A new semester means a new start. No "F" has been given out yet, no big tests to stress about, and new people to meet. This semester though, feels different than all the rest. Why? I know that I wont be at my community college anymore. Don't get me wrong, Pierce College has provided me with such incredible opportunities and has given me some of the most special and memorable professors. But, it's time for a change. It's time for me to go to "big kid" school...
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
A Job Well Done
Firstly, let me say Happy New Year. It's been some time since my last post but I'm back. The title of this post will slowly be explained as you read along.
If I have learned anything from my parents, teachers, friends and life itself it's that acknowledgments are important, if not vital. Why do I say this to you? Sometimes people get lost in their world of what perfection should like. Whether it's living in an older siblings shadow or a parents life-long dream for you, it can become difficult to appreciate the baby steps.
As you know, if you have read my whole blog and kept up with me, I struggled immensely in elementary school, middle school and high school. It wasn't until college where my grades significantly shifted and I understood the importance of education and the benefits of working hard.
I was brought up and taught that it wasn't always about the grade but about my effort. Still, when my brother was bringing home straight A's without any effort, it was hard for me to accept that I was smart. I now write to you, my loyal readers, as my fall grades are officially in. With 5 A's and one B, I sit before my computer as a 3.8-GPA student.
Although I'm struggling to find my next step in life, right now I know it's okay to just bask in the glory of a job well done. Whether I chose law school, an internship for six months in New York City or earn an incredible job as an editor/writer, life will work itself out and I will be okay.
This post is for those of you who have struggled, are currently struggling and those who want to make someone else's life easier. I commend you on not giving up and wish you the best in your endeavors.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I challenge you to click on the link below and watch the video. See where it takes you and never forget that your life is not over and your future is as bright and wonderful as you say it is.
http://www.landmarkeducation.com/introduction_to_the_landmark_forum_video.jsp
If I have learned anything from my parents, teachers, friends and life itself it's that acknowledgments are important, if not vital. Why do I say this to you? Sometimes people get lost in their world of what perfection should like. Whether it's living in an older siblings shadow or a parents life-long dream for you, it can become difficult to appreciate the baby steps.
As you know, if you have read my whole blog and kept up with me, I struggled immensely in elementary school, middle school and high school. It wasn't until college where my grades significantly shifted and I understood the importance of education and the benefits of working hard.
I was brought up and taught that it wasn't always about the grade but about my effort. Still, when my brother was bringing home straight A's without any effort, it was hard for me to accept that I was smart. I now write to you, my loyal readers, as my fall grades are officially in. With 5 A's and one B, I sit before my computer as a 3.8-GPA student.
Although I'm struggling to find my next step in life, right now I know it's okay to just bask in the glory of a job well done. Whether I chose law school, an internship for six months in New York City or earn an incredible job as an editor/writer, life will work itself out and I will be okay.
This post is for those of you who have struggled, are currently struggling and those who want to make someone else's life easier. I commend you on not giving up and wish you the best in your endeavors.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I challenge you to click on the link below and watch the video. See where it takes you and never forget that your life is not over and your future is as bright and wonderful as you say it is.
http://www.landmarkeducation.com/introduction_to_the_landmark_forum_video.jsp
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Judaism, Philosophy, Communications and Journalism
My majors!
Since coming home I have changed my mind several times. However, I have chosen a journalism major and I have yet to change my mind since last year. I struggled to find my way to this point and my journey was anything but easy.
In second grade, I was diagnosed with a learning disorder, a form of dyslexia is what the doctors said. I process information slower than others and it becomes mashed up in my head. For example, with standardized tests I will read my options, A, B, C and D. When I process my options, my brain says C, A, D and B. As you can see and probably have already assumed, testing was never and will never be my strong suit. It is so unfortunate for people like me to take tests such as the SAT, ACT, ERB, CAHSEE, etc and be graded as that result.
That's one part of the story. The second, and perhaps most difficult aspect I had to struggle with was my writing style and technique. All my life I have been told that I had great ideas and thoughts but that I was very unorganized in my writing. I slowly began to give up my love for storytelling because I had made meaning out of being a bad organizer. I made it mean that I couldn't be fixed or changed and so there is no point in trying. Plus the endless hours of staying up late in middle school with my mom correcting essays didn't help. No one ever encouraged me to learn to write properly until Dr. Richard Follett, my English professor.
I took his English 28 course which re-teaches students the basics of a proper writing format. I remember my first assignment. I had finished typing up my final draft and my first thought was to email it to my mom to look over and edit. For the first time in my life I stood up against my scared self and didn't do it. I turned it right into Dr. Follett. The next week I received an A on the assignment. In fact, the lowest grade I received in his class was an A-.
The momentum didn't stop there. The following semester I enrolled in a Journalism 100 and a Journalism 101 course to fulfill the requirements for my undergraduate units for communications major. Those classes opened up a whole new world to me. It was better than Jasmine's carpet ride. I was able to write and rewrite stories, grasp history in a media perspective and even was published, twice. My professors saw something in me that Dr. Follett saw in me the semester before. I was being seen as more than a student. They saw me as a writer. I went on to finish the semester earning a first place award for one of my published articles. I was honored, and I still am.
By the end of February 2009 (only one month into that semester) I was a journalism major.
Fast forward to August 2009.
I had one more week left of my summer break when I received an email from the Editor-in-Chief to be at my school's newspaper. He had contacted to me to ask if I wanted to be the future Feature's Editor. I was hesitant and nervous. My palms had already begin to sweat, my stomach was in knots and my head was pounding. What if I failed? What if my pages were blank by the time we go to print? What if I can't find a good story? Will I be any good? Despite it all, I said yes.
The semester flew by and I did it. At our end of the semester banquet I received two first place awards, two second place awards and an honorable mention for my writing and page designs.
So what's next? I ran for Editor-in-Chief for the spring semester and lost. I was up against a reporter and the current EIC. The reporter won. I was saddened and hurt. I felt as though I had worked hard and that my efforts went unnoticed. It turns out that my outside life was too busy and the panel thought I was better suited to be Managing Editor.
Not bad, eh? So you are reading the current Managing Editor's blog! I am excited. We have a great team in tow and it's going to be an interesting and exciting adventure.
And just so you all know-- my life doesn't revolve around the newsroom, although that sounds amazing! I nanny part time, I am in a committed full-time relationship and always make room my friends and family.
Good night!
Since coming home I have changed my mind several times. However, I have chosen a journalism major and I have yet to change my mind since last year. I struggled to find my way to this point and my journey was anything but easy.
In second grade, I was diagnosed with a learning disorder, a form of dyslexia is what the doctors said. I process information slower than others and it becomes mashed up in my head. For example, with standardized tests I will read my options, A, B, C and D. When I process my options, my brain says C, A, D and B. As you can see and probably have already assumed, testing was never and will never be my strong suit. It is so unfortunate for people like me to take tests such as the SAT, ACT, ERB, CAHSEE, etc and be graded as that result.
That's one part of the story. The second, and perhaps most difficult aspect I had to struggle with was my writing style and technique. All my life I have been told that I had great ideas and thoughts but that I was very unorganized in my writing. I slowly began to give up my love for storytelling because I had made meaning out of being a bad organizer. I made it mean that I couldn't be fixed or changed and so there is no point in trying. Plus the endless hours of staying up late in middle school with my mom correcting essays didn't help. No one ever encouraged me to learn to write properly until Dr. Richard Follett, my English professor.
I took his English 28 course which re-teaches students the basics of a proper writing format. I remember my first assignment. I had finished typing up my final draft and my first thought was to email it to my mom to look over and edit. For the first time in my life I stood up against my scared self and didn't do it. I turned it right into Dr. Follett. The next week I received an A on the assignment. In fact, the lowest grade I received in his class was an A-.
The momentum didn't stop there. The following semester I enrolled in a Journalism 100 and a Journalism 101 course to fulfill the requirements for my undergraduate units for communications major. Those classes opened up a whole new world to me. It was better than Jasmine's carpet ride. I was able to write and rewrite stories, grasp history in a media perspective and even was published, twice. My professors saw something in me that Dr. Follett saw in me the semester before. I was being seen as more than a student. They saw me as a writer. I went on to finish the semester earning a first place award for one of my published articles. I was honored, and I still am.
By the end of February 2009 (only one month into that semester) I was a journalism major.
Fast forward to August 2009.
I had one more week left of my summer break when I received an email from the Editor-in-Chief to be at my school's newspaper. He had contacted to me to ask if I wanted to be the future Feature's Editor. I was hesitant and nervous. My palms had already begin to sweat, my stomach was in knots and my head was pounding. What if I failed? What if my pages were blank by the time we go to print? What if I can't find a good story? Will I be any good? Despite it all, I said yes.
The semester flew by and I did it. At our end of the semester banquet I received two first place awards, two second place awards and an honorable mention for my writing and page designs.
So what's next? I ran for Editor-in-Chief for the spring semester and lost. I was up against a reporter and the current EIC. The reporter won. I was saddened and hurt. I felt as though I had worked hard and that my efforts went unnoticed. It turns out that my outside life was too busy and the panel thought I was better suited to be Managing Editor.
Not bad, eh? So you are reading the current Managing Editor's blog! I am excited. We have a great team in tow and it's going to be an interesting and exciting adventure.
And just so you all know-- my life doesn't revolve around the newsroom, although that sounds amazing! I nanny part time, I am in a committed full-time relationship and always make room my friends and family.
Good night!
Saturday, December 25, 2010
4-Month Pit Stop
Let's see...
Right, we left off with a brief, yet memorable overview of my year abroad.
June 3, 2008 was a sad day. I boarded the El Al flight that took me home. Yes, I was happy to see my parents and have my big bed back yet, for the first time in my life I had been on my own and survived. Granted there were supervisors in every city I lived in to check in with all of us Young Judaean's, I still had to learn to create a home and a family every time I moved.
I was only home for a brief period of time. In August I packed my bags yet again and flew out to Maryland with my mom and dad. They were going to move me into my new dorm at McDaniel College. I had been accepted there prior to Year Course and thought it was going to be my new home. The moment we landed in Baltimore I knew I had made a mistake-- a big mistake costing more than $25 thousand. Well, after the silent treatment, a water works show and some yelling matches I thought I knew that I was going to make myself suffer one semester and leave.
Turns out that I can't hold a grudge for too long. I did leave after that fall semester, but I took away some valuable friendships I cherish to this day. In fact, although I knew McDaniel wasn't right for me, saying good bye to my friends was more painful than I had imagined. (And a side note to boost my self-confidence, I left McDaniel with a 3.8 GPA!)
What's more? The people who really kept me strong (aside from my dad) were two of my best friends...
That will be important later, so don't forget!
-----> For those of you who want to check out the type of college McDaniel is! It caters really well to each individual student. Just wasn't where I wanted my home to be.
Right, we left off with a brief, yet memorable overview of my year abroad.
June 3, 2008 was a sad day. I boarded the El Al flight that took me home. Yes, I was happy to see my parents and have my big bed back yet, for the first time in my life I had been on my own and survived. Granted there were supervisors in every city I lived in to check in with all of us Young Judaean's, I still had to learn to create a home and a family every time I moved.
I was only home for a brief period of time. In August I packed my bags yet again and flew out to Maryland with my mom and dad. They were going to move me into my new dorm at McDaniel College. I had been accepted there prior to Year Course and thought it was going to be my new home. The moment we landed in Baltimore I knew I had made a mistake-- a big mistake costing more than $25 thousand. Well, after the silent treatment, a water works show and some yelling matches I thought I knew that I was going to make myself suffer one semester and leave.
Turns out that I can't hold a grudge for too long. I did leave after that fall semester, but I took away some valuable friendships I cherish to this day. In fact, although I knew McDaniel wasn't right for me, saying good bye to my friends was more painful than I had imagined. (And a side note to boost my self-confidence, I left McDaniel with a 3.8 GPA!)
What's more? The people who really kept me strong (aside from my dad) were two of my best friends...
That will be important later, so don't forget!
-----> For those of you who want to check out the type of college McDaniel is! It caters really well to each individual student. Just wasn't where I wanted my home to be.
Friday, December 24, 2010
The Beginning
What is this blog about and why is it important? Who is going to want to read this and who will it affect?
What's Next? has been created for several reasons. On a selfish note, it's so I can maintain my sanity. By writing, I can freely express myself without any interruptions. On a sharing note, I hope my struggles, obstacles and discoveries can serve as an inspiration to any and every one.
To start, perhaps an introduction and a little background on who I am would be preferable. I am 21 years old and a student earning a degree in journalism. I have been a reporter and an editor on my school's paper and will be next semesters Managing Editor. I love writing. It's a way to be fully self-expressed and unstoppable without judgement.
I won't start at the beginning of my life. Not only would that not be interesting to you, I can't possibly remember it all. Instead, I'll start in August of 2007. I am packing up my clothes, toiletries, a journal and my camera. I am getting ready to start my first year of college...in Israel.
Young Judaea Year Course was the name of the program. I have been a Young Judaean since I was nine and since my dad had participated in all YJ events, I knew that Year Course was a must. That year was probably one of the best years I have ever experienced. The year was broken into trimesters; three months in Akko, three in Holon and three in Jerusalem.
There were 18 of us in all in Akko. We were a part of a Navy boarding school where we became basic licensed sailors. We had classes in knot tying, Hebrew, ninjutsu and ships. It wan an intensive crash course and it was incredible.
In Holon, I volunteered at a magnet arts school where I taught children in 2nd to 7th grade. It forced me to pick up Hebrew quickly in order to better communicate with the children. My primary job was to improve the students vocabulary and spelling. Thus, "ish ta'a'luey" or Hangman, became the game of choice where I would pick song lyrics the students knew that contained that weeks vocabulary words.
Jerusalem was my final destination. There, I studied-- 22 units to be exact where I also received a 3.9 GPA on my completion certificate. I took courses about the Holocaust, minorities in Israel, Hebrew, Art and Judaism and Kabbalah.
Granted the experience was educational and rewarding, there was a fun aspect. I was 18, meaning that I was the legal age to drink and the night life in Tel Aviv never died down. I drank regularly, danced with friends and had dozens of hook-ups (and that does not mean sex). It was great. Being in Israel was the epitome of what I thought college should be like: dating tons of guys, partying and being with friends. Well, that isn't necessarily wrong but it is'nt the truth.
Anyways, that's where we will start on you having a better idea of where I am coming from and me becoming closer to figuring out What's Next?
I won't start at the beginning of my life. Not only would that not be interesting to you, I can't possibly remember it all. Instead, I'll start in August of 2007. I am packing up my clothes, toiletries, a journal and my camera. I am getting ready to start my first year of college...in Israel.
Young Judaea Year Course was the name of the program. I have been a Young Judaean since I was nine and since my dad had participated in all YJ events, I knew that Year Course was a must. That year was probably one of the best years I have ever experienced. The year was broken into trimesters; three months in Akko, three in Holon and three in Jerusalem.
There were 18 of us in all in Akko. We were a part of a Navy boarding school where we became basic licensed sailors. We had classes in knot tying, Hebrew, ninjutsu and ships. It wan an intensive crash course and it was incredible.
In Holon, I volunteered at a magnet arts school where I taught children in 2nd to 7th grade. It forced me to pick up Hebrew quickly in order to better communicate with the children. My primary job was to improve the students vocabulary and spelling. Thus, "ish ta'a'luey" or Hangman, became the game of choice where I would pick song lyrics the students knew that contained that weeks vocabulary words.
Jerusalem was my final destination. There, I studied-- 22 units to be exact where I also received a 3.9 GPA on my completion certificate. I took courses about the Holocaust, minorities in Israel, Hebrew, Art and Judaism and Kabbalah.
Granted the experience was educational and rewarding, there was a fun aspect. I was 18, meaning that I was the legal age to drink and the night life in Tel Aviv never died down. I drank regularly, danced with friends and had dozens of hook-ups (and that does not mean sex). It was great. Being in Israel was the epitome of what I thought college should be like: dating tons of guys, partying and being with friends. Well, that isn't necessarily wrong but it is'nt the truth.
Anyways, that's where we will start on you having a better idea of where I am coming from and me becoming closer to figuring out What's Next?
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