Student Blog

In my ENC 1102 class this week, one of our assignments was to read a short story called “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” At first glance, it doesn’t really look like an outstanding story, but the saying stays true that “you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.”

I don’t want to give away too much detail about the story, mostly because I think that you should give it a read, and see how wonderful it is for yourself.  I have not often read books, or stories, or anything written down for that matter.. that was as descriptive and colorful as this story was. In our class, we are to read and analyze a given short story and, up until this point, the stories haven’t been particularly interesting to me. I am the type of person who likes action, blood, violence, and a good plot. A “good vs evil war story” if you will. Some stories can be exceptions; Harry Potter of course was one of them, but mostly I find the stories that catch my attention are typical for my gender. (Funny how that works out isn’t it?) This short story we read as an assignment was one of the few stories that I actually read over again just for the enjoyment! I will say that it does take place in a war, and there is such colorful detail and description in this story, it’s just amazing. I simply cannot convey to you how excellent I find this story to be. Watching action movies a lot, I can say that you just cannot compare the detail to this story. It’s a relatively short story as-well, ending after only a few pages.

It’s left me wanting more. Some may say I am easily impressed with stories and books of this genre, but I disagree. It takes something special to make me rant and rave over it like I have for this blog!

Also a little reminder, tomorrow is Student/Faculty development day! Unless you have a class scheduled after 4pm, there are no classes!

What type of story do you prefer to read? I really crave to find another story like this one, so if you have read this story and know of one similar, let me know! studentblog@scf.edu

Towards the end of my PreCalc class today, as I was leaving the room my teacher said not to forget to study, because our midterms will be soon. WHAT!?! It’s crazy to be hearing that.. To think that the semester is almost half way over already is just incredible. What throws me off, is the fact that my first class is English, and we don’t have exams in English. (What are you going to show that you haven’t already shown during the class with your writing?) It creates this illusion that the class just started. It’s amazing to think that time is flying by at this pace.

My point of this, is yes I have been studying a bit, for the normal homework and stuff, but I haven’t been studying for the exam, because it seems like we just had one. My studying tactics are different for typical class studying, and exams, so I’ve started my “2 Minute Drill” for studying.

To start with, I go back into the text book to refresh my memory on certain items that I remember struggling with beforehand. This is great because if I find that I still have questions about the material, I’m not pressured by the clock (as much) as I would be if the exam was 3 days away. Some friends of mine say it’s a bit on the extreme side, but I feel that it’s necessary in order to pull off those good grades!

Another thing I do to study for exams, is test myself on the material. A lot of the time I will not only do the homework assigned, I will do extra homework just for the practice. It really doesn’t take that much extra time, because if you’re going to be doing homework anyway, what’s the difference of 15-20 mins? If my teacher assigns odd problems for instance, I will do ALL of the problems, just for the extra practice.

What are your methods for exam reviews? Do you cram? Do you listen to your class lectures? Just wing it? I’d love to have some more ideas that could potentially help me with my exams, so your input is appreciated. studentblog@scf.edu

Last evening I had both my Intro to Chemistry class, and my Chemistry lab. In my lecture class, we received our exams back, and I was ashamed to see that I only got a “B” on the exam. I had studied and was very confident that I would get an “A,” almost to the point of being cocky about it! I guess there is a lesson to be learned in there somewhere.. Maybe it’s something like: “Don’t let your guard down on a test, or you will make silly mistakes and get a lower grade than you thought you would..” or something along those lines. Personally, it felt like I failed it anyway, because when I go for an “A” anything less is not meeting my goal, and that means I failed. Luckily, this was only the first exam, and I have several more to go. We are learning about orbitals, and electromagnetics and whatnot in chemistry right now, and to be honest it seems to be a lot going on in a short amount of time. I think I’ve got my head wrapped around the concept of it, but it’s still not an easy task. It’s funny how in chemistry there is ALWAYS an exception to the rule, whatever that rule may be. It’s also amazing that throughout the years, people have been able to slowly piece together what we now learn in a matter of 16 weeks. To me it is just mind-blowing.

Following the lecture, I had lab. It was a “wet lab” in which live chemicals are present and proper safety procedures need to be followed. (Lab coat, closed shoes, goggles, etc..) It was interesting, because the lab experiment was on chemical reactions. Seeing what each chemical did when mixed with another chemical, and seeing any byproduct or gas that was formed. Totally radical! I had fun, but was glad to get the class over with! My day starts very early, and with the class ending at 9:50, with a long drive home and dinner/homework to do, I don’t get to bed until late. But I guess that’s what being a college student is all about right? I’m not complaining, I actually enjoy being busy. Next semester though, I think I will go with fewer classes, just to be on the safe side.

What is/was your favorite experiment in Chemistry? I would like to know, as I plan on staying in chemistry for quite a long time, and would like to know what I have to look forward to! Send me an email at studentblog@scf.edu.

Howdy everyone!

Hope you are well. I know this week has been a bit stressful for me personally, I had a math test to take on Wednesday, and to be honest I was worried. I studied, but still didn’t feel very confident I would do well. Luckily, the test wasn’t as bad as I had expected, (Don’t tell my professor!!) and I think I did well. Time will soon tell.

Anyway.. Just a friendly reminder, in the student planners it says Friday there won’t be classes unless they are after 4 p.m. and I wanted to let you all know that this is false information. They moved the date back to March 2nd, so this Friday there ARE CLASSES!! Don’t be fooled by your planner. It was printed during the summer, and they changed the date post summer -(Obviously..LOL.)- so the date in it is incorrect. Be sure to mark March 2nd as the new date!

Hope you have a great week! Go Manatees!

studentblog@scf.edu

Well readers, I’ve gotten myself started now and I don’t think I can stop. Last post I mentioned a short story I read in an anthology about Scottish women and it really got me thinking about how much I wanted to share some of my favorite authors with you. How many of you like to read books as a hobby? Something to pass time, something you enjoy rather than something you do because classes require it of you.

Well, I am one of those people. I read like crazy. I would actually call myself addicted to reading, to be completely honest, because I will read over all other things. When it hits me that I need to read a story, it does not matter what papers need writing, what food I should be eating, what I should be working on, if I’m in that story I am not coming out until its done. Which is probably one of those cases of too much of a good thing, but we’re not going into that, haha. Instead, I’m going to tell you about a few of my favorite authors.

• Jacqueline Carey: Jacqueline Carey writes some of the most amazing books I have ever read. They are so in-depth, I cannot even imagine the amount of research that this woman had to dedicate in order to produce such a detailed account of what is essentially ancient world history. Her writing style is pretty prolific, her prose is very thick with description and is very lengthy. Her books are not small… if you don’t want a lot to read, you do not want to read a book by Jacqueline Carey. But they take you everywhere! In the nine books I have read by her, I have vicariously traveled across the entirety of Europe, through the Middle East, gone into Russia, Mongolia, China, India, Egypt (and followed the Nile to its source), and even across oceans into South America. There’s so much, and the way that the religious aspects are interwoven into their very lives, the way that it is more than just a concept, it is a reality…  I could go on, but I wouldn’t stop. Jacqueline Carey is fantastic for anybody who is looking for something deep and heart wrenchingly good.
• Lynn Flewelling: Lynn Flewelling also writes very large and in depth books, but hers are more on the intrigue side of the spectrum. Where Jacqueline Carey will include lots of romance, lots of religion, traveling, and world issues, Lynn Flewelling focuses more on the world issues, the politics, spys and war and many of the horrors that come with these things. But its not all bad! Because across the span of her books, she pulls in that romantic aspect (not a lot, really), but its just enough to lighten the mood ever so slightly. Its good for me, because her books are so meaningful that I need that breather, that chance to pull out of the darker aspects. Lynn Flewelling also does not write books for people who are not willing to dedicate a lot of time to them, however they are so worth it.
• Tamora Pierce: Now I’m not sure how many of you might have actually heard of Tamora Pierce. The past two are possibilities as they are aimed towards an adult audience and I’m sure most of my readers are adults. Technically, Tamora Pierce is a young adult author. Either way though, everybody should read her. The world she’s created is so well-crafted, and her books also pull in that awesome religious aspect. In her world, some things are truly magical. There is political intrigue, but its not heavy, I suppose its kind of like a toned down version of the past two authors I’ve given you, except completely awesome in its own completely separate way. It has that intrigue, it has that mystical aspect, and the romance, but it not as intense and not as hard to read through. I’ve read at least fifteen books by her and I have to say that for each quartet, each duology, each trilogy she writes, she does a great job of tying them together. Because they’re all in the same realm, they’re all a part of each other’s history and future. Personally I am a HUGE fan of when stories are tied together this way. Jacqueline Carey does it as well. For those of you who want that awesome in depth fiction, want something that is really good but isn’t so much of a commitment, give Tamora Pierce a try.
• Julia Quinn: I love romance novels. So it would make sense that I would love Julia Quinn. However, I really hope that some other people out there will give her a try, some of you who usually wouldn’t branch into the romance genre. I know it has quite a reputation, how you often see those books of some woman with clothing draping off of her shoulders and a man gripping her close, smoldering into her eyes, his shirt open and well, you get where I’m going with this. And you see these books and you think, “Oh that looks so cheesy, I do not want to read that.” Let me tell you, that is not Julia Quinn’s books! Whatever impression you have about romance novels, it probably doesn’t apply to her books. She ties all of her books together with common characters and with newspaper articles that are popular at the time. And while there is always that emotional issue that one of the characters has to conquer in order for them to come together in the end, the depth of the each of the characters really draws you in. Its beautiful, honestly, how she can craft such interesting and relate-able people over and over again for each of her stories. And in the end, they find love. And that’s really, for me, the best light reading that you can read. Its a happy story. Yes, there are parts that have so much emotion behind them I can’t help but tear up, but there is always a happy ending. Lets face it, life doesn’t really work out that way, and that’s why stories have always been such a great form of escape. So anybody who wants light reading, reading that will pull you in but won’t consume you, read a Julia Quinn book. She is amazing.

Wow, look at what I’ve done here! I’m sorry this post is so huge, and here I’ve got even more authors I would love to share. But I’ve already gone on far too much. Instead, drop us an email if you’re interested in hearing any more suggestions! You can reach me at studentblog@scf.edu, and please, do email me! Of all the things I’d love to hold a conversation about, it is books. Whether we are discussing new ones to explore or are making suggestions to each other, I really can’t get enough good stories in my life.

If you’re like me, you have a few common interests with some of your friends. Wouldn’t it be nice to find more friends with similar views? The cool thing about the clubs here at SCF, is that you can do just that!

Whether you like chess, math, science, or even ping pong, there are people out there who share the same interest with you.  Have you ever considered joining a club to get to know more people like yourself? It’s an obvious idea, but surprisingly enough most people overlook it completely. No matter what you like to do on or off campus, I’m sure there is a club for you.

If you’re interested, check it out! All you need to do is go to the school website: www.SCF.edu  From there navigate to Campus Life, proceed to Student Life, and finally the Clubs section. There are quite a few clubs ranging from Art to Music to Politics. If you can’t find a club that is currently at SCF, there is a form to start one! Why don’t you give it a try? What have you got to lose?

Thinking about starting a club? Email me and let me know! I may be interested in joining!

studentblog@scf.edu

I just read this awesome short story called “FriendsRevisited.com” by Carmen Reid, found in the short story anthology “Scottish Girls About Town.” I stumbled across this in the SCF Library Cafe Book Swap over in the Smoothie King, and I was intrigued. Anyways, the story really got me thinking.

Basically, the story was about a couple (mainly the woman, though) going through a bit of a mid-life crisis. Husband leaves wife, she’s dumped with their kids and the sort of boring routine life she never wanted, and she begins to slide into depression. But contact with a high-school friend spurs her into dedicating some more time and thought to the wants and needs she rarely paid attention to anymore. As we all know, I am but a young and fresh twenty year old. I’ve still got a good fifteen years or so until the likely hood of me hitting a plateau like this becomes inevitable. But I really wonder how it’ll all work out?

I’m a student. We’re all students. We’re preparing ourselves… for what? For a career? For life improvement? For time to discover more about ourselves? There are so many reasons to go to school, and I know a lot of people are returning to school long past the age that was previously considered school age.  And I’ll be completely honest; I’m studying, and I do have a degree in mind, but I actually have no clue what I want to do with that degree. Do I want it for the sidelines while I continue to study in search of a Library Science degree? Do I want to sell my services to the Chinese government in exchange for an over-seas job in one of the most beautiful country’s I’ve ever seen? Do I want to work for our government? Our schools? Do I want to be a mother? How do I make all of these decisions? How did my adult readers do it? Do you have any advice for us young ones, or are you still figuring things out for yourself?

I figure I will simply live life as it comes at me, but thinking about what happens after college is some pretty serious food for thought for all of us college students. If you’re feeling generous, please lend me some words of wisdom. Our email address is studentblog@scf.edu.

From what I’ve seen around campus, I know SCF has a lot of athletes here at the school. Does this mean that we also have a lot of people who go the gym? Any we can affectionately title “gym rats?”

I sure hope so! It’s a new year, and while I didn’t make the decision to be a healthier me because of it, I’m sure there are a lot of people who did. Which means a huge influx of gym go-ers. I proud of all of you guys! Heck, I’m proud of me. I haven’t been to a real gym in ages, mostly relying on Tae Kwon Do and maybe some exercise dvds to keep me in shape. Well I’m finally back. A friend of mine has gifted me with a spare gym membership from her family and wowza! We went together, first time weight lifting in months for her, years for me. We focused mostly on legs because she was leading the way and that’s what she wants, and oh my god, I nearly regret it! To be honest, I generally adore that post-work out muscle soreness that plagues me days after really pushing myself. But its been so long, I forgot how much it could honestly hurt! By the end of that day (I’ll admit, I don’t know if the forty minute walk and hour of TKD class helped me much), the entire lower half of my body hurt constantly. Walking? Ouch. Laying down? Augh. Minutely adjusting sitting position? Ooow! And the day after was hardly better.

But all of that muscle soreness aside, I don’t think I could possibly enforce how good I felt at the gym. I hadn’t had that work-out induced endorphin high in so long, it was amazing! I felt like I could conquer the world! I learned new techniques and revisited old ones and generally felt like the most capable person ever. I want to go as often as possible, I really hope I’ve got the willpower to work it around all of my other obligations.  Because when it really gets down to it, that’s what it takes. The willpower to get up early or stay up late, to pack a lunch so that you can spend your break doing something more productive, that sort of thing. And I really hope that not only I can stay with this sort of routine, but that all of SCF’s New Years Resolution gym visitors can stick with it as well. When something not only makes you feel that good and is also great for your health, how could you say no?

Do you visit the gym? Did you used to? Were you aware that the SCF Wellness Program offers free Yoga and other classes? Whats holding you back now, or whats pushing you forward? Personally, I have terrible knees. Potentially due to an injury that wasn’t properly cared for (though I won’t know this until I get to the fancy, expensive doctor who will tell me so). Lets do this exercise thing together, please share your plans or experiences with us in an email to studentblog@scf.edu.

Well, Congrats! The first day is over! Hopefully you found all of your classrooms without a problem, and are eager to get to learning new things, meeting new people, and starting off the new year right! I know that with work, and school, and more work, and homework, it can be hard and very trying at times, but fear not! You can do it, you are after all a SCF Manatee!

There are a few key habits you may want to look into. Here are the tips I have, that I use to help keep myself organized:

1. Write it down!

That’s “write”! Writing down everything-from the obvious, to the not so obvious- will help you better manage your life, and keep everything organized.

2. Lot’s of rest.

We all love our sleep, and getting more of the rest we crave not only helps keep us from being cranky, but it will also help keep you sharper for your classes. With the help of planning out your day, you can effectively schedule nap time! (How great would that be?)

3. Enjoy Life

As much as we all have going on in our lives, try and take a second to pause and be thankful you are able to do what a lot of people around the globe can’t. It may be stressful, but at least it’s an education. There are a lot of people in this world that would kill for the opportunity to learn a simple trade, let alone get a degree! So even when you’re stressing out over that exam, remember that you’ll do fine. You planned out several hours for studying, and scheduled a healthy 8 hours of sleep, and that you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to take the exam at all.

These are my methods for getting through a day. Yes, I know it’s difficult, but it’s something not only myself, but we all have to go through. Might as well do it with a positive outlook right?

What are your strategies for managing your day and staying sane? Email us your thoughts and strategies at  studentblogger@scf.edu.

We all know that time of year. Those jingling bells, lovely scented trees, and mistletoe. When the jolly season is over however, we must get back to our studies! That’s right, the Spring semester is right around the corner and we must all be prepared!

I know how much we just dread going back to school after a holiday break.  It was a well needed break, and now you are refreshed and ready to start the new semester! I just thought I would compile a small list of important dates that may help you stay focused, and start this semester off right!

1. Spring Fees are due the day you register. This may seem obvious, but believe me  it’s something easily forgotten.

Another thing to remember while we are discussing registering is, remember that registration is only for a limited time, and you only have until January 2nd to get all of your classes squared away! Hurry! Time isn’t going to wait!

2. January 5th is the last day of new student orientations for Spring 2012 classes starting January 9-14th!

3. January 6th is the first day that books may be charged against awarded Financial Aid in the SCF Store. Be sure to get your books as soon as possible, that way you are prepared for all of  your classes!

January 6th is also the last day for submission of residency documents for Spring term, and is also the deadline to submit Financial Aid Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal forms.

4. January 9th is the big day! Spring 2012 Classes begin. Don’t forget to go to bed early that way you get a great nights sleep, and have a hearty breakfast to get a jump on the day ahead.

5. Have fun,  and stay focused!  Yup, just as this tip says, have fun. It’s a new semester. A perfect opportunity to meet new people, and learn new things. The 2nd part of this tip is probably the most important one though. Stay focused. It’s easy to get distracted with everything that is going on right now. All these deadlines, fees, books, and life obstacles make getting an education difficult.  I recommend using your planner. It makes staying organized and getting ahead easier.

Right now is a very stressful time for all students. Just remember to take it a day at a time, and before you know it classes will be over. Hopefully these tips and tricks help you succeed not only this semester, but future ones to come.