Finalmente

Endgame

And so we've reached the end of EL 236. In thinking back and reflecting on what we've done the entire semester, I can safely say this is one of the few classes in this major that I've actually had fun in. Although, whenever I seemed to say the "f" word this semester, something horribly UNFUN would be assigned. I'll admit: I got really sick of those little quizzes about Html and Inform 7 programming. The two books we read, Don't Make Me Think and Writing for the Web, were beyond tedium. They were so repetitive that I would space out during reading. I found myself writing basically the same blog reactions over and over again. Yes, usability testing is very valuable, but if I had to read one more chapter about it, I'd probably puke (figuratively).

This is the first semester in which I've been able to apply the concepts I've learned in other journalism classes to each other. Throughout this course, I've mainly drawn from CA 100 (Communication Theory and Technology) and EL 336 (which was on oral, manuscript, and digital culture). Because I squeezed this major into half the time people usually take to create it, I had to take classes out of sequence. EL 336 was difficult because I was reading all about hypertext and interactive fiction without a clue about what they were or how they worked (and more importantly, what the value was of learning about the two mediums).It all makes sense now.

I must admit, I really didn't understand the value of Inform 7. I see no direct real-world applications for learning how to program an IF game, but I suppose that learning a complex program is sort of a warm-up for the real world. I understand many of the graduates from this program go into computer and technology fields. Since I'm not going to be working in New Media after graduation (it's law school and  Broadway for me), I've had a hard time seeing the relevance of much of the subject material. But I have to remember that I'm an exception to the rule and remind myself what kind of students the NMJ program is geared towards.

Am I a Html programmer? A Blogger? A Flash designer? A sound editor? No.

But I know how to do all of these things, and do them well. If life was spent learning only things we were interested in, no one would graduate college.

Above all, I am a writer, an actress, and a singer.

I'm a sometimes guitarist. I'm a comedienne. I'm a lover of everything that is Wilde, Meyers, Rowling, Hugo, Cabot, and Green.

I'm a litigator. I'm a philosopher. I'll probably be an expatriot someday.

That is who I am.

I'm also neurotic. I'm anal-retentive. I make things harder for myself than they have to be. I push myself too hard. I care way too much about my grades and what they say about me. I sometimes measure intelligence by GPA. I sometimes care too much what people think of me. I set my goals too high, but reach them eventually (driving myself up the wall in the process).

That is also who I am.

I have a year and a half left at Seton Hill. I don't have many classes within this major left. From here on out, I'm finishing up this degree, taking the rest of my core Theater classes, and filling in the spaces with the two gen ed classes I need. I only have one more class that I have to blog in-Media Lab, sometime senior year. I've written some 214 blog entries in the past year and a half.

This is the end my friends, and I offer you the following words of wisdom based on my observations these past 2 1/2 years (2 of which where spent as a journalism major):

1) Whatever you are learning is NOT B.S., regardless of whether you will use it in your future. Everything in this world has value.

2) Clear hours long blocks to work. Saturdays are golden.

3) Not doing your work and half-assing assignments is not going to spite the teacher. Learn the material. Complete a kick-ass project-that is your "so there."

4) Be respectful. Regardless of your personal feelings towards the course,  the professors have earned their degrees and therefore deserve your respect.

5) You do not know more than the teacher. Pay attention and don't be apathetic. Apathy gets you nowhere. 

6) You do not have to love everything, but love at least part of what you do. I hate New Media-but we have to use it. Society has to adapt to technology. I love writing. That is why I am a journalism major.

7) stop and smell the roses, the bushes, the trees, and even the grass and leaves. Don't let life pass you by.

And finally we had freedom. Sweet, sweet freedom to create our own project using what we had spent the first two and a half months learning. 

Rejoice greatly, for you've weathered the fires of hell. (excuse the dramatic license).

Now here's the actual portfolio:

The progress: from term project proposal to finished product

Sorry for the lateness

Progress Blog the Second

Alpha Report

Progress Blog the Third

E Finito-EL 236 Project nearly done

The Hopefully Last blog Relating to my Term Project Besides the Portfolio

The Finished Project:

My Italy

Helpfulness-I offered constructive criticism and suggestions to my peers

Jed:

My part is finished

Bomb Squad Progress

Alpha Test

Jessie:

King Arthur Lives Again-My IF Game Progress

Christina:

Hypertext Fiction Report

Alpha Report

Kevin:

You can't take everything

Andy:

Getting There

Denamarie:

Getting There

And there it is. Finalmente.

Grazia a dio.