Study Tips for Biology

Study Tips for Biology

     Here at Coe College, there are so many pre-medicine and nursing students. To be able to graduate in these fields, a lot of biology is usually taken. Our freshman year, for example, most of us have to take Cellular and Molecular Biology (the weed out class). We all struggle in that class, so here are a few study tips that helped me to struggle a little less.

     Biology is best defined as the study of living organisms. Given that there’s such a wide range of living organisms from bacteria/microscopic organisms to the biggest of animals, it can be an extremely hard subject. It’s all more or less just memorization; however, it is a lot to memorize in a short amount of time. Our brains are extremely powerful, but every brain is different, and there are so many ways to learn. Simply memorizing things to get things done isn’t going to work because to actually instill information it needs to be rehearsed in the brain more than once.

That being said, I took and studied notes before class; then when I got to class I recorded the lecture as well as revised my notes. The key to revising was to add and highlight things that my professor elaborated on/ emphasized the most. I did it for every chapter before the exam (each exam was every three chapters). Then, while studying for the exam I made a flow chart to show how each topic was connected so that I could easily make those connections during the test.

Homework really does help, because it gives you the chance to practice everything you’re learning. Also, having a friend to study with so that you can all compare notes and teach each other will help with rehearsal and keeping everything in your brain. I cannot stress this next point enough: TALK TO YOUR PROFESSOR. I couldn’t go to SI Sessions because I had work so often; and I needed money to come up with half of my tuition. If you’re in my shoes, then communicate that with your professor and schedule a set meeting time every week to go over material. It actually helped me.

I hope that these study tips work for you like they did for me; and if you have any other tips then leave them in the comments!

BOTW 4/15

By Paige Waskow

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

By Peggy McIntosh

The book of the week is not exactly a book. Instead, I thought I would post this resource about white privilege.

What is it about?

This resource, which comes from a larger publication by McIntosh, helps identify what white privilege looks like in everyday society. This list of statements allow the reader to look at their own lives and see how they are able to interact with the world in comparison to others. White privilege does not always mean active violence, it is ingrained in every part of society.

Here are the first seven (out of 50) examples from McIntosh's list of what white privilege looks like:

"1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.

2. I can avoid spending time with people whom I was trained to mistrust and who have learned to mistrust my kind or me.

3. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.

4. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.

5. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.

6. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.

7. When I am told about our national heritage or about "civilization," I am shown that people of my color made it what it is" (McIntosh 1988, 2).

                                   

via GIPHY

Why did I choose it?

I think this resource is a great way to target what privilege looks like for white people. What I mean is that as a white person, I am able to ignore or more seamlessly move through society in a way that people of color cannot. I get to choose whether or not I want to think about how society is privileged to white people. I do not have to experience it.

All of the statements that McIntosh mentions are crucial to understanding what white privilege looks like, and they should make you uncomfortable- especially if you are not a person of color. I think this source challenges my normal and helps me remember to be aware of what I can do without feeling awkward, fearful, isolated, or ignored because of the color of my skin. It is so so so important that those who have privilege in society challenge themselves to see bias and then change how they act or don't act. One thing that I have learned is that listening and learning go a long way. Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack is a way to actively listen and challenge the status quo.

Where can you view it?

Right here! This is a PDF document of the list (but not the whole publication).

Is there anything else you should know?

If you would like to view another post I wrote about white privilege, you can click here. I added some resources that I have found useful to that post. Additionally, if you have any resources, comments, or questions, please leave them below. Happy reading!

References

McIntosh, Peggy. 1988. "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack." (part of "White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming To See Correspondences through Work in Women's Studies") https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/mcintosh.pdf. April 17, 2019.

BOTW: April 10th

By: Paige Waskow

The Sun Does Shine:

How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row

By Anthony Ray Hinton

What's it about?

What is it like to be on death row? What is it like to be innocent on death row? What is it like to be a black man, innocent of a crime but convicted for it, and on death row?

Anthony Ray Hinton tells his true story of growing up as a black man in Alabama, being accused of murder, and being sentenced to death. Not only is he completely innocent, but he spends thirty years of his life on death row before getting out. His story recounts the trial, the injustice and inequality of the system, and how he grows in spite of his circumstances. Hinton fully describes the hardship of being on death row and losing so much of his life to it. He speaks of his troubles with belief in God, fear of never seeing his mother again, frequently hearing and smelling men being killed near his cell, and struggling with how to get out. He also describes his incredibly journey in being able to make friends and share his knowledge with fellow men near his cell. He even starts a book club. Although he is in the worst of situations, he is able to serve the people who are on death row through kindness and compassion.

Why did I choose it?

This book affected me so deeply and profoundly. As mentioned above, it is not simply a story of injustice, but also one of strength and growth. Hinton has to face what I can only imagine as one of the most entirely life shattering and deeply horrifying experiences a person can live through. And yet, even after losing it all, he is still able to help other people. It is hard to describe the book without giving too much away, but I promise it is worth the read. I love books that challenge the status quo, and Hinton absolutely does this. But, he does it through love and compassion, which are seemingly impossible from being in the circumstances that he was put through. I highly recommend this book as it will challenge you, probably make you cry (or at least feel some serious emotions), and shares a powerful example about how love wins over racism, privilege, pain, sorrow, and inequality.

Where can you get it?

The Sun Does Shine is available at the Cedar Rapids Public Library (CRPL). You can get a CRPL card anytime for free.

Is there anything else you should know?

A part of the book recounts Hinton's journey to get off death row with help from lawyer Bryan Stevenson. I have written a few posts before mentioning Stevenson, specifically the BOTW post on Just Mercy which he wrote. If you are interested, you can view that post here. Additionally, I highly recommend checking out Stevenson's firm the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). You can view their website here.

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References

Equal Justice Initiative. EJI. 2019. https://eji.org/

Hinton, Anthony Ray. Hardin, Lara Love. The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row. St. Martin's Press, 2018.

BOTW March 11

By Paige Waskow

The Book of the Week is:

Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution

by Janette Sadik-Khan and Seth Solomonow

"If you can change the street, you can change the world."

                                 

via GIPHY

What's it about?

How do you manage making sure millions of people from one place to another on a daily basis let alone try to change how they get around? Whether we think about it or not, streets are incredibly important. As former transportation commissioner of New York City, Janette Sadik-Khan did just that. This book is her journey, achievements, and failures.

Sadik-Khan introduces the reader to streets in the eyes of an urban planner. Questions such as: how do you maintain what exists so that people can drive or walk while also making the street safer for everyone? and how do neighborhoods vary in transportation opportunity? are frequent topics of consideration. She covers how to read the street and how to make it better for people, communities, and local business rather than strictly cars. Her work challenges the status quo and makes bikes, pedestrians, and those who take public transport just as important as those who drive. It also addresses how to change a busy place, such as Times Square, and make it into a place where people can stop and just be.

Why did I choose it?

Streetfight is an excellent introduction to the work of an urban planner. I knew nothing about how transportation planning really worked until I read this book. I went in with an expectation of it being good, but was surprised by how fascinated I was within the first few chapters- I couldn't put it down.

I am a huge biking and walking advocate, and it was really amazing to see how a more sustainable and safe city could be made. By challenging the status quo, Sadik-Khan brings real hope and action to how we view the street. It inspired me to challenge my own views of cars, not that the book says that they are bad, but how we can make the street a more equitable and community-based place.

Growing up in St. Louis, I have seen a lot of the impacts of how transportation opportunity affects so much of what a person can do. Not having a car here in Cedar Rapids has taught me the value and privilege of being to drive and the need for universal bike lanes and reliable public transportation. This book was an answer to a lot of the burning questions I had about how to solve these problems. Of course, I still have a lot to learn, but I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to change the city they live in.

Where can you get Streetfight?

Sadly, this book is not available at Coe's library or the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you are really interested in reading it, it is available for purchase on Amazon or other online book-selling services.

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below!

Happy reading!

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References:

Sadik-Khan, Janette, Solomonow, Seth. Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution. Penguin Random House LLC, 2017.

BOTW February 25

By Paige Waskow

The Book of the Week is:

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

"You can swim all day in the Sea of Knowledge and not get wet."

What's it about?

What would you do if you had the chance to step into a magical world whose entrance forms itself in the shape of a tollbooth? Perhaps take a swim in the Sea of Knowledge or visit the word market? Or better yet, meet a watchdog named Tock and a cynical Humbug of which to share an adventure with?

Milo, who is described as having too much time on his hands and being much too bored, is given this opportunity. His journey, which at first he isn't incredibly excited to be a part of, turns into a rainbow of surprises with twists of wordplay, all in hopes to restore rhyme and reason to the magical land.

                                 

via GIPHY

Why did I choose it?

This was one of my favorite childhood books. Although it is targeted towards a younger audience, anyone can enjoy its puns and eccentric characters.

I love this book because of its story focuses around what it means to learn and experience living. The journey Milo goes on is magical, but it reflects our everyday lives. How do we step outside of our comfort zones? How do we interact with those who have had very different life experiences from us? How do we grow when nothing feels the same?

Additionally, I believe that The Phantom Tollbooth, in its reflection of wordplay, is VERY relevant to our world and society right now. The book reminds us about the importance of words, ignorance, and meaning- especially from those in power. I'll leave it there.

Where can you get The Phantom Tollbooth?

This book is available at Coe's library as well as the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a library card, you can get one anytime for free! The closest library to Coe is downtown on 4th street.

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below!        

via GIPHY

Happy reading!

References:

Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth. Random House Children's Books, 1996.

BOTW February 4

By Paige Waskow

The book of the week is:

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

What's it About?

What would you do if you were walking in downtown New York at 3 am and stumbled upon a giant robot-samurai looking sculpture? Would you take a picture of it? Yell at it? Completely ignore it and move on?

For April-May, the sculpture, which she kindly names Carl, is a work of art that cannot and should not be ignored. As a former art student herself, she does not feel it is right to notice it and then move on without giving some sort of credit to the artist. So, she calls up a friend and takes a video which she then uploads on YouTube.

What begins as a simple video turns out to be a viral sensation around the world. Carls, as they become known have appeared everywhere, overnight, out of thin air. And April-May is the first to document one. Suddenly thrown into the realm of fame, April-May's life turns upside down as she dives in the mystery of the Carls as well as her own popularity.

Why did I choose it?

I loved this book from start to finish. Honestly, I might have been a bit biased going in. Both the Green brothers, Hank and John, are known for their commentary and life documenting YouTube channel, Vlogbrothers. It is a pretty cool channel, and I would recommend checking it out.

                   

via GIPHY

But besides knowing the author from other content, I loved this book because it provides the reader with a whirl of sci-fi and real life. It is full of action and mystery, taking plot turns and weird moments and making them into a book that is hard to put down. April-May is a great lead character who shows her flaws boldly and is honest with the reader. The book is her recollection of events all leading up to a grand final that will leave you wanting a sequel. 

What I really appreciated was that Green made his characters complex. Women are not simply sidekicks or love interests but rather their own people who have their own problems and ideas. Additionally, this was the first book I read where the main character was bisexual and the plot did not completely evolve around sexuality. It mostly revolves around giant weird robot sculptures and the reasonable question, "What do we do with the Carls?" It also deals with the pains and struggles of fame and independence. What do you do when you are thrown into something that you can hardly control? How do you involve yourself without becoming the thing you are absorbed in?

Where can you get An Absolutely Remarkable Thing?

This book is available at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a CRPL card, you can get one for free!

                                       

via GIPHY

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below. 

Happy reading!

References:

Green, Hank. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing: a Novel. Dutton, an Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2018.

BOTW January 28

By Paige Waskow

The book of the week is:

Where'd Ya Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

What's it about?

What would you do if your strange but brilliant and lovable mother vanished in thin air? In a spiral of emails, notes, and quirky narration, Maria Semple creates a world in which high school aged Bee attempts to figure out what happened to her disappeared mother, Bernadette. The novel delves into the family's history- a promise that Bee can have anything she wants if she gets perfect grades (she chooses to take a family trip to Antarctica), Bernadette's work in architecture, the move of Bee and her parents to Seattle, and the obscure events leading to and including Bernadette's disappearance.

Hoping for answers, and her trip to Antarctica, Bee's journey spans the past and present. It's perfectly odd in all the right ways, and the story loops the reader through this change of events, never pausing in action. Besides the main family members Bee, Bernadette, and Elgin, a whole array of fun and diverse cast of characters adds complexity and context. Semple writes with wit and satire while then blending it into the seriousness (and often troubling) parts of life.

via GIPHY

Why did I choose it?

I quickly sped through this amazing book one summer. I loved it because of the plot, of course, but also the nature in which Semple creates her narrative. As mentioned above, the book is made up of components such as letters and files. (There is also narration, which portrays Bee's experience, but mostly stands to make the story a story.) This immediately got my interest, but also reflected what I felt the story taught me and was trying to get across. Not only did I learn way more about the antarctic continent, but of the struggle to be creative and thrive in a confusing world. Ultimately, I loved Where'd Ya Go, Bernadette for its honesty and weird fun.

Where can you get Where'd Ya Go, Bernadette?

This book is available at Coe's library as well as the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a CRPL card, you can get one for free!

                                     

via GIPHY

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below. 

Happy reading!

References:

     McAlpin, Heller. “Screwball Satire With A Warm Heart In 'Bernadette'.” NPR, NPR, 14 Aug. 2012, www.npr.org/2012/08/14/157227450/screwball-satire-with-a-warm-heart-in-bernadette.

Learning Commons Book Favorites!

By Paige Waskow

What do the writers of the Learning Commons Blog like to read?!

From social justice to sci-fi to romance, check out the list of unique books below!

Bridget Atkinson-Moore
Recommended book:  The Hand of the Devil by Dean Vincent Carter

Why it's one of my favorites: "One of my favorite books to read over and over again (I read it at least twice a year, once for Halloween and once sometime during the spring) is The Hand of the Devil by Dean Vincent Carter. It's such a great horror story set on a remote island with really great creepy imagery. It made me scared to encounter a mosquito for a while after I first read it!"

Jasmine Barlow
Recommended book:  The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Why it's one of my favorites: "My favorite book is "The Hate U Give". It was the first book to make me cry (not just "feel sad", many tears fell in many different chapters) because I relate to Starr. I love reading and have read many fantastic books, but Starr was the first person I could truly understand. It hit home and I recommend everyone to broaden their horizons and learn how people of different backgrounds and cultures see the same world, through what they have to live through. I tend to be drawn towards books written by Black women, but I've never read a character so close to my age, from the same time period, from a big city. I'm still in awe."


Arabella Chamberlain
Recommended book:  Saturn Run by John Sandford

Why it's one of my favorites: "This book tells a story of drama, mystery, science, and a great race through space. It's such a page-turner and full of surprises. Sandford's voice is really enjoyable and makes the story come to life. With moments of drama and suspense to moments of hilarious absurdity, this sci-fi is one to pick up."

Taylor Nosekabel
Recommended book:  Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Why it's one of my favorites: "I love this book because the main character is very relatable and it deals with difficult family topics in a believable and understandable way. Also, the romance is fantastic."


Paige Waskow
Recommended book:  Artemis by Andy Weir

Why it's one of my favorites: "Artemis is a really unique book that is incredibly imaginative. It follows the life of Jazz Bashara on Artemis, the first city on the moon, and her accidental involvement in a very complicated space heist involving global powers. It is action packed, hilarious, and science-y. I enjoyed it so much that I read it in two days."

If you have any favorites, leave them below for others to see.

Happy Reading!

via GIPHY, Ana Caro

My thanks to the writing commons blog writers for their willingness to help make this post and interest in reading.

Image made with Canva

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