Hiiiii! what extracurricular activities do you do?

Renaissance Woman: Being Well-Rounded via Extracurricular Activities 👩‍💼🧠🎨🏅

hi, ty for the ask! i’ve done many different extracurricular activities through the years. in high school i did dance, choir, ceramics, and i took elective classes in coding/ statistics. in college i’ve joined a book club, various accounting/ business organizations, honors program, research, and i take extra courses in interesting subjects like psychology and sociology. i’ve also worked part-time most of the time since i turned 16.

if you’re wanting to decide what kinds of extracurriculars to do, i’d say to try to make it a variety. and pick things that you are actually interested in doing and will be able to truly commit to. don’t spread yourself thin and don’t make yourself do anything you reeeally don’t want to do.

i try to have a mix of the following:

physical activities

a sport or exercise class is a great form of extracurricular activity because it keeps you active. depending on the activity it also develops your teamwork and collaborative skills. you can also build strong bonds amongst your teammates/ workout buddies. find something you truly enjoy & can see yourself committing the time to!

academic & career advancers

this can include clubs based on a field of study/ career path, academic/ business organizations, educational electives, practicing a relevant skill, and so on. these are useful if you’ve got a career path or field in mind and want to learn more about it. if it involves a group setting you can find like-minded people with the same goals. these types of programs also provide tools, resources, & guidance for success.

hobby/ fun

some of the most fulfilling extracurriculars may be something you just enjoy as a hobby. for me this was things like choir, ceramics, and other arts. i enjoy artistic stuff as a creative outlet to help relieve stress, and although i don’t want to be a professional singer or sculptor, i still highly benefited from those activities. they spark creativity and force you to use different parts of your brain.

money-making

i definitely consider having a job to be an extracurricular activity since it can go on your resume/ college applications/ etc. any job will help you build useful skills. if you’re in a position where you don’t need to work, i wouldn’t recommend getting a job tho, especially if you’re a student bc your time could be spent on your studies. i recommend seeking other extracurricular activities through your school instead if you have time.

This isn't really an ask but I just wanted to say that one of the reasons I enjoy your writing so much is how you break everything down in a phsych-ie way. (Sorry that made no sense) but like you break down everyone's thought process so well and intricately, you have a reason why anyone did anything and it all makes sense ( if that makes any sense) but yeah keep doing what your doing and thank you for writing this amazing story

Thank you!!! Digging deep deep deep into how the characters think is so fun for me, I wanna know what makes them tick.

I took a billion psychology and sociology courses in high school & college (and courses on a bunch of other topics I thought would explain how people function—social anthropology, religion, philosophy), and I still read psychology books For Fun & For Writing Research, so like, this is a whole topic of fascination for me. Everything everyone does is influenced by a dozen factors ranging from life lessons they unconsciously absorbed when they were five to whether or not they've had breakfast yet. It's probably not a stretch to say that for every single line of dialogue I run through a mental process of "how does who they are impact what they're feeling, what they're thinking, how they speak?"

On any given line I could probably give you three paragraphs about what's going on underneath the surface. I love when people highlight random lines they like because it gives me an excuse to go "oh yeah all this is going on in there—"

Wow Cat, entitled much? College is not a guarantee to a "comfortable living". It's a path chosen by the user in hopes of turning that sheep skin into a livelihood that pays well. It isn't always the end result and 9 times out of 10 it's because the person who went to college didn't take into account what the degree's median pay would be. I can't tell you how many times a person has sat across from me and said something to the effect of "I have "X" degree and that should be worth something more, something extra." When I asked them what the median wage of that degree is their eyes would glaze over and there head would tilt like a puppy with no answer. It's because these people never looked into what their chosen degree path COULD MAKE, they just assume the sheep skin means more money. WRONG. Let's take Cat here as an example: Cat is going to graduate with a degree in Political Science and Geography, you know two of the 7 Social Science degrees (History, political science, geography, economics, psychology, sociology, and anthropology.) and 4th in line or middle of the road when it comes to money making degrees.

Per a Georgetown University study, her chosen degree paths starts at about 33k a year with a median wage of 60k a year, but she wants to start at 50k, because college reason. Now lets get to her inflation argument that bypasses huge things to make her argument work like the Consumer Price Index and the actual inflation rate. Cat was born in 2002, not 1982 so she knows shit about living in the 80's or the 70's. In 1980 the inflation rate was 13.9% in 1981 it was 11.8%, for the first 19 years of her life the highest inflation rate that her parents, not her, had to deal with was 4.3% in 2008. 2002's was 7.5% and 2023 6.4%, Guess what happened in 2022, our government went on a spending spree that has not stopped. The average inflation rate for her entire life is 2.3%. (All of the parentage are based of January numbers for each year rather than the highest or lowest for the entire year. Years like 2009 and 2015 where inflation rates were in negative percentages I made them zero %.) Side note: before 2009 you have to go back to 1955 before you find negative inflation rates again. From 1970 to 1990 the average inflation rate was 6.8285714285714%, just shy of 3 time higher than what she is complaining about, and her folks did it on a lower wage. Enter the Consumer Price index. From 2002 to today in 2023 the average Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) is 2.5304347826087%, and from 1970 to 1990 it was 6.2714285714286%, you guessed it, almost 3 times higher again. Of course the governments reckless spending and financing wars all over hell in back has started impacting EVERYONES bottom line, Cat is apparently just learning this. Cat, you need to earn a comfortable living, not have it handed to you. You need to work your ass up from the starting line not start closer to the top. It's not a Boomer, Gen X, Gen Z or what ever else is out there thing, its a you have never worked in your field thing, you just might suck at it thing and employers are not going to pay you on the work you might be able to do or the work ethic you might have, they are going to pay you as an employee that has limited work history, get used to it. I was born in 1970 got my first job, one of only 3 I ever had, in 1986. I did not earn over 41k a year until 2009, that was with a family of 4. Between my Bride and I we earned 4 1/2 degrees and took on no debt. How did we do it, work and save, living within our means and a budget. Guess what effects us much less becasue we pay cash for things, inflation. Not holding debt frees you up to do so many more things with your cash on hand. It's was less about inflation, although that is killing just about everyone now and more to do with piss poor advanced planning on Cat's part. Example: Had Cat looked into STEM degrees, you know a field short of female applicants, where the median starting yearly wage is 43k, with an expected yearly median wage of 76k per year, her outlook for earned wages would be much different. So, in short, Cat is pointing her anger at the wrong place, she shot herself in the foot taking on degrees with limited earning potential and in over saturated job markets rather than a more technical, less saturated job field that pays more all the way around.

“I think that if you go to college, you deserve to be able to make enough to live comfortably,” she asserts. “I think if you don’t go to college you should be able to make enough to live comfortably.” Comfortably, is relative to the person, and has more to do with, well comfort than economics. That's not how life works Cat. Maybe you should have paid a little more attention to those finance and economics classes.

hi elizaaaaa 💗

Random Aot question time with the characters you prefer!

What would you think they'd study in college?

📏🚸🏫👩🏻‍🏫👨🏽‍🏫

Hello! Here's another inbox ask sitting here way to long. Sorry!

This one really stumped me though cause right out of school I got a job and never did any other sort of schooling other than what my job required.

But! Here we go!

Armin and Annie - Armin goes to school to become a paralegal in the courtroom world, and he meets Annie in one of the classes that overlap while she's studying to be a lawyer. Out of school they team up to work in family court.

Jean and Niccolo - Culinary school! We know he has a talent for cooking and this would really help his skills. No doubt he's going to own a restaurant one day. It helps when he meets Niccolo and they cannot be stopped! Co-restaurant owners coming right up! Then he introduced Niccolo to Sasha and he, Connie, Porco and Colt are groomsmen at their wedding and Jean bakes their cake...I'm sorry did I go off topic? :)

Historia - she's either gonna work with kids or animals. I'm going animals and she takes classes like animal medicine and pharmacology and starts out as a veterinary assistant before loving it so much she buys the practice. AND she keeps her prices at a decent rate so no one is forced to have to give up on their pet!

Erwin, Levi and Hange - They all meet in psychology, for different reasons! Hange goes to to get a biology major and becomes a biological psychologist and a neuroscientist! Levi goes on to also study sociology as well and becomes a social psychologist and does some ground breaking work in helping teens transition to adulthood. Erwin helps out with the interactive side and becomes a career counselor. The trio is amazing at what they do and the people they encounter are better for knowing them.

Connie - He isn't sure what he wants to do but likes drawing and design so starts taking the prerequisites for architecture! He needs a bit of help in the math classes but he wants it so bad and once he gets it and moves on to creative design it's clear he's made for this! One day he'll make the layout for the new town hall structure!

Miche - Took me a moment but he's going to study landscape architecture! He takes art, design and construction classes. This big guy just wants to beautify the neighborhood and helps Connie with landscaping for town hall, also has plans for redoing a rundown local playground that is sure to become a hotspot for families in the near future. Next up, the Capital!

Mikasa - She's a natural for photography! She doesn't know exactly what to pick so takes multiple courses like studio lighting and digital photography and even graphic design! Her breakthrough comes from at article of the opening of Jean and Niccolos restaurant on an international food magazine. And she hits it big with a National Geographic cover of a national park and has a whole spread inside dedicated to the wildlife! (And she photographs Sasha and Niccolos wedding!!)

Sasha - This girl here has an encounter with the veteran trio one day and between seeing the kids they help and her own adoptive siblings, becomes a speech-language pathologist! She has many choices but has a passion for helping children improvement of their verbal and non-verbal language skills. She is well known in her field and even works in a pediatricians office now.

Eren drops out to become a model.. NO NO kidding! (is my love/hate relationship with him showing?? - Okay he models on the side and Mikasa is his best photographer, but ANYway, since his dad's a doctor perhaps he is interested in medicine and gets a pharmacology degree.... that doesn't sound right LMAO OKAY! He models and gets Mikasas help with graphic design and they run a website and he becomes the most sought after and most followed male model of the decade! The end!

Reiner - HE'S the pharmacology major and specializes in psychiatry. He's very careful about listening to his patients and preventing substance use disorders by deciding if medicine is really the best route, or doesn't hesitate to help people seek alternative options.

Pieck - That's where Pieck comes in as a naturopath, our natural medicine holistic specialist. She not only runs a massage spa but is a fabulous nutritionist and works with crystals and overall wellbeing. Her goal is to get you feeling good as naturally as possible and suggests different herbs and vitamins if you need an extra push to get you there.

Porco - I can't help it, he's in the automotive industry. He doesn't mind getting his hands dirty and just overall likes to work on cars. He has to take courses in computers, math and language before finally getting his hands on a car. But he does some amazing work and is the main mechanic for the winning car in a prestigious car race 3 years in a row before going international!

I feel like I went a bit off topic sometimes but this was really fun!!

Wow I didn't mean to write this much I'm so hungry now LOL

So, I was quite stupid in high school.

That's not true. A lot of the people I know say I'm really smart. I have certain, specific topics that I am really, really good at. I got like 95%-100%s on every test I *actually* studied for.

But I graduated high school with a 1.7 GPA.

I mean at least I graduated?

I was... going through a lot in high school. (I truly don't think I'll even feel sad whenever my dad does die.) It's not just that I was sad. We were poor, and i wasn't getting enough food. I was also disillusioned because he kept telling me school didn't matter and was fascist or whatever, and scared of the world he was leading me to believe laid beyond childhood, full of satanic cannibals and pedophiles. I also just could not pay attention. I dont know why. It never clicked with me that I should. Not that I was *supposed to*, I understood that, I just never saw a reason *why I should*. It didn't interest me.

I guess when I list shit out like that, it makes me feel better that I am as functioning now as I am.

Anyway. I spent all of my classes sleeping (and spent every night binging TV until 4am), socializing, or making up little stories in my head and doodling. I learned very little.

Now I'm 25, and... I want to see what I missed! In my adulthood (and newfound stability), I want to learn! I don't really have an objective, like, a college or career path, I just Want. To. Know!!! For myself! For fun?

So I am!

I didn't know where to start... probably the 4 core subjects is my best bet? There's nothing I want to specialize in..I. yet! Maybe something will grab my interest!

I've got some textbooks. I've got The Penguin History of The World, Openstax's ap Biology (I probably retained enough to start with ap at 26, haha...), The Art of Problem Solving's Algebra 1, and... no English (I was always pretty good with English)... but I've got some open source Spanish 1 text book, which I've already gotten a decent way through! (¡Puedo comer vidrio, no me hace daño!

Then I'll branch out to more specific parts of history, like certain times or countries, Geometry, Algebra 2, eventually Calculus (which I don't think I ever even took? The state I went to HS in is 49th in Education....), and introductory chemistry and physics.

And then I'll teach myself college level things!

I'll also probably delve into things like psychology, philosophy, sociology... I love, y'know, *people*.

Of course, this is very embarrassing. Two days ago, my boyfriend taught me how to multiply and divide fractions by canceling. I'm 25. That's, like, mortifying to admit.

But at least I'm doin' something about it instead of never admitting it and then continuing to not know forever!

Grifjejf. I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch but. I'm really looking forward to this journey tbh. Learning is fun to me now! I want knowledge. Yay.

January 27, 2023

I am currently a Senior in High School, but come September I will begin my journey of partaking in my College’s “self-design” major.

If all goes according to plan I will not only be studying specific history, psychology, religious studies, sociology, parapsychology and other humanitarian courses to give myself a better understanding of Demonology as a concept and what that means; I’ll also be striving for my PhD in Occultism and Mythology.

I have been fascinated by demons and different cultures, their beliefs and their Mythos for as long as I can remember.

I wish to become the role model people like me needed growing up. Someone that took a minor interest and made something of themselves.

As far as I know Demonology isn’t a genuine Major in any college. It’s often offered as a course, but even Occultism and Mythology is a major. Demonology is extremely prevalent. Not only is it the basis for a multitude of horror movies, novels, tv shows and other pop culture items, it’s also been brought up in real court cases. Demonology is the study of a very real phenomenon in human culture going back centuries.

With over 3,800 different cultures around the globe, all with different concepts of “demons” or malevolent entities that drive humans insane, I will be learning about all of them as well as their cultural significance.

I started this blog as a digital footprint. This is the day I commit to my goal; I will be a scholar of Demonology, and I will make it a real, accessible thing.

I hope people who have this interest or other interests in niche things find this blog and see they aren’t alone, you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to.

I took a few sociology and philosophy courses in college. It's interesting subject matter along with psychology. I also had a really good sociology teacher, can't remember his name but there was a cadence to the delivery of the information that made it resonate. I think it was delivering the information in a way that I was able to see it in real life.

Labeling theory is one of those things to me, if someone is labeled a deviant by society they are more likely to participate in deviant behavior. Which generally is a good reminder that we need to treat people better especially in their formative years. When someone is told that they're useless constantly throughout their life they will have a harder time seeing the value they bring.

That is the meaning behind this current work in progress. Part of my upcoming NFT collection. I am naming Interdimensional. I can elaborate on the meaning behind the title in the future

Congrats on signing up for your first classes! I was a psych major and first year psychology is a super fun course, you learn all the fun/neat highlights of all the different areas of psychology!

Yea! Psych is what I’m looking into majoring in right now (with sociology and wgs as possible minors).

I took Intro to Psychology as a senior elective and enjoyed it decently, I think my only problem with it was a bit slow, but that shouldn’t be as much of a problem since this is a college class, plus it’s a one semester type thing (August to December vs. the high school one’s August to May)

That and I got the teacher who will be new! She’s an alumni of my college and focused on cognitive psychology in animals. She’s even done research at Yale!

so in undergrad did you learn the things that are on the mcat or did you have to self study

i never took anatomy in college because it’s not a required class to apply to medical school but i’d say //most// of what’s on the MCAT is what i learned in college so like chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, biology, biochemistry, psychology, sociology

i will say that they describe the MCAT as a mile long but an inch deep so it covers a ton of topics but you only need to know about an inch of depth. so my chemistry course went WAYYY more in depth than what i will see on the MCAT but it does mean that i have to store lots of other information in my brain

thankfully, i did my undergrad at a school known to be really good at preparing students for medical school applications and medical school in general so honestly the reviewing and remembering information hasn’t been too hard (especially because this is my second time studying for the exam!)

Kill the Silence

I just couldn’t believe that somebody had said it again. And when I responded angrily a hot silence flooded the table and it stayed there, stuck, for over five minutes, with nobody prepared to kill the silence. Until I did. I tried a wee joke. And somebody laughed falsely. I thought he had been my friend … thought that I was doing well in a social environment, for once. And then he just went and said that.

Yes, I thought he was my mate. But when I look back on it now: he could never hear what I was saying. Even though I sat right next to him it was always, from his angle, “What? Huh? Sorry?” He could never ever make out what I was saying even though I spoke the same language. And I was about as shy as possible during that period. I blushed a lot. Didn’t know how to be funny. I was practising, in a social sense. And the environment in the college forever seemed wide; that there was this sense of everybody watching you in the classroom. The way they positioned the tables in a square, with nothing in the middle: so that there was a huge gap in the middle of the room, with you on the perimeter.

And the college tutor was a horrific bully who enjoyed prickling your shyness whenever it took his fancy. But we’ve talked about this rat cunt tutor far too often on this blog to have him be mentioned again. The Hell with him. A mean, arrogant man, who shouldn’t be talked about more than he deserves.

So everybody was still silent after fifteen minutes, twenty. And I felt like my face was on the floor; stuck on a grey floor without any hope of getting up. I was still stunned from the insult.

The lesson ended and I got on the bus back home. And the college was an hour long bus ride from where I stayed, and throughout that ride homeward I was as blue and dejected as I can ever remember. Just felt awful. I got back to the house and went into the kitchen and put some baked beans on the hob … and shortly after this, my mother came home with her partner. They both came into the kitchen. And my mother, without any greeting, started yelling at me about my bicycle lights.

“Have your lights been stolen?”

No. I said. They hadn’t been stolen.

She didn’t believe me even though I said no twice after this. And then I snapped and yelled back at her. She got offended. I stormed upstairs. She came and asked me what was wrong but I did not want to speak to her of all people. She’d already been at my throat for months and I was thoroughly spent with her.

And it lasted in a similar way for the remainder of that semester and the following one. The boy who I’d thought was a friend stopped sitting next to me in class. I grew totally disinterested in going to classes physically. And studied at home instead. My mother had zilch faith in my academic output. And she was constantly suspicious that I wasn’t putting the work into the course. So I had to motivate myself. And I put belief in rote learning the material, in my bedroom, with my notes and pencils.

In February 2012 I got a conditional offer from University of Aberdeen. And I kinda knew as soon as I got this offer that I would be going to this university.

On the same night, mother attacked me for supposedly stealing one of her bottles of wine. I hadn’t; stolen it: I just didn’t. So I said to her, “No, I didn’t take it.” And then I told her about the university offer and it fairly shut her up.

Despite the offer, I still had my doubts. That I wasn’t able to go to university, that I didn’t belong there. The aftermath of school and all of the self doubt that those teachers had pedalled in me had orchestrated this inner unease, and I was not sure whether I had the skills to head to a top college.

But I kept revising the course material. Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy and advanced higher English. I had to do the English course through another institution and make this portfolio of work that would be sent off for markers somewhere in England. Luckily, the book that they assigned me was Great Expectations. I kept studying. Simple as that. Just as I try to write stories: I’m often not sure whether I’m any good at it or not – but I try anyway. It was like that with academia. I had no clue if I was smart enough. But there was a sense of magic about that offer from Aberdeen: and if I could just get there then it would be a way to enhance my mind, to adventure out into the world.

The four exams came up.

I’d made no friends at all throughout my college course; hadn’t made any mates on campus. It was me as well. It was mostly me. I was just way too shy; way too undeveloped; too unforgiving; sensitive. I thought that I was caustic and repellent towards other people; that they didn’t like me for reasons I didn’t understand. I had a prominent stutter. And the facial tics were visible and violent. And I found it impossible to speak up, volume wise. And I found being around the pretty girls in the classroom excruciating, because I wanted to talk to them, but didn’t know how.

The whole ordeal was a masochist journey up into light.

And I got there, because I passed the exams and then Aberdeen told me to come up and study with them. And University of Aberdeen gave me four heavy years of intellectual bombardment. The library, and the old fashioned campus, with the cobblestones. And all of those glorious books I read.

I was still a fuck up socially. But I’d ‘become an academic’, and had gotten there single handedly. Nobody had helped me out. Or encouraged me along the way. Then I was at this five hundred year old university. Where I was supposed to be. I had problems, for sure. But they hadn’t beaten me.

omg i’m in my first year at community college and i’m also a psychology major 🙈 i’m also taking sociology ITS SUCH A FUN CLASS i feel so enlightened after every class LMAO but i wanted to ask about your later psych classes, what’s the main thing you focus on? cause rn my intro to psych class is very anatomy focused right now and i’m not very good at that aspect of it 😟 i’ve been understanding everything else though so i just would maybe like some insight? on your experience as someone who’s actually committed to the major? if you don’t mind of course 😊

omg!!! fellow psych major 🤝🤝🤝 and also YES that’s exactly how i felt with my sociology classes they are just so fun and insightful!!! really makes you Think!!

and i don’t mind at all!! i am very much the same way, the brain scares me LMAO. that’s really interesting too, i took my intro class Several years ago but intro classes should really just be covering the history, the fields and notable figures… although there is a biology aspect in cognitive psych, which is an area that is Very Very biology/brain heavy, but unless that is a class you’re taking, it shouldn’t be too biology/anatomy heavy? very odd…

i can say, at least for me, as i got further in, it should really open up! there is a tiny bit of an inherent aspect of biology but it shouldn’t be anything super crazy and shouldn’t be, like, professors demanding you already know what regions of the brain do in your classes? like all the psych classes i had up until i graduated and even now, if biology is being brought in, they explain it again and unless it’s a cognitive/neuroscience/perception/motivation, it shouldn’t be dominated by biology.

even for like, a health psych class, it wasn’t so much about just biology as it was about the psychology of it and the motivations and thought processes and influences. that was actually one of my favorite classes i ever took! and there was some reviewing of biology but not a crazy amount. same with another class i took on stress and coping which was also super interesting and informative. incorporating psych helps a lot i think because that’s what you’re there for! and the professor is important too so ratemyprofessor is highly recommended i can’t lie HAHA

but yeah, it’s not something i constantly encounter unless by choice of class, because that stuff can be super tough. that’s how it was for me tho it might be different for you! and this is still your first year so you (hopefully!) have time to figure it out! maybe sociology will end up being more up your alley ^_^ either way, don’t feel pressured to settle immediately and if you can, explore a bit! i hope this was at least a little bit helpful and if you need any more help, i’d be happy to give it!! good luck with everything and hopefully your intro class eases into something a little easier/familiar!

What's the difference between pre-nursing and nursing college courses?

Pre nursing classes are the classes you need to take in order to get into the nursing program. You will also need to take placement tests when you first apply to a college so that they know where to place you in subjects such as English and math. You have to pass English and math at a certain level in order to get your degree. But some people need to take classes to advance to the level of skills needed in order to be better prepared to pass the course required for the degree they need. After you get these courses passed, you can start taking courses that you need to take and pass, in order to apply to enter the nursing program offered by that college. These are pre-nursing courses and they usually include subjects such as chemistry, biology, anatomy & physiology, psychology, and sociology. Your pre-nursing and your other courses like your English and math can be taken at same time. But generally all your pre-nursing courses have to be completed and an application to apply for the nursing program has to be completed and accepted and not every application is accepted and some have waiting lists. The better you do in your pre-nursing courses, the better chance you have to be accepted and to be higher up on any waiting list. It’s often the case you must pass your courses with a B grade, while most other degree programs can pass with a C grade.

Also, pre-nursing courses can generally be taken in any order and you can take as many courses at a time that is allowed or one at a time. Most can complete these in two years going full-time. However, you can’t take too long. Once you start in the nursing program, the college I went to everyone accepted into the program took the same classes at same times. No night courses offered. We all were together all day, every school day and clinical days; you rearrange your life to suit them. Not the other way around. This was for an additional 2 years of school. I ended up taking 4 years to complete a two-year degree, which is more than adequate to get you started in nursing and you generally get the same opportunities and pay differences if any was minimal whether you had a Bachelors or Associate degree, though there are a few minor differences. The Associate degree was hard enough to get but I wish I had gone for my Bachelors just so that I possibly may have been a little better prepared for the job ahead of me. But not everyone would need to and do just fine.

Overall, it is so worth everything you had to go through. What got me through was my philosophy on the whole nursing education experience. You lose so many people as you get further along, it can be intimidating. My philosophy was that I was not going to quit. So the only way out was that they would have to kick me out of the program or I’d have to be dead because quitting, was not an option. Well they didn’t kick me out and I’m still alive. I hope maybe that helps somebody else to get through.

One last note to keep in mind, the whole purpose of all that education, classes, clinicals, the main purpose for everything they teach and the way they teach, it’s to prepare you to pass that NCLEX exam to get your license. They need you to pass that to help that schools nursing program to stay in business and move up in ranks of best schools for nursing.

Good luck. Don’t give up. It can totally change your life in ways you can’t begin to imagine. It’s opportunity after opportunity. Don’t let anyone or anything ever take it away from you. It’s the hardest but most rewarding career. It might sound difficult. It is difficult. But worth every bit of blood sweat and tears it took to get you through.

Madhya Pradesh is a state in central India. It is home to a number of excellent nursing colleges, both government and private. The following are some of the best nursing colleges in Madhya Pradesh, based on factors such as their academic reputation, infrastructure, faculty, and placement record. The career prospects for nurses are good in Madhya Pradesh. There is a high demand for nurses in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare organizations. Nurses can also work in the armed forces, the railways, and the government sector.

all this talk abt psych makes me rmr how I wanted to study psych but not completely?

hii,, we've never interacted but I love ur blog and I can't believe my first ask is bcs of academics :")

anyway,, I studied psych in my last two years of highschool (it was actually college but education system in my country is quite different and broad) and I as minors in uni. in 3rd year of uni, I studied social psychology (and yes I crushed it in a good way, my prof would always praise me and everything) and I wanted to pursue it as an optional for my 4th year (I majored in sociology) but the year I started my final year, they took it out of the curriculum and it pissed me so much and replaced it with economics (by the same prof but this time the course crushed me and my gpa got ruined bcs of that stupid course)

I know itt doesn't exactly relate to what the topic is about but I just wanted to share my unfortunate story :")

nooo i would’ve been so pissed 😭 i’m so sorry that happens to you

your better than me because i probably would’ve started fighting everybody

and i’m glad you’re liking my blog so far, and i’m glad you’ve interacted even if it is about academics🫶🏼

Reflective Blog Post

As a computer science major at Dickinson College, I have had the opportunity to experience firsthand the unique learning environment and values of a liberal arts education. Coming in as a freshman almost four years ago, I was uncertain of which academic subject I would want to pursue as a major. As a result, I chose a range of classes varying from computer science and math to psychology and economics. Enrolled in the Introduction to Computer Science course, my journey in computer science was difficult at first, considering the steep learning curve that I had to overcome, having never coded before. However, over the duration of the course, I would come to discover that for me, computer science was enjoyable and stimulating, being a constant learning experience. This was a key factor that influenced me to choose it as my major later on. Ever since, my journey in computer science at Dickinson has been one that has allowed me to grow as a programmer and pick up a variety of skills that will be useful for the future.

My initial idea of computer courses was one where I believed I would only be exposed to technical knowledge, with little collaboration or participation. However, that was far from the case. In all the courses I took, teamwork and group discussions were crucial in order to succeed. While initially intimidating and overwhelming being of an introverted nature, being able to take more computer courses not only improved my critical thinking and analytical skills but also proved beneficial to my oral and written communication and participation abilities. I believe that this experience ties into the wider mission of a Dickinson education developing skills that go beyond the technical aspects of computer science, such as critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. In addition, these skills will be invaluable in my future career as a computer scientist, where I will need to be able to work effectively with others and to communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences.

Being a student at Dickinson College, I have had the opportunity to immerse myself in an innovative and interdisciplinary education in the liberal arts and sciences, preparing me to lead a rich and fulfilling life of engaged global citizenship. This mission statement of the college has guided my education and has helped me to develop into a critical thinker. Through courses in a variety of disciplines, including sociology, music and anthropology, I have developed a deep appreciation for the arts and humanities, and have learned to think about complex issues from multiple perspectives, making me more adaptable to the constantly evolving workforce.

Before attending college, I was solely focused on the subjects I was studying, and I did not see the importance of having knowledge beyond that. I thought that once I finished my studies, I would simply start my career and that would be the end of my learning journey. However, after attending Dickinson College, I realized the importance of having knowledge about other subjects to become a well-rounded individual. The liberal arts education provided me with the opportunity to take courses in subjects outside of my major, broadening my horizon and gaining a better understanding of the world around me. This approach to education provided me with the flexibility to explore diverse topics and develop new interests.

One of the courses I took at Dickinson that exemplifies this approach was Sociology. Initially, I was hesitant to take the course because I did not think it would be applicable to my major, computer science. However, as the course progressed, I learned about human behavior and gained a deeper understanding of why people behave the way they do. The class introduced me to various social theories, concepts, and methodologies used to explain the social world. I also learned how social structures, such as race, class, gender, and institutions, affect human behavior. The knowledge I gained from this class will be valuable in my career as a computer scientist. As a developer, it is essential to consider how people interact with technology and how technology can affect people's lives. This is where my knowledge of sociology comes in handy, as I am better equipped to understand the social implications of the technology I develop.

Another course that demonstrated the value of a liberal arts education was my introductory anthropology course. In this course, I learned about various societies and how they function. We explored the different ways in which people adapt to their environment, develop social norms and customs, and how they communicate. This course gave me an appreciation of cultural diversity and helped me understand that there are many ways to live and interact with the world. Additionally, I learned about the importance of empathy, which is a critical skill in today's globalized world.

The anthropological concepts that I learned in the course have also been useful in my major. As a computer science major, I had to participate in discussions that required me to understand the needs of different user groups. My knowledge of different cultural practices and norms that I gained from the anthropology course has been valuable in thinking about technology that is inclusive and accessible to everyone. Moreover, I have been able to apply the principles of anthropology to understand the social dynamics of people from different backgrounds and how to navigate cultural differences effectively.

In addition to my sociology and anthropology courses, another course that I enjoyed and played a significant role in bolstering my knowledge was my social psychology course. Social psychology is the study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the presence of others. Through this course, I gained a deeper understanding of the various factors that influence human behavior, such as social norms, social influence, attitudes, and stereotypes.

One of the most valuable things I learned in my social psychology course was the importance of empathy in understanding and interacting with others. Empathy is the ability to put oneself in another person's shoes and understand their perspective. To be a computer scientist, it is essential to understand the needs and perspectives of users to design effective and user-friendly systems. My knowledge of social psychology has helped me to develop empathy and to consider how different users may interact with technology.

Furthermore, my social psychology course taught me about the power of social influence and the role it plays in decision-making. Understanding how social influence operates will help me to design systems that are more persuasive and effective in encouraging behavior change. A current example of such an influencing software product could be TikTok. TikTok has provided people with a platform to influence or be influenced by various social phenomena, inherently changing the way they react to different scenarios. Similarly, applying the principles I learnt from social psychology, I  could be involved in designing health apps that encourage users to exercise regularly, eat healthier, and quit smoking, all of which would bring positive change in people’s lives.

To summarize, a liberal arts education is crucial in developing a well-rounded individual. The exposure to different subjects allows students to develop critical thinking skills, empathy, and a broader understanding of the world around them. The courses I took in sociology and anthropology provided me with valuable insights into human behavior and social structures. While these courses may not be directly related to computer science, they have helped me develop skills that will be essential in my career. I believe that having knowledge in a variety of subjects is an asset in any career field and a liberal arts education provides students with the opportunity to gain this knowledge.

The goal of the computer science program at Dickinson College is to prepare students for graduate study or a professional career in computing. This is achieved by enabling students to develop a skill set that is applicable and adaptable to the current climate of technology. The program is focused on problem-solving, understanding core concepts, awareness of social, legal, and ethical issues, as well as recognizing the impact of computing in today’s world.

The courses that I have taken have provided me with a strong foundation in problem-solving, which is a crucial skill in the field of computing. I have been able to understand and learn the core concepts of computer science such as data structures, algorithms, computational complexity, and computability. These concepts are fundamental to understanding how computers work and how they can be used to solve complex problems.

In addition to technical skills, as a computer science major at Dickinson, I have developed the ability to work and collaborate in teams, and the ability to present technical and non-technical information to a variety of audiences. Through group projects such as FarmData, I learnt to work effectively with others, communicate complex technical information, and present ideas effectively. Teamwork is crucial in the field of computing, as most projects are too complex for an individual to complete alone and it is through the experiences I had at Dickinson that I feel confident to be a valuable addition to any team that I am assigned to in the future.

As a part of my experience as a computer science major, I have become aware of the social, legal, and ethical issues raised by computing. Through courses in my latter years as a student, namely Senior Seminar and Large-scale and Open Source Software Development, I have been involved in discussing the ethical implications of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and debated the role of computing in society. These discussions have helped me to develop a more nuanced understanding of the impact of computing and has encouraged me to think critically about the role it can play in shaping the future of technology.

Out of all the courses I took during my time at Dickinson College, the senior seminar course stood out as both the most important and enjoyable one. This course offers students the opportunity to apply both their technical and soft skills into practice by working on a real-world project. Additionally, the seminar covered vital topics like Ethics in Tech, Social Media Algorithms and the Digital Divide, which encouraged critical thinking, improved communication skills, and fostered a deeper understanding of complex issues.

One of the most valuable aspects of the senior seminar is the group work involved in developing Free and Open-Source Software projects. Being involved with Wagtail and its development, I was able to contribute to solving issues that existed in the software. Though I faced challenges throughout this experience, I was always left with a sense of accomplishment when I achieved a particular goal, that in turn motivated me to keep contributing. I was also successful in developing essential collaboration and cooperation skills, learning new programming languages, and applying all that I had learnt to the project.

Overall, I believe that the Computer Science major at Dickinson has effectively prepared me for life after college. I was able to develop core programming skills whilst becoming a well-rounded individual at the same time, something I would not have been able to achieve at a technical institution. I gained a strong foundation in problem-solving and technical skills, as well as an understanding of the broader impact of computing, positioning me to make use of my education to make a positive impact in the world.

Reflective Blog Post: Dickinson’s Computer Science Curriculum

College is a way for people to learn about topics that they are interested in and grow immensely through a variety of academic and personal experiences. Thus, it makes sense that students take the time to research colleges and carefully decide where to apply to, and which one to go to. Two of the main reasons that I decided to attend Dickinson College is because of its liberal arts education and the small class sizes that make it easier to build relationships with my professors and peers. Through the variety of classes that I took, especially during my first and second year, I feel that Dickinson has achieved its mission of providing me with a useful, innovative, and interdisciplinary education and has consequently helped me reach my personal goals.

I am currently a Japanese and computer science double major, however it was not always my intention to study computer science. I entered college with the desire to major in Japanese and biology, with the hopes of pursuing my interest in marine biology. However, after reflecting on my interests during the winter break of my first year, I decided that I wanted to find something else that excited me. To figure this out, I took classes covering a variety of subjects including philosophy, psychology, sociology, and computer science. My introduction to computer science was COMP 130, taken remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I had never taken a computer science course before and had very little knowledge on the subject in general. Despite the difficulties of taking COMP 130 during the pandemic, I found out that I really enjoyed the logical and creative aspects of programming. From that point forward, I have continued taking computer science classes, and now here I am today, just months away from graduating with a degree in computer science. Reflecting back on my time as a Dickinson student studying computer science, I believe that the classes I took managed to fulfill most of the goals set by the curriculum.

Through the core classes of the major, I have reached the technical goals of the curriculum that include understanding concepts such as data structures, algorithms, computational complexity, computability, and abstractions. From the very start with COMP 130 and COMP 132, I learned the fundamentals of programming which included the syntax of Python and Java, how to write functions and organize code, and about the benefits of well commented code. I remember in the very beginning of COMP 130, I didn't even know what a “comment” was in coding, or how to write them. Looking back, commenting code was a very basic concept and I remember feeling a bit embarrassed about asking the question in the first place. However, as this was an introduction to computer science, my professor warmly and enthusiastically answered my question, which created an atmosphere where I felt comfortable asking questions.

In COMP 132, another introductory class taught with Java, I recall being introduced to the ideas of polymorphism and data structures such as linked lists. The labs and homeworks for that class were engaging and did a good job at reinforcing the material that we learned. I especially remember our final lab, which gave us the opportunity to create our own Java class hierarchy concerning an appointment making system. This was the first time that we were not given any starter code, and the assignment was set up in a way where we implemented our initial idea the first week and then revised it based on feedback for the second week. Even though it was a small project, I felt proud to be able to create something completely from scratch, which boosted the confidence I had in my programming skills.

In the higher level classes, specifically COMP 256 computing abstractions, COMP 314 computability and complexity, and COMP 332 data structures and algorithms, I was able to further my knowledge of the fundamentals of programming and learn about how computers operated in a more general sense. I personally found computing abstractions to be a very interesting and engaging class, as it gave an overview of how computers were built from 0s and 1s that represent an abstraction of electrical signals. In that class, I particularly remember that learning about and working with lower level languages, such as assembly, helped solidify my understanding in how computer programs worked. In both the computability and complexity class, and the data structures and algorithms class, my knowledge on Big-Oh notation, well known computer algorithms, and types of computable programs was furthered. These two classes were two of the most difficult classes for me, particularly COMP 314. Despite this, I remember COMP 314 in particular sparking my interest in the P vs. NP problem. This inspired me to read parts of a book mentioned in my COMP 314 textbook titled The Golden Ticket: P, NP, and the Search for the Impossible by Lance Fortnow.

In addition to the technical goals of the computer science curriculum, I have felt that the courses I took met some of the goals concerning softer skills such as problem solving and working in teams. The computer science classes at Dickinson heavily emphasized groupworks to encourage strengthening our communication and cooperative problem solving skills. In the introductory level classes, we had weekly labs. Although group work was difficult sometimes, mainly due to communication issues, I believe that the heavy emphasis of group work early on helped us foster our abilities to work with people in a technical setting that may be helpful in pursuing a professional career in computing, and more generally, any career. 

In the upper level classes, group work was easier to do since most people had the experience from the lower level classes. I remember two particular instances where I felt my partner and I pushed each other to grow by helping each other understand different computing concepts. One was in a lab in computing abstractions about writing our own interpreter for a made up programming language. I remember my partner being patient with my initial frustration of the lab, and helping me debug our code so that it worked. That experience helped me appreciate what a second pair of eyes can do in terms of reviewing code. And the other extraordinary group work experience was working with a partner for a database class to read and present a research paper about database systems. That was the first time that I had read such a technical research paper, and both the instructor and my partner were able to support me in understanding such a technical paper. 

Aside from learning through group work experiences, Dickinson’s computer science curriculum has helped me develop my technical communication through various writing assignments. Two that stand out to me are creating a metaphor for the concept of web caching in my computer abstractions class, and creating and writing documentation on a merge sort algorithm in my data structures and algorithms class. The former allowed me to develop abilities to explain technical concepts in a non technical way, and the latter made sure I could write about a technical topic clearly and concisely. Furthermore, engaging with open source projects has also furthered my networking and communication skills, by giving me a sort of “simulated work environment” without the pressure of achievement, as long as I showed I was learning and making my own progress.

Generally speaking, I believe that achieving the goals of the computer science curriculum is consistent with the college’s mission of providing a useful, innovative, and interdisciplinary education. This is specifically emphasized in goals set by the computer science senior seminar of gaining an understanding of the impact of computing, and the social, legal, and ethical issues raised by computing. For me, the senior seminar discussion sessions have provided a safe space for students to talk and respectfully debate about a variety of computing topics. These discussions are not only informed by assigned readings, but by the personal experiences of my peers which opened my eyes to several new perspectives. Additionally, these discussions remind me that the field of computer science is not purely technical, and that there are many social, legal, and ethical impacts of computers as well. This multifaceted way of looking at computer science certainly achieves the college’s goal of providing an interdisciplinary education.

Last of all, both Dickinson’s goals and the goals of its computer science department has helped me towards achieving my own personal goals for college. My goals for myself in college were to make connections with several types of people, take advantage of the opportunities presented to me, find out what interests me, and grow into a more well-rounded, confident, and thoughtful person. Through just being in my classes and all of the group work, I have met people from a variety of different backgrounds. I was encouraged and inspired by the amazing computer science professors to pursue my newfound interest in computer science, which has presented me with memorable opportunities that allowed me to grow into a more well-rounded person. These opportunities include being an undergraduate researcher as part of an REU program over the summer and working with Dickinson’s academic technology specialist to develop chatbots to help Japanese language learners practice basic conversation skills. In all, I am very thankful to both my professors and peers who have contributed to my computer science education at Dickinson by encouraging and supporting me through my journey.

FEELING INDECISIVE ABOUT YOUR CAREER?

Years ago, in my high school career class I shared that I cannot see myself having just one career, rather, I see myself having many careers throughout my life. At the time I wanted to be a teacher, a philanthropist, own a bookstore, be writer, and a volunteer for Peace corps, a traveler, and then a psychologist. I imagined I would do each for a few years and then move on. All the possibilities were so exciting in career class. I remember I was shut down immediately. I was told, “you have to pick something”, “what will you study in college?”. Then I heard other students confidently say, “I want to be a doctor”, or “I want to be a lawyer”. I felt wrong for wanting many careers. I started to associate myself with being indecisive, flighty, and unable to commit. These labels stuck with me.

When I started college, I explored many majors. In my first year alone I took psychology, anthropology, art history, biology, algebra, sociology, communications, and education courses. Not at all the curriculum of someone who knows what she wants in life (or so I was conditioned to believe). When I was in high school, I thought I knew what I wanted, but then I started to doubt the possibility of having many careers. I also didn’t have anyone to model what that could look like for me, so I rushed to choose SOMETHING. Finally, I graduated with two majors (I couldn’t decide on just one).

Since then, I have learned I can create my reality, meaning I can create any career trajectory I want for myself.

If you feel lost, aimless, like you can’t commit, or are indecisive, I am here to tell you that there is nothing wrong with you. You have been taught these stories by people who didn’t know it was possible to create the career of your dreams.

If you feel stuck, don’t know what you are passionate about, or are having trouble stepping out of the box of limited career possibilities, here is one thing you can do right now: Connect with your heart.

Take a moment to sit quietly, take a few deep breaths, place your hands on your heart and listen within. Ask your heart what it wants. When we take a moment to separate from the mind, which is filled with constructs we learn from society, we can hear the heart to connect deeply with our truth.

Ask yourself: What does your heart say?

@thespiritoffreedom