Who Needs Cancun? It’s 80 Degrees in Wisconsin!

Week in Review: A Reflection of March 19 – 25

One good thing about staying in Wisconsin for spring break this year was the warm weather. We had temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s. I wish I could have gone to London with the other MPTC students, but I wasn’t able to do it this year. However, I can live vicariously through Sara, one of Moraine Park’s international bloggers. She went on the trip, took tons of great photos, and has shared her experiences on the International Education Travel blog.

The best news from spring break came in the form of a letter in my mailbox. I’m honored to be one of the recipients of the MPACTE scholarships. In May, the Moraine Park Association for Career and Technical Education will be presenting the awards at the MPTC Student Awards’ Banquet.

Another good thing about this past week is that I got to spend less time on homework and more time with my friends. We saw the highly anticipated Hunger Games movie. I read the book beforehand and just finished it recently. It took longer than it should for me to read, because I only had time to read 10 pages at a time most days.

What did you do during spring break? If you could’ve gone anywhere, where would you have gone?

The Web Developer Club Goes on a Trip

Before spring break, the Web Developer Club took a trip to SparkNET, an Internet firm located in the Green Bay area. The CEO of SparkNET, Chris Knight, led us on a tour of the facilities.

We were able to speak with a few of the employees along the tour, but we didn’t want to take up too much of their time, because they were really focused on their work. Some of them were using four computer monitors at once!

This company’s facilities were not what I considered typical. They have an exercise room, sauna, and a hot tub. The “behind the scenes” rooms hold some interesting equipment, much of which I have never seen before.

The technology, creativity, and innovation that fuel this place are amazing. It’s truly inspiring.

Whoa, Double BINGO, All the Way!

What does it mean? Double BINGO means you have two traditional BINGOs on one card, and it’s one of the many BINGO patterns we play when West Bend Student Senate hosts BINGO events.

This time around, I helped with the event by checking the numbers on the cards of the winners. Bonnie and Sue took turns drawing the numbers at the podium. It’s always fun, even if you don’t win. It only costs five dollars to play two cards and you get a free lunch voucher for the cafeteria.

If you missed out, join us next time at Moraine Park’s West Bend campus. You can find out when the next BINGO or other campus events are by click on the “Events” page of my blog. It’s so intense!

My 100th Blog and My One Year Bloggerversary

Today marks my 100th blog and it nearly coincides with my one year Bloggerversary. In March of 2011, I began writing about my experiences as a Moraine Park Technical College student. It’s amazing to think that much of my life as a college student at MPTC has been recorded in these 100 blogs.

When I first started using the Internet, the term “blogging” was just about being coined, and blogs were nowhere near as popular and mainstream as they are now. Embarrassingly, I remember when I wasn’t so tech-savvy. In middle school, my friend gave me her e-mail address so I could send her an e-mail. I turned on my older brother’s computer, logged in to the Internet, and sat there for a minute. “Where do I type in her e-mail address?” I thought. Without any guidance, I typed it into the address bar. Needless to say, it didn’t work so I gave up (not forever, obviously). I didn’t understand that you needed your own e-mail account to send e-mail to someone.

Nearly a decade and half later, I can build my own websites. Using e-mail is as easy as using a telephone. I use the Internet every day, and I don’t even have to use an older sibling’s computer to check e-mail or view websites. I don’t even have to use a computer. I can use a mobile device such as an iPod.

What will I be able to do 20 years from now? I think that depends on the development of new and existing technology. That’s why it’s so important to build a solid foundation of technical knowledge and to keep learning.

Could anybody have known 20 years ago that social media marketing would be so important? Would anyone guess a job title such as Social Media Manager would exist? Probably not. But the ones who paid attention to technology, who took the time to learn the basics, and kept on learning are probably the people who are thriving in their field today.

How has the Internet changed your personal and professional life in the past 15 years? Put your response in the comments below.

Are You Optimistic or Pessimistic?

I’ve always been under the impression that being optimistic all the time was a desirable thing. I admit that I’m not always optimistic, but I wouldn’t consider myself a pessimist.

Since March is Optimism Month, last week’s Lunch ‘n Learn at Moraine Park’s West Bend campus was about optimism. We had a pretty deep discussion, and I’ve come to think that being optimistic about everything may not always be in someone’s best interest.

Say you’re in a job you really don’t like. Would it be good to think that it’ll get better even though your plight hasn’t changed for years? Probably not. But somebody who is realistic may decide their job isn’t working for them, and it’s time to try something different. Realizing what the negative things in your life are can motivate you to change. Doesn’t that sound like a good thing coming from negative thinking?

I would say a balance between optimism and realism is a good approach to life. In most cases, I think we could all stand to be more optimistic. I’m glad that my realistic thoughts about the economy and my career have led me here to MPTC, and now I can focus on being optimistic about my future.

Blogging About a Blog

Week in Review: A Reflection of February 27– March 4

I spent this past week cheating on my blog with another blog. One of our assignments for my Communication Technologies class is to set up a blog and create a blog post once a week. We were given the choice between two different blogging platforms. Since I’ve already been using Blogger for almost a year now, I decided to try a different blogging tool.

We were given the freedom to write about any topic we chose, but we had to pick a narrowed topic that would give our blog posts direction and purpose. Some of my classmates are blogging about the latest technological gadgets, baking, and animals, just to name a few.

I chose to create a blog called “How to Organize Your Life.” I write about ways to organize your things to make them more convenient or creative ways to decrease your clutter. I just posted a blog a few days ago about utilizing vertical space for storage.

Through reading the textbook and the discussions we’ve had in class, we’ve learned about the importance of pictures and legal issues using others’ images. Tags are very important and can be categorized. We learned how to write blog titles that stand out and encourage viewers to read blog posts.

All this information has been interesting and very useful. The best part is, I get to use what I learn right away. Matter of fact, I’m doing it now!

Free for Students in March

Posters can be seen all around the West Bend campus for free root beer floats on March 13. This is one of many events I helped planned as a member of the Student Activities Committee.

We have a lot of free events for students planned this month. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we’re having doughnuts in the morning and a special lunch in the afternoon on March 15. St. Patrick’s Day lands on a weekend, so we’re celebrating it early. Don’t forget to bring your student ID so you can partake in these events for free!

As for the end of the semester event planning, there is a good chance we will be having a beach party at the West Bend campus. At our last committee meeting we talked about all the decorations and activities we could have for this event. We came up with a list of potential prizes to give away including things like a gaming system or a bicycle. What kind of prizes would you like to see for our Last Blast of the spring 2012 semester? Put your suggestion in the comment area below, and I will bring it up in our next Student Activities Committee meeting.

7 Places to Go for Help at MPTC

“No man is an island” nor are we marooned on an island. So, why then do we act like we should do everything by ourselves without any help? Why do we act like we are all alone when, in fact, we are not? We are not stranded here in college as individuals with just a volleyball named Wilson to keep us company while we drown under the pressures of college life.

Moraine Park is filled with people and resources to help you get through your academic challenges, career needs, and life as a student. Think of them as your little Arm Floaties that will keep you from sinking. Here’s a list of places I, or my MPTC friends, have gone to when we’ve needed help:

7. Go to the discussion boards

Many of my courses use an online class portal on eCollege to house information about the class. Some instructors set up a specific discussion board where students can post questions. Other students or the instructor can answer your questions by responding to your post.

6. Email the instructor

If you don’t understand the assignment, you can email the instructor for clarification. However, make sure you’re starting the assignment well before it is due. You can’t expect an instructor to email you back at 11:30 at night the day before it’s due.

5. Meet with a counselor

No matter our situations, we’re all juggling things. Students have families, jobs, extracurricular activities, and class work. The counselors at MPTC are here to listen. They will let you vent out your feelings, and you won’t have to worry about unloading all your stress on your friends or family.

4. Get a tutor

Moraine Park offers free student tutors if you need a little extra help with your classes. If you don’t need help and you are, in fact, doing exceptionally well in a class, become a tutor. You can help out your classmates and earn a little extra cash.

3. Visit the career center

If you’re getting ready to look for a job, stop in the career center first. They can look over your resume and cover letter and give you constructive feedback. They can also provide you with job search resources. If you’re nowhere near graduating yet and need some direction, they have information about potential careers. You can even take an aptitude or interest test to find the right career fit.

2. Use additional resources

My instructors have provided links to helpful web pages, recommended books, or suggested video tutorials about topics we’ve discussed in class. On eCollege, links to additional resources can usually be found in the Webliography section.

1. Go to bed

Your brain can only handle so much. Take breaks. Take naps. If you’re stuck on an assignment and it’s 12 a.m., just go to bed. I’ve always been better off going to bed at a decent time and waking up early to work on something difficult. Start your assignments early so you never have to pull an all-nighter.