"It's what I do that defines me."

My father works as a financial systems specialist in the McGraw-Hill company. While he basically is the image of "an office worker in a cubicle working for coporate America," he has defined himself in ways that do not include his job. For instance, though he is an office worker, his skills as a guitarist and woodworker (both of which he does in his free time) can also be recognized by friends and family. In the case of someone like my father, work is just a part of his or her personality, not the majority of it.

However, some individuals have based their entire lives around their work. For example, without the success of the Harry Potter series, I doubt anyone would be able to recognize J. K. Rowling's name. The individuals who have made a name for themselves often have done so because of the success of their jobs. It is impossible to tell if work will define a person, but if it is the thing that brings the individual success, his job is almost guarenteed to be his new identity.

When working class America becomes a joke

     Lately, Television shows centered around work tend to be dramas, focusing on the struggles that the job brings.  Yet there once was a period where these sorts of shows were shown in a comedic fashion or a sitcom.  The lighter mood of shows centered around work might have been used for an escapist approach or to just purely satirize the nature of the work world.  Back in that decade, no show could satirize the conditions of the work world while remaining appropriate for all viewers other than SpongeBob Squarepants.

     Like many other 90s sitcoms, SpongeBob doesn't paint the work world with dark, dreary undertones.  The "workforce" of the show is a fast food joint called The Krusty Krab, and only consists of three staff members: Mr. Krabs, the boss, Squidward, the cashier, and SpongeBob, the fry cook.  SpongeBob, because of his childish nature, isn't the best representation of an employee in the modern workforce; he is endlessly loyal to his job, even if the work conditions are putrid.  Squidward and Mr. Krabs better reflect the current work world that many people can relate to.  Squidward is the apathetic employee who drags his way through the monotony of his job.  Mr. Krabs, amidst his goofy character design and "pirate-talk," is the boss most employees fear: a scrooge who could care less about meeting the needs of the employees and only cares for money.  Many TV shows, movies, and books look at an unpleasant work environment with a grim, hopeless eye; at least with SpongeBob, the viewer can manage a laugh at the ridiculous and irony.    

Time waits for no one

Time is a fickle force.  When a person is eager to get out of class, time purposefully drags on, almost as if to exaggerate the dullness of the experience.  Yet when a person has too much time on his hands, if he spends it poorly, it can slip by him in an instant.  The latter statement is, unfortunately, one that some college students may encounter on a regular basis, myself included.

There are times where I am more than happy to repeatedly put off homework, but there are also times when I sit down and can't pull myself away from the schoolwork.  My current problem is that it has been tricky at times to sit myself down and plug away.

Hopefully, my successful learning strategies class will assist me with my time management troubles by offering advice or techniques that I can put to good use.  However, the only way I can truly handle this concern is to actually channel my mindset to focus on the task at hand.  Managing time is a motivational skill in my opinion, and knowing when to block off the distractions is the key I need.   

Learning style

The learning style inventory, like many inventories, provided mixed results.  Some of the results I knew were inevitable; for instance, I knew the test would indicate I'm an independent learner because, in terms of schoolwork, I perform best when working alone.  The results also indicated that my reactions to work and learning tend to be more rational rather than emotion based, which is also a true statement about myself.

The results for my pragmatic versus creative approach are harder to comment on.  I am naturally someone who needs a black and white approach when learning something new.  For instance, when I first learned algebra, I was taught "baby algebra;" while this was supposed to be an effective method for easing newcomers into algebra, I found that when I was introduced to algebra via traditional teachings, I understood the material better.  

Yet I also have a side of me that very much loves creativity, which could be the reason why the results said I am not pragmatic.  

Reading Rainbow

     Whenever I read, the results are always mixed.  At times, the words will flow naturally and strike a chord with me.  For instance, I read a book this summer that some consider a challenging read, "The Color Purple."  While it was difficult to understand at times, the words felt so real and so powerful that the flow of the story drew me in.  Other times, I'll read what I percieve as fragments of mish-mashed sentences that have little to no impact.  I had the aforementioned experience while reading Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter."  Though I was draw into the story on occasion, the words and sentences flowed in a way with which I couldn't connect, which meant it was more of a struggle for me the finish the novel.  Tough no one can ever predict when a novel will draw him in and when it will not, I believe that when I can not easily grasp the words of a novel, I feel as if I am almost blocked from the bare story itself.   

     When I can't fully delve into a story, my ability to read it becomes erratic.  At times, even though my eyes have captured all the words of a sentence and sent the words to my brain, the sentence will appear as an incomprehensible string of words and letter.  Other times, I'll pick up on the irrelevant details while missing out on the bigger picture.  I don't know if I can attribute this to the fact that I prefer to write rather than read, but I will try to process a read I don't enjoy the same way I process a good read for the sake of college work.  

A brutal honesty

Q: What do you expect of yourself here at Stockton?

A: Before I state what I expect of myself here at Stockton, I have something I have to get out in the open.  I'm not a neuro-typical person, or dare I say, "normal."  I have ADHD AND Asperger's Syndrome (a neurological difference that can make socializing difficult).  Anyone who reads this will probably think: "That has nothing to do with the question."  In my case, it has EVERYTHING to do with the question.  

     At this school, I was never once told by faculty and counselors: "We'll try our best to help you with the transition to college."  They told me: "We will do all we can to help you with the transition to college."  The transition is hard for everyone, but because of my differences, I thought the transition would be even harder for me.  Even before I came here, everyone I met seemed to prove my notion wrong.  Everyone was encouraging and never once made me feel doubtful of myself.  

     So with all of this encouragement from faculty, counselors, and the friends I will make, I expect myself to utilize the support of everyone to the fullest so I can excel here at Stockton.  I expect to never doubt myself, because no one else will let me do so, despite what makes me a bit different.