanie for all the cards, and gifts you have giving me to keep my spirits going. Thank you Michele for being you and making me laugh, when a good laugh was needed. Thank you Alyssa and Erica for all the help with class work, books, and advice when needed in taking the entire right course. Thank you Don for making me laugh. P.S. No I am not faxing anything to Santa or his elves this year. Thank you Sam and Megan, for being there when I needed someone to talk too about the work load. I also wanted to thank my HUS 349 class for reminding me that she was my professor and not some random Joe talking about nothing. I really appreciate it, in more ways than you think. You guys have defiantly made my time here memorable; you are all the best friends people could ask for when it comes to classes.
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