Monday, June 30, 2008

Feelin' good!

Hey people! How are you? Hope you are good, because I’m feeling great! I just saw my score on my first quiz on psychology and did well. I thought it was going to be much harder just for the sole reason that I was told so. But it was not the case. I mean there were some parts to it where I had to put thought into it, but it was good. Amazing I would say. I would have never thought I would have done this good. I feel confident now, but I’m not going to let it get to my head. I am so happy to have gotten 41 out of 50.
Today, Monday we were back to classes after a nice weekend of doing laundry and going to the mall, and getting some necessities for surviving the heat out here, like water and other fluids. The lecture went by fast; I guess I’m getting used to it. Also Wendy Espinoza, Yoline Banerjee and me went over one of the libraries to read and study. We lasted there about three hours. It was a whole different experience; it was so quiet I could actually concentrate without getting distracted. I felt good about myself. Being a loud person I am, it was a new path for me to study in a quiet place, and I think I can get used to it, also because it will be very helpful for my college days.
I really like the competitiveness out here and it’s teaching me a lot of new things. For instance, now I can use different study skills and methods, like today at the library. I know I will be able to use that experience in the future.
Well for today that will be it. I have to get back to reading and to sleeping. People out here emphasize a lot on going to sleep early and having a rest. So, hope you guys keep in touch. Bye!

Sincerely,

Ana Garibo
Kennedy High '09
The Individual in the Social World
Summer of '08

3 comments:

Charles Ramsey said...

Ana,

You are bright! You have a great mind! I have always told you that if you apply yourself and have confidence in your ability you wlll go far. The most important value you can have is confidence, not hubris, but confidence.

I want you to visualize yourself at an Ivy League Campus studying amongst the best and the brightest. You are seeing that you can compete and that you have the talent to go far. You just have to believe in yourself. I am glad that this is the third year that you have been on an Ivy League campus and that you are embracing the challenge and the opportunity.

Now is the time to accelarate your study habits and really gear up for the fact that those who did not do as well as you are going to re-double their efforts to succeed. Please do not lose sight of this, however, I am glad that you are humble enough to work with Yoline and Wendy and engage in team building.

This journey is not just about you, but about taking the time to improve and get more out of this once in a lifetime experience. Of all the people, you were the most gracious and the one who showed true humility. You never said the test was easy, you never made the claim that you were on top of all the material, no you were the one who expressed a sincerity about not knowing the outcome.

We are all excited for you and we are all pulling for you to continue to have success. I want you to let everyone at Kennedy High School know that you are carrying the flag of the Eagles and that you are making them proud!!!

Now is not the time to rest on your laurels, but now is the time to re-double your efforts, speak with your mentor, and have your questions prepared when you have dinner with Professor Gilovich on Wednesday. I want to read your post after you finish having dinner with him.

So, congrats again on a wonderful fisrt exam. I knew that you could do it and I want you to be ready for our College Consultant, Sue Kim, when you return. She will meet with you and the other students from Kennedy High School and Pinole Valley High School on August 2nd.

This is also the time for you to develop your list of colleges. I know that Brown is still high on your list and I know that Rice University has sent you information. I hope that you feel comfortable with Cornell. This is now the time to ask other students about colleges in their local areas so that you can have a range of schools to look at in the fall.

Take care and continue to post on a regular basis, we want to be kept in the loop.

Charles T. Ramsey
School Board Member
West Contra Costa
Unified School District

Madeline Kronenberg said...

Great job Ana --
Congratulations on your success and keep it up!!

I'm looking forward to seeing you on Thursday and hearing about your class.

They're right -- get some sleep.

Take care,

Madeline Kronenberg
West Contra Costa School Board Member

Don Gosney said...

Charles is 100% right about the importance of confidence.

Read the post from Alvin Yee and he'll tell you what happens when you don't have that confidence.

Congrats on doing well. Even though we suspected that would be the case, it's always nice to have strangers confirm it.

One of the best things about these blog postings is that it forces the authors to realize and admit things they might not have even thought about. For instance, with regards to your new study habits, how much do you think you would have thought about them had you not felt compelled to post to this blog?

One of the benefits of a study group is that it forces you to ask questions you might not otherwise have considered and it allows you to use the skills and information you have to help others. When you do that, it only serves to make you stronger.