I think that the most important and surprising aspect of the powerpoint to me was when it said that when revising your paper you should start from the bottom and work your way up the paper. This intrigued me because I literally would not have ever thought to do that. The logic behind that theory makes sense too, they said while reading from top to bottom you miss a lot of your own bloopers. However by reading it backwards its almost like reading a completely new paper, thus when reading a student is much more focused and attentive.

Chandler Dalton

Mrs. Isenkul

UNIV 150

Sept. 10, 2014

In-Class Journal #3

I feel that a good WSPT essay should be set up with an introduction, two to four body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Your thesis should be in your introduction paragraph, this states the main ideas in your essay. It should only introduce them, not explain, that’s what the body paragraphs are for. The next few paragraphs should be based on the topics you put in your introduction paragraph and thesis statement. . These paragraphs should be as detailed as possible, but without going over the word limit, and still getting your point across. The body paragraphs are where the reader gets your tone from, so be sure to put your opinion no matter how graphic. This is also where a lot of grammatical errors happen, keep an eye out for slang words, they are easy to miss. And the last paragraph should be a conclusion, this is where you wrap up all of your ideas and restate your thesis. When you restate the thesis it shouldn’t be copied word for word but restate it with different words.

In-Class Journal Entry #1         8/27/14

The way I plan to ‘take charge’ of my transition into college is by being ‘proactive’. I feel that I am going to have to act this way because I will be the only person at my new school that is actually looking out for me. I am the only one willing myself to do better. While back at home my parents and teachers were steadily coaching me to what they thought was acceptable. But now it’s souly up to me, now I choose what and how I want to be, and be portrayed. Now I choose what type of grades I want (even though it may come back to haunt me), going off to college is a huge step in a young students life and that is why I want to make the best of it, so I shall.

Transitions into College

Honestly, I haven’t put that much thought into the changes that I would have to make as I transition into college at ODU. In my first week here, a few topics surfaced, topics that include my living quarters and how I will manage my finances, and time management. However, I know I am ready to face this challenge head-on.

The first major change I have come across is how I am living and whom I am living with for the next five months. The amount of privacy I have compared to when I was living back home, in Richmond, is surreal. Sharing a one-room living-quarter with two other teenagers has forced me to lock away my valuable belongings and keep one eye open at night. I will be going from being able to leave whatever valuables I have out at night, but within a few days to being forced to lock everything away in my heavy-duty trunk. I’m not saying that my roommates are criminals; I’m just saying I never know who would take my new watch, or shoes, or even “borrow” my favorite pen. It’s not just that I have to live with people I just met, but I will also have to almost be friends with them, so we can compromise on things like how the room is arranged, who showers when, and who’s buying groceries. I’m not saying that there are only bad changes when moving into a dorm. All I’m saying is there will definitely be some adjusting.

The next major transitional challenge I realized I should prepare to ‘tighten the leash’ on is control of my finances. If I’m a full-time college student, I will not have time for a job, which means I will have to rely solely on saved money and Flex points. Being a growing/maturing young man, eating is a necessity, so eating in moderation and responsibly is crucial, or else by Thanksgiving I won’t have enough money for partying. If students don’t go to parties while in college, they didn’t have the real “college experience”. The acronym B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own alcoholic Bottle) describes any party well especially at ODU. If I showed up to a party without any supplies, the current partiers won’t hesitate to tell me to leave. Another expense while away from home is just buying things in the store windows, which can burn a nice hole in my pocket. It takes discipline, but with a tight budget anything is possible.

Being able to juggle my classes, social life, and sleep schedule will also be a challenge. Time management is like a triangle; I can only have two of the three listed above. For example, if I stayed up too late studying or partying, I won’t have enough time for sleep or vice versa. Time management is one of the touchiest subjects because it determines the type of person I will be known as.

In Conclusion, as I move into Old Dominion, the most important changes will have to be made to my living-quarters, finances, and time-management. They will not be easy to combat, but I’m with practice I’m sure I will have them under control within the next couple of weeks.