Attendance Log

I've been keeping track of this all semester, but thought I'd post it last on my blog so I could focus on my blog writing. So here it is:

1/14: Present
1/21: Present
1/28: Present
2/4: Present
2/11: Present
2/18: Present
2/25: Absent due to illness
3/4: Present
3/11: SPRING BREAK
3/18: Present
3/25: Present
4/1: Absent due to oversleeping
4/8: Present
4/15: Present

"An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal, or tolerate those who do."

Week 14: To wrap things up...

This week it was pretty hard for me to focus in class, to be honest. I had a lot on my mind...basically everything I had to do before the end of the semester. Looking back on my notes from this week's lecture, I see a lot of check-lists, things to do, and doodling to try and de-stress myself. I wish I could hide from the world like my cat hides in my backpack haha. However I did take notes on what I thought was interesting based on this lecture...

The first exercise we did was one in which we had to think of any creative research activities we've been involved in. The first one that popped in my mind was from a musical anthropology class I took last semester. For our "big" term project, we were assembled into groups and had to observe a cultural/musical occasion that was taking place in the BCS area. My group went to a coffee shop in downtown Bryan that hosted Salsa dancing lessons every Wednesday and Saturday night. We actually had to participate, which was something totally different than I'd done before. After leaving the lesson, I came away with knowing (slightly) how to Salsa, and a better understanding for the Latin community as a whole.

When I came to that conclusion, it hit me that that's probably what Dr. V wants us to do in our creative ventures--he wants us to discover things we hadn't done/heard of before. Seriously. This ALL clicks now! I just had to apply this simple idea into something I had already done. All semester I hadn't really understood why Dr. V wanted us to do so many crazy projects with "innovations", but now I get it. Just like my salsa dancing experience, Dr. V wants us all to strive to go out into the world and experience different things. In doing so, we might be able to better understand ourselves, how we work, and in doing so, we might be able to create greatness along the way.

Speaking of greatness, my group (well, what's left of us) got together Thursday to start brainstorming for our final project. Reading the guidelines at first was a little scary, but after talking it through with them, I'm actually excited. We talked about creating a video in which we would illustrate what the future would look like. We would do this by acting as news anchors (which is a career I've seriously been thinking about lately) and people of the future. I'll be able to let myself enjoy this project instead of stressing about the grade, and dream about a life I could have if this were my eventual career choice. This class has actually taught me to take tasks and try to enjoy them instead of just getting through them to reach the end.

So here's to you, ENDS 101--thanks for teaching me how to appreciate difficult tasks and take pride in my work. Although I don't think this way all the time, I'm a work in progress and I do truly want to integrate this thinking into my future endeavors. So here's to not hiding from the world--I'm here and I'm ready for some greatness! Goodbye for now...

Week 13: Take The Lead!

"Are you keeping order and equilibrium with the status quo, or taking the status quo to the edge of chaos in pursuit of a grand new vision?"

Tricky, tricky question... As of now in my life, I think I'm just keeping up with the status quo. I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing right now though! I'm trying to learn everything in my classes and soak it in so I will be able to push the boundaries of chaos one day! Like Dr. V said, "Be a sponge." Well that's what I'm trying to do right now! Hopefully in the future I'll be able to be more like what he's suggesting we be: a role model and exemplary leader.

Dr. V said leaders should posses certain characteristics, but asked US what we think leaders should posses. To me, a leader should be approachable, passionate, selfless, and responsible. While all of that, to me, qualifies a leader, Dr. V says a leader should have these characteristics:
1. Listening

2. Empathy
3. Healing
4. Awareness
5. Persuasion
6. Conceptualization
7. Foresight
8. Stewardship
9. Commitment to the growth of people
10. Building community
Out of these characteristics, Dr. V asked us to pick the ones that we think are most important in a leader. I believe commitment to the growth of people is vital for a leader to posses. If they are leading a group without a "destination" in mind for them, what are they really striving towards? More than that, how should they conduct themselves? I believe leaders should be loyal to their cause, confident, and hold themselves to a higher standard in order to uplift the morality of the group. The ultimate leader that comes to mind when I hear these characteristics is Nelson Mandela. He had a dream in his mind and he desperately wanted it to be accomplished. He always stood up for what he believed in, and he listened to the people he was representing. What did that end up getting him? A presidency. Another leader that comes to mind is Hitler. While he definitely possessed the characteristics of conceptualization and foresight, he lacked dramatically in the empathy and building community categories. Where did that get him? In a grave with no honor tied to his name.

Its so important to remember your ambitions as a leader, but to also keep in mind what the group/people you are leading want. However as Dr. V reminded us, in the words of Franz Erhart, "Do NOT be afraid to be a leader."

Week 12: Oops..

"There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there."
                                    -Indira Gandhi 

This week I wasn't able to make it to class because...oops...I slept in too late. That's kind of embarrassing to admit, but hey, I'm an Aggie and I have to tell the truth! So I went online to look at the online education module, and there wasn't one--Dr. V just wanted us to work on our group project for the week. Well, here's my story for the week in dealing with my group:

I've had some issues with my group this week. First of all, its really difficult to try and get six people in one place at one time. We all have dramatically different schedules, so there's our first problem. Problem number two: some individuals in my group care about their grade in this class more than others. This has lead to different performance levels on group tasks (and some have been disappointing). That being said, I really do appreciate the diversity of people in my group and think they are all great people! Would I have chosen to work with some of them? No. Am I grateful for this opportunity to expand my circle of Aggie connections? OF COURSE! It may be a challenge, but we are accomplishing all of the assigned tasks, and are doing our best. :)

Week 11: Why So Serious?

Question: What do you call a pile of cats?

To put it simply, life would be boring without humor. I LOVE laughing and smiling and just joking around. Class is always interesting, but this lecture has definitely been my favorite thus far. I was laughing from almost the very beginning. One thing that had me cracking up (probably more than those around me) was the Tequila ad. Taking something and turning it into something to make it humorous adds depth and appeal. At least to me. If an add, movie, TV show, basically anything, is funny, you have my attention!

Actually I've had a lot of people tell me before that if I'm not smiling, I look mad. I'm just that type of person. I value humor at the top of my list. I'm always cracking jokes or poking fun at people. I've always heard that laughter is contagious and that is definitely something I want to catch! Another thing I've always heard is laughter is the best workout, medication, and remedy to any of life's twists and turns. Why not laugh? Why not make people laugh? What could be better?!

Answer: A MEOWntain!

Week 10: Communicate...Creatively...Really?

"Anyone that hates on you is always below you, because they're just jealous of what you have." 

                                     -Miley Cyrus 

Being a Communication major, this lecture touched pretty close to home. Dr. V has communicated in previously lectures that he wants us to actually take something from his class rather than just have to sit through it, and today I definitely took something away. An exercise he began the class with was getting us to think of a hero or role model to us. Well the first thing that came to mind was my parents. They are so inspiring with how much they work and how much they truly care about my family. This might sound kind of odd, but the second person that came to my mind was Miley Cyrus. People are always criticizing her for the "new" form she's taken. Even so, she never wavers in her true identity. She doesn't care that people may not like who she is now--she always stays true to herself.

Then Dr. V asked us to imagine that we were in an elevator and all of the sudden they walked in. What would we say? Well...thinking about it, I would probably tell Miley I truly admire her and what she stands for--self expression. But ACTUALLY thinking about what I'd do in that situation, I'd probably freeze up and freak out. I want to change that and vow to myself that if I see Miley in an elevator, I would actually talk and tell her how amazing she is. So here's to hoping I see her in an elevator haha! 

The next exercise that hit me hard was when he asked us to think of something that stuck with you. The first things that came to mind were 2 quotes. The first was one my grandma always used to say: "Kill them with kindness." This is something I always try to do with my life. Even if people don't treat me with respect or love, I always want to personify kindness. The next quote is one near and dear to my heart: "Let your whole life be a song." This quote is trying to convey to people to always strive to make more out of your life and let it be beautiful. How inspiring?!

(My grandma, me, and my niece Kylie Jo)

I want to embody kindness and beauty in everything that I do. I always want to appear strong and confident, and allow myself to do things I couldn't ever imagine myself doing (speaking to Miley).

Week 9: Spring Break!

Well this week, we didn't have class or an online education module because it was SPRING BREAK!! Unfortunately, I didn't do a whole lot during the break. I went home and worked, so it wasn't too much of a break for me. I did, however, start a new job. I began working with my boyfriend and his boss. What kind of work did we do you may ask? Well his boss owns a gun shop and they travel around Texas to sell at gun shows. So that's what my first weekend of spring break consisted of--traveling and guns.

Growing up in Texas, everyone expects everyone to know about guns (and they assume we ride horses to school). Well reality check, I'm a GIRL! I may live in Texas, but I know nothing about guns. Therefore selling them and writing paperwork on them was pretty difficult. Before we could officially give the customer the gun, we had to get the paperwork checked by the boss to make sure everything was correct. It seemed like every time I went up to him, something was wrong. I just couldn't get it right, and it was definitely frustrating. Finally I reached a point on the second day of filling out paperwork that I actually did it RIGHT! Everything. Was. RIGHT.

So on this trip, I learned that I am a perfectionist. I don't like producing work that's less than the best. Even doing the simplest things, you can ALWAYS learn something about yourself.

(Me and my boyfriend, Steven, at my first gun show in Robstown, Texas)

Week 8: IdeaMACHE according to Jaycie

Well...this week was VERY interesting! Learning about this new innovative creation was inspiring and intriguing. And to think Aggies created it...can I get a WHOOP!?

So the first thing they started off doing was talking about curation. In doing so, they spoke about how Pinterest is a form of curation; I am OBSESSED with Pinterest!! Next they began talking about divergent and convergent thinking, and they referenced spring break. These guys really knew how to connect with us by referring to things we thought about and did. I liked that, and it truly allowed me to invest myself into what they were talking about.

This might just be the Communication major in me coming out, but the greatest thing I took away from this lecture was the way in which they connected with their audience. They connected in a way that was relatable to their audience, which then allowed them to stay engaged in the lecture. Doing this is key, especially when you are explaining something as complex as IdeaMACHE. After hearing everything they presented about this program, I look forward to working with it and learning about it. Who knows, after working with it and hearing these guys' awesome stories, I might be able to create something this innovative as well one day. ;)

Week 7: Unfortunately...

 I was not able to make it to class this day due to a cold. :(
Don't worry, I'm better now!

However after reading through the slides from lecture, this lecture seemed to be one that could definitely be applied to real world scenarios. For example, the three phases seem to me like they could easily be adapted into the business setting.

As for the online education module, there isn't one! So this week I'll just post some pictures, just because I love pictures. :)

Week 6: Don't Kill Creativity!

Nothing is impossible; the word itself says "I'm possible!" -Audrey Hepburn 

Today's lecture was all about innovation and how to let it shine. Doesn't sound so hard, does it? Well, when you really think about, and I mean REALLY think about it, how many times have you had what you thought to be a brilliant idea? How many times was it shot down or did you quit trying to make it succeed just because of another's opinion? I know I have been victim to this "tragedy" of sorts, and it sometimes can be hard to recover from. Dr. V said in order for an idea to succeed, you must set up the proper environment in which it might be hard for it to be shot down. We need to turn our negative ideas into positives. When someone asks you "Why not?" Say, "WHY NOT!"

I believe the key to success within anything in your life is believing in yourself. For example, in the picture above I was night fishing. I was SO excited when I hooked something on my line, so I began reeling it in with vigor. When I got it to the surface, I realized it was a rock, haha. Rock or not, I believed in myself enough to reel it in, and I was HAPPY about it! That's how I think people should treat ideas. Even if they're "rocks", bring them up because you never know how they can impact the world!

Week 5: There is no ME in TEAM

Today we talked about how to feel most comfortable within the team setting. This is something all of us have surely struggled with at least once in our lives. Sometimes it truly is hard to find your exact place within the team setting, especially if you haven't met or communicated with these people much before you are expected to perform with them. Not just that, but the stress of performing well can also stress us out even more when trying to fit into the group!

While watching Dr. V and his thumb wrestling exercise, I noticed how this simple game put a spotlight on why some people feel uncomfortable in the group/team atmosphere. When the first team began "wrestling", the young lady did not hesitate to use her other hand, in an effort to overtake her opponent. This is because, as Dr. V put it, we are usually concerned with what we as individuals can get out of something. However when the next young man came up to thumb wrestle with Dr. V himself, a different scenario was laid out for him. Dr. V instructed the young man to do exactly as he says, which required the man to trust Dr. He indicated that he indeed did trust Dr. V, and they began wrestling. At the end of the game, Dr. V said the man truly didn't trust him because he was trying to win. This shows that the young man was trying to beat Dr. V to try to get something out of it for himself--a victory. However in the team setting, we can't look at our tasks and say, "What will I get out of this? How will this benefit me?" If we do that, we might lose sight of what's best for the group. In doing that, we will probably and ultimately fail as a group. In order to succeed, we must focus on the TEAM'S goals, what will benefit the TEAM, and always keep the TEAM rather than ourselves at the forefront.
So far, my experiences within the team I was assigned to have been a breath of fresh air. The individuals in my group are completely different from me, but that is a blessing in disguise. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, and we play on them to achieve greatness. For example, Ryan (very left), is talented in graphic design, so he created this group picture of all of us. Great, right?!

Happiness is Earned, and This Feeling Takes The Cake!

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”- Gandhi 

I just logged on to eCampus to make sure I didn't have anything to do, when all the sudden I see my grade for my PBP is up. I was super nervous to check it because I've heard stories about Dr. V's class. People say unless you "WOW" him, you won't make an A. So on this project, I worked my tail off to get to something that not only would get me an A, but I would be proud of it. That's what I got...I got something I was TRULY proud of! I can't honestly say I've felt proud after finishing many projects, but this one took the cake. So I made all the revisions on it, finished it up, and submitted it. Then I thought to myself I honestly don't care if I make an A on this, I'm just so happy seeing what I'm capable of doing and bringing it to life. To my surprise, I checked my grade and found a 95! It is so nice to receive a grade knowing how hard you worked for it. I intend to keep up my hard work, not only to get the grades, but to feel what I felt when I submitted that project-- happy. And let me tell you, that happiness was earned!

Week 4: How close is TOO close?

We've all experienced it...that person who stands to close to you in line at the grocery store. What about the person that sits right next to you in the waiting room at the doctor's office when there are plenty of chairs open? You just want to yell at them and say, "THIS IS MY SPACE, BUDDY!" That is exactly what Dr. Hill talked about today--personal space. One of the most interesting things within his lecture, to me, was the fact that children have inconsistent ideas about personal space than the rest of us. Hmmm... think about it. We hold babies. We tell 3 year olds to come sit on our lap. And we are always holding their hands, whether its in the mall, walking across the street, or just in a crowded place. This concept is so simple, yet left me thinking...why do children who love to cuddle grow up to be adults who lack that simple intimate connection that we can share with others?

Simply put, adults are "not supposed" to be intimate with each other unless they are involved romantically. However intimate does not always have to mean sexual or sensual. To me, the word intimate can evoke a sense of closeness between two people. For instance, every time I see my best friends, I shower them with hugs. Every time I meet a new person, I either give them a handshake or a hug. Why can't more people accept the small, intimate opportunities of everyday life?

THINK ABOUT IT! Children are happy nearly all the time! And when they aren't, they receive hugs and cuddles, and are once again happy! If we restored the simple and intimate acts into our every day lives, we might be that much happier.

Week 2: At the Speed of Light...AND...Week 3: Creativity and Me

"Periodically you need to take your brain out and dance on it." -Mark Twain

Life is going by so fast lately. The older I get, the faster it goes. I tell myself I have to do things "tomorrow", and before I know it, "tomorrow" is gone and three weeks have passed. That's what happened to my temporary disappearance from my blog-- tomorrow just came and went too fast! BUT here I am! I'm back! So I want to reflect back on the past couple weeks of lecture...

1/21/14
I took notes during this lecture on the things I felt were the most important/intrigued me the most. The most intriguing piece I wrote was: The Paradox of Choice. Dr. V described this to be when an individual has too many choices to choose from, which can ultimately lead to self-blame or decision-making paralysis. This phrase can be applied to my life right now-- I am graduating next spring and I am becoming bombarded with decisions like where to live after graduation, internship/job opportunites, ultimate career choice; basically the major things students my age are faced with. I'm nervous that when making these life-changing decisions, I'll make the wrong one. How can I overcome the self-doubt and ultimate self-blame? Well the next thing written on my paper was unleash the magic. WOW. Hard-hitting right? In order to make decisions and allow myself to be happy in them, all I need to do is unleash my "magic"! So from this point on, I will make decisions (without regret), and allow my true self to come out in everything I do. I'll step out of my comfort zone to unleash my creativity and truly find out how I work!

Also this week after reviewing the online portion, I have concluded that the online modules are very similar to class lectures and just build off of them. Therefore I am unsure if I will be writing on them anymore. I will definitely view them if I am having trouble understanding the material or am very interested in the lecture's material.

1/28/14

This lecture was structured on Creative Thinking, how to harbor your imagination, and how to best center your creative thinking around your personality. I've always believed that I am a creative thinker, but at first this class made me feel otherwise. With the exercises we did, I finished and thought I did great by thinking out of the box. However when students were asked to share their results, people had thought more out of the box than I had, and came up with more ideas. That's when I started questioning myself-- if I am truly creative, why can't I portray it right now? That's when this lecture stepped in and showed me how to use my creative side and how to enhance it. In order to be creative, we have to use our imagination. 

For example in the first exercise we did, Dr. V asked us to reproduce a happy moment we've already lived in our minds. As cheesy as it sounds, my happy moment was my first date with my boyfriend. That part was easy-- I just thought about a day where I just could not stop smiling, and that day immediately popped into my mind. However Dr. V's next question puzzled me a little more-- he asked us to produce a happy moment that we will live. There's so many options! I could say traveling to my dream place, graduating, doing something adventurous, getting married, or a million other things. However I think that was the key to this exercise: to produce a multitude of ideas in your brain. And that's exactly what I did! Within this lecture, I also discovered that as well as being imaginative, I am a word-smart, people-smart, and self-smart thinker. I believe I can take these new discoveries and apply it to how my mind works, which will truly better myself and my thinking.

p

Week 1: The Future and Creativity

As I walked into the lecture hall for the first class, I was apprehensive. I had no idea what to expect. My mind was racing and my eyes were wandering as Dr. V. began his lecture. He began by talking to us about the future, which was different than any other class I had taken before. Normally professors teach about the past or even the present, but never the future. He went on and we reached our first in-class activity-- the fire activity. He asked us what things were needed to make/sustain a fire, and the things we could do with a fire.
Generally, I believe myself to be a creative person, but this exercise took me by surprise! Of course I thought of the basic things you need to make fire-- oxygen, friction, and something to start it (like a lighter). Also I thought of the pretty basic things to do with a fire-- cook and keep warm. However when Dr. V. started asking students to share what they had come up with, I was very surprised! The most unique answer I remember hearing was that you can sterilize items with fire. Then I thought of course, why didn't I think of that? It's so simple!That's what creativity is to me: simple. You just have to delve far enough into yourself to truly realize it. After that I began to think of more things you could do with a fire. Well you can melt crayons to create a painting. You can perform the art of glass blowing to create wonderful works of art. Something so simple such as fire can be harbored so that is a product of it. So that is how I will begin to think of my creativity-- as a tool that I harbor to create beauty. And in the end, I believe the beauty I create will affect myself and the world in the future.

As far as the online education module goes this week, it was very interesting to see "who" our professor is and how he's gotten to the point he's at now. However after going through and reading the myths about ENDS, I think this class will be harder than I expect it to...the only thing I can say to that is, "BRING IT ON".