Time Strategies

The Myth of Being Too Busy
This article was really relevant and interesting to read because it was describing how we always claim that we are busy, although most of the time we just don't prioritize our schedule in the best way. I like the idea that we can always change based on what we actually want to do. For example, my goal is to keep a steady workout schedule, although sometimes that doesn't always happen because I either have early classes, so I can't work out before my class, and after class I do homework and study until I sleep. However, I recently realized that if I just managed my time in a better way, I would get done with school work before dinner, and I could go workout. OR I could sleep earlier and wake up earlier. During the day I usually spend some time on social media or talking to friends I haven't seen in a while, so I get side-tracked a lot. However, I know if there are certain weeks that I need to focus on schoolwork, so in those times I need to prioritize better.

The Important Habit of Just Starting
This article was also super relevant, so I was really intrigued by the title immediately! Getting started on something you don't want to do is one of the hardest things to do, so I relate to this a lot. I like the contrast it made when it was mentioning how procrastinators think; essentially it said that procrastinators don't think about how their future will be impacted as much and that they value what is happening currently than later. 

Source: An equation that was in the second article, about why we make certain choices.

Technology Tools

I never had blogging experience before this year, so I'm glad this class helps us learn about the tools and such to do so! Not only do I become a better creative writer through this class, but I also learn how to use tools on the Internet (embedding videos, linking sources, creating graphics, etc.). I think I want to start creating more graphics because I have more time to explore this semester. A good thing about this is that if you discover a new technology tool that you like, or if you complete something on the listed tools page, you can get extra credit for it! It's a good way to get extra points in case you can't complete all the assignments one week or something :)

Source: I feel like this describes the world pretty well at the moment.

Future Assignments

I took the Epics of India class last semester and I really loved the way the class was set up (which was why I enrolled in this class)! I usually did my assignments on Tuesdays and Thursdays and tried getting ahead on the weekends so that I wouldn't have to do much during the week. It's also really nice that we were able to make up any assignments we couldn't do with some extra credit, because there's so many opportunities to get the grade you want. My favorite thing was writing the stories each week, just because at first, I thought those would be my worst assignments. I didn't think my stories would come out to be super good or creative, but turns out, once I started writing, I just would keep going and end up almost going over the word maximum. It was great! I also loved getting to read other blogs and see how other people turned the stories we read into their own creation. We got to leave feedback comments and also receive constructive criticism from others, so it was a really uplifting and encouraging class :) This semester I might keep the same schedule as last time because I think it worked really well. 

Source: My favorite thing to hear or see in a class :-)

Thoughts on the Growth Mindset

The first time I heard about Carol Dweck was last semester (I took the Indian Epics class and we watched the videos in there too). I really do love what she said because it is so relatable to our world today and education in general. Many aspects of education have become such a competitive sport, where everyone is competing for a letter grade, a rank, or a spot in an institution. Instead, we should be trying to understand the material, grasp the main concepts of what we are learning, and learn how to apply it to our daily lives. I love the classes in which we learn something from a textbook or from a lecture, and then later on we see how useful that information was. Those classes are the best, because you see that you actually learned something useful. No matter what grade you got in the class, it's always exciting to recall something you learned from a class you took a long time ago to something you need at a particular moment. 

Last year when I did this assignment, I had written about a challenge I had about the fear of failing, which leads me to stress about how to balance good grades, sleep, a social life, and extracurricular activities. That still applies, although I learn new ways on how to manage my time every semester. Another challenge I have is getting distracted often. It's hard not to get distracted when new technology and social media outlets keep developing. I check my phone way more often that I would like to admit. However, apps like Pocket Points that reward you for not using your phone are a true blessing, so that has helped me keep my distractions in check.

Source: A reminder that challenges aren't always bad :)

I would definitely be more interested in learning about the growth mindset this semester, as well as trying out some of the challenges along the way! My academic goal for this semester is getting a 4.0 GPA while also finding time to do all of the things I love. I am really excited for this class, as well as my Religion and Nationalism in India class - cultural classes are always my favorite because there are so many fascinating things to learn! I hope to use the things I learned from the Growth Mindset in all of my classes, as well as when I prepare for medical school.

Introduction to the Biggest Boba Fan

Hey guys! My name is Akriti but my friends call me Kreets :) My family is from India, although I have grown up in Oklahoma City my entire life. Because of this I have had the opportunity to grow up in two different cultures at the same time: the one at home and the one outside of home. I have loved this experience mainly because it has allowed me to have a different perspective on certain issues and just life in general. My culture is very different than the one in America, yet somehow my parents found a way to adapt and interrelate the two cultures. :)

I usually go with the flow on a lot of things, so here's a lot of random information about me that I put together; enjoy! feel free to comment away on anything you find in common or even if you're the complete opposite of me :p

Random Facts about me:

• Class: Junior
• Major: Psychology Pre-Med
• Minors: Spanish and Medical Humanities 
• Birthday: May 23 
• As you could probably tell from my title, I love boba tea :-)
• I have one sister who is 6 years older than me, although everyone thinks we're twins... 
• Favorite hobby: painting
• Favorite color: turquoise, navy blue, rose gold
• I collect stuffed animals 
• I love meeting new people!
• I love jewelry like no other, especially rings.
• I love hugs. A lot.
• I adore dogs. I've never had a pet, but if I did it would probably be a corgi.
• I want to run a marathon one day (those take a lot of training and time that I do not have at the moment, but I've always wanted to get to that point).
• I am the biggest Harry Potter fan you will probably ever meet. 
• I have a stuffed animal BB8 from Star Wars as well as a remote controlled BB8. :-)
• I usually never sit in complete silence. I'm always playing music.
• Favorite artists at the moment: The Weeknd and Ed Sheeran
• I am always eating something. Food is the way to my heart.
• I. Need. Coffee. Every. Day.
• I have three onesies. 
• The amount of money I have spend on Starbucks in the past two years is probably as much as my tuition costs. (jk but really...)
• TV shows I am currently watching/have watched: Friends, HIMYM, White Collar, Suits, Quantico, Prison Break, Big Bang Theory, Arrow, Flash, Grey's Anatomy, Orange Is The New Black, Sherlock, Doctor Who, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (I know, I know, it's a lot...)
• Words that I like to live by: Be you. (it's simple but it means so much)

My sister and I. Who's who? 

Just a lil something I painted during camp. Peep my corgi named Sprinkles and the BB8 & elephant night-light in the back.

Organizations I'm involved in at OU:

Here's some of the organizations I'm involved in at this beautiful campus; I just thought I would list some of my favorite things about them!

• Camp Crimson - I actually never went to camp but still decided to become an SGL, and lemme tell you: it has changed my life for the better in so many ways. I love being able to interact with incoming students and allowing them to express themselves and be heard, but besides that, seeing how selfless everyone is at camp makes me want to be a better person too. Lovely organization with lovely people!

A collage of a few of my favorite pictures from both years of camp.

• India Student Association (ISA) - I have had the opportunity of being the publicity chair of ISA for two years now and I absolutely love it. I didn't know anyone before I joined ISA but the people in it are so welcoming that I felt at home right away. I have participated in numerous dance performances with my fellow ISA-ers and have loved every moment of them. Hopefully you will all see flyers for our events throughout the year and come enjoy a taste of the Indian culture :)

A collection of pictures expressing my Indian heritage.

• Integrity Council - Such a great organization on campus, but highly misunderstood by many students... We are stigmatized to be the people that are "out to get students," although I can assure you that is definitely not our job! I love that we get to serve on hearings, conduct investigations, and serve as peer educators, because having a mostly student-run council makes things more comfortable for many students. 

• Soonerthon - Oh man. Soonerthon. One of my favorite events in the whole year. I have attended Soonerthon for the past two years that I have been here and have always stayed til the very end. I just love the whole concept of it: Standing for the kids that can't. It's such a strong message and I love that our university puts on events such as these. #FTK.

The amount of money we raised for the Children's Miracle Network in the last two years!

• President's Community Scholars (PCS) - this was my favorite thing about freshman year. I have made certain connections from PCS that you wouldn't find anywhere else. The friends I made in PCS are those that will last a lifetime. 

Last PCS meeting freshman year with some of my favorite people at OU!

Storybook Favorites

High School Gods
The first story I read was High School Gods. I really liked how the author of this storybook related the stories of the Greek Gods and Goddesses to a high school and the daily dramas that occur during that period. The introduction definitely pulled me in by talking in the second person and starting off with questions. I know the basic information about the Greek Gods and Goddesses but this storybook gave me another perspective on their personalities. The author's note at the bottom definitely helped clear up any changes she made as well. The navigation of the storybook was simple but really easy to navigate, so that was good!

Love at First Retweet
The second story that caught my eye was Love at First Retweet. I really loved the storyline in this one, since it merged stories that we read as children into social media outlets. It was really relatable to today's world and I loved the way the author portrayed a new version of Little Red Riding Hood and the "Big Bad" Wolf, as well as an alternate story of Cupid and Psyche. The introduction really did a great job of letting me know what the story was going to be about! The layout on the first two pages were simple and easy to navigate; I only had a little trouble on the third page, Bad & Boujee, just because there were little boxes of information on the left and right, so it took me a second to read all of it and in the right order. Overall though, it was a great project!

BOO-mer Sooner: Freshman Year
The last story I read was BOO-mer Sooner: Freshman Year. I picked this one because of the title, and the introduction helped bring me into the story and learn what the storybook was going to be about as well! The layout and overall design of the project was well laid out too, so it wasn't hard following along or finding the next story. I love that the author wrote about the different myths you hear on OU's campus and put it in the perspective of a new, ambitious student. I love hearing things like that too, although I am not one to seek out haunted places. Overall, I really loved the stories in this project!

Source: The "haunted" organ mentioned in "BOO-mer Sooner: Freshman Year."

My Favorite Place: A Magical Time

The magical world of Disney is one of my favorite places to visit. I have been to Disneyworld in Florida as well as Disneyland in California twice each. All four times, I am mesmerized by the beauty of Disney. I love rollercoasters, so those are always fun, but the cute little characters and musicals along the way are just as amazing to experience. Besides Disney, I always adore Universal Studios, especially since they created the Harry Potter world. As I walked into the Hogwarts castle, Gringotts Bank, Diagon Alley, rode the numerous rides through the castle, and bought my first wand at Ollivander's, I experienced a whole world that I had been waiting to experience since I was in elementary school.

Source: A picture of the Cinderella castle in Disneyworld (Orlando, FL) at night, with fireworks illuminating the sky.

Source: The magical wizarding world of Harry Potter, including Gringotts Bank and some other stores along the way.

Source: The way to Hogsmeade and Hogwarts in the Harry Potter world.