Man It Has Been a Semester

     There are so many things I could write about for this semester - not just involving english but for all my classes. Now that it is the end of the semester, I am to reflect how i've done in my english class. In english I have performed very well by knowing what I had to do to get things done, being persistent, and working harder than i've ever worked in school before. I like to think I can end on a high note - but don't worry this isn't the end of Artsy Ego.
     First, in english this semester I have the understanding of what needed to be done going into the class.  English is my favorite subject, so I automatically get passionate and have the motivation.In the video, Barbara Oakley shares with the audience that she flunked math up until tenth grade, so she joined the army. While she was in the army she saw engineers working on formulas and she knew she wanted to do that; she continued her research when she got out of the army and became a professor of engineering. English class is the same for me as it was to Oakley and engineering. Unlike other classes I have taken English is the class that is most rewarding for me. I feel in this class I have had the courage to write even more to the point I want to pursue it someway in a career.  In the article, the author tells students to "focus their thoughts on past experiences." I feel I have done this in all my classes and works for english because I have been able to learn more effective methods of writing - making it easier to get a better grade in the class. With that being said, I would do anything to further my education in writing so I can be the best I know I am capable of being.
    Second, this semester I have been so persistent that i've kept an A. While in other classes I may have the same grade I feel in this class I have kept up with what the professor has asked in assignments.In the video Barbara Oakley states that we have to different brain modes - focus and diffuse mode. Focus mode makes you interested in something than automatically you just start doing it and that is all you can do for the rest of the time. This is what contributes to my persistence in english and doing well. The other mode, diffuse mode, creates different ways of thinking. We have to find other ways of being motivated - which could take away the persistence.  If you like the teacher and the subject I feel anyone would strive to do better in the class. In the article the author writes " Reflection is really a process that begins with looking back on a situation, pondering over it, learning from it and using the knowledge to help you in future similar situations." Reflecting back on how I've been persistent had helped me not only as a person but as a student because I have learned what my strengths and weaknesses are. Keeping an A in the class keeps me motivated to stay in college and further my education.
     Third, I have worked harder in not only this class but in all my classes than I've ever done before.
There are a lot of factors that have contributed to this - my professor, my passion for writing, and the community I have in my english class. Feeling comfortable about being yourself in a class is extremely important and in this class I feel extremely comfortable being who I truly am. In the video, Oakley shares her experiences but her desire for being an engineer and she did everything in her power to make her profession a career.  In addition, the teaching style of my professors compliments the way I learn. This is important because you can absolutely love the subject but hate the way the teacher teaches it which could end up to failing. Working hard in class does pay off and it feels really good when you see the results that proves you're doing so.
     Knowing what I need to get done, being persistent, and working harder than I have ever worked in the class are all the ways I've done well throughout the semester. I will miss this class, the teacher, and the people I've met throughout the year. But I know accomplishing this class has better set me up with all the classes I am taking in the future. With that being said I think this semester was to my expectation and then so and i'm grateful for the experience I was able to have.

The Year Is Coming to An End and Goals Have Developed

     There are so many goals that I have developed throughout the year - graduating high school, passing classes, and signing up for classes at Glendale Community College. Now that the year is coming to an end, I can reflect back on everything that I have accomplished. The goals I currently have are finishing the semester strong, loosing weight, and getting a job that suits my personality and style.

     Firstly, I would love to finish my first semester of college on a high note. In high school, you don't worry about grades to much - unless it's your senior year and you're failing second semester. In college I have been striving to do the best and be the best I know I am able to be. In high school I wasn't the greatest student and I wish, looking back, that I pushed myself to do better. In addition, throughout the semester I have created many great friends, including a boyfriend. Yet another example, as a goal for myself- relating to finishing off the semester, I would like to continue making more friends and grow stronger with my boyfriend. In the article, "Goal Setting Questions," the author states a question saying "Where do I want to get to?" I relate to this question because in order to further my education I needed to think about where I wanted to be.  In addition to the article, in the video Carol Dweck she says "Here are some things we can do. First of all, we can praise wisely, not praising intelligence or talent." No matter the circumstances I would love to accomplish finishing off the semester strong.
     Secondly, I would love to loose a total amount of fifty pounds by the end of year 2016. I always make a goal of loosing weight - I may end up loosing it or not, but it always seems to get worse or I end up gaining it back. There are many things that stand in my way like emotional eating and stress. Although there are many obstacles, I would like to strive for completion of this goal. To even further the goal, I would like to learn ways to continue keeping that weight off.  Deck shares with her audience saying that "Just the words "yet" or "not yet,"were finding, give kids greater confidence, give them a path into the future that creates greater persistence. And we can actually change students mindsets. In addition, the article asks the question "Who can help me?", I need to ask this question constantly to myself because I tend to keep myself and it doesn't help while trying to loose weight.
     Lastly, I would like to get a job that suits my personality and style. To achieve this goal, I want to figure out what I want to do in life. In the article the author says "How shall I get there?" I ask myself this question because if I don't I won't be able to get anywhere with the goals I want to achieve. I know I'm young, but the personality type I have is a planner and I hate not knowing where I'm going when I have control over my future. Another example, is when I get a job I will be able to be more independent. In the video, Dweck states "But praising the process that kids engage in: their effort, their strategies, their focus, their perseverance, their improvement. This process praise creates kids who are hardy and resilient.I need the perseverance because without it I have no motivation. I hate asking my parents for money, as easy as it is to get money that way, I always feel completely guilty and would be much easier to earn my own. In addition, would like to start looking into moving out of the house and I cant do that if I don't have an income coming in.
     Finishing the semester off strong, loosing weight, and getting a job that suits my personality and styles are all the current goals that I have for the rest of the year.

American Beauty: Power of Movies

       There are so many movies that have been created throughout decades and decades. Movies are forms of escapism and entertainment. One movie that stands out to me is the movie American Beauty made in 1999 directed by Sam Mendez. American Beauty has phenomenal artistic points/cinematography, symbolism that shows throughout the movie, and thought- provoking plots.
        Firstly, American Beauty has phenomenal artistic points. For example, it uses specific scenes to create confusion and irony. In the movie, Ricky Fitts father was hiding the fact that he was gay. When he looked through the window to see his son doing what he thought was "sexual" behavior he got angry. At first in this scene you think the father is mad at his son for doing these actions, but you later figure out in the scene where he kisses Jane's father that he is truly gay and he was more upset that his son was becoming more like him. In addition there are other scenes that express the same irony and confusion. For example, Mr. Fitts was a former military man and in the movie you see multiple movie shots where his wife sits still with absolutely nothing to say. Later, you figure out that the reason she is acting this way is because her husband abuses her. In the video, "Collin Stokes: How Movies Teaches Manhood," Stokes explains that there are a couple ways that older movies like The Wizard of Oz differ from more recent movies is that they had very little violence and few movies with female villainous characters. In addition to the video, the article "What Makes a Great Film?" the author states that a great movie must give full in depth details that make the audience focus and pay attention - this is what makes the audience think about what the hidden meanings are behind everything throughout the film. In my opinion, a great film consists of many different artistic points that make you interested the whole way through.
         Secondly, the movie American Beauty has a great deal of symbolism that shows throughout the entire film. For example, the colors and objects were used on purpose but weren't so excruciatingly obvious. An example of this is the crush that Mr. Burnham has on Jane's friend. Throughout the entire film you see actor Angela Hayes acting as Jane's friend, who is naked with only roses covering the parts that are most revealing. These roses symbolize the infatuation and new love that Mr. Burnham is having due to lack of emotion he is having in his marriage. The movie itself  also resembles the American Beauty Rose, thus adding many scenes with the rose throughout the movie. In the video, Stokes further explains by going into to depth by questioning what are people - mainly younger people, taking in from movies that show the theme "all villains must die," "Are they seeing someone who is being courageous or someone who is abusive?" In addition, towards the end of the movie you see Mr. Burnham get shot in the back of the head and his blood is dripping off the end of the table. As this may seem like a normal shot in every movie, in American Beauty this shot was even more beautifully done because everything into the background looked dark and gloomy and here you see this bright red blood - the same color as the roses that were show by Hayes character.  The article "What Makes a Great film?" the point of "attention to details" also goes along with interesting symbolism that takes place throughout the film.  Symbolism in a movie creates depth and allows the audience to get into what those symbols actually mean in a movie.
    Lastly, American Beauty is purely just thought provoking. For example, while watching the entire movie you see two marriages become distant. In the movie, Mr. Burnham is infatuated with Jane's friend, but Mrs. Burnham is the one having an affair. This affairs adds to the plot because you see Mr. Burnhams wife get noticed - something that her husband is lacking making them not see eye to eye. Towards the end of the movie you see Mrs. Burnham devastated that her husband found out about her affair, so she he a radio commercial saying she is not the victim and plans on killing her husband. Even before she gets home, another person ends up shooting her husband leaving her upset that the love of her life was gone. In the video, Stakes made a clear point that movies are showing males that it is okay to abuse women. In fact he says, "one out of five american women are abused my males." American Beauty leaves you thinking even after watching the movie.
           Having phenomenal artistic points, having tons of symbolism, and being thought provoking are all ways that American Beauty is the masterpiece that came to be.

Advice At It's Finest

     As there is an endless amount of advice that a person could give to another there are specific ones that have helped me as a person.  The advice that has helped me through life is just to get through high school. In elementary school we think of how great high school will be - new people, new school, for us girls, new boys.  At that age, I thought of all new possibilities I would have after graduating from eighth grade. While in elementary school I was put into special education (IEP) and there I was taught that I didn't have to do all the work and I could have do-overs. When I graduated and went into high school, I was put in special education again and it ruined my reputation and was way to easy for me. After my first year, I was given the choice to move schools and get taken off the special education plan. Making this decision, made my life so much better in the long run. My parents always used to tell me to get through high school because all the gossip truly stops, it's all about you, and you have the freedom to do what you want.  

     Firstly, in high school everyone was worried about all the gossip going through schools and in college no one really cares. For example, everybody was worried about all the new "hot" couples walking through school. In addition, in high school there were always cliques and you could never feel like you belonged. Along with that, those of us who fit in with all cliques were seen as misfits or outcasts. Now being in college, I have socialized with many different kinds of people and have created the best friend group that I know I will keep forever. In the article, "Advice For New Students" Tom Diehl from University of Pittsburg says "Throughout high school, I had been relentlessly bullied and criticized for who I was and what I believed in. Eager to prevent my problems from following me to college, I kept my hard exterior, overcompensating for my fear of being rejected. It took me an entire semester realize this was the exact opposite of the approach I should have taken. What I hadn't taken into account was that everyone I would be surrounded by would be in the same boat. Shed your inhibitions and prior conceptions of who people can be. College provides an environment that fosters creativity, friendship, and acceptance. Don't aim to prove those that doubted you wrong, but push yourself to prove yourself wrong." I feel this is eye opening advice to any grade, but especially college because the friends you make in college are the friends you will have the longest relationship with.  This advice helped this problem because I learned how to be myself and not care what others think.

   Secondly, in high school its about other people while in college its all about you. For example, in college you can pick all the classes you'd be interested in taking whereas in high school you were forced to take the classes that were picked through the state. In high school I tried getting all my general education out of the way so by the end of my high school education I could take all the fun classes my senior year. This advice helped me because I was given an opportunity to explore my interests and really take into account possible career choices. In the article, Sangepu Ashrith says "College life is similar to what happens when you get high - i.e., you have a vague idea of your surroundings and forget who you are and where you wanted to go. Don't make that mistake. It will cost you years." I feel this advice is very helpful because college gives you the chance to take different kinds of classes but if you don't choose the right major you could get yourself stuck and it will be hard to recover from it.

   Lastly, unlike high school, college allows you have the freedom to be who you are and explore different opportunities. For example, in high school you always had you're parents behind your back telling you what you can and can't do. In college, you can experience things your parents weren't very fond of while in high school. I had this experience because I always felt like I was on a leash and very naive. Since college, I feel like I have been able to make decisions for myself. In addition, college allows me to make decisions on what I want to spend my time on or my money on. In the article, Claudia Siqueiros says "Having a set agenda for four years of your life does not usually go according to plan. If you find you are not having an exciting college experience, change something. Do not let the pressures or judgement of others keep you in a situation that isn't ideal for you. The change might be challenging at first, but it will be worth it." In addition to the article, the video Jk Rowling spoke in says that life will create hardships and you have get out of you're comfort zone in order to succeed. This advice is great because you can't let others guide you and you are the only one who knows what you want. 

  Not worrying about gossip, it only being about you, having the freedom to be who you are,  is related to the best advice i've been given - just getting through high school.

Students: How Do We Encourage Them?

        There are many different ways that children or teens learn. In elementary school and even high school, students are often forced to learn one way, when they may be more successful with a a teaching style that is more customized to each student's learning style.  Students may fail or not reach their potential because they are being taught based on methods that may work with a majority, but not all, students. I think to support and encourage students to do their best we need to discover at an early age the learning style for each child and tailor their education. I believe that this would reduce the number of children labeled as needing special education due to a difference in learning style.

           Firstly, in elementary school, I never had the choice to learn my way - I had to learn the way that every other kid learned. The way I was taught, which was very didactic and traditional, often led me to be completely confused and I didn't do well in school. I am an introvert and wasn't the talkative one in class, buy my teachers often made us complete assignments in groups. For me this was distracting and I would have excelled if could have worked by myself.  Working independently and linking the subjects with real-world examples is how I fully understand things. I wish I had the choice. Kids like me can make decisions for themselves and know their strengths and weaknesses. In the video "The Myth of Praise" Ashley Merryman studied that kids actually do worst when they are told they are smart, then kids who can decide for themselves. In addition to the video, the article "How Not To Talk ToYour Kids" the father said "Thomas didn't want to try things he wouldn't be successful at,' 'Some things came very quick to him, but when they didn't, he gave up almost immediately, concluding, 'I'm not good at this.'" Children will be successful if given the chance to make their own decisions.
        Secondly, I believe that many kids who currently have an individual education plan (IEP) and labeled a special education student is just a reflection of different kinds of learning styles. Every student, as part of delivering the general education curriculum, should have an individual education plan to address their unique learning stye. The IEP should not be reserved for poor-performing students as a way to lower standards of achievement. For example,  I was placed in Special Education (IEP) during elementary school and all I learned while I was in there was that I didn't have to do all my work and that if I failed, I could redo the work to get a better grade. While this may be helpful for some, I feel that kids - no matter what program their in, should be taught that there aren't re-dos in life and you do have to do all the work (and more) in order to succeed. I didn't learn this until I reached high school, as in elementary school my parents thought it was best for me and we were told it was the best option. In high school I got bullied for the Special Education and didn't get good grades because of it. When I had the opportunity to move schools, I told myself I didn't want to be in Special Education because I knew I could better myself if I was out of the program. I think that if all kids in the Special Education program were taught this in elementary school they would gain self motivation and wouldn't need praise to keep them getting good grades. In the video, Po Bronson did a study between two kids and the one who was given praise chose the option of choosing things she knows so she could seem smart, where as the boy chose the option to answers the problems he may not know so he can learn from those mistakes." In addition, I feel when we are put in these programs we feel less smart or less capable of doing things that the "normal" kids in school do. In the article, "How Not To Talk to Your Kids" Bronson says "Since Thomas could walk, he has heard constantly that he's smart. Not just from his parents but from any adult who has come in contact with this precocious child. When he applied to Anderson for Kindergarten, his intelligence was statistically confirmed."

Praise is an important motivator for students to do well, however self-motivation is a character that will last a lifetime.

Social Media: Is it Important?

I believe that social media is important. Social media allows information to be spread quickly in a variety of digital applications.  In the early 20th century, the printing press was invented, allowing information to be shared in a printed format as opposed to word of mouth.  In the video, "How Social Media Can Make History," Clay Shirky states "The first one is the famous one, the printing press: movable type, oil based inks, that whole complex innovations that made printing possible and turned Europe upside-down, starting in the middle of the 1400s." Since that time, there have been many inventions to support mass communication, including the telephone, cellular phones, radio and television. These new technologies and ways to communicate created jobs and supported new types of entertainment and supported social networks. Prior to social media, it was difficult to stay in touch with a large group of contacts that share similar interests.  It is now the expectation that you will be connected to social media.  According to "We Are Social," Simon Kemp states that worldwide social media users exceed two billion users as of August 2015. Social media now supports friend networks, aligns people around a social cause or political candidate, and allows people to find others with similar view regardless of their physical location.  In the article "#AskHerMore is changing Red Carpet Interviews For The Better, But It's Still A Long Journey To Equality," Tobi Gbile states "The #AskHerMore trend was launched by The Representation Project in February 2014, and has since caught steam with both celebrities and fans alike who have gotten fed up with the large disparity between questions red carpet interviewers ask female celebrities versus the questions they ask male celebrities." Social media can also cause controversy.  I also believe Social media can support harassment, bullying and the spread of misinformation. But although it causes social controversy, social media has advanced how we communicate in the information age.  It's important to have controversy and platforms to share different views because it goes back to freedom of speech where everyone can say and feel what they want.

   Social media is important because within our generation, you can't get around it. However, it is important to know it's limitations and purpose.  Social media users may use it to catch up with their friends, favorite shows, favorite music, and maybe even favorite books or authors. Social Media comes with consequences, but I think that everything comes with a price - and sometimes its a price worth paying.

There's An Art to Perfect Skin

Lush's "Angels on Bare Skin"

Lush's "A Breath of Fresh Air"

Even though I am young, I have experienced a lot of skin issues that I try desperately to find a way to fix. You know what I'm talking about  - the periodic breakouts, the dry flakey skin, irritation from the wrong kinds of products.  Selecting the appropriate products to address problem skin can be a big pain in the butt - not to mention an expensive one.  I believe that purchasing the right face/skincare products is more important than makeup. Some makeup can make the problems worse, and if you have skin problems more makeup is required to cover it up  - compounding the problem. It can be a visious cycle.  Trust me, I know the urge to want to buy everything in the store when I see one of the common makeup companies produce a new product.  I've been to dermatologists and tried hundreds of products - high-end and drugstore - and nothing ever seemed to work. My face seemed constantly seemed to change and nothing seemed to work. It went from oily, oily to combination, then to dry, and I was always chasing it with a different product. I was pretty much fed up until I had the brilliant idea of buying an assortment of facial products and switching them out on a day to day basis. Sure enough, I saw results immediately and couldn't have been happier.  There was a period of time when I was so fed up with drugstore products, I researched other companies and found Lush. I know they are gaining in popularity, but they were new to me.  When I got the chance to go to a Lush store (actually I visited 2 in New York), it was more than just a pick-up and go experience, you actually got to test the products right then and there. I've learned from experimenting with products and how my face reacts  it needs change. Once I discovered the Lush products, I began experimenting with rotating them.  Bottom line variety worked for me, the next blog I will share specific products. Just remember, no matter what the price, find something that will work for you, like Lush did for me

Freedom: Why it's important

   The word freedom comes with a lot of different opinions, phrases, and realities, but there are always some that speak to me  personally. I believe that we all have our own definition of freedom, and that is perfectly okay. In the end, we are not a perfect country and we'll always have differences of opinion and ongoing arguments focused on the intersections of religion, politics, and personal beliefs. There are also many types of freedom.  Some of my favorites include  internal/external freedom, personal freedom, and the premise that all human beings are equal in dignity and rights.

First,  personal freedom is very meaningful to me. Everyone should strive for personal freedom. Without personal freedom, one is unable to freely be themselves and show who they truly are. For example, in the video "Morgana Bailey: The Danger of Hiding Who You are" Morgana announces that she has been hiding something over the years  - she was a lesbian.  She further exclaimed that she used to be very outgoing, but she became the opposite over the years.  She told herself that it was because of maturity.

Personal freedom is also important to me because I believe it is important to align your beliefs and actions. If you know what you want, you're not going to let others make decisions for you or influence you to act against your beliefs. In the article "Malala's heroic Stand Against the Taliban," Mary Sanchez explains the story of Malala (18 year old public figure from Pakistan) and how she believes that women need an education.  Malala used what she believed in to inspire others. The importance of personal freedom is to allow everyone to be there own self.


Secondly, internal/external freedom is having freedom through thought and reason and the freedom to deliberate and decide. This is sometimes difficult if your personal beliefs conflict with the law or majority opinion.  In both the article and video on this topic of Malala, her country frowned upon women getting an education. It shared how both Malala and her father made decisions to better their life and to be an inspiration to others by acting on their belief that women should be educated. It is important to me because I want to be able to make decisions for myself based on my beliefs.


Lastly, Article One from the Bill of Rights is important to me. Article One states that "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed in reason and conscience and should act towards one another toward brotherhood." To me, this means that we are all equal. This is important to me because I believe we should all be treated the same, no matter our differences. In the video "My Daughter Malala," Malala's father exclaims that her daughter was shot in the head on her way home from school because people in Pakistan didn't agree with her opinion on education. Not only did he mention this, but he also stated that women are only seen as homemakers/care-givers and that they are not allowed to get an education because they feel that its the mens job to have one.
   
Of all of the different types of freedom,  the most important to me are internal / external freedom, personal freedom, and Article One of the Bill of Rights.

My Oh My! Who Have We Here?

        Hi, I'm Maddie Schmidt and I am artistic. Being artistic is a great attribute but it has its challenges when you are also an introvert. For example, when I am involved in a singing competition, it takes a lot of effort to be gregarious and put on a good performance. When I just feel like singing and then leaving,  I am forced to socialize and wait until the end of the show to hear the results.  In the video "The Power of Introverts" Susan Cain explains how she has had to force herself to be less of an introvert and more of an extrovert. In the video Cain states "But for years, I denied this intuition, so I became a Wall Street lawyer, of all things, instead of a writer that I had always longed to be--partly because I needed to prove to myself that I could be bold and assertive too." Jory Mackay, a journalist, cites "These are the people with the powerful ability to rapidly parse through the huge amount of available information and decide what is most important without taking the time to engage in slower, rational ways of thinking."  I too, have had many situations where I had to prove to myself that I could be social because that is what was expected of me.

        I have also struggled with people not knowing the difference between being shy and being introverted. For example, when someone tries to engage me in a conversation and then questions why I'm so quiet, they typically say "You're shy, aren't you?"  I just want to tell them "No, not really." In Cain's video she gave a perfect definition and example of the difference between the two.  "Shyness is about fear of social judgement. Introversion is more about, how do you respond stimulation, including social stimulation." Another example Cain cites to demonstrate the difficulty of being an introvert is that schools and workplaces are setup to support extroverts, and extroverted behavior is often rewarded. For example, in a classroom teachers support the group style learning and students are encouraged to speak up. Cain exclaims, "Even in a subject like math and creative writing, which you would think would depend on solo flights of thought, kids are now expected to act as committee members. And for the kids who prefer to go off by themselves or just to work alone, those kids are seen as outliers often or, worse, as problem cases." I have single handedly experienced this myself, mainly in elementary school, by being forced to learn one way but are in need of learning a different way. In both the article and the video, Cain and Mackay make a point to say that no matter if you are a introvert some communication is key in a school or workplace setting. Mackay writes, "Studies have shown that people who communicate in an expressive, animated fashion tend to be liked more than difficult-to read people." As I have gotten older, graduated from high school, and started college, it is a lot easier for me to have my own style and a sense of who I am and what my valuable qualities are, one of which is being an introvert.