Reflection of Speech Events and Experiences

1. 1. What were some of your initial thoughts about having to create a blog? (Positive & Negative)
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3. My first initial thoughts were: doubt. I was not sure if I was able to create a blog. I grew up in a time when there were no such things. I am learning a lot about operating computers nowadays.  However, I still get anxiety when I have to create projects similar to this one. I want to do it perfectly, but modern technology still gives me anxiety because it is so advance; but I am learning to keep up with the growth of tech. I watched the video provided and used the provided information to help me with this blog.
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5. NEGATIVES: Some of the negatives of owning and creating a blog is that the posted information can stay on the internet forever. It is also not easy to design because of the technological components of using the computer software.
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7. POSITIVES: You have full control of what you post on the internet, it can be used to spread    positive and important or valuable information, and it can be used to store data for other use in the future.  It also helps to improve your writing skills.

2. Discuss/Explain the first event/workshop you went to? What was it about?

 

The first event took place in the classroom and it was a circle discussion about self-actualization, self-meaning, and self-worth knowing myself, culture, the impact family values had on my life, strengths, and what I want to achieve in life, as well as how to incorporate people of different cultures and be culturally sensitive.

3. 3. What were you thoughts when you found out that you were going to be taken to events outside the classroom?

4. My initial thought was curiosity.  I wanted to know what the event was going to be like and what was in store for us regarding the plan. I was happy to go with the flow. It actually ended up feeling like a mini-convention or even a small field trip. It was a great experience to incorporate into our lecture.

4. 4. Did you learn anything new at the first event? What did that event discuss to help students excel in school/work/life?
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6. I would say that I did learn something new at the first event. Some of the information was redundant in my point of view due to the fact that I was the oldest person in the class and have heard some of the information at one point or another in the course of my life. However, you are never too old to learn new things, thus, I would ultimately say that I did learn new information. Particularly, I learned about being self-productive, attending to your strengths, knowing what they are and empowering them, and never forgetting where you came from and acknowledging what you want to accomplish in life and to work hard for it. I also learned to lend a helping hand to your fellow classmates and to be culturally sensitive to others because we are living and being educated in a multicultural and diverse society and we have to show respect to our fellow classmates and fellow citizens in life for what it’s worth. It was a learning experience for me, and I learned information that I can use to improve life, family, and the community. 
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5. 5. What suggestions do you have to make the first event better? From an audience perspective?
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7. I think in the survey we completed after the first event, I mentioned that we could use that platform for our first speech assignment. That means that we could do a two or three minute introduction where we stand up and talk about ourselves, goals, accomplishment, etc. The round circle setting was great because it allows us to be up close to our fellow classmates and to decrease the distance. I would not change anything else.
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11. 6. What was the second event/workshop you went too? What was it about?

6. The second workshop event we went to was outside the classroom in the auditorium and it was the ‘Walk A Mile In My Shoes” workshop. This was about respecting others of their life choices and refraining from being judgmental towards others that are different from us, regardless of their sexual orientation, race, religion, or class. To be tolerant of others and their differences, you don’t even have to accept their life choices, but leave people alone and let them be. We don’t know the why and how in life and what people go through so stop being judgmental towards others.

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9. 7. What was the third event/workshop you went too? What  was it about?
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12. Click here to learn about the pros and cons of being vegan :)
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14. The third event was about healthy food choice we can make in order to prevent diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and inflammatory problems, while at the same time prevent animal abuse by not being an accomplice to the terrible treatment of animals who are raised to appease the satiety of humans because of the love of meat and meat products.

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10. 8. Would you prefer to do more blogs as assignments? Or would you prefer to write papers? 
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12. I would prefer the blogs because it allows you to fully flesh out more of your thoughts and insights. It also allows you to be creative in a way you don't necessarily get to be in most other academic assignments. It is more fun to create your own platform and give more of your opinions and make it fun by adding pictures, memes, and videos. However, even though this is my first blog assignment, I think it is still just as informative as writing papers.
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10. 9. Did the experience of attending different events make your semester more beneficial? Do you think students should/should not attend more events like these?
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12. Attending different events during the semester was a learning experience for me. It was a change from the humdrum of doing purely book work assignments and attending lecture. It felt more hands-on and was a change, which made the information more memorable. I learned a lot from these real-life events and experiences. I also gathered information that will be beneficial to me in my life’s path, whether in a school, work, or home environment. Concepts such as tolerance, self-worth and strength, empathy, cultural awareness and differences, our responsibility to protect animals, and health promotion are pertinent concepts that everyone should learn. 

10. 10. How can events like this improve in your opinion? To capture more audience participation on campus?
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12. I think that video-taping the event and publishing it on the school website or online other platforms could capture more audience. This way, it could advertise the event and then other communications professors could introduce it to their class. By making a video, other students could watch at their leisure and spread the news. We could also invite other classes to join in the event, thus make bigger and capture more audience that way. 

11. 11. How could technology that was used in this assignment (writing a blog,) help you in the future? In college? Or career-wise?
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13. Technology has taken over and it is here to stay. I am still getting a grip on it and taking the time to improve my skills because I know it useful in today’s world. Technology can help me in the future because I can create blogs and spread positive messages around the world through internet connections. I can create homework for college, link-up with other classmates and revise homework or projects, and also utilize the added tools such as excel, words, search engines, and connect with professors for quicker responses.

12. 12. In your opinion, how can the departments at MDC engage and connect more with the student body? So more students know what is available to them?
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14. In my opinion, the department at MDC can connect more with the student body by using the student portal more to spread information around campus. E-mail alerts are a great start. Also making Blackboard more easily accessible would work. Advertising more on these media outlets could allow more information to spread around this way. They can also use the televisions around campus to spread the information as well.

13. 13. How can these events/workshops you went to become better in the future?
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15. I think some ways the events and workshops can become better by making it be a part of the curriculum because these events are a part of life’s experiences and can be use as learning session to help us navigate and find solutions to common (as well as not-so-common) problems.  
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14. 14. Do you find it beneficial to take concepts you’ve learned inside the classroom, and try to experience those concepts outside of it? ( By going to events/workshops etc) Do you find the application/experience of the concepts outside of the classroom beneficial to you?
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16. Going to events was very beneficial to me because it helps me to get involved in events and workshops and advocates standing up for what you believe in, such as human rights, animal rights, and the right to choose and be happy. These events are a form of getting information that you would not normally get and be a part of solving issues. I could use these concepts as a future activity to benefit my personal life and my community.

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17. 15. Which event was the most beneficial to you? Second most? And Third most? Why?
19. The event that was most beneficial to was the last event, helping to protect animals and at the same time improve our health by practicing healthy eating habits. It reminds me not to give in to persuasive advertisements that were programmed to play on our minds and buy animal product. I am not there yet but I am surely getting to where I want to eliminate animal products from my food choices. 
20. The second most beneficial event to me was the first event even though it was a second time around for me (previous college attendance). It reminds me to find my strength and promote that. Being a team player, especially in a college environment where team work is required, is important.  This can help me navigate through my life’s path.  Be aware and respect cultural differences and just be fair in life.
21. The third most beneficial event was the "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" event.  It was not the third-most beneficial because it was less important, but because empathy is my strength, thus learning to be non-judgmental towards people and their beliefs comes easy to me because I practice this in my life everyday already.