Thursday, March 24, 2011

Update

Hello everyone! Classes are going pretty good so far. A couple more weeks and then we'll have midterms. This semester is flying by. Today we had a career fair in the athletic center. Many employers set up displays and many students were able to hand out their resumes. This event is mainly for juniors and seniors, however it is open for all to attend. Advanced Intel is starting to speed up, we are now all working on our link charts, which is said to be the hardest part of the class. They are due in 2 weeks so we've been busy gathering our sources and learning the new software. Last night the group (my friends) ordered a bunch of pizza from Papa Johns and all hung out. Tonight we're all going to watch Butler beat Wisconsin in my friend's room. We all entered a pool and we've all been keeping a close eye on our brackets. This weekend is Laker Live-In weekend as well as Major Day. Any students considering Mercyhurst, feel free to stop by Saturday and pay us a visit. You'll be able to sit in on classes and gather a ton of information. Then Saturday night the freshman will host prospective students for the night. The prospective students are assigned a current freshman and will spend the night in the dorms. I went to Live-In last year and it was a lot of fun, so hopefully I can make it just as much fun for my Live-In. I know I have an Intel major so that will be nice giving them the inside scoop. Well, back to studying for my Western Classics quiz tomorrow! Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Advanced Intelligence

I am now taking my 2nd Intel course this year, Advanced Intelligence Analysis. It seems ever since I came here in August, upperclassman have been giving me tips for the class. Of the two classes Intel students take their freshman year, this is the more difficult one, but it's also when you get to actually be an analyst. As of now, I've only had one full week of classes under my belt, but it was a busy week. The course consists of a 10 week project called a country study. Each student is assigned a country (one you've most likely never heard of) and must answer the following question: Will your country be stable in 18 to 24 months? In order to answer this question you must do an in-depth analysis of your country's stablity and predict their stability in the future. You must look at the country's military, its technology, its geography, as well as the political, economic, and social status. Together, these "areas" can give you an indication of the country's future. Along with a final report, we must also create a link chart, which shows our findings and the various relationships we discover. Then we must present our findings in the form of a briefing in front of the class. The briefing can be no longer than 10 minutes and we dress professionally (suit & tie). I was assigned the country of Armenia and I have been gathering sources and reading up on my country. The biggest piece of advice I received from the upperclassman was not to procrastinate, and now I can see why. This project is so involved that if you wait to get started, you will get behind and things will creep up on you. Whenver I have time available, I am busy researching my country, printing articles out, and reading Armenian newspapers. So far I have enjoyed this project. It's neat to learn about a country you've never heard of and after 10 weeks I'm sure I'll know more about Armenia than the people living there do...ok well maybe not but close. I'll keep you posted on my project as I work through it.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Spring Break

Hello everyone!
I can't believe that spring semester is already here! This freshman year has been flying by and before you know it, summer will be here! Today I started my new schedule with new classes and new teachers. I am taking 2 classes on MWF and 1 class on TTH. I like to have something to do everyday, it makes the day go by faster and keeps me occupied. So far, Advanced Intelligence looks like the best class. We have a 10 week project that was introduced today and it sounds very interesting! Taking classes within your major is the best because you enjoy it so much more and are eager to learn, because after all, it's most likely going to be your career! It wasn't much of a spring break-it snowed most of my time home, but it was really nice spending time with the family, hanging out, and best of all..relaxing. The week flew by though, I'm just looking forward to summer break now! March will be a busy month for me. I am officially being inducted into the Ambassador Club this Sunday, mom & dad are coming for that! Laker Live-In is also this month and hopefully I'll be able to spend the weekend with a prospective student and show them around campus. We also have a Career Fair on March 24th. Sibling weekend is also coming up, I have to double check the dates though. My sisters are looking forward to spending a weekend with me at college. So there are many events I'm looking forward to, which is why I think this semester will be the fastest one yet. And hopefully things warm up a little here in Erie...the snow is getting old.