Motivation Mojo

I can't keep up with this blog this semester. These two classes are draining me! I'm struggling to find even a little bit of motivation and get my mojo back. Even the PTK ceremony was some what of a bust. Tony and my dad were able to attend, but my mom had to work and couldn't get the night off. I was disappointed because she was inducted into PTK when she was in college and I really wanted her to be there. During the ceremony, as each person's name was called a yellow PTK stole was placed around our neck, this had me super excited.. until after the ceremony. The students and their familes were invited to a light dinner in the cafeteria.. where they took the stoles back and told us that if we maintain our GPA we can purchase our own stole at graduation. We didn't even get a pin. Nothing. I started to question what the heck I paid $60 for!?
Well, I guess instead of sitting here whining about the loss of my motivation mojo, I should go find it by working on my recombinant DNA technology research paper for micro. While I do that, please enjoy my $60 worth of PTK pictures. Sigh.

PTK

I received a letter in the mail from school the other day. I have been selected to become a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Who would've ever thought that I'd achieve something like this!? At first I was going to decline the offer because I wasn't exactly sure what it was all about. After I talked to my mom and realized what an actual honor it is, I have decided to go for it. I'm finally starting to feel like I'm busting my butt for something... rather than nothing. I was begining to feel like there was no light at the end of the tunnel, but now I'm getting somewhere. And what a wonderful feeling it is to be doing something with my life that finally makes my parents proud.

Can't catch a break

I must be a crappy teacher magnet. Another semester of self-teaching. My micro professor is all over the place! I have been leaving the lectures early because I can't follow this guy. More than half of my class is getting tutored. I've thought about it, but I really want to do this on my own. I want to prove to myself that I can do this, that I'm smart enough to handle it. However, I'm extremely nervous that this semester is going to ruin my 3.8 GPA. It's been extremely difficult to focus and not just because of my teacher. The semester started off really crappy outside of school as well. September was not the greatest month for me. Two friends that I grew up with passed away within three days. One was a motorcycle accident and the other was a car accident. On top of all that, our neighbor has moved. This was upsetting to Tony and I because we have formed a bond with him over the last year, even more so over the summer. Tony and I even think of him as an uncle. He's like that really cool uncle who lets you get away with everything. It's been quiet around here without him. Drinking beers hasn't been the same since he left. I just can't seem to catch a break. Sigh.

Hard work really does pay off

Ever since final exams ended exactly one week ago, I had been checking my email like crazy waiting for my final A&PII grade. I was scared and anxious to know all at the same time. Finally, on Wednesday, the email had arrived. I was at work and extremely nervous to open it in fear that I would be in a bad mood the rest of the day if I got a bad grade. We all know how important my grades are to me. I decided to open it anyways. I needed to know so that I could get rid of the 50 pound weight that was still resting heavily on my shoulders. I closed my eyes as I clicked on the email. I felt like my heart was going to beat right out of my chest. I opened my eyes and began to read:

"Hi Stacie

Your grade for the Final Exam was 85.1%, which counts twice.

Your grade for the second Practical was 91.8%.

The grade that was dropped was the 82.5 on the first practical.

Your final grade for the course is an A. Excellent job. I greatly enjoyed you and your class.

Good luck in the future,

Prof. Caulkins"

I was so happy and so relieved that I started to cry. All the studying, last minute cramming, and never ending stress this summer had finally paid off.

Next up.. Microbiology. Bring it on!

Never again

Never again will I take a class, such as A&PII, over the summer! The semester ended yesterday, so I'm not sure of my official grade in the class. However, I do know that I am not thrilled with the grade I got on the final exam, but I will take it.. considering I don't really have a choice in the matter. I just expect more than an 85 from myself. I am officially exhausted from this semester's finals week. Last semester my hair was falling out, this time I couldn't stop losing weight. I lost 4.5 pounds in a matter of 72 hours, without trying. By the time I walked out of the lab practical last night, I felt as though I was going to collapse. I let out a nice big sigh of relief knowing that I didn't have to take another test.. for at least two weeks until fall semester starts. Now to wait for final grades to come rolling in.

no more quizzes

I didn't make it to class last night thanks to my lovely immune system that is constantly letting me down. I've been sick since the begining of the week and continued to go to work and school. I didn't give myself enough time to rest. I sent my teacher a last minute email a couple hours before class started. I'm sure she'll understand. She has two little kids at home and I'm sure she wouldn't want to bring my germs home to them.
Tuesday night my A&PII teacher gave us some good news. No more quizzes! And if we do have any more they will be take home quizzes. But we still have our exam this up coming Tuesday. Sigh.

taking the bad to get the good

Recently I had two papers to write for my human growth and development class (HG&D). My teacher allows us to use resources, whether it's the news, magazines, internet, or encyclopedia. However, with this class, resources are not my style. She told us in the begining that the class will be about opinions. And people who know me well enough know just how opinionated I am or can be. The first paper we got to choose one topic out of the four she gave us. None of them really interested me, but I ended up going with "Having two parents is always better than having one." We had to agree or disagree with whatever topic we chose. I pulled off an A- with that paper. At the bottom of my essay she wrote, "Resources?" I'm assuming that's why I got the A- and not an A, but I wrote my paper strictly based on my own thoughts and perspectives. I was tempted to question my grade, but then I realized that after my B- lab practical, an A- is acceptable. The second paper we had to choose a side. "Do parents matter more than peers?" This one was easy for me. And once again I based it on my own opinions as well as my own life experiences. I'm thinking that my own life experiences is what got me an A. I'm still not happy with my lab practical grade. But, if I have to get one so-so grade to get two good grades, I guess I can live with that.