Learning Challenge: Sleep More Important than Studying?!

Like most college students, sleep is not the first thing on my mind when I'm cramming for a test. I'm always wishing I could sleep more, but it always seems impossible to get enough. I've heard some of the things in this article before, like less sleep can man lower grades, but I didn't really understand the biological effects sleep had. For instance, the brain resets itself during sleep. It clears synaptic connections, allowing for more to be learned the next day. I'll try to get more sleep this week. Let's hope it works!

Literally me almost every day. Image: Flickr

Week 8 Progress

Initially, I think I was just waiting until the last minute on everything. I also didn't realize how much the extra credit could help me, so I wish I could go back and do more, but I think I'm on a good track to get an A right now. As long as I do everything on time, I believe I'll be okay. Plus, this is one of the only classes that I somewhat enjoy, to be honest. I like reading stories so that's a major pro. 

Hoping to change this today! Image: Flickr

Week 8 Reading and Writing

I've mentioned how much I miss reading for pleasure, so I've liked the reading assignments. It's nice to read about things not pertaining to chemistry and biology. Plus, the stories are actually interesting! My favorite story has probably been about Sindbad. He frustrated me, for sure, but the stories were so creative. You never knew what Sindbad was going to face, only that he will never reach home without a detour. The best moment was definitely Sindbad deciding to settle down and not travel anymore. I also really like my class project. I didn't know which direction I was headed at first, but I'm glad I figured it out. I'm a little worried about the storytelling part still. I like writing essays and papers, but narrative writings are so different. Hopefully, I get the hang of it!

My favorite sailor. Frustrating but a lucky guy. Image: Wikimedia Commons

Growth Mindset: Read an Article

For this challenge, I watched a TED talk titled "How to get better at the thigns you care about". I liked that learning zone and performance zone are two separate zones. There is definitely a difference between learning about something new and then working on being the best you can be at that one thing. The story about Demonsthenes and the sword was hilarious. It makes me want to come up with a way not to fall asleep while I'm trying to study! I also like the idea about learning first in a low-stakes area and gradually upping the stakes as you become better.

The man behind the sword. Image: WIkimedia Commons

Tech Tip: Browser Bookmarks

Bookmarks definitely make my life easier. There are so many websites I use on a daily basis, so it's nice to get there with just one button. Also, some websites can be hard to find multiple times if they have a long URL or hard-to-spell title, so one click is way more effective. I also like that I can name it anything, so it's more easy to understand.