In this second post, I want to first talk about how I did in Phase 1 of IS101. I feel like I did well (thank God), but not at the level I would have liked. There were moments when I felt really overwhelmed. At the beginning, I even thought, “dang, I think I’m going to drop this course, I can’t do it.” Then I motivated myself and said, “no, I can do this,” but later, when there was no turning back, I started doubting myself again.
At first, I thought the problem was my classes, but honestly, it was hard to accept that the problem was me. My organization was not good and procrastination was getting the best of me. Sometimes I thought I had enough time, but in the last few days before deadlines, everything would pile up faster than it should have. If I could change something, I would be more consistent from the beginning and not trust myself too much with time.
Anyway, I recognize that feeling overwhelmed by assignments is something I caused myself. Since I accepted that, I’ve started to change. Of course, I still miss some things sometimes, I won’t deny it. I also stopped doing the Bonus Quizzes and I feel like I need to start doing them again.
But I don’t want anyone to think that I hate IS101 or Professor Wu. In fact, I will always say this: Professor Wu has a lot of patience and is always willing to help. He is a really good professor and not someone you easily find. Now that I think about it, I’m going to feel sad when the course ends :( because IS101 is not only improving my Microsoft Office skills, but it is also making changes in my personal life, and I think that is a big positive of this course.
But I don’t want anyone to think that I hate IS101 or Professor Wu. In fact, I will always say this: Professor Wu has a lot of patience and is always willing to help. He is a really good professor and not someone you easily find. Now that I think about it, I’m going to feel sad when the course ends :( because IS101 is not only improving my Microsoft Office skills, but it is also making changes in my personal life, and I think that is a big positive of this course.
For my Chapter 4 topic, I chose 4.11.5 about headers, footers, and section breaks. Something that caught my attention is that headers and footers are not only used for page numbers, but they can also include information like your name, the document title, the date, or even the file name.
I also found section breaks really interesting. Before, I thought it was just about page breaks, but now I understand that you can divide a document into sections and change formatting in different parts, like using different headers or restarting page numbering. It may seem like something small, but when practicing in the labs, you can really see the difference when you want a document to look more professional.
About the MO-110 Word exam, which I already took, what I did was practice the labs and then repeat them until I felt like I had mastered them. Yes, there were things where I spent like two hours trying to fully understand them, but thank God I was able to pass successfully. I remember the day of the exam, my hands were shaking (yes, I get very nervous). I’m afraid of failing… who isn’t?
Also, I feel like my dad didn’t help much. He is a former CSN student and graduated in Business Administration and I remember him telling me about his experience in IS101. He said he passed, but his best friend failed the course. He also reminded me that it was a different time… and I was like: yeah… that stressed me out even more :c
But anyway, this second semester at CSN has been really enjoyable. I’ve learned how to motivate myself and see my mistakes as parte of my process as a student. I'm learning many things and seeing that I actually understand them, along with my good examen grades, makes me even more excited. It motivates me to finish my Associate Degree and transfer to UNLV to graduate. But I have to be patient… step by step, without rushing. First, let's see how I do in Excel. It scares me, but at the same time I’m excited to pass it and say “it looked so hard, but I did it.”
Thank you for reading this post, take care and don’t procrastinate!
Hey Alexandra, I like how honest your post is. The part where you said you almost dropped the class but pushed yourself to continue really stood out. I think a lot of us had that moment at the beginning, where everything felt overwhelming, but sticking through it made a big difference.
ReplyDeleteThe procrastination part is also very real. It is not always about having too much work, sometimes it is just how we manage our time. I relate to what you said about thinking there is still time, then suddenly realizing deadlines are right there. It is something I am still trying to improve as well.
I also liked what you said about Word, especially headers and section breaks. At first it seems like a small detail, but it actually makes a big difference in how a document looks and feels. It is one of those skills that you do not notice until you start using it, then you realize how important it is.
Hi Alexandra, I'm so glad you didn't give up, because you did so well with your PowerPoint presentation and passing the Word Exam. I know it can be very difficult to catch up if we fall behind but because you are honest with yourself, there's a strong possibility you'll succeed, because not a lot of people can admit that they are responsible for procrastination. The Excel exam does intimidate me too, but after doing the MO-110 Word Exam, I now have a good idea of how it might look. Hope you have a great rest of the semester!
ReplyDeleteHello Alexandra, I also struggle with procrastination it can be extremely easy to fall behind. Glad you got back on track and you are now closer to getting your degree and transferring!
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra, it's good that you motivate yourself to do hard things. This class is a lot of work but I'm sure we'll get through it just fine.
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra! I totally am with you with procrastinating! I think I have all the time in the world sometimes, then I look at the clock and realize I definitely do not...I also agree with you that Professor Wu is an amazing instructor; I don't see many teachers with this much patience, kindness, and passion. Prof. Wu has taught us a lot more than just computer skills. He is a great role model!
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way you did, but since it was the course I needed to graduate, I didn't have much else to do, and I had no excuse not to take it. I'm transferring to UNLV too; I hope to see you soon.
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra, I’m really glad you encouraged yourself to keep going, it’s going to pay off and I know you’ll succeed. I also agree that Professor Wu is truly great at what he does, and that’s something you don’t find often.
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra, I know there can be complicated times, and we need to keep pushing to get work done. Hope you achieve your associate degree to transer to UNLV.
ReplyDeleteWhat a rollercoaster of emotion reading your blog and I gotta say, while being stressed out you still manage to continue and not drop the class. Good luck on the journey towards UNLV and all power to the last weeks of the semester. Keep pushing through!
ReplyDeleteThis one felt really real and honest. I liked how you admitted that procrastination was the main problem but also showed how you’re working on changing it. Passing the Word exam even while being nervous is a big win, and I hope Excel ends up being one of those “it looked hard, but I did it” moments too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for not hating me or IS101-3003/5, Spring 2026, Alexandra :-)
ReplyDeleteI or course material can teach students how to use headers, footers, and section breaks but true learning and growth comes from one taking a comprehensive, honest, and objective view of one's surrounding, actions, and motivations. You not only did this, but shared it with the world on this blog post!
I'm glad you found your second semester at CSN enjoyable and learned how to motivate yourself ^_^
Hi Alexandria. Understanding how to add information in a specific area on the headers and footers is important to know when creating documents. When I first started adding page numbers into the header of my documents, I would type them manually. However, that same number appeared on all consecutive pages. Knowing how to add page numbers so they automatically update as the page changes will be helpful for documents that need to be in MLA or APA format.
ReplyDeleteHello Alexandria. This course is overwhelming, I understand where you're coming from. I also stopped doing bonus quizzes. I'm happy that you were able to tough it out. Repeating the labs is really helpful for the exams. I'm glad you're enjoying your second semester, everything is a learning experience. You'll do great in the future.
ReplyDeleteHello Alexandra, I liked your honest reflection on how procrastination affected your time management and how you’ve started taking responsibility and improving it.
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra, I can relate to what you’re saying because it’s really easy to fall behind when time management isn’t consistent, especially with multiple assignments piling up.
ReplyDeleteHey Alexandra, I felt the same way too with bonus quizzes, I had did my best to do them and prepare and sometimes I didn't do them the pressure was high trying to keep up. But thankfully we are just about done and hope you are successful in everything moving forward!
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra, love your background photo! I find it very respectable in the fact you don't try and find an excuse in your actions rather you just know to be better. Learning how to approach those hurdles and being honest about it speaks volumes. Also congrats on passing the Word exam.
ReplyDeleteHey Alexandra, I can relate to this. I was bad with managing my time and did not know what exactly I could do with my busy life schedule and the lack of sleep getting to me most days. But I honestly still admire you because you totally don't have to do this at all. You turned a “dang, I think I’m going to drop this course, I can’t do it.” to “no, I can do this,” when it should've already ended the moment you thought you could just end it. It's nice that you fought for what you think is right and better, because now in the end, it benefits you! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra, I'm happy to see that you never gave up and you gave it your all. Professor Wu is awesome, but he won't do the work for you, you have to want to learn and grasp the subject and I can see that you did very well. Getting your degree now seems a lot harder than it was 20 years ago but I'm sure future generations will say the same thing. It might have felt bad that your dad didn't help you, but you can really celebrate your wins knowing the success is all your own. The bonus quizzes whether I did good or not helped the knowledge of the subject stick and helped me understand a big subject on a smaller scale with no risk and only possible reward. Have a great summer break!
ReplyDeleteHello Alexandra. Great job getting your Word certification! I'm glad you enjoyed your second semester, and that you found a way to motivate yourself!
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