Blog

2005-10-12T21:30:00.000-07:00

Well we had our first softball game today....it was a little dissapointing I'm not going to lie. We got hammered 14-3. But our team had never stepped foot on the field together until tonight. The first two innings we gave up 13 runs....our fielding was sub-par to say the least, but we improved with each inning at outscored them 3-1 the rest of the game. I went 1 for 2 with a single to center field. I look forward to our next game, we are going to have a practice this weekend and I think we shoudl bring home the win. Well i need to go study for some tests....cya

2005-10-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

The week is coming to a close and I'm looking very forward to the weekend. Our softball game was cancelled due to rain so that was a bummer and to boot the astros lost yesterday. I have a math quiz today at 2 and then I'm flying home to surprise Katie for her birthday.....I don't think she knows I have a blog.....haha well she won't check it even if she does. I look forward to sleeping in my own bed and taking a shower in my shower. Plus I have a big week coming up with two tests and the usual bunch of papers to write, so I just want to have fun. Well I've got to go byeee

2005-10-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

Hey this is my first blog post since the end of IS1100...College is still going well, all of my classes are good. Not a whole lot is going on besides school except tonight is our first intermural softball game. It's going to be awesome I can't wait. I am going to try to follow in the footsteps of my dad and throw a no-hitter in a slowpitch softball game. My team has selected me to be the pitcher based on that fact alone. So we will see if I can live up to the expectations. The astros play game 1 of their series against the Braves today....I don't know how far their hitting will allow them to go this year but if the bullpen can pitch well we will always be in it because of the starting pitching. The Rockets traded for Rafer Alston yesterday and got rid of Mike James which I think is an excellent move. Alston is younger and is more of a point guard then James. I'm really excited for the Rockets this year I think they could make a run at the title...now that I've talked about Houston sports teams for a while i think I'm going to go do some homework but I'll let everyone know how the softball game went.

2005-09-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

The Woodlands High School
The Woodlands, TX 77380

Dear Mrs. Grames,
The jump from high school to college is an important one. There are several things you must focus on to survive the college experience. We all want to do well in college, but at the same time we want to have the "time of our lives" and for most people that doesn’t mean schoolwork. I look at college a little bit like being in a sport. The sport is supposed to be fun and at the same time is competitive. It will be fun no matter what the outcome is, but most people will find it is much more enjoyable if you win. That same mentality can translate into school. Sure it will be fun whether your grades are high or low, but you will enjoy college much more if you’re carrying around that 4.0 gpa. With all of this in mind there are three important things that you as a student should know going into your freshman year at Texas Tech.
The main thing that any freshman entering Texas Tech will need to learn is time management. Any college student can tell you how important this is. For me time management has never been an issue because at The Woodlands I went to class, did what I needed to get done while I was there and then after school I wouldn't spend much time studying. The fact that you have so little class time in a week leaves you with more free time than you could ever imagine in high school. Here is where discipline and time management come into play. The best way to manage your time is to write out a schedule each day of what you need and want to accomplish. So you know exactly what you need to do.
Finding a spot to study is extremely important for success. If you think that studying in your dorm is going to be fine, think again. The dorm is not the right place for many reasons. It could be the annoying roommate, the distracting TV, the loud neighbors, or just that comfortable bed that will lull you to sleep faster than you can blink. The key is to find a quiet place where you are comfortable studying and can get away from all of the external distractions. Once you have found your spot you should visit it everyday, even if you don’t have much to study or do that day. This will get you in the routine of going there and having that time everyday.
One of the most important things to do as a freshman in college is to set goals. If you set goals then that really gives you motivation to do what needs to be done in the classroom. Goals build confidence and confidence lead to success. The best way to go about setting goals is to write them down on a sheet of paper. This way you will be reminded each time you look at them what you need to be focused on. Another way to achieve your goals is to write down steps to reaching your ultimate goal. These steps will put your goal in perspective.
College is a good time. You’re out living on your own for the first time, going through many situations in which you have never been in before. It can be exciting and stressful. Surviving college isn’t rocket science. It is a big transition in your life and will help mold you as a person. You know what you want to accomplish and it is up to you to do so.

Sincerely,
Sean Cahill

2005-09-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today we had a speaker from the Success Center, Julio. One interesting thing I learned from him is that they teach all subjects as well as set up workshops. I live in Weymouth, where the success center is located, and I've walked past it many time but never really paid attention to what it was. I've seen kids in there being tutored so I thought it was just a place to be tutored and maybe do some studying. I might just have to drop by sometime since it's in my residence all and check it out.

2005-09-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

Today I attended a cultural event which was the documentary, “Beneath the Vail” by Saira Shah. This documentary was a major culture shock for me and most likely everyone in the room. Saira Shah is a journalist who decides to go back to her father’s homeland in Afghanistan. Her father had always told her stories of his homeland and how beautiful it was. When she made her trip to Afghanistan it was shocking what she found. The Taliban controlled Afghanistan was completely destroyed. The women of the country are not aloud to have jobs or even show their faces in public. Past the age of twelve they are not aloud to go to school and receive an education. The Taliban has been in control of the majority of Afghanistan for four years ever since the civil war ended. The people of the country thought that the condition of their nation would improve, but it has done exactly the opposite. Everyday life for an Afghan is nothing at all like the everyday life of an American. If you are an Afghan you have to face the risk of death almost everyday because the Taliban executes people for things such as adultery, homosexuality, and murder. They use a soccer stadium for their executions. People gather around in the stadium and watch people get hung and shot. This was amazing to me that a stadium that the people of Afghanistan had helped pay for to have a soccer team was now being used as an execution site. The same thing that in American people gather to watch athletic competition is being used in their country as a place to execute people. Since the Taliban does not allow women to work, they cannot afford to feed their children. One scene from the documentary that I found especially disturbing was this woman who bought hard moldy bread that is used as animal feed, not for herself, but for her seven children. She grinded the moldy, hard bread up in a bowl and the kids took turns eating the crumbs. The woman explained that there were no boys old enough to work in the family so that was all that she could afford to feed her children. When Saira Shah finally made it to her father’s homeland it was completely different than he had described to her. He had told her it was a beautiful place with gardens and waterfalls overlooking the mountains and the capital of Afghanistan Kabul. What she found was nothing. The city had been reduced to rubble and there were no more gardens or waterfalls. It was really sad to see all of the poverty stricken people of Afghanistan with no food or shelter. The documentary really showed what the Taliban is doing to these people and this country. It really brought to my attention all of the problems that are going on over there. It is like a completely different world.

2005-09-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

One thing that I was worried about going into college that I am not so worried about anymore is finding my way around campus. I thought it would be a lot harder than it has been, but it is very easy to figure everything out. One thing I am still worried about is Tests in college. I still am yet to take one. I've taken quizzes with sucessful results, but I am yet to encounter a test. One thing that Michael Lykhinin taught me today was that you can do so much with google. I mean I knew you could do your basic search and advanced search, but you can find context from books and break down the search to make it so much more specific. That should be very helpful with all the research I will have to do for the numerous papers I am going to write.

2005-09-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

The study abroad program sounds very interesting and I think that the most important thing that I would get from it is learning the spanish language. I think speaking the language with people would help far more than being in the classroom. I think the study abroad program is a great program, but to be honest I don't think it is something I would do.

2005-09-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today we had guest speakers for the study abroad program. John talked about two poetry classes that he teaches in Spain. To be honest I don't really have any questions for him. Mrs. Wright is about to come speak with us and I would like to know how much it costs to do the study abroad program. John says it's only a little more than coming to lubbock, but I want her to define exactly how much "a little" is.

2005-08-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

Today is day two of my college career. It was a little busier than the first. Yesterday was pretty unevenful because I only had two classes. The most memorable moment of my first day of college was just being in a class with 500 other students. The amount of TA's required to actually get in touch with all of the students is amazing. The most important thing that I learned out of chapters 18 through 20 was handling criticism. I have gotten better over the years at handling criticism just from being in sports and dealing with coaches. I don't always agree with the criticism, but I need to learn to keep an open mind take responsibility for my actions if I am in the wrong. Today we had a guest speak from Red to Black. He was very helpful in teaching the class about the financial aspects of becoming an adult. The thing I really learned the most from was when he talked about credit. It's amazing how much you pay in interest over time especially if you are making smaller payments. It was also good to learn about annualcreditreport.com. You can actually check your credit for free.

2005-08-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves to learn from textbooks. Some ways are better than others though. One thing about learning out of a textbook is don't rely on highlighting. People highlight when they want to come back and learn the information later. The best way to learn out of a textbook is to write notes in the margin of the book as u go.
A Multicultural society to an individual is very important. An individual can learn so much from other cultures. The world is becoming more and more diverse and to have an understanding of the people in the world you need to interact with them.
The most important thing that I took from chapters 14-17 was how to manage your money and making a budget. A budget would be a very useful thing especially for a college student. well see you later

2005-08-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

Essay

The jump from high school to college is an important one. It can be challenging, stressful and fun all at the same time. There are several things you must focus on to survive the college experience. We all want to do well in college, but at the same time we want to have the "time of our lives" and for most people that does not mean schoolwork. I look at college a little bit like being in a sport. The sport is supposed to be fun and at the same time is competitive. It will be fun no matter what the outcome is, but most people will find it is much more enjoyable if you win. That same mentality can translate into school. Sure it will be fun whether your grades are high or low, but you will enjoy college much more if your carrying around that 4.0 gpa. Afterall if you don't, then all the fun you are having at college could be cut short because of grades. With all of this in mind there are three important things that you as a student should know going into your freshman year.
The main thing that any freshman entering college will need to learn is time management. Any college student can tell you how important this is. For me time management has never been an issue because in high school i went to class, did what i needed to get done while i was there and then after school i wouldn't spend much time studying. There was the occassional cram session the night before a test, but for the most part i was interested in having fun and not worrying about school. This attitude will not work in college. The fact that you have so little class time in a week leaves you with more free time than you could ever imagine in high school. Here is where discipline and time management come into play. For every hour of class you have a week, you should spend about two hours studying for that class. Now if you find that in one class you don't need that much time then you can take the extra time and use it towards another class that you might be struggling a little more in. If you get a routine and get in the habit of studying then it will just come naturally to you. When you are done with your work go out and have fun. Reward yourself for all the hard work you have done. The best way to manage your time is to write out a schedule each day of what you need and want to accomplish. So you know exactly what you need to do. You can even map out the exact times you will spend on each activity. Make sure you map out the times realistically though. If the schedule times aren't realistic then there is no point in making the schedule in the first place.
Finding a spot to study in my mind is extremely important for success. If you think that studying in your dorm is going to be fine, think again. The dorm is not the right place for many reasons. It could be the annoying roommate, the distracting t.v., the loud neighbors, or just that comfortable bed that will lull you to sleep faster than you can blink. The first night I was here in my dorm I was trying to read a book, but all i could concentrate on was the loud talking and music that was being played throughout my dorm. All of the noise and distractions make it very hard to focus. The key is to find a quiet place where you are comfortable studying and can get away from all of the external distractions. Maybe the top floor of the library next to a window or underneath a tree in a park. As long as you have a place where you can concentrate fully on your books you will be in good shape. One of the things you want to watch out for though is finding a spot that is too comfortable because then you might fall asleep. Sleeping during the study time is not going to improve your grades. Once you have found your spot you should visit it everyday, even if you dont have much to study or do that day. This will get you in the routine of going there and having that time everyday.
One of the most important things to do as a freshman in college for me is to set goals. If you set goals then that really gives you motivation to do what needs to be done in the classroom. A person can have many goals. Short term goals are goals that maybe you want to achieve in a given day, week, or month. These are goals like finishing your homework or even cleaning your room. Long Term goals are things like graduating or maintaining a certain gpa. Goals build confidence and confidence leads to success. The best way to go about setting goals is to write them down on a sheet of paper. This way you will be reminded each time you look at them what you need to be focused on. Another way to achieve your goals is to write down steps to reaching your ultimate goal. These steps will put your goal in perspective. Another thing that will help you reach your goals is turning negative into positive. What I mean by this is that if you've had a very bad day and you just feel negative, try to point out the positive and focus on that. Something positive comes out of every situation. Most importantly reward yourself for achieving your goals. It doesnt have to be something big, maybe just take a day to play a sport your love or treat yourself to a movie. Anything that you enjoy should be done to celebrate your achievements.
College is a good time. Your out living on your own for the first time, going through many situations in which you have never been in before. It can be exciting and stressful. Surviving college isnt rocket science. It is a big transition in your life and will help mold you as a person. You know what you want to accomplish and it is up to you to do so.

2005-08-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

Today we met in the lecture hall for a presentation. The presentation ranged from Diversity to sex and alcohol. The one thing that stood out to me overall was the talk about diversity. I thought the speaker really made it clear that to be successful you must understand other cultures. It's hard to argue with that especially in the state of Texas where roughly 50% of the population is hispanic. So out of everything that we heard i would definently say the thing i would like to remember is this quote from our speaker, "The world is getting smaller and the understanding of the people in it must get larger."

2005-08-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Today we had a visit from Kathryn Quilliam who is the Ombudsman for student at Texas Tech. To be honest I didn't even know what that was until she came today. It's good to know that she is here to help though because a lot of times if you have a problem you might go to a friend and they are going to take your side no matter what, but in Kathryn's case she is going to be neutral and just try to do the best she can to help. I thought that was pretty cool. Now on to the book we've been reading. Chapter 4 was very helpful for me. I'm a big believer in having goals but I never really have mapped out a plan to achieve them. I've thought to myself what I might need to do, but I never put it down on paper. Also setting a target date to achieve your goals is a good idea because it puts your goal in perspective. Chapter 5 was about managing stress and the thing I found most interesting was that there is positive stress. When I think of stress I think negatively, but apparently there is such thing as positive stress. Also a good way of relieving stress is to exercise, which I love to do anyways so thats good. Chapter 6 helped me find out what kind of learner I am. I'm just like everyone else in class because I'm a visual learner. Some of the multi-sensory learning tactics I found amazing. Who honestly has ever thought of rapping while dancing or claping??

2005-08-22T07:16:00.000-07:00

hey everyone I'm Sean Cahill from The Woodlands, Texas. One thing that I am really glad that i learned today was to find a spot to study on campus and routinely go there. In high school studying wasn't exactly my thing and when I did study I would be in my room listening to loud music or I had the tv on. I think it's a great idea to find a quiet place on campus and go there everyday so it becomes a habit. Once you get into a habit like that I think it will just come naturally. Another thing that I learned that was very helpful was to attempt to change negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Even if you are going through a negative experience there is always going to be some kind of positive that you can take from it. The question i want answered before next week is when you can tell if you are carrying too much of a load with your classes?