Blog 1

Ø List your own quote, favorite saying, song, or other expression of your feelings today.
“Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul.”

Ø List initial observations of your new environment.
Although I live here, I feel like I'm in a completely different city with all new people, and surroundings. It's only when I get outside the campus border that I remember that I'm in my hometown. It's also loud and different than anything I've been through before. And at the same time it's exciting and invigorating.

Ø List initial observations of your classes.
The classes are so intense and there are a lot of people in lecture classes. However, it isn't as scary and overwhelming as I would have expected.

Ø What observations have you made about other students?
Other freshmen are just as lost and excited as I am. The upperclassmen are less excited than us because they have done it before and it's not as new to them.

Ø About your instructors?
Froiland is intense. He takes what he does very seriously but he is a very good professor. He definately knows what he's talking about. Slobodzian can teach from the book or powerpoint but to be directly asked a question, he fishes around for an answer. Parks is harsh, instead of talking, and explaining to the class she speaks at you in a loud, harsh tone.

Ø What do you think will be your biggest challenge(s) academically this semester?
My biggest challenge will be trying to balance studying and all of the social aspects of college life while maintaining sanity and relaxation.

Ø Reiterate a term or concept you learned in Anatomy this week.
This week I learned about cells and all of the different organelles inside of them. Cytoplasm is the jelly substance that all of the other things float around in.

Ø List a few pleasant events that happened during your first weeks at NMU.
My suitemate, Tina, my roommate, Nichelle, and I have a movie night... pretty much every night. I've also met a lot of other people that live in my house and hall. I joined University Choir so I get to do something I love while I get out and meet new people.

Ø List habits you already possess that make you successful in college.
I like to study and take thorough notes. I appreciate extra credit and I take it whenever offered and I used to form study groups for specific classes that I struggled in.

Ø List habits (timewasters?) you can change or modify, or need to lose.
I spend too much time on Facebook when I should be doing homework or studying. I procrastinate terribly.

Ø Explain how you determine what to write down in notes during lectures.
I think of it from a test taking point of view, I pick and choose information based on what I think will be on the test or quiz. Usually, it's the smaller details that teachers/professors decide to add because some people could miss them.

Ø Based on your first readings in the TCB text, describe the differences between Active Learning & Passive Learning (reading, note-taking, etc..)
Active Learning is getting involved, hands on, taking notes where as Passive learning is just sitting and listening and not taking notes or anything to refer back to.

Ø Based on your first readings in the BT text, list TWO of favorite quotes and explain why they "speak" to you.

Ø Finally, name one goal (personal, academic, etc..) you have for yourself next week.
To study more and become much more thorough in note taking. Also to meet more people in my house and hall and become more involved in SEC an dother student organizations.