Growth Mindset

Hello there!
Carol Dweck and her idea on growth mindset is not actually new to me! Last semester in my math class I was given some assignments about researching her and the growth mindset topic. I found it interesting as I am definitely in the fixed mindset, I have been ever since I can remember. My parents still bring up to this day a time when my kindergarten teacher called them and set up a meeting. In this meeting my teacher expressed concern because whenever I was given instruction I would say without hesitation, "I can't". I would not even try to accomplish whatever the task was, I would just sit at my desk and say that I couldn't do it. In this specific instance it was that I could cut out a circle with a pair of scissors.

What I imagine I looked like attempting to cut a circle Source

Knowing this I have really had to push myself to not get frustrated when I had to do a new challenging task. I have always struggled with math and would go into the classes just hoping for a C. I would spend hours getting so mad to the point of tears when I couldn't figure a problem out. I did not enjoy the challenge and instead I feared it. To this day I have to force myself to go into my classes with a positive outlook and to not start out with a negative opinion. Freshman year at OU I had difficulty getting the motivation to work on my classes and studying because I "didn't care" about the material and thought why should I do it if I am not interested in it? It has taken me a lot of discipline and time management skills, but I have come along was from not studying to multiple 4.0's. This semester I hope to achieve another 4.0 along with being better overall about being excited to learn! Being the second semester of senior year I have a hard time keeping up my motivation! I know I can do it though and make the best out of this semester!
-Molly

Time Strategies

Stressful Source

Good Afternoon!
Hope everyone has had a great Sunday so far! I read a few time management articles although being as my major is Psychology the article "The Psychology of Checklists" caught my attention. It is actually funny because I make to-do lists so often that my mom actually got me fancy to-do lists for Christmas! I love the feeling of being able to cross the items off and the satisfaction of watching the list get shorter! I do not take many online classes so I know that managing my time to get my assignments done will be the most difficult part for me. I also read “How to Beat Procrastination” as I have a tendency to procrastinate, I mean I’m doing this on Sunday afternoon! I hope to work on that and have scheduled to do my assignments on the beginning of the week in order to help combat my procrastination.
-Molly 

Reading Options

 Hello all!
For my first story and out of the week 2 units I have chosen to read Ovid's Metamorphoses. I have always been interested in Greek mythology and while this is from the Ancient Rome section I think it will be very educational in Greek mythology. I can't wait to start writing these stories in my own point of view and using my own characters!

Neptune Source

The Alaskan Legends Unit looks interesting as I almost moved there back in 7th grade and I would love to know more about what I almost moved to. I think that looking at the connections between Native Americans and the Native Alaskans will be fun to look at too. I do not know much about Alaska and it's roots and am excited to learn!

Lastly, I think Indian Fairy Tales  will be interesting as who doesn't love a good fairy tale!? Plus I used the crystal ball "game" and it told me Indian Fairy Tales! So I figure that it must be a sign as I was already thinking that it would be a fun one to write a story about!

I already can't wait to start writing!
-Molly

Storybook Favorites

Good Afternoon!

Here are 3 storybooks that I found myself laughing out loud at! Hope you do too!

The Diary of a Dog

This storybook is my personal favorite as it includes my 2 favorite things, dogs and humor! I thought the topic was clever as she told a stories, the first one being about selfishness, using her dog's point of view. I know I would have so much fun writing through my dog's perspective and all of her stories include fun and relating pictures of her dog! The introduction explained well what the blog was about and was easy to navigate. The homepage is just a picture of Emily, the writer which was sort of confusing for me at first, but I quickly figured it out!

The Villians' Side

This storybook is fun as I am a proud Slytherin and love to think what the other side of the "hero's" story is. I have always been told there are 3 sides to every story: side 1, side 2, and the truth. Knowing this I like to play devil's advocate in many situations and try to hear every side. The introduction was well organized and took the reader step by step through the story and what they are about which was nice. The homepage is a intense looking wolf which I really enjoyed as it set the tone.

The welcoming wolf Source

College of the Elite

This storybook took a different approach as it was set in the scene of high school...which as we all know can be a very interesting place. Except for the students are all mythological creatures! I could honestly see this topic and idea as a book series which I think would be so fun! The introduction is easy to understand as it gives a short introduction to all of the students and the background of them. I found myself reading more than one story just for fun!

Introduction to a Mind Reader

Personal photo (2016)

Hi there!


My name is Molly Garner and I am a senior here at The University of Oklahoma. I have 2 older brothers, Matt and Drew. Matt is a graduate student at Wichita State in Kansas and Drew is an OU alum working in OKC! I am utterly obsessed with my dog Jake and look forward to seeing him whenever I get to go back home to Denver, Colorado! Well, it's sorta home...my parents live there, but they moved there my freshman year of college so I don't actually know anyone there. I am originally from Katy (a town right outside of Houston.) I have a boyfriend who is currently serving in the Marine Corps as a special forces infantryman, and stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego! My lucky number is 13, which I know is supposed to be “bad”, I guess I just like being different! I am a psychology major and plan on getting my masters in occupational therapy. I have always loved mythology and the Greek Gods ever since I was a kid and hope to expand my knowledge through this class! One class I took last semester that I really enjoyed was my anatomy class. It was an immense amount of work, but I love that I now know how and why we can move and work like we do! This summer I am going to study abroad in Scotland and I am so excited as I love to travel but have not had many opportunities to do it internationally. I went on a mission trip to Haiti my freshman year and I fell in love with helping others and traveling. I have since been able to travel to Canada and Mexico, but I look forward to traveling to Europe and getting to explore all that it has to offer. I will add more as I think of things about me worth telling!

Week 1 Story: Not So Foolish Mice

From left to right: Tim, Slim, Me (Jim) Source:Flickr

         Sup, I’m Jim, and I am a farm mice with lots of siblings, however 2 stand out among the rest. Tim and Slim (he’s small for his age) are my brothers and hands down the best of buds. When we were born we narrowly escaped a mousetrap, and as a result we lost our eyesight. Honestly, it’s a pretty sensitive subject and we don’t talk about it much. Now that we are all clear on this let me tell you how my bros and me were BRUTALLY ASSAULTED.

    It all started when the bros and I were out minding our own business relaxing in the hot tub. You see when it rains, the water gathers in a pail that gets warmed up by the heat of the chimney. Did I mention this spa is on the roof? Anyways, being as we can’t see how were we supposed to know we weren’t actually in a hot tub and were mistakenly in a dirty dish in the sink?! I mean come on its an honest mistake. Just because music was playing and it smelled like an apple pie in the heat box doesn’t mean we should have known! So the farmer’s wife ran in on us, who was way rude by the way, and she screamed and grabbed a knife! A KNIFE. All she had to do was politely ask us to leave but no, she had to escalate the situation. Now I can’t speak for my brothers, but I would feel comfortable in saying that our treatment that day was totally uncalled for. Not to get into the details, but she grabbed that knife and now we are not only blind, but also tail-less. So being the strong, tough, noble mice that we are we pulled ourselves together and ran after her!

    You may have heard in the tabloids that we were considered “fools” for this. However, I’m still alive to recount this story so who’s the real fool? I’ll tell you who, THE LADY RUNNING WITH THE KNIFE.

Now don’t get too worried she didn’t die or nothing, there was just a “tragic” fall and the farmer’s wife was injured to the point where working and maintaining a farm was no longer possible and they moved to the city. Now Tim, Slim, and I are praised around the farm as we run this place. So kids, there you have it, the tabloids had it wrong all these years and I wouldn’t believe everything you hear. Except for this. Believe this. 

Authors note: This story is loosely based off of the nursery rhyme, "Three Blind Mice", where 3 blind mice have their tails cut off and chase after the farmers wife, who had cut them off. The nursery rhyme calls them fools for this and the rhyme is repeated.

Bibliography. "Three Blind Mice"  from The Nursery Rhyme Book by Andrew Lang. Source

My favorite place: Disney World

Disney World in Orlando Florida shot by Aanjhan Ranganathan. Source: Flickr

My all-time favorite place is Disney World in Orlando, Florida. I had gone twice in my life before college and thought it was cool, but I did not fall in love with Disney until I actually went my junior year of college. I decided to visit a friend who was interning there and getting to see all of the backstage hidden secrets was so cool! I got to meet the princesses who she knew personally and many of the rides we got to skip the lines. It was so much fun we actually decided to go again last semester, not even a year apart. We explored the Disney Food and Wine Festival where we got to taste many dishes and drinks from all around the world. I cannot wait to go back and experience everything else Disney has to offer as every time I go I discover something new!