Blog Entry #8

Nothin' But A Good Time

Poison

Looking back on my first semester at USC, I have had an amazing time. I have made numerous friends, joined a fraternity, played for the hockey team, and enjoyed SEC Football (even though we haven't had a great season). I have also developed more responsibility and adapted to many of the differences between high school and college. Even through all of the rough weeks - writing papers, studying for tests, and doing homework - I've had nothin' but a good time.

The three main lessons I have learned are:

     1. Find a balance between academics and social life (it's not as hard as you think)

     2. Finish homework early, don't wait until the last minute (something might come up)

     3. Develop relationships with teachers (this could mean the difference between a B+ and an A)


If I could go back in time, I would use the rules my parents gave me when I was in elementary school - You can't play until you finish your homework. Great rule. Not only would it work great for time management, but it would reduce stress. If time is set aside for studying throughout the day and assignments are completed shortly after they are assigned (rather than the day before they're due), there is plenty of time to go out and have a good time later in the day.


To have an improved Spring semester, I have prepared a few things:

     1. I have 8:30 am classes Monday-Friday (responsibility, reason not to go out on school nights)

     2. I will have an orderly planner (organization, aware of assignments/tests/etc.)

     3. I will do my homework after class (time management, no all-nighters)

     4. I won't go out unless my assignments are done (school comes first)

Blog Entry #7

Last Thursday was the second time I have participated in an exercise like The Fall-Out Shelter. This activity is always interesting, as it allows you to see things from every participant's perspective. Because of the large diversity at the University of South Carolina, each of my classes are filled with students from all different racial, socioeconomic, and political backgrounds. These classifications are often the most influential components of one's decision-making process. However, my group showed no bias while choosing the "most valuable" seven people to be allowed in The Fall-Out Shelter. 


We had a discussion about how we would select the people who were allowed in the shelter, and we came to the consensus that it would be solely based on the contributions they would bring to the community. For example, after choosing the 60-year-old white doctor, we said that whether he was black, brown, red or yellow it would not matter. If he was a woman, it would not matter. We would've chosen the person with his characteristics and qualifications to fill the position in the shelter. This goes to show how our diverse community is growing with open minds, and the shaping of our future community because of this mindset from college students. 

In Utah, about 80% of the population is Caucasian, less than 14% is Hispanic, and less than 2% is African-American; South Carolina is very different. Personally, I have never had issues with people because of their personal identities. Rather, I judge people on the kind of person they are, and their qualities. Coming here, I knew the culture would be different, but I do not treat it differently than before. There's a quote from Morgan Freeman that addresses racism, however, I feel that it applies to all areas of this topic. He said, "How do we stop racism? Stop talking about it. I'm going to stop calling you a white man, and I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man."