To study online or not…

Hi Everyone,

So the Spring semester has finally begun and I am starting my 6th semester at Temple! It still  feels so strange to call myself a junior, but I am excited to get even more involved in my major and start applying for summer internships.  I was also looking forward to the start of this semester because I could officially start my new minor!  It’s a combination Computer Science and BTMM minor and hopefully I’ll be able to design websites or do other, more technical things, in my major.

With the start of this minor, I had to start looking into taking a whole new range of classes that focus on new media. Yesterday, I began my first Comp. Science class which I’m pretty excited for and soon I’ll be starting my first online class! Its called Introduction to Cybermedia and not only do I get to learn more about the use of new media, but I also get to work on website design!

There are some definite positives to taking an online course.  For one thing, you don’t have to worry about actually scheduling the class in because it can be completed on your own time! It also makes it easier to work on projects on your own time and at your own pace.  The class requires attendance to a couple of online classes that are only an hour in length and the rest is online blog posts and emailed papers.

There are some clear advantages to online courses, but I am a little worried about the negative aspects of this kind of class.  Because it’s not a weekly class, there are limited reminders about assignments and dates for assignments.  I’m worried it’ll be difficult to stay caught up and easy to fall behind without reminders from professors.  Even though I’m nervous about the challenges that lie ahead in this course, I’m excited for what I’ll be learning as well.  I’ll be sure to keep you guys up to date on the class and how its working out.  Well, that’s all from me for now!  Till next time,

-Taylor

Summertime in Philly…

Hi Everyone,

So I made it! I just completed my sophomore year of college and I could not be happier! This semester got kinda stressful towards the end but now I can relax and enjoy the summer.

I’ve been pretty busy since I last wrote.  Not only did all of my classes require end of the semester papers and assignments, but I also had 4 finals and a final DVD project for my editing class.  Sure it was a lot of work, but I managed to get everything done on time and I think I’m looking at a pretty nice GPA this semester!

I ended up really enjoying most of my classes this semester.  Dissent in America was a great course and I learned a lot from Professor Ralph Young.  Not only did he have an interesting way of presenting the material, but he also had some amazing stories when we started discusses more recent examples of Dissent in America.  He heard Martin Luther King speak on his college campus and has met and spoke with both Allen Ginsberg and Pete Seeger! It’s awesome to hear your professor give first hand accounts of what these historical figures are really like.  He also wrote the textbook we used in class this semester, which was one of the best I’ve had to study and definitely had a lot of great, useful info.

Cover of our textbook Dissent in America

I also learned a great deal for my future career in Editing for Media.  I have spent a great deal of time learning Final Cut Pro in both high school and college and I was really excited to learn even more about it and the industry itself.  Through this class I got to meet a couple of my professors current students who hold prestigious jobs in the media field.  I also got to see what my future career might be like.  I would love to edit television shows in the future and I had the opportunity in class to edit a scene of the popular TV show Monk.  It was such a cool experience and I thought my scene turned out pretty well. 

And if anyone has seen this episode, could you please let me know how it ends?!? The suspense is killing me!

Well that’s all for me, but I’ll be updating again soon.  I’m sure with an entire summer in the city and an internship I cannot wait to start, some fun things are bound to come up! Till next time

-Taylor

Applications Galore…

Hi Everyone,

So as we continue on through the spring semester, I’ve begun a process I had hoped to never have to go through again…the application process.  I started applying for schools at the beginning of my senior year and it just seemed like an endless sea of paperwork.  Well, I’m in for another swim as I begin applying for internships!

I’m actually pretty excited about this process.  I’ve been looking for different internship opportunities since the beginning of this semester and I’ve found some really exciting prospects.  The career center here on campus has also been amazingly helpful.  I was able to schedule an appointment to get my resume reviewed by a professional and attended their summer internship and career fair to look for different opportunities.  I’ve already received a couple calls and emails about interviews!  Hopefully, I’ll have good news to report back soon.

http://www.temple.edu/provost/deanofstudents/careercenter/index.htm

I’ve included a link to the Career Center site so you can check out all of the different opportunities available to students and Temple alumni.  Under the student menu there’s also a really helpful list if you’re not sure exactly what you want to do after you graduate.  The page is called “What Can You Do with Your Major” and it lists every major offered on campus and different job opportunities available through which one.  Even though getting a job may seem far off for high school students, it’s definitely something to start looking at and thinking about now!

Well that’s all from me for now!  If you guys have any questions about what life is like for a typical Temple student or just want to say hi be sure to leave me a comment! Hope to hear from you all soon

-Taylor

Spring in Philly!!

Hey Everyone,

It’s finally springtime on campus!! The two feet of snow that’s been sitting around has finally melted and I can wear a short-sleeved shirt without freezing!! Come on guys, it’s the little things, haha!  Anyway, as the weather gets nicer and the sun’s out longer, more and more of us are taking to Beury Beach.  It’s an awesome place to hang out, get work done using the wireless internet, or just work on your tan! It’s also a great place to find new clubs to join on campus, support a charity, or even join a pick-up game of Frisbee.   This pic is from a big event we had on campus earlier in the year but if you look to the right of the pic you can see a ton of kids hanging at the beach!

Beury Beach

Well guys, that’s all for me!  I’m heading outside to enjoy the sunshine and warm spring weather!

Till next time,

Taylor

Busy Times at Temple U…

Hey Everyone,

This semester is flying by, but man has it been crazy!! Between classes, extracurricular, work, and attempting to find time for a social life, I’ve hardly had time to sit down and write.  Anyway, I’ve noticed this semester that more and more of my projects and classroom presentations are being posted online.  Not only am I uploading blog entries to the black board website, but I’m also making websites and uploading projects to blog sites.  I’ll put a few of the assignments here to give you an idea of what were doing in classes:

For Mass Media and Society, the class created a website featuring several links to our different areas of study.  It actually turned out to be pretty cool.  Check it out at http://massmediaandsocietyattemple.wikispaces.com/.

I created this blog site for Introduction to Media Technology.  I can upload all of my projects to be viewed on YouTube and from the blog.  The site is at http://taylorduscha.wordpress.com/.

I made this website for my Cyberspace and Society class.  It looks a little outdated but I think the website ended up being pretty cool.  It’s at http://astro.temple.edu/~tub54651/index.html.

Adding an online aspect to the classes not only makes it easy to complete work outside of class but it also makes the projects fun and more modern.  Well, thats all for now.  Back to my homework and studies.  Till next time,

-Taylor

The importance of wearing rainboots…

Hey Everyone,

Welcome back to my sophomore year here at Temple!  I am really excited for some of my classes this semester, but it has been a challenge getting everything organized and ready for the new school year.

Since I last wrote, I’ve moved off campus and now live with a few of my friends about 15 minutes away.  To get onto campus quickly and do my part in Temple’s green effort, I’ve started biking onto campus and around the city.  I’m really enjoying riding around and I was actually surprised by how easy it is to get different places in the city by bike.

The one downside to biking is that when the weather is bad, much like today, biking becomes a lot more challenging and its usually easier to just walk onto campus.  It’s on days like these, with torrential rain and gale force winds (ok, maybe not that strong) when I am really glad that I invested in a pair of rain boots.

I think that rain boots are the newest fashion trend on campus when the weather is lousy.  Lots of girls have adopted the trend of the skinny jeans and rain boots which is both practical and really stylish.  It keeps your jeans from getting totally soaked throughout the day and with all the cute colors and prints you can get rain boots in, they can really accessorize an outfit.  My boots are pretty simple, black with white polka-dots, but they go with almost anything and look really cute as I’m running to get out of the rain!

Just a friendly piece of advice.  I’ll be putting up pictures from my bike adventures, so be sure to check back soon.  Till then!

-Taylor

Its finally SPRING!

Hi Everyone,

I could not be happier that if finally feels like spring here on campus.  The weather is finally a little warmer and everyone just seems to be in better spirits.  I don’t really know what it is about spring that just puts people in a good mood, but I’m just glad that its finally nice enough to pack up my sweaters!

Spring means taking afternoons to hang out with friends on Beury Beach.  When its sunny out, you’ll see kids stretched out all over the beach doing homework, playing various instruments, or just hanging out with friends.  I was spending some time on the beach on Tuesday and their were a couple of students out trying to get people interested in their new juggling club by doing demonstrations.  A couple of kids even set up a tightrope between a couple of the trees.  I was considering giving it a try, but knowing my sheer dislike of gravity, I decided against it.

I can’t actually hang out on the beach today, due to classes and such, but a couple of my friends are out there and they sent me some pictures of their day.  Here’s what Beury Beach looks like in the spring time.

Students enjoying the warm weather

Well, I’m off to catch a couple of rays before this beautiful day is over.  Till next time!

-Taylor

Temple Theatre

Hey Everyone,

I am really ready for spring.  I love snow, but wet cold dreary days are seriously unmotivating.  I’m ready to retire sweaters and jeans and am ready for skirts and flip-flops.  But even with the crummy weather, there’s still fun stuff going on around campus.

Tuesday night my friends and I went to see the Temple theatre production of Caucasian Chalk Circle.  It was a really interesting play that showcased several talented Temple students and allowed them to not only show off their acting skills, but their music and singing skills as well.

The show's poster

Temple’s theatre program is really diverse and offers students the opportunity to participate and observe several different kinds of shows and theatre performances.  A few weeks a go the production of Seven, a hip-hop operetta, finished it’s run to rave reviews and after Caucasian Chalk Circle,  some of the theatre students will be participating in the musical Cabaret, being performed at the Prince Street theatre.

I am a huge fan of theatre, as I’m sure you can tell from my past entries, and I love the opportunity to experience new and different forms of theatre.  With the great theatre program here and all the various performance groups and theatres, Philadelphia is a great spot for theatre fans to study.  Well, that’s all from me for now.  Till next time!

-Taylor

Getting caught up

Hi Everyone,

This past week has been INSANE!  There was so much going on right after break, but I had a lot of fun and was glad to be back in Philadelphia.  Break was very relaxing and quiet, but I was ready to get back to school and all of the stuff going on.

On Monday, I visited a senior center with my classmate Phil and led a book discussion on the novel The Soloist.  This was part of the One Book One Philadelphia project I wrote about before and I was really glad to have the chance to discuss the novel with another generation of readers and see their interpretation of the novel.  The book club we discussed the novel with had a lot of insight into the novel and brought up some really good points that I had never considered before.  In the novel, the author discusses how racism effected Nathanial, the main character who is dealing with homelessness and schizophrenia.  The racism that Nathanial faced when he performed at Julliard in the 1970′s wasn’t highly emphasized and I didn’t really think much of this detail, but some of the members of the book club emphasized it and related it to personal experiences they had faced in the 1970′s.  It was an eye opening experience.

I would highly recommend this novel.

Wednesday proved to be a little hectic as well.  I am the co-treasurer for a new club on campus called the Temple Film Collective.  The club works to make short films, generally 10 to 15 minutes and we are currently working on our projects and are trying to get some type of film festival together by the end of the year.  A few weeks ago the club decided to have a bake sale to raise money for our projects, which proved to be a little more difficult than expected.  We were finally able to get everything together and Wednesday night a couple club members and some of my friends in my residence hall got together and started baking like crazy.  We ended up getting more than 70 packages together and sold them all the next day on Liacorous.  I’m really proud of the club and all that we were able to achieve during our first fundraiser.

Thursday nights are generally when my friends and I go to the Reel on campus and this week was no exception.  This week’s film was MILK and I was particularly excited to see it because I missed it in theatre’s and Sean Penn recently won an Oscar for his portrayal of Harvey Milk in the film.  The movie was provocative and moving, and leaves its audience with a lot to think about and consider.

An amazing film

I had been looking forward to Friday all week because my friends and I had been planning on going to the Pennsylvania Ballet Company’s performance of Cinderella.  Now, I know that the ballet’s not exactly the coolest thing around, but before you write it off, consider giving it a try.  The show was amazing and the cast was insanely talented.    It was my first professional ballet and I know that I’ll be going again soon!  Well, that was it for my week, a little crazy at times, but definitely a lot of fun.  Till next time,

-Taylor

My friends Geoff, Thu, Ryan and I at the Academy of Music before the ballet!

Spring Break- It’s finally here!

Hi Everyone,

So, I like school as much as the next person, but it’s definitely time for a break.  Between the stress of mid-terms and the crummy winter weather , spring break could have not come at a better time.  We started the week with a pretty nasty snowstorm that put the entire city in a snow emergency.  I still had to get to class, which was something of an adventure, but I did make it to my first class without falling into too much snow.

I finished up the last of my exams on Thursday, and I was ready to start break right then, but one more class and a couple of shifts at work, made that pretty impossible.  Being at school on Thursday night did give me the chance to check out the Temple-St. Joes game.  I got to watch the Owl’s kick the Hawks butt, 68 to 59! It was an awesome game, and the student section was pretty pumped!

Cheering after a basket!

Anyway, I’m pretty excited to be home for a little while.  Gives me a chance to relax and catch up with my friends fromhigh school. I can also spend a lot of quality time with my puppy Oliver!  I miss him so much while I’m at school and now I have a full week to play with him.  He’s arguably the cutest dog ever!  I’ll post a picture of him if you don’t believe me.

He loves wearing his bomber jacket and shades!

I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather, and I’ll write more when I get back to school.  Till then

-Taylor