Syd's Thoughts

One of the articles I read was 11 Ways Unsuccessful People Mismanage Their Time by Aine Cain.  The biggest advice that I took from the website was that I need to utilize my weekends. I typically am lazy on the weekends and do not do much because I think of it as a rest time, but if I just do a few things on the weekends it will lessen my workload over the next week. The other article I read was 3 Steps to Recapture Time by Joynicole Martinez. The best advice from this article was how to say no. I have always had issues with telling my friends no when they want to do something so I definitely needed to hear this. I think the biggest challenge for me this semester is going to be finding a balance for all of my classes because I am taking Biology, Spanish 5, and Abnormal Psychology along with this class and a couple others. My best time management strategy is that I write EVERYTHING down in my planner. Each thing is color coordinated too so I know exactly what I need to do for each clas

 I actually was familiar with most of these technology tools because I took a computer class here at OU. I did take time to actually go over most of these tools again so that I am very familiar with them all. All of my classes have only been through canvas, but I have already bookmarked the home page of this class so that I can easily find it. I don't really have any tips for others because I am not super tech savvy, but being organized is the best advice that I can give.  Image from Universal Rights Group

 I think the assignment that I am most excited about is the class project. I think it will be super fun to come up with my own version of a short story! I already have several ideas for what I want my story to be about, but I will not spoil the surprise by telling you yet! I also can't wait to see what my other classmates come up with for their projects!  This class is unlike any other class I have had while at OU, and honestly I really think I like the way it is set up. This class is not the traditional way of teaching, but I think that more students will benefit and enjoy the class this way!  My favorite extra credit option for this class is the Famous Last Words. I actually keep a diary at home, so I like having the option to self-reflect on everything from the past week. This gives me a change to vent if something irritated me, or to think about what I could do better for the next week. I also like the Wikipedia Trail assignment. My English professor called this "going dow

Listening to Carol Dweck's perspective on the "growth mindset" was very eye-opening. I had not heard of this until today, but I think that I have been subconsciously using this mind set during school. I actually agree with Dr. Dweck when she said that things being easy are not always a good thing. I grew up in a very small town in Oklahoma and oftentimes I was not challenged during school. When I got to college, I felt like I was in a whole new world because I was actually being challenged to learn.  I also think that the growth mindset is essential to have in school. Since I was not challenged as much as I should have been growing up, I was not prepared to take chemistry at OU. Needless to say, I epically failed my first exam and did not know how to react. I do think that I have a growth mindset though because instead of withdrawing or deciding that there is nothing I can do, I went to tutoring and put even more time and effort into my studying so that I would do better

Hello everyone! My name is Syd and I will be taking a Mythology and Folklore class this semester at the University of Oklahoma. I am currently a junior majoring in psychology with a minor in spanish!  My goal for my degree is to be a professor at a research institute like OU one day, or working for the FBI to analyze serial killers... I haven't quite decided which I find more exciting. As a kid, I grew up watching Criminal Minds, 48 hours, and NCIS most nights. My mother of course did not want me watching those things because I was 6 years old, but when she would go to sleep I would sneak into the living room and turn on the crime channel. I have always been fascinated by the idea that a normal person can suddenly turn into a violent killer. I have studied many famous killers like Ted Bundy for example. For my 9th birthday I got this really big book filled with all the most popular serial killers to date. Needless to say I read that thing everyday.  It is safe to say that my favori

  The Sea Hates Ships  was a very interesting story. It is not similar to anything I have read before, and I really enjoyed that. It did tell the story of Odysseus and the cyclops, but it was told from a character's point of view which makes it unique. There were several parts to this student's story, but The Sea Hates Ships was my favorite part. The student did a great job forecasting what the story would be about in the title and the introduction. I knew that it would involve the sea somehow, but I assumed that John would be the one going across the ocean instead of flying. It was a nice surprise when I was wrong and the story was not what I assumed. The layout of the pages were very nice and the pictures used added to the story. Overall, I really liked this story and I will use it to help mold my story.  When Brothers Cross Paths  was not what I was expecting it to be. The author did a very good job of keeping the reader engaged, and I felt really involved in the story. This

 My favorite place is Gulf Shores, Alabama. This is where my family goes for vacation every other summer, and the town is absolutely beautiful! The sand is white and the locals are very friendly. Whenever I graduate I want to move somewhere near Gulf Shores.  Here you can see how white the sand is, and how close the hotels are to the beach! Just walk a few steps and plant your chair right along the shore line.  This image shows you how blue the ocean is despite Gulf Shores being in the Gulf of Mexico. It is also one of the safest beaches along the Gulf Coast with very few incidents being reported!  I highly recommend visiting if you have not already!

 This is so exciting to try! I have never had a blog before!