Advice For Future Student

Advice that I have for future students writing a scientific research paper....hmmm. I think it is very important to pace yourself. Set a block of time everyday that you can work on your paper. Researching is very important. If you do not have good information to put in your paper; the paper isn't going to be very good. Also, these papers are lengthy so you want to make sure that  you have enough information.

Personally, I took an hour or two each day to sit down and work on my paper. Being so on top of it, I was able to take a couple days away from my paper and go back with a clear head. The editing and revising portion of writing is always be weak point. I never seemed satisfied with what I have written. Also, make sure you are writing down all of the source information that you are using information from. It always sucks when you have to go back and search for the infomation you want to use because you forgot and need it for your reference page! Well good luck to everyone! This term is almost over!

My feelings as of now; regarding my paper

I have very mixed emotions regarding my paper at this time. I feel anxious; I just want to finish it and get it over with. I have alot going on right now in my other classes. I also have recently started a new job in the last two weeks. Because of this, I have not been able to spend as much time on my homework as I have been able to in the past. I am actually very worried that my grades are going to suffer as a result. I want to finish this paper so I am able to finish the rest of my homework! LOL. I think once I have finished my final revisions, I will feel a sense of accomplishment and be able to sit back and enjoy my own work. Until then, the stress will be flying high and my nerves will be about shot. I think the end of finishing any project is the harderst; you want everything to be perfect. Also, I am very anxious to know my final grade. I want to know if my paper is as good as I think it is. Or whether or not I put to much time and stress into this sucker for no reason!

Will I Continue My Blog?

The questions is whether or not I will continue this blog after I am through with this term. To be honest, I am not sure as to what I plan to do. I only remember to post to  my blog because of the weekly reminder in class. Had that little tab not been there, I probably wouldn't have a weekly blog post. I do enjoy writing to my blog, but I have so much happening on a daily basis; I usually only post my initial post and that is it. Also, to be totally honest, my blogs are not very exciting in the first place; I highly doubt anyone really would enjoy reading my posts on a regular basis! HAHA...and to be honest, it doesn't offend me. I don't enjoy reading my own writings either!

Peer Reviews This Week!

Going into week 7 of class this week and were are completing our peer reveiws. This is something that really doesn't effect me or worry me at all. I really enjoy the contructive criticsm that I recieve from my fellow peers. I think any person when writing a paper deals with a kind of tunnel vision; you only read the paper the way you think it should sound. When sometimes, what makes sense to you throughout the paper, might not makes sense to the person reading it. This is something that many times I find that I do not notice until it is pointed out to me. I can then make the changes needed; in the end, my paper ends up being much better.

I usually do not have a problem giving constructive criticsm. I think a lot of it depends on the type of person you are. I am one who is very considerate of others and their feelings and many times picture myself in others shoes before I say anything. I would never want to say something that would offend  or hurt someone's feelings. I know how much time and effort I put into my papers when writing them; if someone were to tear my paper apart I would be hurt. That is something that I would never want to do to another individual.

Thel last 6 weeks...

The last 6 weeks for me have been full of both ups and downs. This term for me has not been as difficult for me as previous terms have been. I have managed to stay current on my assignments, recieved an A on my midterms, and managed to still spend as much time as I can with my little peanut. I am proud of myself that I have been able to achieve all of these things because things lately have not been easy. My mother watches my daughter for me a couple hours a day so I can do homework; she recently had to have a partial histerectomy and was unnable to lift her for over 2 weeks. Also, my daughter Nevaeh turned 1 year old and I have to plan and throw her 2 birthday partys!! Inbetween all this, I had family come to visit (and we all know how stressful it is to entertain a houseful of people)! Those are just the major events that have taken place in the Higgins household lately.

Academic Challenges

This term is my fourth term at Kaplan University. Somehow I am still maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Many people around me find it hard to believe that I have "academic challenges". Of course, just like any other person I do. My main fault is being my worst critic. When many people will say "Oh that is good enough" or " That sounds fine". I will revise it, and revise it, and revise it again. A lot of times I put way more effort and time into things then I need to. I also tend to second guess my work and then change it over and over and over again. I have always been like this, through high school and now through college. It effects me more now because I have a 1 year old daughter. I could me spending more time with her, rather then re-writing and re-checking and re-doing everything I do. But I guess that is the price I pay for wanting all the scholarships, grants, and scholarary awards. It is a great reward when grades come out and the A is then worth everything I went through and all the time I put into it. But sometimes I wonder whether or not the time I spend, and all the opportunities I give up to do other things in order to study are worth it. I am my own academic challenge.

My outlook on plagiarism

I myself have never plagiarized, but in highschool I did have an incident that hit close to home. One of my best girfriends had used one of my papers and turned it in as her own. I had taken the same government class she was in the semester before. I don't know how she thought she would get away with it; it was the same exact teacher. I was a straight A student and had recieved an A on the final paper. She was having family issues and had been staying at my house in the mean time. Needless to say, she took my paper and turned it in. The teacher said he was suspicious right off the bat because she struggled to maintain a C and here she had "written" this spectacular paper. I was called into the school administrators office and questioned about the paper. Thank god she confessed to taking my paper without my knowledge, otherwise I would have faced disciplinary action also. In the end, she failed that course.

My outlook on being an online student

Before attending Kaplan University I went to school at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton Wisconsin. I only went to school for 1 semester and then dropped out. The major I chose didn’t interest me anymore and I really didn’t enjoy going to school. I have been a student at Kaplan since February of 2010. I absolutely love it! I enjoy being able to work at my own pace, not having to actually go to school to attend class, and not having to deal with any annoying classmates. I am sure that everyone remembers when going to school there is always that one person that can’t take anything seriously, or the kid who is always interrupting, or the stuck-up snobby girl who seems to be perfect. Being an online student every student is the same and everyone seems to be dedicated to getting an education. I am a shy person, to not having to talk in front of a class is very beneficial to me. The professor’s seem to be more helpful and respond to e-mails very quickly. Flex seminars allow great flexibility in my schedules! I never plan on going back to a “campus”, online schooling is completely for me J

This week is going to be rough

Well, this week is going to be a rough one. Yesterday (Tuesday the 19th), I had my appointment to revieve my spinal nerve block injections. All I can say is holy crap was it not only painful, but I am still very soar today. I was ordered from the doctor not to life more then 10 pounds for 1-2 days. My one year old daughter is 20lbs...so needless to say she has been at my mom's house since yesterday. I am lost without her! Hopefully I get some relief soon and can get on with the week. I hope next week will be better.

Hello to all

Hello to everyone!

Just a little about me, I am 22 years old and live in Lake Geneva Wisconsin. I have a beautiful 1 year old daughter, her name is Nevaeh. I spend all of my spare time doing everything I can with her and for her. I am currently starting my fourth term at Kaplan University and am enrolled in the Medical Assisting Program with a projected graduation date of August 2011.