When I was younger, I would do whatever I could to miss school. I’m guilty of faking a few stomach aches or head aches for a day home. However, the older I get, the more I do to avoid missing school. Sure I still get exhausted and bored with school, but I would rather push through that exhaustion than miss a class and have to wonder what I missed. That is, there’s a lot I would risk to avoid uncertainty.
Community Customs
This spring break I am lucky enough to be able to travel to Ireland. It is incredible to experience a different culture’s customs. One thing I have picked up on is the partnership between community members, and where superior institutions intervene.
The “rules” of writing essays
Many higher education students might agree with me that most perspectives set in high schools are considerably different to those set in colleges and universities. This applies to many aspects, varying from academic standards to social life. As many schools, SUNY Geneseo’s GLOBE (Geneseo Learning Outcomes for Baccalaureate Education) states: “Geneseo’s mission underscores an institutional commitment to ‘transformational learning experiences’ and ‘a rich co-curricular life’.“ In the academic standards of colleges like Geneseo, writing sticks out as a very distinct and growing process that sometimes triggers the mind of the students.
In high school, we mainly write essays to fulfill our assignments, to pass the English Regents exams in New York, or to get a good grade in the writing part of the SAT/ACT or AP exams. All of these have some set of rules that we must follow in order to reach full credit. In my high school, for example, my English teachers would use a strategy to make the students remember the steps to take towards academic writing. It was called TEEL, which stands for Topic sentence, Explanation, Evidence, and Link. That was how they taught us to remember how we were supposed to write our essays. We had to follow that structure all the time; write the topic sentence in the last sentence of the introduction, find all the evidence we were asked for and explain it each time, and at the end link back to your topic sentence in the conclusion. If the directions said that we have to choose a side in an argument, it did not matter which side we would choose, as long as we used all the TEEL steps correctly. We were never required to give our full honest opinion about the topic we were asked to write about. We were only writing to fulfill the needs of New York State standards and to show them that high school students are capable of writing the way they want them to, not that they are capable of thinking and actually standing up to an argument that they might feel strong opinions about.
The essays and papers we have to write in college are significantly different from the ones in high school in many senses. In college, we are asked to write our honest thoughts about the topic in hand, and our papers might sometimes require to be longer, making them more thoughtful for us. This all depends in the class you are in and the professor you have because here the teachers do not have to follow such a strictly made curriculum like high school teachers do. That is why each professor in college has a syllabus that they make specifically for the class they are teaching and it is something that the college students do have to follow if they want to pass their class. However, it varies from class to class and they are allowed more liberty than in high school. Since in high school we were not allowed to use “I.” It is quite a shock to some students that in college we might be allowed to use “I” depending on the assignment and the professors.
This semester I have INTD 203, a class for education students, and the writings that I have to do in this class vary from easy to hard. I have to do two response papers throughout the course of the semester and these papers according to my professor, Dr. David Granger: “should be your own thoughtful, personal response to some idea, issue, or person addressed either in the class readings and/or class discussions. The topic should be something that interests you in some way; and I want to know what you honestly think about it, not what you imagine I want you to say about it.” After I read this on the syllabus for the class, I realized just how different college’s standards of writing are from high school’s. Even though this assignment is supposed to be only two to three pages, it makes the students really focus on the argument they want to state in their paper since it is something we choose, giving us more freedom to express our emotions towards something we are really passionate about. In this same class I have to do another assignment that is weighed more in my overall grade and requires twenty to thirty pages of work. It is a research paper of an elementary, middle, or high school of our choice focusing on a diversity and equity issue the school we choose went through in the past or is currently going through. This paper will be a challenge for me since I have never done such a big research in an important and relevant issue today. This is something that colleges want their students to leave with, knowing that it was something that they accomplished while they were there. SUNY Geneseo is no exception; my school signals this point in its integrative inquiry of its Learning Outcomes for Baccalaureate Education when it says that students will have: “to ask meaningful questions connecting personal experiences to academic study and co-curricular life; to synthesize multiple bodies of knowledge to address real-world problems and issues.” Not only my INTD 203 class, but my INTD 105 class with Dr. McCoy lets its students truly connect with the class and the topics we decide to write about, like this post that I am writing right now.
Coming to college and seeing all the liberty we have in academic writing and realizing that there are no such “rules” to writing essays might make many students uncomfortable because they have been accustomed their whole lives to write based on those sets of rules they were taught while they were younger. But, if we work hard and every time we write we remember to write from our hearts and consider what our honest opinion about the topic in hand is, the process will become easier. GLOBE also explains this in its learning outcomes on Critical Thinking: “Students will demonstrate to formulate questions or frame issues in ways that permit examination or investigation; to explicate and evaluate the assumptions underlying the claims of self and others; to establish and pursue systematic and valid methods for collecting and evaluating relevant evidence; to draw soundly reasoned and appropriately limited conclusions on the basis of evidence; to relate conclusions to a larger body of knowledge.” College’s and university’s goals for students is to get them thinking about what is right and wrong in the society we live in today and to not be afraid to stand up to what they think is right, despite everybody else’s opinions.
The Tortoise or the Hare
The other day in class we discussed Discourse on the Method, specifically one point Descartes made about patience. Descartes argued that “those who go very slowly but always on the right path can make much greater progress than those who sprint and go astray.” Like the old story of the tortoise and the hare, Descartes is arguing that slow and steady wins the race. Descartes claims that often when people go to fast they often miss something or make too many mistakes. He urges the need for patience and taking the time to think through problems and situations. Our class discussion connected this to timed essays in high school and time management in college. Often people in high school rush through essays because they do not want to be doing them. There is also often a time limit, which enforces rushing through rather than thinking through. While time management is a necessary tool for students to learn in college and later on, this rushing through and limited time decreased creativity and the ability of students to think through the material.
This reminded me of my study habits for my Human Biology class. In Biology, every class we cover a single chapter, and I try to read the chapter before class so it’s easier to understand during class. I am not a big fan of reading the Biology textbook, so I just want to read it as quickly as possible to get the reading over with. However, I am constantly conflicted between reading fast, copying the textbook word for word, and getting it done as soon as I can, with reading slow, absorbing the material, takin more effective notes and ensuring that I understand the material. The first one might be less effective in the long run, but I am still reading the material and getting it done quicker. The second might seem like an obvious better option, but it also takes up much more time, time that I need to spend doing the online homework for biology or attending to other class homework. Weighing the benefits and negatives (or risks and rewards) of each, I know that in the long run the latter would be the better choice.
In any class, we often risk rushing through an assignment to get it done quickly but less efficiency. Students can look at the risks and rewards of each alternative and contemplate whether saving some time could be worth the lower grade or going through material and taking your time might be worth it for the higher grade. Descartes argues that the need for patience and perseverance, rather than rushing and not giving your best. Similarly, They Say I Say shares that many students “have trouble entering some of the high-powered conversations that take place in college because they do not know enough about the topic at hand.” It further argues that when given the chance to study the material in depth those same students become more confident about their own ideas and contribute more, and that good arguments are based on “everyday knowledge that can be isolated, identified and used by almost anyone.” While this doesn’t exactly connect to Descartes argument about patience, it does connect to his argument because it shares the importance of going in depth about material and taking time to gradually absorb information. Going in depth about a subject is more worth it than brushing the surface because it allows for a deeper understanding that is better in the long run.
A Whole New View
In December of 2016, my senior year, I was invited to Conference Allstate, to sing among 500 best high school vocalists in New York State. Coming from a high school choir where students rarely sang in key, couldn’t comprehend rhythm, and didn’t care what they sounded like, this was whole new experience for me. I was surrounded by people who had the same passion as me, with so much more talent than what I was used to. Returning to my mediocre high school chorus after that moving experience was somewhat sad.
While scrolling through our optional extra credit assignments, one in particular caught my eye. It happened to be Dr. Ysaye Maria Barnwell’s “Community Sing”. After months of regret for leaving music behind as part of my high school career, the word sing practically jumped of the page. But after reading the description I was a little more than skeptical. How would this director manage to get a group of strangers, many inexperienced, to sing in unison? I felt like attending this may be close to being stuck in high school chorus all over again. But, I dragged my skeptical self to the presentation anyways, and I’m very thankful that I did. Dr. Barnwell taught me a new kind of music and gave me a whole new perspective on the world. She began by teaching us spiritual songs like “Kumbaya” ,which means “come by here.” She added easy harmonies, nothing too challenging. Then she moved to slave songs, like “Wade in Water” and “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child.” During these songs she painted the picture of slaves wading through the water, far enough out that dogs could not pick up their scent, and they could escape to freedom.
This moment was when I realized that she did not gather the community together to teach us perfect technique, or make sure we were singing the correct harmony. She joined us together simply to share her love and passion for soulful music, to teach us where the beautiful songs came from, and why they are still sung today. She was not expecting anything complex, she was just hoping to join us all together in song, and I was truly moved by that. I was never expecting such a beautiful song to come out of a group of strangers.
Rewards of Coming to College
Coming into college I was terrified that I wouldn’t be mentally ready for the toll it would have on my mind, body, and soul. Throughout high school, my teachers would tell me that my professors would not care how I’m doing in the class or if I’m caught up on work. But now, my relationship with my professors are better than ever. I always feel welcome to come to office hours or email them about missing class or missing work.
Being in INTD 105 with Dr. McCoy has opened my eyes up. She allows us to call her by her first name of Beth which eliminates the boundaries and pre-established feelings that the students are lesser than the professor. This makes me feel like she cares about how well we’re understanding the material. I no longer fear asking questions in my classes or lectures to make sure I understand what is going on in the class. Also, I’ve realized that I am no lesser, and no greater than professors and teachers. They want me to succeed as much as I hope for myself.
Improving my relationships with my professors and other students has helped my grades improve and my mental health. Having the fear of speaking up in class gone has been a huge weight that Beth has helped lift off my shoulders.
The Pomodoro Technique
The first day of biology they bring up statistics that more than half the freshman pre-med students will not end up in the school of biology. I was surprised that the hardship of picking a major wasn’t over. When I came to college I never thought about the departments picking me. Biology is a gruesome major, but I always thought I could handle it. I got good grades in high school and my studying techniques always worked.
I learned after the first exam that my studying habits were not enough to pass biology. I began to spend a lot of time on biology. Even though, I wasn’t interested in learning about cell division I mastered it. Yet, my grades were lower than students who never attended any SI sessions and claimed they spent half the time I did. I had other classes and outside activities that I started to slack in. Sleep became a major issue for me. I wasn’t saving any time for myself. I ended up becoming the sickest I have ever been during finals week. Luckily, I survived just in time for winter break.
The class discussion on Five Strategies to Demystify The Learning Process, was important to me because it related to me struggling in the pre-med track. The article says you can be skilled at any subject when using proper studying techniques. The “Pomodoro Technique” is interval studying to better absorb material. The article explains this technique, “set a timer for 25 minutes and work until the timer goes off. At that point, take a five-minute break: stand up, walk around, take a drink of water, etc. After three or four 25-minute intervals, take a longer break (15 – 30 minutes) to recharge.” Personally, I could not get much done this way because it takes me about 15-30 to get focused. By the time I got into my work it would be break time, and I wouldn’t get anything done. Especially with the dense workload I had this technique wouldn’t work for me.
I agree that if you put your mind and heart to it you can do anything. But they fail to mention with that choice you must give up other things. I believe that you should be passionate about a topic, otherwise it prevents your success. I could have stuck with pre-med, but I would have had to give up lacrosse, my social life, studying abroad, and taking classes outside the strict track. It was my choice that I decided to find a topic that I am more skillful at and passionate about. The “Pomodoro technique” may work for some but I don’t think it would have changed the outcome of my science career.
Conduct Code or Moral Code?
I’ll never forget how Dr Leonard Sancilio (Dean of Students) summed up Geneseo students. He said that what sets a Geneseo student apart is they will almost always hold the door open for you. I was surprised to learn that this is actually a breach in security. Dr Beth McCoy recognized Geneseo’s reputation for holding the door open, but also pointed out that in the faculty training, they were told not to do this.
Reactions to Octavia Butler’s Bloodchild
I believe that Bloodchild by Octavia Butler could have benefited from being longer. It seems to me that Butler began to craft a complex and incredibly different world, but with the story only being 25 pages or so, this world was unable to be fully developed. If Bloodchild was longer, Butler could have expanded on the relationship between the Terran and the Tlic. We could have known what existed outside the Preserve and other aspects of Terran-Tlic relations that we are currently left guessing about. Additionally, the increased length would have allow Butler to discuss more of the “pregnant man” aspect of Bloodchild. In her afterword, Butler describes this story to be, to some degree, a story about what would happen if a man became pregnant. After reading the story, I noticed the effects of a man becoming pregnant were not really discussed, at least from a social perspective. If the story was longer, perhaps Butler would have written about the social consequences among the Terrans of men being pregnant- how would Terran social order be different now that both genders could bear children?
Put a Hold on Holding the Door
Why does a task that is so minuscule have such an impact on one’s character? If you fail to hold the door they say you are impolite, and raised wrong. If you hold the door too early you can be categorized as ‘too’ nice or even annoying. I believe that holding the door is overrated and outdated. A person has much more qualities to portray. This is a gesture that takes nothing but a second, but is considered crucial to ones personality. The issue becomes more complicated when you put it in this perspective; this campus is quite large, meaning you cannot identify every person you walk past. Thus, is holding the door for a stranger to protect your reputation worth the risk of allowing an unknown person into an exclusively accessible building? In todays society schools are putting safety above all due to the much too common events occurring. Which justifies why we should be more cautious when doing this deceivingly important action. The University of Georgia’s Police Department defines “the practice of holding the door for multiple persons” as “piggy backing”. Suggesting that this be avoided at all costs because it can lead to many risks such as burglary and possibly assault. Next time you hold the door, out of habit perhaps for an unfamiliar face consider the risks.