Confessions of a Third Year Uni Student - #25

28 February 2015

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a Third Year Uni Student - #25

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This week has went REALLY fast. And by that, I really do believe that I was on autopilot or something. I feel like like although I went to class, and I took notes... I just wasn't present at all. It was very odd. I take handwritten notes in my linguistic anthropology class, and afterwards I usually transcribe them into electronic notes. This week, when I was doing so, I realized I have no idea what I wrote about. It was like I am reading someone else's notes... just very odd. 

Also, another autopilot instance that occurred this week was on Thursday. That morning was a bit hectic because I realized that I left my wallet in my dad's car, so I had to figure something out with him in order to get it back otherwise I wouldn't be able to drive to class later. Anyways, after I got my wallet, I proceeded to school, and for some reason I thought it was Wednesday. So, like every other Wednesday, I was at the cafeteria watching netflix until it was time for my tutorial. All of a sudden, something told me to look at the time, and my heart just dropped. I was so confused at the time, and realized I JUST missed my entire class... 

I was kind of freaking out because I was depending on that class to help me with one of my papers due on Monday... So, I asked my friends for some notes and she said they just did discussions about the readings.

Moving to just last night, I was writing my research and notes I had for my paper. Until I started to confuse myself. Don't you hate when that happens? I had a really good idea and concept that I was thought was really great. But, when I started doing the actual research and writing of the draft, I felt like it didn't relate back to what I was suppose to write about. So, I emailed my TA, and never received a response in a timely manner like I would usually. 

Then, I found out the TA's went on strike. Urg. Well that was annoying to find out. So, I emailed my professor hoping she would help with my direction of the paper, although she wouldn't be the one marking it. Well, I'm not sure if she would be marking it or not if the TA's are on strike.. Let's just cross one bridge at a time right? For now, I guess I'm going to have to work EXTRA hard on my two papers due early this upcoming week, especially since the TA's are on strike, and are really no help...

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Confessions of a Third Year Uni Student - #24

21 February 2015

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a Third Year Uni Student - #24

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The picture I chose above is a true reflection of how I am feeling at the moment. I had the week off from school since it was reading week. You'd expect me to get some reading done, but I didn't. Opps. I mean... it was the first break we had since December, I really needed to just relax. So, I really didn't regret not getting much done for school. 

However, I know I will regret later... Looking forward for the weeks to come, I have an anthropology midterm on Thursday, and 2 upcoming papers due - one research paper, and one psychology lab report. They are a lot of work, and as I am writing these sentences down, I am feeling the anxiety to get them both at least started.... Hmm... maybe I should actually start on that after work today. 

I had a feel week off from school... you'd expect me to at least have a few shifts from work. But, it is just so weird. I only requested 1 day off (for Feb. 14), and I literally ended up not having work for the past 2 weeks. Do you know what that means? Yes, yesterday's paycheque was non-existent. How is a student like me suppose to live off of $0.00. I dunno, I guess it just means I really shouldn't spend or buy anything unnecessary until my next day. 

I think being in school, and juggling a part-time job is already stressful enough. But, knowing I have to pay off school loans, and then get more school loans is just scary. Why does school have to cost so much!?

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #23

14 February 2015

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #23

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What a week, I must say. I started off the week freaking out! I literally had two midterms this week, one on Monday and the other on Tuesday. I know that they aren't on the same day, but I was still freaking out because lately I've been putting soo much pressure on myself to get into grad school. Like, I literally have pages of different grad schools and their requirements on my internet tabs as a constant remind of the grades I need. I no longer think it motivates me... it just stresses me out! 

Anyways, because there was just more content to study for Tuesdays test, I decided to study for that test first. Which I think was a great decision, because after Monday's test, I found the study load to be much easier for Tuesdays test since I've already gone through more than half of the material! For Mondays test, I thought I understood the material really well, so I crammed by memorizing definitions and the bigger concepts. 

I think the way I studied paid off well because I honestly felt confident after both tests. Surprising? I know, I was actually really proud of myself! I felt really confident after Mondays test, which really motivated me to study for Tuesday's test. Then for my psychology test on the Tuesday, I felt really confident with multiple choice AND short answers! There were literally 2 questions I was kind of iffy about because it was based on experiments discussed in class. So, I really had to think back to the different experiments for the different lecture topics. 

I actually just got back my mark for Monday's test, and I did sooo much better than I thought! I ended up receiving a 77.5%, which mean I got 78%! Yay, I am really happy with myself. It just shows that I am improving with my study habits, AND I am actually learning how to study smarter! 

Well, now I'm in an amazing mood. I cannot wait to receive my other test mark! This week will be great! It is reading week, that means one week off from school! And, I plan to defiantly get ahead/catch up on school. I also plan on beginning on all of my assignments that are shortly due, and study for another upcoming test. 

Have a great week! And, if your a fellow Canadian who also has a reading week, make sure you all RELAX and enjoy yourself! 

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #22

07 February 2015

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #22

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This week is was a bit hectic. Why? Well, because this upcoming week is hectic. Not only is it the last week before reading week, but it is also the week where all my profs decide to dump all the major midterms and assignments on us. Thanks for that, (if you couldn't tell, I was trying to be sarcastic).

Other than that... I've been feeling very behind in school. Why? Well, its probably because I'm the biggest procrastinator ever... Like take this post for example.. it is like being written hours after I intended on this even being posted. 

There really not much to report about school this week. It was pretty much a short one since Monday was a snow day (thank goodness!) You wouldn't believe the amount of the snow that was falling from the sky, and how much snow there was on the ground. I already planned that I wasn't going to travel; but the fact like my university decided to call it a snow day, just made me feel less guilty about missing class! 

I'm going to cut this post short.. I have two test this week, one on Monday, and the other on Tuesday. I really got to study and do well! Wish me luck, and enjoy the rest of your weekend! xo

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #21

31 January 2015

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #21

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I am feeling overwhelmed. 

I just feel like there is so much to do, and so little time. And, I really think it just happens to be the courses I chose this semester. It is so weird to me... Last semester I took 5 courses, and this semester I am only taking 4. So, you'd expect me to feel like I'd have more time. But, that is just the opposite of what I am feeling. These courses I have this semester just as soo much readings to keep up with! Like, I really do think that I feel like this is such a heavy course load I have this semester. 

Urg. I really do not know. I'm just stressing out. One of my anther class quizzes us weekly, solely based on the readings. Okay, so of course I have to keep up with those readings. But, my other anthropology class gives us pop up quizzes, also based on the readings... so, yeah I have to keep up with those readings as well. Then, we have my psychology classes. BOTH classes literally want us students to read 2 chapters a week. So, if you add that up, in order for me to be keeping up with ALL four of my classes, that requires me to read 7 chapters a week... which, lets be honest... is way too much. 

On top of that, I had my first mini assignment due this past week, and I felt like I did great. Let's just hope that translate to the grade!

Anyways, I have my first midterm this Friday, and I am extremely nervous. The prof that I have is relatively new, and we are basically her first class she is teaching. And so, she goes through the 3 hour lectures fairly quickly, while bombarding us with information after information. On top of that, she decides to throw in guest lectures, who do not even follow our textbook chapters... Our prof even sent us an email telling us to not focus on the guest lecture slides, but more on the chapters... which means I have to teach myself information that I paid hundreds of dollars to be taught to me. 

I should really get back to teaching myself information for Friday's midterm. I just cannot wait for this week to be over because next week it is reading week. A perfect opportunity to not only catch up on everything else, but on my life as well! 

Have a good weekend!

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #20

24 January 2015

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #20

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Okay, another week has come and gone, fairly quickly I might add. I don't even remember what exactly I did for school this week, but I remember being really stressed out! So, literally on Sunday night, I got off the waitlist for a course that is required towards my anthropology major. I was kind of relieved because I didn't want to put this off until next year, or even for the summer. I felt like it was better to get it over with it right away. 

So, once I got into the course, I unfortunately didn't have access to portal, which is the university base teachers use to interact with their students, like post up lecture slides, announcement anything important, or even post practice test questions. Luckily, I have a friend in the course who quickly sent me the course syllabus... and then the assignment. I was kind of shock to find out that I had an assignment due on Wednesday based on the readings from the classes I missed, since I was waitlisted. 

I looked at the course syllabus to find out that there were 8 books I had to buy. And although they were fairly old, and relatively cheap in comparison to other textbook in other courses, it was basically reading 1 book per week. I already felt the stress. Why? Well, my two other classes tests us weekly on information based on the readings. So, I already have a hard time keeping up with those two classes and the readings, plus I have this other course where the teacher wants us to read 2 chapters per week.. Like what? Common... I already have a hard time keeping up with 1 chapter in a course, let alone two. 

Anyways, I decided to just suck it up and get it all done. Tuesday was actually my first day of tutorial or the course I recently enrolled in. When I got there, keep in mind I have yet to attend a lecture, everyone was participating on last weeks readings that I had obviously not read. Embarrassing when she tried putting me on the spot for my opinions. Towards the end of the tutorial, the TA actually came to me and asked me to sign up for a day to give a presentation. And because I just enrolled in, of course the other students signed up first, leaving me with next week to give a presentation. 

The moment I left that classroom, I went online and dropped the course. Why did I give up so easily? Let me tell you. For this course alone I would have an assignment due next Wednesday, a midterm on Wednesday, and a presentation next Tuesday? Oh, and I didn't attend any of the lectures, or do the readings. I simply just did what was best for me and decided to drop the course and take it next year. 

Besides that ONE event that seem to have taken over this post, I was just feeling extremely stressed with readings and school that I decided to hit the gym. I went to the gym on Thursday and Friday, and boy did it felt amazing! I honestly cannot wait to get back into the rhythm, and actually maintain my attendance at the gym in order to reach my ultimate goal of losing 40 pounds this year. 

... So yeah, that was my week. Hopefully this post doesn't depress you. I've got work today... so there goes another day without getting much school work done. I swear, if only I was able to function without sleep, I would be caught up with everything. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #19

17 January 2015

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #19

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Well... its back! If you actually read this series, you probably already know that the last time I wrote was back in November... yeah, I actually counted, it was pretty much 10 weeks ago :/ opps, sorry! Like I always say, I've been busy with school... and by the time exams came around, I was completely absent. Then, my Christmas break started, and I really didn't have much to update and write about my school.
But, it is the second week back into the new semester, and I must say that I am extremely stressed out, already. Over the Christmas break, I took the time to write down all the courses I need in order to receive my Bachelors in Science for this semester, and next year. Then, I realized that although I am on the right track, my only problem was actually selecting which courses will work best  as courses do not overlap. Does that make sense?
Anyways, it was a stressful process, and truthfully I keep looking back at this schedule to ensure I have everything right. I really, really, really, I want to graduate on time, especially with my friends to share the moment with. So, as I am ahead in my schedule, there is still a few gaps I need to fill in. 
So, that means, this semester I completely changed my schedule, including the courses I decided to take. I am currently taking 4 courses; linguistic anthropology, preworld history, cognitive psychology and child and adolescent disorders. I think it is a great selection of courses, and I am really interested in what I am learning so far. I am also on the waitlist for another anthropology course, which I am hoping to get in this week to knock off one of the courses I plan to take next year.
Besides this entire stressful process of ensuring I will graduate with the appropriate number of credits AND on time, I am already feeling behind in my readings. I created my schedule for myself prioritizing which readings to get done first. So far, the plan is to try to do at least 2 chapters a day.. I should be caught up by the time the first midterm comes around (Jan. 30).
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I have work today... the first shift I had in weeks. Why? Well, last week they decided to call me and cancel my shift since there as "not much work" to do. I think having a part-time job like this actually motivates me to do well in school. No way do I want to do retail for the rest of my life, and no way do  I ever want my shifts to be randomly cancelled. I want a stable and reliable career. But for now, the part-time job is what I need to start saving up for grad school!
Have a great weekend, xo! 

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #7, #8, and #9

08 November 2014

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #7, #8, and #9

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Well guys, I know it has been a while since I've been blogging vigorously on my blog, but I've been busy. No, I'm actually serious. I know I always use the excuse of being so busy with school, well this time I am not even kidding. I'll show you a picture of my agenda if I have to, but hey, I don't have to explain myself. Anyways, I've literally been swamped with at least 2 tests per week for the past 6 weeks. So, October has been an absolute killer. And now it is November, this is when all my teachers decide to make paper due!

So what does that mean for me? Well, that means that this week, I FINALLY have a week off from stress. Okay, I lied... I kinda have a week off. This week is basically the only real time I have to do proper research for ALL my papers, and start creating study sheets for my upcoming tests. 

Here is a basic overview of what is to come for the next few weeks:

• Nov. 19 - Submit my ANT211 paper online (then submit a hard copy on Nov. 20)
• Nov. 25 - ANT332 bell ringer and written test
• Nov. 27 - ANT334 bell ringer 
• Dec.1 - ANT332 and ANT334 papers are due 
• Dec. 15 - ANT200 exam
• Dec. 16 - PSY345 exam
• Dec. 18 - ANT211 exam 

Okay... it may look like I have a lot of time in between to get some work done. But, let's be real here. I am a normal normal, and like everyone else, I am bound to put almost everything off until last minute. This is something I do not want to do.

Which is why I'm ruining your Saturday talking about school. Hopefully publicizing my school assignments/tests that I have to start doing will actually make me start doing them, and hopefully a head of time. Like, I already know that the upcoming few weeks will be busy. So, why not do something about it now, right? 

Okay. That's basically it. I would try and catch up with the past few weeks that I missed to update you all about how life is going for me in school. But, that boring, especially since it was just basically tests after tests. Nothing new.

Have a great Saturday!

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #5 and #6

18 October 2014

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #5 and #6

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Hey guys! Another week has passed, fairly quickly I should add again. I missed my post for last week which is why the title of this post is both #5 and #6. I actually don't remember how week #5 of school went. All I remember is having two tests, one on Wednesday and the other on Thursday. I thought I did fairly well. But I just got my mark for one of them, and I felt that I did really well... instead I got a 70%. Like I know 70% isn't a bad mark, but I honestly thought that I did better. Now I just gotta wait to get back my other test mark.
This week went by quickly, of course because we just had our Thanksgiving long weekend meaning there was no school Monday. WOHOOO! But regardless... I spend the entire weekend and beginning of the week studying for the bell ringer I had this past Thursday. And might I add how you really need to know you stuff in order to do well on a bell ringer!
It's a human osteology course, so memorizing all the different parts of the cranial skull plus the cranial nerves and what bone articulate with what was part of the test. There were 30 stations, 2 minutes per questions. Like I said, you really had to know your stuff to answer the questions. There were different bones like the occipital bone, frontal bone, parietal bone, frontal bone, sphenoid, ethmoid, lacrimal, inferior nasal conchea, maxillae and others. We had to identify specific parts that were labelled. It was hard.
One part that was really cool was the bonus question. There was a bonus question that consisted of us putting one hand in a mystery box and guess the bone and side it. I thought it was the right maxillae... but my other friends thought it was a zygomatic, or even the left maxillae. I wonder what it really was.
On the test we also were given a tooth. We had to name it (either incisor, canine, premolars, molar), decide if it is a baby tooth or adult tooth, say if it part of the upper teeth or lower teeth, and decide if it is from the left side or right side of the mouth.
Anyways, that was really the highlight of my week. Crazy how a test would be the high light of my week. I guess it is only because I just never had a bell ringer experience like that. Like for half of the test I felt like I did very well whereas the other half I could have done well. WE just have to wait and see for my test marks.
Besides that one test, I've been exhausted. I had work Tuesday morning at 7:30am and later class throughout the evening. So that night, having it be Thanksgiving Monday, I of of course went to bed late. Then Tuesday and Wednesday night I went to bed late because of studying. So yeah, I'm a bit sick. And I'm actually worried. This ebola thing is spreading around very quickly! It is like that movie contagion! Scary stuff guys! 

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #4

04 October 2014

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #4

It has been 1 month I've been in school, and must I say that the days are going by extremely quick. Like now that I think about it, the other day was just Monday and I was hoping the week wouldn't go by quick. Yet, here we are seconds later sitting in my room thinking what the heck did I even do this week?
I have two test this upcoming week, an exceptionality psych test on Wednesday, and then my anthro test on Thursday. Two completely different subjects, so I'm going to have to definitely study twice as hard than usual to start off the course with a great mark! Okay, so the plan is to study while creating a study sheet at the same time for both my subjects. It might take more than Saturday just to study everything this weekend. As I've been saying, I no longer want to study the night before a test... so I am determined to study as much as I can now days before the midterm. Makes sense? okay.
OH, another thing I wanted to talk about was how yesterday at work, I saw my work schedule for the next two weeks. Dare I say it on the internet? I wasn't too happy. I really should be more smarter when giving my availability hours because I find myself working on a Tuesday from 7am-1pm. Why is this so bad? Well, considering the fact that I have class later that day from 3-5pm, then a tutorial from 6-7pm... It will definitely be a long day. I don't know how people do it... manage both school and a job? And there are even some students who manage 2 jobs. It's crazy, but I commend you all!!
But, I need the money... so I somehow have to make it work, balancing both school, my social life, and now more hours at work. The moment I noticed myself unable to balance everything, I'm definitely going to rethink things about work.

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #3

27 September 2014

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #3

Okay, so this week of school has past instantly. I swear it was Monday just yesterday... I don't know what is happening, but all I know is that the days are passing more and more quickly, which means that my tests/assignments are quickly approaching! And that kind of scares me because there is just a lot of information I am constantly learning each and everyday, and I am terrified I won't be as prepared as I am attempting to be.
Looking at an overview of the next few weeks ahead, I have my first test on Oct. 8, followed by a quiz and an assignment due on the 9th... See just thinking about that already stresses me out. I literally have 2 weeks to prepare for all of those? It is just insane. Profs are never kidding when they say to get things done right away.
Which is true if you think about it. Imagine if I wasn't keep up with my readings? I probably be spending all of my weekend and the next week playing catch up and not absorbing any of the information that I am "reading". Makes sense now.
Anyways, beside school work, I am actually content with how I've been spending my free time. For one, I'm in the library, and 2, I am actually getting work done in the library. In previous years, I would be on in the library doing anything but school work. But lately, something just clicked in my brain that makes me want to work.
Another weird thing happened this week... I never knew I was one of those students who is actually eager to learn. It is honestly an amazing change that I've made over the past few years and I am honestly hoping to continue this journey to be the best student I can be. And who knows... I could become something bigger than I've ever imagined if I just put the work into it. 

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #2

20 September 2014

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #2

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Second week of university has quickly gone by. Is it just me, or has this week just been so long and exhausting. Truthfully, the way I week last week is exactly how I feel this week; that I've been in school for at least a month!
It is insane the amount of the things I've learnt over the past two weeks. In fact, two of my classes - Human Origins and Human Osteology - is all new stuff I am learning. Literally all about bones, their functions, their locations, what joints they are connected to, what movements they do... everything. It is soo new to me, that I feel so behind in comparison to the other students. I honestly sit in class absorbing everything that is being taught so quickly in class. Then, in tutorial I try to apply what I've learnt but, find myself making mistakes and mixing concepts up. However, this doesn't seem to happen to some of the other students... They seem to know a lot ... a lot more than I do.
So what am I doing? I am literally sitting my ass down for hours reading and reading, making notes upon notes.. and I just feel like memorizing definition won't help me. I'm been thinking about purchasing a study human skeleton in order to actually practice and know how some of the bones look like that so that I am familiar with them for the bell ringers. Yes, my tests consists of bell ringers unfortunately... it's just too much.
Anyways, besides those two courses, there is this one prof who is teaching my introduction to archaeology course, and honestly she makes me regretting enrolling into that course! First of all, I know I should cut her some slack because this is her first time teaching, but still... there is still an expectation of standards for the way teachers should teach. But, the way she is teaching the course is honestly so unorganized. On Monday, she decided to waste our hour by giving us a preview of what the upcoming lectures were going to be about... Then, she asked us to watch a video for Wednesday class which was suppose to be about Scientific Method... but then the prof asked us to watch a video (which was 2 hours long) for Wednesday's class focusing on the scientific method. However, the video about Intelligent Design...But on then on class on Friday we learnt about Evolution. Like.. there is no structure to the class.. it is annoying.
But, I did spend a lot of time in the library this week. Whether it was either staying ahead, or even keeping up, I think it is insane about the amount of readings I am bombarded with. I am just exhausted and I really think I need to start making my lunch the night before instead of the morning of. I'm starting to be that student who walks into class late. 

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Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #1

13 September 2014

Confessions of a Third Year Student

Confessions of a 3rd Year Uni Student! - Week #1

Happy Saturday everyone! Please note that this is the first week of a weekly blog series I decided start writing about my weeks as a third year university student!

It has only been the first week of school and I literally feel like I've been in school for over a month! Usually first day of classes are introductory, and by that I mean that usually the prof just goes over the syllabus for the course year, and then just does an introduction to the course. Pretty much basic stuff for the first week of class. But, boy was I wrong. Sometimes, I forget how the higher I continue to climb the latter towards my University diploma, the harder and harder school work gets. 

Anyways, continuing on about my week at school; I think it was just absolutely great! Surprisingly this entire week; I was very fortunate enough to see every single friend I've made in my previous 2 years here in university! IT was just an odd thing of course, but I was very thrilled that they were still open with me and we still talk like great friends. 

On Monday, I saw my high school friend Nathali. I think the last time I saw her was actually first semester of my second year at university, so pretty much 1 year ago. Crazy? I know; she was the one who actually recognized me and stopped me and we just chatted on the side of the side walk before she headed to class.  That same day, I saw and caught up with my other friends Noor and Natalia; I literally saw them a few months ago, so of course it was extremely easy to catch up with them! On Wednesday, my friend Rayal actually ended up being in my human exceptionality class, which I was really excited about because I don't like being alone in classes, and I like studying with others. That same day, I saw my greatest, and long time friend Diane and we chatted long in the library. Then outside of the library, I saw my french buddy Nikita (a friend I made back in first year) and we caught up a lot! Then, that same day I ended up seeing my friend Synthia, who also ended up being in my anthropology class. On Thursday, I ended up seeing Chad, another first year friend in my anthropology class! I introduced him and Rayal to each other since we were all in that class with one another. Then, on Friday, in the gym with Diane, I saw my two high school friends Angela and Eugenia!

I'm pretty sure you guys got bored reading about that - but honestly, it was so great seeing them. Sometimes, I forget how fun school can be, which is all thanks to the great time you have with friends. Don't y'all agree? Well, anyways, one of my goals for the school year was to actually create more friends. And so this week, in all my classes and tutorials, I decided to talk to someone new each time!

Hmm... What else can I say about the week I've had? Oh the fact that I've actually been ahead with my readings for the classes I had the past week! It was actually so great because for the first time in a long time, I actually feel motivated to do well in school. I actually feel motivated to continue to keep up, and even stay ahead in with my schoolwork! 

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My sister also came home yesterday from Hamilton. She's staying for the weekend. I told her that she should blog about her university experience. It was something I wished I had done back in first year to see how much I've grown and changed. For one, I'm so much more sociable and friendlier to people than I was back in first year. 

So, with that being said, I'm excited to write a series about my third year in university, and one day reflect back on these days with the good and bad memories!

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