This year, I have so much research to do for my Geography courses. This is my self-assessment of the classes through today and what is to come. Basically, this is going to be a lot of self-discipline to complete a lot of the assignments on my part. Papers, projects, research, field research, tests, exams, and even a potential internship in the fall. This has all of the components of a successful semester if I focus all of my energy in Beeghly library and push myself to complete all of the assignments. My breakdown is as follows:
Geography Information Systems/Science- Just finished my mid-term which took forever to complete. I have to start gathering collections of weird information that pertains to the university: locally, regionally, and globally. Right now, I have information that pertains to alumni and where they are attending grad schools and/or where they are working. I have to also interview one of our very own Public Safety officers, John Ciochetty about locations on campus that may be haunted. This would be very interesting. This class would be very marketable especially since I need to find a job for my Urban Studies work experience in the fall. This project should not be too hard and I have three other group members who are working hard on their own portions of the project. By the way, my project is a DisOrientation Map for OWU and we hope to get it done and out to the OWU community by the end of the semester and present to the administration soon.
Energy Resources- I am anticipating a struggle in this class although I am doing quite well right now in the class. I conquered the beast of a mid-term. Currently, I am still compiling sources for my behemoth paper due in three weeks. I have to redo my outline now that I have more sources. The preliminary part is almost as much of a pain as the actual writing and editing. Other than the paper, I have an exam which I will studying hardcore for and the final. All exams are twenty percent of my final grade even the final. Obviously, what I am worried about is the paper which is forty percent. I will be seeking a person out to edit the heck out of my paper so this is my classified portion of this blog.
Weather, Climate, and Climate Change- Let's see. A 15 page paper and two exams about the weather. Right now, the class is focusing on temperature and precipitation. The processes are longer than I thought. If I ever want to become a meteorologist, I will definitely have the skills and the knowledge to pursue this as a career. My paper will be about deserts and it specifically focuses on the tropical region right below and above the equatorial region. This is where some of the world's hottest and driest deserts are focused. My research will talk about weather formations in the region and why the climate seems to stay the same compared to other deserts in the world. This is my research in a short nutshell. Easier said than done. I am just hoping that the final in the class will not be like my mid-term for Energy Resources (long, mostly essays)
Economic Geography- Honestly, I have been stalling in this class. Most of the grade is from this documentary which is about Light Manufacturing on the West Side of Delaware, Ohio. No one has been authoritative about the project so in order to get the remaining information, I might have to become that hardcore guy. Walking to the West Side (about a 30-40 minute walk from my house), demanding to speak to the Public Relations person and getting the job done. Sometimes, when it gets down to the knitty-gritty, you have to dig deep into the project. I have two small tests for the class but I had Dr. Walker before so I already know what to expect from the tests. I just had to dedicate 1 or 2 entire days in the area, get the camcorder, get the interview, record the interview, maybe get some information off the record, and put in on the MAC to edit for the documentary, which is on Finals week. I got this and I will get my group involved. No more passiveness.
Contemporary American Landscapes- Assignments remaining: Revision of second paper, third paper due April 17th, and term paper about gentrification and its causes and effects in different American landscapes. This may seem simple but with all of the other writings, I cannot afford to procrastinate. All of these classes are for my Geography major to finish it out this semester. I do not want to stay another spring in Geography unless I absolutely have to. I am also trying to finish my Urban Studies major (sans the Work Experience). Therefore, I need to man up and do this for myself. I am doing research for this project and will be consulting Dr. Fusch every week so he can help guide me in the writing of this term paper. I'm focused, man!!!
Result = plenty of time to spend in Beeghly, the Science Library, and the GIS Lab with a plenty dose of field excursion in Delaware and in Columbus. Awesome.
Well, there you have it, folks. My remaining schedule for the academic year. If you want to major in Geography when you come here next fall or for people who are already here and cannot decide on a major, know this: Geography is NOT a joke!!! You will write extensively. You will do a lot of your own field work and research. You will engage in the liberal arts tradition in the fullest as a Geography major. I guarantee that this is well worth all of the writing and the research I am doing and that this opportunity to be a Geography major will help me in the future.
Wheat, out,
Hasani Wheat
Class of 2010
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