Time Strategies

This was quite a week

I had every intention of sticking to my planned scheduled-- three hours on Tuesday and the rest in Thursday-- but this week, life said no. I got sick on the first week on school, so I did the work when I could look at a computer screen. I wanted to not let the canvas due dates dictate my life, but it kinda happened. But it wasn't a normal week, so I will continue using my schedule next week and adjust it if necessary. It should work unless I have a test or paper in another class, then I can just moved time to another day as necessary to allow me that time to study. 

Prioritizing is important!
Another time management post

There were many time management options I thought would be useful. For instance, my morning doesn't start very quickly. Joy Nicole Martinez, the writer of she owns it said to capture it, that its the most important part  of your day. I'm going to try it. It might be hard because I have two roommates and I cant wake them but I have to try. 

I also liked the two minute rule brought up in Thomas Oppong's eat the frogs first thing in the-morning and other better work habits  that says if you can get it done in two minutes, do it now. If I did this, I wonder how much time I would free up everyday, not letting little tasks add up. 

The biggest time management skill I could do is to spend less time on my phone. I lose probably hours scrolling on social media for no reason, but its a new year new me and I'm working on it. 

Technology woooo

I love Google Docs

A library that helps with technology issues

So I love Google Docs, but probably more, Google Drive. It has almost eliminated flash drives and losing them. I don't think I have carried one since middle school if i am honest. The other technology tools I am not near as familiar with, other than twitter, but I can learn. I have been using computers since my parents let me when I was six. They have been a part of almost of my whole life. 

This is unlike any other class I have been in-- blended, online, or in person. At first I could not find anything, but I learned quickly. I'm excited because I will never use canvas or connect ever again so the reasoning is understandable. I don't know what I will use. The internet changes so quickly, I don't even know if it has been created yet.

First Impressions Assignments

Hello Blogs

So I have never written a blog in any class before. I am enjoying it thus far, however, and I am enjoying how I can free write. I have to do so much formal writing I have lost the love of just sitting and down and writing, but this week I am starting to get it back. 

I'm interested in the extra credit opportunity, Famous Last Words. I have never kept a diary but I love their purpose and how they force you to reflect. You can change so much in one year or any amount of time and not realize it until you have to sit down and reflect and this forces more happy reflections. 

My photo- This is how excited I am for the new year!

Growth Mindset Blog

The Growth Mindset

I have never heard of Carol Dweck before, but I love Ted Talks so I was interested. I enjoy watching them and self improvement. For the first video "The Power of Believing You can Improve," I loved the examples she used. I hated Elementary School when I was young because I was always bored because my dad tried really hard to raise me in a similar manner. Personally, I dont think we should make children feel cheated if the work was too easy for them because there are so many factors in a classroom, but instead strive to teach them that the satisfaction is found in the challenge not the completion. However,  I really liked the high school in Chicago that used the grades "not yet" because it encourages improvements.  

A Cartoon depicting the Growth Mindset
A link to a school who uses the growth mindset

Here at OU I have learned so much about my learning. In high school, I was a straight A student and didn't every feel challenged because I took classes that were easy to master so i didn't know my learning style. But here, I really work hard to seek out my interests and prepare myself for my future. For instance, I am currently enrolled in "Fate and the Individual" which has over 6,000 pages of reading, so I have been using the Growth Mindset and taking on a challenge. I'm worried but I believe I can do it. Because of these decisions, I have learned that a mix of auditory and visual is the best way for me to learn something, but the true key is to put into a story form. This discovery helped me tremendously in my history classes. 

This semester I am studying for the LSAT so my learning goals are incorporated with that. I would like to be able to consistently study and improve my score. This will be the hardest test I have ever take so Ill need to preposition myself to take it directly on. 

Storybook Favorites

The Goddess Isis

Of the three storybooks I read, this one was my favorite. This story tells of the Egyptian Goddess Isis and her plan to escape the human world where she was trapped. She wanted to live as a god again and felt that she was no longer needed. To achieve this, she tricked Ra and stole some of his divine powers. Then, when she was back with the rest if the gods and living with her husband Horus, his brother Set killed him and locked him in a coffin that he sent out to sea so no one could find him. She spent years finding all the pieces of her husband so she could put him back together. Her son was preparing to take on Set. Together with their efforts they defeated set and put Isis in charge.

This book showed Isis as a sassy person instead of an almighty god. I thought this humanizing factor was refreshing. 

Arabian Nights, In a Nutshell

This Storybook was written in an incredibly funny tone. I had never though of Arabian Nights in this manner because the women hating, cheating, and death, but the author brought refreshing humor to the story. It is so outrageous--1001 nights of full story telling-- humor is needed to battle the horrors of the story.

This is a picture from the story relating to the 1001 tales.
Genie on Fire

 Horses Divide

This was a very in depth story. My favorite part was the author included a picture of her own horse and I really appreciated that personal touch. The author put a great deal of work into the story, for it was a great deal longer than any other story I read. It told the account of four different divine horses in ancient Buddhist and Hindi stories. The first story was about Uchchaihshravas and the story of his birth. He was the noble five head stead of Indra, the King of the Heaven and the Gods. The second story is about how Hayagriva saved the world by saving the Vedas. The third story is about how Valaha saved the author by being Buddha and leading those with Dharma in their heart to salvation. The last stor is about the end of the world and how the best warrior ever will ride Devadatta and the horse will help the warrior bring in the new age. 

This is me!

Caitlin Schneider

Testing the new blog and introducing myself. My name is Caitlin Schneider and I am a Sophomore Letters Constitutional Studies Major. The coolest thing about my major is how small it is. I love when I walk into a class and know almost everyone there. I would like to eventually to litigation and I am leaning towards international litigation.

I graduated high school from a tiny school (59 in my graduating class) in Kansas, but I lived most of my life in Washington State. I chose OU because I was not a fan of KU. Their campus culture didn't feel like home and it was really hilly. Also, I lived way to close (only about 45 minutes away) and wanted more of an adventure.

This break I toured a law school which was really scary but so much fun. I don't feel ready yet to be getting ready for grad school, but here I am. I tour Arizona State and it was wonderful. I loved Arizona as a whole so that also helped. I probably ate my weight in oranges. I had no idea they had so many citrus trees and how big the fruit got. It was amazing. 

My Photo-- I am the one on the left. 

I have two pets-- two dogs-- Tar and Roxy. I'll post a picture of them. Tar is a sweet, gentle giant but he is so needy for attention, it can be rough. I love him but he is very big and will climb into my lap and then I cant breathe. Roxy is sassy as her name suggests. She has small dog syndrome very bad and believes she is the alpha of the house.

My photo with Tar

My photo with Roxy during my blonde phase

I am not blonde anymore. It was a phase during my senior year of high school after my senior pictures. Purple shampoo and touch ups are expensive when you are on your own.

The best class I took last semester was Debating Constitutional Controversies with Dr. Porwancher. It changed the way I talk and write for the better. I also learned so much about strange controversies most people don't know about. It prepared me for my future goals tremendously.

My Favorite Place, the Pacific Northwest

My Favorite Place

This is Seabeck Washington. It is a quaint fishing town nestled into the Mountains. I was actually in the same school district as the kids who lived here. I was always jealous of their views.
https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2390-Tekiu-Point-Rd-NW_Seabeck_WA_98380_M17029-30634 

The Pacific Northwest has a special place in my heart. Not only is it an area with a culture unlike any other in the country with companies like Amazon, Boeing, and Microsoft to name a few, fueling it economy and a grassroots culture with the lower classes influencing the trends more than the extremely rich. Additionally, it does not rain THAT much--it mostly mists. Also, the region is a melting pot of different cultures with extremely large populations of minorities. This cultural blend allows many different celebrations of religion and tradition to coexist. It is unlike anything I have ever seen before. I was lucky enough to grow up for most of my life right outside of Seattle and experience its beauty. 

Within the region of the Pacific Northwest, there is two states: Washington and Oregon. I lived in Washington and reaped the benefits of Seattle and the Cascade mountains. But the more southern state, Oregon is a completely different vibe. Oregon is a very active state known for allowing individuals with strange personalities to thrive. My grandfather lived in Gold Beach, Oregon, so whenever I visited I was able to experience it. My dad would always say this specific area was the most photographed in the world but I have never been able to find that stat anywhere. If he was right, I would understand--it is breathtaking. 

This picture is taken along Highway 101 (The Oregon Coast Highway).  There were waiting lists for the adopt a highway programs in this area. People wanted to help keep this area beautiful so bad there was too much help.
https://www.tripsavvy.com/fun-in-gold-beach-oregon-1608381 

I love this area with all of my heart. It helped frame me into who I am today. The Pacific Northwest is also possibly the most beautiful place on Earth. There is no where else like it. I hope one day to return.