Hi Everyone!

A little more about me. Hi Everyone my name is Andrea Kidd. I was name after my great grandmother from Mexico. I am half Mexican and Half Black. I was born in the California and raised in Lynwood. I moved to Louisiana when I was around 3 years old and attended Mainsfield Elementry School. Then when I moved back to California I didn't know any Spanish. So when I went to my grandmother house I would point to things I wanted, then she will tell me "no you have to say it in Spanish". So then ever since then I'm  glad to say I speak fluent Spanish because of her. I graduated high school at the age 17 from Firebaugh High School, located in Lynwood. After high I said to myself I don't want to be in California anymore I want to try something new. So then I applied to an university in Arkansas that is called University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. I did about a semester there then I came back home. Reason why was because I was getting home sick plus I felt grown because I had to much freedom and I did not know how to control myself when I got a lot of freedom, especially for me growing up in a strict house hold. Once I transferred back to my hometown I began attending Long Beach City Collge. I thought I was going to do better there because I was around different people and a better community but true comes to show I started doing poorly in school. For example, would come late for classes, didn't do homework and did poorly on my test. I knew then it was pride, I felt like I came from a University I should be going to no community college. I felt though as I was going backwards and I let my thoughts get to me. Until one day I finally realized I'm getting older and this was on my twentieth birthday. Since then I said to myself "I'm going to start strong at this next that I'm going to transfer to a not let my negative thoughts get to me I'm going to overcome them and do hundred percent better". Lastly, later on that semester I came to El Camino and so far I'm doing better than I ever did in college and I plan on it being that way.


Me and my beautiful mother 💖 (Then & Now)

I found two really great strategies that I can use in my life from the book Ten Skills You Really Need to Succeed in School. One of my strategies are Manging Your Time from chapter 4 and Taking Tests from chapter 8. Reading these chapter helped me learn new things thatade me change how I did thing s before. For example, I learned managing my time is every important when you are an adult or even in college. Reason why is because if we mangamge our time we will get a lot more things done other than waiting to the last minute to get it done. One way we can prevent that from happening is if we set up a planner and write on it everyday on what we have to do for homework and on what we need to work on to become better achievers in college. Then we have test taking. Taking a test has always overwhelmed me, I never really though clearly when taking a test I always be so frighten. But when I read chapter 8 in the book it was showing me how instead of writing everything down word to word just take keywords that you know connects to that concept. Then when you have the key terms and definitions write them on index cards so that way when you studying you have a better look on what we studying. I will definitely take these sources and use them wisely.

What is Kindness?
To me kindness is when you help someone that is gong through a stage or time that they can't help them selfs so we step in and give them an extra help. When I graduated from high school I was a Varsity Cheerleader. So I always had thoughts on coming back and coaching the cheer team. So that didn't happen because I left out state for school. But then when I came back I saw they need an assistant coach so when the teacher is not there. So I volunteer myself and helped the cheerleaders with their routines and stunts and also with competition routine. I had a chance to go with them to Nationals in Las Vegas and was proud to see that they took 2nd place home! Go Falcons!

Hi, my name is Alexandra Martinez, I am 18 years old and I live in Los Angeles, California. This is my first year at El Camino College. I attended Venice High School and I was part of the Varsity Dance Team from sophomore year to senior year, and it was the best decision I made. From elementary school to freshman year in high school I was extremely shy and quiet, I hardly had friends and feared speaking in front of others, but when I joined the dance team I changed dramatically. Being in that team required a lot of time, dedication and getting out of your comfort zone. The team had a positive effect on me because I was no longer shy, I could easily start talking to anyone and speaking in front of a large group was no longer a nightmare. Getting to know my teammates and working with them made it easier for me to let go of the shyness that honestly just weighed me down. I was able to easily start a conversation with anyone, and performing in front of the entire school helped me get over the fear of doing class presentations or anything involving speaking in front of others. It helped me gain the confidence in myself that I lacked, and the motivation to do better in school to stay in the team. As time went on I realized that I was able to get decent grades without studying for tests or making time to do assignments with dedication so I settled for C’s and B’s. I was passing my classes and was able to stay on the team without stressing about studying and putting effort in homework, and those bad study habits followed me. Because of my careless attitude and poor study habits I was placed in a remedial english class, when in middle school I was placed in gifted the gifted program and I had honors classes throughout high school. After reading Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School by John Langan I realized the difference that managing your time well can do for the quality of your school work and the difference it makes in how you well you take notes and are able to process them to expand your knowledge and understanding. I learned a few tips that I will apply to all my future classes.

Managing your time wisely can be hard to do, and I personally have always struggled with that. In this chapter about managing your time Langan gives various types of helpful ways for you to stay organized and have time for all that is important. He talks about using your syllabus, having a big monthly calendar, making a daily “to do” list and keeping a daily planner. I’m one of those students that would never read a class syllabus because I thought it wasn’t useful so I would just get it and throw it in my bag and forget about it. As i went through high school I realized that they actually contain a lot of useful information, like due dates and helpful tips (only some though). So, I would occasionally turn to them when I was curious about due dates and what the class was going to cover. When I was in middle school I used to have a big calendar and write down when certain homework was due, fieldtrips, tests, and other things I felt were important. This actually made a big difference in my performance in school because I was up to date and new how much time I had to finish assignments. Naturally like any middle schooler I would get lazy and let a few things slip but had it not been for that big calendar, man, I would’ve been flooded with homework and projects up to my neck. I never actually made a “to do” list for myself, the only list I would make was the “what to get” list for when I go grocery shopping with my mom. And let me say, it is pretty helpful. I never used a planner either, I tried a few times but I never stuck to it. Now in order for me to remember to do something and have time for it I make an alarm on my phone, and it works well with me. There are so many ways to help you manage your time, it’s all about what works best for you because time can either be your best friend or your worst nightmare.

Taking GOOD notes in class is one of the easiest ways for you to succeed in school. Notes are what are going to help you study for tests and complete homework (that is if they are well taken) because our brain can’t remember every lesson you learn day by day, “Studies have shown that within 2 weeks most people forget 80% of what they heard!” (Langan 90) Now isn’t that crazy! So imagine giving your brain all the work to remember everything you heard in all your classes, that wouldn’t work. Good notes don’t have to be written word for word, because if you didn’t understand the concept then most likely when you read your notes you might not even understand what you wrote. What I have learned to do is paraphrase what a teacher writes or says into my own notes that I understand and will make sense of when I’m studying, and it has helped me a ton. Something Langan said stood out to me because I can relate to it and it was, “You can also use the notes of another student, but those notes cannot make up for the experience of actually being in class and hearing the instructor talk about key ideas.” (Langan 89) It makes a huge difference when you go to class and take notes of your own because you can write things your own way that you know you will understand later on. Plus, the experience of listening to your teacher explain also has to do with how you understand the lesson. Using other people's notes might not be so helpful because their note taking strategies could be way different than yours or their handwriting is illegible, so now you’re stuck copying something you don’t even know what it is. The best thing that can be done is making sure you go to classes, especially when the teacher says it will be a note taking day. In general, having good attendance is the key to succeed in school.

What is kindness?

Kindness is showing care towards those who hurt. Smiling at random strangers in the street because a smile can change someone’s day. Kindness is offering help to an elderly person who is having trouble reaching an item on the lower shelf of a grocery. Kindness is visiting your grandparents and cooking a meal with them. Kindness is helping your parents do something without them asking so they have less to stress about. Or translating something for someone who doesn’t understand english. Kindness has the power to make someone’s frown turn upside down. But most importantly, kindness has no limit.

Salvador Silva

Hello my name is Salvador Silva. I am a 19 year old Hispanic male born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. I grew up playing soccer for as long as I can remember because my father loved the sport. For a while, I did enjoy the sport but ending middle school I grew a bit of a hatred for it. I felt like I was being forced to play by my dad so I stopped as soon as I entered high school. I began to skateboard then because of people around me up until 11th grade when a friend suggested football to me. Now, what a lot of people don't know about me is, I had been short and aggressive  my whole life but after the previous year I went from 5'0 feet to 5'10. I saw this growth spurt as an opportunity to, I guess, let some aggression out. And what better way to do it then a full contact sport! Another huge factor that helped me aside from my height was my speed, I have always been a slim guy so I had to avoid some bangs somehow. Along with these school sports came being a student. I wasn't the smartest kid in school but when it came to a solid grade I could pull it off. Only thing is I tend to leave things till last minute. I am currently working on bettering this because it isn't something I can pull off in college.

 

  I learned a lot of things from the chapters read in Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School such as skills. For example, chapter 4 gave me very helpful skills that i most likely be using next semester to keep track of what needs to be done and when. Using the syllabus is a huge thing, i did not use it at all throughout this semester but now looking back i see it would of been a big help. it is well organized and tells me exactly what i hav and will do. Setting up a calendar with all important dates is also something to take into consideration. You will see it everyday and it should remind you what important things are coming up and what you should be worried about. 
   Also chapter 8 gives you great test taking skills that people should use. Learning exactly what needs to be studied and what parts can be skimmed over is something a lot of students need to do so that they don't spend to much time going over the wrong things. this can be done by setting an objective, or a goal, for the exam. Taking notes and capturing key terms then emphasizing them so that studying them will be easier. Personally, I have used these skills a couple of time and the times that I have used them they have been nothing but help.
   My idea of kindness is really anything you do that will positively affect another person or a group of people. Something as simple as helping someone pick up papers they dropped can be an act of kindness and can lighten up someone's mood. An act of kindness cant really have a label to it in my perspective, as long as the person doing it isn't doing it to benefit themselves in any way but with the intentions of helping another person and sincerely meaning it

 

Knowledge Is The Best Tool For Success

Hello my name is Jesus Meza I am currently attending El Camino college. After 1 year off school I decided working a minimum wage full time job was not going to get me anywhere. I decided one night that  I would quit my job and enroll at El Camino College for fall 2016 semester. I loved to play soccer, its a sport that can unite all races and cultures. Ever since I was a little boy my dream was to go pro but the older I get the more I realize its harder to fulfill my dream. But I refuse to give up on my dreams and each day i work harder and harder to get one step closer to it. In High school I was not one of the best students in my class but I always passed my classes with As and Bs. I now realize what my teachers meant when they told me and my classmates that in college the professors were not going to accept all the excuses and complains we would use. Most excuses in high school were about homework but in college if you do not have your homework the professor will not ask you why you do not have they will simply just give you a zero and not worry about it. In college you make your own choices from how many classes you want to take to whether or not you are in class ready to learn and prepared. My first year of college has gone by so fast maybe its because of the experience and the people I got to meet made it a fun and enjoyable year. Although it was an amazing year it has not been very good because I am struggling with school and work. Many people believe college is all parties and games but in reality it is very stressful if you do not give the necessary time and effort to school. School is the best tool someone can use to become a better person.

Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School

In Chapter 4 of Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School it explains how easy it is for you to fail your class when you fail to manage your time. The first thing every college student should learn is how to make to for school but also they have to make time for themselves. Many students get stressed because all they do is worry about school and their next test or quiz. Sometimes they just need a couple hours off school so they won't stress so much. Every or most professors give their students a syllabus and on that syllabus there is all the information you need to know about that class. It shows you what you will be learning every class and it informs you when there is a quiz or test. It is important that you keep this item safe and you always look at it everyday. I learned that by never looking at this syllabus you can just grow away your time. Sometimes your teachers will expect you to know that you have a quiz next class so they do not tell you and when next class comes you are surprised and fail. I learned how benefit from this syllabus thanks to this chapter. I ignored my syllabus and now I am on the verge of failing one of my classes. I did not think the syllabus was so important, in high school I never had to use it which made me think I would not need it in college too. Every student needs to learn how to manage their time if it is either with work or with friends and school.

In Chapter 5 of Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School by John Langan we learned how to improve our note taking skills. When I was in middle school I would use this method called cornell notes which is almost like the method taught on page 98. I would use this method when my history teacher would tell us we were going to take notes on a very long power point. It made it easier for me to learn what the sides were about. Almost identical to the image on page 98 I would write down questions, comments, or my reactions to the notes I would take. Sometimes I would write down the title of the side so that I could know what my notes were going to be about. But to take notes of course you have to be in class. Missing class is makes it difficult to understand the next time you do decide show up to class. As Chapter 5 illustrates there is some ways you can in a way get by missing one day of class which is by reading the book on the chapter your class is learning. But the professor might not go over the book that day and might decide to do another activity unrelated to that chapter.

Kindness is something every person deserve to experience. I try my best to show and give kindness by showing everyone they matter. Just like those less fortunate than use. If a man with no home, no family, or no place to go asks me for money while I am buying something or while I am stopped I give them either food or if I have money whatever I have to spare. Not only that but I also donate clothes that no longer fit me so that some people may use them. Kindness is something the world deserves to spread more and more each day. It feels good knowing you made someone else warm and not be starving. If you have not yet done any of these things try it and you will see how amazing it feels to see someone else smile and feel special.

          Hey, my name is Garrett Iwamoto, I'm 18 years old and this is my first semester in college. I lived in Westchester, CA for most of my life(near LAX) and moved to Torrance my sophomore year. I attended West Torrance until I graduated last year. I played basketball and baseball when I was younger and played football in high school. I like making videos with my friends and to entertain people. In school, I was a smart kid back in middle school. But once I got into high school, I got kind of lazy and didn't really do the best in school. Because of that, I wasn't able to get the grades that I wanted. Also football took a lot of time from me and I was hard for me to focus after practice.
          In chapter 4, it talks about time management and how you can manage your time better. In the book, it tells you to use your course outline, to keep a monthly calendar, make a "to do" list, and a daily planner. A course outline is syllabus of everything the class is going to do and focus on until the end of the semester. I tells the students what to expect in the near future. A monthly calendar is a way to put the course outline on the calendar to see what is coming up instead of looking at a piece of paper. A "to do" list is a list that helps you organize and manage time. And a daily planner is a little book that you can write things that are due down and can put your course outline into. These are all important and useful tools to help you manage your time better. For me though, I think I used one of these throughout my entire high school career. I used something I like to call, the hand manager. because I was in football, for the most part I only had 5 real classes. I would number each finger as a period, for example, my thumb was first period, my index was second, and etc. What I would do is for each class that I went too, if we had an assignment due, I would put up one of those fingers to remember that I had an assignment in that class. And at the end of the day, I would remember a weird hand gesture that would signify the assignments I had for the day. some days I might have a "shaka" sign or a "rock out" sign or even the "F U" sign. Its weird I know but it worked for me for 2 years. Its surprising that I actually remembered assignments because of it and I still use it today.
           In chapter 5, It talks about note taking in class. In order to take good notes, you want to sit at the front, write your notes in a systematic way, watch for signals of importance, write down examples and connecting information, read your textbook and review your notes. Sitting in the front of the class is a good way of paying attention. There are less things to distract you and you focus on the teacher more.  writing notes in a systematic way means having notes nice and neat. Use regular line paper to write notes and date each note taken. Watch for importance means recognize when information given by the teacher is important. The teacher isn't going to write something on the board for no reason unless they specifically say its not important. Writing down examples, these are important because it shows you a similar problem that is on the assignment or on the test. Reading the textbook is another important task to do. Teachers usually test and give assignments on everything that is in the book. It will help you in the long run. And reviewing your notes. If you write down the notes that you've taken in class for an hour, dont you think its important and might be on the test. Looking at your notes will help you on homework assignments but also help you on tests. For me, I was a great note taker. anything the teacher wrote down, I wrote it in my notebook. It was simple as that. But their were time where the teacher was going too fast and I wasn't fast enough to write it down. Also because they were going fast, my handwriting was very sloppy and even I had some trouble reading my own notes. other than that, I wrote down everything the teacher asked me to take notes on.




This is a short video me and my friends did to represent kindness. The moral of the story is "what goes around, comes around"

A Farther look into Khadijah

Well hello, my name is Khadijah Sheffield and here is a brief introduction of who I am. Well, Khadijah is actually Arabic who was one of the wives of the Prophet Muhummad. I am born and raised right here in Inglewood, Calif., I am the youngest of four girls, and was pretty spoiled growing up. I have always been a cheerful, kindhearted and friendly person. In High School I cheered for a year, as well as involve with other activities. I was never a troubled kid, so my parents really did not have to worry about me being in any sort of trouble. After graduating from High School I jumped right into college, not quite too sure what it was exactly what I wanted to do. This is my first year at El Camino College, but my third year as a college student. Despite my first two years of college not being the best I was determined to continue my education.

One of many things that I have learned from our textbook "Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School" by John Langan happen to be managing your time. Back in High School and even starting my journey into college I was never really good at managing my time very well. Having a planner as well as a daily "to-do" list and even having a monthly calendar has really helped me organized my time much better. I have always been a visual person, so having a daily planner with a monthly calendar along with a "to-do" list has limited a lot stress about getting assignments done before the deadline. Procrastination and cramming things in at the last minute has always been my best friend , up until I have learned how to manage and organize my time. Having a daily planner has to be one of the best thing I could have possibly invest in, it has made things for me that much better.

Another strategy that I have learned from our textbook happens to be taking notes in class. Like many students taking notes in class was a bit impossible, because I would never know what was "important" to write down, or even missed what was said. Watching for signals and reading notes right after class has really helped get a better understanding of the material. I can be a forgetful person at times, so reviewing notes after class really helps keep the material fresh in my mind. Even watching for signals helps, because instead of me trying to write everything down I can look for signals of the more important notes. Watching for signals and reviewing notes after class helps me get a better understanding, and know what exactly to focus on more when I study.



What is kindness to me:

Mariah Correa

Hello, my name is Mariah Correa and I am a freshman at El Camino College. I grew up in Hawthorne, California with my two parents and three siblings. I enjoy photography which actually led me to take an Art 150 class here at El Camino College. Volleyball has always been a sport that interested me. Back in middle school I was on the varsity team for three years straight. I also enjoy reading. One of my favorite books is titled Nobody's Fault. My goal in life is to become a forensic scientist. The road ahead to reaching my goal is long and tough, but I am willing to put in the work. My schooling from preschool to high school consisted of me being in advanced classes. Although, during my junior and senior year I had began to slack off. I chose to participate in other activities rather than focus on my school work. However, seeing my friends succeed in the areas I was not actually pushed me to better myself in school. I knew I was capable of doing so much more. I just needed to put in the work and effort to achieve success. Being in a remedial class during my first year in college has made me reflect on my past mistakes, therefore I will strive to succeed and not fall back on my bad habits. I know now that attending class is crucial to my success.



"Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School" by John Langan has greatly impacted the way I approach school. Chapter 5, Taking Notes in Class, informs us of the importance of attending class. If we do not attend class we will miss key ideas of the course. If we miss those key ideas we will not learn anything. We also learn about recall words which has helped me with my study methods. Recall words are key words or phrases. By using the margin space at the side, or top of each page, I write down a series of key words or phrases that help me remember the important ideas on the page. This has helped me greatly in my Art 150 class as I turn the key words into questions and study off of that.



Chapter 4, Managing Your Time, has taught me the importance of how to use my course outline. At the beginning of the semester our professors will give out course outlines. The course outline is the key to progress and doing well in the course. Chapter 4 encourages us to use a large monthly calendar. In my experience, this has helped me greatly in becoming organized and prepared for class. My calendar reminds me of important dates and due dates for my assignments. It also lets me know when I will be having a test so that I may begin to study.


Every year on Thanksgiving Day my mother and I participate in handing out food to the homeless. We have always contributed by bringing in our homemade tamales. Which we always prepare a day before. I am looking forward to this coming Thanksgiving tradition and giving to others. The feeling of spreading kindness towards those who are less unfortunate is an incredible feeling. I believe many more people should contribute to helping others. Kindness can go a long way if people are willing to spread it amongst themselves.

My name is Julianne Therese Perez-Adamos. I am the youngest child of three in my family of five. I am also the youngest grandchild on both sides of my family, as well as my dad’s step-family’s  side. I belong to a very tight knit family and I absolutely love it. Growing up, my best friends from when I started preschool until the time I graduated were my older siblings and cousins. We were together all of the time. If I did have friends that were not related to me at all, they were considered close family-friends to my family and me. Even throughout school, I had five cousins that were the same age as me, in the same grade, attending the same school. I had eight older cousins who were only 1-3 years older than me, which means we still got to spend time together at every school we attended. It was so much fun; our parent’s say it was a little too much fun. We considered ourselves the pacific islander version of Cheaper by the Dozen. There are so many people in my family and most of the adults in the family are a well known family in the school district. I was known by many faculty and staff members at the schools I attended. This is when I realized at a young age that there are some people who would love to be my friend just because of who I am and who I know. Growing up in Bixby Knolls (a small neighborhood in Long Beach) was extremely fortunate. I went to the top three schools in the city (Longfellow Elementary School, Hughes Middle School, and Long Beach Polytechnic High School) that parents only wish to send their children to. They were remarkable schools and I can honestly say that I enjoyed and fell in love with the programs they had, the staff, and the kids that attended the school too. From a young age, my parents placed me in multiple athletic team sports. It wasn’t until the age of five when I fell in love with the game of softball. I’ve always played on a competitive team throughout the years. Nothing made it more easy and fun knowing that I had a cousin playing with me on my team.

Fast forward to November of 2016. I am now a high school graduate and halfway through my freshman year of college attending El Camino Community College in Torrance, CA. Ideas might be running through your head of, “Community college? That sucks.” or “She must be stupid.” Neither of these options are true. I am an intelligent and talented local student who is trying to continue my education on an extremely affordable financial plan for right now. I plan on getting my AA degree and transferring out to a university on a softball scholarship. Attending a community college is probably the best decision I have ever made in my life. As an elite athlete, of course I had the dreams and ambitions of attending a 4-year university on a scholarship, but things happen. Life kicks in and plans change, but it doesn’t mean I was going to sit on my butt and discontinue my education and feel sorry for myself. It was a pride thing. Once I put my pride aside and realized that a community college was a better decision for me, my eyes opened to see so many new opportunities. With the support from my parents, I am living at home for free. And if you know anything about a student, especially a college student, one of your favorite words to hear is “free.” I am getting the same education, maybe even better, close to home for a significantly cheaper price. Finally, I am enjoying my life and figuring out what I want to do without being rushed.

One of the few strategies that I’ve learned from our textbook, “Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School” by John Langan is time management. Just like many other college students, my schedule is hectic. Between school, softball, work, family, friends, etc. it’s not easy to make time for everything off the top of my head. Outlining and planning have been my best friend since I started reading this book. I can honestly say that it has saved me from so much procrastination, last minute surprises, stress and anxiety. What I never thought writing in a planner and outlining would do for me is be enjoyable. I like sitting down and writing what my plans are, upcoming assignments that are due soon, and what I have to look forward to because I’m thinking ahead. It’s made me a better student, and I would recommend this method to anybody. It makes everything so much more easier.

What is kidness to me?

Hello, my name is Alexa Jaramillo. I was raised in San Pedro, California and I have been living there ever since. I live in a small town where everyone practically knows each other or is related to someone else. Growing up I loved my city since I grew up by the ocean and enjoyed watching the sunrise and the sunset everyday. I currently live with my father, mother, and my two younger siblings who I love to death. In high school I was on the Honor Roll every semester and I played softball all four years which led me to become a leader, be respectful to everyone, and meet my best friends who now have become family. Being the first born, my parents had high expectations for me since they did not have the same support or opportunities growing up. Since they obtained better jobs than their parents they knew they could support me financially in order for me to go to college. I graduated from San Pedro High School and am attending college at El Camino College with a dream of becoming a nurse. I have always been the type of person to lend a hand, always make sure everyone is okay, and be there when someone is hurt. My senior year of high school I took a course called Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) which led me to know about many diseases, perform nursing skills, and being able to actually work with patients and care for them. This semester I am taking a public speaking class that allows us to perform speeches in front of my class. I feel that it would be beneficial to my future career knowing that I will come across all types of people and will make me a better speaker over all.

The knowledge I gained in reading “Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School” by John Langan is the success of a “To Do” list. All of my years of being a student I never kept a calendar or I was never organized in my educational plan or in my activities. I would not write due dates, notes, or important times and places because I told myself I would remember once I got home but reminding myself worked 98% of the time. I would remember in high school where I would be a home as if I had no work to do then one of my friends asking for the homework or me showing up to class and forgetting that I even had homework due. Langan explains that I should start to write all that I need to know on a piece of paper and carry it with me throughout the whole day. He also states that I should prioritize my time management well meaning to focus on the important/hard tasks first rather than the irrelevant tasks. I also should write what to do immediately before I forget and also just in case I forget what I need to do rather than going out with my friends or just sitting at home doing nothing. Now that I learned about this tip I know I will use it more especially in school and I hope others will start to plan out their tasks.

Another thing I learned while reading “Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School” by John Langan is the topic “Why You Must Attend Class” because I feel as if this relates to every student. Now that I am in college it is getting harder and harder to attend class especially if it is an early class. In my case I deal with this everyday because I have 7:45 a.m classes everyday and I have a two hour class everyday after softball practice and all I want to do is go home so it is hard to still attend class. There are many consequences that come with missing class and Langan explains that that the professors may discuss many important topics, due dates, and information and if I am not in class to hear about it then I won't know was going on. For example, I have missed classes in college and when I come back it is hard to catch up or I would have to see them during office hours for any important notes. Also, asking classmates will be even worse because they might not give me the full information or notes of what the professor had said and if they do remember then it will not be the same as if I were in class. Attending class is a must to everyone and being lost in topic will be challenging.

What I believe this quote means is that now a days it is rare to hear someone give people truthful compliments rather than thinking they are being rude in somewhat a nice way. Being kind is such a positive movement and can be spreaded quickly to many people and it can change their moods in an instant. In this book by Langan he states a philosopher who said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle” and I totally agree with this quote because many people go through tough situations but they just do not show it. I have met many of people who are rude right off the bat and I honestly do not like it. Being rude is not going to get anyone no where in life but being kind might have a open door in society. I have also seen people who come off as mean and rude but they are the ones going through something horrible either at home or at school and they just like to spread that negativity to others when that is not the right way to handle situations. As a little kid I was always taught to have manners and respect one another and especially to be kind to everyone just because life is not not always beautiful for some people and once I am kind to someone they will be kind back to me. I hope that everyone you meet you will be kind to them and I will be kind to everyone I come across.

Neyra Acosta

Hello, my name is Neyra Acosta. The name "Neyra" comes from a French origin, and it means "nobility". I actually do consider myself to be a noble person, whenever I come across something that does not belong to me I make sure to return it. Also, whenever I see that someone needs help, I quickly ask them if they need anything, or simply just give them a hand. This is a virtue my mother has taught me since I was a young girl. She always told me "those who show kindness, and are helpful are most likely to be welcomed anywhere". Knowing this while growing up helped me become the person I am today.
On the other hand, I am eighteen years old, and I am currently enrolled at El Camino College. I recently graduated from high school, and I am now adjusting to college. During my first semester of college, I was placed into a "remedial" English class. Realizing that I am considered a "remedial" student has made me much more determined to succeed. By applying strategies to my daily life from Langan's book, it has helped my determination to become a better student.

One of the main strategies that I have been using is managing my time. Managing time is very important, because it helps keep you organized. Keeping control of your time is necessary because this way school, work, and other responsibilities will be completed. In chapter 4, of Langan's book it mentions having a calendar. Which I do indeed have, the reason why I have one is because I am very attached to my family, but I also know that school comes first. Keeping a calendar helps me retrospect on important dates, for example, test dates, and family events.There will be times when I have a test to study for, and that same weekend I have a family event, so knowing that, I study ahead of time. Without a calendar I know I would not be very focused in my studies, nor would I get my assignments done. Before I read this chapter, I did not have a calendar, so I would forget about my assignments that were due, I was not happy with this, because I did not want my grades to start dropping. Another way, that I am organized and I manage my time, is by keeping a to-do list. I find these type of lists very useful because they keep me posted on what I have to do next. I honestly have them everywhere, on my wall, on my phone, and on my laptop. From time to time, I place these notes around my walls, doors, fridge and sometimes my bathroom. The reason I keep these to-do lists is because I lose track of what I have to do next. I also get distracted easily, and I tend to forget things all the time. However, keeping these to-do list or more like post it notes around the house reminds me of what I need to get done. What is better than walking into a room, looking at a wall, or at your electronic devices, and being reminded about your responsibilities that need to be finished. Using these type of techniques, helps me stay updated with my work. 

Another very useful strategy is test taking. Many people cringe at a test that they are not prepared for, I know this because I am one of those persons. I am not going to sit here, and tell you that "I am always prepared for a test", because we all know sometimes we are not. A huge reason for not being prepared is not managing time, which I already talked about, and how you could fix that. A different strategy which you could use is, making flash cards, and even speaking about the test to others. No, I do not mean complain about the test, but actually meet with a couple of friends and talk about the test. I understand that sometimes hearing a certain thing from a different person can catch on, or make more sense to someone else. I am one of these persons, I sometimes get confused when an instructor is speaking, or I get distracted. A way, that I have helped myself is by going over my notes, making flashcards, and asking questions, even if you do not ask the professor. When reviewing for a test, the best strategy to use is to make flashcards. Making flashcards is my to go to, whenever I have a test I find these very helpful. Many people make flashcards, but do not gain anything from them, and that could be because they do not use this studying procedure correctly. The correct way, or at least my way, is to read the cards out loud, and put them in different sections. By putting them in different sections, you will have a stack of those which you do remember, those that you do not, and those which you slightly remember. This method has helped me get A's on my test. These are a few steps given in Langan's book, and they are quit useful as well. I enjoy having these suggestions because it helps me, and it keeps me motivated. 

 Do not be like this Koala, be prepared. 

Kindness to me means doing something for someone who is in need, and doing it because you want to not because you feel forced to. A way, that I show kindness, is by watering my neighbor's plants. She is a much elderly lady, who loves flowers, unfortunately she does not have the strength to water her plants everyday. Doing this for her is how I show kindness. 

 A Friendly Person

     Hello people. My name is Cristan Guevara. I am nineteen years old, and I live in Gardena California. I am an athletic and my favorite sport is soccer. I was born in Guerrero, Mexico and I came to this country with my family to have a better life. I have three older brothers who are respectful and friendly. I live with my two parents that are overregulated, yet also friendly. I am a friendly person that likes to meet new people. I am an outgoing person that likes to explore new places. I am a student at El Camino College in Torrance, California and I also play for the school’s soccer team. During my spare time I run at the park because I’m an active person. I have faced difficulties, but with the help of my tutor and professor I plan to succeed.

     In the book Ten Skills You Really Need to Succeed in School by John Langan there is a lot of advice for college students. The advice I learned from chapter four is the way in how to manage my time. Is important that “successful [students] . . . learn to organize [their] life and control [their] time” (Langan 81). As a student, I had trouble with managing my time in school and at home. I have to organize my time between soccer, family and school to not have a difficult time. Now, I have a calendar that shows what I have to do every day including my homework assignments, activities at home, and studying during spare time. This is helping me a lot by memorizing, and it is also helping me improve in school. Being organized decreases my stress.

     The second advice I learned from chapter six is that it is important to improve the memory by memorizing words. Reading is beneficial because “[m]uch learning involves memorizing the most important ideas” (Langan 105). It is important to read and study because we are capable to learn words that can be used when writing an essay or other papers. When I write in my English class I use vocabulary words that make my essay look flawless because I memorize words that we go through in class. Being able to memorize vocabulary words also has helped me sound more professional when I talk to my friends.

     Being kind to others increases peoples’ levels of happiness. When I was in Mexico, I was walking to the store with not much money, but it was enough to buy food. As I walked inside, I saw an old man that could not afford to buy bread. He seemed worried not being able to purchase what he wanted, leaving what he had on his hands. I felt bad, so I did not think about it and decided to give him the last of my money that I had left for weekend. He thanked me for doing what I had done. The owner of the store was surprised for showing kindness and she looked into my eyes, like saying, “You are a good person.” The old man left with a smile on his face and I felt proud of myself for helping a person that wanted to buy food, probably with the intentions to feed his family. My mother always tells me that it is good to help those that need help because one day when we need support someone else is going to give it to us. Kindness can improve our lives by feeling proud in helping people.

 

 

A Little Bit about Enyawd

Hello World, my name is Enyawd E. Enyawd and talking about myself is not fun or an easy thing to do.  I know you might be thinking what kind of name is Enyawd E. Enyawd right?  Well, I was not born with that name.  It was originally Dwayne Curtis White and I changed my name several years ago.  I am a very shy person when you first meet me, but when the ice is broken, I will talk your ears off.  The first thing I would like you to know about me is where I was born.  I was born in New Orleans, LA., to a teenage mother and no father on the Westbank 15th Ward in Algiers.  I had to grow up fast and learn the ropes of self-defense and protection for me and my little sisters.  I was the man of the house and I had to be a strong male figure at home.  I would love to tell all of you guys that my life got better, but it did not and I am not pissed about it.  Well, I think that would be a dishonor on my part.  I was extremely angry that the man who helped to bring me into this world did not want to take care of his responsibilities in raising me.  But I think I turned out of okay considering all the things that could have happened to young black boy growing up in New Orleans.  The second thing I would like you to know is that I worked really hard in high school because I had a learning disability, but I received a tennis scholarship to Southern University of New Orleans.  I really do love tennis, and I can still play some pretty good tennis.  I also love to teach it and I like to watch it.  Yes, I am a tennis nut, in a good sense.  I can sit and watch tennis all day, on the phone or on YouTube.  The third that I want you to know is that I decided a couple years ago back that if my small manufacturing company did not succeed, I was going back to school.  Well, unfortunately my business did not make it.  I lost a lot of my personal money and accumulated a credit card debt.  But I kept that promise and now I am about to finish my first year at El Camino College in Torrance, CA.  This is something that I am so proud of doing, and I’m hanging in there and learning a lot about myself and my abilities to learn.  

I learned several study skills from one of my books Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed in School by John Langan.  For example, in chapter 4 he talks about managing my time.  It is something that I struggled with and did not really wanted to admit to it because I was good at doing the things that I said I would do, but I did not like to write it down.  Well, I learned a lot from doing just that, writing out my activities down in my dayrunner and following through. Langan says, “A to do list is a written--on paper--of things that need to get done.  It is a very powerful tool for organizing one’s life and making the best use of one’s time” (Langan 78).  Like when you have work, school, and things you have to do around the house having a dayrunner to help you manage it all, simply by writing it down makes your life easier, and you can focus more on the important things at hand.  Another example, chapter 6 “Improving Your Memory and Study Power” is something that I need to follow through on for sure.  I know that memory is remembering and without it you will not get very far.  I need to focus more on memory and study power.  Langan says, “Memorizing is done through repeated self-testing” (Langan 106).  I really need to focus on memory and study power to help me get through college.  For example, writing information down on flash cards, such as vocabulary words or math formulas helps me memorize the information that I am studying to help me score better on exams and to become a better college student.  Finally, life can be great and terrible.  It is all about how we see ourselves in the mirror and ask yourself “is the glass half full or half empty.”  I choose to see it as half full.  I am a strong person and I will never ever quit until my goal(s) are accomplished and I see myself walking across the stage at Stanford University.  I can look at myself as a victim, but why would I allow myself to think that way?  I know what I put out there in the universe is what I will get back in return from the universe.  So I try to put out the positive things, so that positives things will return to me.

English A Project

Hello Everyone! I'm Kris Kenneth Bustamante Chan,20 years old, born in Manila, Philippines. I moved from my country to the United States 3 years ago and it's so awesome to live here! Some interesting facts about me are: I'm very easy to get along with even though for example we just met, I love playing basketball on my free time(I stopped playing for a while due to injuries),the only computer game I play is Defense Of The Ancients 2(DOTA 2) and my number one hobby is sleeping! My schooling in the Philippines from preschool to high school was very effective on who I am now. I'm always in an honor's class and always in the honor role and top 10 of my class till my junior year(we don't have K-12 back then).And then when I was in my senior year,I enjoyed it but I was removed from the honor role. I had too much fun and lost focus on my studies. That disappointing experience helped me grow and improve. Ever since I learned my lesson, I don't want to be disappointed to myself again. When I moved here to the United States, I want a change to myself, but I stopped going to school for 3 years because I want to save for a better education. After 3 years, I finally decided to enroll here in El Camino College and I'm majoring in Nursing. Going back to school helped me gain back a lot of stuff that I kind of lost due to my 3 years of absence and at the same time will help me achieve my dreams and goals in life. My journey in life and in school were very effective to who I am right now. Having positive attitude and never giving up helped me to improve myself, and always going the extra mile for whatever step I will take for a successful career as a student and as a future nurse! I always appreciate not just the good things but also the bad things that happened to me, that's why I keep on improving. Whenever I fall, I get back up, and whenever I fail, I always find a way to achieve it the next time and at the same time, hard work will always pay off, and there's always room for chances and improvement!

Me at LACMA

Since I mentioned I love playing basketball, say hello to my favorite team and the 2016 NBA Champions, The Cleveland Cavaliers! Led by LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love!

The only computer game I play in my whole life

First of all, time is really important especially when we're going to school. I always do my best to manage my time wisely because aside from going to my classes here in El Camino College every Monday and Wednesday, I also work 5 days at the same time. To be general, I'm fully booked 7 days every week. What I do is I make a list on my notebook on what homework,or tests that are coming up and do it in advance or study in advance even though it's due let's say a month from now or we'll have it next month. I hate rushing, and I'm always busy that's why I do everything little by little so that at the same time I can chill too. Also, before going to class I always go to school at least an hour early and stop by to the library so that I can read in advance and check if all of my homeworks or if I complete the stuff that I have to finish. It's really effective! Whenever I manage my time wisely,I will not just finish everything on time but will also give me peace of mind and a lot of time to relax,go out with friends too. Never reason out that we never had the time to do it or submit it, remember we always have a choice. But inappropriate choices will result to worst consequences you can never imagine.

Second of all, when we help ourselves improve our memory and study power, success in school will not be impossible. I improved my memory and study power through familiarizing key words instead of memorizing the whole thing. For example, there's like 3 to 4 sentences, instead of memorizing it I will remember 2 to 3 words from those sentences so that when I have to take an exam about it all I have to do is look for the key words I familiarized with and I can easily get the answer correctly. Success in school is all about self techniques, we always have to look for ways to make our life easier before a quiz or exam. I made techniques on my own so that it will be easy for me to pass a class, and at the same time will give me a lot of advantages to. School is all about homeworks, projects, essay, reflections, research papers, etc. All of us are gifted, and we shouldn't waste that gift. Be productive and smart on things you know would help you in the future or in school. Never forget that having techniques are not a form of laziness, but a smart way to be improvised to help ourselves be successful students and create an awesome generation!

Lastly, my idea of kindness is my brother's help to me by having me stay in his house while I'm studying and working at the same time. In return to his kindness, big help and support, I help him and his wife babysit their 2 daughters (a 10 year old and a 6 year old) every weekend and on holidays too. I volunteered to babysit the kids because I want to lessen their worries on who's going to look on them, plus it's not hard to take care of them because they are always busy playing and doing their homework. Also, in addition to help them out I always make the house clean. I always wash dishes, sweep the entire house, sort out the thrash, etc. To me, giving them a hand on these simple stuffs makes me happy and whenever I hear "Thank you" or "We always appreciate you helping us maintaining the house clean and watching our kids", even my ears are clapping with joy. I want to be an example to everyone that life is a cycle of give and take. We will not just take, take and take, let's always give something in return to the kindness others will give us. Remember, we receive, we give, and we give, we receive.

Me with my two nieces Angel and Ashley(Babysitting them)



Me with my brother and my 2 nieces celebrating my 20th birthday