Unit 6

"Consider how your ideas about your topic could be influential in later research."
Allright.....so.....my topic is.... The importance of proper nutrition for disease prevention. Since my whole reasoning for wanting to change professions to the health field is to help others, I'm thinking I would like to do something that correlates nutrition with disease prevention. I originally wanted to go to school to be a diagnostic sonographer, but the waiting list in my area for an accredited program was 3 years, so I decided to study nutrition on the basis that I could still help people "prevent" problems with their bodies by way of diet. I think by researching this topic, it will give me a broad overview of what I will be getting into later. I think by surrounding myself with this type of research it will help me to "build a solid foundation" (Pal, 2010).

Reference:
Pal, Julie (March 29, 2010). Webinar: College Composition II for the Healthcare Professionals

Ha ha! Sorry guys.....had to throw that one in :)

Unit 5

School has definitely been a huge influence on my life thus far. It has really changed the way I think about life. I have learned to think in a much broader way. Before I started back up with school, I didn't feel I had many options to choose from for a career, now I feel like I have many options. I have learned to prioritize my life differently since I have been in school. I won't lie though, it's been an uphill battle with some of these classes, but I always manage to pull through.....somehow.

Unit 4

I do think that citing references is important. It's a bit of a drag sometimes, but I thought about how I would feel if someone used something I created and didn't give me credit - I would not be happy. It's kind of up there with stealing - someone is taking something from you that is yours and using it as theirs. This is how a lot of lawsuits happen. There are many lawsuits in the music business because certain artists use a melody that have already been created by another artist. It could be intentional, but then again, it could be completely innocent. Many people have similar ideas and tastes and it could be an honest mistake. How do you really know though?

Unit 3

Before I started here at Kaplan, I hadn't attended school for for about 8 years. I was never really a "studying" type of person, so I was hesitant to go back to school. Some of the things that turned me off about school were trying to find a parking space on campus, fighting to get through the crowds of people, and finally getting stuck in the very back of the classroom not being able to see or hear much at all, especially if you are stuck next to people who are there just for social reasons. I found it very difficult to concentrate in a traditional class environment. During exams there were always people getting up and turning their tests in before I was done, or coughing, sniffling, moving around....basically any little thing like that would break my concentration, so I would end up not doing so well on my exams. Outside of school, I would try to study hard, but never really got into it very much unless I was really interested in the subject.

I made the decision to go back to school when the economy took a downfall. My job cut my hours in half and at that point I realized I needed to do something else. I was (and still am) in the construction industry which is not a stable industry. I knew I wanted to get into the health/medical industry. So here I am, at Kaplan studying to be a nutritionist, and despite my past of not being a "studying" type of person....well...that has completely changed for me. I feel like my priority (other than my husband and family) is school. I love attending school online. I love the freedom I have, and I don't have to be shackled down to traditional ways like sitting in traffic trying to get to school or not being home to spend time with my husband and my cats (and yes I love my cats as if they are my own children....a little furrier, but that's ok!) I am happy that, so far, I have been pulling straight A's, and proud that I have found something that I am so interested in pursuing that I actually don't mind the studying.

Unit 2

As I sit here in front of my computer, eyes starting to roll to the back of my head as the tiredness of the end of my day catches up to me, I try to find a small speckle of energy to write this blog. Whenever I think I feel too tired to do my school work, I push myself to remember that I have a goal ahead of me, and the only way to reach it is to not give up, no matter how tired I feel. So here I am, sitting in my chair, while longing for the couch that is five feet away from me, all the while still pushing through. I know that I still have a long list of things to do before I can tuck myself in for the night, but I am reminded of Bill Murray in the movie What About Bob as he lives by the simple, yet very effective, rule of "baby steps." Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps - that is what is going to get me through the rest of tonight, tomorrow, and the rest of my life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3JPa2mvSQ4