There are many exciting traditions practiced at Converse College; in my opinion, however, Big Sis/Lil Sis Week eclipses them all. Every Converse freshman is lovingly paired with a junior student who will act as a combination mentor and friend, a "sister" of sorts. Students who arrive in odd years are classified as Red Devils and will be paired with a Red Devil sister, and students who arrive in even years are Pink Panthers and will also be paired accordingly. Soon after this pairing, the member of the junior class, or "Big Sis," will leave hints of her identity to the "Lil Sis." Every night for the entire week, the freshman can look forward to adorable chalk messages from her big sister in the mornings and heaps of pink presents at night. At the end of the week, the Big Sis will reveal herself to her Lil Sis in an elaborate ceremony.
Only a few weeks ago I myself went through this process, and I loved every single minute of it. The chalk messages, tail, and other presents from my big sister made me feel incredibly loved and welcomed. Big Sis/Lil Sis week made me feel as if I were truly a valuable part of the Converse Community; I now have a true Converse family with whom to share my college experiences. Knowing that you are not alone in college is an incredibly powerful thing, and it makes me appreciate my incredible big sister, Nicole Dumouchel, more and more every day. I hope that one day I can be as good a sister to her as she has been to me.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Test-taking Strategies (Psychology Examples)
Test-taking, unlike writing, has always been one of my strong points. Although thoroughly understanding the material assigned is necessary, there are a few tips and tricks that never fail to help boost my grade on even the longest, most demanding tests.
Doing well on a test begins with studying effectively. Break up any reading over several days, and highlight the material or take notes. Then when the test day is fast approaching, you can review your own take on the material, (which you will probably best remember), and avoid frantically trying to read a hundred pages the night before an exam. This is what I do for Psychology, which meets only twice a week, often assigns two chapters of reading, and also often has a test after the two meetings. Play to your learning style strengths; if you are a visual learner, try to visualize a scenario in which the concepts in the reading play out or draw a picture that will help you remember the information. Also use mnemonic devoices when studying. I almost always remember parts of key concepts through acronyms; for example, on today's Psychology test I remembered that sleep protects, restores and repairs, aids in remembering, and aids childrens' growth. Instead of trying to remember those long phrases, the acronym "PRRRG" was used to jolt my memory.
On test day, try to be relaxed. Know that you did your best, and try to visualize yourself succeeding. Do not panic if you do not immediately remember the answers to every single question on the assessment. Calmly answer the questions you know first, then take the rest of the test question by question. I try to eliminate answers that I know are false immediately; however, if I am still stuck, I will put a star next to the question and move on to try and glean bits of information from the other questions and answers to help me with the more difficult questions. I make sure I have read the intial questions and various options carefully before selecting an answer for multiple choice tests; for short answer or essay tests I write the key points quickly out on the margins before I begin so that the stress that inevitably kicks in when I see the first few people turning in their tests doesn't rob me of my answer. In today's Psychology test, I did not know several of the short answers at the beginning, but after I calmed down I was able to remember pertinent bits of information that might have saved my grade. The absolute best thing you can do to prepare for a test other than actually study is believe that you are capable of making the grade you want. Once you believe in yourself, the rest is easy.
Doing well on a test begins with studying effectively. Break up any reading over several days, and highlight the material or take notes. Then when the test day is fast approaching, you can review your own take on the material, (which you will probably best remember), and avoid frantically trying to read a hundred pages the night before an exam. This is what I do for Psychology, which meets only twice a week, often assigns two chapters of reading, and also often has a test after the two meetings. Play to your learning style strengths; if you are a visual learner, try to visualize a scenario in which the concepts in the reading play out or draw a picture that will help you remember the information. Also use mnemonic devoices when studying. I almost always remember parts of key concepts through acronyms; for example, on today's Psychology test I remembered that sleep protects, restores and repairs, aids in remembering, and aids childrens' growth. Instead of trying to remember those long phrases, the acronym "PRRRG" was used to jolt my memory.
On test day, try to be relaxed. Know that you did your best, and try to visualize yourself succeeding. Do not panic if you do not immediately remember the answers to every single question on the assessment. Calmly answer the questions you know first, then take the rest of the test question by question. I try to eliminate answers that I know are false immediately; however, if I am still stuck, I will put a star next to the question and move on to try and glean bits of information from the other questions and answers to help me with the more difficult questions. I make sure I have read the intial questions and various options carefully before selecting an answer for multiple choice tests; for short answer or essay tests I write the key points quickly out on the margins before I begin so that the stress that inevitably kicks in when I see the first few people turning in their tests doesn't rob me of my answer. In today's Psychology test, I did not know several of the short answers at the beginning, but after I calmed down I was able to remember pertinent bits of information that might have saved my grade. The absolute best thing you can do to prepare for a test other than actually study is believe that you are capable of making the grade you want. Once you believe in yourself, the rest is easy.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Diversity
Perhaps my own biological and cultural diversity, (my mother is a Roman Catholic Puerto Rican and my father is a Muslim from Iran), influences my own personal take on diversity; I believe that diversity prevents our world from being mind-numbingly boring. Who would benefit from a world where everyone is the same? Would new ideas emerge from minds bred to only believe certain things? Would the spark and creativity that characterize our modern world flourish under conditions that would inevitably crush them underfoot? I should think that even though a certain amount of comfort can be taken in familiarity, our society greatly profits from diversity.
There are some people who will persist in thinking that diversity is poison; they cling to their beliefs and traditions in order to be shielded from the evils that supposedly lurk in the unknown. Others will persecute and degrade those unfortunate people that do not conform exactly to their attitudes. I myself have encountered people who look down their noses at me because I am a product of two races and religions. (I pity these people who think that scraping the bottom of the gene pool will perserve their ways of life). I know of people who will tell a person to his or her face that because he or she is not of a certain religion they are damned to an eternity of suffering. Still others will be taunted because they are of a different sexual orientation or do not conform to their peers' expectations. Diversity is not something to be sneered at or feared; on the countrary, our differences make us interesting. Interacting with people different from ourselves forces us to examine our own thinking and broadens our perspectives. Surely only good can come from this "blending" of views. We as humans could learn many things together that will remain hidden from us should we persist in an ignorant isolation.
There are some people who will persist in thinking that diversity is poison; they cling to their beliefs and traditions in order to be shielded from the evils that supposedly lurk in the unknown. Others will persecute and degrade those unfortunate people that do not conform exactly to their attitudes. I myself have encountered people who look down their noses at me because I am a product of two races and religions. (I pity these people who think that scraping the bottom of the gene pool will perserve their ways of life). I know of people who will tell a person to his or her face that because he or she is not of a certain religion they are damned to an eternity of suffering. Still others will be taunted because they are of a different sexual orientation or do not conform to their peers' expectations. Diversity is not something to be sneered at or feared; on the countrary, our differences make us interesting. Interacting with people different from ourselves forces us to examine our own thinking and broadens our perspectives. Surely only good can come from this "blending" of views. We as humans could learn many things together that will remain hidden from us should we persist in an ignorant isolation.
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