New Time Strategies!!

    Sometimes I like to think that my time management skills are pretty good, I have a start things early finish it early sort of mind set, and other times its completely out of whack and I will be well aware that I am leaving something to the very last minute. So I was pretty interested to find out about how to fix that sort if thing and make getting things done early, more consistent.

    I've done some reading, in two articles. The first about Time management tips for creatives and the second about making study plans that actually work. 

    For years I've heard over and over about starting assignments when you get them and don't leave things until last minute, but nobody actually talks about the energy that goes into your work. Or the time of day that you work best. The article did both of these things, mentioning how some people work better in the morning and others work better in the evening. I know when it comes to school its a little harder to get up and do assignments in the morning because you are in class but when it comes to college there is more time for that.

    The article also spoke about giving the right amount pf energy to the right projects. Instead of spending all your energy on the little things, you should get the more energy demanding things either done first, or spend less time on making the work 'extra good' when it doesn't need to be, and make sure that energy goes towards the right things.

    The second article was about study and assignment planning. It was different from your usual, 'Spend this much this day and this much that day', lark because it talked about making it suit you and the way you study, be it 30 minute sessions every day or 2 hour sessions then another 3 on another day. which ever worked for you. It also talked about making the study plan a weekly ritual and going back to review it every week so that it fits your class and work schedule and stays realistic. Spending this hour or o every Sunday night can be almost calming and reassuring that everything will get done when it needs to be done.

    I really do hope that I can put these tips into action this year with my own assignments.

I think my biggest challenge will be doing things in a process and over time, rather then doing everything the two days before hand and stressing out about them.

Signing off

-AK

Image:
Quote found on pinterest

Technology: An Overview

After looking at the technology that we will be using this semester, I have realised that I'm actually not all that familiar with a lot of different softwares and different sites we can use for our projects. Im looking forward to getting to use them a carrying these skills into other modules this year and in the future.
  
    I have used Canva before, making graphics for websites and other projects in the past, like logos and title panels in essays as well as flyers and even party invitations.

Signing off
-AK


Images:

header doodle found on Pinterest 
Logo and culture night panel made by me using Canva 

Assignments: an Overview

    

    Having looked over the way our assignments will be working this semester, I'm actually really looking forward to this class. The style of grading is something I really like and I would love to be able to do things like this for other modules.

    Some of the extra credit assignments that caught my eye were, the H.E.A.R.T ones, learning about wellbeing and  things like that. I'm also looking forward to reading other peoples blog posts and getting to know their writing styles and learning from their work.

Ive done something like the wikipedia trails before, where you are given a random page and then have to try and get to another certain topic with the least amount of clicks, is I think I'll end up doing some of those this semester if I have the time.

    The concept of creating our project on unity 3D is something I am vert excited for. I haven't used the technology before so I'm looking forward to learning, creating and picking up a new skill. 

Signing Off

-A

images:

Spiderman fan art by imaplatypus on deviantart

Learning about the 'Growth Mindset' of Carol Dewck

    I had never heard anything about the growth mindset before. Not a single thing. But now that I have, I'm wondering why haven't I heard about this before? Why isn't this the standard practice in the way we teach our generations?

    Having never heard of this or Carol Dweck before, I wasn't really too sure what to expect when I heard the term 'growth mindset' and 'yet' teaching. I was a bit sceptical at first, I'm going to be honest, I thought that maybe this was going to be someone just trying to break the way society now a days works, but I tried to go in with an open mind. I like hearing how others learn and how we can better our ways of teaching, especially away from a standardised, set, exam system and to something that can be tailored to the student need, the person that theses 'systems' are supposed to be benefiting.

   

Carol Dweck explains about 'the power of yet' and how this rewards children for going through process, for trying and not getting things right away. Not for how high their test scores were or being failed because they weren't able to get the correct final answer.

    As someone who has struggled in our current academic exam systems, but understands process and can do really well in projects that grade on who we got to that point and not just the final answer, I find this concept amazing and extremely interesting. The power and confidence that this approach to teaching can give to not only teenagers in our society studying for their huge state exams at the end of their years, but also to younger kids who may struggle to get the best grades with just answers.

    When I think about where I might be on the fixed to growth mindset scale, I reckon I am near the middle of the spectrum but slightly more on the growth side. Although I always like to work and push for the A grade and just get things done, I much prefer when I can sit down several times an work on something, taking college for example, and have multiple uploads for assignments with constant feedback on what needs to be improved in my process, and why I'm not there 'yet'.

   

    I would love to learn so much more about this growth mindset and really put it into practice with all my current projects, be it college work, personal work, art work, my job and in my hobbies like ballet.

Signing off

-A

Images:

quote 1 found on Twitter

quote 2 also found on twitter

Introduction, Info, Stuff you probably won't remember in five minutes! Woohoo!

Why hello there! 

So I've already done a small intro post, but I suppose some extra info about my life and all that jazz won't hurt.

Ummmm lets see....

I work in an art shop and make and sell art on the side, as well as doing a creative course in college. As you can see I quite enjoy making things. If I was to choose a favourite art medium it would have to painting. I love the feel on the paint on canvas and just how easy it is to be free and none caring with it. 

I do a lot of digital art and sell it and do commissions on my instagram.

Family is pretty average sized, Mom, Dad, myself, brother and sister. And two cats! Their names are bubble and Bela and I love them so much they are the best. I think I like them more then my own siblings.

Favourite module last year had to be studio Photography. I absolutely adore it. I loved learning about the different ways to light up your image, and just learning how to take really nice aesthetic shots of people and different products.

Some of my favourite books.... 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowel . that book has such a special place in my heart and you can tell by the condition of the book that its been passed around and well loved.

I also read a book last year called 

Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart 

I would definitely recommend it, I was so hooked I didn't even realise when I got to the end and *Spoiler* was left on a huuuuuuuge cliffhanger.

favourite TV shows have got to be,

Good Omens, Grey's Anatomy, Voltron Legendary Defender and Queer Eye. They are definitely my go to shows on my time off.

I don't really get that time off to be honest, between work, college and ballet. Ive been doing ballet for 15 years now (a long time I know ) studying grades and professional levels with the Royal Academy of Dance in London. Currently on grade seven level an studying grade eight at the same time. I'm also studying at intermediate professional level.

So that's enough information about me for now

Signing of

-AK

images:

Greys Anatomy logo found on dafont

Workshop 1: The Reflection

   

Workshop 1 was an experience. 

    We were first faced with a task, design a flow chart of traffic light system at a four way junction. This it seems is a lot harder then you would expect. Knowing full well how a junction like hat would work, I was very much able to explain it out loud to people who didn't understand it. But I was no where near able to explain it using a flow chart. That was a little more difficult.
Turns out I wasn't the only one, because everyone else seemed to be having trouble with it as well. Even the people that are able to drive and do it everyday, which I do not.

    The topic of the workshop turned out to be about game design, which is very exciting. That is something I will be including in future posts to come. 
I have very little previous experience with game design, from using scratch in secondary school to making simple 2D maze games with several different levels and goals.
The software that we will be using is unity, which (not gonna lie) I hadn't even heard of before the workshop.

    I do very much enjoy the concept of creating the game, everything from the coding to designing the game-play and world, as well as the characters and storyline.

    The delivery method of the workshop was done really well in my opinion. It was made very clear that it is completely up to us how well we do and how the game turns out. Swell as this, I really enjoyed the interactive side to the workshop, that being the traffic lights exercise. I found this kept my interest and made me listen to what was going on. It also meant you could understand how others worked and how they thought about different things.

    How do I feel about having to write about my experience? 
I was never good at writing as a kid. English writing was never my strong point even up through secondary school. As much as I could write factual essays, when it came to expressing my own thoughts, it wasn't  so great ( let's just say it was very much on the cringe side). But even. in these past few blog posts I've started to get more comfortable and confident in my writing.

    Signing off-AK

Images:
Lego Doge found on Peakpx

Favourite Game: look into the life of Sims4

    Sims4 the popular life simulator, that has been around for generations. Sims4 is available on many different consoles like Xbox, Playstation, Pc and there is even a new mobile version called 'Sims Life'.

   The game opens with a character creation page. It lets you change everything from your usual skin tone and clothes to the height of cheekbones and space between the eyes. I Really like these features of the game because it allows you to be truly able to modify your character to exactly what you want them to look like. 

    Once you are happy with everything about your character, including their voice, personality and how they walk down the street, you're set to go!

    Next in the game, you choose a house. In the basic world there are different neighbour hoods from your basic living standards to your rich posh world of mansion homes. From there you can customise your home to fit either your sims work and personality needs or just to what funky house you would like to have. 
The game also offers seasonal decorations which can really spice up your living space.

    Watching the sims interact and go about their days can be very funny sometimes, watching them drop plates and leaving their front doors open to the world, also when they don't get up for work on time ( a very real problem I might add) and when they get up for a grilled cheese sandwich at 3am.  

    There is also career options for all sims, as a way to earn money to but new things like a llama shaped bush for their garden to paying bills, you know the important stuff. Careers can be anything really, painters, comedians, secret agents and computer agents. 

There are also other things you can do like getting to know your neighbours and building relationships, you can also travel around the world and explore different areas like the city and with expansion packs you can adventure through a rainforest discovering new places.
other expansion packs include cats and dogs, having kids, and much more.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and spend hours playing Sims4 (I'm not the only one right?)

Signing off
-AK


Images:
Sims4 Logo found on wikipedia 
Mansion image found on Flickr
    

    

Hello and welcome to the world of DiasterfulReviews!

Hello there! welcome to the world of DisasterfulReviews,
a place that will soon be filled with reviews love and joy of gaming and design.
Although the title may suggest otherwise, I do hope these reviews will be better then a disaster, but you know, have to keep 'on brand'!

-AK