SECOND TERM JOURNAL ENTRY 1

    ORIGAMI

       Hi everybody ! I want to talk about origami, in other words, paper folding art. While I was in high school,  one of my roommate was interested in origami. She was watching videos  all the time showing  how to make a frog, bird, rose etc. While watching the videos, she was trying to do whatever they did.
       One day, she recommended me to do the same thing. 
  I tried to do a frog at first. After finishing, I was really happy. My next try was the crane  origami which we made for a friend of us as a birthday gift. With the help of some close friends, we finished it in two days. It was worth seeing her happiness when we gave her the present made by us. That is my origami history. Now, let me talk about history of origami. 

  "Ori" is the Japanese word for folding and "kami" is the Japanese word for paper. That is how origami got its name. However, origami didn’t start in Japan. It began in China in the first or second century and then spread to Japan during the sixth century.

    At first, there was very little paper available.So, only the rich could afford to do paperfolding. As easier papermaking methods were developed, paper became less expensive. Origami became a popular art for everyone, no matter if they were rich or poor.

     In 1797, How To Fold 1000 Cranes was published. This book contained the first written set of origami instructions which told how to fold a crane.Morever, the crane was considered a sacred bird in Japan. It was a Japanese custom that if a person folded 1000 cranes, they would be granted one wish. 

     In 1845 another book, Window on Midwinter, was published which included  approximately 150 origami models.This book introduced the model of the frog which is a very well known model today. With the publication of both these books, the folding of origami became recreation in Japan.Its popularity spread to the world in time. 

    The interest in origami continues to increase today. Today, master paperfolders can be found in many places around the world. Akira Yoshizawa  is one of these. He is considered the "father of modern origami" because of his creative paperfolding. He also developed a set of symbols and terms that are used worldwide.

     As BELVA DAVIS said, If you can dream it, you can make it so. If you have a bit patience and interest, don’t hesitate ! Here is a video link if it interests you. Enjoy it 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc9lVHvfzMY

 

 

 

 

REVISED JOURNAL 2

                     MY  IDEAL UNIVERSITY


       An ıdeal unıversity must prepare  its students not only for academic skills but also for their life  after university. A graduate of an ideal university must be both successful  in his/her academic life and be active in social life. How the university will manage to do it?
 
       To begin with, a university must be a place that provides a good education at a very high level for its students.A good education must respond to the people’s needs. If a student, after years of study, is not able or not willing to shoulder any social responsibilities, not prepared to work for the public interest, and not ready to serve the country and the advancement and development of the human race, then a university education for that student will be quite useless and a waste of time. Morever, an ideal university must be able to produce graduates with good characters such as being ready to take on responsibilities, kind, willing to help others etc..

       Secondly,the university must be a place where the students can speak freely their mind, think, investigate,explore, innovate and invent.A college student must be educated in such a way that he /she is prepared to be an open minded person.

        Lastly, at the same time, it must be a place that culture, heritage are preserved and developed. A student of an ideal university must also pay attention to things like socialization, extracurricular activities, clubs, sporting events and so on.

        METU goes with my ideal university. It certainly offers a good education, socialise its students and prepares for life.

REVISED JOURNAL 1

                                    BEING A MEMBER OF METU

    When I first heard that I had been accepted to Middle East Technical University, I was disappointed because I did not like Ankara.However, I have  changed my mind over time, because Middle East Technical Unıversity is really different.

    Actually, it has been only one month since I came here, but I got used to this environment. First of all, people from age to young respect to each other here.Morever, there are a lot of oppurtunities offered by Middle East Technical University.For example, there are a lot of sport activities, lots of social clubs,tennis,rowing so on. That is, there is no time to be bored.

   I have lots of time to do something for myself. Middle East Technical Unıversity offers a lot of courses. I benefit from these courses.I am a member of a social club :THBT.Also, I am interested in sport. For example, I am interested in playing volleyball and I have the oppurtunity to go to stadium and play volleyball whenever I want. I also have interest in folklore. I participated in Turkısh Folklore Communıty in METU. I go to classes in Turkısh Folklore Community at wednesdays and saturdays.

    There is not any serious problem about being a member of  METU. In winter, I will have difficulty  in adapting into hard weather conditions. Since I come from Aydın, I am not used to such weather. I will get used to it soon. Whatever happens, I love METU.

MULTI MEDIA ENTRY 3

   In this video, there are some tips for you to reduce your exam stress.I found it useful, because at least one year in our life we experienced exam stress.I wish I had encountered this video last year while I was not able to cope with my stress.Anyway, I am informed now and I can tell it other people having exam stress.

   Here are some advices mentioned in the video :

  -Slow down and become intentional about your physical

  movements, this can increase your sense of self-mastery and

  control

- Use relaxation and visualization methods (ie. controlled

  breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, visualizing peak

  performance)

- Stretch, stand up or walk around to relax tight muscles

Calming Distractions  - Focus on an inanimate, calming object (ie. Wall, floor, pen)

- Perform a calming action (ie. Rubbing a stone)

- Use a mantra (ie. Silently, slowly repeat a calming word/phrase

- Use affirmative self-talk (ie. Relax, concentrate, it’s okay)

- Create a mild, harmless pain that can override over other

  thoughts and impulses (ie. Pressing fingernails into palm)

- Have a drink of water or a snack

- Wear, touch or look at something with positive associations;

  this can trigger a calming response (ie. Photo, special stone)

Learn  from the experience 

JOURNAL ENTRY 3

                          BUTTERFLIES   IN   STOMACH    

                   

   I  chose  this  topic  on  purpose,  because  most  of  my classmates and me were under this stress last year.Fortunately, we got over it, but this stress will last as long as we live.We will encounter lots of exams, we will get stressed and if we know how to handle this stress, we will get over them.

    Anxiety is a normal reaction – apprehension, tension, or uneasiness – to any perception threat or anticipation of danger. Exam anxiety may be a result of our underestimating our abilities. Conversely, it may be a natural reaction to insufficient exam preparation.

    Exam anxiety can result in: sweaty palms, feeling too hot or cold,headaches, upset stomach, nausea , rapid heart beat, shallow/irregular breathing, dizziness, angry, depressed or unsure,poor present performance.

     If the anxiety is severe, persistent, or  generalized beyond exam situations, you may benefit from seeing a physician or counsellor.  Yet, we can handle the situation ourselves as well.Here is some advice for you :

   Listen to relaxing music

   Practice good nutrition and maintain regular exercise

   Create a balanced schedule that includes some breaks,

exercise  and social activity

   Sleep well

   Set realistic study goals.

  Lastly, students, parents, teachers and school administors must  all find  ways to be actively involved in reducing anxiety.

By doing so, we can save our student’s future life and help them being a good member of society.

MULTI MEDIA ENTRY 2

While I was surfing on the internet, I came across this song. I was impressed by both the lyrics of it and the words which its composer uttered.

     ‘Child labor is denial of childhood.Why ? In the lives of our typical families with stable jobs and adequate incomes, our families go to work each day and children go to school and play with  their friends in their free time.However, this kind of family doesn’t apply for 218 million children in the world, because they are  trapped in under harsh,dangerous and exploitative  conditions of child labor. ‘

     After I had listened this song, I thought that we lived our childhood, got whatever we wanted,  educated well, dressed properly, played with our friends. What about the others ?

     I think that they are totally innocent. Vulnerable children are open to exploitation that knows no limit.They never deserve these things.

     However, change is on its way.This reality may be bothersome but improvements have been made.With enough time,effort and will to succeed, these children can look  forward to a brighter future.We all have responsibilities fort his situation. We can also support the works of ILO ( International Labor  Organization) or another ones ‘.I think Turkish people are sensible enough to take a hand in this issue.

JOURNAL ENTRY 2

                 GLOBAL CHİLD LABOR PROBLEM

         What Do We Know And What Can We Do ?

    The problem of child labor has moved from a matter of regional and national concern to one of international debate. The International Labor Organization (ILO) has estimated that 250 million children between the ages five and  fourteen work in developing countries.Many of these children are forced to work.They are denied an education and childhood.Some are confined and beaten.Some are denied the right  to leave the workplace and go home to their families.

    

    What interventions might end child labor without hurting children? What  can we do to stop child labor? I think that there must be a public disclosure against  this serious issue.

     We should try to shift our spending patterns from problematic companies to responsible ones. We can check out the Resposible Shopping page to find out more about this.

    We can ask retail stores if their products were produced without child labor.I think that this could be a bit diffucult to ask each store.Instead of doing this, we can search for the companies which works with children.

    We can join actions or we can support the projects such as ILO,UNICEF.I chose this topic , because I want to raise awareness in society and in the world later. I hope you are more informed about this matter now.