Finals Weekend (Again)

I'm amazed it's been one year to date since I last wrote in this blog, and for this I am ashamed. Boasting as a communications major, I did poorly in communicating. Now, isn't that irony?

This is indeed finals weekend and believe me when I say, I have been sitting on this piece of pine for almost 12 hours straight now, studying.

I was in a reflective mood and felt the urge to write about my experiences about this semester, my first at Cal State Fullerton.

I was very anxious to finally transfer to CSUF and over-prepared during the summer. Once I arrived here, I felt somewhat "let down" in that the other students weren't as serious or perhaps they lacked motivation. I found that to be a downer, really. I also felt a little intimidated about being an "older" person in college, but quite frankly, after the first few weeks, I got over that inhibition and realized there were more adult re-entry students at CSUF then at first I thought. What a relief. But that still didn't change my perception about the students in some of my classes. I would think at this level, a junior (and for some - seniors) school was a little bit important. But I got over it. Everybody is different. There could be underlying reasons why students weren't attending classes. Who was I to judge? There could be medical reasons, work related issues, or family emergencies. Who knows.

Let me tell you about my classes:

COMM 361 - Principles in Public Relations
I absolutely love this class. There is so much information and really, I can see how some of this info could be overwhelming to students, especially those who are full-time students; those who don't work (lucky!). But having already been in corporations for most of my life, much of the material we're learning are what I have or continue to encounter daily. It's good to know my company is in compliance with its business and social responsibilities. Kudos! My professor is very knowledgeable (Dr. K.) - a little hyper but in this profession, or any profession really, if you are that passionate about your work or your career, why not be hyper? His tests are half multiple choice and half true and false. No essays. He grades on a curve, which is good. However, the more you read the better you'll do on the tests! Plus the information you obtain will help you in you career! So learn and absorb the material!

COMM 246 - Entertainment and Tourism
This class teaches about the vast forms of entertainment. Movie buffs, entertainment lovers, and the like will enjoy this class. Mr. Blair doesn't lecture from PowerPoint slides, which I find odd, but he certainly knows his stuff. Pay attention though, because his mid-term is a little difficult since his questions are essay-style. He lectures from bullet points which he hand-writes on the white board. His explanations are questionable. I think I'm more critical because I've been in entertainment for over 15 years and much of what he discusses are things I've already encountered. Some of the things I find interesting are how little the students know about entertainment or how closed-minded some of them are. This is due largely in part to the age differences, but personally, I want to say to them at times, "Listen...if you expect to do well in this field or industry, you have to be more open minded."

RTVF 375 - Documentary Film
This class bores me to tears! Okay, maybe it's not that bad, but put it this way. I'm one to usually sit in the front row because I hate distractions and don't want to know what's happening behind me. For one thing, this class is poorly designed because there are hardly any electrical outlets for the laptop-toting population. Because we are always watching documentaries and it's obviously dark, I refuse to strain my eyes and write encrypted notes. I started to bring my laptop to class, at first I didn't, but after a few weeks, I resorted to hauling it in. I figured since I take notes for my other two classes, why is this RTVF class any different. The only issue I have is now I've resorted to sitting in the back...the very last row, at that. It isn't bad, really. I met a lady named Elayne, which after this class and this semester, is her last at CSUF. We share notes and will be meeting this coming week to study for finals.

I often wonder, though, if my professor (Mr. Ward) is experiencing "burn-out?" He seems a little disinterested, distant and non-communicative. He doesn't return email messages promptly and his web site is ancient. He hasn't conformed to the university's Blackboard online portal like most professors. He does, however, have decent PowerPoint lectures, but honestly, he should change it up a little. The theme is the same throughout, unlike Dr. K's, whose presentations changes for each chapter, which makes it interesting.

Overall, this has been a stressful semester, mostly because there were many other outside factors with which I was dealing (i.e., my son leaving for Guatemala; the twins started junior high school which meant their homework load doubled; plus trying to keep Christopher grades up so as not to be ineligible for sports - not that he has ever had a problem with his grades...he's a good student athlete). Plus, Christopher and Aaron played flag football their first quarter of school. Gosh, as if I had anymore to worry about - I now had to worry about potential injuries. Stressful.

Break time is over...back to studying! It's now 12:26 a.m. and I'm almost done with COMM 361 study guide. Tomorrow, I'll tackle COMM 346 study guide. RTVF 375 study guide is already completed. I finished that Wednesday night.

Signing off for now...