Reflections

Amanda Mizell
Professor Andy Smith
English 1010-018
December 10, 2009
Learning Community Say What?
Tennessee Tech University was always my first choice. In fact it was the only school I applied to. I was really scared coming to college but also very excited. My parents would actually say I was over excited. I received a letter from Mrs. Maddox saying she would like me to join some classes called the Learning Community. Being new to college I had no idea what this was and what this entitled. But she explained this was classes you can take with the same group of students all year.
I really believe that the learning community really did help me transition from high school to college. I was always worried about when the day came that I would move away from mom and dad and how I would be. I really think the learning community helped me get connected in the college community and made friends.
During this first semester we made lots of field trips and had many speakers. We also did a pop culture conference that we hosted. I really enjoyed hosting something because that makes me feel part of the tech community. We also helped helping hands of Putnam County and this was also very influential to me.
I would definitely tell every student that was offered this opportunity to take it. This class is a great way to make friends and to get connected in the college community. The teacher is very connected to the students as well as the students to the teacher. It’s a great transition to college.

Pop Culture Conference

The Pop Culture Conference was very exciting! The bands were definitely the best part. The food was a little on the bad sad but still eatable. We had a better turn out than I thought. We had several people dwindle in from outside.

I really think that the tables where nicely spread out and very well organized. I really think catering could use some pipping up to do. They need to be more on time and polite to the people they are waiting on.

Overall, I would vote the Conference a 8 out of 10, but good job to everyone!

Getting to the End

So we have two weeks left of the semester and I fell like it has just flown by. But nevertheless I am hopelessly tired. I really cannot believe that I've got a semester behind me. I've made so many connections and so many friendships that will last for a lifetime.

9/11

The History department invited a bunch of men to come to talk to the students about 9/11 and how it was built up in history. Many of these men where senators or veterans. I personally thought it was boring and it needed a little more spunk. I think more technology and having many different ages come and talk would have brought a bigger crowd. I did see that this was a community topic with the variety of ages attending.

Dracula

I went to go see a local play at the Back Door Playhouse here at TTU. I have to say a lot of people where interested in this play. Every seat was filled and even more had to be put out. The play was a well written one. Every line was carefully placed for the humor and scariness. The actors did a fair job, I still believe they need to be in more character. The mad man played a great role and was very well played.

I think this a must see and many people need to go see this play eveytime they get a chance to.

Potter Power

This evaluation written by Craig Outhier, is a review on the Harry Potter movie. This review shows me how to write a review on a movie and to write it well.

Flatbread Company

In this evaluation, Rachel Forrest is talking about a flat bread company which is trying to serve natural healthy foods. Their main objective is to honor those who eat the food as well as the ones who grow the food. She starts off telling her readers these objectives and she also states some of the menu items. I love the fact that she compares and contrasts these evaluations on different foods on the menu.

Dawson's Creek

The Dawson's Creek evaluation was written very well and had very strong opinions. I thought that maybe the writer shouldn't be so strong in the beginning though.

blogs blogs blogs

So I read the writing today and I found it very very boring. I always thought that blogs where something that people did because they didnt have anyone else to tell. But I've actually enjoyed this little blog.

controversy over two forms

So Mr. Andy talked to us about these forms that people actually fill out for finanical aid or for clothing. One form askd for you finanical situation while the other asks about you religious beliefs.

I personally dont agree with churchs asking questions just to turn these people in need away because they do not share the same beliefs or they didnt go to church that sunday. But I do see why some churchs might ask these questions when someone they do not know comes to them asking for help.

When people come to a church, the church wants to help these people. And the church where I'm from they ask questions like this so the advisor or helper knows how to talk to the person. The church doesnt want to offend the person in need. They always refer the person to a self help group that is inside the church.

The Wedding

Well I went to this wedding with my boyfriend, William, last night. And it was so beautiful! It was held at the Govenors club back in our hometown, Brentwood, Tennessee. I felt so lucky to be able to witness this cerimony.

Well as most of you know I've been sick for alittle over a week now with some allergy stuff and/or sinus. But I being who I am still wouldn't just stay home and refuse to go. I feel like unless I am dieing under a rock I will attend school, work, and any other activities. Well this got me into trouble last night. Durning the wedding I am sucking on hard candy and even bring water with me. Well I have to cough and I didnt know when it would be ok to so I try to hold it back. And anyone who has ever tried this knows that its impossible. Your eyes water, you cant talk, you cant move, and you cant smile. I felt like a scared possum. But of course it came out at the worse possible moment....durning prayer. Of course my boyfriend descides to laugh which I found totally embarrassing. I was just sitting there thinking it was already embarrassing to cough durning the prayer but for him to laugh it was just to much. But what really sent me over the edge was when the older man sitting next to me leans to his wife and whispers, "he is laughing at her", and I hear her take a deep breath of dissapproval. At this point I just wanted to kill William and then go hide under a rock. But this didnt stop me from elbowing him in his side.

As many of the women who read this will know that no matter what is going on you always will have to keep your man in line. NO MATTER WHAT!

Untitled the movie

So we recently watched a movie in class about a boy named William Miller and how he followed around a rock band. I absolutely loved this movie! I think even if you are not writing a profile you should watch it. Its a cross between a chick flick and a great kids movie. But watch out no kids should really watch it. But I absolutely loved it! Great choice Mr. Andy!

The Wonderful World of Bowling

So I have this bowling class on Mondays and Wednesdays and its kinda cool except for the fact that I absolutely suck! I suck so bad that I should be a pin that gets knocked down. So here I am in this class that I really really suck at bowling like games of 81 and 54. And for those who dont know a perfect game is 300.... so you know from that that I totally suck. Well to add insult to injury my instructor Coach Mays is walking around and comes and looks at my paper..... He finds that I not only suck at bowling I also suck at Math, I didnt add up my score right. This is about the time that I was really about to give up, but I knew that I had to get through two games. So I'm bowling on my second game and the ball gets stuck on my ring finger and when I swing back to throw the ball it falls behind me..... I was literally about to melt to the floor from embarrassment.

First College Football Game

When I was ten, my dad wanted to take my mother and I to an Auburn football game in Auburn, Alabama. I had never been to a real football game and I had no idea what to think.

We got there three hours before the game. My dad took us to a tailgate party for hamburgers and fries. Then he took us to the shops around campus for some shirts, sweatshirts, and cheerleading pom-poms. I wasso excited and so pumped by the time the game started, I couldn't sit still.

We had wonderful seats, right in the middle of the feild and about ten rows up. I felt like I could literally reach out and touch the players. We soon found out that football really wasn't what I was into. I wanted to watch the cheerleaders.

After the first half, the cheerleaders, band, and marenettes all came out and gave a wonderful halftime show. But soon after half time I was ready to go. My parents on the otherhand were not. So I slept threw th second half. At the age of ten I was exausted.

Hansen

I moved to Brentwood, Tennessee when I was eight nd in the middle of third grade. Where I had moved from we had played outside and rarely listened to the radio or watched tv. The first song I ever heard the radio, after the move, was "Um, Bop" by Hansen. From that moment on I was in love!

Two weeks later I bought their cd. I played the same song over and over again. After six weeks of that my dad was ready to Um Bop that cd in the garbage. About six months later my mother bought me Hansen Concert tickets. I was so excited I almost peed myself. But I knew that come two months from ten I was going to see Hansen in real life!

When concert day came, I was so excited and ready to go. I remember that day was the longest day I had ever experienced.

Clicks

The first time I was introduced to "clicks" was when I move to Brentwood, Tennessee from Columbia, Tennessee. I was in the middle of 3rd grade and was behind. I had no idea what I was getting into.

As I got use to school I began to notice who was a "popular" kid and why. These kids where the ones who knew each othe from diapers. They did everything together. Then I began to notice the "football jocks". At the time there wasn't a school team but there was the Brentwood Blaze team. Then there where teh Brentwood Blaze Cheerleaders. This is wear I fit into. My mother signed me up and I was so grateful for the fourteen instant friends. And like every school we had our "nerds" or "gamers". These kids where the classic glasses wearing, greasy haired boys, with an occassional girl.

Two Stories

We had to read two memoirs this week in English. One was about this kid spying on a family in New York, and how he thought the family was weird for not having a tv. I personally think its not normal in my everyday life not to have one but I do not agree with the kid to judge them just because of the tv situation.

Now the second memoir was about a girl who was obessed with a band member of the stones. It showed what happens when someone lives in a fantasy and suddenly tht fantasy gets crushed. The girl didnt realize that fantasy doesnt always turn into reality and sometimes its best to live in a fantasy than experience things in real life.

Extraversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judgment

"ESTJ (Extra version, Sensing, Thinking, Judgment)
You are practical, realistic, and matter-of-fact. You are decisive and quickly move to implement decisions. You organize projects and people to get things done, and focus on getting results in the most efficient way possible. You take care of routine details. You have a clear set of logical standards, systematically follow them and want others to also. You are forceful in implementing your plans.

Famous people with your ESTJ personality include: President Lyndon B. Johnson, Harry S. Truman, John D. Rockefeller, Rev. Billy Graham and George W. Bush."


I took the test Mr. Andy assigned us to on facebook. Although, I believe I gave completely honest answers I don't think that the ESTJ is really my personality. So I definitely don't think this test is legit and I would not tell anyone else to take the test. Of course, this is solely my opinion.

He also asked us questions to answer about our spirituality....
Do you have a spiritual belief or practice?
Yes, I'm a Baptist.
Is belief itself a problem?
I do not think belief could ever really be a problem. Humans need something to believe in. Even people who do not believe in God still are strong believers that there is no God so it still allows them to believe in something.
How important is tolerance of differing beliefs in regard to this topic?
I really do think in today's society that tolerance in different beliefs are very important. If we did not have tolerance then everyone would be in conflict all day long and every day. No one want to live in a world like that.
Do you believe in a divine being or higher power?
Yes I do believe in a divine being... Which is God in my opinion.
How do you relate (or not) to this concept of a higher power?
In my religion I believe that God is like a father who will guild all his children. And like many people experience, I think I can relate a lot to my Father. See he was always there for me and will always be there for me. Now, like every child I have disobeyed but at the same time I have apologized and asked for forgiveness. So I can relate to him as a child does with a parent.
What is the relationship between the physical and spiritual world?
The relationship between the physical and spiritual world is ever important. If you are good with God and his followers in the spiritual world then he will grant you different things in the physical sense. Also the more spiritual you are the more "the devil" or other people try to test your faithfulness.
How important (or not) is spirituality to your personal identity?
I would say that my spirituality is very important in my personal identity, because when people see me and watch what I do they will see a Christian and someone who cherished what she does.
What is your attitude to people whose views on spiritual matters differ from your own?
I always try to have an open mind to different views on spiritual matters. In my opinion my way is correct but I also enjoy hearing what others have to say or what they think. Many people that are Christians are not that open but I've always been taught to be kind to your neighbors. And I take that to the next level and try to invite them into things and give them the chance to be open with me and have an open mind to my beliefs and things.
Do you believe your spiritual beliefs (or lack thereof) continue to change over time or generally stay the same?
I definitely think that spiritual beliefs do change over time. The more you talk to others and get a better understanding of what the meaning is about what you believe then you will start to "tweak" what you think.
What is the importance of change or its lack?
Change is very important because if change doesn't happen then the world wouldn't be where it is today. Everyone needs change and everyone changes. Change is a part of life.

Assignment

So for homework we are suppose to write a blog about our writing history and rhetorical situations.



Well I guess I should start out by saying I'm not a writer. My teachers in the past have always put red all over my papers. Some have said that I dont put in enough effort but yet I try my best. But some people dont realize there are people that just cannot write a good paper and I of course am one.

So another part of the assignment was to talk about our history on rhetorical situations a.k.a. speeches. I am not good at speeches. I get so nervous my face becomes red and looks like a chili pepper and sometimes I can pass out. The was one time in 3rd grade, my teacher asked me to stand up and tell the class about me. Well I couldnt even get my name out before I passed out. Next thing I know I'm in the nurse's office with a wet rag on my forehead.

I once read a story about a man going into the jungle by himself to live for a year. He ended up getting attack by some local natives who thought he was crazy. They said anyone man who thinks he can go into the jungle by himself must be crazy. So they attacked him and he ended up dieing of some kind of disease anyways. But when I get up and talk to an audience by myself I feel like that man who got attacked.

College....

Everyone says that college is the best time of your life. I have spent 6 days as a college student and I am having the best time of my life. I started out waking up this morning late. Luckily my phone rang and woke me up in time for me to get to class.

My dorm room isn't exactly neat. I woke up with my lamp crashing to the ground. As I layed there laughing I was also really embarrassed because I didn't want my roommate to wake up. I got up when I thought the coast was clear and she was back to sleep to pick up my lamp. Then I proceeded to get ready in the dark because my roommate, Katie, doesn't get up when I do.

Well by noon, I had my first class with Mr. Andy... can you say a hoot! I've never imagined that I would ever have a teacher that would be open about going to bonnaroo. I love the fact that I have a hipee as a teacher!