I had to write a ~30 page term paper for ESPM 100. I had the entire semester to do my research, conduct my interviews, and compile all of my data into a single document. It seems like this is nothing new for a lot of people, maybe particularly here at Berkeley. But for me, I had never done anything this extensive, let alone write more than 10 pages on a single subject. What's worse is that I have had a horrible history with papers. It would usually take me a couple month just to write a 5 page paper. I've always had difficulty with starting it, continuing it, and finishing it. It was a dreadful experience the entire time.

Continue reading "The Term Paper" »

Posted by Maria at 10:24 PM | Permalink

I've been asked what year I was several times just after the 07-08 school year. I was not sure what to answer--well I'm not a sophomore yet because 08-09 school year hasn't started and maybe I'm not a freshman either because I just finished my first year! Not so seriously, when do Freshies become Sophomores?!

Whatever. I just checked my Bear Facts, and I'm no longer "Fresh".

Now looking at my first year grades, I see some good (and bad) patterns. Hopefully recalling what happened to my grades would help find my strengths and weaknesses and what I can do in the future (my sophomore year to be specific).

Continue reading "Not So Fresh Anymore" »

Posted by John Cortez at 9:51 AM | Permalink

Chapter 1 : Video Game Addiction

Midterms were over last week (at least for me), about time I caught up with all my readings (10 minutes ago, finally), and now I'm deciding what to do. It feels great that I have more time again, but I'm sure this won't last long; my final paper in College Writing R4B is due in three weeks and finals are up that same week.

Again, like always, I'm facing against the temptation to slack off and not do my homework in advance.

Continue reading "Temptations, temptations... part 1" »

Posted by John Cortez at 6:34 PM | Permalink

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!! Wait....except I have a paper due on Monday and two presentations due on Tuesday. That basically sums up what I'll be spending this week on. Well that's not too bad because I've decided to go visit family in Palm Springs because I need a break. Even if I'm doing homework at least I'll be by the pool! This semester has kept me extra busy, I don't recommend 17.5 units and 15-20 hours of work. Yes it's possible to do it, but it's really not that much fun. On a side note...I got my first C+ on something in college. I'm really annoyed because 1/3 of the class got D's and they get to re-write their papers but I don't and my grade is close to being just as bad. I plan on spending every waking hour of break working on my second paper...okay so maybe I'll spend some time in the pool, but I am determined to get an A on my next paper now.

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 8:53 AM | Permalink

Fret fret freezing cold, fret fret freakout, fret fret fret fret.

Wake up late? Rush, run faster, catch a random bus, and make it to class earlier than you usually do.
Get an exam back? Hit the books again and maybe worry some more until you improve your grade, or, alternatively cheer!

Today was one of those fret fret freeze fret fret CHEER!!!! days, which makes it significantly better than average.

Posted by Christina at 2:48 PM | Permalink

Spring semester is about 4 weeks in and midterms are looming in the next few weeks...so how is Marissa Ponder-Bowen doing? Well I'm doing just fine. I feel much more adjusted to Cal in my second semester. It's nice to have a rough idea of what to expect. I've added an extra 7-12 hours a week of work to my schedule and made climbing more regular. Last semester I barely made time to go to Ironworks and have made it a priority in my week now. Instead of thinking if I have time I'll go, I've put into my schedule and worked other things around it. Yes I am busy however setting time aside to do something I really want to do forces me to focus and finish my reading/essays in a timely manner instead of procrastinating.

Continue reading "1 Month Check In" »

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 11:56 AM | Permalink

I try hard to monopolize your attention. This time my new tactic is to write during vacation when I assume that nobody else is writing because their lives do not revolve around school like mine does. Yes. Today I am going out to buy lead for my pencils - this day is rife with excitement and pregnant with pungent anticipation. I am very picky about my pencil lead. I only use 0.7 mm 2B lead because it gives me the darkest line and the strength to hold up under my hard pressed hand.

Being on semester schedule is unusual. All my other UC friends are on the quarter schedule so their classes start today. This essentially leaves me with more reading and eating time. I wonder if this semester thing is a plot from Berkeley to deliberately isolate itself and its students from the rest of the system. The chess club in my high school did this too and it lead to two things: 1) Unparalleled chess genius-ry - I mean seriously. They'll win even if they give you their queen and let you continually beat them over the head with it. and 2) They danced with only themselves during the school dances.

My search for peace, purpose and good TV reception on CBS continues. I HAVE to watch the Patriots game on Saturday even if it means me wrapping myself in aluminum and sticking my arms out of a 2nd story window.

Posted by Jonathan Yu at 4:18 PM | Permalink

Its proof read (thanks to my English major friends) printed, and stapled. Now I'm nervously waiting to turn it in. Normally I'm pretty confident about my writing skills, but now that it's my first paper to turn into Berkeley it seems kind of nerve racking. All those what ifs floating through my head like, what if I citied something incorrectly?, what if my thesis sucks?, what if my paper doesn't support my possibly crappy thesis?, what if my teacher thinks my paper is just plain horrible?. Now I know I'm over exaggerating and probably worrying over nothing. But I feel like this paper is important, it represents where I stand in Berkeley. So all of you reading this send me some good thoughts or go bribe my professor for me :) I'll let you know how I do...Oh and I'm sort of justly paranoid because the first sentence under the grading guide for "A" says: A rarer grade...yah you try to sleep at night with that on your mind.

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 2:29 PM | Permalink