Immigrant Workers

The show, CSI, revolves around the solving of crimes in different parts of the United States. There are different versions such as CSI Miami and CSI NY, but all revolve around the same topic, crime scene investigation. I have noticed in a lot of the episodes, when they are trying to solve certain murders which have occured in restaurants, bars, or hotels there are usually immigrant workers present. These immigrant workers are either bus boys, strictly just clearing tables, working in the kitchen washing dishes and vegetables, or working as maids. The show is set to be made as realistic as possible, which keeps its ratings so high, and usually immigrants are seen doing those jobs in many different places all over the United States; working for minimum wage, usually behind doors or completely out of the way, performing manual labor. I do not hold anything against the show CSI, it is just going along with how society is today, just to make their show more believable.

The First Two Weeks

The first 2 weeks of college have been all about adjusting for me. I am actually having trouble with pinpointing certain strengths I have shown in this short period of time, but I am going to say that my effort and spirit towards learning new things, paying attention and taking in as much information as possible in class, and completing my assignments. Another strength for me would have to be my ability to adjust to a whole new environment, away from my parents, and being completely independent; I am not totally there yet, but I am continuing to work at it. I would say a weakness of mine would have to be time management, especially during the fall. Practices and games everyday of the week takes up a lot of time and also energy. I always complete all of my homework and study, but it does take a lot out of me, which makes me rely on multiple cups of coffee in the morning; but then again this is all about the college experience. I cannot wait to see what the rest of this year has in store for me. 

Learning Styles

I found it interesting that learning can be categorized in so many different styles. I have learned something new about myself, which is that depending on the subject I tend to do all different approaches to understand the material. It is almost a way of growing up. When I was younger, I would always look for different tricks or riddles to help me memorize and study for tests, which I still carry with me. My personal ways of learning are constantly changing, but one thing that remains constant is repetition. I know in order for me to really memorize and remember material, I need to read and reread and take notes over and over again. It needs to be a routine for me. In my book, learning is a marathon, not a race.

First Week of College

     After the first week of college, I have definitely realized that college and high school are two completely different planets. In high school, I was stuck inside of classrooms all day. In college, I have two classes a dat and am done for the day around 12. Just because the timing is different, the work load certainly did not get lighter. I love challenges, and I can tell that college is going to be one of those challenges.

     I feel as though college is about adjustments and adaptation. It is up to me to stay on top of my work, finish assignments, and study; it is about independence, finally growing up. In high school, I would have the same classes everyday, with a lot of the same people which I have known for many years. Now, being in a new environment with all different types of people, I have the chance to meet all different types of people and actually learn a little bit about myself; what I can accomplish and how far I am willing to go. Needless to say I am ecstatic and extremely excited to see what my future at Stockton holds, and I am going to try my best, use good judgement, and start thinking about the bigger picture...life.

How Do I Read?

     With me, reading either comes very naturally or I can sometimes struggle with a certain topics. I have come to notice this when I am in different surroundings. When I read, I like to be in a very relaxed environment, either in my room or even outside (when the weather is nice of course). Sometimes, I find it easier to listen to a little calming music, such as Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, and John Mayer.The perfect scenario for me would be summertime, on the beach, in a beach chair with my feet in the water reading a book. Of course, I cannot always get what I want, but this is the ideal setting for me.

    When reading a text book, I need to take notes to highlight the important sections of the book I may forget. I cannot just read something and always remember every important detail presented, so I need to go back and repeatedly reread certain points. I have a tendency to jot down different examples shown by the book and also make up my own, or compare them to life experiences to help me remember.

     I would say the key to reading with me would have to be relaxation. I cannot rush through reading, because otherwise I just go over words without actually taking in the story or information and understanding it.

What I Expect Of Myself

     What do I expect of myself my first year at Stockton? Well, ever since I can remember I have always set extremely high expectations for myself, especially in activities or required duties I am extremely passionate about or have motivation towards.
     From a motivational standpoint, athletics have always been a huge part of my life ever since my early years of t-ball at age 5. From t-ball, I have grown to love volleyball, basketball, and softball. For me, sports represent all different types emotions and feelings that I would not be able to live without; like the adrenaline, intensity, competition, victory, and accomplishment. I currently play volleyball at Stockton, so parts of my expectations have been fulfilled which was surviving preseason. My passion for sports I believe will never change, so I expect myself to continue to push myself towards a goal, and in this case it would be a constant positive attitude in practice and on the court, always 100% effort, and in the end working towards a victory.
     Apart from athletics, academics comes first. All throughout high school, all of my teachers have warned/scared me about the immense loads of school work there is in college. Well, I expect myself to manage my time and always study. The number one reason for college is to receive the best education possible, which is exactly what I expect myself to stick to and have that mindset all year.
     College is a life experience, so I expect myself to look at the whole picture and try to enjoy every minute.