Yay! Back with another blog post! Why? Because I am angry. More than angry, my blood is boiling. I want to punch a wall. I know absolutely no one will read this and I think it would be good to write how I feel, free of a grading rubric.
How many more fucking African Americans need to die before America starts making some fucking changes. And I’m sorry for cussing, I am truly just so fed up and infuriated. I see a lot of people saying, “White people will never know the struggle, stop talking,” etc. This is true. I will never have the same blood curdling fear as an African American has if I am arrested by a police officer. That doesn’t mean I can’t be completely fucking disgusted with fugly ass white supremacist cops who literally murder innocent people.Murder. They are SLAUGHTERING AFRICAN AMERICANS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. Imagine how many times this happens. I am fucking sick and tired of white people overexaggerating and blaming acts on African Americans because whites will always ALWAYS have the benefit of the doubt. I want to fucking punch murderous police officers in the throat and kick them until they’re bleeding. I want them to feel pain. They are ruining so many lives by MURDERING innocent black men. I don’t fucking want to see another white police officer on probation or under investigation. I WANT THEM LOCKED UP IN JAIL FOR THE REST OF THEIR USELESS, MEANINGLESS LIVES. And I want those conservative ass white men to know they are going to hell afterwards. I genuinely want to know what goes on in their heads while they are SLAUGHTERING MEN. How could they possibly think they are in the right?
Change is not easy. It never has been. But it is necessary. I never have understood the white supremacy mentality. How can you think you are better than someone else? Just because of your skin color?? Um, that don’t make sense luv!!!! Just truly so fucking infuriating. America needs reformation-now. And it starts with removing the fucking racist piece of shit from office. Trump’s presence encourages racism. “Make American= Great Again”, make it great again for who? White supremacists. America was founded by immigrants. It was supposed to be a melting pot. I don’t want to see another racist white person harming a minority ever again. In reality I will probably see another incident on my timeline in a week!! I am just so fucking pissed off and sick to my stomach. Rest in peace to all those innocent people who are HUNTED. And to all those murderers-I hope you know you’re going to rot in hell.
Thank you to everyone who read and commented on my blog for its duration! For my last post, I’m going to answer some questions about my blog. I’m writing this as a page instead of a typical post because I think it’s more important for readers to see my opinions on my blog as it comes to an end.
What would you want to improve or include within your site?
I think my site could have been improved if there was a way I could have made each post more customized with different colors and fonts.
How could you have better promoted your content?
I was originally dreading posting blog updates on Twitter because I never tweet anything and I was scared of what people would think. As my blog progressed, I became more comfortable posting and began to write more right hook/attention grabbing captions. If I had been writing better captions since the beginning of the semester and included more hashtags, my content would have been promoted better and could have reached a more expansive audience.
What was your best experience of the semester-long project?
My best experience of the blog project was realizing that I had the ability to write different posts on a centralized topic; it allowed me to think creatively. Being able to write without a strict rubric like in an english class allowed me to improve my writing without feeling forced. I also really enjoyed reviewing a more prominent blog.
In what ways could the experience benefit you in the future?
I know the Public Relations major requires a plethora of writing oriented classes, so I am glad I was able to improve my writing now. My future job will (hopefully) revolve around or at least include writing as well.
Discuss how you might implement these tools professionally in the future.
Like we discussed in class, including a blog in my resume can make me stand out in comparison to others. Promoting my blog on social media also taught me about the importance of a company’s connection to social media.
My most popular blog post was “Major Decisions”. It brought in 30 views. I think it was the most popular because it was generalized and a lot of people have qualms about their major. Consequently, my most popular week was the one that included the post, March 16-March 22. I received 38 total views from 14 different visitors.
While viewing my Site Stats, I was surprised at the amount of people that had interacted with my blog in comparison to the amount of people that interacted with my promotional tweet. I wish there was a way I could see who is reading my posts because I’m curious to know why they are they are reading them and what they think. So, thank you to everyone who has read my posts, but who are you?
My most interacted with tweet was one of my more recent promotions. It had 79 total engagements, but the post only had about twelve views. Finally, I wanted to include a link to a more established blog that has posts similar to mine. http://www.mycollegeadvice.org/
I want to end my last blog post by once again thanking everyone who interacted with my blog via WordPress or Twitter. I hope you guys enjoyed my content!! 🙂
How has everyone been adjusting to life in quarantine? In this post I will take you through a day in my quarantine life and show how I stay on schedule and focused on school.
In one of my earliest blog posts I wrote about how I write a daily list of things I want to complete. I continue to do the same now. The list is usually comprised of only three or four assignments, but if I don’t stay focused it can take me hours to complete something that could have been done in twenty minutes. I begin every day writing my list and eating breakfast. I like having everything I need done by around dinnertime.
I have written this list but I will inevitably procrastinate!
My new way of starting every morning.
Even though most of my professor’s lectures are not mandatory or completely written out online now, I still try to attend every Zoom meeting and set up appointments to speak to them individually. My grades were good at the beginning of the semester and I don’t want this quarantine to cause them to slip. You can either utilize this time to boost your GPA, or treat it like an early summer and blow off the rest of your classes. Admittedly, there have been times where I turn in half assed assignments I probably would have worked harder on had I not been laying in my bed all day.
At Texas State, I had established a solid study/eat/workout/relax routine that has been demolished now that I am at home. It took time, but I’ve created a new routine that is not as rigid but still easy to follow. I essentially start the day by eating breakfast, watching a Zoom lecture or doing homework, finishing any assignments I’ve listed and ending the day by working out. While I would want nothing more than to stay on my couch all day, I try to run two or three miles every day or do an online workout just to stay active.
It’s easy to become unmotivated and let your grades slip because of switching to a remote learning setting. Formulating a routine and setting goals for yourself makes you feel accomplished and helps you remain driven. By completing all of the work I have during the first half of the day, I can relax for the remainder of the day and not have the thought of “I still have to complete this assignment” in the back of my head.
Moving back home for the semester has shown me how motivated I am about school. After having two weeks of spring break, going back to studying seemed difficult and honestly, unnecessary. I try to view the situation through a financial lens-I’m paying so much for school I should try as hard as I can. Hopefully, reading how I have been handling my days in quarantine can help someone going through the same thing. Remember, we are living through a pandemic, it’s okay to focus less on school.
P.S.-Please appreciate the makeshift pun in the title of this post because it took me like five minutes to come up with it!
I wanted to switch things up for the end of the semester by including some different voices in my blog. For this post, I interviewed some of my friends on their first year college experience.
Let’s meet the interviewees…
Mia Kauffman, freshman at Grinnell College
Elizabeth Mueller, freshman at Rhodes College
Bianca Escamilla, freshman at the University of Chicago
Laramie Acquart, freshman at the University of the Incarnate Word
Authentic documentation of me forcing Mia into answering my questionnaire.
What was your favorite class this semester?
M: Analytical and Organic Chemistry because I really liked my professor
E: Intermediate Painting
B: Language and the Human
L: English Composition II because it was the easiest college class I’ve taken so far
What is one piece of advice you would give to your past freshman self?
M: Be open for change, even if it seems scary.
E: Keep in touch with your friends from home.
B: Go to the library to study sooner, it’s more efficient than working in your dorm.
L: Do not buy all the food everyday.
What has been your favorite part about college?
M: Partying and making friends in a different state
E: Having the freedom to explore a new city (Memphis)
B: Being able to meet people from different parts of the country/world and forming close relationships with them
L: Not having school on Fridays because I can pick my own schedule
Tell me about the time you have been most stressed in college.
M: I had a track meet all day and I couldn’t do my homework. I should have planned my time out better.
E: I was most stressed during my second semester midterms-I was completely overwhelmed.
B: Every Calculus midterm and final, but especially my CALC152 final when I thought I would fail and was reassured I’d pass with the bare minimum after crying in front of my professor.
L: When I procrastinated on an essay and spent hours working on it the day it was due
Why did you pick your major/Have you changed your major?
M: I’m majoring in Chemistry because I like it and solving problems comes easy to me.
E: I’ve stuck with my double major of Art/Political Science because those are the two most important topics in my heart.
B: I am majorless; I am still figuring it out. I’m dipping my toes in different subjects to find which intrigue me the most.
L: I like Sports Management because it interests me and I can do a lot with it.
Opinion on morning classes?
M: I like them, but I’m a morning person.
E: I cannot function before 9 A.M.
B: I’d pick them over later ones. I had an 8:30 A.M. and that was horrible. I could do it again, but only if there were no other option.
L: I don’t mind early morning classes, we had them in high school so I don’t see it as an issue.
Opinion on evening classes?
M: I would never take a night class. I like getting everything done during the day.
E: I would rather not take them-I study at night.
B: I avoid them. Chicago is dangerous at night.
L: Late night classes suck.
Finally, what are you most looking forward to when we return to campus?
M: Moving away from my parents and being independent again
E: Reuniting with my friends and the equestrian team
B: Getting to see my friends again and hopefully picking out my major
L: Interacting with people other than my family and taking more classes geared towards my major
I hope these questions interested whoever is reading them. I remember I was immensely stressed my first semester because of adjusting to a college schedule, changing my major to completely different subjects and having to make new friends. If I had known my friends were also doubting their majors, it would have comforted me. It’s also relieving to know my friends have had their ups and downs in college. Everyone I interviewed was in the top 10% of our graduating class (a group I was most definitely not a part of) and I always held them on a pedestal and thought of them as academically indestructible. So while I do not like that they have experienced rough times in college, it is comforting to know that we are all on the same journey, despite attending schools across the country.
Lastly, I’m including a link to an article I found that I think could be beneficial to high school seniors and current college students.
P.S.- I hope everyone is staying safe and staying indoors during this time. Remember we are not only remaining in quarantine for our safety, but also for the safety of others.
Obviously, almost all colleges have disbanded for the remainder of the semester. While it may be easy to stay focused on the repercussions of this action, I have compiled a list of some positive effects of this quarantine.
Homemade Meals
Admittedly, I had begun to get tired of the same three vegetarian options offered at the food courts. Moving back into my home has allowed me to expand my palette a little more and eat what I want. It is also nice not having to walk out of my dorm and fill up my water bottle with a water fountain and being able to eat at any time.
Casual morning breakfast
Sleeping In
Sleeping in is the most enjoyable part about continuing the semester at home. I honestly cannot fathom waking up at 8:00 A.M. every Friday for my FDOM lab anymore. Nothing is better than waking up three minutes before your class starts and tuning into Zoom while remaining under the covers. While I do miss the traditional classroom setting, I have found I can still be productive and pay attention after just rolling out of bed.
Time Off
My class schedule this semester was pretty lenient, with my days ending at 3:00 P.M. at the latest. Nevertheless, I am amazed at how much free time I have at home now. My spare time has been spent tanning, binging shows and even reading books. Like most teenagers my age, reading seems a bit taboo and old-fashioned. I originally read solely because my Wi-Fi router was down. I have been reminded of the pleasure of reading a book about something you are interested in that is not forced upon you. So far, I have read “Black Skin, White Mask”, which is so incredible and eye-opening and “The Alchemist”, an equally engrossing novel. I enjoyed them so much I am going to include links to buy them because they were truly fantastic reads.
As someone who despises gyms with a passion, I am ecstatic to be working out in the comfort of my own home/neighborhood once again. Gone are my trepidatious gym thoughts of wondering what people think of me as I pedal on one of many ellipticals compacted in a uniform line. Now that I am home, I can run around my street or along trails instead of a treadmill. To make matters even better, I have my old running companion with me again, my dog.
Are you certain you want to major in Communications but uncertain which concentration to pursue? This post will highlight the similarities, differences and unique traits of each of the three most popular concentrations.
HEALTH COMMUNICATION
The Health Communication program revolves around informing students on how to communicate awareness and influence decisions on common public health issues. Texas State requires Health Communication students to take courses like Health Communication, Interpersonal Communication and Health Communication Campaigns.
Why is this concentration important? Health care issues affect millions of Americans each year. It is important to be able to effectively develop communication strategies that the average American and the media can understand. Consider the current Coronavirus pandemic. In order for the public to understand the Coronavirus, they need to be able to be given concise information that is easy to understand but still accentuates the gravity of the situation.
What makes this concentration stand out? Health Communication majors are able to apply communications and marketing theories to health issues, emphasize communication’s role in the health care industry and analyze health information.
Digital Media Innovation blends communication with STEM skills. Typically, Communications and STEM majors seem to have nothing in common and be completely different from each other, but the DMI degree seamlessly blends the two to allow students to solve potential problems that could appear in the budding technology media era. Necessary classes include Web Design and Publishing and Advanced Social Media and Analytics.
Why is this concentration important? Because it is rooted in technology, DMI is a rapidly growing career field as technology continues to evolve. There is a continuous, rising demand for digital content. Many companies need employees with technology communications skills to help with marketing, scientific data visualization and brand awareness.
What makes this concentration stand out? DMI has the most courses revolving around technology. Students learn about web design and programming. Despite the STEM coursework, students are still able to master interpersonal communication.
Public Relations circulates around how a company or individual is perceived by the public. In today’s world, where many consumers formulate opinions based on what they see online or through television, organizations rely heavily on having a good public image and having their statements released through a variety of platforms. Necessary classes include Public Relations Research, Public Relations Campaigns and Media Design.
Why is this concentration important? Good public image is imperative for companies to grow and build on marketing strategies. Students learn how to help promote brand credibility and can influence the public’s perception of an individual or company. PR campaigns increase brand recognition while asserting and increasing a positive image.
What makes this concentration unique? Public Relations requires more writing courses than other concentrations. With PR, all aspects of communication (e.g. interpersonal and mass communication) are utilized in the classroom and in the job field. Students learn how it is possible to create narratives and convince a huge audience to support their position or purchase their product. Additionally, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected 10 year job growth of PR is around 6%, making it a safe job choice for the future.
Are you still unsure of which concentration to choose? Laurie Fluker, the Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication and my MC1301 professor offered me these words of advice:
“My advice to freshmen would be to go to class everyday and get immersed in the field you think you might have an interest in. Join clubs and do things that would get you included in mass communication.”
This blog post will be a bit different than my previous posts-I will be reviewing another blog similar to mine entitled “My College Advice”. This blog was constructed by Katie Dwyer and features an abundance of articles circulating around (you guessed it) college.
Right from the start, “My College Advice” is very visually appealing. The website’s layout is similar to my own WordPress site, but definitely more advanced and intricate. The main page features Dwyer’s most popular articles; the bottom of the main page breaks off into different categories like “Study tips”, “Choosing a major” and “Grad School”. Each post on display includes a title, a summary of the article, and a picture. The combination of these three elements entice viewers and compels them to read the full posts.
Here’s an overview of Dwyer’s Blog:
While I am hesitant to compare my own posts to a more established blog, I see a lot of similarities between our posts and our overall content. I admire Dwyer’s elevated writing style and her ability to get to the point while still embellishing her posts with some details of her personal life. Her posts’ layout mirror my own, but she adds bolded and italicized fonts and different color lettering. This helps some of her main points stick out from the sea of sans serif text. We both even promote our blog posts on Twitter in an akin style.
Reading through “My College Advice” not only inspired future blog posts, but also inspired to me to take Dwyer’s advice directly. While the blog centers around college, Dwyer places small bits of encouragement throughout her posts that have more to do with self identity rather than campus life. I think that these tidbits personalize her blog and help her connect to her audience in a more intimate way. Each post is derived from the same basic layout, but her inclusion of different style fonts and pictures give each post their own identity and does not bore the viewer into clicking off her blog. Additionally, Dwyer features guest speakers onto her blog to cover more broad issues like sexual assault on campus or clubs in specific universities. This allows her blog to reach a more expansive audience, all while still connecting to the overall topic of college.
Dwyer’s blog was well organized, looked professional and catered to a broad audience. However, Dwyer’s actual writing and word choice sounded a bit dated. It was evident she had already graduated from college and matured. Her tone occasionally rubbed off as more of a mother giving her children advice rather than a fellow college student writing about their experiences. While “My College Advice” is meant to be a personal account, it often appears too personal, with Dwyer discussing information only relevant to the University of Oregon, the college she graduated from. It is her blog, and she has the freedom to write however she wants to, but I think if she generalized her content a bit more her blog could foster a larger crowd.
I am including a link to “My College Advice” and to Dwyer’s Twitter. I am confident that skimming through Dwyer’s posts can alleviate any budding questions someone may have about college. Be sure to check her out!
Throughout my time at Texas State, I have changed my major and minor five times; shifting from disciplines like Business to Political Science to finally settling into Public Relations. Even now, I am considering swapping my major and my minor in Public Policy. So, how did I fortify these decisions and figure out what areas of study suited me best?
I knew I wanted a major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication because one of my first semester professors, Rita Gomez, made her communications class enjoyable and showed the impact of interpersonal communication skills. Determining which major in the school proved to be a more difficult decision. The first thing I did to help me narrow down my major was make a pros and cons list of every major I was considering at the time.
Here is my makeshift list of potential majors.
After writing out my potential majors, I took a plethora of quizzes and analyses online to try to guide me in the right direction. Unfortunately, the end results for these examinations always came back as something I had zero interest in, like Criminal Justice or English, and were always different from each other. Taking these quizzes introduced me to a major I had not considered: Public Relations. By keeping an open mind when browsing through potential majors, you can find an area of study you did not previously give attention to.
Since Public Relations peaked my interest, I went to CatsWeb to see what classes were involved in Public Relations and look at the Degree Plan. The classes aligned with everything I was interested in; it was then when I realized Public Relations was the ideal major for me. Questions still ran through my head: What type of job can I get with this major? What is the projected job growth? Is this a “useless major” or a “blowoff major”?
To appease my qualms, I once again turned to the internet. This time, I watched countless YouTube videos all about Public Relations from current students, graduates and professors. Learning about the major from unique perspectives helped cover all of my concerns and ultimately solidified the confidence in my decision.
One unrelenting thought in the back of my mind was that Public Relations was an “easy major” that would not guarantee me a job following graduation. I internally cringe when I tell someone my major and they let me know how futile a major in Communications is. While Public Relations may not require as much science or math as other majors, I wholeheartedly believe it is still a significant major and graduates of this degree possess certain skills that are necessary and applicable to the work force. If Public Relations was a meaningless degree, it would not be an option at all. Don’t let what other people think about your major dictate your own feelings and opinions. If you are drawn to a certain degree and passionate about it, you should pursue it because that is ultimately what will make you feel fufilled.
In conclusion, when choosing your college major, research and exploration is essential. If you keep a narrow mind while browsing through possible majors, you can pass over your ideal major. While confirming a major can be intimidating, taking classes specified to your perspective major help guide you to decide if it is really a subject you want to pursue. Lastly, remember that it is okay to change your major and have doubts. Like I previously mentioned, I changed my major five times and each time I was certain that the major was perfect for me. College is a time for self growth and discovery, so just make a decision that you are confident in and truly interests you, regardless of what others think.
Studying. The official definition of studying is the “application of the mind to the acquisition of knowledge, as by reading, investigation, or reflection”, which I think explains the verb well. However, this definition is missing one word: draining. Even merely attending classes and listening to your professors can leave you mentally and physically exhausted, which was the main emotion I felt my first semester at Texas State.
Around the second or third month of college I realized I needed to make a change in my study habits. In high school it was easy for me to finish assignments and study because my friends were all doing the same work as me and we could collaborate together. My first semester became very difficult, very quickly when all of my assignments started piling on top of each other.
Like many other college freshman, I did not manage my time well, procrastinated and ended up extremely stressed out constantly. But, it is a new semester! This year is about being organized and doing the best we can! I have compiled a list of tips to help myself and readers on how to make the spring semester as stress-free as possible. I created the acronym C.R.E.A.M. (mainly because I was listening to that song while writing this) to illustrate the steps I am taking to appease my stress this semester.
C – CLASS ATTENDANCE
The first step to a stress-free school year is definitely attending class and taking notes. Additionally, I take notes by hand. Taking notes by hand is a great way to “study” without actually studying-you process what is being said and write it in your own terms. This helps you get a grip on the material early on and makes it easier to study from. Sometimes, teachers will even give you extra credit just for being in class on days with low attendance.
R- REGULATING YOUR TIME
During my first semester, I had two tests on the same day once and studying was catastrophic. I stayed in the library until 3 A.M. when I was asked to leave because it was closed for the night. I thought I had allotted enough time in my day to study for both of the tests-I was wrong. This semester I finally invested in a planner and has literally changed the way I operate. The “you need a planner” spiel is repetitive and I never took it seriously until college. When you write down and just acknowledge all of your assignments and due dates for the month, it helps to put things into perspective.
This is my planner for the month of February.
I have an online class with due dates occurring every couple of days. Without my planner I am certain I would have forgotten at least one assignment. Also, it is super therapeutic to cross out whenever you have finished an assignment. With a planner, you can brainstorm what days you need to study for assessments and see what work you can begin on days when you don’t have any homework due.
E – ESTABLISH A ROUTINE
Establishing a routine can be closely linked to regulating your time. I think of establishing a routine as a sort of muscle memory to how you plan your days. For example, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I wake up early to eat breakfast before my first class, and every Tuesday and Thursday I know the hour and a half gap between my last classes will be spent at a dining hall. When you add in auxiliary activities like club meetings and going to the gym, eventually it becomes easy to follow your routine and you learn how to take advantage of all the free time you have designated for yourself. Writing out everything you want to accomplish in a day motivates you to complete the tasks. For example, here is a sticky note I wrote for this Wednesday…
If you read the sticky note, you can see it is uber-detailed. I had to wake up earlier than usual to make my breakfast and to buy scantrons for my test. While it may seem trivial to write small tasks like that, planning it out beforehand just makes executing the tasks so much easier. I do not like the gym at all- I genuinely despise it. By writing it down, going to the gym seems less of an excusable choice and more of a concrete activity I have to complete. Overall, establishing a routine can help you destress because you form good habits that help your day run smoothly and allocating time to study can seem effortless.
A – ASAP
The most important thing I have learned about studying in college is to do it ASAP. As soon as I have all the information available for a test, I try to begin studying at least a little bit just to appease the inevitable late night cramming session I will have the day before the test. As I previously mentioned, I am taking an online class this semester. At the start of the semester, the professor released all of the assignments onto TRACS. One weekend I just sat down and completed all of them. That was one of the best decisions I have made. When I revisit my planner I see my online coursework intersecting with other quizzes I have and I am so relieved to just know that I don’t have to worry about them anymore.
Starting assignments early also allows you time to attend your professor’s office hours and ask for help or revisions. You don’t need to complete assignments weeks ahead; finishing work just one day early leaves you feeling relieved and lowkey proud of yourself!
M – MOOD
A key factor in how well you study is your environment. Some people thrive in loud, crowded places while others can only focus in the quiet floors of the Alkek. Discovering what type of environment you study best in is essential. Music is also a contributing factor to creating a stimulating mood for studying. Just like how people can vary in what environment they flourish in, people can also differ in what music helps them focus. Personally, I can only study when I’m listening to a playlist entitled “Intense Studying” by Spotify.
I hope everyone enjoyed this post! I really believe by instilling just one or two of these steps can really help destress you from the college workload.
The Bliss in Independence 