Time Strategies

Time Strategies

My current plan for time management was to set a schedule: I would do the readings/stories on Tuesday-Thursday and do Projects, Feedback, and Comments on Saturday. I may also work some extra credit stuff on Sundays. 

Articles Read: How to Beat Procrastination and The Psychology of Checklists

https://hbr.org/2016/07/how-to-beat-procrastination

https://blog.trello.com/the-psychology-of-checklists-why-setting-small-goals-motivates-us-to-accomplish-bigger-things?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=linkedin&utm_campaign=checklists

The tip I am considering trying from the procrastination article is the process of weighing the pros and cons of inactivity. You weigh the outcomes of not doing your work and continuing your procrastination. This process of looking at the consequences of inactivity can be better than looking at the rewards for activity.

The other article talks about how checklists help us keep track of our tasks, but they also touch on how crossing tasks off our checklists can cause the release of Dopamine. The biggest piece of advice from the article I got was to makes the tasks on your checklist SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound. This change to checklists not only helps you keep track of your tasks, but also helps you get those bits of Dopamine from completing tasks.

Checklist Render by Flickr.com: Checklist

Technology in Class

Technology

I am surprised with the amount of technology that goes in to this class, especially compared to the other online courses I have taken. The technology I am most interested in is the twine, reading through the examples it seems like a very fun tool to play around with. Most of the other software or websites listed I was already familiar with. 

Image of Twine software from their website : twinery

Assignments

Assignments

I have taken other online courses in my time on campus, this one has assignments that are a little different than I am used to. This difference might primarily be because the format of this online course is centered on the blog posts we will be doing.

The extra credit is very different to most online classes I have taken, they usually do not offer extra credit. The extra credit itself is also very interesting, especially the Wikipedia trails and the microfictions. These are extra credit opportunities that can be educational and entertaining. 

Wikipedia Logo from their website : Logo

Growth Mindset Introduction

Growth Mindset

I have already heard about the growth mindset, some of my professors have made it a point to talk about the growth mindset at the beginning of classes. They have talked about mainly as a way of making students aware that the only thing holding them back is their own preconceived notions about how intelligence works, and to be fair for many it is hard to get out of the fixed mindset. The fixed mindset comes a lot from how the school system works for primary education, most of it is memorization and if the system does not work for someone they can feel dumb. If someone is good at memorization that can lead to the perception of intelligence. 

Growth Mindset at EDWeek Blog

Coming to college can force you into a more growth oriented mindset, especially if you start off on the bad foot and have to recover from the bad start. The introduction to the growth mindset has made more interested in learning about subjects outside my field, as long as I find the topic interesting. I find this development of interests outside my field has helped me develop a more growth oriented mindset. I am interested in learning in this class, as well as developing even more of a growth oriented mindset.

Introduction to Me

Introduction to Me

Hello, I am Travis Hachimura. I am a biology major here at OU, and I am currently in my Junior year. I am originally from Kentucky, I was born in Louisville and moved to Oklahoma around 10 years ago. I have lived in Edmond, Oklahoma for 9 years now. We also recently got a puppy. He is a mutt, we have no clue what breed he is.


Picture taken by me of my puppy, Torque, biting my shoes.

Shortly after moving to Oklahoma I tried out many sports, but only played most for a year or two. The only sport that interested me that I tried out was football. I played football until my Sophomore year of High School. That year I decided to go to a vocational school for half-days and could no longer participate with the school team so I decided to stop playing altogether. These half-days also meant I could no longer take part in Theater class as it conflicted with my schedule. I got into theater in middle school when I had to join the class halfway through the year, because I quit band but needed an elective. I took part in multiple plays, but worked microphones and sound for musicals because I was tone-deaf.

I went to the vocational school for Bio sciences and that got me more interested in Biology as a subject and why I chose to go into Biology in college. I am interested in the Biology of the Octopus as well as Evolutionary Biology in general.

Even as someone who is tone-deaf and can not sing along I usually find myself attracted to instrumental genres. I am a big fan of lo-fi as well as music with a lot of synth. I grew up with classic rock and still listen to it. I also listen to some rap, recently I have started listening to some more from MF Doom.

I love music, but I love reading books more. I really only read sci-fi and fantasy. My favorite book is The Demon King from the Seven Realms series. My favorite author is V. E. Schwab, I am currently reading her book Vicious and I am really enjoying it and would highly recommend.

This is me, nice to meet you.

Storybook Favorites

Three Storybooks I looked at: Creation Stories, Epic Twins, and Indra: The Thunder God

Creation Stories

The first storybook I looked at, was coincidentally, Creation Stories. I chose this one because I love seeing creation stories from other cultures around the world. I was unfamiliar with the creation story within Hindu mythology, and this story gives three examples of creation stories told by the three narrators the Tridevi. I like the idea of the three narrators as it clearly separates the three stories. The first story is told by Lakshmi and is the story of the golden egg, this is the true story of the creation. The egg cracks and one half creates the heavens, and the other half creates the Earth. The next is a retelling of Matsya Avatar, a great flood myth. Lastly is the retelling of The Churning of the Ocean, which describes a conflict between the Devas and the Asuras. I like this storybooks formatting a lot, and find the design to be appealing. 

Creation Stories: Creation Stories

Image of the Tridevi, our narrators for our storybook. 

Hindufaqs: Tridevi Image

Epic Twins

The second storybook, Epic Twins, this storybook tells stories about the Ashwinis. These twin gods govern medicine and healing, and are apparently known for their mischief. The stories themselves are well-written, but the storybook design is fairly unappealing. The format of the storybooks are bland and there is no images to add visual appeal to the storybook. It does not help that the introduction does not give you much information on the stories ahead of time. It just doesn't feel like a storybook in my opinion.

Twin Gods of Mischief: Epic Twins

Indra: The Thunder God

Lastly I looked at the storybook Indra: The Thunder God. This storybook is more simplistic than the first story book, it does not use multiple narrators. It is a very classic storybook style to tell the story of Indra. The writing is well done and will keep you entertained. The introduction tells you everything that you could need to know about what you are getting ready to read. The only thing that this storybook did that I would change is that the images used at the bottom of the sections and put use them as a way of breaking up the format of the storybook and create some visual appeal.

Indra: The Thunder God

Favorite Place on Campus

My Favorite Place on Campus

Nook within the Union by Travis Hachimura

My favorite place on campus happens to be the nook on the landing between Beaird Lounge and the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom in the Union here on campus. Since freshman year this has been where I eat my lunch. My roommates and I found this spot freshman year and have been using it ever since. I also use this spot as a place to relax if I have a short break between classes. It is an area with low traffic, this allows me to read or watch YouTube in relative peace. The area is usually quiet giving it a nice atmosphere, and occasionally I can hear piano music coming up the stairs from Beaird Lounge.