Blog Post #6

Something that really stuck out to me while listening to “Sucked Into the Tunnels Beneath Las Vegas” was the people that reside within the storm drains. One of the first things mentioned about the people is “I’ve even met people down in the drains that are cool one day and then you come back the next day and it’s not cool all of a sudden.” The idea of this makes you wonder what will happen when they make their first real encounter with people within the tunnels? It is said that these people have not seen Matt, the man giving the “tour” through the tunnels, since the last Thanksgiving when he left them dinner on their beds. These two people really struck my attention. They have the act of swiping money from machines down pact. They know all the ways around, they know the best ways to do it and the best ways not to. Due to the fact that they live in the storm drains- having a bed, shower and their whole lives within that drain- they must make money and a living somehow. This is their career. Although, the one who speaks of all the ways to succeed in his “job,” he is addicted to meth. Is this the reason why he is living in the storm drains in the first place? Does he waste all of his money to get high? He mentions that he is trying to cut back, but isn’t that something that is said by all addicts? Even some people who casually drink state, “I’m never drinking again.” Is he stuck in this storm tunnel for the rest of his life? Although we will never find out exactly what happened with these men, it makes you think about their futures and if their habits will ever change or if this is sadly the lifestyle they have created for themselves for the rest of their lives.

Blog Post #5

After watching myself give my speech, I feel like I didn't do as badly as I thought I did in my own head. I know for a fact I went over on time and I definitely got caught up in my words a couple times; but, I feel like my delivery was better than I expected. I feel like I got my main points across in a way that was efficient and could give my audience a view on The Study to show what and how I will be researching. Although, I feel as if I didn’t get out everything that I wanted and needed to say. I also got thrown off on my slide cues on my notecards and forgot to change slides at one point in time. This made me get flustered on the inside but I feel as if I played it off better than how I truly felt. I’m actually very glad I had questions at the end because I felt like I could show my knowledge better. My overall critique of myself is that in the future I definitely need to spend a little more time working on my timing and getting everything under control and in the correct time frame. I need to reword some things so that I get all my points across at once. I also need to breathe, and slow down so I can get my thoughts under control while I am speaking. Even though I have a time limit I need to be able to get everything out and all my points across. 

Blog Post #4

Since ethos is credibility of the speaker, I will first be using the fact that I have personally gone and visited and researched The Study. I can use the facts that I have obtained and what I have observed to get the idea across that I have legitimate reasons to be talking on this topic. This should effectively show that I am credible to be speaking about this space on campus. These facts can also be used for the logos. Logos is the facts and figures about a certain thing or place. I will tell the important facts including: the layout, the way it is run, and what happens at The Study. This gives my audience a clear picture of The Study and clearly presents my logos. While giving these facts and important pieces of information to my audience, I will be giving audience ties that will pull them in with pathos. As I give facts, I will relate the fact with the listener. This will effectively give them an idea if it is ideal for them. 

Blog Post #3- Research Memo

My secondary source is a website from the University of Kentucky on the Center for Academic Resources and Enrichment Services (CARES).  Coming from the University, it has a credible background and gives additional and helpful information. It has given me a more positive outlook on my site. The Study has now become a more reasonable and helpful option on campus in my mind. This source It gives options of other ways to get tutors on campus. These tutors give an hour of free help per week. While on the other hand, The Study gives an unlimited amount of peer tutoring to the students in need. CARES also gives options of study groups with other students who need help in the same course. They meet once a week and more frequently around exam time. This is good for students who need consistency in their study habits. The Study is more convenient for those students who need to work with other students and maybe don’t need to meet that often. I’m really starting to consider- even though I stated it may not be the best option- that The Study is one of the best tutoring and studying facilities on campus.

Works Cited:

"Tutors/Study Groups." University of Kentucky-Center for Academic Resources and Enrichment Services. University of  Kentucky. Web. 17 September 2013.

Prompt #1- Descriptive Web Text on The Study

As college students, sometimes we become overwhelmed and stressed in classes to the point that we need outside help. Multiple places on campus can help with these problems and can give peer tutoring. The most common place that is spoken of amongst students is The Study. The Study is a group of peer tutors who have previously been in enrolled in many main courses here at the University of Kentucky. Courses include: Chemistry, most Math classes, and Biology courses. These students have previously received a grade of a B or higher and have been very successful within the course. They volunteer to be on the staff at The Study to help currently enrolled students succeed within the classes they have previously aced. It is located in one of the busiest places on campus and honestly cannot be missed unless you walk right past it with your head down looking at your Twitter feed or Instagram timeline as many are when they are walking around campus. Walking onto south campus, right between the two towers is the third tallest building. The Commons and The Study are both located within the same building. As you walk into the building, after opening the ridiculously stuck front door, many flyers and stickers line the glass cased-in staircase. Some read simply “The Study,” others are giving information on how to get involved with general hour exam study groups with other students also enrolled within the course. When you walk up the stairs, you meet a lady at the front desk who will direct you to where your course in which you need tutoring is located. If you are there for math help, you will be directed back towards the staircase. All courses involving math are those that are wrapped around the staircase in which you used to enter The Study. Other courses are located in a separate room. When sent into this room, it is quickly observed as almost a high school cafeteria layout. Within this room are multiple different types of courses and help. The courses they have available for tutoring are placed on the tables in plastic holders. This leads me to believe that these courses are not consistent and they will have different subjects and topics of study here at different times throughout the year. Each table contains on average about 5 students and usually has one tutor at the table with them. This is not only for the cafeteria style room, but also for the Math section amongst the entrance to The Study. Also, each table has one white board on wheels. This is given for visual examples for students who are more visual learners than those who learn better with just hearing how to work through a problem. Heading back into the cafeteria room, there are small classrooms that line the walls. These are used for not only The Study, but some courses will have class within these rooms. Each of the rooms has desks and a chalkboard. Many small classes will occupy these small classrooms on a daily basis instead of meeting somewhere like White Hall or Funkhouser Building. Although this seems like a very useful study tool and a place to find a big chunk of advice for succeeding, it is very hectic. Most students like to be in their own little world while studying or working and The Study is not really the best place for that. If you are one who enjoys working in groups or loud environments, this is the place for you. I personally am one who likes to be by myself and in mostly quiet mainly with some background music. At The Study, you are surrounded by tons of other students and tutors who are all talking at a loud level due to the mass amount of people and the need to try to speak over one another. Everyone has their laptops and books out and are trying to compete with one another to be heard by their group and tutor. This does not seem like a very convenient way to study. Your own thoughts and the help of the tutor are the most helpful voices while studying. The sounds, side conversations, and raised voices of those other students in need of help is not a very successful learning tool. Although, some people do get a lot of help and advice from this study tool. It is called The Study but is it the most convenient or useful way to “study?” Or is it more of a social  gathering

?

Blog Post #2 - Sites to Consider

Today in class while brainstorming and researching, I came up with what I think would be my best two options for my site visitation.

1. The Study
     - This is currently my number one choice. I would like to explore here because the thought of it has intrigued me since day one here at UK and I have yet to go check it out. I love the idea of students helping students and I feel like this will be an easy place to access since I live in B-Tower. Also, it will be very easy to interview not only a person who works at The Study, but also maybe a student who regularly attends The Study.

2. Green Dot
     - I went into the Green Dot room at the Student Center when they had a booth outside one day and the whole idea interested me. I'm not sure if I could do enough work here to last the whole semester. I'm afraid I would learn what I needed to know too soon and could not expand work throughout the next few months.

Mathieu + Marche

Marche- "Certainly she received much more attention in death than she did in the final years of her life."
     This quote shows the way our society has become today. It is honestly a terrifying and sad thought. The fact that once people die they become more well-known than when they are alive makes you wonder how you are going to be thought of when you die. If we make only a small impression by the way we live, are we going to be known by the big impression we make when we die? Or will we die quietly and make no impression on the world at all?

Mathieu- "I am not suggesting that narratives alone create or sustain consumer needs; rather

they interact with complex and changing material conditions and engage consumers in a process of persuasion."

     By saying this, Mathieu is telling the reader that he believes that narratives give the consumers the mindset that they are to buy one certain product instead of another. This persuasion will give the audience of these narratives a guiding light to a certain business, store, restaurant, etc. that they are being mentally forced to attend or visit. "Changing material conditions" is a big reason why one would not or would visit a new site. If they were to take away or change the product that this certain consumer loved, they would be less likely to come back and more likely to go somewhere else where there is a similar product. This is an obvious persuasion to find a substitute.