Diary of a would be ME: Researching Take Home Exams.
I have to do a research paper for my English Comp I class in a week or so, Mark wants a ~current controversial topic~. There are some things that are simply off the table:
- Weed/Marijuana/Pot
- Abortion
- Guns
- Drinking Age
- Stem Cell Research
- Cloning
What’s on the table? Well, we tried covering that in class and he really seemed adamant on talking about Immigration for a while. Personally, I can’t write an unbiased research paper on immigration. It cuts way too close to home. I also don’t know how I feel about the word “illegal”, though I’ll admit it is a word that I use. Then we discussed Education very briefly. I mean, maybe 30 seconds of Education discussion. Uh, fracking was mentioned.
I’m thinking Erin’s Law (Illinois SB2843) or something involved in Sex.
Also: I’ve kind of been pushed into singing in class on Monday as part of my final. I’m most likely going to do it a cappella just so I don’t have to worry about singing in a slightly lower key. Can’t decide between “Volver, Volver” and “Tu Solo Tu”, starting to practice each song just to find what it is exactly I sing better. Hell, I may even record “Sunrise” from In the Heights.
I totally forgot to mention my take home exam for Psych. It was crap. I hated it. I really hope I never have to do another take home exam again. I strongly prefer exams that I can study for and just take without having to give mini-essays for the answer.
I don’t know. I want to do so much. Anyway, I have to finish working on this essay for my English Comp class.
Diary of a would be ME: Pre-Calc(ulated movements)
A lot’s happened since I last wrote you, dear internet. I’m maintaining my grades, though I’d like them to be higher. I might try studying more than I am now.
So my friends at school have been fantastic. Okay. This is what my college looks like:
It’s essentially a high school refurbished. Well, actually it’ll be undergoing some refurbishing in 2013.
Anyway, I have some great friends in each of my classes. Cat told me about talking to David Woods in the Mathematics department about my classes, he was really the beginning of a great help. I finally also found a counselor who is willing to discuss my classes with me.
See, I’ve compiled a list of the classes I need to get the degrees I want. I’d like to write technical papers during my free time in med school.
I’ve had a pretty bad history with my previous counselors. The two I had previously just weren’t as helpful as I wanted them to be. I mean, they weren’t bad necessarily, I was just looking for a sounding board to make sure that I am on the right track. Essentially I was looking for someone who cared and I didn’t seem to get that from them.
My third try at this campus got me Barbara K Chambers and I have to say that she is fantastic. She really seems to care and is super helpful, I’d refer just about any ACC student to her, if the RGC campus is your campus.
Previously, I spoke to an unhelpful man (whose name I won’t include because that just seems downright rude) who simply advised me to talk to someone at UT.
Well, UT did come to the campus and I spoke to Candice C Tirta about classes and transfers to their College of Natural Science. Great thing is that she’s the Biochem advisor. I’m excited. I have people I feel like I can depend on when it comes to getting my schooling done.
I can’t explain how afraid I was that I’d mess things up this early into my classes. I had to actively keep myself from crying a few times when I spoke with Chambers. It’s been hard getting back into school and I finally know what I want and I don’t want it to pass me by.
Anyway, Dr. Woods has helped me get into Pre-Calc to refresh my memory on trig and all of that before Calc, add Chambers and I seem to have a solid team that’s willing to help me. I won’t be letting them down, either.
Diary of a would be ME: 95
Hi again, it’s been another week and I’ve had more exams! I am taking three 8 week classes this semester and two of them are almost over. My third starts next half of this semester. My fourth class (in general) is the full 16 week class.
So in case I haven’t said it and in case you don’t remember, my two 8 week classes this half of the semester are Spanish 1511 and Psyc 2301.
My oral exam didn’t go as badly as I thought it did and the professors have yet to put grades down on blackboard. My Psych exam went okay. The 92 will bring down my average to 96. And I’m holding that 95 in Spanish pretty well. Hopefully we’ll be getting our essays back on Monday for English Comp. I think that’s all that’s really happened worth noting this week.
♥ Love you guys and I’ll update you the next time around.
Diary of a would be ME: next to Wicked birthdays and exams
Where to begin? It’s been a whole week and a couple of days since I’ve written you lovelies.
Let’s see, I last mentioned the Psych exam. Well, that happened. I got 100/106, not particularly happy that I needed the bonus points to offset the three answers I got wrong, but I am happy that it’s an A. That was Thursday, Feb 2, 2012. We’re starting a new unit in that class, it’s a fairly short one only consisting of chapters 6-8, I’m currently working on getting those notes written. I’ve also started on my case study again, I think I have all the interview questions I’ve been meaning to ask you guys down, so you’ll be getting emails within the next week or so.
Spanish! My oral exam went well, though she did take one point off of my 100, I currently have a 95 in that class, I technically should probably work harder at it but I don’t particularly want to. Y’know? Anyway, we just had our second exam in that class and I should be getting that grade later tonight or this weekend.
English Comp: well. Last post I spent my whole post talking about the shitfest that was. We haven’t really done anything— oh wait. Right. We turned in our papers. OH MY GOD, WHY DID I DO THAT?
It’s been well over five years since I’ve turned in an essay to be graded and I’m not happy with it one bit. I’m afraid my thesis isn’t clear enough and that my professor is going to just mark it up with red ink. My stomach is in all kinds of knots. In case you haven’t noticed, I have a really relaxed writing style and I tend to write like I’m talking to you. Y’know, conversational writing. Though, I can have some stiffer writing. I’m just nervous. I feel sick just thinking about it.
Oh. Between Psych and Spanish, my birthday weekend happened. Yeah, wonderful right? I got to spend some time with my cousins, we saw Wicked together and then I took Kathryn to go see next to normal. I don’t really know how she felt about it because we have this thing with her grandma (my aunt) and her dementia. I don’t know if it struck her the way it struck me. I love next to normal so much. I’m determined to see more Broadway shows throughout my life, especially after I get my doctorate. I plan on taking her to see them, too.
Back to this week: my actual birthday just passed and it was just as fantastic as the time I got to spend with my cousins. Mom and I went to dinner at the Salt Lick and I had a couple of ribs. Goodness gracious, they were delicious. Personally, I don’t think they’re as good as Luling’s City Market’s food, but it was good stuff. I got invited to a party/celebration this weekend. I don’t know if I’m going to go. I want to. Things are just difficult. I was raped at the last party I went to where I only knew a couple of people.
But I have come a long way, I’ve gone to concerts by myself. I guess it’s the public vs private aspect that’s also got my stomach in knots. I’m thinking about it.
Anyway, it’s been a good week so far. I wish I had more time to write to you guys every day, but I just get busy with classes and studying. See you whenever I have the chance. ♥
Diary of a would be ME: Systematic marginalization and oral presentations
Wicked is this weekend, I’m not so smart. Sonia, Kat and the kids should be coming. Still super excited. Glad in a way, too. This week’s been kind of hard on me, not really talking much to the people I socialize with the most and then general crap from triggers and whatnot. Uh, this could potentially be triggering? Just very narrow views on racism and assimilation mentioned.
Diary of a would be Medical Examiner: Fast times and tests.
Hi! I know I’ve been a little bit quiet for the past week or so, sorry about that. I’m trying to be better about this kind of stuff.
So, my second week back in college was interesting. I’m pretty sure Mark (note to self: get photos) really wants to be teaching a class on feminism instead of English. I’m basing this assumption on how he interacts with the class. He’s kind of awkward, in a way. Also, got triggered in class today. Watched a movie with rape/sexual assault statistics. I almost walked out.
Spanish is Spanish. I’m doing alright in the class, making really small mistakes that I shouldn’t be making. I mean, an A is an A, but it could be a better A. I got lazy and didn’t do the workbook crap. Those small mistakes I’m making tend to be because I took French forever ago and then there’s the whole myfamilydoesn’tknowproperSpanish part. Clicking on the image below should take you to a better, legible, photo.
Which reminds me that I still need to get an outline done for my case study, y’know questions to ask and whatnot. Psych. I have some serious studying to do since the book and theories that she wants me to memorize are a little bit outdated.
Other news, I looked into Boston University some more, getting their requirements down just so I have a basic idea of what I need to do and have before applying.
Yay Boston.
But really, it’s looking like it’s going to be easier for me to get into medical school than it is for me to get into the University of Texas at Austin. I mean, if I wasn’t so adamant about getting into medical school I’d probably go to Texas A&M.
UT wants all of my information regarding classes I’ve taken, credits I’ve received, everything on everything, essentially. And frankly, I’d like to have some of my record just ignored. Like, the whole year of Hawaii. I don’t want that to reflect on my schooling now because SO much happened during that time.
I’ll have to talk to a counselor at UT before I’ll know anything concrete about that.
Anyway, I have some psych stuff to study, which I should be posting as soon as I get the formatting down. I know we have a paper due and I think we have a quiz or some sort of review tomorrow. Definitely our first test is going to be on February 2nd.
Also! Second day of my fast, I ended up waiting a little bit so Steven and I could do it together.
Double Also! Wicked next weekend. I’m super excited.
Diary of a would be Medical Examiner: days three and four
Okay, I started importing some photos from my phone so I can get some things up here. Probably not very many will be on these posts but just my regular blog.
Thursday and Friday went off without a hitch. Some jokes were made about how my Spanish I class is essentially an easy class for me and that I’m cheating through it. (Since I’m Mexican and Mexicans know proper Spanish.) I’m considering taking the Spanish II class the second half of this semester just to have another class outside of English and US History.
Psychology went well enough, I passed the pop quiz and found a friend of sorts who is from the devmeets. Mike. We’ll see where this goes, he absolutely hates (Dr.)Maria but I kind of like her.
I started on my case study on Friday, I gathered some books that I’ll be reading for the next couple of weeks along with taking various notes. I have to remind myself that this is a side project for extra credit and not an assignment. I think I care about it too much. We’ll see.
English is going to be the most fun, I think. Critically analyzing feminist papers from my feminist professor Mark. Speaking of feminism, I really should get back to reading Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics by Bell Hooks.
I think I”m going to love it because he’s making us critically analyze not the message but how the message is written. And as far as Feminism goes, I’ve seen the way the students react: you either agree or you don’t. It’s something they feel strongly about, as well.
I have some notes to take and homework to do, so I’ll be signing off. ♥
Diary of a would be Medical Examiner: day two
So, in my English comp class, I was told that I didn’t experience racism while I lived in Hawaii. That it was actually just a reaction from the colonization of the islands. Now, I’m not saying that natives have no reason to still be pissed about that. That’s not my issue. My issue is that my white professor Mark completely disregarded my personal experiences in Hawaii.
Look, I get that being unfriendly doesn’t count as racism. But making jokes about how it must have been a long swim and oh, look, your back is wet, isn’t that funny? Those are racist jokes.
It kind of upset me.
I had a couple of glasses of w(h)ine after that class. No me gusta.
I’m hoping it gets better since this professor “Mark” plans on having us read a lot of feminist papers.
