Welcome, class, to the Legacy of the Family Story Blog!
I hope that you all were able to set up your accounts without much problem. The topic for this week to get us started will be created by me. Since it's the first week of class, I just want us all to get to know one another a little better. So, why did you sign up for this class? What do you hope to get out of the class? After our first class and reading the syllabus and getting an idea what's in store for you, what are some things you're excited about? What are some things you want to learn more about? What are you dreading? :)
Finally, what are you hoping to get out the honors program in general? Why are you taking honors? What does honors mean to you?
Okay, let the games begin...
This blog is for the “Legacy of the Family Story" course taught by Kathryn Collison in the University Honors Program at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM, USA. It provides an easily accessible, electronic space for 100-level Honors students to discuss texts and ideas, develop critical thinking skills, and practice college level writing. While anyone may read our work, only class members may post.
20 comments:
What a whirl wind these past two days have been! I don't know about you all but I definitely underestimated the intensity of college :P I signed up for this legacy class because I really liked the books that were on the required reading list and because I believe that family really shapes a person. From the moment a baby is born, their parents and family (or lack thereof) are shaping who they will become as a person. Through this class I am hoping to be able to increase my essay writing skills by having to take a text and interpret it from many different viewpoints. After our first class I am really excited to work with my group on our essay project! I could very much relate to the comment made in class about group projects in high school being a drag. Everyone in our class is so hard-working and ready to get stuff done!
In general I am hoping to gain A LOT from the Honors Program! With the smaller classes I am hoping to become closer with my professors and classmates and be very active in the classroom. I am taking Honors because I want to push myself to another level. I want to challenge myself to strive for my absolute best in whatever I decide I want to do. I want to push myself to go beyond what the classroom can offer and be involved in all of the opprotunities the Honors Program can offer! :)
P.S. I messed up my first comment :P Oops!
I am excited about the readings in class, but also intimidated by how many we have to read in just a week. Maybe it just sounds like not enough time, but I guess we'll have to see. I am excited for the presentations, and also for the no final part, I'm pretty sure everyone agrees on that! I hope to do a minor in honors, so that's what I'm aiming for in the long run. Is anyone else working towards that?
After our first class session, I’m so looking forward to a great semester!
Mainly, I signed up for this Honors class because I think the family is a vital part of an individual’s life. I also really liked all the books on the required reading list, and I am particularly excited to read The Poisonwood Bible. I hope to develop a deeper understanding of the role of family and understand what exactly constitutes a family after taking this class.
After reading the syllabus, I was slightly overwhelmed. We definitely have a lot of things to do, but I am looking forward to everything we have planned. I’m really excited about the discussions we will have in class, because it’s always interesting to share what I got from a book and see how that compares with what others took away from the book.
I hope to get many things from the Honors program such as working with others, building friendships, being challenged, and learning new things. I am taking honors because I like the small class size, the interesting classes, and of course, priority registration :). The Honors program means to me a commitment to better oneself and keep on learning; a dedication to excellence, in a way.
All I've heard is that the Honors program has so much to offer, and our Honors class has definitely proved this to be true :).
Honestly, this particular honors seminar wasn't my first choice. I chose Legacy of the Family Story because my two favorites were already full. This was the next best class out here. I was drawn to it both because of the reading list and because it had to do with story/ narrative/ writing in general. As a would-be creative writing person-thing, that is SO my bag.
There's not much specific stuff I'm expecting to get out of this class, except for some satisfying discussion. I also hope that the insights I get as the class progresses will make me a better writer, and maybe a wiser person. Other than that, I remain open to and eager for the possibilities- but I'm not excited for the group project (no offense, group! It's not you, it's the sheer volume of prep work!)
I chose to join the Honors program because I think it'll let me cut to the heart of the things I study therein. When I think of Honors as a concept, I think of sort of the platonic ideal of what education ought to be: pure learning unhampered by giant lecture courses or required classes. Deep thinking, delving, pushing boundaries, intellectual satisfaction. I don't think that it's actually going to be like that, except maybe at the best moments.
Back to reality: My impression of the seminars are that they're pretty much thinking, reading and talking, and that sounds like absolutely fantastic fun to me. For all intents and purposes, that's why I'm here.
Oh, and people! Honors people are cool!
(Gahh, this is wordy.)
So I'm going to be honest as well. Joining the honors program was a very spontaneous last minute decision. A friend of mine told me that he was joining the program because he heard it was fun and it would look good to graduate with honors under your belt. How could I overlook such an argument? So I applied and here I am starting during my sophomore year.
As I said, it was a last minute decision and the rest of my classes were already registered for. This class however, fit my schedule without me having to try and move things around....so there you go. This class probably would not have been my first choice, but fate is sometimes kind. After the first class I'm anticipating a fun filled semester. I love how on the first day of class Kathryn couldn't get us to shut up sometimes. That's a rare thing and something I quite enjoy being the loud talkative person that I am.
The one thing that makes me nervous is the daunting amount of reading we'll have to do, but since I'm in college I do believe I'll manage to suck it up and even hopefully enjoy it. Here's looking forward to an exciting semester with all of you!
Hi all :)
I wasn't planning on taking an honors class at first, but when I saw this class on paper the reading list caught my attention. I recognized many of them as some of my favorites. This class definitely had the best reading list. After reading the syllabus, I was excited about all of the discussions and activities that we will be doing on the reading. That always makes reading more interesting. I am also excited to learn about and listen to everybody's opinions on these different topics.
I never even knew about the honors program until I went to orientation so I didn't know what exactly to expect. I love the small classes and the interaction between all of us. I am taking honors because I think that it will look good when I graduate and I am hoping to gain a lot from the program.
I'd like to start out by saying that I'm really looking forward to this class this semester. I chose Legacy of the Family Story because it seemed like the most interesting subject out of the classes that were still open. It also had one of the best reading lists available. To be honest, after reading the syllabus I, like many of you, was a little intimidated by the amount of reading, but I'm sure I can handle it. I'm hoping that this class will help me hone my writing and discussion skills.
I'm looking forward to exploring and discussing different aspects of family, since, I believe, it is such a basic, driving force in society. Our family situations can shape who we become later in life, and, as a psychology major, I find this subject extremely interesting.
I joined the honors program because it seemed like a good opportunity, I liked the small class sizes, and I want to take advantage of priority registration. I am excited to get started, and I look forward to stimulation conversation and an overall fun time this semester.
I meant "stimulating conversation" oops.
The Legacy of the Family Story class, put simply, has the most amazing reading list of any of the other classes. I love the Oedipus Rex cycle, Frankenstein, and the Odyssey. The subject itself is interesting, but if it weren't for the reading list, I definitely would have chosen a different Legacy class. From this class I hope to get a myriad of stimulating arguements that recreate the definition I currently have for family.
After reading the syllabus the thing I'm most excited for is group presentaitons, I love guiding the learning process and being in control of the direction taken for a specific topic. I am not to thrilled about the whole interview and interview presentation process. The whole thing seems a little daunting.
Lastly, I'm taking honors because I can, I like the sound of Engineering with Honors, and it gives me a break from the slightly arduous technical aspect of the whole Engineering degree.
Hello everyone!
I originally signed up for the class because my orientation was relatively late, so there wasn't much to choose from, and of the few remaining, this one looked the most interesting. I now realize that I made an excellent choice because the reading list is intriguing, the people are nice, and the teacher is awesome. I also realize that this class is a good place for me to be because my family has always been somewhat dysfunctional, and it will be good for me to understand a little more about family before I go on judging them. I'm very excited about the discussions because the class is full of very intelligent people, and it will be very interesting to hear all the varying viewpoints. In the same way I'm sort of intimidated by all the people that so far appear to have a better vocabulary than I do, but I'm sure that I will grow more comfortable as the days go by.
I was placed into the honors group for a reason I think, and I'm really glad that I signed up at orientation because before that I hadn't really thought about being in the program. I want to get a new understanding and viewpoint from honors, and I also want to create lifelong friendships with people that I know to be as dedicated and motivated as I am. I think that Honors means a responsibility to uphold a higher moral and educational code and is an opportunity to grow in thought alongside other people who share a love for learning.
I signed up for this class because I really like the book list because family has always been a big part of my life and i did not want to pass up the opportunity to take a class focused on family. I'm looking forward to reading all of the books and gaining a better understanding of the different types of families. I'm looking forward to the presentations and I'm really happy that there is no final. :) I'm a little bit nervous about getting all of the reading done in such little time, but I'm sure I'll get used to it quickly. I decided to be in the honors program because I love a challenge. I know the honors program won't be easy but I want to to push myself to do my very best. Graduating with honors also looks great on a resume which will definitely come in handy when I begin looking for a job.
After enrolling at UNM, all that I knew was that I would be majoring in nursing and needed to take courses required for graduating. I had no idea what that entailed and at the time had never heard any explanation of the honors program. During my senior year of high school, a friend recommended the honors program primarily for the priority registration. That is how I found out about honors! After learning more about it, I am now glad to be a part of this unique college experience, and am thankful to have the benefits included in the program such as priority registration, no written tests, and smaller classes. Honors, unlike many classes and organizations in college, offers more intimate relationships among students and teachers, as well as unbelievable experience and involvement both inside and outside of class.
At Lobo orientation I saw the list of classes and could not decide between Legacy of the Bible or Legacy of the Family Story. I enrolled in Legacy of the Bible but quickly changed my mind after looking into both. Now that I have heard more about this class, I am more intrigued and excited than ever to take it, and am looking forward to reading the books which I have heard so many great things about.
I would love to learn more about the opinions of others regarding what family truly is, and to be introduced to new ideas and perceptions of what a family consists of and experiences together. However, I am slightly intimidated by the deadlines for the reading material. We have to cover many books in such little time, and I have a great deal of reading in my other classes as well!
Because I do enjoy working hard and increasing my academic capabilities, I am certain that at the end of the semester I will be grateful that I took Legacy of the Family Story. I look forward to our next class time and our first discussion!
When I applied to other colleges, there was not a a separate application to the Honors program; you either got in or you didn't. It was only through a high school friend that I learned that UNM even had Honors. So I quickly sent in my application and waited anxiously for the results, barely knowing what I was getting myself into.
Now, that I realize what exactly Honors is all about, I am very happy that I applied and grateful that I was accepted. Probably my favorite thing about Honors is the small class sizes and the sense of community that comes with being in this program. Coming from small classes for all of my previous schooling, being in this program gives me comfort within the scariness of being at a large university.
Moving on...what attracted me to Family Story was the book list, which seems to be a common attraction to most of us. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my most favorite books, so I excited to read it again and focus in depth on the familial issues. That is also what I'm looking forward to about all of the books in the class; instead of analyzing the whole book at a surface level, we get to focus on a specific theme that runs throughout the book, and other books as well.
The most daunting thing about this class, how much we have to read in such a short time. This again is a pretty common concern amongst us. Yet, we wouldn't be in Honors if we weren't capable, so I think we can do it.
The Legacy of the Family Story was definitely my first choice. I actually had to plead with one of the Honors advisors to yellow card me in because both sections were closed. This class caught my eye because of the reading list, of course. I also am so interested to discuss family and to see everyone's differing views on it. I hope to gain a stronger understanding of family, meet new and intriguing people and better my discussion skills.
After our first class, I am very excited about the whole experience. I love hearing people's stories and personal views; I think that is going to be a major component of this class. I cannot wait to read all of the books. I am dreading the amount of reading and work for this class, just like everyone else. But we can handle it! :)
I am apart of the Honors Program because I want to push myself and I think I will be able to accomplish that through this program. I like the smaller classes, the environment, no final and priority registration. I am hoping to graduate with Honors because it will be useful when I am looking for a job.
I'm going to be honest, I signed up for honors for the superficial reasons like priority registration for future semesters. I chose this class in particular because the idea of family has always intrigued me. There are so many types of families that we come into contact with every day. I have always felt that I have had different types of families in my life. It has been interesting to consider a biological family as well as different families of friends as valid family units. This year I hope to explore other similar perspectives and "pick their brains", if you will, about pros and cons, and similarities and differences between family structures. I'm pretty excited to talk about my "families" all the time. I like to brag because they are the most amazing people I know and I would not be who I am without them. I have to say, however, that I am dreading presentations. I get so nervous in front of people, especially who I know because I feel like they can bring it up again. If it's someone I don't know then they can't really bring it up. This is a whole new state, though, so hopefully a fresh start will mean a new perspective on former fears. We will see!
I signed up for honors after hearing good things about the program from a friend. I was interested in getting priority registration and having a class with no tests. Also, the smaller class size is a definite plus for me. I picked Legacy of a family story because it had an interesting book list and also was one of the few classes I could actually fit into my schedule. (I'm a music major which means I have practically no time).
After having our first class, I am excited about getting to know everyone and being able to interact with people that have similar work ethic and academic goals as me. I am definitely nervous about this class, as the huge quantity of reading is very daunting. Also, I have never, ever liked writing very much so I am dreading the writing assignments but I'm hoping this will help me improve and maybe start to like writing more.
Overall, Honors seems like a great way to open my eyes to other viewpoints and learn through a non-traditional classroom setting. I very excited about this semester and can't wait to get started!
I'm definitely liking the books so far! I already finished The Kite Runner and am about done with The Odyssey! I can't wait for the otehr great reads, a lot were books I wanted to read but didn't find the time for so now I have a good reason to sit down and read them.
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