Extra Credit: Option #4

My major is business/accounting:
-There are many GE courses I need to take such as A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, B4, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, area E, F1, F2, and F3. Although this list seems overwhelming, I am trying to take courses that will knock down more than one area. I am currently taking an Asian American studies class, and it knocks down area F1-2-3 and D2-3.
There are also some accounting requirements such as Bus120A, Bus121A, Bus121B, and Bus122b. I am going to try to finish these courses by the end of my 2nd year.

-I plan to pass the WST as soon as possible. English is my worst subject. I am currently in remedial English, so I am trying to pass that as quick as possible to get into 1A. I will take the WST after I successfully pass English 1B.
Classes I cannot take unless I pass the WST: Self & Society (Phil 186), Earth & Environment, Culture & Civilization, and Written Communication ll (100W).

-Prerequisites for Accounting: Bus120A, Bus120B, Bus120C, Bus120D, Bus121A, Bus122A, 100W, and, Bus123A. I am going to try to take these classes as soon as possible. Hopefully, the start of my 2nd year.

-The required courses for my major are similar to the prerequisites list. The requirements include, Bus120, Bus121A, Bus121B, and Bus123A.

-I think parties or events that my friends will invite me to will distract me from my studies. So in order to prevent this from happening, I will make sure to inform then soon that I will be busy and I do not want to be distracted by going out too much. I want to be focused and work hard to become a successful accountant.

-Unfortunately, taking a remedial course will prevent me from graduating on time. My initial plan was to graduate within four years, but because of this class, I think I will receive my degree within five or six years. Hopefully, just five.

-This exercise actually helped and benefited me a lot. Now I have a clearer understanding about my major and career path. This is like my planner now, and I am hoping to finish all my prerequisites and required courses as soon as possible so I can start my career!

Extra Credit: Option #3

After this first semester of college, I have learned a lot about my studying habits. I think the leap from high school to college and all the talk about college being a lot more difficult than high school, motivated me to work much harder. In all my classes, I try my best to listen to my professor’s lectures and jot down as many notes as possible. However, when I am in a rush to take notes, I tend to write a little messy, so I have tried to improve on that this semester. My notes in all of my classes are a lot more organized and neat this semester. I learned that I have to take good notes in order for me to do well on my exams, since I will be using them to review and study.

In the beginning of this semester, I am fortunate to have a professor (McCune) require me to attend muse workshops. I attended a study group work shop and it really helped my academics. I tend to doze off and daydream when I am studying by myself, so I like to work with others, I feel like it is more affective. Although studying groups can turn into social sessions, attending this workshop, I learned how to choose my group wisely. In all of my classes, I found at least one person to study with and it was really affective for me. Reviewing with other classmates really helped me study, and it shows through the grades I received on most of my exams.

However, studying groups were helpful, next semester I want to start studying alone. I do not want to become dependent on people, so I will just have to focus more next semester and grasp all the materials myself.

Birth Month Song!

I was born in September 1991 and according to my research, the year 1991 was when grunge music was really popular. But during my birth month, Nirvana's song "Smells like Teen Spirit" was a hit song! Nirvana's Nevermind became the most popular U.S. album of the year. I am glad their song was a hit during my birthday month! Although I do not know much about them, there are quite a few songs from them that I really enjoy listening to =)! Plus, my cousin always play their music on the guitar and so their music really grew on me.

Nonmuse Workshop: Engineer Fair

I did not know I had to blog about this nonmuse workshop either!

Anyway, before my Asian American Class in the engineering building, I noticed a flier about an Engineering fair. Kathy and I decided to attend this fair because we were both considering changing our majors to engineering. When we attended the fair, we spoke to this woman who was in the engineer field. She told us all the great opportunities and jobs we can have being an engineer. She also told us an interesting fact; she told us it might be easier for us to be engineers since there are not many women in this field! However, after she told us about all the classes and subjects we needed to learn in order to become a successful engineer, we both found it overwhelming and stressful. Being an engineer is very challenging and the classes are quite difficult. After being educated about the engineer field, I decided to stick to my plan and become a Certified Public Accountant.

I found this nonemuse workshop really useful because if I did not attend this fair, I would always be wondering about changing my major to become an engineer! But now, it is safe to say that I am no longer curious about the engineer field and I am happy with the major as business accounting.

Muse Workshop: Procrastination!

The last workshop I went to was about Procrastination! I went to this one a while ago, but I did not know I had to post a blog about it :(. Anyway, I went to this workshop with a friend because we are both guilty of procrastinating! The speaker basically told us that procrastination is inevitable, but we can learn how to work with it. He handed us out a handout that showed us how to overcome procrastination. The handout included 5 steps:
1.) Recognize the signs of procrastination; I listed internet, texting, and TV!
2.) Then identify what is preventing us from getting our work done? There are many answers, such as anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, it is a boring project, or because we are lazy.
3.) What are we saying when we are procrastinating? I say "the assignment is too difficult and I am not prepared to do it. There is too little time to get the assignment finished."
4.) Then decide if we are ready to begin! And the answer is always yes! We all need to learn how to prioritize. If we get things done now, we can get it out of the way! Plus, there is a deadline.
5.) Finally, we act! We finally approach the assignment.

The speaker also told us to use reminders, rewards ourselves when we're done, arrange to work with friends, establish a routine, or make a cross out sheet, and prioritize what needs to be done first to help us finish the assignment.

I found this workshop really beneficial. I now know how to overcome procrastination.

Muse workshop: Group Work

Another muse workshop I attended was "Group Work." I decided to go to this workshop because I can relate to it. In all of my classes, I try to form study groups before a big exam, but they are not always helpful. So, I decided to attend this workshop to learn and find out tips. Attending this workshop, I learned ten top tips! To start a group, everyone needs to get to know each other which means everyone should exchange contact info. Getting to know everyone in the group helps out a lot because no one likes awkwardness! However, one must choose group members wisely. The speaker told us that we should choose people who answer questions during class and take notes. We should also limit groups to five or six people because having too many people can end up being a social event. I also learned that one should always read and prepare before meeting up with one's group. If one actively participates, study groups will be more affective, but do not be so controlling and take over the group; everyone needs to be heard. Most importantly, everyone needs to be respectful of each other; give everyone's opinions and ideas a chance. Different new points are OK, as a matter of fact, it could be really useful! The speaker also told us that forming effective study groups will prepare us for the job world! Many jobs require one to work in a team, so forming studying groups now is going to give one plenty of practice for the future! Overall, I found this workshop really beneficial and I learned a lot.

Muscle Milk vs Milk

Muscle Milk vs. Milk was the first muse workshop I attended. Out of all the muse workshops, I decided to attend this one because it seemed most interesting to me. From attending this workshop, I learned a lot about the two beverages, muscle milk and regular milk. However, the name "muscle milk" makes one believe that it is better for one’s body, it is false advertisement! Muscle milk is actually really bad for you and not to mention, it tastes awful! It is a not a good source of calcium. The best beverage to obtain calcium is the regular milk. It will build stronger bones and prevent osteoporosis. Everyone needs to take in calcium every day. Personally, I do not like to drink milk, but attending this workshop helped me learn different source of calcium. I learned that I have other choices such as plain yogurt, fruit yogurt, and various cheeses! Luckily, I love all of those!

Not only did this workshop talk about milk and calcium, but I learned how to live healthy life. The speakers discussed how important it is for one to eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it helps get one’s metabolism going.

Overall, attending this muse workshop was very useful; I learned different ways to manage a healthy life.

Scholary Journal

Lyrical Analysis

I did a lyrical analysis on Come Together by the Beatles. This is one of my favorite songs by the Beatles, so I really wanted to find out the meaning of the song. First, I listened to the song closely to myself while reading the lyrics, but I still did not quite understand the meaning. So I did some research on the song and I found out a lot of interesting facts about this song. So basically, every verse of the song is about a different member of the Beatles. The first verse is about Ringo Starr; the song talks about his long hair because it is different from the other three. The second verse is about George Harrison; the song talks about how George was a follower of the Yogi and how he did cocaine. The third verse talks about John Lennon; the song discusses about how he did a lot of drugs and how he played the role of a "bad boy." The fourth verse is finally about Paul McCartney; the song talks about Paul's "roller coaster" attitude which means he would want to break up and stay together. Paul had a bad attitude and a temper problem. Lastly, the chorus repeats "come together," which basically means even though all these members are quite different, they come together to play great music.

Being a fan of their music, I am glad I did a lyrical analysis on this song. I sure learned a lot more about them and they seem very interesting. They are so different and they all have different talents, but they still manage to come together to play such memorable music!

Interview a Senior

For this assignment, I interviewed my friend, Tony, that I met at my freshman orientation. He was one of the leaders. He said college turned out to be a lot more fun than he expected, but he wish he got involved a lot sooner. He did not join anything until his 3rd year or so, so he thought he would have got the whole college experience sooner if he joined earlier. Also, when he first started, his initial major was nursing, but over the years, he found that business was more for him. The advice he gave me was to not be shy and just go out there and be more involved on campus.

I also interviewed my friend, Nick, that I went to high school with. His college actually stuck with him throughout all four years. He is still interested in the history major. But he said he wish he got more involved so he would make new friends and network more. The advice he gave me was to join more clubs, organizations, or even a business fraternity so I can meet new people that will help me later on in the future.

A moment that changed RnR history!

At the first VMA's in 1984, Madonna was one of the first performers. She wore a wedding gown like dress, but it was bustier and had a white shredded tutu, and even accessorized with lace gloves, fierce heels, chunky jewelry, and a veil that did not manage to stay put on her head for very long. Madonna introduced her performance by dancing on a giant wedding cake.

Throughout the performance, Madonna showed some provocative dance moves such as humping her veil and even showed a glimpse of her panties to a live TV audience! Madonna proved that she can do more than they thought she would be capable of; she was really gutsy out there! The audience had a mix reaction, some found her performance amazing, but some found it absolutely appaling.

Madonna's appearance at the VMAs became a history-making performance! The MTV awards wanted to be different from all the other ones such as the Grammy's, and after Madonna's performance, it totally worked. It definitely went "against the grain." In twenty-three years, MTV's viewership has grown from a subscriber base of 2.5 million to 375 million, and the budget for the VMAs is eight times what it was in 1984. Overall, no one's performance at the VMA's has ever been more shocking than Madonna's panties showing performance!

Talking About Drugs

I think getting into drugs have a lot to do with your circle of friends. Fortunately, I have found a group of friends that are a lot like me. They do not have any desire to try different types of crazy drugs and they never peer pressure me to do anything I do not want to do. Occasionally, we will consume alcohol at college parties, but we all know our limits. We never get shitfaced or anything too crazy. Personally, I would consider myself a social drinker, I will have a few sips here and there to loosen up at a party, but never too much. I actually like to be the sober one; the designated driver. However, I do know some people that does all types of drugs such as ecstasy, shrooms, and even coke. After I see how their lives are and the direction they are going in, I rather stay away from all these addictive drugs. They all do not do well in school and their lifestyle just seems kind of like a mess. They always seem fatigue and so drugged out. The only drug that I think it is acceptable to do once in a long while is weed, but other than that, drugs are not for me. I like staying in shape and healthy!

Music List #4

1. We Are Rockstars-Does It Offend You, Yeah?
I love this song. The beat makes me want to dance! I love playing it in my car when I'm with all my girlfriends.
2. Young Folk- Peter, Bjorn, and John
I first heard this song in a commercial and I just really liked it. The whistling in the song is so catchy!
3. D.A.N.C.E- Wale
I love the original song by Justice, but this Wale version has a little bit of hip hop added to it. I usually do not like rap, but this song is good! It is upbeat and also a dance song.
4. Lisztomania- Phoenix
Phoenix is one of my favorite bands. They are a French alternative rock band. I like all of their songs because most of them are upbeat and catchy. Their songs are always on my favorite show, Gossip Girl.
5. Ghostwriter- RJD2
I always listen to this song while I do my homework. There are no lyrics, but the beat is very nice.

Study Tip #3

After my first midterms, I found that a great way to study is to type your notes in class while the teacher lectures and review them after when you get home. I used to just review them right before the exam, but it was not helping because I was not grasping all the information. By reviewing the notes right when I get home, it helps me retain all the information better, instead of trying to memorize and cram everything right before the next exam. I also read the chapter that relates to the notes I took that day.

Music Memories #2

For this assignment, I interviewed my parents.

Dad's response: As a teenager, he listened to soft rock such as the British band, The Shadows. He also enjoyed listening to the guitar band, The Ventures, and of course the most popular band, The Beatles. However, these are just a few of many bands he finds pleasuring listening to. He still loves listening to these bands from time to time and it will never get old to him. The most modern band he likes is The Eagles. He did not attend any concerts because he was living in Vietnam. He enjoyed listening to them through movies and the TV.

Mom's response: As a teenager, she only knew of the most popular bands since she was also living in Vietnam. She liked listening to The Beatles and The Beach Boys with her friends. However, she found most pleasure in French music. French music will always be her favorite; she still listens to it today. My mom's idol was the famous pop French singer, Sylvie Vartan. Although, she wanted to attended many concerts, she did not have the ability to do so.

Overall, both of my parents love music =)!

Music List #3

1. Slipknot- Spit it out
This song is too angry. It gives me a big fat headache. I hate screaming music.

2. Unearth- Zombie Pilot
My boyfriend always plays this song in the car and drives me crazy. All that screaming puts me in a bad mood. I cannot find pleasure in this type of music.

3. Sugarland- Very Last Country Song
I actually do not know any country songs because I do not even bother listening to it. However, I youtubed "popular country songs" and this one popped up. I clicked on it and realized why I do not like country music so much. It is so boring and their voices are so whiny. It is annoying!

4. Lil Wayne- A Milli
Lil Wayne's noise is just flat out annoying. He has no talent whatsoever! His music is just horrible.

5. Chuckie Akenz- You Got Beef?
I cannot stand this Asian guy. Chuckie Akenz is an Asian rapper that tries to act "hardcore." His music is pointless and stupid.

Talking About Sex...

I think as a freshman in college, it is really common for us to face sexual pressures. I think many college students want to have sex to fit in or to look cool, but in some cases, students do not have self-control. Students do not think before their actions.

I think losing one's virginity is a huge deal. One should be really firm about one's decision. I think students should respect themselves and their bodies. Students should really think about their decision about having sex before doing so. I believe students or anybody should have sex only to the one they really care about and trust. However, I do not believe students should "google" someone, I think students should get to know the person for themselves before students make their judgment about someone or even deciding to lose it to that person.

My advice to students younger than me is that students should always think before their actions. Students should also always respect themselves and their bodies. Mainly, make smart and wise decisions.

Music List #2

1. Leak Bros- Got Wet
This song talks about smoking wet which is a cigarette or a joint dipped in PCP.

2. Tonedeff- Close
All this song talks about is sex, really.

3. 11/5- Garcia Vegas
This song is about Garcia Vegas which is a cheap cigar people use to roll their blunts with.

4. Sublime- Caress Me Down
This is song is also about sex.

5. Sublime- Date Rape
This song is about a guy who meets a girl at a bar and ends up having sex with her.

Study Tip #2

Since school started, I have been reviewing the notes I take in class a lot when I get home. Also, some of my teachers post their power points on their sites and that is very helpful for me, especially for my Asian American Studies class. My professor in Asian American Studies lectures pretty quickly, so I am glad he posts his power points online so I have a better understanding of the chapters.

Googling myself

Well, I have googled myself before because I was just curious. Before, I found my swimming times from all the different meets I competed in. But apparently, those got erased and I am no longer on google! I actually like not being on google and how people cannot search my personal business. It makes me feel more secured. I set my myspace and facebook settings so people cannot find my sites because I feel safer that way.

Music Memories #1

-----I found pleasure in music at a very young age. When I was in elementary school, I was deeply in love with Nsync, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, & Christina Aguilera. I even danced to "Oops I Did It Again" by Britney Spears at a 4th grade talent show with a friend. At that age, I seemed to love any music that was upbeat and fun to dance to! I never really listened to the lyrics clearly to understand the song; my main focus was the beat and how catchy it was. I was also very absent minded, so I focused on singers who appeared to be good looking like Justin Timberlake in Nsync and Nicholas Carter in Backstreet Boys. I collected all their albums, but my all time favorite was the "Celebrity" Album by Nsync.
-----As I approached middle school, my music taste made a huge transition. I was influenced by my siblings and the people I was surrounded by at school. Everyone seemed to enjoy listening to R&B and rap music. Although, I never thought I would like this genre, I started to follow it and forced it to grow on me. In middle school, I think students were listening to music that made them look "cool" or music they can dance to at dances, for example, E-40 and Lil' Jon. The lyrics were definitely inappropriate, but I guess that is why it was considered "cool". Parents definitely did not approve of this music like how they were back in the day with Rock n' Roll music. I did not mind so much of the R&B such as Beyonce or Mariah Carey, but the rap was definitely not my type of music. To be honest, I did not appreciate the music like everyone else did. I listened to it because it was the music that simply encompassed me.
-----Once I hit high school, that all changed. I was not listening to the music I was listening to anymore, but I was listening to something I actually found pleasure listening to. I was not influenced by others, but I was able to find my own beat. I started to find music online and explored many different artists. I then realized I was into the happy and poppy music similar to what I liked in elementary school, but now I acknowledge and listen to the lyrics. I really get a kick out of lyrics that I can relate to. However, I know am no longer a little kid, but I am not ashamed to say I love listening to Disney Channel stars' music, such as Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, and Jonas Brothers. I even went to the Jonas Brothers' concert with a bunch of my girlfriends summer of '08! I also like really girly artists like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Since I was older and wiser to make my own judgement on music, now that I am in College, I still listen to the same music I did in high school. Overall, my taste in music had quite a few of transitions throughout my life, but I finally found music I love.

Study Tip #1

I am a note taker. I like to jot down everything teachers say in their lectures and show in their power points. When I'm done, I go home and review all my notes to make sure I understand everything. I am easily distracted, so I lock myself in my room with my laptop off & my phone on silent while studying. I usually find a friend in every class so I can call them if I need any help on a certain assignment. Occasionally, I like to form study groups when I feel rusty about what we are learning in class. When working with people, it helps me remember things better. I also have to have other people revise my work because it helps me feel more confident about my assignment.

Music Playlist

1. Good Girls go Bad- Cobra Starship
I first heard this song on the radio while I was driving home at night and it totally woke me up. I enjoy listening to this song while driving because it is a song I can sing along to and will keep me awake.

2. I'm not Going to Teach your Boyfriend how to Dance with you- Black Kids
I like this song because I have never heard any lyrics like this song before which makes it unique and it is really catchy.

3. Let's Dance to Joy Division- The Wombats
I heard this song from a friend and I really liked it, especially the singer's accent.

4. Santeria- Sublime
I like this song because it makes me feel like I am on vacation on a tropical island. =)

5. Flourescent Adolescent- Artic Monkeys
I like this song because the instruments sound cool. I like the beat.

6. Kids- MGMT
I like how the song is upbeat, it is catchy.

7. Sunday Morning- Maroon 5 (Call & Response: The Remix)
I really like the original song, but the remix sounds even better! I love waking up and getting ready to this song.

8. Trouble- Never Shout Never
I always hear this song while I am in the car with my cousin and it just grew on me. It is a cute song. =)

9. Party in the USA- Miley Cyrus
I heard this song a gazillion times when I went to LA with my girl cousin this past summer and I really like how it is such girly song! Although, her voice is a little nasally, it grew on me and now I really like it. I do not get sick of it even if it is on repeat!

10. Demi Lovato- Everytime you Lie
I like the piano in this song. I also like how the beginning of the song sounds like an old classic song.

Intro

Hi, I'm Katherine Pham and I'm from San Jose, California. I decided to attend San Jose State University because the business program is good and it's convenient. During my orientation, I had to register for my classes and while I was looking through the ge classes, the title "Sex, Drugs, & Rock n Roll" seemed most interesting to me rather than "Child Development."