Muse Workshop #3

In this workshop I learned about STI's. The instructor told us how exactly they were transmitted and how to avoid them. She said that the most problem health problem in teens are STI's and many don't know that they have one so it's important to get tested. The easiest way to prevent an STI if you're sexually active is if you use a condom. Always using a condom is effective in preventing an STI. She also explained the treatments and symptoms for different STI's. I learned interesting things I did not know about before and she made the presentation fun and interactive.

Movie Soundtrack

1. Creep- Radiohead
This song would fit well in the scene after he gets beat up by the triplets on the reservation. He is feeling down on life and like he does not fit in anywhere and that is what this song personifies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk

2.Shes Got You High-Mumm Ra
This song would fit  perfectly with the feeling that Junior gets when he sees Penelope. He is infatuated with her at first sight and this song sets the scene up for their future relationship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXFXjh9a8lY

3.Heart is an Empty Room- Death Cab for Cutie
This song would go to when Junior is depressed about his dog dying. It symbolizes the relationship him in the dog had and would set the tone for what he misses the most about his dog, his undying loyalty and friendship

4.Up up and away- Kid Cudi
When Junior walks into his new school this song would be good for him to arrive to because its full of new hope and dreams for a better future

5.May Angels Lead You In- Jimmy Eat World
This song is would do well when Junior finds out his sister died. It sets an ambience for his sisters tragedy.

Fever Chapter 6

In chapter six of Fever it explained a lot about Bruce Springsteen and his musical talents and influences. Springsteen was influenced and even rivaled big time musicians of the early 50's and 60's. These influences included Elvis and Bob Dylan. Springsteen was like Elvis in the sense that he did not have a strong father figure as an influence. A lot of the inspiration behind Springsteen's music was the strong sense of abandonment and disappointment that he had from his father. He would write songs alluding to freedom from the control of the father figure and songs of not being the same person your parents were. It was interesting to me how he would incorporate the girl group sound in his music too. That was something at the time that the guy groups tended to stray away from because they were afraid of change. Springsteen was a revolutionary artist who slowly rose to the top unlike Elvis who became a hit instantly. His songs did not go with the traditional punk movement at the time which was interesting to me because he still managed to get singles and his music continued on to be very popular.

Muse Workshop Report #2

I chose to go to the money management workshop this time around. The instructor told us how to manage a small budget since we are in college and money is hard to come by for the average college student. One big money saver is that do not spend money on things that are not necessary. For instance if you have a meal plan it would not be a good idea to spend money on food. Not going out to eat is a key thing in saving money when your on a budget. Also not spending money on little things that you want on a whim.

The instructor also showed us how to make a budget plan and make our money stretch by planning out what amount of money you are going to spend and when. It is good to plan your spending instead of doing it sporadically, that way you know exactly how much money you have at all times and what you have left to spend. Overall this workshop was well informing on how to take care of money in college. Which was exactly what I need.

Music List#4 (the joy of song)

I love music that just makes me feel happy about being alive, here are some songs and the artists that sing them that make you feel like you are on top of the world :)

U2- beautiful day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co6WMzDOh1o

I am a huge U2 fan as their music makes you feel very upbeat and they produce meaningful songs with catchy beats, especially this song which makes you want to seize the "beautiful day"

Bob Marley-Don't worry be happy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-rJ-6hBfSo

Bob Marley has a way about his songs that makes you feel carefree and relaxed. Listening to this song will seemingly make your problems disappear.. for the duration of 4 minutes at least.

Natasha Bedingfield- Unwritten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7k0a5hYnSI

Most of Natasha Bedingfield's songs are about love and laughter, this song is about being spontaneous about life ahead and not having a care in the world, and whats not to love about that.

The La's- There she goes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyYEBDpQjjk

This song makes me happy because its so simple and upbeat

Katrina and the Waves- Im walking on sunshine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmxSL6H2QEg

This song is pretty self-explanatory, it makes you want to walk on sushine

Interview a Senior

The first senior I interviewed was my sorority sister Krystal

Did you major change?

2. I did not change my major, although I did not declare a major until beginning of junior year. I knew that I wanted to be a Public Relations major since sophmore year, although I didn't want to really put it in writing until I was absolutely sure. I have planned for this major since sophmore year and am definentely not changing it!

What would you do differently?

3. The only thing I would do differently would be to learn about A LOT of different majors as much as I could before I decide. I sort of randomly picked Public Relations and ended up loving it, fluke thing I guess. Although I often hear about a ton of jobs and fields that I really would have been interested in and may have picked. So I would have taken advantage more of all the learning workshops and cool things on campus freshman year that really teach you about all the majors.

What is your advice for future freshman?

4. My advice for freshman is to not rush into a major. Just because you are in college and everyone else seems like they have a major, its okay that you don' t have one. Taking the time to really figure out what works for you and something you enjoy will be worth it. Take advantage of all the workshops and what not like I said before, you may find things you never realized you were interested in. Also, don't not go to things because your friends aren't going. Some of these workshops and events I did attend, were by myself and I met great friends and learned so much I would not have learned. Another thing, Once you are in your major don't just stop there. Find out what clubs there is for your major and what events. It is all about networking and these people who share the same career path as you, is what might find you an internship or a job in the future...

The second person I interviewed was a friend Eric

Did you change your major?

No, I am still a forensics major and I love it

What would you do differently?

I took a pretty strait path with my major and I rushed in sophomore year. I don't regret any decisions I have made and I would not do anything majorly different.

Your advice for future freshmen?

Be involved on campus and take advantage of workshops that are applicable to your major. Also the tutors on campus are helpful if you need them. When you pick a major also be sure that is what you want to do and take some time to decide if thats really for you are not.

Music Memories #2

When my dad was an early to mid teen he started to listen to rock and heavy metal influences that included bands like Led Zepplin, Rush, Ted Nugent, Judas Priest, David Bowie, Kiss, Queen, Death Leapord, Ozzy, Black Sabbath. He attended many rock concerts in his youth such as Van Halen and Styx, Santana, Judas Priest and Journey. When he was 10, my dad went to a Led Zepplin concert. There was so much marijuana in the air he fell asleep. The atmosphere at those concerts was a lot of drugs, loud and crazy. My dad had a scary experience at one Judas Priest rock concert he attended when him and his friend almost go stabbed before getting on a bus. 

When my dad was in his later teens he got into more jazzy styles of music. This includes artists like Frank Zappa, Pat Matheni and many other jazz influenced artists. He has been to many other concerts that include jazz like Miles Davis and Ornette Colman. These are held at a much smaller venue. The audience is generally older than at a rock concert. Jazz concerts take place in club setting and rock concerts take place in auditoriums.

 The more music that he was exposed to the more he became intreseted in diffrent artists and genres. He liked learning about new types of music and world influence of the roots of diffrent genres such as jazz. When my dad went to Jazz concerts they would go backstage hangout and meet the musicians. To see the Dixie Dregs, Steve Morris guitar player for deep purple and canvas let my dad and his friends into the 18 and older club when they were under 18. 

My dads musical tastes are somewhat similar to mine due to the fact that we both like different styles of music and are very open to different genres and finding out the root of the music that got them there.

Music List #3

1. If Everyone Cared- Nickleback
I honestly dislike every song that Nickleback has to offer but this one especially gets to me. The psuedo-rock vibe and grunge almost country singing does not sound good. I don't especially like the lyrics either with the repetitive chorus of "im alive".

2.This is Why Im Hot- Mims
This song is the epitome of the pathetic overly generated rap that the studio keeps processing for profit. There is no point to this song and few lyrics. The title is the main lyric, the rap is not creative or well thought out, and the beat is not layered in an interesting or catchy way. Its just a horrible rap song in general.

3.Break It Off- Sean Paul
Sean Paul's Jamaican singing really irritates me. This combined with Rhiannas whiney voice in the chorus makes this a combo worthy of earplugs.

4. Feeling Good Inc. - Gorillaz
This song does the opposite of making you feel good. The creepy vocals make me uncomfortable and the lyrics do not appeal to me at all.

5. The Climb- Miley Cyrus
In an attempt to make a deep and meaningful song about growing up Miley Cyrus failed. Miley does not have a great voice and she is practically screeching to hit the high notes in this song.

Study Tip #3

If you are struggling with something in a certain subject area, get a tutor. Student tutors are everywhere whether it be your friend who knows the material or an actual tutor who will guide you through it. Especially in college there is always help if you need it so utilize the extra help that student tutors can give you if you are struggling to grasp a concept or need help writing your essay.

Stress Workshop

When I went to the stress workshop I learned that stress can really strain you health situation. Stress can actually take years off your life and cause health issues, strain relationships, and cause your life to fall apart by depression. It is important to keep stress in check as it can effect you in ways you would not expect it to. One of the things I will do to prevent stress is to not put off things until last minute. This way you can avoid the panic that comes with stressing out about something you need to have done in a short amount of time. I will also plan things ahead of time so I have a schedule for the day or week. This avoids conflicts which can lead to a stressful situation. Eating healthy can also lessen stress levels as well as participating in activities that get your blood pumping like sports or running. I also learned that you need to prioritize things in order to get what is needed to be done out of the way and then take the things that matter the least and get those done. Simple things such a taking a break or a deep breath can reduce the amount of stress you may have. The less stress you have in your life the better you will feel.

Music List#2

Here are 5 drugs that mention sex and/or drugs

1. Love Game- Lady Gaga

2. Ocycotin- Necro

3. Shake it- Metrostation

4. Feelin This- Blink 182

5. Because I Got High- Afroman

Lady Gaga's love game is definitely a favorite with me because of its catchy pop electro vibe and suggestive lyrics. The song insinuates being attracted to the idea of a one night stand in a very non direct but elusive way.

Study Tip #2

Do not procrastinate! I myself am guilty of this one the most and I think most people are. Getting things done as soon as they are assigned is the most efficient way of working it makes you less stressed out in the long run. Unlike procrastinating you will never regret getting homework or studying out of the way and done.

Music Memories

When I first started listening to music I was influenced by my older sister who would listen to the popular bubble gum pop music of the 90's. Artists like Brittany Spears, 'N Sync, Backstreet Boys and 98 degrees. This was in my elementary school days. The music was catchy, fun to sing along to and easy to dance to. As I started middle school my friends and I started listening to more alternative music like Saosin, Death Cab for Cutie, and Brand New. This music had a way different sound than pop. It was more of a harsh emo sound. In high school I started listening to all types of music. I got into house music which is techno, I also started listening to a more soft alternative as well as various pop and indie music. I still listen to all types of music now and enjoy many different genres as opposed to just sticking to one.

Chapter 2

A lot of racial issues were coming our into the open during the time rock n' roll started emerging and becoming more and more popular with whites and blacks a like.  In chapter two it goes into the history of the kind of unfair treatment of blacks at the time when people were starting to realize blacks and whites were not so different after all. Rosa Parks got arrested for simply sitting in a convenient spot on the bus. Also, Martin Luther King Jr. took a stand against segregation with his passionate beliefs that everyone should be treated equally. The absurdity of how different black people were treated was just ridiculous. You could say that the popularity of rock n roll brought the issue of racial distance in the media because people were starting to realize they were not so different after all. Some people liked this realization and others were resistant and arrogant in their old ways.

Google This

When I googled my name the links that came up were previous testing I have done from my former figure skating career. Also, pictures from my synchronized ice skating competitions came up on my google search. An employer would get the impression that I am a team player and have a dedication for something I am passionate about. I honestly am happy that my figure skating background comes up under my name because doing that sport shaped a lot of the character that I have today. My personal websites like Facebook are private so they do not show information about me on my link.

All Shook Up: Chapter #1

After reading the first chapter of "All Shook Up" by Glenn C. Altschuler, I was dumbfounded at the ignorant response of the people after hearing this new style of music. In typical fashion people always are scared by something different from the ordinary and music is no exception. I mean common, sex was always there people were just afraid to say it but to sing about it...that was just repulsive! But rock n' roll actually brought a change to America that was greatly needed after the Cold War.

I was happy to read how rock n' roll actually helped to integrate black and white people because now they shared a common interest. I was surprised that the white people started to go to the black clubs because they craved the music so much! The kids of the "nuclear families" of the 50's wanted to rebel against the lifestyle of everything being perfectly wholesome and listening to rock n' roll music was a great outlet for that rebellion because their parents detested it. Teenagers will rebel and act like a kid no matter what style of music was out at the time and older people failed to realize that when rock n roll came out and blamed teens acting like typical adolescents (rebellious) on the rock n roll style music that was becoming popular at the time.

Music List#1

My favorite songs (in no particular order)

1. Such Great Heights- The Postal Service
Now this song is not like the original folky tune from Iron and Wine but redone in a style only the Postal Service could pull off. Its use of synth and melodic harmonies make it the perfect song to relax to and I relate to the lyrics so well.

2. Teenage Dream- Katy Perry
This lighthearted catchy pop song made my favorites because of the simplicity of the lyrics and the tune is addicting to listen to as Katy Perry has an amazing voice and the song makes you feel carefree, happy and in love.

3. Up Up & Away- Kid Cudi
I am such a fan of Cudi and this song is the epitome of the music he creates. The beat is very catchy and the lyrics speak to me as an independent person. The song inspires me to do my own thing and not care what others think.

4.To Kingdom Come- Passion Pit
The almost eerie tunes, electric tunes of passion pit is a different sound and Passion Pits high pitch melodic singing along with the jazzy beat mixed with electric influences is heaven to the ears in this song.

5.Laredo- Band of Horses
Fresh off the new Band of Horses album this songs guitar and beat made it an instant favorite. The lyrics are about traveling and not really knowing where you are going which is interesting to me.

6.Transatlatiscism- Death Cab for Cutie
My favorite song from my favorite band. This songs slow guitar and piano make the sense of longing and distance come to life..in your ears at least. I have loved this song for a while, but now can truly relate to it due to the fact me and my boyfriend are in a long distance relationship since the song is about needing to be with someone who is far away.

7.Alejando- Lady Gaga
The mystery of the man that is Alejandro will forever be lived on because of this song. The violin start to this song is perfect and Lady Gaga's unique pop sound is a favorite with me. This song is hot like Mexico.

8.Call on Me- Eric Prydz
This song will get anyone dancing. I heard it once a long time ago and just started to appreciate the greatness of this techno song. You cannot help but dance...or at least bop your head to the irresistibly catchy beat.

9.Little Motel- Modest Mouse
The twangy guitar and honey glazed voice in this song make it a great song to fall asleep to. Reminds me of long car rides home at night because I would always play this song to fall asleep to in the car. The guitar melody in the middle of the song is my favorite part, it sounds as if it falls apart toward the end much like the lyrics get towards the end. Its like listening to a peaceful chaos.

10.Ocean Avenue- Yellowcard
This song makes me thing of last summer and reminds me of back home in San Diego. Me and my boyfriend would hang out at this certain street on Del Mar Beach. We spent our last night there before we left for college, this song brings that back.

I love music and listen to so many artists and styles that this list doesn't even touch how many songs I consider "my favorite" however, for the sake of this list I put down some good ones. Enjoy:)

Study Tip #1

I am a visual learner, so when I study I like to use flashcards in order to visualize something I need to memorize. I also do not do well with distractions so if you are a visual learner like me, turn off music and be in a quiet area when your studying.

Hey Everyone!

Hello my name is Elyse. I am from Southern California (San Diego) and am new to the Bay Area. My major is psychology but I really like art so I may change to an art major in the future. I chose to come to San Jose State because I wanted to be somewhere new and different then what I am used to. I used to be on a competitive nationally ranked synchronized ice skating team. I work at Sharks Ice Rink here in San Jose. I am exited to explore Northern California and see what San Jose has to offer. I have a sister who is a junior currently here at San Jose state. I am a very social person so don't be afraid to come and talk to me!