Time Strategies

I'm no stranger to time managing. I am a student athlete, a member of different clubs on campus, and am a full time student which means I'm very busy throughout the week. I'm used to creating a study schedule that works with my schedule in order to be successful in all my classes. Sometimes it get's hard to balance and I end up procrastinating the work. Therefore, I read the article 'How to Beat Procrastination.' The first technique they talked about was to visualize how great it will feel once you get what needs to be done, done! I'm sure a lot of people can relate as checking things off the to-do list is so satisfying. Another technique is to commit to the task publicly. If you tell people you're going to do it, you are more inclined to do it! Procrastination is always something I can improve on. One strategy that always works for me when I have a lot to do is putting myself in a place where I have to do the work. If I'm sitting at home on my kitchen counter trying to do homework, it's not going to get done because I get distracted by other things. If I go to Starbucks or the library, I'm going to have to do my work there because that's the only reason I went and I'm less likely to get distracted by other things. Hopefully my time management skills get even better this semester during this course.

(Quote about time management. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Class Technology

I am no stranger to using different types of technology for school. With this class being online, that leaves most of the learning to be done using different technological tools. This is the first time I've ever had to use a blog for a class before. I have always heard of blogs but have never needed to use one before. It's a very interesting way for people to publish content and communicate. It's always important to learn new things about our ever changing technology. As we get older, technology gets more advanced and it can be hard to keep up with. The biggest thing I have learned in the first week of this class is how to cite images when you reuse them. I didn't know that had to be done! Using the different technology tools provided in this course will help me learn the material and go really in depth as well.

(My dog, Caggie, playing on our couch in 2016)

Assignments

At first glance, this class seems really interesting. In most of the other online classes that I have participated in, the structure is very different than this class. They were very lecture based where as this one is more interactive. I will say, this class seems to have more work than other classes, but the content is so interesting that the work won't seem like a lot! The extra credit offerings are very important as well. I will definitely be taking advantage those opportunities. I can't wait to see what this semester has in store!


P.S. Anyone else miss OU Football?

(The Sooner Schooner on the field of an OU Football 

game in 2015. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Growth Mindset

I've always believed in the power of positive thinking. My parents instilled it in me from a young age and I continue to carry it with me to this day. It can go a long way. Growing the mindset is a lot easier said than done however. When it comes to school and life, I tend to get very stressed out. This is mostly because I like to keep myself busy at all times and I don't enjoy being bored. When it comes to college, my mind is very different now compared to when I started school in the fall of 2015. I would say it's easier for me to adapt to different learning situations and conquer big learning obstacles. However, school has never been easy for me but I help myself by making sure I'm prepared for each of my classes. I'm not the kind of person who can not study for a test and still get a good grade. I have to put in the work to get good grades. Getting good grades is something that's important to me because I'm a perfectionist and I want to make sure I'm putting the best in everything I do. Getting a 4.0 is my goal for this semester. It won't be easy at all but I'm hoping that with hard work, I'll be able to pull it off.

(cheezburger)

Introduction to a Pom Girl

Hello everyone! My name is Peyton Mackay and I'm a junior advertising major and a communication minor here at OU! I'm originally from a small town in the mountains of Colorado. A lot of people ask me why I chose to come to Oklahoma for school. I came here for a lot of different reasons! First of all, I had family friends go here and I heard nothing but great things; once I visited, I was sold! Second, have you ever been to an OU Football game? It's one of the most amazing experiences. Finally, a big reason I chose to come to OU is because I'm a member of the OU Pom Squad! Being on Pom is so exciting. I've got to travel to so many different places and have gotten so many cool opportunities from it! Most recently, I got to travel to California for the Rose Bowl and parade. That will forever be a highlight in my life.



(Our float for the Rose Parade!)

This past weekend, my team and I went to the national championships in Orlando, Florida and we placed third! That's the highest placement in the history of OU Pom and we got to bring home a bronze medal! I've worked for that most of my life and it felt amazing to finally accomplish that goal.




(After placing third at the National Championships!)

At home in Colorado, I have two dogs that I love and miss dearly. They are my babies and it's hard being away from them the majority of the year, but every time I go home I'm welcomed by lots of snuggles by them! I'm not exactly sure what I want to pursue after graduation, but my main goal is to get a job. I also hope to work someplace really cool, maybe in my favorite place (London!). For now, I'm going to enjoy college and the places it takes me.




(Christmas with my dogs!)

Storybook Favorites

OU's Haunted Hall's:

This story book intrigued me first because of it's title. As a student of OU, the history of the university has always fascinated me even when it is supernatural. During my first week of school my freshman year, I participated in the OU's ghost tour. We were taken throughout different parts of campus to explore the traditional supernatural stories. The validity of these stories remain a mystery. However, the storybook I have chosen dives into the same stories that are always told around campus and passed down from student to student. The introduction does a good job at introducing the history of the stories and makes me very interested to read them.

(The inside of OU's Holmberg Hall

Picture by Uncovering Oklahoma)

Love at First Retweet:

I found this one interesting because the digital age is so prominent in today's world especially. It reminds me that stories and storybooks don't always have to be historical. They can take place in present day. The introduction is all about how historical love stories don't rely on social media to find the love. They rely on true connection. This day we can get so caught up in finding our "love" on social media and then only knowing them in that form. I'm interested in reading more about how these social media's can affect love connections.

Princesses from All Around:

When I was little, I didn't necessarily want to be a princess, but I loved watching princess movies all the time. They lived lives I could only dream of living and they got to sing beautiful songs while doing it, at least in the Disney versions. This storybook focuses on princesses from around the world from Japan and the Philippines, and how when they're together, they don't necessarily get along. In the end, the message is no matter where we come from, we can all live as one with peace and unity and I think that's really special.

London is My Favorite Place!

When I was a senior in high school, I was able to visit my sister who was studying abroad in London. I took time out of my busy schedule to travel across the pond to see her and the city she called home for a semester. I absolutely fell in love with the city. The history is rich and the buildings and monuments are fascinating.

(Tower Bridge)

The most fascinating part was how the street layout hasn't changed. Normally, city streets follow a grid layout. London's streets haven't changed over time. A tour guide told me while I was there that if Shakespeare were to come back, he would recognize the streets but none of the buildings. I thought that was the coolest thing ever! I loved the city so much that I'm actually going back this summer for a three week study abroad program. I can't wait to explore more of London in the upcoming months!

(My sister and me in front of the Thames River and Big Ben!)