Tech Tip: Blogger Template

I enjoyed picking out my own template for my blog because it feels more personalized, gives it character, and just better to look at for myself and my readers. I decided to go with the classic look with the theme of red. Red is my favorite color. I love red because of all the various meanings behind the color. For example, red can stand for love, hate, passion, fire, etc. Roses are my favorite type of flower, and also my birth flower. My template also also has a design to it, but it is not overwhelming. I like to keep things simple and classy. I enjoyed making my blog my own with characteristics that represent me. Hope you also like visiting my blog.

Growth Mindset

 

Learn 

Source: Growth Mindset Memes

I have never heard Carol Dweck, but after listening to her speak about the concept of growth mindset, I feel like I need to apply the concept of "not yet" throughout my life. Dweck mentions that some students were given a grade of "not yet" instead of an actual letter grade. I feel this idea is definitely one that needs to be applied more in schools. If I were to be given an opportunity without knowing the pressure of a letter grade being the reward, I would enjoy more of my classes that I do not enjoy as much like Physics. It's about learning the concept, and wanting to be challenged, and not about making that A. I definitely want to learn more about growth mindset throughout this semester because it serves as a good reminder that I am here to learn. I am very excited for this course, and Organic Chemistry this semester. However, I'm worried about Physics. I think Dweck's ideas will really help me in accepting challenges in that class in particular. I would like to see this idea being taught to students more because the world would be a better, less stressful place. I believe society puts a lot of pressure on numbers and grades. However, numbers and grades do not make up a great professor, doctor, firefighter, etc. It is the idea of wanting to do better. I hope to see more of this in the future.

Time Strategies

Tick Tock 

Source: Flickr

Picture by Jessica Wy

Time management is a part of life that gets harder and harder for some of us as we get older, but I feel if we have the right motivation and small goals to attain, it becomes easier. I decided to do my assignments, readings, and extra credit assignments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. However, after realizing how much time I really have during the semester I realized my time is more limited than before. That means I need to prioritize when I do my class work, and stick with that schedule. After going through the orientation assignments I want to stick to my three days a week schedule that was originally decided, but make time for the extra credit assignments on Sundays. "4 Questions to Help You Overcome Procrastination" by Peter Banerjea gave a me a really good starting point by asking myself four questions to just begin what I need to be doing. This article hints on the concept of being scared to do something wrong. I personally struggle with this, but asking the simple questions like "what is one thing I can do to get started" will help me ease the fear of simply forgetting to do something, or messing up something. I feel this article will help me in all my classes, and other activities throughout this semester. 

Reading Options

 

Ganga and the Earth

Source: Wikimedia 

Ganga is being caught as she comes to Earth. 

 

I plan on reading R.K. Narayan’s Ramayan. I prefer this option because a lot of people have this book. I would like to discuss this book with others, and be able to have reasons to recommend it to others. I also think this will be a lot more organized because it’ll be a written as a novel. I will be able to visualize better with no illustrations, and I remember the information better that way.

I am very excited for this course because I have mediated before, and I enjoy yoga very much. I also love Bollywood movies. I grew up watching them. However, I never got to read some of the classic books during my childhood. I also know how to speak Gujrati, and Hindi. However, I do not know how to write in these languages. I love Indian music. I am Indian and Hindu, but I wish I knew more about my religion. I feel like there is a lot of information to learn, and I feel this course will really help in my understanding of all the various aspects of the stories I know, but never fully understood as a child. I also don’t remember all the stories very well. I have visited India. My grandpa has a house there, and I enjoy visiting them. I hope this course will bring me closer to my culture, religion, and be able to be more knowledgeable on the stories told for centuries.

I picked the image above of Ganga being caught by Shiva because I want to know more about this particular story. I know what ganga means—a river. However, I don’t know how Ganaga came about, and what all it is “she” represents.

Storybook Favorites

Kurma and Karma

I really enjoyed reading this story because I knew a little bit about what karma is, and the background of the sea made me even more interested in reading about this story. The introduction caught my eye with examples, and an explanation of what karma is—consequences for your actions. Navigating through this storybook was very simple, but fun to look at. I liked the way the story is told with simple words everyone can understand, and want to continue reading. The images were my favorite part because they were images from the classic movie, Finding Nemo.

Ganga the River Goddess

The introduction to this particular story immediately caught my eye because Ganga is telling the story, herself. I knew Ganga meant river, but I did not know “she” was a goddess. I immediately felt as if I was there to listen to her speak because Ganga is talking about her life from the start. The image is intricate, and caught my eye. I also liked the layout because it represented the river. Navigating through this story was also easy. Overall, the usage of layout, imagery, and giving enough detail, but not too much detail in the introduction made this story one of my favorites.

The Girls of Spring 

The introduction of this story grabbed my attention because there are a lot of questions that could explain the person or thing behind the trees. I immediately want to know what it could be. I think the layout is simple, and I like the usage of different shades of green because that represents Spring. The story is well organized with dialogue. The usage of word choice made it easy to visualize the setting, as well. I do not know about this topic at all, and the introduction made me want to know more about the mysterious girl in Lanka, and why she is there. 

 

Ganga 

Hindu Blog

Introduction to Myself and My Life

 

Personal photo of me in Norman Oklahoma in October 2016

Hi everyone! My name is Dhara Maisuria. I was born in New Jersey, but raised in Pryor, Oklahoma. I am a junior at The University of Oklahoma. I am majoring in Psychology/Pre-Dental with a Biology and Human Relations minor. I have a little sister and brother. My favorite thing to do when I feel overwhelmed, stressed, or just not having a good day is do yoga or pilates. My favorite color is red because it has many meanings like love, anger, passion, color of roses, etc. I love coffee. That being said, I also like to visit different cafes. One of my all time favorites is right here in Norman, Oklahoma—Second Wind.

I hope to be a dentist one day. I love doing community work that serves to provide better health care to those in need, so I volunteer at OKmom once a year. OKmom is a big free clinic in one area where the dental community in Oklahoma comes together to treat those that cannot have proper dental care. I also plan to volunteer at a dental lab this semester. Along with volunteering, I am currently studying for the DAT—Dental Admissions Test. My ultimate purpose in life is to serve others through dentistry. However, later on in life I would like to open up a coffee shop of my own while continuing my career.

I feel spending time with the people I care about is very important, so I go home every now and then during breaks to see my family, and drink our daily chai with them while talking about our lives. I enjoy shopping with my best friends. I also enjoy getting a cup of coffee in Oklahoma City with my mentor/friend. I like to try new places to eat with my boyfriend. These are just a few little things about my life and myself.