Blog #10: Research Paper Ready?

READY OR NOT, HERE IT COMES. This past weekend was great. I went to Cal State Fullerton and participated in Friendship Games. It's an event where all Filipino organizations from California meet to play games and cheer with each other for some friendly competition. It was fun but oh so tiring. Now here I am on Sunday night trying to get my life together after my lovely weekend. I can't believe we're past the half way point in the semester. Week 9 is here baby. Time to buckle down. I always feel like this is the point in the semester when my whole world is on fire and I just bask in the flames. College in a nutshell am I right? 

So we have a research paper. Fun. I honestly love writing papers and essays, but the hardest part is always starting it. It's hard for me to gather my thoughts to write it down in a logical way. Sifting through papers and information to get evidence to support my argument is tedious. It takes so much time to read through things to get the perfect little nugget of information. Part of me is really excited to do this paper and the other part of me just can't wait to get it with. I think I love it because finishing anything you put so much time and effort in feels so rewarding. It's something you created yourself. 

I don't really know what discourse community I want to focus on. I wrote down a couple of ideas I have, but I wanted to be more creative. I feel like me doing my paper on my fraternity or physical therapy clinic would be boring to write about. I'm not sure what else I would do though. For my fraternity, it would be interesting for me to do some research on how we handle communicating with each other through so many different genres. I have been in my chapter for over a year, and I love it. I truly believe that I am a better student and person overall. It would be interesting for me to study it more in depth. I know a lot about this community. I live in the house, which gives me an even better view of my chapter as a whole. I have completely immersed myself into it and I couldn't be happier. I already know what my organization stands for and what our goal is. I know how we communicate and what types of media we communicate through. As for my physical therapy clinic, I only volunteer a few hours a week. I have been interning there for over a semester so I know that community fairly well. I don't, however, know or really think about all the different ways we communicate with each other. It would be interesting to do it on the clinic because that's eventually where I want to work when I'm done with my schooling. 

I think I am researching effectiveness of communication. Once again, I'm not sure what direction I want to take this research, but it would be interesting to see where communication overlaps or becomes extraneous. I want to learn if the communicative practices within these communities are actually necessary. How long does it take for someone to acquire these practices? I feel like if I did do my paper on my fraternity, I could interview more people and get more information I need to write a really good paper. I could interview the president of my chapter, my house mother, and a member from each class. I would be able to get information from different view points. I could do it on my physical therapy clinic, but it would take a lot more effort for me to get the information I want. I would hate to be a burden to them. I would have to schedule interviews into their already busy work schedules. I think I just figured out what I'm writing my research paper on. 

This was probably the most helpful blog to write for myself. I basically talked myself into writing it on my fraternity. I actually think this will make me love my house even more. I sound so lame saying that, but I'm really excited now. Okay bye for now. I'll see you all tomorrow at noon! 

Blog #8: He, She, It Works

Welcome to my blog. Scratch that. Welcome to the middle of the semester and bask in the chaos floating in the air. In all honesty, my day was great. It was like any other Monday this semester– started a little slow, but eventually got better as the sun came peering through the clouds. I went to class a little apprehensive my Spanish teacher would give another pop quiz. Thankfully, he didn't. But you know there was no way I could get away with that in anatomy. I actually think I did pretty well though. Fast forward to the end of my classes for the day, I go to the gym with my friends. I get a little too confident and hurt myself. My day was great until that happened, so here I am in bed trying to type up this blog without moving my neck. It's the worst. I can't even find a comfortable position. I've had to shift every thirty seconds making this blog even harder to finish. There goes my little snippet of my oh so awesome Monday. Moving on. 

I'm sure we've all judged people after having negative experiences in certain restaurants and what not. I know I have. I've thought poorly of complete strangers simply because they were too slow for me that one time. It's natural to be hangry sometimes. In the moment it seems like they are just doing everything they can to make sure they get your food to you last. I'm not gonna lie, people can be idiots sometimes. We all have those days too. Tony Mirabelli's article, "Learning to Serve," strives to break the common stereotype that being a server at a restaurant and other service jobs involves little critical thinking and therefore, doesn't require the need to have an education. I strongly feel that any type of work, whether it be computer coding, taking care of patients, or serving food and drinks to people, is still work. It requires just the same amount of time and effort to do each and every one of those jobs. 

I find it offensive when people think their work is more important or more difficult than another person's. While it may be decided that servers only need a ninth grade education, think back to when you were 14. Did you know how to be kind to people? Did you know how to follow directions well enough to complete a task? Did you make money doing any of those things without having a job? I don't think so. Being a server may only need that amount of education because you are serving people and being the face of that company from the time that customer enters to the time they finish their meals. I don't think not wanting to be a server means you're a snob, I just think it means you expect something else of yourself. As long as respect is given and received, everyone is entitled to do whatever they desire. All work is work regardless of where you graduated or how much schooling you've had. It's just about being humble. 

I always had much respect for any worker that was serving or helping me. Even though I was kind, I never hesitated to ask for help if I needed. That's what they were there for. I didn't really appreciate all the work servers put into their jobs until I was a team member at a smoothie company. It wasn't rainbow and butterflies at work. It was work. I had to clean and make sure I was making orders up to the standards of the company and customers. There was never any down time. Those moments were spent doing other tasks to make sure the rest of the shift ran as smooth as possible. 

To conclude this awesome blog, I've now found a somewhat comfortable position for me to type in. However, I have a massive headache from all the pain I feel in my neck. Overall, we all work and put in work to things we care about. If you don't, who else will do it for you?

Blog #7: Erin's Identity Kit

I'm Erin de Leon. I'm in no way introverted. I'm boisterous, loud, and even a little obnoxious sometimes. I've been called blunt many times. But I really mean it in the nicest way possible. I come from a family of assholes, but it's really all out of love. My identity kit at SDSU or around unfamiliar people is something I would categorize as the best version of me. I feel like I'm nicer just because I don't want to scare people. As silly as this might sound, I try to read people and make them feel comfortable being around me. Sometimes, I can be intimidating to other people. I don't really know how that happens, but I've been told that since I was a freshman in high school. 

Most of the time, I end up being a lot more different than what people expect. I put on this facade that I don't really care what people think. And 90% of the time I don't. However, I do have those days where I feel self-conscious. Everyone does. People always have this preconceived notion of me. I think a lot of it has to do with the things I'm involved with. I've always loved breaking stereotypes or ideas people had of me. 

When I meet new people, I usually present myself with confidence. I sometimes have too much of it. I honestly believe it's my way of coping with anxiety or nervousness. When I feel myself starting to get nervous, I push myself to be more confident so that I feel more in control of the situation at hand. I don't really ever see myself as being timid or shy. I've never been the type to be that way. I still get nervous about meeting new people and what they'd think of me, but I don't let that stop me from being, what I believe, to be my true self. I'm not always as outgoing as I sound. Sometimes I do enjoy staying in and being all by myself. 

That's another side of me people rarely ever get to see. I take time to put on a little make up. Depending on where I'm going, I like to pick my outfits accordingly in order to look presentable enough. I usually appear to have my life together. That's not really the case. I'm just a go with the flow kind of person and that makes me seem like I know what I'm doing. I like to think I do, but I'm only human and there are things that are totally out of my control. My identity kit contains a lot of different things while on campus at SDSU. It flows back and forth depending on the situation. It's all a mirage.

Blog #6: Me at SDSU

Hallelujah!

I am so happy she said she would count both of these blogs if they were done by Thursday. It's the 6th week of school, which means not only are students falling a little behind in their work, but teachers are as well. It's human nature. We constantly tell ourselves that this semester will be different. We'll get all our work done as soon as it's assigned. Or we'll finally just accept the fact that sometimes I'm not the best student. It's okay because I know that already. 

I remember coming to college and being determined to do everything right. I don't know what I was thinking. I moved from the Bay Area. A million miles away. I automatically felt culture shocked. Weird since I didn't even leave the state right? Northern and Southern California is a lot more different than they are alike. I mean at least the people are. I've grown to love it over the past couple years. 

When I first got to SDSU, I was so nervous to actually be in college level classes. I wasn't sure how hard they would be. On top of that, I realized that I had to become familiar with the things that went on at this particular campus. You don't ask the teacher if you can use the restroom. I honestly didn't know that until someone told me. Thank god I wasn't that person. That would have been EMBARRASSING. I guess being a student at SDSU could definitely be considered a discourse community in some way. As students, we all have similar goals that are clearly publicly stated by even attending this college. We understand that we don’t have to go to every single class. It really is up to us how much time and effort we want to put into a class. In college, the person who’s standing in front of the class is a lecturer, professor, or a doctor. WHAT?! Crazy stuff right? I personally could never see myself teaching. I just don’t think I’m that great of a teacher for that. College, like any place, has different words and phrases other people outside wouldn’t know. For example, at SDSU we have places like the student union, the lib, campanile, hepner, and east/west commons. Some outsiders might hear east commons and think it’s a place to hang out. You can hang out there, but it’s mainly a cafeteria.

It was strange being away from my family. Coming here for college was exciting, but I missed home a lot. Even in my third year now, I miss my family every time I’m away. I think the main reason is because I consider my family to be very close knit. I have two younger sisters that I absolutely love to death. They have no idea how much I love them. My parents had always been supportive of everything I wanted to do. They basically give my sisters and me anything we want. It’s not that we would take advantage of them, but they make sure we only have to worry about what we have to worry about. I honestly appreciate the fact that they do that. I can’t wait until I’m able to repay them for everything they’ve done for me. I know I will never be able to do that, but even to give back a little would make me so happy.

While I constantly miss my family and being home while I’m away at SDSU, I also know that whenever I do go home for long periods of time, I miss being in San Diego. It’s always bittersweet for me to be with or without my family. Like I said, it’s been a few years and I still feel this way. However, I do think that I’ve gotten much better at handling my time at SDSU better. I try to be as involved as possible in everything I do. I push myself to do at least one new organization at semester. It really doesn’t mater how old or what year you join something, I’ve learned that the important part is that you joined and put as much time and effort as you can.

I’ve learned more about myself being away at SDSU than I have ever before. It’s a continuous learning experience and I am grateful to have the opportunity to do so.