Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
College Stuff
I recently found out that, if classes fall into the right places for winter and spring semesters, I could have my undergrad degrees by the end of summer. Scary.
3 more semesters?
I am looking over my transcript of what I need to do in order to graduate from Grand Valley State University, and it is looking like its a possibility that I may have three semesters left; Winter 2009, Fall 2009 and Winter 2010. There's still a possibility that I may have one or two odd classes to take (such as, if my advisor feels I need more electives, or if Spanish doesn't go well and I have to retake), or if there's a whole other section of needed classes that I'm not seeing.
Planning my career AND school?
I am in a unique life position.
Whereas most people take serious worry over their careers once they have graduated and have an established reputation, I am starting to wonder what I should do now, before I've graduated, before my name is well-known.
For the 2007-2008 academic year, I was a reporter and Web Design Editor for the Collegiate, the college newspaper serving Grand Rapids Community College. I won an award for my reporting from the Michigan Press Association. My work on CollegiateLive.com won first place awards from the MPA and the Michigan Community College Press Association.
During the summer, I sent out my resumes to a few media professionals. One group bit, interviewed me, and now I am completing an internship at the still-unnamed Media Group. (Blog manners say it is polite not to mention your present company. You can still figure it out.)
With one chapter in my life about to close, I'm trying to figure out what the next one will be about. I may talk to the people at the Lanthorn, the college newspaper serving Grand Valley State University, and seeing if they need any help in any capacity. (Having some background in photography, writing, web and limited graphic design, I am sure there's something I could do.)
Another option to explore, I feel, may come up during one of my winter classes. Among the classes I am slated to take is Broadcast News I, which the college describes as:
News writing for radio and television. Projects include writing and producing newscasts and interviews.
Production, in the TV sense of the term, is not something I have had really any experience with. That would be another nice tool to add to my skill set. Might I even work with the Grand Valley TV station?
Why not just kick back and enjoy a couple semesters of just school? Well, journalism jobs are not terribly abundant. Some jobs that exist are there because media companies fire the old fogies who don't want to adapt to new media, so they hire one new spunky kid to do 2-3 people's job. The appearance of jobs does not mean that everyone gets jobs. There are more graduates than available jobs. And I've been "scoping out" some competition, and the issue is not that I'm qualified - I definitely am, to toot my own horn - it is that other people are as qualified, if not more so.
To prove that I can be a worthy performer is more than just saying "I can" in a job interview. Everyone will say that to get a job. The interviewer doesn't know your true capacity. They are trying to. But people give lip service in interviews. To prove that you can do what you say you do, you need examples. Portfolio pieces. And current ones at that. I won't be able to use a piece that I wrote in May, 2008 for a job interview in Nov., 2019. That's five years old. It's dated. Old. Stale. (Not to mention media companies have no money, and will be having even less in the years ahead, so whoever they hire has to be worth it.)
By having an "easy semester," with only fifteen credits and my part-time job, I could be open to a gap in my resume and not many skills gained. Is it unfair? Maybe. College offers a lot of theoretics and analyzing, which is terrific, but there is often more talking than doing. And journalism is an industry about doing.
Hopefully, at the very least, the broadcasting class will allow an opportunity to do. And maybe I should start thinking about another internship in the summer.
Sharing my homework
It is not all that often I share my homework with other people. Especially when some parts are a little "messy." Nevertheless, this is "Web 2.0," the day and age of sharing. To that end, I here have my Nonverbal Communication class final project, presented to you in three 5-page Scribd documents for your enjoyment.
Final Part 1
Get your own at Scribd or explore others:
Final Part 2
Get your own at Scribd or explore others:
Final Part 3
Get your own at Scribd or explore others:
A living room
Here is some homework I will make public.
With no explanation.
Com135 Room
View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.
Quick update
I have started school this week. I am now a Grand Valley State University student. Their sports team is the Lakers, but, I think I will always be one of the Grand Rapids Community College Raiders at heart.
One interesting thing about GVSU is, I pay more money for less instruction. For every credit you take at GRCC, you get one hour of instruction. So a 3 credit class would meet for a total of 3 hours, every week. And the teachers don't like to get our early, because you paid for three hours/week, you should get your moneys worth for these three credits. Well, at GVSU, a 3 credit class meets for 2 and a half hours a week. I am not yet quite sure why this is. It's kind of nice, spending less time in class. (Which is the worst part of collegiate education, next to homework.) But it's an interesting shift, one that I'm not yet sure how to respond to.
I cut back on hours at Unnamed Family-Oriented Tourist-Trap Restaurant, to do an internship at Unnamed Media Organization. So I will be juggling a full credit load of classes, work hours, plus an internship. If I blog less this fall, you now know why.
In other news, the new television season starts up again very soon. I still have to figure out which shows I'll watch on the same night as they air, which shows I'll catch up on over the weekend, and which shows I'll save for summer. I am a little bit of a television nerd, so, this is a very important decision for me to make. Monumental, even.
That's the short and sweet of it. More posts to (hopefully) come later.
One interesting thing about GVSU is, I pay more money for less instruction. For every credit you take at GRCC, you get one hour of instruction. So a 3 credit class would meet for a total of 3 hours, every week. And the teachers don't like to get our early, because you paid for three hours/week, you should get your moneys worth for these three credits. Well, at GVSU, a 3 credit class meets for 2 and a half hours a week. I am not yet quite sure why this is. It's kind of nice, spending less time in class. (Which is the worst part of collegiate education, next to homework.) But it's an interesting shift, one that I'm not yet sure how to respond to.
I cut back on hours at Unnamed Family-Oriented Tourist-Trap Restaurant, to do an internship at Unnamed Media Organization. So I will be juggling a full credit load of classes, work hours, plus an internship. If I blog less this fall, you now know why.
In other news, the new television season starts up again very soon. I still have to figure out which shows I'll watch on the same night as they air, which shows I'll catch up on over the weekend, and which shows I'll save for summer. I am a little bit of a television nerd, so, this is a very important decision for me to make. Monumental, even.
That's the short and sweet of it. More posts to (hopefully) come later.
Resolution
I will now be a Communications major.
I still have to do the paperwork, but, this is what I have decided. Under this track, I should be able to finish school in two years. ("The best laid plans. . .") The Communications degree offers a few different areas of study (apart from the core classes), one of which is Journalism. So the classes I have already taken, and will take, will count towards this degree. And I can dip into some other areas, too, like Film / Video, Broadcasting, Photography, Theater, Advertising and Public Relations.
It may not be as "specific" as the Journalism degree (which is kind of broad enough as it is), but, it is still a degree. And it is one of those "trainable" degrees, like Psychology. Many employers will look for people with degrees in humanities, and then will train them for the specific tasks. They want to make sure that they can get someone who can relate to people well and interact well. I even heard of an accounting firm who was taking in people without finance degrees, with something like Psychology, and then training them for the tasks. They want a good person. So that is how I will also have to further market myself. As a nice person.
I will still take some "extra" Journalism classes, when I can. I still hope to work in media in some way, shape or form. I think I am drawn to that area. But a Journalism degree? In this day and age where most other professions require Master's and Doctorate degrees to be considered employable, the value of a Bachelor-level J-degree is still being debated. That is how incredibly awesome journalism is. It is not about education, it is about doing. If you can tell a factual and accurate story and tell it well, you are in. Just a degree alone will not necessarily get a foot in the door. And that's why I want to continue with those classes, so I can keep writing and keep having more and more recent writing samples.
The main difference between the Communications degree and the J-degree is that for Comm. majors, they have to do a Senior Project / Thesis. J-majors need an internship. So for my senior year, if I become a complete recluse while working on my thesis or special project, you'll know why.
So that is the status of my college career right now.
I still have to do the paperwork, but, this is what I have decided. Under this track, I should be able to finish school in two years. ("The best laid plans. . .") The Communications degree offers a few different areas of study (apart from the core classes), one of which is Journalism. So the classes I have already taken, and will take, will count towards this degree. And I can dip into some other areas, too, like Film / Video, Broadcasting, Photography, Theater, Advertising and Public Relations.
It may not be as "specific" as the Journalism degree (which is kind of broad enough as it is), but, it is still a degree. And it is one of those "trainable" degrees, like Psychology. Many employers will look for people with degrees in humanities, and then will train them for the specific tasks. They want to make sure that they can get someone who can relate to people well and interact well. I even heard of an accounting firm who was taking in people without finance degrees, with something like Psychology, and then training them for the tasks. They want a good person. So that is how I will also have to further market myself. As a nice person.
I will still take some "extra" Journalism classes, when I can. I still hope to work in media in some way, shape or form. I think I am drawn to that area. But a Journalism degree? In this day and age where most other professions require Master's and Doctorate degrees to be considered employable, the value of a Bachelor-level J-degree is still being debated. That is how incredibly awesome journalism is. It is not about education, it is about doing. If you can tell a factual and accurate story and tell it well, you are in. Just a degree alone will not necessarily get a foot in the door. And that's why I want to continue with those classes, so I can keep writing and keep having more and more recent writing samples.
The main difference between the Communications degree and the J-degree is that for Comm. majors, they have to do a Senior Project / Thesis. J-majors need an internship. So for my senior year, if I become a complete recluse while working on my thesis or special project, you'll know why.
So that is the status of my college career right now.
Complete and utter confusion
The following is Chuck breaking his promise not to vent about school anymore.
If you saw my Facebook status, you would know that I am still confused about school issues. I really should go talk to my counselor and get his take on my school education. You know that spreadsheet comparing the two degrees I am interested in? I shaded all the classes I will have completed by May, 2009, and guess what? One of the two degrees will only have five classes left to take. 5. Five. Cinco. Normal amount of fingers on a hand. THAT many. The other? 8. Or, depending on which track I take, 10.
My choice is between taking 5 more courses to satisfy requirements for one degree, or taking 10 more courses (these all being, of course, after this upcoming academic year) to satisfy another degree. The easier degree to obtain is Communications (of course), the less prestigious but still employable degree, whereas the tougher of the two is Journalism, which carries more weight around it, at least, in my opinion. But you need either one of the two degrees to get a job in media, so it does not matter so much in that regard. And a fair chunk of employers just care that you have a degree, and it does not matter what it is in. (Not all employers, but, a good amount are like that.)
And it still kind of does not matter since I need a lot more credits anyways to graduate from Grand Valley. I know why the University doesn't want me to just transfer in right away and get a degree from them shortly thereafter; they want to make sure that I have been educated for a good while according to "Grand Valley standards," and then I can be truly counted as a "Grand Valley Student." I get that. I really do. But it still stinks that I have to spend time taking courses, courses that don't even matter, to get my degree.
In the fall, I'm currently scheduled for 12 credits. In the winter, 16. (I know!) That makes for a total of 28 credits. (See my mad math skills at work there?) That leaves 30 credits left to qualify for graduation at GVSU. The remaining classes for the Communications degree fills up about half of that. Meaning I have a "wasted" semester. Which, I can fill up with Journalism classes, A/V production, cross-stitching, or what have you.
But then there's another terrible option. There aren't many sections available for the classes I'll have remaining in the second year. Which means if I can't sign up instantly, I may have to take extra classes and wait for another semester to get the classes I want. This would be horrible. The reason being I want to be done with school yesterday. I spent the summer applying to jobs I had no business applying to, hoping that I could become employed and then start my career, rather than finish getting my 'training' for it at college.
And then there's the finances.... !!!!
If I go for the Bachelor's in Communications, I can conceivably be in and out of the college in two years. Which is what I said about the community college, and I stayed there for three. Of course, then I started as a Photography major, so, being decisive about that degree is probably not my specialty.
If you saw my Facebook status, you would know that I am still confused about school issues. I really should go talk to my counselor and get his take on my school education. You know that spreadsheet comparing the two degrees I am interested in? I shaded all the classes I will have completed by May, 2009, and guess what? One of the two degrees will only have five classes left to take. 5. Five. Cinco. Normal amount of fingers on a hand. THAT many. The other? 8. Or, depending on which track I take, 10.
My choice is between taking 5 more courses to satisfy requirements for one degree, or taking 10 more courses (these all being, of course, after this upcoming academic year) to satisfy another degree. The easier degree to obtain is Communications (of course), the less prestigious but still employable degree, whereas the tougher of the two is Journalism, which carries more weight around it, at least, in my opinion. But you need either one of the two degrees to get a job in media, so it does not matter so much in that regard. And a fair chunk of employers just care that you have a degree, and it does not matter what it is in. (Not all employers, but, a good amount are like that.)
And it still kind of does not matter since I need a lot more credits anyways to graduate from Grand Valley. I know why the University doesn't want me to just transfer in right away and get a degree from them shortly thereafter; they want to make sure that I have been educated for a good while according to "Grand Valley standards," and then I can be truly counted as a "Grand Valley Student." I get that. I really do. But it still stinks that I have to spend time taking courses, courses that don't even matter, to get my degree.
In the fall, I'm currently scheduled for 12 credits. In the winter, 16. (I know!) That makes for a total of 28 credits. (See my mad math skills at work there?) That leaves 30 credits left to qualify for graduation at GVSU. The remaining classes for the Communications degree fills up about half of that. Meaning I have a "wasted" semester. Which, I can fill up with Journalism classes, A/V production, cross-stitching, or what have you.
But then there's another terrible option. There aren't many sections available for the classes I'll have remaining in the second year. Which means if I can't sign up instantly, I may have to take extra classes and wait for another semester to get the classes I want. This would be horrible. The reason being I want to be done with school yesterday. I spent the summer applying to jobs I had no business applying to, hoping that I could become employed and then start my career, rather than finish getting my 'training' for it at college.
And then there's the finances.... !!!!
If I go for the Bachelor's in Communications, I can conceivably be in and out of the college in two years. Which is what I said about the community college, and I stayed there for three. Of course, then I started as a Photography major, so, being decisive about that degree is probably not my specialty.
5 years
I have now officially been working for Family Dining Tourist Destination Restaurant for five years. And while blog manners say it is polite not to mention the name of your employer on your own blog, I will say that it has been a good five years. And considering how many unwanted credits I will still have to take as part of my college education, I will probably be there for a little while longer until I can get my Bachelor's degree.
Speaking of which, the classes I will have this year will make a dent towards getting an overall degree, but not many classes relating to my major, which is a bummer. That is just as well, as it gives me more wiggle room to decide if I want to major in Journalism or in Communications. The difference in classes can be seen below... but you need some explanation.
Classes in GREEN are completed. Classes in BLUE are ones I completed at GRCC. And for the Journalism degree, I must decided between A or B, not take them both.
As you can see, for either degree, it would not take terribly long to "eat up" the requirements. I would then have all the training needed for my particular craft. But would I have those 58 credits needed to graduate? No. So I need to "waste" time to get those credits, so I can graduate. (Seriously, the GVSU handbook says that "A minimum of 58 semester hours must be earned at a senior institution.") And the last 30 hours must be a GVSU, which, that's fair. But I want to start a job, start a career. I don't want to stay and pay the college money when it's not needed.
Sorry to rant on you like this. You come here to the blog for my take on journalism and entertainment, among other things, and I give you documents, college data and nonsensical rants. But I wanted to get it out there in a public forum. And I needed a blog post for today.
Mission accomplished.
Speaking of which, the classes I will have this year will make a dent towards getting an overall degree, but not many classes relating to my major, which is a bummer. That is just as well, as it gives me more wiggle room to decide if I want to major in Journalism or in Communications. The difference in classes can be seen below... but you need some explanation.
Classes in GREEN are completed. Classes in BLUE are ones I completed at GRCC. And for the Journalism degree, I must decided between A or B, not take them both.
As you can see, for either degree, it would not take terribly long to "eat up" the requirements. I would then have all the training needed for my particular craft. But would I have those 58 credits needed to graduate? No. So I need to "waste" time to get those credits, so I can graduate. (Seriously, the GVSU handbook says that "A minimum of 58 semester hours must be earned at a senior institution.") And the last 30 hours must be a GVSU, which, that's fair. But I want to start a job, start a career. I don't want to stay and pay the college money when it's not needed.
Sorry to rant on you like this. You come here to the blog for my take on journalism and entertainment, among other things, and I give you documents, college data and nonsensical rants. But I wanted to get it out there in a public forum. And I needed a blog post for today.
Mission accomplished.
Financial deadlines
Paying for college is stressful. Especially when it may involve taking out loans in order to pay for the education.
It is looking like, financially, I'll have to take out loans to pay for my continued education on my quest to get a Bachelor's degree in something relevant to media. Journalism is my primary degree, but I may switch to Communications, since most job applications I look at will take both, and I think I might prefer Grand Valley State University's Communications program better. (Both degrees are under the same house, so there is plenty of overlap between the two degrees.)
Would that loan be worth it? I think it probably would. Getting another degree, in theory, can only help. But in a career where portfolios, not degrees, are king, it almost is not worth it. Most companies are looking for experience and knowledge, not whether or not you have a Bachelor's. (Thankfully, at this point in time, Masters degrees are not required, except to teach!) So taking the loan would be worth it, in so much that I would be continuing my education and getting a degree. But without a great, current portfolio, the degree is completely worthless.
Plus, student loans are a pain to pay back. And I only have about two weeks to decide before I lose the option of getting that aid money. Is not life terrific?
It is looking like, financially, I'll have to take out loans to pay for my continued education on my quest to get a Bachelor's degree in something relevant to media. Journalism is my primary degree, but I may switch to Communications, since most job applications I look at will take both, and I think I might prefer Grand Valley State University's Communications program better. (Both degrees are under the same house, so there is plenty of overlap between the two degrees.)
Would that loan be worth it? I think it probably would. Getting another degree, in theory, can only help. But in a career where portfolios, not degrees, are king, it almost is not worth it. Most companies are looking for experience and knowledge, not whether or not you have a Bachelor's. (Thankfully, at this point in time, Masters degrees are not required, except to teach!) So taking the loan would be worth it, in so much that I would be continuing my education and getting a degree. But without a great, current portfolio, the degree is completely worthless.
Plus, student loans are a pain to pay back. And I only have about two weeks to decide before I lose the option of getting that aid money. Is not life terrific?
Just some more random thoughts
- I saw the new Indiana Jones movie. I enjoyed most of the movie, but not the movie as a whole, if that makes sense to you. The ending really was stupid. It was a great ride, right up until they entered the room. And even though they were only in for about twenty seconds, this movie has single-handedly killed the monkey. The monkey will no longer be popular for at least a year, guaranteed. Also, drop out of school IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE SPOILER WARNING.
- I am considering adding more computer classes to my expensive college education. I'm also thinking that there might be more for me, creatively, as a producer, rather than just a "normal" journalist. But it's the beginning of the week. Talk to me about my career plans on Saturday.
-M.J. moved on Friday. I was scheduled to work 11-8 that day. But I decided it would be a nice surprise for me to take night off and then come and help finish moving him into the apartment. Except when I got home, he was already moved in. So I spent that night tearing up his old carpet. True story.
- Maybe I need to empty my cache or something, but YouTube has been acting really slow for me lately. All other online video players (the less popular ones) work absolutely fine.
- I will get my own room in just a couple of days.
- Let's talk school again. You know how many students you talk to go through a phase in their life where they go, I hate school I just want to get out into the workforce and become, like, a member of society, like, you know? I'm kind of in that phase right now. I've applied to more jobs than I could ever remember. Jobs I'm not exactly qualified for, either. But it feels good to apply. Really good. It's a sense of accomplishment all on it's own. I wish I could get a job where I just applied for jobs, for me, every day. And I would rarely get hired. I would just apply for any job posted onto the internet. I would love that.
- I've hit a snag with one of my fiction projects. (You know, the ones I just plan, but never write?) I want to encompass lots of my church experiences into a single story. And at first I thought about a group of friends who would visit three or four churches, and then just talk about them over dinner. Nice, simple, understated. But then I began to worry that the characters I had might be too compelling that they take away from all the church stuff. So then I cut it down to one man, but now it's really lonely. And I'm not comfortable with just two or three people, at least, not any characters I've created yet.
- Did I mention some of the jobs I've applied to are out of state? I have no clue financially what I'd do if I got offered a job, but I'd be grateful for the opportunity. Especially if I got a job in the Village in NYC, or in Ojai, CA. The Ohio job would be closer to home, though, so I could visit on holidays.
- I've been playing tennis and bowling every week this year. I'm not very good at either - tennis especially, but it is a lot of fun.
- I am considering adding more computer classes to my expensive college education. I'm also thinking that there might be more for me, creatively, as a producer, rather than just a "normal" journalist. But it's the beginning of the week. Talk to me about my career plans on Saturday.
-M.J. moved on Friday. I was scheduled to work 11-8 that day. But I decided it would be a nice surprise for me to take night off and then come and help finish moving him into the apartment. Except when I got home, he was already moved in. So I spent that night tearing up his old carpet. True story.
- Maybe I need to empty my cache or something, but YouTube has been acting really slow for me lately. All other online video players (the less popular ones) work absolutely fine.
- I will get my own room in just a couple of days.
- Let's talk school again. You know how many students you talk to go through a phase in their life where they go, I hate school I just want to get out into the workforce and become, like, a member of society, like, you know? I'm kind of in that phase right now. I've applied to more jobs than I could ever remember. Jobs I'm not exactly qualified for, either. But it feels good to apply. Really good. It's a sense of accomplishment all on it's own. I wish I could get a job where I just applied for jobs, for me, every day. And I would rarely get hired. I would just apply for any job posted onto the internet. I would love that.
- I've hit a snag with one of my fiction projects. (You know, the ones I just plan, but never write?) I want to encompass lots of my church experiences into a single story. And at first I thought about a group of friends who would visit three or four churches, and then just talk about them over dinner. Nice, simple, understated. But then I began to worry that the characters I had might be too compelling that they take away from all the church stuff. So then I cut it down to one man, but now it's really lonely. And I'm not comfortable with just two or three people, at least, not any characters I've created yet.
- Did I mention some of the jobs I've applied to are out of state? I have no clue financially what I'd do if I got offered a job, but I'd be grateful for the opportunity. Especially if I got a job in the Village in NYC, or in Ojai, CA. The Ohio job would be closer to home, though, so I could visit on holidays.
- I've been playing tennis and bowling every week this year. I'm not very good at either - tennis especially, but it is a lot of fun.
Starting Fresh
Isn't it funny how technology can change and rule our lives? Almost as if we were a slave to it? I had gone a few months without my own computer, instead relying on the school-issued laptop I had, to do school-related work on. That worked fine for a long time. But now I have to give the laptop back and I needed a computer to call my own.To that end, I got this new desktop, seen on the right. It has a CD/DVD burner, Windows Vista Premium, memory card readers, and a bunch of other stuff that I don't exactly know what it is, or does, but I know it's really good. At least, it is a LOT better than my old computer, at any rate. I can watch HD video online now with this computer, which I could not on the old system. And now that I do most of my TV watching online, that makes me really happy.
One thing I have decided though is I am NOT going to import my bookmarks. I am going to start completely fresh. If I don't miss the site, I probably don't need to go it anyways. And if I do, I'll come across it somewhere and add it in again then. I had FOLDERS of sites that I never visited... I don't need that. So with this new computer, I'm giving my bookmarks a "fresh start," to begin with only my essentials, then build on it from there on out.
I just might make it after all
On May 2, I am slated to attend commencement at Grand Rapids Community College. I will be graduating with my Associate in Arts, and will be transferring to Grand Valley State University. What is weird is that now lots of my general education credits/liberal arts credits are done, and now it's more of a focus on career-related courses. Then after that, it's the rest of my life.
I have been looking at job openings off and on, just to see if I'm "qualified." For lots of jobs, after I get the training at GVSU, it looks like I will be qualified for many jobs across the nation. (Keyword: "looks")
The oddest part about that for me is that media jobs are very scarce (crappy pay, too) across the nation. So I'll take one whenever and wherever I can get it. Meaning three years from now, I have no clue where I'll be living! Philadelphia? Topeka? St. Paul/Minnesota? (Where I can turn the world on with a smile?) Mel's Diner? Who knows?
Three years. Wow. I'll probably have re-decorated and re-named this blog a couple times by then!
I have been looking at job openings off and on, just to see if I'm "qualified." For lots of jobs, after I get the training at GVSU, it looks like I will be qualified for many jobs across the nation. (Keyword: "looks")
The oddest part about that for me is that media jobs are very scarce (crappy pay, too) across the nation. So I'll take one whenever and wherever I can get it. Meaning three years from now, I have no clue where I'll be living! Philadelphia? Topeka? St. Paul/Minnesota? (Where I can turn the world on with a smile?) Mel's Diner? Who knows?
Three years. Wow. I'll probably have re-decorated and re-named this blog a couple times by then!
View from a Balcony
(Do you see the Chrysler Building in the background?)This is the view from the hotel room we wound up staying at on our last day in Manhattan. I wished I could have shared that view with everyone. So now I am. If only you could feel how steep it felt to look down. None of us were comfortable doing that, even those who are fine with heights. Strange.
*I forgot to pack any sort of hair styling product for the trip. Hence my daring hairstyle, or combinations thereof.
I know I've neglected this site...
... But that doesn't mean it's going to change anytime soon. I've been busy as the Web Design Editor for the college newspaper. My other classes have been keeping me busy. And I took a class trip to Manhattan. YEEESSSSS.... it was fun.
New blogs!
I am pleased to announce that we are getting the Collegiate blogs off the ground. You can find a complete list of them here. I am helping to write the TV blog and the movie blog. Check those out, check them often, and check others, too. It is pretty exciting, and I will be posting there a lot more than I am here currently.
Adjusting
The new semester began at Grand Rapids Community College. I am once again working on The Collegiate, this time having the official title of Web Design Editor. (I'm an editor!!) I am also taking other classes which I hope are not too intense, because I hope I can just pour my heart and soul into the paper. (Well, parts of them, at any rate.)
One of the ways I will be doing that is by writing a TV blog for the web site. More on that when it launches.
My desktop computer died. I am without all of my music. John was able to get me some of my music from his computer, and I have what is on my MP3 player. But that new James Dooley music? It's in a hard drive that I cannot access right now. I am very sad. (I will access it later, when I get a new desktop in a couple of months.)
One thing about losing all my documents is losing all my documents. I had some word files set up for random things; assorted fiction (both good and kind of really bad), rants and raves that I did not necessarily want to post but am saving for a great tell-all-book, and other miscellaneous files.
I am using a laptop right now (it is the property of GRCC, for school work). Thank goodness I can hook my mouse up to it; the laptop mouse structure is not ideal. (Ctrl + button = right click? How inconvenient!)
I like the fall semester better than winter. I have had a full summer off, am recharged and ready to take on something new. The weather is nice and rejuvenating every day. With the winter semester, I get a couple of weeks off, but thanks to Michigan winters, it comes with gray, cold days. There is approximately four hours of sunshine between December and March. If anyone wonders why the West Michigan community is so cranky, it is because we have all developed S.A.D. The snow is pretty for about three hours after it falls, then the beauty fades away and it becomes an eyesore. Luckily for people who like snow, we tend to still have about two feet around April.
January is not even halfway done and I have heard that some stores have begun putting their spring clothes out already. If you want an ugly bright pastel polo to wear during a February blizzard, you are in luck.
My harder classes have also tended to be in the winter. Or, classes that I did not much care for, compared to other classes. (Philosophy, algebra, Spanish, biology, among a few others) This year I am taking Journalism II, Intro to Acting, Survey of Mass Media and Interpersonal Communications. We will see if I actually like this semester or if I will be a walking mass of self pity for the next sixteen weeks. (Perhaps both, actually.)
I wonder if a year at a community college newspaper is enough experience to apply for an internship?
American Idol starts again this week. I cannot wait. Without 24 or Heroes on this season, I need a show that I watch obsessively but absolutely hate every week.
Cloverfield comes out this upcoming weekend. It is about a monster that attacks New York City. It has been hyped to death, almost to Snakes on a Plane-levels of insanity. I am SO there opening weekend.
But, remember, online hype does not translate into real-world blockbuster results. See, Snakes on a Plane, Howard Dean's 2004 primary push. (I'd make a comment about this year's crop, but we haven't even gotten through Super Tuesday, so such a comment would be unfair to Fred Thompson. Or Ron Paul. Or Mike Gravel, whose YouTube video I adore so much. If only 13-year-olds who eat up viral videos could vote!)
I think it would be funny to come up with a movie script about shopping for a new church. (That is one of the documents I cannot access right now.) I have enough experiences personally visiting different churches, I'm sure others can add a lot. I would love to include a church that plays The Old Rugged Cross every single week, a hip mega church, an old stuffy church and a charismatic church. The contrasts would be terrific. And the main characters would be well-versed in fast talk - think Gilmore Girls going church shopping! It would be funny. (Do not worry... ultimately the script is mushy enough were all churches have redeeming qualities - even if I think one or two do not, as happens to be my opinion in real life - so as to not condemn the church universal.)
I now get the FOX Business Network through my QAM tuner. (Thanks for not encrypting the channel! I heart you, channel provider.) I now also get the Outdoor network, which is ten times worse than you think it could be.
I am becoming addicted to Sell This House on A&E. I love the fact that the show itself seems to be low budget, so many room innovations wind up being +/- $100, which would be closer to what would be fiscally prudent! (Here's looking at you, Trading Spaces.) However, what kind of stupid are the (probably staged) open house shoppers? If you do not like the color of the walls, paint them! The clutter, et al, will be gone when you move in. Look at the room itself, the space, and what YOU can do with it! Not just what is being done now.
I think that's about it for now.
One of the ways I will be doing that is by writing a TV blog for the web site. More on that when it launches.
My desktop computer died. I am without all of my music. John was able to get me some of my music from his computer, and I have what is on my MP3 player. But that new James Dooley music? It's in a hard drive that I cannot access right now. I am very sad. (I will access it later, when I get a new desktop in a couple of months.)
One thing about losing all my documents is losing all my documents. I had some word files set up for random things; assorted fiction (both good and kind of really bad), rants and raves that I did not necessarily want to post but am saving for a great tell-all-book, and other miscellaneous files.
I am using a laptop right now (it is the property of GRCC, for school work). Thank goodness I can hook my mouse up to it; the laptop mouse structure is not ideal. (Ctrl + button = right click? How inconvenient!)
I like the fall semester better than winter. I have had a full summer off, am recharged and ready to take on something new. The weather is nice and rejuvenating every day. With the winter semester, I get a couple of weeks off, but thanks to Michigan winters, it comes with gray, cold days. There is approximately four hours of sunshine between December and March. If anyone wonders why the West Michigan community is so cranky, it is because we have all developed S.A.D. The snow is pretty for about three hours after it falls, then the beauty fades away and it becomes an eyesore. Luckily for people who like snow, we tend to still have about two feet around April.
January is not even halfway done and I have heard that some stores have begun putting their spring clothes out already. If you want an ugly bright pastel polo to wear during a February blizzard, you are in luck.
My harder classes have also tended to be in the winter. Or, classes that I did not much care for, compared to other classes. (Philosophy, algebra, Spanish, biology, among a few others) This year I am taking Journalism II, Intro to Acting, Survey of Mass Media and Interpersonal Communications. We will see if I actually like this semester or if I will be a walking mass of self pity for the next sixteen weeks. (Perhaps both, actually.)
I wonder if a year at a community college newspaper is enough experience to apply for an internship?
American Idol starts again this week. I cannot wait. Without 24 or Heroes on this season, I need a show that I watch obsessively but absolutely hate every week.
Cloverfield comes out this upcoming weekend. It is about a monster that attacks New York City. It has been hyped to death, almost to Snakes on a Plane-levels of insanity. I am SO there opening weekend.
But, remember, online hype does not translate into real-world blockbuster results. See, Snakes on a Plane, Howard Dean's 2004 primary push. (I'd make a comment about this year's crop, but we haven't even gotten through Super Tuesday, so such a comment would be unfair to Fred Thompson. Or Ron Paul. Or Mike Gravel, whose YouTube video I adore so much. If only 13-year-olds who eat up viral videos could vote!)
I think it would be funny to come up with a movie script about shopping for a new church. (That is one of the documents I cannot access right now.) I have enough experiences personally visiting different churches, I'm sure others can add a lot. I would love to include a church that plays The Old Rugged Cross every single week, a hip mega church, an old stuffy church and a charismatic church. The contrasts would be terrific. And the main characters would be well-versed in fast talk - think Gilmore Girls going church shopping! It would be funny. (Do not worry... ultimately the script is mushy enough were all churches have redeeming qualities - even if I think one or two do not, as happens to be my opinion in real life - so as to not condemn the church universal.)
I now get the FOX Business Network through my QAM tuner. (Thanks for not encrypting the channel! I heart you, channel provider.) I now also get the Outdoor network, which is ten times worse than you think it could be.
I am becoming addicted to Sell This House on A&E. I love the fact that the show itself seems to be low budget, so many room innovations wind up being +/- $100, which would be closer to what would be fiscally prudent! (Here's looking at you, Trading Spaces.) However, what kind of stupid are the (probably staged) open house shoppers? If you do not like the color of the walls, paint them! The clutter, et al, will be gone when you move in. Look at the room itself, the space, and what YOU can do with it! Not just what is being done now.
I think that's about it for now.
Spanish 3: On Hold
I've decided to wait on taking Spanish 3 in college, in part to see if I can actually pass Spanish 2, but also because it sounds like it would be worth my time to take it at GVSU as opposed to GRCC. (Unless they change their program up by next fall, S3 at GVSU covers a few of the same chapters as S2 at 'CC.)
Isn't it funny how I talk about going to GVSU before I've been officially accepted?
However, that important, stress-relieving maneuver threw off my long-planned winter semester schedule. So I sat down with the course catalog and figured out what class to take in it's place. I considered Advertising, since that class would probably look pretty good on a college transcript. But, all of my classes look good on a transcript! Also, that didn't sound like a whole lot of fun, especially when I could be taking an Introduction to Acting class! Yes, bored readers, I am planning on taking an acting class.
Why am I taking the class, when I'm not even planning on going into acting? For starters, it'd be a fun class to take and I'd learn more about the craft. It would also follow up in some ways on my public speaking class, having to perform in front of people. (It looks like it will not be requiring me to perform in the GRCC plays... those are different classes.) Acting is communication, it's about conveying thoughts and feelings, not just through words and tone of voice, but also through facial expressions as well. And as such, this class will actually transfer into my Communications degree. So part of the reason I'll be (hopefully) earning a Bachelor's of Communications will be because I learned about acting for a semester.
In other news, my first news story made the front page of The Collegiate. Photos to come at a later point.
Isn't it funny how I talk about going to GVSU before I've been officially accepted?
However, that important, stress-relieving maneuver threw off my long-planned winter semester schedule. So I sat down with the course catalog and figured out what class to take in it's place. I considered Advertising, since that class would probably look pretty good on a college transcript. But, all of my classes look good on a transcript! Also, that didn't sound like a whole lot of fun, especially when I could be taking an Introduction to Acting class! Yes, bored readers, I am planning on taking an acting class.
Why am I taking the class, when I'm not even planning on going into acting? For starters, it'd be a fun class to take and I'd learn more about the craft. It would also follow up in some ways on my public speaking class, having to perform in front of people. (It looks like it will not be requiring me to perform in the GRCC plays... those are different classes.) Acting is communication, it's about conveying thoughts and feelings, not just through words and tone of voice, but also through facial expressions as well. And as such, this class will actually transfer into my Communications degree. So part of the reason I'll be (hopefully) earning a Bachelor's of Communications will be because I learned about acting for a semester.
In other news, my first news story made the front page of The Collegiate. Photos to come at a later point.
School: Week One
I completely forgot to set up an appointment with a counsellor. My grand transfer plans are already off to a terrific start. School should be kind of okay this semester. (I'll be able to better judge that next week when my Spanish II class starts up.) One of my classmates from Public Speaking is in Journalism, so it's been fun to catch up with that person again.
Cultural Anthropology might be a interesting class, but it might also be a little boring at 9:30. I am a little sad because the teacher pointed out that Anthropology is a science, howbeit the most "humane" of the bunch. (And by extension, it is the most scientific of the humanities.) I do not like some classes being called science classes. Child Psychology was a social studies class, not a science class. General Psychology was a social studies class, not a science class. Biology 101? THAT's a science class. I don't care what thousands of respected anthropologists may say, cultural anthropology is a humanity and only a humanity.
Is it right if my Moral Choices class cheats me out of my money by getting out an hour and a half early? I think so, because I get to go home sooner. (It was the first week anyways and we'd gone through the main points of the chapter.)
The Collegiate office, the student newspaper, has a coffee maker, mini-fridge and a microwave in it. The students can also get into the classroom to work on the computers to work on their stories at anytime. (There are about nine computers in there, all Macs.) It's quite the office!
Finally, GRCC spent the summer renovating the first floor ofNorth Cook Building. It has gone from a dreary, impersonal feel to a very modern, inviting space. It is very "Grand Rapids," with shades of green and orange and stylish glass paneling surrounding classrooms. It looks very impressive, almost as if GRCC wanted to out-do GVSU for stylish-ness. I might snap pictures in the future, because if I describe it as "feeling like a TV set like 24," I'm just not sure it'd really capture what it actually feels like. (I may also be over-selling it a bit.)
Cultural Anthropology might be a interesting class, but it might also be a little boring at 9:30. I am a little sad because the teacher pointed out that Anthropology is a science, howbeit the most "humane" of the bunch. (And by extension, it is the most scientific of the humanities.) I do not like some classes being called science classes. Child Psychology was a social studies class, not a science class. General Psychology was a social studies class, not a science class. Biology 101? THAT's a science class. I don't care what thousands of respected anthropologists may say, cultural anthropology is a humanity and only a humanity.
Is it right if my Moral Choices class cheats me out of my money by getting out an hour and a half early? I think so, because I get to go home sooner. (It was the first week anyways and we'd gone through the main points of the chapter.)
The Collegiate office, the student newspaper, has a coffee maker, mini-fridge and a microwave in it. The students can also get into the classroom to work on the computers to work on their stories at anytime. (There are about nine computers in there, all Macs.) It's quite the office!
Finally, GRCC spent the summer renovating the first floor of
Transfering, Part 1 of 100
I'm going to make an effort to blog more about school this year. And part of that will include what all I have to do to transfer over to Grand Valley State University for next fall. (I'll be needing to get that ball rolling soon, believe it or not.) So for my own amusement I made up a list of what GRCC classes I took transfer over as what GVSU classes. Did you know one 200-level class at GRCC transfers as a 300-level class for GVSU? Or that COM 135 at GRCC is COM 301 at GVSU? It's completely true!
I've also been going through the GVSU course catalogs again and am figuring out my road map for my twin B.A. degrees in Journalism and General Communications. Not counting electives or all the other non-degree classes, I would just have nine classes to get my Communications degree. So if school gets too much for me, it wouldn't take too much longer to just get a Comm. degree and get out. (Now, what I could do with just a communications degree is another question!)
I'll be setting up an appointment with a GRCC advisor soon to discuss when I should apply, send over transcripts, financial aid info and all of that jazz. I figure that, taking 15 or so credits a semester when I go to GVSU, I can spend just two years there. (Maybe two and a half, which would make for five and a half years in college total - for my undergraduate degrees.) I have not calculated what it would be if I just got the journalism degree, maybe just a semester shorter, to be honest.
More (hopefully clear and cohesive) details in the future...
I've also been going through the GVSU course catalogs again and am figuring out my road map for my twin B.A. degrees in Journalism and General Communications. Not counting electives or all the other non-degree classes, I would just have nine classes to get my Communications degree. So if school gets too much for me, it wouldn't take too much longer to just get a Comm. degree and get out. (Now, what I could do with just a communications degree is another question!)
I'll be setting up an appointment with a GRCC advisor soon to discuss when I should apply, send over transcripts, financial aid info and all of that jazz. I figure that, taking 15 or so credits a semester when I go to GVSU, I can spend just two years there. (Maybe two and a half, which would make for five and a half years in college total - for my undergraduate degrees.) I have not calculated what it would be if I just got the journalism degree, maybe just a semester shorter, to be honest.
More (hopefully clear and cohesive) details in the future...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
