Back up and Review

Back up and Review
Week 15
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(Quote from Author Louisa May Alcott)

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     This motivational quote was my favorite part of this week's class announcements because I have been going through more health problems lately and I am not particularly religious so I can only really look to proverbs or sayings to give me more motivation. Part of having medical problems is being happy you found something wrong because you have a way to treat such a thing but when you are in the limbo of not understanding what is wrong with you, it is really easy to lose hope.
    That is why this quote means a lot to me. Right now I am afraid because I do not have the word storms to put to my problems they are nameless things that have no cure because of their vague symptoms. But to at least have this quote is to say that at least I will know how to treat myself by the end of this scary time for me. That might be too much self-disclosure for a simple blog post but I also was not expecting there to be a perfectly fitting quote to be in the class announcements. Either way, I am grateful for the boost of energy I gained from what was probably just supposed to be a simple quote. 

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Famous Last Words: Dead Week

Famous Last Words
Dead Week
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(Dead Week Cartoon by Rosalie M.)

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     This week has been the worst dead week I have ever had in my undergraduate classes. I could list all the unexpected life problems I have had that have stopped my academic courses this semester alone but honestly I am just ready to move past this week and have time to get my life together without immediately stressing about classes. What I really need for this break is to reevaluate what is important to me and how to get to those goals.
    I think earlier in the semester I took my life going well for granted so I did not put in as much work as I should have thinking I could wrap it in a nice bow near the end of the semester. But of course life stops for no one and I really did not want to take an I in any class or take medical leave with one and half semesters left. By figuring out what I really want and having a plan from the beginning I think will be able to at least have a list of all I need to get done so that way if life gets in the way I can just reprioritize the list instead of having to make one in the first place.
    I know this post was supposed to be about just this week but what I have learned is this week means nothing without the happenings of the weeks before. It is partly due to life problems but it is also the mannerisms and habits I established earlier in the semester that messed me up this fall. Ultimately, I cannot just forget about this week when it is done but I definitely will take a mental break then refocus myself for a better semester next time!  

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Wikipedia Trails

Wikipedia Trails

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(Enneagram Drawing)

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Enneagram (Wikipedia)

The enneagram is a typing system I have been learning in my personalities course this semester and I have recently become obsessed with knowing anything and everything I can concerning the enneagram. But I realized I had never read the wikipedia page so I thought it could lead me on a fun trail! This page is actually pretty accurate to what I know about the enneagram is quite detailed on its history and the complexity of the system; it was a real treat to read what other contributors had posted about the enneagram.

The Law of Seven (Website)

This is a really interesting piece on a concept I had never heard of before: The law of seven concerning the enneagram. The law of seven is a really hard concept to grasp after reading through it about 5 times over, I still could not not pinpoint where this concept was coming from nor its actual relation to the enneagram. It is at this point that I saw a link that was set there to better explain such concepts. 

The Six Processes (Website)

As a person who loves learning new things and rarely gives up when a concept is not fully understood, I found myself dumbfounded at the material that was in this new link's piece. I think I have learned to skim rather than completely understand each link so that way I can find myself on a better pathway in the Wikipedia Trails. I think this is where I will stop for this wikipedia trails but I do have to say I am disappointed I did not look deeper into this option every week because it probably would have been my favorite project of the course.

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Learning by H.E.A.R.T: Empathy

Learning By H.E.A.R.T: 

Empathy Collage

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This is collage is a representation of what I think of when it comes to empathy. 

Growth Mindset: Multiple Intelligences

Growth Mindset: Multiple Intelligences 

(Multiple Intelligences cartoon by Marek Bennet)

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     This was a familiar idea concerning growth mindset for me because I am in a personalities course this semester and have found a new passion for personality psychology as a possible career path. I have taken the test for multiple intelligences a number of times and know where my strengths and weaknesses lie within this typing system. It is a system I feel like really helps me face a number of problems as well explains some of my natural tendencies. 

    My highest intelligences are musical, linguistics and kinesthetics, which is expected if you knew me well. What is exciting and helpful about knowing my strengths in these types of intelligences is that I can better go about my problems with a good plan. Like in studying, I know that I learn best in short time periods (because I cannot be stagnant for long) or at least in an environments where I can move around. I also know that rhymes or free associations help me memorize things better as well as group discussions where I can deep dive into subjects. 

    All of these strengths help me focus my work in the semester not just for academics but in how to spend my time and what will recharge me the most. Like listening to music and painting or reading or watching tv shows from other countries to get a sense of the language are all great ways from me to let go of mass amounts of stress. This was a great way to explore way to grow and better utilize my knowledge on multiple intelligences. 

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Extra Reading Notes: The Ballads of Robin Hood

Reading Notes

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(Robin Hood Character by Karem Beyit)

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The Golden Arrow

I find that I really enjoyed the ballad formatting of the Robin Hood tales. As noted by my frequent postings of them poems are becoming my favorite type of creative writing and I always am fascinated on how many ways there are to tell a story especially while creating a melody to the ballad itself. With poems I have just started to write in more intricate rhyme patterns and this ballad showed how rhyme patterns can be twisted to be melodies instead.

Robin Hood and the Valiant Knight

This ballad was interesting because of the writing itself rather than the framework. For me, rhymes create a sense of anticipation as the reader goes onto the next line but even so, the story itself wasted no time creating itself own sense of urgency with the climatic battle. This ballad felt like it had everything a great story should have: mystery, action, dialogue, charm all wrapped up into a plot with a natural flow. 

Robin Hood's Death

What I find funny about folklore in general is how many ending one story can cultivate over time. For me, I have never actually read literature concerning robin hood past children's story books. I have only read fairytales and watched movies about him but reading this different ending in ballad form was a treat! Being able to find a new ending in any familiar piece of work is always fascinating, so I can appreciate the values of the ballads by comparing it to the children's books and movies I have seen before.

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All reading notes are based off of excerpts from The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child (1882-1898).

Tech Tip: Create a Pinterest Board

Tech Tip: Create a Pinterest Board

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(Screenshot of Simply Organized Pinterest Board)

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       This tip was a interesting one for me, as I already use Pinterest occasionally for crafts or projects. This semester in particular has kicked my organizational/time management skills in the butt. While I have always had good organizational skills, I do not do well with unexpected complications that push back any plans I had. This semester has just been life problem after life problem, which lead to a complete obliteration of any organization or structure I had in my life. That's why as this semester comes to a bitter but much needed close, I wanted to create a board full of tips that I loved and have yet to try out so I can get back on track.
        Setting it up was easy enough, following the instructions laid out by Professor Gibbs as well as my common knowledge of the app. And then I just searched every kind of organization I needed back in my life. Starting with academic and online class organizational tips all the way to financial planners that might be useful to own. At first, just looking at others' organized "put together" lives, I was just discouraged but after a while I got excited by the different ideas I could implement now!
      Ultimately, I would recommend for others to try this out if they have a new goal they would like to reach or simply want to find a mecca for fun and creative ideas on anything. I would just be careful with the recreational pinning because it can easily become a distractor for some people. Overall, I think this is a neat tech tip that will help me get back to where I was and could be immediately great for others!

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