Into the Arts

As a student in ENGL 15, or in other words, Shakespeare, the Naked Shakes version of Macbeth was an event of great interest for me. Ever since the 8th grade, I've loved the work of Shakespeare and always felt content reading or watching plays in many different settings. It was great seeing phenomenal actresses play the masculine roles of Macduff, Banquo, Malcolm and many others. The director of the production, Irwin Appel, had a very interesting and original interpretation of the play. In the play written by Shakespeare, there are three "wyrd sisters" or witches who did the spells and interacted with the characters. Appel's production included a company of actors saying the lines and made the production unique and definitely captured my attention with the eery feeling it left on the stage. Regardless of Irwin's genius directing skills, the college advice from INT lecture earlier this week  he gave stuck with me as well. He specifically said to take the one college class that you never thought you would take and explore with it - the electives are sometimes the ones that inspire us the most. His second piece of advice was to go live in New York City for a while to gain a different perspective on life. And finally, his last piece of advice was to find a time in your life where you live as a gypsy and truly capture the romance of living on the road.

My favorite production of Macbeth! 

Activities 2-4

Even though I wasn't able to attend Zack's office hours, I made the effort to go to both my Shakespeare and Sociology office hours. For Shakespeare, I essentially went to visit the professor with questions about our essays (which is a bulk of our grade) and different concepts/themes we would read from the plays. The first time I went to both of the office hours, I wanted to introduce myself as an eager first year student who was ready to get an A in the class and be passionate about the subjects - but really! I genuinely love Shakespeare and the masterpieces he created - from his plays to his sonnets. As of now, I'm a pre-Sociology major so diving into the subject really helped me see if I wanted to pursue it as a major. Regardless of how easy or hard the material was that day, I tried to go at least once a week to each of the office hours. Not only did I develop personal connections with my professors but I was able to clarify concepts and figure out different methods of going about studying or taking notes during lecture with tips from my professors and TA's.

On August 19th, I attended my first CLAS workshop called Writing Papers. Coming from a college preparatory high school, I felt I was already very prepared writing college leveled papers. However, once I was assigned my first paper, I wanted to seek out all of the possible resources I had around me in order to do the best I could on the paper. The instructor, Paul, was pretty entertaining and rather sassy. He straight up asked anyone if they just attended the workshop so they could get class credit - one girl raised her hand and he said "Well, this is insulting", signed the paper, and told her to basically beat it. But hey! It's encouraging to see how he only wants to guide students that are motivated themselves. Moving on to the actual presentation later on, he used a Prezi to go through the important steps of writing and brainstorming. Even though the advice was a bit elementary for my level of writing, I was informed about the writing lab and how we could get our essays checked out by grad students and get some really awesome input. I'm really glad I went to the workshop - the perks of being a resourceful college student.

Just about three weeks ago, I attended one of the Health & Wellness presentations about the Science of Happiness. One of the health advisors introduced himself and created an interactive Prezi that helped organize the different steps and ways of becoming happier in and about life. At first, he showed a Ted Talk hosted by a professor from Harvard who developed actual science experiments in order to measure happiness from one person to another. His theory encompassed different methods in order to become happier: writing down what you're grateful for every day to writing a hand written letter to someone you haven't kept touch with for a while that use to be somewhat of a significant other. Not only did the advisor teach about the science of happiness but he also demonstrated  how we could avoid the stress of college. Although some of the methods seem a little too tedious for my taste, I know other ways to make and keep myself content. But I have every reason to be happy anyway since I'm at UCSB :)

Activity #1 - Rec Cen and Adventure Program Presentation

Part of the college experience is getting involved on campus. Being a high school athlete and a sports-lover since childhood, the Rec Cen was going to be my second home away from my dorm. When I came for orientation earlier in the summer, I took the tour of the Rec Cen and attended the same exact presentation about the Adventure Program and Intramurals and everything the Rec Cen has to offer – from sport positions to jobs. Going to the presentation for a second time during FSSP made me even more excited about not only hiking and kayaking with my peers but also working at the Rec Cen. I’ve had previous experience working at the gym of a country club back at home so working in the gym at the Rec Cen would be too perfect and familiar for me! Not only did the presentation remind me of my passion for sports and the outdoors, but also because it was scheduled in the first week of FSSP, I met a ton of kids who also had the same love for sports and the outdoors. Through icebreakers and even small side talks about how excited we are about getting equipment for hiking made me realize that anyone at UCSB can pursue their passion not only by studying a major of their interest but also getting involved in a club. I can’t wait to really dip my feet into the great amenities offered by the Rec Cen. Let’s hope you see me working in the gym this year!

Critically Thinking Takes Hard Work

Having intellectual independence. Asking questions. Being a skeptic.

These are just few of the qualities any critical thinker attains. The undergraduate dean and my favorite speaker thus far, Dr. Lubach, gave some advice that I know will truly stick with me for the next four years and in the future. Sure, he was a captivating speaker, but he was essentially trying to water the seed that all UCSB students have been planted with. We are all smart and talented; that’s a given. However, to stand out as an individual in this high-performance research institution, we must expand our minds down either end of the spectrum. Whether we want to study botany or become a master of the saxophone, if we ask questions and doubt the facts/truth, we’ve already made the first step in growing to be efficient critical thinkers. I loved his final note about having true balance in all aspects of our Gaucho life – ultimately, we have to work hard and play hard. It was inspiring and motivating for me to see current UCSB students and alumni being the ones that are asking questions, being skeptics, and declaring intellectual independence in our world today.

On Friday’s visit to the library, I learned about the hidden gems the library and its resources have to offer. I was surprised to hear about all the books, articles, and even music records we have at the tips of our fingers. Having subject and course searches online along with a 24 hour help service by a librarian make finding certain resources easier and more reliable because it efficiently narrows down the searches.  All in all, the visit made me feel more comfortable with my future in research and more confident in my school’s resources. 

Definitely wish our UCSB library catalog was this helpful!

Why Plagiarize?

As college students, there are many assumptions we make about what is and isn’t acceptable when turning in your work with the potential of it being plagiarized. Many people have gone through different experiences with plagiarism whether or not they’ve committed it themselves; so either way, it’s a pretty relatable subject for all college students. These two articles we were asked to read were very thorough and made cohesive arguments about how to avoid plagiarism even if it is not your intention. One section that drew my attention in “What is Plagiarism?” was the idea of having your roommate write, or at least help out, with a piece of work. In fact, last week, I had a paper due for Shakespeare and wanted one of my hall mates to read over it as another pair of eyes. As the master of the paper, I made sure that she was indicating her edits with a different color font and wasn’t searching for any other sources. It was my job to control the essay while letting her use her perspective on the paper. It’s definitely an essential as a college student to actually understand WHAT plagiarism is and HOW to avoid it correctly. Especially going to a high-performance research institution, citing your work (from quotes in a book to short footnotes in an article) should be done efficiently. Just a tip for everyone citing their work as they start writing research papers: don’t wait until 4am the morning your paper is due to write your works cited/bibliography page! Chances are you may forget a couple of websites or articles that you came across, and you’ll definitely get docked points. As you research each day, make sure you create a works cited page as you write your essay.

From the Library to Career & Counseling

To be quite honest, the librarian’s life story was more intriguing than the actual structure of the library. Who lives in different parts of England every other year in their childhood?! I sure wish I could do that.   I want to be able to wake up one morning, go on a run by the Santa Barbara coast, and finally arrive to a revelation of what I want to do for the rest of my life. It wasn’t anything random either – she had surrounded her life around books since she was a little girl. For her, it seems like reading was an underlying passion that was became a conditioned routine in her life – she didn’t even realize how much reading and the art of literature was integrated in her life.

Going to the career counseling office truly instilled in me a great happiness about going to UCSB. Even though there are so many stereotypes about going to a big public school and how a student doesn’t get enough attention – SO NOT TRUE! There are so many resources just in this office that made me feel so much more comfortable with my decision to go to UCSB and my future to come. They provided flyers on almost every major and the popular career choices students make when graduating with that major. What I also loved was that the advisor gave each of us a career manual that listed information ranging from how to write resumes to interviewing for jobs. Not only did I learn about the great opportunities I have to get jobs or internships through Gaucholink but I also learned about what awesome of a school I go to – DUH! 

Diving In

As a college student, there are many responsibilities we are asked to stand by in the next four years: to study efficiently, get involved on campus, thoroughly use your common sense, and HAVE FUN! With all these responsibilities and commitments comes along stress. However, a great institution like UCSB offers many programs, seminars, and workshops in order to beat the college stress. Being resourceful college students means taking advantage of all the opportunities that graciously help use become better students. Even if we may be taking an extremely easy class, office hours only enhance our relationship with our professor and further develop our understanding of concepts from the class. Using the CLAS workshops help to improve study skills and may give us insight on different ways to proceed with time management, tests or writing papers.  Taking the extra mile in all aspects of our college lives will pay off in the long run.

I'm the type of person that is very comfortable with meeting new people. As I write this from the laundry room, I've already introduced myself to three different people. These past two weeks, I've become more and more eager to meet new people wherever and whenever! From parties on the weekends to small discussion sections, it feels good to be able to build my life at UCSB knowing that I can be as open as I let myself be. At the Academics Fair, I wanted to familiarize myself with some of the key players in each of the majors that I was interested in: Economics, Political Science and Sociology. In a short 20 minutes that I had to spare, I found out that I could achieve graduation in four years as a double major in either of the subjects AND study abroad both in the Poli Sci UCDC program and EAP. It opened my eyes to the different routes I can take in the next four years and how there are so many people that I can reach out to for guidance.

Last time we met for INT 95 section, Zack took us to the SRB (Student Resource Building), and our job was to search for about five things that we found interesting. I walked right in and found that the directory was right in front of me. How convenient! As a first year and barely knowing my way around the campus, having the directory to such a resourceful building is extremely helpful. What I also love about the building is the overall setup: all the doors are open for the various departments. Right by the EOP office was a Soles 4 Souls Donation box which was awesome. It's great to know that there's always a community service opportunity available. There was also an OSL flyer that was titled, "What Do I Do If A Student..."which listed different situations in which a UCSB student would encounter and gave them resources to reach out to. Now I know where to call if I have test anxiety or someone close to me expresses financial difficulties. As I walked out of the building, I spotted a small gay pride flag hanging right by the info desk. It made my realize how fortunate I am to go to such an open-minded and accepting institution. In total, I really couldn't see myself anywhere but UCSB.

GO GAUCHOS!

Let Me Introduce Myself

Well, hello! *virtual, firm handshake along with a luminous smile* I'm Ava Rezai. No, it’s not the popular “Ayyyy-va” pronunciation but rather, “Awwww-va” like avocado. I’m a first year student at UC Santa Barbara originally from Tarzana, which is part of the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. As a proud Iranian-American with a relatively large immediate family, I spend tons of time eating Persian cuisine and hanging out with first and second cousins. I venture out in the world as an avid concert-goer and tea addict while eating fro-yo and acai bowls with my roommate, Natalie. Along with that, I dedicated my entire middle & high school career in building programs and volunteering for the Alzheimer's Association, a cause that's close to my heart due to my grandfather's diagnosis six years ago. 

Welcome to my blog, specifically dedicated to my upcoming experience in FSSP, or the Freshman Summer Start Program at UCSB. Throughout my blogs in the next weeks, you'll catch more of a glimpse of who I am, where I come from and how I see the world.

Walk to End Alzheimer's in Los Angeles, November 2013 

My current aspirations as a first year college student revolve around truly discovering what I want out of life. I’ve grown to know the person I am, day by day, and realized that my future career will include working for and with others towards a goal – big or small. Working for the United Nations has been part of “the plan” since I was a junior in high school, when I first studied about the function and purpose of the UN. I began doing more research and communicated with plenty of executives with various backgrounds in the UN – from biology to economics.  As of now, my major is Sociology but I hope to incorporate Economics with a minor in Global Studies – that’s if it’s even possible to graduate in four years with a vision like that!