Week is Over

Well, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm on the other side that incredible week. For my first assignment, I was in a group of six that had to stand by a display for a cultural issue. Our group got Islamophobia. There was some turmoil over group planning and one member got booted from the team. Another group wants to execute three of their members. That's half a team. The professor said that under normal circumstances, he will favour a group decision and give the excluded member a make-up assignment. Don't what he's going to do when half the team wants half the team gone.

But on the day of the assignment, I was shocked at how many haters we got. We got no Islamic people visiting us, we only got people coming up to us, telling us why they hate Muslims. We had a few classmates and some professors visit our stand, and they were, for the most part, reasonable. Although we even got to see a touch of in-class hate.

This day, we also handed in a take-home exam that comprised six questions. We got to write it with a partner, and me and my partner both wrote two pages per question. Then, the next day we all had to hand in a six-page Psych assignment.

Next day, final mock counseling session, and had to submit case notes from last week's session, plus a homework assignment of an equivalent size to the aforementioned midterm exam. Then the next day, I had to hand in another major assignment, and I also had to do a 15 minute presentation and also an exam-level test for Sociology.

Wound up doing tarot cards for the 15 minute presentation. It was just a presentation to show that we could do presentations, so we could choose anything. The only requirement put to us was that the topic be "not depressing". The only topic me and my partner shared even a drop of interest in, and knowledge of, and that wasn't drop-dead depressing was tarot cards.

I used a Google Drive Powerpoint, and forgot to put it on Present at first, and later on, I realized that I had the definitions for Cups and Pentacles swapped on the Powerpoint, and I cussed during the presentation. Don't really know what we're going to get on that, since we obviously made mistakes and vocally admitted it during the presentation, but we got the class worked up and interested, and the mistakes almost added to it. The prof teased us, was nodding and smiling throughout, and at the end said "good job" which he doesn't say for everyone. People have told me since then that I sounded so professional, it was like something out of a book.

So, whatever. I didn't really think I was going to be able to do it at all. Straight A students are failing to hand in assignments around this time of the year, but somehow I've managed to always keep my head above water. My only blemish is that brochure assignment.

We were planning to do a reading after the slideshow. My partner thought that the entire presentation should be a reading, but I said that 15 minutes might seem like a short time, but that it would feel like an eternity in front of the class. I said we should do a slideshow outlining the tarot and then move into the reading.

He said we should have seven slides. I made 21. He was right. The slideshow took up just about exactly 15 minutes and we had to terminate the reading. Bah. We didn't really have the time to do practice runs, with everything else going on.

The Sociology exam was right after the tarot presentation. Thought I was going to get smashed because that's the legendary class that has flunked so many people who didn't study. I hadn't had the time to really properly study for it, so I was nervous. But it went fine, I think.

That last day was really the climax, and I can't believe that I finished it all and had enough energy to get myself on a bus so that I could go home for Easter. I gotta scan a few certificates for my portfolio assignment.

Next week, I have a presentation for Psych on Profiling the Great Psychologists, the brochure assignment, and some Islamophobia group questions. After that, it's another pretty heavy week, but not at the same level as this passing week. I've been averaginf four hours sleep per night for the past four days.

Surviving

Turns out my Profiling the Great Psychologists presentation isn't due this week but the week after. That's good to hear.

I  have my case notes for my mock counseling session done, the poster assignment for this Monday is done, and two thirds of my Midterm assignment for Cultural Diversity is done.

Staying a half-step ahead!

School Stress

 I am just DYING right now.  This Monday, we have an Islamophobia poster assignment where we have to have a display ready and be prepared to answer questions for three hours, and on that same day, we have to hand in Midterm questions. Next day, we have a 6 page Psych essay. Next day, we have mock counseling sessions and we have to hand in our case notes from the previous week. Next day, I have to do a presentation for Applied Communications and I also have to do a presentation on historic Psychologists, and I also have to hand in a seven-page proposal to implement a group therapy type thing at a social service agency.

I have Friday off. But in the following weeks, I still have one more mock counseling session, one more set of case notes, one more homework assignment for Human Services, and a Cultural Competency paper to write about. Then I've got two more Sociology tests and an exam, and I've got another exam for Psych. I also have a Conflict Resolution paper, a Personal Reflection paper, and a portfolio assignment. I also have to hand in a brochure assignment that I didn't do originally.

First blemish, and it was a minor assignment. We were having weekly projects for Applied Communications,  and the brochure was due the day after my info session for SSW. I was completely preoccupied with the info session beforehand, and invested so much energy during, that I simply didn't have any energy to do the brochure afterward. And honestly, I think I had my priorities straight. Getting into SSW might have a serious impact on my future career, while obtaining an Ontario College Certificate probably won't. HSF was most important for it's function in getting me into a program that offers a higher credential. The certificate it offers, in and of itself, is not worth much. And I'm still going to get the certificate, anyway, so I think my concentration on SSW was worth it, especially since I got in.

Do  you know what's cool about the Portfolio assignment? It's a mandatory 10-25 page assignment where you scrounge up your credentials and submit them. I'm pretty sure most people reading this knows what a portfolio is.  Thing is, while the SSW info session only required me to put an autobiographical statement or resume and a letter of recommendation, I also included letters of rec from all three of my Katimavik Project Leaders, and from each of my work supervisors. I also included my PL's letter of rec. from CWY. I also included my certificates from W2W, Katimavik, and CWY.  I did not scan my certificates from W2W (although I will mention them). This means that, once I write an inventory and concluding statement, meet the requirements with a 20 page paper (although I hope to get my W2W certificates scanned). I have already basically completed the assignment because of my over-preparation for the SSW info session.

We had a Sociology exam. The results were the worst in ours Prof's career. He said that there was a majority who failed. The worst grade was 7%, which is disappointing when you take into consideration that if you just take a multiple choice test without any knowledge whatsoever, the average grade is 25% He said there were a number of people who decided to just not answer when they were not sure. He said that, if this was the first time he'd had this test, or if this ws the first time he'd taught the course, he'd blame himself. But this course has been around for years and years. There are rumours that there were only 5 people who passed., although I have been looking and cannot find the source of these rumours.

The past two weeks, he's been saying he would publish our marks, just to show us what we earned. Even though he has to give us another option to gain us back (the midterm was worth 25% of final grade). I hadn't really studied for the exam, but it hadn't felt harder than the Psych exam. Finally, he published our grade for the first exam.

I got 73%! Not up to my par, but in this class, I'm happy to reach mediocre!

Helped out with HSF Info Session

Remember when that person from Belgium tried to hack my email, but Google caught it and told me to change my password? Well, I did, and after that, I kept putting in  my old password by force of habit. Everytime I'd do this, it would say "You changed your password ___ months ago". Just today, it got to seven months. Got me angry enough that I changed my password again, so now it's back  to "Changed your password 1 hour ago." Makes me feel young.

It's Roll up the Rim season at Tim Hortons now. In the past month, I've only won twice, and both times, it was when someone else bought it for me. I've only had other people buy me coffee twice, and each time, it was the only times I won. I drink a lot of coffee, too, so the probability of this is a bit weird.  It's been fine, since I've only won free coffees, but I was wondering, how would it go down if I won the car when someone else bought it for me? It should be illegal to let people buy each other coffee during Roll up the Rim. I should start rejecting people if they offer to buy for me. From another perspective, maybe I can get someone else to buy me a lottery ticket, and  we can agree to split it 50/50.

I exaggerated in my last post. It was about 60 positions, not 37. I must have been thinking of Community and Criminal Justice. Still, that's 60/600, or 6/60, or 1/10, or 10% of qualified applicants getting in (took my math to a new level this time around) so that's still not too shabby.

I did some volunteer work yesterday. Me and two other students attended two 45 minute info sessions for HSF, and my teacher spoke on the program, asking us to explain to the prospective students how we felt about each course, and also how we felt about the program in general. Got a free T-shirt, a free lunch, and a certificate.  Not bad.

Expansion on SSW

So far, only three people that I know of from HSF have been accepted. At the beginning of the year, one of the profs said that 89 out of 90 HSF students want to do SSW, but that about half change their minds partway through. He said of the remaining half, most get in, but there are always a few that don't. HSF seemed like a really good option for people wanting to go into Conestoga's SSW, because it turned the odds of getting in from 60 out of 600 (is that 6/60? Could probably lower it even further... 3/30. Is that the lowest you can go?) to more than 50% chance of getting in.

Our program was different, because we introduced the degree stream option. That meant that HSF became the primary preparatory program for Community and Criminal Justice as well as SSW. It became the second "big name" lead-in, and comprised... Let's see.. I counted 46 members in diploma stream the other day, so if there's 72 students of the original 90 left, that puts...Wait, let me get a calculator... 26 people in degree stream, although I know that a few of them are just in there because they wanted to apply themselves, and not because they want to do CCJ.

But our course was still different, because there was a disproportionately large number of people going for the less-known programs right off the bat, such as Rec and Leisure, Child and Youth Work, Early Childhood Education, Police Foundations and Firefighting. Well, Police Foundations and Firefighting aren't less-known, but using HSF as a path into those programs is kind of new.

So we've got far fewer people going for SSW this year, and of course, there are a number of people who changed course partway through who were originally going for that program. But even taking all this into consideration, so far we've had... I guess maybe eight people go to info sessions, and three have been accepted.  That's a little less than half instead of just a few not getting.

And they're not waitlisting anyone. Everyone that hasn't gotten in has been given an alternative program. Normally, if you have the credentials to get into the info session and aren't accepted, they will send you to HSF, but apparently, if you have done HSF and have gotten to the info session stage but are still rejected, then the program they offer is Rec and Leisure. I would think that they would have a "maybe" list in case they can't find anyone better, but no. You're either in or you're out.

They've made the course smaller, too. This year, they're taking 37 students. Last year, they took 45, and the year prior, they took 60.  That's why I said that back in the day, it was a 60/600 chance if you had the qualifications, even though in my last post, I said I had a 37/600  shot.

I've heard that, once you've made it to the info session with an 80% English grade,  a letter of recommendation from a social services place you've volunteered at, and a resume or autobiographical statement, then the academic credentials are more or less thrown out the window in terms of acceptance. You need the credentials to get inside the info session, but once you're inside, everyone's on equal footing (well... I know I've also heard that thing where they try to diversify the class, so maybe not totally equal).

I've heard people in SSW or who have completed it who say that they couldn't handle the session... panicked, botched the assignment... and got accepted. It's always a surprise that in such a competitive program, such unlikely people get accepted. Got me worried, because my grades, experience, and writing level are all good. I didn't know how to prepare for this mysterious quality they look for.

And that's another thing I've heard a lot. That they choose their participants based on an "invisible quality" that determines "how well they will do inside the program" which doesn't necessarily correlate with past successes. Looks like I had the invisible quality. Nice.

The coordinators say that they have so few students because "If we take 37 students, we want 37 successes". The other colleges all take far more students than Conestoga (I got accepted into all five colleges that I applied for, btw), and they said that if they wanted to just make graduates, they'd take a few hundred students and not care about attrition.

That being said, despite the high number of successes inside this program, they had a University grad who is taking SSW because she couldn't find employment with her degree speak. She said that SSW is more difficult than University level, and the prof said he hears this all the time.

I've also heard this from someone else who is in SSW, who is also a University grad. And someone who did SSW and is now taking CCJ called CCJ "easy" while he ramped up SSW's difficulty level.

Conestoga's SSW has the highest percentage of success post-graduation than any other SSW program in Ontario, and it has long been like this. Apparently this program destroys marriages and and stuff, because family and friends have difficulty comprehending the intensity and have difficulty accommodating the transforming student.

Today, I bought a Bagel BELT at Tim Hortons for breakfast (with a hashbrown!), bought a cafeteria hot chicken wrap for lunch, and for tonight, I have a bottle of wine. This is how I live fancy. I'm celebrating my success!

Last night, I couldn't sleep at all, because I was so excited! YEAH! Although now I have a headache from sleep deprivation (I needed that sleep...)

SSW Application Status

I'm back up!!!! Sorry everyone, I'm only just now noticing that when I took my blog off public display, that I denied it of all my regular viewers. Awhile back, I said that I'd take my blog off during the decision-making process for my SSW application, as I didn't want them to think that I was the kind of guy to slather my info all over the net. However, I don't think I gave adequate warning previous to me censoring my blog. I also thought I had it set up so that subscribed viewers would still be able to view me. However, I accidentally set it so that only subscribers that I specify would be able to view it, and because I hadn't realized that, I didn't specify anyone.

Interesting to note that my surprisingly large number of views completely ceased when I put myself on private. I suspected a number of my "viewers" must be computer-generated spyware or spambots or something. And I kinda thought those things could slip past the radar of something like a privacy setting. I guess that was kind of a weird series of assumptions.

Anyway, I got in!!!!! I'm in SSW! 37 people accepted out of 900, with 600 having the required credentials, and I made it. It's not just a guy thing, either, since I'm the first male to be accepted. I think I once mentioned a theory that there is a preference to balance gender distribution in programs where there's an imbalance in applicants.

I've already accepted! BOOYA!

Long Guelph-Kitchener Commute

I lost my thread. On my Psych paper for the maladaptive eating disorder, I got 84%. On my 12 dimensions cultural paper, I got 90%. On my Psych midterm exam, I got 65%. I'm still in the upper crust, but I've moved from being the top of the top to the bottom of the top.  I don't know why. I'm working hard, and I spoke to one of my teachers about how to improve. Of course, I don't want to come off as whiny for being unsatisfied with an A+. Anyway, I'm just getting a lot of compliments for my work, so I don't know what I'm doing wrong...

I went home for the weekend. My brother's birthday is next Tuesday, and we decided I'd come home on this passing weekend since it's a little closer to the mark than the weekend after. He's turning twenty one. If we were in the States, that would be the last birthday that is important, but in Canada, legal drinking age is 19, so I guess he's past his celebratory birthdays. At least he'll be the international drinking age and will be able to drink on major airlines or if he's in another nation.

You  know how long it takes to move between Kitchener and Guelph? 3 and a half hours. You know how long it takes traveling on the Greyhound between cities? Half an hour. Do you know what that implies? It takes three hours of traveling via the city buses, and half an hour traveling between cities. Pretty ridiculous. Reminds me of my commute from one end of Guelph to the other when going to work, and how there was a guy from Kitchener whose commute was faster than mine...

The bus that goes to the Fairview Mall terminal arrives right after the Conestoga College mall leaves, and the buses have hour-long intervals on weekends, so that means that every time I catch my bus, I have an hour-long waiting period between buses.

Savings and Proverbs

My Savings account has netted me $35. Not bad, but I'm willing to bet that my bank fees have surpassed my earnings, and I just counted up my change, and I've got $32 in quarters, and $33 in dimes and nickles. That's $65! Far better than my Savings account, and I've been using my change, unlike my Savings. I guess a penny saved is a penny earned.

That reminds me. We killed the penny.  I'm wondering what will become of phrases like "Penny for your thoughts", "Let me give you my two cents", and of course, the aforementioned "A penny saved is a penny earned". Eh... They'll probably stick around. Sayings don't just go away because they've become irrelevant. Tons of popular sayings, such as "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" or "What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander" just off the top of my head, aren't too relevant to modern-day living. Besides,  I don't think anyone's ever asked to give me a penny for my thoughts. I don't even know why I know that saying.Just like I don't know that the chicken crossed the road to get to the other side. I feel like I've only heard variants of that joke, because everybody knows the original answer, somehow.

We need to come up with sayings that are relevant to today's age. Stuff like "You can't judge a Kindle by it's hard drive". That's really unoriginal, and it doesn't make much sense. "People with the same brand of smart phone... flock together." I'm really bad at this.

I like this one "I fear not the man who has practiced 1000 kicks once, I fear the man who has practiced one kick 1000 times." Know who s aid that? Bruce Lee said that. I also like "It takes one flame to light 1000 candles." Thought of the day from my old high school's morning announcements. They also had "You can tell a smart man from his answers, you can tell a wise man from his questions."