Tag: 22-23: Whitney

I cannot believe how quickly this quarter has passed. Everyone I have talked to, whether it be my friends and classmates, agree that this quarter flew by. As I prepare myself for the Spring 2023 quarter, I have a few goals that I would like to accomplish. 

Academically, I want to continue to go to my professor’s office hours and form study groups. This will be especially important for my chemistry and math classes next quarter. I find it helpful going to these office hours on a consistent basis because it means that I am constantly learning and retaining class material. Even though 10 weeks is a short amount of time, it is common for me to forget some material from weeks one and two when I am in week seven or eight. Some professors have cumulative midterms, which means that material from week one to material learned right before the midterm is fair game. While some of my exams have been cumulative and require extra studying, in the end, it is helpful for when it is time for the final exam. Office hours keep me accountable and help me study for upcoming exams.  I also want to continue practicing my time management skills. After spending two quarters at UCI, I have realized that I feel more prepared for exams when I have studied at least three days before. 

A goal that is outside of academics would be going on a hike with the UCI hiking club. One of my friends and I really enjoy the outdoors and going on hikes. We have been meaning to go on at least one hike. We did not go on any fall quarter or this quarter (oops!), but we want to try our best to go on a hike for the Spring Quarter. Plus, it would be a great way to relax and get some fresh air after a busy school week.  

Lastly, I want to enjoy every moment of the Spring Quarter. I only have 10 more weeks of my freshman year in college. I want to enjoy the present and take advantage of all the activities and opportunities that are presented during this quarter. 

As always….

ZOTZOTZOT

Hello Anteaters! 

Here is my brain map! It is filled with my goals and priorities that I have in college. To start from the top left column, I put down that one of my priorities is to enjoy every moment in college. When there are events and different opportunities outside of school, I have tried my best to attend each one and be present. It is important for me to put aside my school work and be present with my friends. Freshman year is going by quickly, especially being on the quarter system. 

Next, my goal and priority is to continue working on my time management skills. I think it is important to avoid studying for tests the night before and projects the night before. For there to be less stress, I have been working on trying to study or work three or four nights ahead of a test or paper. I realized that by working on projects a few days beforehand allows for me to better process the information and new material. It is difficult to understand new information the night before! 

My career goal is to be a teacher! Right now, I am taking my lower division classes and working hard in each of them so I could join the UCI CalTeach program and earn my credential. I enjoyed my fieldwork with third graders so much last quarter (Fall Quarter), and think about the class and the students almost every day:). 

Along with my career goal, I prioritize trying my best in each of my classes. Although my classes are difficult, I know that as long as I try my best, make an effort to go to office hours, study with friends and classmates, and attend lectures (this one is important too!) that I have truly done everything I could do to do well in the course. 

Another priority in my brain map is checking in with friends and family. For my friends at college, I grab a meal or meet up somewhere to spend time with them. Because my hometown friends are at different colleges, I enjoy texting and calling them. I also enjoy calling my parents and siblings every weekend  (and during the weekdays) to check in and ask how they are doing. 

Lastly, being well rested is a priority in college. There are times when I want to stay up until 2am in the morning studying or working on a paper, but I realized that the most important practice for me is to go to bed earlier and wake up early. When there is an exam, I have been practicing going to bed earlier the night before so that I am awake and ready to take the test the next day. The last thing I would want is to be tired during a test.

Thank you anteaters for your time.

As always…..

ZOTZOTZOT

Introduction:

• Hello everyone! We made it halfway through the school year! One of the benefits in attending an institution with the quarter system is that I have the ability to take several classes throughout the academic year. Currently, I am taking a writing class and the theme is mass incarceration in the United States. Even though I am only in week six of this 10 week course, I have learned how relevant this topic is in today’s modern society. This class has broadened my understanding of how mass incarceration has only increased in the last few years. I find the prison education part the most interesting because prison education helps decrease the rate of recidivism (this is when a prisoner finds themselves being rearrested). After reading several articles about prison education, I have discovered that there are problems within this sector, specifically with the funding, effectiveness of Pell Grants, and the lack of special education programs. 

Overview and Personal Thoughts:

• Aside from the fact that I am taking this course for college credit, I have found myself reading more articles and watching documentaries in my free time. I would recommend researching this topic because these prison education programs consist of higher education programs, which are currently provided by popular colleges across the United States. I think that in the future it would be fascinating to see if UCI would join colleges such as Pitzer College in providing a prison education program. By providing prisoners with higher education, they are not only able to earn a degree, but come out of prison with the basic skills for employment. With an education, these prisoners are less likely to reenter the prison systems and can adjust back into their communities with stability. 

How to get started!

• For any kind of research, it is often difficult to figure out where to get started. My tip for anyone who would want to research and explore the topic of mass incarceration would be to go on Google and search for mass incarceration, specifically prison education programs. For more specific results, I would recommend looking up prison education programs and how they accommodate those with a learning disability. Keywords in the search bar allows for you to find articles that closely match your interest and will be more relevant. Youtube is also a great resource because there are news stations such as ABC News that cover and have covered this topic. Videos give informational visuals and real life stories that are interesting to learn about. 

• Also, research takes time. It is normal for you to begin research for a couple of days, take breaks, and continue on for a month or however long you would like. This is your schedule and how you want to approach research. 

Closing

I hope that this information inspires you to explore different topics, and I promise that it will broaden your understanding while also keeping up with current events!

Thank you for your time.

As always….. ZOTZOTZOT!!!