Advice for Next Year

There isn't much advice to give really . . . just soak it all in. You're going to learn a lot of very useful information: honestly. Some of the information you'll already know, there's no doubt about that. However, you will learn a lot of shortcuts and useful tools/applications that you didn't know before: just keep an open mind really.
OOO - and have fun!

HTML Code

It is very important to know the basics of HTML code. I didn't know it before this class, but I had come across it before and I had no idea what to do with it or change anything. It was incredibly frustrating. If a teenager came across it, I can only imagine how many times web designers must come across them. If they don't know the basics/how to use it, they are in for a rude awakening. While Expression Web and similar software is available, glitches and problems are unavoidable. If a web designer foreign to the world of HTML code comes across such a problem, he will not know how to fix it simply because he did not take the time to learn.

Class Power Point Presentations

I was pleasantly surprised by the class presentations. I loved how many unique topics there were: finance to english to religion to anthropology. I enjoyed them all. If I had to pick two favorites, I would pick Emmalee Bannon's anthropology presentation on Tanta Carhutha and Drew Cauthorn's religious presentation on aum.
Emmalee's was incredibly interesting. I know some information about the Incas, but I had no idea about Tanta Carhutha. I would really like to be able to see the documentary on her now. I wish there was some way I could do that. Her presentation had that "oh wow" factor to it. It wasn't over the top as far as animations or graphics are concerned (which I appreciate) but the content and presentation as a whole was amazing.
Drew's was also very interesting. I knew that the word aum was used as a way to relax, particularly for meditation, but I had no idea about the legistics of it nor the reverence associated with the word. I liked Drew's presenation because it was concise; it presented just enough information to get you engaged but not an overload to get you bored. Drew definately kept to the "keep it short and sweet" type, and it paid off

Google Search

Chris Nolan's discussion was incredibly necessary and useful! I know that when I'm writing a paper or trying to find credible references, I'll search on google. I know that they're are better ways for me to find my sources, but I generally use google out of habit and convenience. It does get frustrating though when I come up with sites that have little or nothing to do with what I'm searching. I had never before realized that google has many . . . shortcuts to bypassing those unrelated or uncredible sites. I've never actually used google's advanced search option, but I definately will now. I've used +, -, and " " before and it definately helps. It helps me get rid of the websites that offer readymade essays for free, blogs, or whatnot. I didn't know about the Google Scholar part though! I never realized that all these INCREDIBLY convenient and useful tools were there! I am so grateful for having learned this. It will definately make my life as far as research papers a little bit easier.
I was quite disturbed by "The White House" website. While I like that the average American can create their own website - this website still scared me. It looks credible . . but it definately isn't. The grammer alone is just atrocious . .. "the officious website of president george w. bush." I'm sorry - but that's just wrong. It's amazing how many websites with .org can be uncredible.

Power Point

I haven't done a lot of power point presentations in my life. I didn't have the program on my home computer, so I only used it when ever I HAD to for school. I have seen a decent amount of power point presentations though. They can be rather annoying if they are done improperly. Five tips I'd like to give to other members of the class are as follows. One: keep it simple. Over analyzing can lead to over designing which can cause your audience to loose interest. Two: Don't get excited with special features. Not every slide has to have a special feature, transition, or moving picture. While those techniques are fun, lots of them can be overkill. They'll make the presentation seem like one done by a technology happy middle schooler. Three: Use the notes function on your slides. You don't want to read off ur slides. While quoting is good, reading off the slides makes it seem like you are not invested in the presentation at all. Four: Like the websites suggest, limit the words per slide. You want people to be listening to you so they can understand what your presenting. You don't want them to be to busy reading the slide to pay attention. And five: Be confident. As engaging, or boring, as your presentation may be, the audience is paying attention to you. Speak clearly and with confidence, make eye contact, and have fun. This is your opportunity to present your information.

Excel

In every computer class I've taken, I always realize how useful excel can be. Unfortunately, I don't use it very often. I don't really know why, but I don't.
In this class though, I've learned more about excel than I did before. If I were ever to miraculously become more organized, I'm sure I'd use it very often.
I know that it is very practical and useful. My mom uses it often for calculating her students' grades. I had an intership at the Heart Hospital this summer and I got the opportunity to help with the nuclear cardiology technicians where I had to help make the concent forms using excel. It was actually really funny - they'd page me from the other side of the office to help them with their document because they couldn't figure out how to do a particular function. I'm sure that if I were to return there this summer, I could figure out anything they were to throw at me.

Photoshop

http://news.cnet.com/2300-1026_3-6033210-7.html?tag=mncol
When I saw this image, I automatically knew it was doctored. I realize that most people wouldn't unless they watched the news surrounding the 1994 Olympics. The caption next to the picture that explained that Nancy Kerrigan's knee was brutally attacked by an associate of Tonya Harding's husband to give Harding a better chance at winning the US Figure Skating Championship. Tonya did win while Kerrigan's injury forced her to withdraw. Both went on to compete at the Olympics however, with Harding placing eighth and Kerrigan placing second. Following investigation, the USFSA stripped Harding of her 1994 title and banned her for life from participating in USFSA-run events as either a skater or coach. The USFSA concluded that Harding knew about the attack before it happened and displayed "a clear disregard for fairness, good sportsmanship and ethical behavior."
I knew that the picture had to have been doctored. The two atheletes would never have been skating side by side like that.
I find it amazing, and scary, that pictures can be doctored like that. I know that they really can be used beneficially or in the nature of good clean fun, but things like that - the Kerrigan and Harding picture - are just fictional and wrong. Such doctored photos not only give the public false information but have ruined careers because of them. People need to be careful what they do on Photoshop - plain and simple.

First Floor of the Library

Well, I had always known what was on the first floor of the library. That's actually the part of the library that I visit the most - usually for the music and movies, but nonetheless. I also already knew about the Learning and Technology center. We went there during my first year seminar for our presentations. I don't use the center much - my computer needs boil down to Word and basic internet explorer. I'm not a communications or computer person, but if I was, I KNOW that the center would be my home away from home. It has a lot of resources at our disposal.
I've never used photoshop, although lots of my friends have. At home, we just upload our pictures to the Kodak software and edit them there. When I went to explore the technology, I got to see that it's all there for us to use, but I'm still not quite comfortable enough using it. I know how to use scanners . . .for the most part. I don't have one at home and I've never used one regularly, but I have used them before.
I knew that we, as students, could check out certain equipment, but I find it a bit frustrating that we HAVE to be in a media communitcations class in order to get the equipment. I fear that I'll never get that opportunity with all the classes I'm probably going to be taking. If I was more creative musically, I would take more advantage of the digital audio lab, or if I was more creative technologically, I'd take more advantage of the studios. I just wish that hopefully, at one point or another, I'd be able to enjoy these resources.

Copyright

I've always known a bit about copyright. It's a little difficult to grow up in the United States and not learn/hear about it every once in a while. However, I never realized that there was so many nitty details about it.
I remember hearing about the Sonny Bono Act, but I didnt realize how many headaches it caused.
I always thought copyright laws to be a good thing, no matter what the neusance. I still understand why copyright is very important; people should be given credit for what they create. However, now I understand that it is more of a headache than I thought it to be. I only knew it to be a headache when teachers had to copy material for classes, but now I realize that there are a lot of other nuisances to consider.
I also had no idea that there were that many copyright infringements, especially on college campuses. I knew that most of the people who were caught WERE on college campuses, but the numbers just astounded me . . . and terrified me. I don't think I've ever been about accidentally violating copyright law as I was just after getting out of class.
A website I found useful was from the government itself. It answered any and all questions I had about copyright law: http://www.copyright.gov/

Wireless Internet

I love that Trinity is considered one of the most wireless campuses!
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2572
I was curious to see where other schools that my friends go to place in that ranking.
I don't usually take my laptop and work outside or anything like that, but I do like to work in my bed - so needless to say, I like my wireless network. It is sometimes, I'll admit, a social distraction though. I love to talk to my friends via aim and facebook. A lot of my best friends are out of state, so the intertnet gives me the opportunity to better keep in touch with them. I still use the intertnet for academic purposes though. Some of my professors use power point presentations for their lectures that are available to me via blackboard or tlearn. I don't access them as much as I should, but I love having them at my disposal.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MOI ! ! ! ! ! !

Hola! My name is Gabriela Cristina Rodriguez and I'm from deep south Texas: McAllen, TX, literally ten minutes from Mexico. I am the oldest of three with Gina, a first year at UNT, and Robert, a sixth grader. I go my middle name, Cristina. I love my first name, Gabriela, but I don't particularly like the name Gaby and I feel that Gabriela has to be said with the correct Spanish accent to be correct. Although I may not look it, I am Latina and proud of it. Besides speaking Spanish, I embrace my native heritage by dancing Mexican folk dancing, or Ballet Folkorico. I have actually been dancing folklorico for the past seventeen years; my parents met dancing folklorico. So, naturally, I love to dance - particularly anything with a latin feel to it. Besides dancing, I also love theatre. I love to act as well as all the backstage work behind it: creating sets, lighting, sound, costumes, stage management, running crew, etc. As such, I am involved in the theatre department here at Trinity; my work study is in the scene shop where we build all the sets for the mainstage productions. I don't know what my major is just yet, but I think I would like to get at least a minor in Drama. I am going the Pre-Med route, but now a days you can major in anything and still go to medical school, so I don't know what I am majoring in yet. I do know, however, that whatever major/profession I end up choosing, I will need to use computers. So, as much as I was disappointed in having to take this essential computer skills class, I know it will benefit me in the long run. I know the absolute basics about computers: Microsoft Word, going to websites, and a little about other programs. I know that this class will help me to become more marketable and ultimately better all around.