Workshop: Concentration and Memory

I went to the workshop on “Concentration and Memory” in the tech pride room this week. This workshop was really interesting and went through studying habits that will enable you to concentrate better. The speaker made us take thirty seconds and circle all of the E’s on our paper. We did this and she pointed out some of the habits that relaxes us and helps us concentrate. Some students had twitches or foot taps that make them focus, while other students sat perfectly still and hammered out the task. The speaker also gave us a question form with questions like: Do you start you work as soon as you sit down at your desk? These questions helped her know what kind of concentration we have and what easily distracts us. Many people listen to music when they study, and some cannot stand it, like me. The speaker also really focused on the environment in which we study and how it greatly influences our concentration. Television, facebook, and phone texting are very popular examples of distraction. The handout we received went through four key ways to concentrate, they were: be organized, be physical, be clear, and be smart. It is good to take breaks when studying and to use mnemonic devices to help you remember information. I find that mnemonic devices are great and help me the most with remembering information. This workshop gave great pointers and really helped me out. I really suggest for anyone to attend these free workshops for many reasons. One, they are during dead hour so you have some free time to go. Also, they are free and offer excellent information that simply betters you as a person and makes you that much more intelligent.

Workshop: Concentration and Memory

I went to the workshop on “Concentration and Memory” in the tech pride room this week. This workshop was really interesting and went through studying habits that will enable you to concentrate better. The speaker made us take thirty seconds and circle all of the E’s on our paper. We did this and she pointed out some of the habits that relaxes us and helps us concentrate. Some students had twitches or foot taps that make them focus, while other students sat perfectly still and hammered out the task. The speaker also gave us a question form with questions like: Do you start you work as soon as you sit down at your desk? These questions helped her know what kind of concentration we have and what easily distracts us. Many people listen to music when they study, and some cannot stand it, like me. The speaker also really focused on the environment in which we study and how it greatly influences our concentration. Television, facebook, and phone texting are very popular examples of distraction. The handout we received went through four key ways to concentrate, they were: be organized, be physical, be clear, and be smart. It is good to take breaks when studying and to use mnemonic devices to help you remember information. I find that mnemonic devices are great and help me the most with remembering information. This workshop gave great pointers and really helped me out. I really suggest for anyone to attend these free workshops for many reasons. One, they are during dead hour so you have some free time to go. Also, they are free and offer excellent information that simply betters you as a person and makes you that much more intelligent.

Workshop: The Myths and Realities of Eating Disorders

This week I went to the workshop in the Tech Pride room that was on the “Myths and Realities of Eating Disorders. The speaker was a really nice woman and she began her PowerPoint presentation by asking us questions and seeing who thought was the correct answer. It was funny because usually the audience was about fifty fifty in answering the questions correctly. It showed how ignorant we are about eating disorders in general. This workshop really answered some questions that most people think about but do not ask. For example, both men and women can have eating disorders and eating disorders are medically considered an illness. This workshop was really informative and went through all eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive overeating. You usually hear about anorexia and bulimia, but I did not realize that compulsive overeating was even termed as an eating disorder. The speaker gave us a lot of handouts that explained signs of eating disorders and what to do if you see signs of this in a friend. At the end the speaker game time for the audience to ask questions and people's questions were very interesting. One person asked how do you know if you are a compulsive overeater. It surprised me to know that there is actually a list of signs to look for in a compulsive overeater. I am really glad I went to this workshop because I learned much about eating disorders and I do not feel as ignorant about the subject. I had a friend in high school that had an eating disorder and I wish I could have known some of this information so I could have helped her out more. Overall this workshop was beneficial because now I am more informed about illnesses in our world today.

EXPW's Bachelor's Auction: Benefit for Mustard Seed Ranch

I went to the EXPW bachelor auction this week. My major is EXPW Licensure so I found out about it because there were signs posted all around memorial gym. I really wanted to go to this event to see what it is all about. It was really fun to see all the tech boys volunteer themselves for a good cause. There were about fifteen guys and the starting bids were for ten dollars. I ended up buying two guys, my boyfriend, and one of his best friends because he needed somebody to buy him. It was really funny and we all had a good time. It was especially funny to watch and listen to the girls in the audience as new boys were brought in. The highest somebody was sold for was thirty dollars. I think the EXPW club made about two hundred dollars to donate. The cause was for the Mustard Seed Ranch, which is a home built here in Cookeville that has many young children living there with selected parents to take care of them and provide a home and care for the kids. The EXPW majors club is really involved with the Mustard Seed Ranch and not only did they raise money for the home, but they also helped build the home this year. Many students donated their time in framing, painting, and roofing the home. Also, they continue to help out as they donate their time in tutoring the children, or just simply going over there to hang out and be a friend to them. I really thought it was a great idea to have this benefit auction and I know next year I will definitely be involved with helping out with it. EXPW is a really great and fun club to be involved in.

Workshop:Busing to basketball

I went to a workshop this week in the tech pride room. It was titled “Basketball and Busing” and Marc Burnet spoke about growing up African American in Tennessee and how he handled integration. He had to change elementary schools because of the integration rule and had to start new in a mainly all white school on the other side of town. He even had to move into what he called the "projects" because this location was closer to school. He faced much racism and hardship growing up, but he said basketball kept him level headed. The basketball coach would even make the African American players run extra in hopes they would quit because they just were not accepted by the white crowd. This backfired and the African American players only got better at the sport. I really enjoyed the speaker today and his honesty with the subject. Also, Mr. Burnet said that sometimes he would have to walk home after basketball practice at night through the nice white neighborhoods. Sometimes people would stop him and ask him what he was doing there and if he was stealing something. It is just so horrible to think how colored people were treated and still are treated. Mr. Burnet also said that busing to school really changed the whole aspect in his town. The kids from the “projects” were all loaded onto a bus and brought to school where all the middle class white children were waiting and watching them to get off the bus. Mr. Burnet said that the white children treated the kids from the “projects” like trash and that he got into many fights because he was constantly called names and verbally abused by the white children and even the teachers. I feel like I have learned more about the African American culture and how horribly they were once treated. This speech definitely benefited me and I plan on attending more.

Workshop: Busing to Basketball

I went to a workshop this week in the tech pride room. It was titled “Basketball and Busing” and Marc Burnet spoke about growing up African American in Tennessee and how he handled integration. He had to change elementary schools because of the integration rule and had to start new in a mainly all white school on the other side of town. He even had to move into what he called the "projects" because this location was closer to school. He faced much racism and hardship growing up, but he said basketball kept him level headed. The basketball coach would even make the African American players run extra in hopes they would quit because they just were not accepted by the white crowd. This backfired and the African American players only got better at the sport. I really enjoyed the speaker today and his honesty with the subject. Also, Mr. Burnet said that sometimes he would have to walk home after basketball practice at night through the nice white neighborhoods. Sometimes people would stop him and ask him what he was doing there and if he was stealing something. It is just so horrible to think how colored people were treated and still are treated. Mr. Burnet also said that busing to school really changed the whole aspect in his town. The kids from the “projects” were all loaded onto a bus and brought to school where all the middle class white children were waiting and watching them to get off the bus. Mr. Burnet said that the white children treated the kids from the “projects” like trash and that he got into many fights because he was constantly called names and verbally abused by the white children and even the teachers. I feel like I have learned more about the African American culture and how horribly they were once treated. This speech definitely benefited me and I plan on attending more.

skin is skin

After reading both essays I noticed a definite pattern. In society today there is an apparent, yet unspoken about power/ranking/order of people based on both sex and race. White males rule above all peoples and white people have advantages over colored people. It is unspoken about, and most consider it rude or “crossing the line” if woman point out men’s over apparent power in society. Men work to support the family and while most women work, they are still left to pick up the pieces of the household (cleaning, cooking, laundry, children) while managing their own careers. This is just not fair? Who made these rules? Why haven’t women stepped up for themselves? They have in the past, yet there is not enough support and determination to make a difference. We live in such a follow the norm society where nobody wants to make a scene by voicing their real opinion. Yet, the real unfairness of society today is the unspoken about advantages of white people over colored people. After reading the essays, I was blown away by how much racism there really is in the world today and how even in my life I myself do not see the huge advantages I have as a white person in the United States. When Ms. McIntosh made her list of the daily effects of white privilege I really had to step back and realize the hidden, yet overbearingly apparent advantages I have. Some examples that really stood out to me and I have not even considered previously are the simple fact that “flesh” colored band-aids and cover up are way more accessible to match the color of white people over colored people’s skin. Also, I believe it is very true that when someone asks to talk to the “person in charge” more often than none this person will be white. White people are widely represented everywhere in America from television to music to the newspaper. Whites have more say and more representation over the colored crowd. After reading the essays I am very aware of the everyday racism in our society. I feel like I have been living a lie for my entire life, in which colored people have this negative vibe associated with them that somehow white people learn at a young age and just slowly live with it and don’t even realize what is happening. What gives white people any say over who has power or the advantage? Skin is skin; if you think about it, colored people have just a darker tint to their skin. I really wish there was no separation, that people were people and there was no hidden ranking and prejudices because of skin color. I can wish all I want, but in the end I know deep down there will always be that separation because that is just how it is. It is really sad but our society today will never be able to get over skin colors and racism. It will always be there, just like our skin.

Advertising or Brainwashing?

In response to the Iron Maiden, I first want to say that it is so apparent that advertising has an overwhelming impact on women of our time. From hair, to weight, to how to dress, females definitely feel the effects of advertising and feel more obliged to follow what advertising portrays. I agree with just about the entire essay and found the statistics staggering. For example, just the fact that women pay a whopping $33 billion on weight loss, $7 billion on cosmetics, and $300 million on cosmetic surgery. That is nuts! I am especially bothered by the cosmetic surgery fact; I really believe that people need to find the strength to be happy with themselves and to not choose to go under the knife. I believe Americans need to look at themselves in a better light and stop putting so much pressure on themselves to be so visually perfect. What ever happened to inner beauty? I am a very big fan of those dove commercials where woman of all shapes and sizes strip down to their undergarments to advertise not only the dove products, but also their beauty and womanly strength. It makes me sick to hear stories about teenagers becoming anorexic or bulimic because of their desire to become skinny. The fact is that these high fashion super models are too skinny and they look downright unhealthy. It really made me mad when the fashion world believes professional models are considered over the hill by the time they are twenty-four. Now that is just disturbing, age does not determine your beauty, the person determines their own beauty and inner being. The visual essay really made me look at ads in a different light. I feel almost brainwashed because as I looked at the pictures I realized how much advertising influences young minds and in most cases the hidden message the advertisement is presenting. Sex is everywhere in advertising and it is disgusting how much women are the targets. I just really hope women of our time can step up and be stronger and not focus on the visual aspects of themselves but on who they are a as a person. People should be influenced by their own decisions, not by what a magazine tells them to do.

Little Rock 9

Tonight I went to listen to Dr. Terrence Roberts speak at our University at Tennessee Tech. He was one of the nine African American teenagers to attend a normally Caucasian populated school, called Central High School in Little Rock Arkansas. Right off the bat I noticed Dr. Roberts’s patience as he spoke. He was very at ease and comfortable about talking about segregation of his time and racism. I am from Wisconsin and frankly have never experienced any sort of racism toward African Americans. I have not been too exposed to these experiences, considering my high school had maybe two African American students in the entire school. I really enjoyed Dr. Robert’s speech and the strength he told his experiences and how he dealt with racism. I was very amazed when he spoke about using nonviolence in every situation. Students would fill water balloons with their own urine and place them in his locker and instead of getting angry he said he removed himself from the situation by smiling and walking away. This would take an insurmountable amount of inner strength to not fight back or to say anything about it. I have a lot of respect for Dr. Roberts and really thought highly of him when he said that he honestly does not believe in fighting. It takes a lot for somebody in our day and age to not fight back to hostile situations. Lastly, I was really appreciative when Mr. Andy stood up and said he was disappointed with all of the empty seats in the auditorium and the lack of representation from our student body at the presentation tonight. I too felt embarrassed because this man made a trip out to speak at our school and share his life experiences and advice and there were quadruple the amount of empty seats in that auditorium than full seats. I really benefited from Dr. Roberts speech and know others would have too. I really hope that in the future we can better represent our university to such honorable presenters.