Tech Tip: Canvas Calendar

The calendar in Canvas is helpful, but it's not the greatest thing in the world. The main page of Canvas shows a calendar and all the due dates are listed for all your class assignments. It also puts a check mark next to the ones that you've completed.

You can import the Canvas calendar to your own calendar too. That's a plus point of it.

Canvas's dashboard. The calendar is the list under "To Do".

Source: (Google Images)

Reading Notes: Arni's The Missing Queen, Ch 1 - 3

This week, for the extra credit reading, I started reading Samhita Arni's The Missing Queen. When I started reading it, I was quite surprised at how well the book is written.

The Ramayana has truly been given a new twist in this book. At one point, Rama and Sita entered Ayodhya in a Cadillac, and I remember my first thought was: "Whatttttt? Rama and Sita in a Cadillac?". Now that's a plot twist like no other.

There is a journalist who is taking the interview of Rama and Kaikeyi and asking the same question: what happened to Sita? The boss of the journalist is not pleased with the journalist (whose name is still unknown to the readers at this point) because that is not something the readers of a newspaper would want to read about. But nonetheless, the journalist wants to publish the truth, not the bent truth. I'm excited to read the next portion of the book, in hopes of finding the journalist's name and to see whether the journalist gets to publish what he/she wants.

Click here for a reading guide to Samhita Arni's The Missing Queen.

The cover of The Missing Queen

Source: (Google Images)

Week 8 Growth Mindset

I can definitely say that I have the Growth Mindset for sure. I have almost all of the qualities on the right column. When you quit improving, you quit learning, and learning is very essential to becoming better day by day.

I know what my priorities are, and I won't let anything get in my way. Moreover, I know what I want from life and what I want to do with my life. There are people who doubt that, but I don't really care because I do know what I'm doing and what I want to do eventually.

My biggest plus point is that I know what my weaknesses are, I'm not afraid to confess what they are, and I am willing to change them in to strengths.

I take pride in who I am and what I want to do.

This is for all the folks who doubt my capabilities. I'm going to work hard right now, and let my success doing the talking. I always say that success is the best revenge for those who doubt you.

Source: (Google Images)

Week 8 Reflections

Reading
I have been making good choices about the reading. I have had the time to read, but I try to complete as early as possible because reading is my least favorite thing to do unless I'm reading for pleasure, not for class. I have my own little study nook, so I don't have an issue with finding a place to read or do homework.

I have reading from the terms of a writer, therefore making it quite easy to do the writing later on. The reading notes help in that department too because the writing idea is written down, so even if I do forget it, I can just look at the notes to remind myself of where I am and what I need to do next.

I pretty much have my semester planned as far as what I am going to read and when, so I really don't have an issue deciding what I need to do. I just can't believe the semester is already half way over!

Writing
I have been enjoying writing about my favorite show in this class. I also love the fact that I get to share my culture with everyone, and that everyone respects who I am and where I come from.

Connecting
I have not been connecting with other students because I make up that work with extra credit.

"You will get there, but only if you keep going." Quitting never gets you anywhere. You just have to keep going.

Source: (Google Images)

Growth Mindset: Getting Outside My Comfort Zone

I used to not get out of my comfort zone. I just stayed wherever I was comfortable. As life went on, especially during my college years, I realized that in order to grow and become better than who I was yesterday, I had to get out of my comfort zone.

I really started exploring myself and doing things I did not do before. This has helped me to boost my confidence, experience, and knowledge in a lot of different aspects of life.

People who used to say that I'm not confident or don't have a lot of self-esteem now say that I am one of the most confident people they have seen. I know for a fact that many of my former teachers are very proud of the person I've become.

Now for a quote!

"If you want something you've never had, then you've got to do something you've never done."

Source: (Google Images)

Tech Tip: Downloading Canvas App

Downloading the canvas app on an iPhone is quite easy.

All you need to do is go to the app store and search "canvas". It should be the first one by Intrastructure. Double tap on "GET" and it should ask you for your Touch ID, if your phone is capable. After you give it your touch ID, it should be downloaded.

***Side Note: OU started using Canvas last semester. I struggled with using Canvas last semester, but it's so much easier this semester.***

The canvas app looks like this.

Source: (Google Images)

Week 7 Story: Always Ready To Help

On one fine weekday, Jethabhai's alarm goes off, he gets up, and gets dressed to go to the dukaan (store). After getting ready, he comes out to the dining area and asks Dayabhabhi for breakfast. Dayabhabhi serves it to him, he eats it, and he gets up to leave for the dukaan. Just as he saying that he is leaving, Bapuji and Tapu come there and Bapuji says, "Arre ruk, Jethia. Hum bhi tere saath aa rahe hai. Bahu, mein apne doston ko milne jaa raha hoon Nana-Nani Park aur Tapu college jaa raha hai." ("Wait, Jethia. We are coming with you. Daya, I am going to see my friends at Nana-Nani Park, and Tapu is going to college.")

All three of them (Bapuji, Jethabhai, and Tapu) say "Jai Jinendra" ("Bye.") to Dayabhabhi and leave.

As they are coming down the stairs, Jethabhai spots a rickshaw coming towards them, and Jethabhai says to Bapuji, "Arre yeh dekhiye, Bapuji, ricksha bhi idhar hi mil gayi." ("Look, Bapuji, we got a rickshaw right here in the society compound.")

Bapuji says, "Haan." ("Yes.")

The rickshaw stops and Jethabhai sees Mehtasaab getting out. Jethbhai asks, "Arre Mehtasaab. Kahaan se aa rahe itni subeh subeh?" ("Mehtasaab, where are you coming from so early in the morning?")

Mehtasaab responds, "Kalam ki refill lene gaya tha, lekin meri chhodiye, Gada parivaar ke teen peedhiya ek saath kahaan jaa rahe hai?" ("I went to get a refill for my pen, but forget me, where are the three generations of the Gada family going?")

Jethabhai responds, "Mein dukaan jaa raha hoon, Bapuji apne doston ko milne Nana-Nani Park jaa rahe hai, aur Tapu college jaa raha hai." ("I am going to dukaan, Bapuji is going to see his friends at Nana-Nani Park, and Tapu is going to college.")

Mehtasaab says, "Theek hai. Jaayye, aap ko late ho raha hoga. Shaam ko milte hai, Jethalal. Jai Jinendra, Chachaji." ("Ok. Go then, you're probably getting late. I'll see you later, Jethalal. Bye, Uncle.")

Bapuji responds to Mehtasaab, "Jai Jinendra." ("Bye.")

Jethabhai then says, "Chaliye, Bapuji. Aaja, Tapuda." ("Let's go, Bapuji. Come, Tapu.")

And then they leave.

Later in the dukaan, Jethabhai receives an invitation to go to an electronic exhibition in Kerala. He has his flight the next morning at seven, for which he will have to reach the airport at five. After coming home, he tells Dayabhabhi, Tapu, and Bapuji about it.

Bapuji says, "Jethia, tu airport jaayega kaise? Ek kaam karna, tu soda peene jaayega, to Sodhi ko puchh lena koi taxi waale ke liye." ("Jethia, how will you get to the airport? Do this, when you go to drink soda, ask Sodhi for a taxi driver.")

Jethabhai responds, "Kal ke liye taiyaari karni hai toh soda peene to nahi jaaunga, lekin mein Sodhi ke saath phone pe baat karlunga." ("I have to prepare for tomorrow, so I'm not going to drink soda, but I'll talk to Sodhi on the phone.")

Later, Jethabhai calls Sodhi and asks about a taxi driver. Sodhibhai says, "Mere hote hue taxi ki kya zaroorat hai?" ("What's the need for the taxi when I'm here?")

Jethabhai says, "Arre nahi bhai, tu kyun itni subeh subeh pareshaan ho raha hai?" ("No, no, why are you troubling yourself so early in the morning?")

Sodhibhai responds, "Mein kabhi dosto ke wajeh se pareshaan nahi hota, lekin agar tum taxi me gaye toh mein pareshaan ho jaaunga. Rab di saun, dosto ke liye jaan bhi haazir hai." ("I can never be troubled by doing things for my friends, but if you take a taxi, then I really will be troubled. I swear to God, I can sacrifice my life for my friends.")

And with this, Sodhibhai takes Jethabhai to the airport the next morning and Jethabhai is able to catch his flight on time.

***Author's Note: This was the best idea I could get from this week's reading. I wrote the first part of this story much better last semester, but this is all I could remember of it. The idea of this story came from when Lord Krishna lifted a mountain on one finger to save His fellow villagers from a huge flood sent by Lord Indra. Sodhibhai is always ready to help anyone in the society, as was Lord Krishna during His time.***

Click here for a reading guide for Sister Nivedita's Krishna.

Here's Sodhibhai and Roshanbhabhi!

Source: (Google Images)