I had always considered myself to be given an incredible ability to understand math. Where other kids would struggle, I would excel. My confidence of my mathematical abilities soared, and I thought that nothing could bring it down. That was before I met Calculus.
In my junior year of high school, I had decided to take my first year of Calculus, with the expectation that it was going to be a “piece of cake” or a “walk in the park.” I thought it was going to be as easy as singing the ABCs or counting to ten. It wasn’t. Let’s just say that Calculus and I got along as well as Batman and the Joker. In other words, we were worst enemies.
I always dreaded going to that class, and every time I walked inside, I wanted to turn back around and go home. I didn’t want to suffer through the embarrassment of getting another question wrong, or the agony of everyone stating how easy the class was while I thought it was the equivalent to rocket science. My grade in that class fell, as well as my confidence in my mathematical abilities. No matter how many hours I put towards studying, it always felt like I was more confused than I was when I first started out.
I couldn’t believe that I was going to let Calculus beat me, but I couldn’t let that happen.
As the old saying goes, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” So, I guess you could assume that Calculus and I would be spending an unfortunately large amount of time together.
I continued to study, even when I had mountains of homework from other classes, or even when I was running on four hours of sleep and a large cup of Starbucks coffee. Slowly, but surely, I felt my efforts pay off when I got my first “A” (of many) on a Calculus test. I was overjoyed. I ended up finishing up the school year with a “B” in the class, and I was proud of myself.
FAQ Page
What types of jobs can an Economics major achieve after college?
Jobs for an Economics major include professional economist careers, banking, accounting, business and financial consultancy, actuarial and data analysis, etc.
What forms of transportation can be used to get to classes on a college campus?
There are many different forms of transportation to get around a college campus, which include by car, public transportation, college transportation, bicycling, and, hard to believe, walking.
Approximately how much can an economist make per year?
Annual salary of an economist ultimately depends upon which form of an economist he or she is. Economists working for the federal government earn approximately $114,600 per year, while the average economist earns approximately $109,230 per year.
What types of clubs are available on the college campus?
Clubs are widely available on a college campus and are included in the categories of academic and honor societies, cultural and political groups, governing bodies, performing and visual arts, publications and media, religious and spiritual groups, service and social action, social events and organizations, and sports clubs. But, every college campus is different and can have different variations of clubs.
What forms of financial aid are offered for college students?
The four major types of financial aid that are offered can come from the federal government, the student’s state, the student’s college, and a nonprofit or private organization.
Source: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types
What options are available after college?
There are many things that you can do after college, and the options depend on you as a person. Read through a list at the source listed.
My parents never went to college and they have always regretted that choice. They have always pushed my brother and I to continue into college in order to achieve a better education and a better career in the future. So, it was always known that I was going to go to college. I really want to get into UC Davis, since it is my dream school. From my college experience, I want to make lifelong friends and get the career of my dreams.
Reasons why I am ready for the next stage of my life:
I want to be independent.
I want to experience all of the memories that college creates.
I want to move on into my dream job.
I want to get a better education.
I want to focus on taking classes towards my major, not on classes I don’t need.
List of twenty words:
Inspiring
Motivated
Determined
Dependable
Responsible
Hard worker
Strong
Kind
Leader
Trustworthy
Analytical
Enterprising
Intellectual
Innovative
Creative
Inner beauty
Thoughtful
Enthusiastic
Eloquent
Poised
Quick Write #2
I have always considered myself to be given an amazing ability to do math. I always excelled in it and understood everything perfectly. So, that is why I was so shocked when I did not excel in Calculus. In my junior year of high school, I had decided to take my first year of Calculus and thought it would be easy. It wasn’t. Calculus and I got along as well as Batman and the Joker. In other words, we were worst enemies. It always felt like the teacher was speaking a different language and I could never keep up. I always dreaded going to that class. I didn’t want to suffer through the embarrassment of getting another question wrong or the agony of everyone saying “this is so easy,” while I thought it was the equivalent to rocket science. I wanted to quit and drio out of that class. I had given up and I was ashamed. But, I realized that I couldn’t give up; it wasn’t in my nature to give up this easily. I had always excelled in math, and I knew that somewhere deep inside of me, I could conquer Calculus. I spent most of my time trying to catch up in Calculus, and it was very hard. I had to push myself to study, even if I didn’t want to. Eventually, all of my hard work paid off when I ended up with a “B” in that class. Even though I had originally failed and wanted to give up, I knew that I shouldn’t and couldn’t do it. From my original failure, I picked myself up and taught myself that I should never give up, no matter how hard something is.
Quick Write #3
To whom this may concern, I feel that I am extremely prepared for the next stage of my life. I am an extremely independent person (as I have always been), and I feel as though I can provide and work for myself. I am excited to pursue my own hopes and dreams with my permission only, and I don’t have to follow what other people tell me to do. It is my dream to make my own life for myself and I hope to pursue this dream after I move to the next stage of my life. Thank you for listening.
Jenna
Score: 45/50
Animal Bill of Rights
Humans Are Animals Too
Cows are crowded into crowded spaces, simply waiting to be slaughtered. An innocent dog is yet again mistreated by its owner, but can’t do anything about it. Another animal dies from harsh testing on them in laboratories, just so someone can have a beauty product. These forms of abuse are an everyday occurrence to animals everywhere.
While some people believe that animals should not be given rights because they are not similar to humans, it is apparent that animals should be given rights.
The assumption that animals do not have feelings nor intelligence is widespread, but it is incorrect. Animals have been observed for hundreds of years, and the ideal that animals do have feelings is apparent. In terms of animal intelligence, a gorilla located in Northern California at the Gorilla Foundation “was taught sign language and has mastered more than 1,000 signs and understands several thousand English words” (Rifkin). From personal experience, I understand the intellectual side of the canine species. My dog has the ability to understand what key words like “walk” and “food” mean and how to do tricks such as sitting, lying down, and shaking hands. It is evident that my dog and the gorilla in Northern California have the ability to comprehend words and actions that are said/done. In some cases, animals have a greater sense of intelligence than humans. Through a study that has compared the intelligence between humans and cetaceans, like dolphins and whales, it has been determined that cetaceans surpass the human comprehension ability in the areas of speech production, emotions, and advanced cognition. Animals are able to comprehend the same things that humans do.
Many people hold the belief that animals do not deserve rights since they are not humans. The hypocrisy in this argument is that humans are also animals, yet we have rights and they do not. While humans are a unique species, they do share similar traits with animals, such as apes. Humans were once viewed “as the only creatures with emotions, morality, and culture,” but these traits are also found in animals, which shows that “our species is not as unique as we think” (Hogenboom). Dr. Filippo Aureli, a co-director of the Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, has determined that “animals respond to the environment just as much as humans do” because of the animals’ ability to “[react] emotionally to others and even [become] stressed and anxious in times of danger” (Phys.org). In a study through Purdue University, it has been concluded that pigs “crave affection and are easily depressed if isolated or denied playtime with each other” (Rifkin). Similar to humans craving affection when in isolation, pigs demand the same treatment. Animals are showcasing similar emotions and intelligence levels as humans are, so humans should not be the only species with rights.
For my senior project, I plan to arrange a melody of music from a certain movie, and most likely have it performed using wind instruments. An arrangement is a musical reconceptualization of a previously composed work that differs from the original work by means of either reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or development of the formal structure. In my arrangement, I plan on reconceptualizing a movie of my choice by changing the orchestration to fit the group that will perform the piece. I suspect that there will be many difficulties in the creation of my senior project, but I hope to overcome them by relying on my mentor to help me if I have any questions.
In order to complete my senior project, I will need to research the songs from the movie that I will be reconceptualizing from and different music techniques. Since I have a thorough knowledge in music, I will focus primarily on researching the songs from the movie that I am reconceptualizing them from. But, I will still need to heighten my knowledge of music theory, which I can accomplish by either asking for help from my mentor, or referring to music theory books.
I am extremely passionate about this idea for a senior project, and really hopes it creates enjoyment for those who perform and listen to it. I hope to begin as soon as possible in researching the movie music I will be reconceptualizing, and finish writing the music by January, and perform it sometime in the spring. That gives me approximately 4 months to accomplish my senior project from this point onward. Since I plan on finishing the written portion of my senior project by January, that gives me approximately a month to create a compilation of my digital profile and prepare for senior project presentations.
Since I have a great love and appreciation for music and movie scores, I would like to pursue a senior project that combines both of these areas. Since I have taken multiple band classes and have a lot of knowledge in the area of music, I feel that I have the ability to complete this specific senior project. From completing my senior project, I hope to gain valuable life skills like working under certain time limits, logging hours, and recording all steps in this specific process.
Senior Research Paper
The Importance of Music Why is music important? Music is a mixture of vocal and/or instrumental sounds that are combined to produce a form, harmony, and expressive combination. For this senior project, arranging music in the form of using only instrumental sounds will be utilized. In our everyday lives, music does the following: “[drawing] people together to enlighten them emotionally”, “[helping] humans express” themselves, and “[having a] therapeutic effect” on humans.
Music enlightens people’s emotionally by “[bringing] back positive memories,” “[stimulating] and [arousing] our nervous system,” and “[bringing] people together”(Wilner). Humans can express themselves through music since it “can be a way to build self-esteem, self-confidence, self-image, and improve coping skills”(Villar). Music can have a therapeutic effect on humans, especially in physical therapy. In a recent medical study, “individuals with traumatic brain injuries” were experimented on to see what the affects of music have on their injuries. After being “subjected to relaxing, controlling music,” the participants were found to have an improved mood and reduced pain (Revelle Team). This research information is beneficial to this senior project since it will help for a better understanding to how people will react to the music being played.
Basics of Arranging What is arranging? Arranging, in music, is “the ability to change a piece of music to a specific vocal and/or instrumental combination” (Hansen). The main ideal of arranging is to write a piece of music based on music that has already been written, but change it in either instrumentation, rhythms, harmonies, etc. To arrange a piece of music, one must keep in mind the following categories: form, instrumentation, styles, melody, harmony, and rhythm.
Form is “the design of [the] song” that is being arranged. Types of form that make up the song include repetition of musical phrases and contrast in music notes. Instrumentation is the types of instruments that make up a composition. Style is the genre of music that the type of music is, such as rock, pop, classical, etc. A melody, also known as a tune, is a “group of notes played one after the other.” The basic melody in a composition is usually what people remember the most about a piece, so it needs to be very memorable and exciting. Harmony is “also a group of notes” played one after the other, like the melody. But, the harmony is “usually [played] behind” and “softer than the melody.” Lastly, the rhythm is “what helps make the music go and flow.” The rhythm is “created from sounds and silences,” which are “put together to produce ‘patterns’”(Hansen). This research information regarding the basics of arranging is very beneficial towards this senior project since it would help an arranger understand the categories needed to make the perfect composition.
Emotional Responses to Music How does music affect humans emotionally when it is heard and/or performed? Music is consider to be “far more powerful than language” since it is a “tool for arousing emotions and feelings (Mohana). Professor Daniel Levitin, a neuroscientist and composer, has explored the idea of how “certain musicians have the ability to create pieces of of music which are brimming with emotional quality.” Since the “brain’s emotional, language and memory centers are connected during the processing of music,” synesthesia, which is the stimulation of one thing produces the sensation of another, is provoked when music is heard (Mohana).
The idea of how different genres of music can affect one’s mood is widely research and discussed. In a study conducted at the University of Missouri, participants were experimented on to see how different genres affected their mood. It was concluded that the participants that are “listening to happy music will improve [their] happiness,” while “sad music offers a catharsis to individuals who are already feeling sad”(Revelle Team). So, music is shown to bring enlighten one’s mood, regardless of if their original mood is happy or sad.
Not only can the genre of music affect the listener emotionally, but the tempo of the music can affect their experience as well. A study conducted by Milliman et al. in 1982 explored if music tempo can affect one’s experience when shopping in a store. From this experiment, it is determined that slow tempo music led to “more time spent in the store” and a “significant increase in gross product sales”(Ford). This information is beneficial towards this senior project since it will help decide what tempo, genre, and volume of music would allow for the best engagement of not only the audience, but the musicians too.
Reflection
Overall, I expect that my senior project will turn out well and overall be really well done. The progress is going at a steady pace, and I expect that the writing of it will be finished in January. Regarding the performance aspect of my senior project, I hope to have given a commodious amount of room for rehearsals before my senior project showcase in the Spring Instrumental Concert.
With every great project, though, there will be some sporadic difficulties that will randomly occur. I have already encountered a difficulty regarding balancing certain melodies within the music. But, because of some of my research that I conducted regarding the basics of arranging, my problem has been solved. In the future, I expect that there might be a difficulty regarding specific instrumentation and/or other musical techniques. For these future difficulties, I would expect that the best way to solve them is through thorough research and/or asking for my mentor’s assistance.
The hardest part about arranging a piece of music is that you are worried about what other people will think. It’s difficult to feel so vulnerable to have a piece of music that you made showcased to a large amount of people. As the proximity of me showcasing this piece to an audience gets closer, I feel ambiguous about the quality of my work. This is also where having a mentor has been beneficial. He has been able to abet me in making me feel comfortable in showcasing my work and helping me fix problems in my written music.
Overall, my senior project has been a lot of work. But, a senior project is supposed to be hard work that is supposed to help me expand my specialization in a certain area. I expect that my senior project will turn out well and I will be extremely proud of it due to all of the hard work I put into it.
This article explores the psychology behind how music makes you feel regarding purchasing items. The categories of the tempo, genre, and volume of music can influence if you purchase something or not, and how you feel about the purchase. For example, slow tempo in music being played in a store results in an increase in the amount of sales when compared to playing music with a fast tempo. This article explores the study in stores, like grocery stores, but the same thing can be applied to my senior project. If the listeners do not enjoy listening to the music that I will arrange, it may leave them with a bad feeling regarding the music concert that my senior project will be performed in.
Hansen’s article discusses the procedure, including the instrumentation, harmonies, methods, etc. that occurs and needs to be considered before and while arranging a piece of music. This article includes sections that inform the reader about the different instruments (including their key, range, etc.), transposing, and arranging music from different types of sources. There is no apparent bias in this article, since it is a method on how to arrange music. This information is relevant to my senior project since it focuses on the overall process, from start to finish, of arranging a piece of music.
The Incredibles. Dir. Brad Bird. Walt Disney Pictures, 2005. Film.
This movie revolves around a family of superheroes who are trying to save their hometown of Metroville. It is beneficial to my research to watch and study the movie that I am arranging songs from in order to properly understand the plot line and feel of the movie when certain songs are being played.
“The Incredibles.” IMDb.com. Amazon. Web. 4 October 2016.
This is the basic plotline of the movie “The Incredibles.” This is beneficial towards my senior project since it allows for me to see the plot of the movie in a written summary, not just in the visual form of a movie.
Kovarik’s article is about the importance of popular music, or music that is modern. Since my senior project is the arrangement of music that was written in 2005, it is considered to be popular. This is beneficial because it provides reasoning on my audience’s taste in music.
Locker’s article is based on a study about how playing an instrument is beneficial for the growing minds of children, and how it can affect other aspects of children’s lives. This is beneficial to my senior project, since it is important to understand the mechanics of what happens to a musician. Because I will be working with and delegating musicians, it is important to understand these mechanics.
Michael Giacchino - Topic. “The Glory Days (Score).” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 22 May 2015. Web. 12 October 2016.
This is one of the many songs that I will be using in my arrangement. It is beneficial to my senior project since I need to be able to listen to the songs that I will be arranging.
Michael Giacchino - Topic. “The Incredits (Score).” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 22 May 2015. Web. 12 October 2016.
This is one of the many songs that I will be using in my arrangement. It is beneficial to my senior project since I need to be able to listen to the songs that I will be arranging.
Michael Giacchino - Topic. “Life’s Incredible Again (Score).” Online video clip. Youtube. Youtube, 22 May 2015. Web. 12 October 2016.
This is one of the many songs that I will be using in my arrangement. It is beneficial to my senior project since I need to be able to listen to the songs that I will be arranging.
Michael Giacchino - Topic. “Kronos Unveiled (Score).” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 22 May 2015. Web. 12 October 2016.
This is one of the many songs that I will be using in my arrangement. It is beneficial to my senior project since I need to be able to listen to the songs that I will be arranging.
Michael Giacchino - Topic. “The New Babysitter (Score).” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 22 May 2015. Web. 12 October 2016. This is one of the many songs that I will be using in my arrangement. It is beneficial to my senior project since I need to be able to listen to the songs that I will be arranging.
Mohana’s article explores how listening to music can impact your brain and your emotions. As opposed to Locker’s article regarding how an instrument can affect your mind, this one focuses on how music can affect the listener. This is beneficial to my senior project since I need to know how the music that I arrange will affect the minds of my audience, especially regarding the emotions that they will feel during the piece.
The Revelle Team’s article is about how different genres of music can produce different emotions for the listener. This is beneficial to my senior project since I want to try to produce emotional reactions from my audience.
Schaefer’s article explains the different emotions that are invoked when people watch movies. But, how are these emotions produced? Through a proper choice in film score music. For example, sad music during a sad scene in a movie can produce a greater reaction than if there was no music playing at all. This is important to keep in mind during my senior project process since I want to try to invoke emotions from my audience.
This article is about how music can help people express themselves and their emotions, whether it be through singing or playing an instrument. For my senior project though, I will be focusing on how playing an instrument can help a musician express themselves. This article is beneficial to my senior project since it helps me understand the physiology behind having the best musicians possible. By having the musicians focus on expressing themselves in my arranged piece, it allows for the best music performed.
Wilner’s article explores how certain types of music can improve a person’s mood. But, this only applies to certain types of music. For example, blatant music will not improve the listener’s mood, but will rather annoy them. It is important to pick certain types of music to perform. This is beneficial to my senior project because it allows for me to understand what will make my audience happy about what they listened to.
Score: 31/50
Into the Wild Essay
Who was Chris McCandless?
In August of this year, we have recognized that it has been almost 25 years since Chris McCandless, the 24 year old adventurer from Virginia died. After almost two years spent in a nomadic lifestyle around North America, his defunct body was found in bus 142 by the Sushana River in Alaska. After all of this time, there is still controversy over who Chris McCandless really was and what he was trying to accomplish. While some people believe that he was a romantic youth who was attempting to find true happiness in aloofness from society, others believe that he is a novice outdoorsman who made several detrimental mistakes that resulted in his demise. But, who actually is Chris McCandless? From numerous forms of research, the conclusion of who Chris McCandless was and what his purpose was is clear: he is an advocate of personal happiness for all and was attempting to accomplish the same thing.
Chris McCandless was adept enough to survive for almost two years without the comforts of easily accessible food, water, and shelter. Is this an easy feat? No. Critics of his should at least credit him with this instead of focusing on the fact that he was not the “perfect outdoorsman.” Obviously, he was not the perfect outdoorsman, since he was not able to survive in the Alaskan wilderness. Is there anyone that is completely perfect in what they do, though? McCandless did make several mistakes like his inability to cross the Sushana River and his consumption of the toxic seeds that resulted in his death in the Sushana bus in August of 1992. But, his true reaction to the foreshadow of death appears to have assuaged the actual context of his demise.
“I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all!”(page 199, Krakauer). These were the last words written by Chris McCandless before he died of starvation in the Alaskan wilderness. Happiness is not something that one would expect when another person is dying, especially of something as ruthless as starvation. This proves that McCandless did find true happiness in the peripheral regions of society, rather than at the core. Not only was he attempting to find happiness away from society, but he was also trying to help those around him accomplish the same triumph. In a letter to Ron Franz, a man who helped McCandless and became a close friend, McCandless wrote that he “think[s] [he] really should make a radical change in [his] lifestyle” by “get[ting] out of Salton City and hit[ting] the road”(pg. 40, Krakauer).
It is quite obvious that McCandless inspired those he was close with, but he was also able to inspire a generation of people he never met. Chris McCandless has now begun to be the paragon of those who wish to recreate his journey into the wild. Every year, scores of people attempt to accomplish the same feat by traveling to the Sushana bus. These adventurers express gratitude to McCandless “‘for guiding [their] hearts to find [their] own paths’” and “‘giving people hope’”(Saverin).
Deepak Chopra once said to “always go with your passions” and to “never ask yourself if it’s realistic or not.” McCandless truly took this ideal to heart and went with his passion to explore the things beyond his prior monotonous lifestyle. He went above and beyond on his unprecedented journey to where not many people would dare to go. Regardless of the controversy behind his journey into the wild, McCandless was able to inspire not only hundreds of people to pursue personal happiness, but also himself.
Works Cited Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. Anchor Books, 1996.