I’ve been pretty much chilling for the past two weeks, preparing for and finishing up some of my first midterms of this quarter and getting lots of homework done. But I’ve also had lots of time to do some fun things. I’ll share some pictures of my past two weeks with you!
Caption for photo above: This was a photo I took at Hillcrest Park in Fullerton, California. It was taken during the evening, where we get a nice and late sunset view of the city. The main highlight of this park would be the few hundred stairsteps that lead up to this viewpoint. It is like a mini trail with LOTS of incline. I did about four sets going up and down those steps, and I was already sweating like crazy by the end of my second set. If you’re into all things active, definitely check this place out! Great for cardio!
Caption for the two photos above: This was a photo that I took at a Japanese marketplace called Mitsuwa Marketplace (this one was in Costa Mesa), which has a huge variety of different Japanese foods. I was treated by my Auntie and Grandpa to some very tasty ramen, and matcha puffed pastries! Mitsuwa Marketplace has several mini restaurants that range from Japanese curry to sushi, to ramen, and many other traditional dishes—perfect if you’re craving Japanese food. There are also many goodies and produce that come directly from Japan and are sold here!
Caption for the three photos above: These are a few photos that I took from my last weekend’s trip to Newport Beach. We got some nice views of the houses along Newport Beach and a cool shot of the basketball courts. I’m really proud of my basketball court photo because it looks like it’s floating in the sky! Unfortunately, I and my friends went on a bad day since it was raining most of the time (none of us bothered to check the pouring hours); however, I came prepared with an umbrella that could barely cover two people, so the rest of my friends got soaked. Next time we’ll know NOT to go to Newport Beach on a rainy day.
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This past week, I was able to attend and experience UCI’s Jazz Combos concert for the Fall 2024 quarter! The concert took place at Winifred Smith Hall, located at the School of Arts on the UC Irvine campus. It was a cold evening night, but the hall was so cozy and perfect for a lengthy jazz performance—a delightful atmosphere for the winter season!
Here was the program given to us before the concert started.
I’m sorry I did not get the names of the music that was played :(. Otherwise, I would’ve listed all of them on the blog.
Below are a few snippets of the first band under Prof. Darek Oles.
Here is the first band! They played up to 4 songs and the one that I’ve recorded above are my favorite ones played by them. I especially loved the piano solo by Nathan Fong in the second snippet!
Here is the second band under Prof. Jerry Pinter. Below are some photos and snippets of their performance!
Here is the second band under Prof. Jerry Pinter, where they also played up to 3-4 songs. This was by far my most favorite performance played by the second band, I really enjoyed all of the different instrument’s solos and the song overall (couldn’t get all of the instrument solos because the video file was too big)! I’m not a musician, and I don’t know how to describe it, but I really liked how the saxophones played in harmony and the notes that they played in the first snippet above. I thought the drums were also a nice touch to the saxophone’s spotlight in that part of the song.
Unfortunately, I could not stay any longer for the last jazz band since it was midterm week. I still had to get a lot of studying in that night, BUT I was glad I had the time to attend this event because jazz has always been such a relaxing music genre to me that it eased the midterm stress off my shoulders. Consider attending one of these concerts if you want a work-free night to enjoy yourself, the atmosphere, and the vibrant jazz music at Winifred Smith Hall. If you are interested in a future jazz performance, definitely look forward to the upcoming UCI Jazz Orchestra Fall Quarter performance on December 4, 2024. It will be at the same place, the Winifred Smith Hall, at 8:00pm.
Also, if you’re interested in attending any other UC Irvine events beside just music performances, please check out this website: Featured Events // Today // UC Irvine This website lists all of UC Irvine’s campus events that can range from art shows/galleries, presentations, music concerts, and more!
Thank you for reading my blog and please stick around to read even more of my Zot Blogs!
I’ve been traumatized. I am recovering from the sequels that my first midterms left when I have a second round coming next week. Fortunately, I learned from my last experience and modified my strategies for midterm readiness. Here are my study rituals:
When it comes to learning concepts…
Especially for science classes, an in-depth understanding of processes is key to solving application questions, this implies a bit of memorization and connecting knowledge you cumulatively sum from class to class. My ultimate strategy has been turning my little brothers (12 and 10 years old) into intellectuals. If I can have them understand cellular respiration (yes, all the cycles, the parts of the cell where they take place, the difference between animal and plant cells) and answer all their innocent, hypothetical yet challenging questions, then, as I corroborated in my last Bio midterm, I can get an outstanding grade. Use diagrams, label, describe, connect steps or systems, play with hypothetical scenarios (what if… situations), and while doing practice problems research the why behind the answer (why this option is right and this one wrong).
When it comes to application questions…
Most of the time, midterms are multiple-choice and this can be detrimental. My approach is to take the given information, analyze it, draw conclusions, read the question, and, lastly read the options. The point is: Don’t read the options first, formulate your own conclusion and then proceed to evaluate options and determine the best answer. Jumping straight into options will hinder your thinking process, distracting you from the topic you should recall to answer the question. On the other hand, when it comes to math problems, precision is your hangman. Identify minuscule errors made during practice problems, these errors will not go away and will cost you points in an exam. Learn how to round, use your calculator, rearrange formulas based on the information given, and understand the why behind the components of the formulas.
To save you time…
Sometimes researching the reason behind the answers can be a lengthy and rigorous process. Finding the perfect YouTube video tutorial, the chapter in the book, the notes on the lecture to answer that tricky question, implies investing time in researching. In my experience, asking TAs and LAs the explanation behind the answers has taken me to navigate their thinking processes. Along the way, they will pull out shortcuts, analogies, caveats, unwritten rules, and their strategy on how to see, start, and finish a problem. They are valuable resources that can amplify your ability to troubleshoot while saving you research time.
Here my wisdom lies, from a traumatized first-year student to you. Thank you for reading and please show yourself appreciation and sympathy. You are not behind. Be patient and put in as much effort as you need to satisfy your own expectations. Embrace the struggle because the reward will be proportional to it.
Best,
Glenda Orozco.
UCI mascot at Student Center (good study spots available)
UCI Science Library (best study spots found on 4th floor)
First off, I can’t believe that I have already completed 4 weeks of my first quarter at UC Irvine! Experiencing the quarter system, it was like everything that has happened so far went by like a blur, especially when you are busy most days catching up on readings and studying (biology and chemistry are killing me :D). There were so many new things that I’ve learned and experienced while living independently on campus, and I can’t wait to share them with you all in this post!
First Weeks Settling In (photo dump)
Here is me all settled in on the right side of the room. Looks like my roommate (on the left) is REALLY settled in too!First Day of School Pic taken by my RA!!!Me hanging out at the William R Mason Regional Park (less than 2 miles away from campus). It is a very open space with many paths, including a huge pond. The grass is so soft that you can sleep on it. There are also a lot of wildlife like ducks and turtles that you can observe. The sunsets are the best part, but that’s when it starts to get EXTREMELY cold.This is a scenic spot and hiking area not too far from campus called Turtle Rock Viewpoint trail. You get a good view of Irvine and the UCI campus. I took this when there was a huge and dense cloud overshadowing the sunset and the rest of the city, but I think it still looks cool because it is like a huge cloud wall.Trying out a restaurant in Irvine known for their Japanese Curry! This spot is called CoCo Ichibanya which is far from campus, so you’ll need a car to get there. I got the chicken katsu curry with vegetables over rice, a very tasty and hearty meal. Just look at all the steam wafting from my dish…
My Club Involvement
All pictures taken by The Hiking Club by UCI photographer, Nicholas Wilson.
Red Rock CanyonOctober 5, 2024Salt Creek TrailOctober 12, 2024Bommer Ridge TrailOctober 26, 2024
These pictures are from all of the hikes that I’ve been on so far. Most trails are usually dirt and have good amounts of inclining hills. We have had a great mix between beach trails and inland trails so far! The Hiking Club at UCI does weekly hikes on Saturday mornings, mainly around Orange County. These hikes range from beaches, to hills, to rocky areas, to desert-like areas, and many more. Trails start off easy at the beginning of the year, then start to progress in difficulty by the end of the year. Joining this club is a great way to stay active and meet new people! So, if you or any friends you know who would be interested, make sure to attend one of the Hiking Club meetings every Monday from 5:30-6:30PM at Rowland Hall room 188!
Midterms!
My first midterms week was probably one of the most stressful things that I’ve experienced so far and the anticipation of them coming up frightened me. My advice is to NOT BE AFRAID! I feel like fear is the biggest factor in negatively affecting your test taking performance, which is what I think impacted me. Going into the exam room thinking more positively and being confident will help keep your head in the game. Knowing that I didn’t do too great, I might have some ideas on what I can tweak to perform better for the next midterm.
Things I will avoid when preparing for an exam:
I feel like the one thing that affected my learning/studying process was not having an effective study plan or utilizing my time efficiently to try out new study methods. I never had a set time of day for a study routine. I was often distracted by my phone, and I barely practiced studying methods like active recall or spaced repetition. I also didn’t fully utilize my resources, such as office hours, TAs, and classmates. I felt like I didn’t seek enough help, limiting my comprehension of the material I was learning.
What I plan to do for next upcoming midterms:
For the next set of midterms, I will be setting an effective study plan, where I will choose specific times throughout the days of the week to study and setting breaks in between them. I will also practice the study methods that I think have worked for me in the past, like spaced repetition and active recall. I will try to practice a bit every day, testing myself using flashcards to help me learn and memorize the material. I often study with other friends and classmates as well, so I might try the teaching method, where I will do my best to convey the material I learned to my peers.
Campus Spaces for Studying
Here are some studying spots on campus that I’ve found and stuck with since week 1!
This is one of the many study spots in the Student Center, located on the 1st floor. This area can be a bit loud sometimes because it is near entrances and can be a heavy traffic hallway since people need to go down it to get to other areas in the Student Center building. I recommend using headphones or earplugs in this area if you can’t stand background noise. The seats are comfortable and there are enough charging ports for everyone!This is another study space that is near the UCI Center of Black Culture located in the Student Center. It is a lot more private, and quieter compared to the study space above, with a very minimal amount of people walking by. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of these study pods that I was working in, but there are many other open study areas nearby! This area also has both snack and drink vending machines just in case if you ever get hungry or thirsty.
I also recommend visiting the Anteater Learning Pavillion (ALP)! I don’t have pictures of the area, but it is an open study space that also has private study rooms, which is great for group work. Keep in mind that there are also a few lecture halls at the ALP, so it can get kind of crowded and noisy before and after lectures.
Conclusion
Well, that has been my UCI experience so far! I really enjoyed exploring the many different parts of Irvine and navigating through college independently. I got off to a bit of a rough start with my academics because of midterms, but I think I have a good idea of what I need to work on to prepare better for the next one. I enjoy the Hiking Club that I’ve been a part of so far and I look forward to many more hikes and meeting new people! I am also thinking of changing up the study areas a bit and try out areas like the Science Library or the Mesa Study rooms. If those don’t work for me, I will always stick with the Student Center as my primary study spot!
Thank you for reading my blog and please stick around to read even more of my Zot Blogs!
I hope you all are having a great day and I hope you enjoy a glimpse into my Thursday!
Picture 1: I like to begin my Thursdays pretty early in the mornings because I have Thursday quizzes in the afternoon. I like to wake up early and grab breakfast with some friends who have 8am classes. I usually like to do some last minute studying and catch up on homework during the first half of my Thursdays. Here is me in the Mesa Study Room. I have my setup which consists of my laptop, ipad, and a calculator.
Picture 2: Sometimes you have those snack cravings. Today, I had a trail mix craving so I stopped by Zot-N-Go which is a mini mart on campus. It has a variety of snacks and I would highly recommend going if you ever want any sandwiches, pastries, crackers, chips, you name it. I wanted to quickly snack on something before going to my math office hours! This office hours is actually called a proof lab because my math class is a proofs class. Proofs is new to me, so any help I could get from the Learning Assistants in class (UCI undergrad students usually 2nd or 3rd years) is a necessity. You can’t really see a lot of my background, but I was in Aldrich Park. I also included a photo of a pink tree. The park is so beautiful year round and in the spring all of the plants are blooming and bright. I would take advantage of walking through the park during a busy week because it can make all of the difference.
Picture 3: On my way to my office hours, I was in front of the infinity fountain, and if you have already taken a campus tour, then you would probably recognize this as one of the locations that you go to on the tour. This is usually when you go ZOT-ZOT ZOT. I like watching the water pass through the fountain and this is a great spot becasue this college has one main fountain!
Picture 4: You may be wondering, “Whitney, why are you taking a picture of a stairwell?” I am happy you asked that. I was on my way to my proof lab. It was on the third floor. Although there is an elevator, half of the time it is slower than taking the stairs. If you have a class in Rowland Hall, I would recommend using the staircase if the elevators are busy and if you are on a timed schedule. Around this time of the quarter, there are a lot of Biology and Chemistry labs going on at different times of the day and week so sometimes there could be around 30 students waiting for the elevator.
