Friday, March 21, 2014

Colleversity Tips: The Origin of The Tips

I have always wanted to make a blog.  I just didn't know what to write about.  Additionally, I had video ideas since last November about making University Survival Guide Vlog videos.  I eventually decided against that.  I had an opportunity to combine those ideas and create a blog after I enrolled in my first ever online class, Bioresource Science and Engineering 211, at the University of Washington.  This is a class that teaches students to expand on their creativity.  In this class, students were given an opportunity to make one of their creative ideas a reality.  With this assignment (the midterm), I finally had something to write about; it is thanks to that midterm assignment that I was able to give my blog life.  The following is the first draft of my midterm.  The final draft only had to be two sentences.  I didn't want the rest of my work to go to waste so I decided to make a blog entry for it.  
Here is the reason why I make my Colleversity Tips.
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What is something creative I can do to contribute to society, particularly to incoming college and university freshmen?  I can make a blog that provides creative tips on surviving the college and university experience based on my experience. 

What is needed as the first step to make this idea a reality?  First and foremost, I need to create a blog – this is easy as there are many free and reputable blog-providers online.  A potential name for my blog is “Colleversity Survival Tips.”  The next step, which is truly the first step to making this idea a reality, is to gather my experiences from my college and university years and be able to present them in a creative way that viewers will find helpful.

Who is this the intended audience of this blog?  When this survival guide idea popped into my mind, my intended audience was my brother.  However, I want others to read my guide, hence the reason why I am bringing my creativity online.  I feel that by making an online blog, not only can I help out my younger brother, I can also help out many incoming college and university freshman in the years to come.  Perhaps sophomores, juniors, and seniors will also learn a couple new ways of doing things if they happen upon my blog.  

Why do I want to make this blog?  The main reason why I came up with this idea is because my younger brother is graduating from high school this year and I want to creatively give him tips on how to survive college or university.  By providing college survival tips, I will be able to analyze how I reacted to particular experiences and I will be able to better prepare my brother for the future.  Additionally, I hope that by sharing my personal experiences in the classroom and on campus, I can inspire others to do well during their four-plus years in college.

When will I post blog entries?  I plan on posting blog entries as often as I can.  I will gather as many creative college survival tips as I can and post weekly blog entries with possible entries in between weeks.  I hope to have numerous entries posted online by the time my brother graduates this spring.  

When did I obtain the experiences I plan on sharing?  I obtained my experience over the past four years.  I have attended both college and university (which have very different environments).  I have lived in both an apartment and in multiple dorms.  I have lived alone and with roommates.  I have learned the tips and tricks necessary for doing well in and out of class.  I have had my successes and my failures.  I learned from my experiences and used my creativity to prevent future mistakes.  Overall, I believe I’m qualified to share survival tips on an online blog.

Where have my experiences taken place?  My experiences are directly from two accredited academic centers in Washington State: Skagit Valley College and the University of Washington.  My experiences in each environment are unique and extensive.  It is important to note that while my advice can apply to any college and university around the world, some tips will be localized to these two Pacific Northwest schools. 

How exactly do I plan on making this blog successful?  I know there are already abundant amounts of college and university survival tips online.  My plan on making this blog a success is to share advice based purely off my experiences.  By sharing tips directly from a university student, I believe that my blog will have a more creative and personal twist.  I am confident that some of my tips will have applications that extend beyond the academic environment.  Regardless, I would consider my blog a success if it helps out incoming college students, particularly my brother.


In conclusion, something creative I can do to contribute to society is to create an online blog that provides advice for making it through college and university.  By sharing my personal experiences and giving creative tips on how to survive the college and university life, I hope to have a positive impact on as many students as possible.
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As you can see, my blog has taken this idea, modified some of my original plans, and transformed into something more. 

VerusAnimus

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