Growth Mindset: Explore Growth Mindset Beyond School

Having a positive growth mindset is something that I struggle with at times. It's important to stay positive and to make sure that what you are doing is helping you work towards your goals. 

After graduating, I hope to attend Occupational Therapy school, but at times I become anxious about the future. Which schools should I apply to? is the question that has been on my mind here lately.

With the stress of school and assignments that seem to be never ending, I think it's important to take a step back and make sure your priorities are in line. At times I feel as if I am failing at everything I do, but it's important to remember that you can do anything that you set your mind to.

                                           

                                       Photo Source:You Can If You Think You Can

Tech Tips: Canvas Mobile App

The Canvas app is a great way to stay connected while on the go. I've had the app for a little while now and it allows me to stay on top of things, as well as reminding me when things are due.

In the Canvas app you can set it up to where you can get certain notifications for things. I have it set up to where I'm notified if an assignment has been graded, which is convenient and frightening at times, depending on how well I did on the assignment or exam.

The good thing about technology these days is that many things can be customized to your preference, and can hopefully be as user friendly as possible.

                                                           Photo Source: Apps

Feedback Thoughts

The title of the first article that I read was Why It's So Hard to Hear Negative Feedback, and it discussed the importance of not being afraid to hear negative feedback, but to get excited and to expect any type of feedback, whether it be negative or positive.

Our brains have been wired so that when we hear or anticipate any type of negative feed back, our body goes into panic mode. We may begin to tense up, our heart rate may increase, and we may begin to sweat. This can all be stopped if we stop becoming so worried to hear negative critiques or feedback.

For me personally, when anticipating any type of negative feedback or any type of critiquing, I become very worried. I'm usually pretty hard on myself, so the words that were mean to encourage me and to help fix areas that may need fixing, actually do the opposite and break down my self-esteem a bit.

The title of the second article that I read was Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head. This article talked about the importance of not taking what others say to heart. Yes, it's important that we take in and understand what others are saying about us or the work that we have done, but you have to realize the place that the words and critiquing is coming from.

When reading or giving feedback, it's always important to find and hear the positive of the situation. Feedback doesn't always have to be negative. When someone gives you positive feedback, believe them.


                                                     
                                                              Image Source: Pinterest

Topic Brainstorm

After reading through and brainstorming different ideas and routes that I could take when choosing topics, I've decided on four that I would possibly like to write about. 

The four that I have chosen are Dogs, Fairy Tales, Couples from the Bible, and Food.

I have chosen Dogs to write about as a topic because I love animals, especially dogs. I think it would be interesting to learn about the different aspects that dogs had a long time ago and the different roles that they may have had. I would like to see how dogs have evolved from back them to now and any roles that may have changed.

I chose the topic of Fairy Tales to write about because I'm a sucker for a good romance story. I have always loved different fairy tale stories and the usually happy ending at the end of each one. It could be fun to recreate a fairy tale and possibly change the characters or maybe even the ending.

The next topic that I chose was Couples from the Bible. I chose this because I like reading about different relationships between people and the unique role that each person may play. I've read about couples from the bible, but I think by choosing this topic it will allow me to go further in depth and learn more about the different couples.

Lastly, I chose Food as a topic. Who doesn't love food, right? This could be a fun topic to write about. As I mentioned in my Introduction post, you'll know that my all time favorite food is chicken, and I consider myself a ranch connoisseur. So reading and writing about food could be an interesting experience. 

I chose these four very different topics because I think each one of them have a unique aspect that could be interesting to write and create a story from.

                                       

   

                                                           Fairy Tale Godmother

Week 2 Story: The Princess Maid

This story is now available in my Portfolio: The Princess Maid

Bibliography: "Beauty and the Basilisk" by Josef Baudis (link)

Authors Note: I took the fairy tale, "Beauty and the Basilisk" and added my own little twist on it. This involves completely different characters and is about a prince who has turned into a beast and his servant who transforms into a princess and eventually rules her own kingdom.

                                                        Photo Source: Royal Crown

The Princess Maid

Belle had lived most her life as a servant. Always following the rules and doing as she was told, it's all she had ever known. She lived in a beautiful castle as a maid who did all the cooking and cleaning.

Belle grew up in the castle with her mother and her father, whom were servants as well. To Belle, living in the castle and doing all the chores was her everyday normal life.

Belle and her parents tended to one man in particular in the castle. This man was very demanding and always expected perfection and nothing less. He would yell and scream if anything was out of order or if anyone or anything was late.

He woke up at the same time each day. He ate his meals at the same time each day. He did the same thing at the same time each and every day. This man could become easily angered, and was often mean to the servants.

Many years ago he was cursed by a witch who turned him into a beast. He was no longer the handsome prince that everyone knew and loved. Instead, he had giant paws, sharp teeth, and a roar so loud that everyone in the kingdom could hear.

The only way that Beast could be transformed into a handsome prince again is if he fell in love with a girl. But how could anyone love him if he was a beast?

One night during dinner, Beast asked Belle to sit and eat with him. During the meal, Beast had grown very fond of Belle and asked if she would go on a walk with him.

During the walk, Beast and Belle began talking and soon found out they had similar things they both enjoyed. Beast knew she was the one.

Later the next day, Beast asked Belle to dance. Belle wore a beautiful light blue dress and Beast wore a sharp yellow tuxedo. They were the perfect pair.

Later that evening Beast said to Belle "You are the one for me," and Belle replied "I love you, Beast."

Right after Belle said those four words, Beast started to transform into the beautiful prince that he once was.

Little did he know, the witch that cursed him had a little trick up her sleeve.

Beast was to fall in love if he ever wanted to be normal again, but he would lose all of his power once he did.

Beast was no longer the prince of the castle and had no servants.

Instead, Belle became the princess of the castle and Beast was now the servant to her and her parents.

Together, Belle and her parents took over the palace and ruled the kingdom.

Reading Notes: Fairy Tales, Part B

Fairy Tale: Beauty and the Basilisk 

Beauty and the Basilisk

Author: Josef Baudis (1922)

This short story followed the same story line as the popular fairytale, Beauty and the Beast. While reading, you'll realize that there are many things happening at once and the author was pretty straightforward and to the point. There were no extra fluffy or descriptive words, rather words that told the reader fairly quickly what and how something was happening. The story didn't take place in the same setting for very long, and the first main character went many places (home, market, woods, palace) all in a matter of a paragraph or so.

The overall plot of the story wasn't too suspenseful until the mother reached the castle, where she ended up promising the Basilisk to bring her daughter to the castle in return of the three roses that she had picked.

There wasn't too much dialogue between the characters, rather the characters talking to themselves.

The ending was a happy ending, much like Beauty and the Beast. The ending allowed the reader to understand the odd behavior that the Basilisk had towards the end of the story.

                                 

Image Information: Basilisk

Reading Options

After browsing through the different reading options that we have in the UnTextbook, you will see that there are many options to choose from. It's also convenient how they are all in one place, which makes finding them a lot easier!

Listed below are some that I have found interesting:

Nursery Rhymes: Games
I've always liked reading through nursery rhymes and listening to all of the words rhyme, so this was a fun list of rhymes to read through.

Adam and Eve
It was interesting to read the different views, perspectives, and beliefs that many different storytellers have on this ever so popular story.

Celtic Fairy Tales
I've loved fairy tales since I was little, so this was a perfect read! It's interesting to see how fairy tales have evolved in the past decade.

                                             
                                                         Nursery Rhymes
 

Time Strategies

Plan ahead! Plan ahead! Something I have been telling myself to do for the past week. As I was writing in my planner earlier in the week I soon realized I had many assignments due for many different classes. Considering I'm taking 21 credit hours, it's important to plan ahead and stay on schedule. 

I personally think the best strategy to stay on track is to actually follow through with the plans that you have made. For example, if I set aside an hour each night to work on certain assignments, then I need to hold myself accountable and complete them. I think holding yourself accountable is the best way to ensure you get things completed!

                             

                                                               Time Strategies:pixabay

Technology

I think there are many useful tools that I will learn how to use in this class, especially while blogging this semester. With technology improving and becoming more advanced each day, I think its important to try and keep up with the latest advancements.

I remember taking a computer class back in high school (over four years ago) that attempted to teach us about different applications and how to work certain programs such as PowerPoint, word, excel, etc. So I don't have too much of a computer background, but I'm ready to learn more about how to construct a blog and all the fun editing things that come with it!

So far, Blogger is pretty similar to word so I can manage my way through when it comes to typing out things and changing the sizes of fonts. 

The environment of this class is different than my other classes just because this one is strictly online and doesn't allow you to have face-to-face interaction with other students. It will take a little getting used to, but it's nice to be able to work on your own time and schedule.

While in this class I think learning about different tools, editing, and different materials will allow me to expand on the knowledge that I have, allowing me to become better with computers and other technological devices.

                          

                                                      https://neilpatel.com

Assignments: More About the Class

This class is for sure different than any class that I've taken here at OU. A lot of the classes that I have taken in the past are very structured and have specific due dates and stick to a pretty strict and unchangeable schedule. I think that's what makes this class different is that you are able to work ahead and complete the assignments how you want.

If anyone knows me knows that I am the absolute worst when it comes to computers and any type of technology, so creating and having a blog will be a bit of a challenge this semester. I'm still trying to navigate my way through everything.

                          

                                                                 Photo:deviantart

       (This grandma is an actual representation of myself when trying to work with computers)

One of the extra credit assignments that does seem interesting is learning how to do some image editing and creating different memes! I think it would be fun to learn and know how to do those sort of things.

Growth Mindset

Before watching these videos, I had never heard of Carol Dweck or the idea of growth mindset. It's amazing to learn about how much of an impact that words can have on yourself and others. How you perceive yourself and your abilities can help you understand and navigate your way through life and difficult decisions that you may have to endure one day.

A whole new idea was brought to my attention when watching the video, titled, "Make Challenge the New Comfort Zone", because it brings up a new way that you should be feeling when completing a task. You always feel good when you complete a task, but if it was easy it wasn't challenging you. Carol mentioned that "if it's easy, then you probably already knew how to do it."


                                    
                                                                  Photo:flickr

I thinking that having a positive mindset that helps you strive towards your goals will allow you to create ways to help you meet and exceed your standards and expectations!

Being a college student it is easy to become distracted and discouraged when things don't always work out how you had expected to them. When you allow yourself to become discouraged and unmotivated it hinders your growth as a student as well as a person. It's important that you have a positive mindset going into each day so that you are able to continue to work hard and accomplish your goals.

Last semester as an undergraduate! Introduction post to my final semester.

Hey! My name is Braley Bench and I'm a senior here at the University of Oklahoma. I'll be graduating in December. I'm from Enid, OK, but have been living in Norman for the past four years. I'm majoring in Psychology and hope to attend Occupational Therapy school once I graduate. I would love to work with children one day!

I love all kinds of animals and have a nine-year-old Yorkie named Sammy. He loves car rides and making trips to the dog park to hang out with his friends. I actually got him as a Christmas gift back in the eighth grade, so he has been part of the family for a long time. Sammy has one younger sister, Molly, who just tuned one! She is a border collie/ Aussie mix. Sammy and Molly love treats, sleeping, chasing rabbits, playing fetch, as well as hanging outside together.

                             
               (Personal Photo: Sammy)                                    (Personal Photo: Molly)


I'm a bit busy this semester (taking 21 credit hours), but in my free time I love to hang out with friends and family. I also like to watch movies and Netflix, and recently started watching The Office. One thing that I love to do is go eat at new restaurants. My favorite food is chicken! I also consider myself a ranch connoisseur, so I'm always on the hunt to find a restaurant that has great chicken and even better ranch. Anyone that knows me knows I will dip just about anything in ranch.

A fun fact about myself is that I'm actually pretty good at bowling (kind of random), and back in high school, our bowling team made it to the state tournament.

I love all kinds of music, but my favorite would have to be country music. You can usually catch me going to random country concerts with friends on the weekends!

Storybook Favorites

The Diary of a Dog

This storybook was enjoyable for me to read because I love dogs! The sweet dog that was introduced in the storybook was named Cedie. She is an eight-year-old golden doodle who loves to play outside and chase anything and everything.

The introduction was very informative and a good stepping stone to allow the reader to really get to know the main character, Cedie. It was interesting to learn about the day in the life of Cedie and learn all about her daily activities.

The design and the overall layout of the pages was inviting and easy to follow. There were pictures after each paragraph that showed the many different sides of Cedie. It was a fun storybook to read!

                                      
                                                                         Cedie:google                       


Kindergarten Shenanigans

This storybook was an interesting read. It was all about the life of a kindergartener. I especially loved reading this one because I love children!

The introduction was a good start to help understand what the storybook was going to be about. Some of the dialogue was written in a way that a kindergarten teacher might speak to her students, which was funny to read.

This was a fun storybook to read because it shared personal stories and mishaps of the students in the classroom. From five-year-old meltdowns to stealing toys, you can tell there is never a boring day in the life of a kindergartener.

The design of the storybook was well thought out. It had fun pictures that related to what was being said and allowed the reader to feel like they were back in the kindergarten classroom.

                                                       

                         Lunch box:kindergartenshenanigans/the-lunch-box-and-the-math-test-


Finals Week: Death Notes

This storybook was such a relatable read. This was written by a student who was preparing for final exams and struggling to make it, as we all tend to do around that time of the semester. This was an interesting read because it was many different experiences wrapped into one. What I enjoyed about this read is that it had personal stories in it, which added that genuine touch that it needed.

The introduction was more on the humorous side, allowing the reader to sit back and relax while enjoying the read. The was the introduction was set up was helpful in allowing the reader to understand the direction it may be going.

I thought the layout and the overall design of the storybook was great! Th use of darker colors really set the mood for the story. Using the darker colors allowed the reader to understand the stress and anxiety that we, as students, tend to feel on a daily basis.

                           
                                             Bizzell Memorial Library:finalsdeathnotes

Favorite Place: The Beach

Destin, Florida... My favorite place!


I've been to the beaches of Destin a handful of times. Hearing the seagulls chirping and the waves crashing onto the shore calls for the ultimate state of relaxation. The beach is such an enjoyable place to be, whether you're spending it with friends or family, you'll always have a good time! Some of the best memories are made at the beach!
                                 
                                                 



                                                         Destin, FL:wikimedia

Test Post

This is a test post.