In place of Conversation #5

A transitional event, moving, a new school:

College, this place that was 18 hours away from home and here I was walking into my dorm room parents in tow. I was walking into Colby the all-girls dorm thinking it looked like an old, creepy building that might be my new paradise.  The dorm room had two twin beds right beside each other (almost exactly beside each other). When I walked into my room the first time my thought was “well that has to change” those beds were way to close. My roommate (later found out her name was Brea) hadn’t come in yet. I grabbed the bed by the window. I almost didn’t knowing that my roommate might want that bed and I didn’t want to her to have any reason to dislike me on the first day of college. Feeling slightly guilty I dropped my stuff onto my bed that we had moved away from the center of the room and headed out with my parents to buy things to decorate! I was pretty excited to get cute new college like things! The one time I got to decorate my own room (of course matching colors with my roommate). We went from store to store buying things. In target we saw hundreds of other students buying things too. From shaggy rugs to wall hangings I imagined that everyone in college was out that day trying to decorate. People almost seemed to be running through the store trying to beat each other to items. I imagined the scene in mean girls when the students are hanging out at the mall and they all turn into wild animals. I imagined the moms running wild through the store, mouth wide open and foaming, on all fours and hollering to claim their territory or store items. Throughout the day in every store we went into this image kept appearing. I kept seeing moms and students turn into wild animals. It made for a funny day to say the least.

After a long day of shopping, getting credit cards denied thinking it was fraud and fighting of the wild beast we made it back to the dorm. I walked into the room to see my roommate! My first thought was wondering if this was the same girl I met on Facebook. Did she look like a cheerleader who had won nationals twice? I figured I would find out! We had a whole year ahead of us to figure out who each other was. I wondered what I looked like to her. Did I look like a typical college girl in my prepared outfit of Nike shorts, my ONE big t-shirt and colorful shoes? I sure was trying to be a college girl. I believed that my outfit would help people see me as a college girl and not some short girl who should still be in high school. My thoughts that morning getting ready where about how I would fit in or transition per say into a college lifestyle.  

Going through rush for most people doesn’t seem like a good transition to college. Girls are immediately judging you from your looks to how well you can hold a conversation with a stranger. For me I loved it. I felt a rush(see what I did their) getting to talk to girls about college. I got to ask questions about what it was really like: were classes really that hard or was the freshman 15 a real thing. I loved the talking. Getting into a group with other freshman going through rush was a thrill too. I found myself talking to girls about everything from hometowns to high school boyfriends. I can remember sitting on the floor waiting to go into the sorority houses during recruitment bonding with girls. I can remember feeling like I had made the right choice to come to TCU.

Rush went well. My roommate worked out. My room was cute. I transitioned the way I wanted to with high hopes and happy thoughts that worked out. I felt and feel so lucky to have had an easy transition. I hope this blog entry gave you a glimpse of my first week in college and the transition I was making.

Learning #4

Learning Experince #4 - Looking back

Looking back on the semester I can think of one very important lesson I have learned. It had a lot do with my major and what I plan to do when I graduate. I have learned that when I teach I want to combine styles of teaching. I do not want to have a powerpoint everyday with notes nor do I want it to be discussion based all the time. I want a classroom filled with conversation and learning.

I am in a history class about European since 1800 something. I thrive on history. I believe it is like reading a pretty good book. I think their is so much to learn from it. Unfortunately in my history class we sit and look at a powerpoint almost the whole class. On occasion he ask us questions and considers it our participation grade. We sit and listen to our professor talk about the powerpoint.  I can tell he does know the material and does enjoy it but the way the class is taught I don't know if he enjoys teaching.  I would like to teach History after graduation therefore this class has been a good eye opener for some ideas on my particular style of teaching. I hate to admit it but this class has been a let down with teaching styles.

I am also in a wonderful education class on the profressional roles and responsibilities for teachers. This class could not be more polar opposite from my history class. In this class we sit and discuss everyday the readings we have read. We ask questions and we get asked questions that challenege our way of thinking and that help us grow. Much of the class is on our own as well. For example we did a personal learning project throughout the semester to improve one or more of these categories: cognitive, spitural or emotionally. We could pick anything from running a marthaon to learning out to play the guitar. We were given the freedom and responsilbity to do what we want as long as it improved us or we grew. We had many other things similar to this such as letters we wrote to our professor and did many 1 to 1s with him as well. This class helped improve not just my knowledge about teaching but also my self as well. This style of teaching really hit me. He really cared about us and wanted us to improve ourselfs and to get something that mattered out of his class.

Now for  my Lit and Civ class I have enjoyed the style of teaching. I have enjoyed getting to know my classmates so well. I have enjoyed getting to know Dr. Williams so well. I think in this class the flow of communication has been wonderful. We have learned and had fun doing it. We have laughed (surprising in a comedy class I know) and we have talked seriously about problems. We have read books and then discussed them. We have presented many small projects in groups or alone. To sum it up it seems like we have done a little of everything. I quite enjoy that.

Just looking back at these three classes this semester I can see my thoughts on styles of teaching expanding. Getting to have multiple different teachers and different styles has helped me learn what might work for me while teaching. I don't want to put down any one style of teaching some just aren't for me but might work for you or whoever is teaching it. I want to have a teaching style that isn't a method or a model but combines what I believe will be the most useful and intentional to teach my students, to be able to connect to my students and to be able to keep them involved.  These classes have helped me re-look at teaching styles and re-look at the stereotypical style of college teaching ( I believe there is one... just look at the movies).

Thank you to my teachers for letting me have a look at so many different ways to teach. Thank you for letting me glimpse and observe. I believed I have learned a lot or in the very least thought about a lot.

Learning, Learning and Learning

Learning, Learning and Learning

I have been thinking about what I wanted to write about what I have learned recently. I think I want to write on a bit of everything so bare with me please.

For starters let us talk about what I have learned in this class recently. I have learned that there are poems I do like. I have gone through English class always not looking forward to the poem section of the curriculum. I did enjoy our poem in class the other day. It opened me up a bit more to the idea that poems aren't just things I don't understand. Maybe I will read more poems. Maybe not. Either way I think I will go into reading poems with a better opinion of them. I have found more a style of poetry that I prefer. I enjoy poetry that isn't overfly wordy or fluffy. I rather like William Carlos Williams. I took the time to look up a few more poems and found that I enjoyed this one a lot!

Berket and the Stars

A day on the boulevards chosen out of ten years of
student poverty! One best day out of ten good ones.
Berket in high spirits--"Ha, oranges! Let's have one!"
And he made to snatch an orange from the vender's cart.

Now so clever was the deception, so nicely timed
to the full sweep of certain wave summits,
that the rumor of the thing has come down through
three generations--which is relatively forever.

 

I think I like that so much because it is simple but it tells a great story! The lines "One best day out of ten good ones" really hit a note per say. When looking through William Carlos Williams poems I didn't not like all of them but I did like some. It seems I can now enjoy poetry a little more than before. I have learned to realize that not every poem is for me but their are some out their that are for me!

 

From another class of mine I have been learning sign language. I have learned the alphabet and I am learning things like bat, ball, jump, throw and more. I have learned how hard it is in memorize this. How hard it would be to have a conversation in sign language. Learning a new language that doesn't have words is tough. I admit its one of the more challenging things I have done this semester. My heart now feels more for parents who have a child that needs sign language communication. Could you imagine having a brand new baby to take care of and learning a whole new language so that you can teach your child or at least speak with them once they learn. I can't imagine the challenges that parents could face. I can't begin to imagine the challenges a child who learns this as their only language. Wouldn't it be tough to know a language only a few people can speak in. It would be challenging to go about every day not knowing if anyone will be able to communicate with you. I know I strive on communication. I love when someone says hello to me or mentions something me to me like " I saw you walking the other day!". I thrive on communication. I think knowing that you can not communicate with everyone will be so challenging. I understand they learn to read and write and that what texting is for! But just stop and think for a moment: what if you couldn't hear? Kind of hard to imagine right? Maybe you never get to hear Of Mice and Men or John Denver. How would life be different. While learning this new language I have learned more to thank the Lord for the gifts he has blessed me with. For a mouth to sing with, a ear to hear with, eyes to see with and hands to work with are all blessings. I take these for granted. With this class I am learning to see these not as a given but as a gift. I thank my Physical Activity and Disability teacher Dr. Esposito for helping me rethink this. I am not sure he knows the depth it hit me. But none the less thank you for encouraging our class to think.

 

Thank you teachers at TCU for helping me think and rethink thoughts. Some that I haven't thought about before and others that I have set in stone too much.

Funny Conversations

Funny Conversations in Photos:

 

Oranges - hard to eat, squishy, juice everywhere

awkward situations

 

Sid. Rich. - getting lost, no signs, getting lost,

getting lost and getting lost

Bunk Beds - things falling, people falling, no sheets,

Converstation #3

Meeting up with Ali for a third time! I must say this guy is hard to get a hold of or rather pinned down. I would ask to meet almost every day and he would say today doesn’t work well, let’s do Wednesday. Then on Wednesday I would email and ask "see you today?" or something along those lines. Normally I get the response: oh sorry I can’t today with some excuse. We tried to meet up on Monday but he had some sort of reason not too, it was rather unclear as to why. I hope Ali enjoys our conversations because he seems to never be able to make them. Maybe I am a bit annoyed at him for no reason. Americans have a particular importance on time and setting meetings. We are annoyed when people are a late or cancel or reschedule. In other countries this isn’t always so. In my Chancellor's Leadership Program meeting we were talking about mission trips. One of my fellows talked mentioned one of the hardest things was getting used to a different cultures sense of time. For them it was more important to finish a conversation or to be with family than to make sure to be somewhere perfectly on time, they lived more in the moment. I think this might be how Ali is!

I was happy to hear from him! We got to talking about our weekends of course! He had another big weekend. His grandparents came into town from Saudi Arabia! They were flying here to stay in Fort Worth for a few days then headed to Austin for quite some time, two months perhaps. Ali was very excited about seeing his grandparents. Like I said in my earlier blog posts, he came to America without a "safety net" of friends and family so I am sure having family come visit meant a lot to him. We got to talking about what they did while they were here. I was shocked to hear they did normal things like I do when my parents come. I shouldn’t have been shocked, by now I see how similar we are versus how different we are! They went walking, shopping and watch TV. They also baked! When I asked what they baked he said cookies and cake. I think my stomach rumbled when he mentioned it, I was a bit hungry! All of these things are just what any TCU student would have done. Ali just seemed so happy that is family was in town! When they left he said he was sad to see them go but they aren’t to far away. They will be staying in Austin for two months or so with his cousin's sister. I think he miss said it by accident because isn’t your cousin's sister still your cousin too? Perhaps not but these are moments when I reminded myself wait English isn’t even Ali's first language!

It's crazy to think he can speak almost fluently in English now. I am impressed at how much he has learned. I don’t think I would be quite as advanced in my language as he is with the amount of time he has had. I struggle learning intro Spanish classes and he is keeping conversations about more than just your typical intro class I presume. It always seemed funny to me that in beginning Spanish classes we learned a lot of vocab that we wouldn't use in ever day talking. When learning a language shouldn't you learn how to converse in it? Personally I want to be able to hold a conversation in a different language over knowing how to say stapler. I haven’t asked Ali yet but the next time we meet I think I will ask him how they learned English!

Ali and I wrapped up on conversation by talking about the rest of the week. He is headed to play billiards with friends and watch the Barcelona game and then has BBQ tomorrow! Ali is a pretty busy guy! While told him I was headed off to write this and to start writing a term paper. I wish I was having as much fun as Ali was in the next few days!

"Welcome to TCU"

Learning Experience- " Welcome to TCU"

I was thinking back on my weekend wondering what I have learned and what I could write about. It has been a pretty big weekend for me with working the TCU Spring Football Game and getting the opportunity to go to the Final Four Games on Saturday. It feels like its been a non- stop weekend.  I believe the Spring Football Game was where I did my most learning.

Let me explain what I did/do for TCU Football. This semester I applied and got accepted to be a TCU Athletic Ambassador. This means I get to work with TCU's football recruits. I have the opportunity to give them tours of the stadium, answer their questions about TCU or TCU Football, address letters to them and more. In this job I am required to be confidential, accountable and professional. I am to show the recruits and their families what TCU is about. Not necessarily try to sell TCU to them but to show them exactly what TCU is. To show them our school pride, our football team's passion, the community's support, the family behind the team and the positive atmosphere that surrounds our team. Woohoo seems like a big job (it is!).

Saturday for the big Spring Football Game I had my first shot at being put into action with a recruit. The Spring Game brings in a lot recruits from all over to watch the open scrimmage. I had the opportunity to show around my first recruit and family this Saturday with my co- athletic Ambassador. You could say I was a bit nervous. I am still getting used to finding my way around the buildings. I was fortunate to have a great co who knew pretty much everything. She easily lead the group around the faculties. We luckily did not get lost.

We were with our prospects and their families for while. A lot of talking went on about TCU. I was afraid at first they were going to ask me lots of questions on football. Instead I got a lot of questions about TCU. For example things like: "Where do athletes live?", "Do people have meal plans?" or "How big are your classes?". I could easily answer these questions! And I enjoyed answering these questions! I love TCU and I get to give back to it by telling people how awesome. I had the opportunity to show how much I love TCU.

After the Spring Game was done and I was walking back to my dorm I realized just how much that made me happy. I enjoy talking to people. I enjoy sharing my knowledge. I enjoy making people laugh. To get the opportunity to work around the football coaches, to help them achieve their goals for the football team, to help high school students choose the right college for the fulfills me. It does mean I am giving up things. I am giving up time with my friends. I am giving up tailgating for games and going out with friends afterwards to celebrate a victory or mourn a lose. I am giving up my sleep on days like Saturday where we had to be there at 8am. Is all that worth it, yes. YES YES.  If I am doing something that is bring me joy and a smile to my face (even as I think about it while I am typing) then yes it does.

Often in college I feel we do things because they build a resume or our friends say we should or our parents say we need to be more involved or an organization we are in tells us we should. I think finding at least one thing that fulfills you because you want it to Is key to success. Find something to get involved in for you because you love it. Getting involved in something for you means there is a reason to be here or a reason to stay. I think this can make or break a college career. If you don't find something to be involved in for you wither that's Athletics, a Greek organization, a club or the crew it can be easy to over work yourself, to get down on yourself, to feel like you don't  have a reason for school besides work. Its hard to strive without something fun in your life. For example schools who have more time for physical education and fine arts have students who perform better in the content areas of the school. They enjoy school more and are willing to focus more time into their studies. I think the same applies for college kids. Their is a reason for doing well so that they can continue doing what they love. 

I feel like I have found that organization. This is not to say I haven't found things I love doing out side of school yet but this really does fulfill me more. It's hard to describe. I just have a friend (while I am sitting here writing on her desk) ask me how it went. Before I even said anything she said, " Wow Darby your just light up and have a huge smile on your face, it must have gone really well". That smile and my excitement to share how much I enjoyed my first experience as TCU Athletic Ambassador says it all. I feel like this weekend I found something I love. I believe everyone needs to find this at TCU. Hopefully you all have already and if not keep looking. There is so much to do here everyone can find something. I know that sounds like a cheesy college slogan but I believe it is so true with the diversity of programs on TCU's campus. All you have to do is look around. Ask friends, look at posters on the walls, look at the TCU Announce, ask a teacher or see what's going on the Website.

It has been a wonderful weekend and wonderful learning experience.

Laughing and April Fools Day (Laugh #2)

Full of Laughter

I have to say when I think of a day full of laughter April Fools comes to mind. I think of pranks. Pranks on friends, family and complete strangers. This post is about my laughing but also about others. I wanted to share what moments I laughed at and what moments I know my friends did as well.

I will start with the Chi Omega House groupme. For those without groupme, it is a group messaging app that lets huge groups (i.e. 34 of us) chat in one message. Often the groupme is people asking to be let in or asking to borrow a dress for their upcoming date. Along with these more trivial things the groupme can be one of the funniest things I have the pleasure of reading. The other day we went on a "selfie spree". Therefore we posted in it every awful and hysterically funny photo we had of each other from photos of people with triple chins to eating 6 cookies in one bite they were not to be seen by anyone else. Hopefully we chi omegas can keep those photos under lock and key.

On April Fool's Day the groupme was blowing up. The first prank pulled, was on our former president Coralee. She is in our groupme because she lived in the house from August to December. A few of the girls in the house (not to be named) started a pranking war with her while she lived in the house. They called themselves the "bedsnatchers". Their first prank last semester was moving Coralee's bed from her room to the chapter room. So this year for April Fools, even though Coralee now lives on a house of campus they pranked her bed again. Her bed had been wrapped in wrapping paper. A "present" to Coralee it was called. Coralee sent a photo to our groupme and the laughter from us who had no clue it was happening was immediate. People’s response just kept the laughter and comicalness going. For example someone replied," It must be like Christmas morning in there". Also these:

"Christmas morning? No Christmas mourning”"Go to sleep in it then when you wake up you can unwrap yourself like a literal gift to the world." "Don't get too wrapped up in the little things"
"No time like the present."(referring to the photo) "I see nothing wrong. You should think of it as a gift."

This prank spurred on a few other pranks in the house that day. A few girls came home to their beds outside on the green. A few others were on their floor. A few toilets where surnwrapped. The most recent composite had all of our pledge class covered (aka our faces where covered with sticky notes).

It safe to say the chi omega house seems to be a pretty funny group of girls. The funny atmosphere of our groupme brings us all closer together. When we can laugh together and enjoy ourselves it makes us all closer. I would say having this app to bring a bit of laughter into my day helps me feel connected to my sisters all the time. I know this sounds cliché but this app really helps. I know when someone is studying or someone is headed out of town for the weekend. I know when a prank is pulled.  We all feel like we have inside jokes, all 34 of us. Overall April Fool's Day was one of the most enjoyable days to read the groupme. The only day I can think of that rivaled it was one dead day this winter when everyone changed their names to famous people, for example Kanye West and Blue Ivy made appearances. Thank you April Fool's Day for bring uncontrollable laughter to me and 33 other girls.

Converstation with My Partner #2

Conversations

It has been a while.

It has been a while sense I have posted and it has been a while sense Ali and I had a chance to meet last. From busy schedules, spring break to being out of town we have had hard time getting to together. Every week we talk about it, maybe Monday or Wednesday. It seemed like nothing was working well. We would snapchat on occasion. Yes we have each others snapchat! A really easy way to see what someone is doing right at that moment is a five second photo. Yet snapchat doesn't give you any information on how they are feeling. I knew the rough facts about Ali's life from snapchat but not details about them.

When we meet up the other day I got to hear more than a text or a snapchat photo would let me know! Ali has been having a pretty exciting semester or at least last few weeks so far!  He has his own apartment and he just go this own furniture! It has arrived! You could say he was excited about this. A smile never left Ali's face.  I got excited just for him. I was reminded that living in a dorm is so easy; I have a bed, desk, and such. While living off campus or even in some on-campus housing there is no ready-to-go furniture. How difficult would it be to get here and move into an apartment? You need furniture, toiletries, kitchen supplies, food and more! I am very privileged to have lived on campus for two years without having to worry about this much. Next year I have to worry about it but again I have a family who will be here to help me buy the right bed or the right desk and move me in. I think it is hard on Ali to do this without his father and mother. He does have a cousin here who is very helpful. I know Ali appreciates him a lot.

That brought me to another thought. A lot of college students come to TCU knowing a handful of people. I have a friend who has fourteen high school classmates come with her. I had another who had four. Having a few people you already know at TCU can make the campus a lot more friendly and a lot less lonely. I am not saying everyone hangs out with their high school classmates but it does give a friendly face around campus, a familiar one. Ali came to campus knowing his cousin. That is a good start but he still didn't have the multitude of faces that a lot of students come to TCU with. He did not have as much as a "safety net" to say as the average TCU student.

He had a big day on Monday. He passed his driver’s test! I didn't even know he was going for it. This is huge! He doesn't have a car but his cousin does. (Another way having connections on campus is helpful) Having  a car means he can go more places. He can see more parts of Fort Worth. I take it for granted that my friends have cars. While a lot of Ali's friends are internationals as well so cars are few and far between.

Well that's all folks. I hope you could see that I learned a lot more about privilege during our conversations. I have to say I am more thankful for everything I have been given and how easy the transfer from high school to college was for me.