Let's Talk Mythology and Folklore

It's just my way of life... Procrastination is as much an art form as it is an undeniable problem among students. The art lies in finding the proper amount. The problem arises, of course, when you misjudge this amount. I imagine that this amount varies from person to person as some people work better under pressure than others. That being said, it never hurts to take a little advice. From the articles provided, I think two demonstrated some solid advice that might help with my own procrastination. Study Time! 1. Eat The Frogs First Thing in The Morning This article's title certainly caught my attention right off the bat. The proverbial "frogs" that the author is talking about are simply the tasks that seem to be the worst or "hardest to swallow". Really the article is about prioritization and understanding that getting the hardest or most unpleasant tasks out of the way first is the best way to stay motivated to continue working. In my own pro...

Cool technology is my life... In my free time, I like to dabble in technology. From 3D printing to circuit building, to coding, to website design, I enjoy anything and everything that the technological revolution of the past few decades has brought to mankind. As such, I am fairly familiar with many of the technologies that are being presented in this class and am glad that they are being utilized in my education! Website building and image editing are two of my pastimes and I look forward to using them in this class. This is the first online course that I have taken through the university and the format and design of the class are much different from anything else I've ever experienced in an academic setting. Specifically, structuring most of the assignments as less of a formal presentation or paper that has to be submitted for approval and more of a free-flowing idea space in the form of the blog, is much different from any other class I have taken.  During the semeste...

Lots of variety is key to keeping it interesting... Readings, storytelling, comments, projects, feedback, oh my! There's no shortage of variety when it comes to the different types of assignments for this class. And that's not even including all the different types of extra credit! As always, I look forward to readings, especially when the readings are stories, myths, or legends that are entertaining and enjoyable in their own rights. The storytelling assignments also look very interesting. I wouldn't credit myself as that good of a creative writer, but I'm excited to try my hand at retelling the stories I enjoy. To that end, I will probably be excited to receive the comments and feedback from my fellow students that may help to grow my abilities in writing and storytelling. Wikipedia Logo Aside from the main assignments, we also have the myriad collection of extra credit assignments available to us. Looking at the list, I think that Tech Tips, Wikipedia ...

Learning to learn from your mistakes... Well if you're anything like me, this is not the first time you've heard of the Growth Mindset. I've been hearing about Dr. Dweck's research off and on for the past 4 years or so, and have had lots of time to contemplate and attempt to integrate it into my own learning process.  What I feel I've learned from this endeavor is really the difficulty in learning to learn from your mistakes. It's hard not to feel some sense of frustration when you do poorly on a quiz or receive a bad grade on a paper. Especially in college, where much can be tied to your GPA and grade, the fatalistic sense of failure from bad grades can be incredibly disheartening.  I would know! I, like many others, attend OU with a scholarship that requires me to maintain a minimum GPA. Failing exams or getting bad grades in this context can be more than just a bad feeling. For those who rely on their scholarships to continue attending school, thes...

Everyone keeps telling me to change my major... Welcome to the blog! My name is Rhys and I am a senior Psychology major! When I'm not scrambling to complete my degree, I work as a 3D printing student specialist for OU Libraries and as a lab assistant for the OU Visual Neuroscience Laboratory.  I'm looking forward to graduating this summer after a study abroad trip to Scotland.  Move In Day! When I'm not at work or school, I spend my time entertaining a variety of hobbies including programming, circuit building, 3D art, animation, and design, 3D printing, video production, visual effects, and cooking! I spend quite a lot of time working on all of these things, which has led to a running joke among my family and friends that I declared the wrong major.  3D World Animation I'm always looking to learn new skills. I honestly love learning and school. In fact, I plan on pursuing a career in academia as a psychology researcher. Essentially, I plan on never ...

Wow there are some really talented writers out there... Scrolling through the lengthy list of storybooks, I was amazed at the sheer quantity and quality of writing. There was no shortage of great storybooks to choose from, however, I chose three that I believe had unique concepts or storytelling methods that I thoroughly enjoyed. 1. Hades' Iliad John Martin, Fallen Angels in Hell Hades' Iliad retells some of the greatest stories of the Iliad from the perspective of Hades and the stories told to him by the dead. I found this take on these classic stories to be an awesome idea that was well executed and successful in lending a different perspective on the well-known events of Homer's epic. The Iliad is a story that I am familiar with, having read it for a previous class. However, the title caught my attention. It definitely describes the contents of the storybook well. The introduction does a solid job of both explaining the unique concept of the storybook as we...

Seem a little random don't they? Well if I had to choose some of my favorite places, I would have to choose one that was an amazing travel destination and two that are like my homes away from home. The amazing travel destination would be the island of Iraklia in Greece! Quite a place to spend a 20th birthday. The welcome sign on the island of Iraklia, Greece The next place is actually oddly specific. Myers Hall at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA holds many fond memories for me and will always feel like a second home, even though it has been many years since I've been there. Myers Hall at the University of Georgia The last place that feels like a home away from home to me is Santa Fe, New Mexico. My parents are originally from Santa Fe and Albuquerque and we visit constantly. In fact, as of the time I am writing this, we plan on visiting again in just a little over a week.  View of Santa Fe, NM Photo credits: Iraklia: Personal Photo M...