Author: Andrew Stone

WRITE: Make a message to your end-of-the-semester self. In this time capsule, I want you to send a message to your end-of-the semester self about your goals, your hopes for the year, and maybe some pitfalls you feel you might be up against.  Please also think about how writing will help you achieve your future goals– not just for the end of the semester, but beyond.  

One catch: it can’t be just writing– there have to be some images or sounds in there!  Whatever you think will help us get to know you and your experiences better. You can even make a video. Or record an audio file and link to it. Or draw something and upload the image. Whatever you want. Remember: we’re all about composing in the 21st century, so feel free to do what you think would be interesting for us to see/hear/learn about.

Being a student can be intimidating, confusing, and difficult.

With this in mind, for these first few days, you get to vent about school! No kidding. Share your concerns with each other. Maybe give each other some advice or just a good old bit of support. Believe me — instructors have many of the same worries you do, even if we’ve been teaching for a while. I also promise not to hijack the conversations, either! 

Here’s what you’ll do:

1. PLAY with the website. You can’t break it. Honestly. I’ve tried. Click around on all the tabs. See what’s there! We’ll be doing a great deal of work here this semester, so make yourself familiar with the room. 
2. READ/ WATCH: these two short “Tips” pieces

• “Study Skills”
• “Transitioning from Remote to In-Person Learning”

1. WRITE: a new post: Start with one word that describes how you’re feeling about this course as we get started. No need to explain, but you can if you want to. 

• Talk about your worries, concerns, reactions to the readings and/or to being an online student… whatever you want to. No censoring… except keep it kind of clean, please ;-).

              And

• Add a picture that means something to you, and explain why you chose it — why does it mean something to you?
• Check back in and comment on your peers’ work!