Indian Epics Blog

 Time management is an important aspect in keeping up with asynchronous online classes. Without meetings or a defined structure, it's easy to procrastinate and push off work until the last minute, but this approach causes unnecessary stress and hinders the learning process. Rather than meaningfully engaging with the material and confronting challenges, students who lack time management will produce work that isn't as thoughtful as it could be. For this class, it's important to develop a schedule and stick by it; the consistent workload of readings, projects, and blog posts all require pacing to complete the material and effectively learn. Procrastination can creep in at any time, but it's important to just get started . Rather than delaying our goals or watching one more show, the act of beginning provides that initial momentum to prevent procrastination and unnecessary delays. This article reminded me that starting is half the battle, and it's important to gain tha...

 I feel familiar with tuning up my browser, as I've already had extensions and figured out how to organize bookmarks. However, I didn't realize the extensive resources that are available for this class. The Class Wiki has everything centralized, making all the material, assignments, and expectations really clear. The support sites seem really useful, and I'll be sure to take advantage of those throughout this semester. I especially appreciate Freebookapolooza as it makes all the readings easily accessible. Technology allows the class's workload to be done anywhere, as this website can allow me to complete the readings on the go. I look forward to using the technology tools and course websites throughout this semester. The interconnectedness of technology. Source: Pixabay

 I like the structure and consistency with the core assignments, and the flexibility offered with extra credit can allow me to manage for stressful weeks. The natural progression from reading to writing to developing a project and gaining feedback allows for a more in-depth engagement with the material. I'd probably try to start readings earlier than the due date in order to try and take advantage of extra reading for extra credit. I also look forward to commenting on blog posts and receiving feedback, since online classes feel isolating and comments always help to improve the work. I like that the structure of the course includes consistently working on the project over the semester, as it'll allow us to develop and revise over time. Oftentimes, projects that are due at the end of the semester feel rushed, but by incorporating it into the weekly workload, I'm more excited to develop it throughout the class. I'll be sure to take up some extra credit opportunities to pre...

 The growth mindset provides an important framework in re-evaluating what it means to learn. Dr. Dweck is right when she asserts the the current education system drives students to chase grades and achievements rather than challenges. Learning has become a sort of performance to show that students are competent with the material, but it fails to challenge the students in a meaningful way. When students become fixated on grades and face failure, they see themselves as the problem. A growth mindset focuses on confronting challenges with growth and development, rather than viewing these challenges as a metric to determine their competency. For example, some difficult math problems can be viewed as an unnecessary punishment for students who view homework as the end itself, or it can be seen as a challenge to try and develop their skills through the growth mindset. By engaging with the material, students with a growth mindset are more capable of tackling challenges and addressing dispar...

  Hey everybody! My name’s Ishan, but I go by Ish, like fish without the f. I’m a sophomore and I’m majoring in both Biology and Letters with a Pre-Med track. I hope to practice medicine, but I’m still unsure of the specialty I want to work in. I’ve been fascinated with neurosurgery, but the extensive schooling and long, risky procedures made the field less appealing. I recently read Do No Harm by Dr. Henry Marsh, one of the world’s best neurosurgeons, and the various stories demonstrated the difficult lifestyle of a neurosurgeon. As a result, I’d be more interested in a neurosurgical specialization of a field I found appealing, such as a neuro-ophthalmology, but I’m open to all options.   I was born in Frankfort, Indiana; it’s an extremely small town relatively close to Indianapolis. My family and I moved to St. Joseph, Missouri when I began preschool, before moving to Terre Haute, Indiana when I began 3 rd grade. We then moved to Edmond, Oklahoma when...

The first storybook that caught my eye was titled “ Ganesha:How It All Began .” I've heard of Ganesha and seen the deity's iconography, but I never knew of his origin. As a result, I decided to check out the storybook. The introduction was concise and accessible while providing in-depth information about Ganesha. Growing up, I learned about the deity and his characteristics, but I never knew of the symbolic aspects of Ganesha. The diagram in the introduction demonstrated how Ganesha’s portrayal reflects Hinduism’s spiritual beliefs. For example, Ganesha’s axe symbolizes the act of cutting off all bonds of attachment, which parallels the lifestyle of Hindu ascetics. After reading through the introduction, I navigated through the storybook; the design choice avoided distractions and allowed the content to be the main focus.       A diagram detailing the symbolism of Ganesha. Source: Wikipedia   The second storybook I was interested in was t...

 My favorite place is Dharamshala, a city in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. My mother was born and raised there, and I was able to visit the city in December 2019.    This is a photo I took of the Himalayan mountainside and one part of the city.  I found this image on Wikipedia that shows the Dhauladhar mountain range overlooking the city.