First-Year Foundations

Welcome to FYF! I've thought about what starting university was like for me as a first-generation student and I'll be sharing all the things I wish I knew then. I also promise not to waste your time with BS assignments or anything like that. Everyone's welcome.

Week 01

Week 1 - 20 Questions

This questionnaire is to get to know you better. Most questions are based on the Proust questionnaire, which has been posed to many people over the decades. I encourage you to check it out here if you're interested. Please answer only what you're comfortable sharing. I've put my answers in as examples. Only you and I will see your submission, but, in part two, I'll ask you to share what you like with your peers.

What's your first name?

What's your last name?

Where did you grow up?

What degree(s) are you pursuing?

What was the last good TV series you watched?

What was the last good book you read?

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

What is your greatest fear?

What is your current state of mind?

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

What is your greatest extravagance?

When and where were you happiest?

Which talent would you most like to have?

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

What do you most value in friends?

Who is your hero of fiction?

Who are your heroes in real life?

What is it that you most dislike?

What would make this class suck (so that I know to avoid it)?

What would make this class great (so that I know to do it)?

What is your email address?

For more information:

Week 02

Week 2 - Making Friends

Week 03

More about these questions (to read after you complete them!) can be found here and in the books below...

Week 3 - Liberal Arts

What's your name?

A bat and a ball cost $11.00 in total. The bat costs $10.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

If it takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 widgets, how long would it take 100 machines to make 100 widgets?

In a lake, there is a patch of lily pads. Every day, the patch doubles in size. If it takes 48 days for the patch to cover the entire lake, how long would it take for the patch to cover half of the lake?

Do you think the US should threaten North Korea with nuclear weapons if it does not cease its nuclear program?

Do you think the US should allow immigration from Agrabah?

World Map

Move your mouse over the map or touch to find coordinates...

Where is North Korea?

Where is Agrabah?

In the last three weeks, what's something you realized you didn't even know you didn't know?

What knowledge do you want to explore freely in the next three weeks?

Just for fun, ask some people how smart they are. Anecdotally, do you notice any correlation between how smart they think they are and how smart you think they are?

What is your email address?

For more information:

Week 04

Week 4 - Getting Organized

What's your name?

Workspace

What's something in your workspace that provides motivation?

How have you organized your workspace materials?

What's something beautiful or aesthetically pleasing you have in your workspace?

What have you done to make sure you don't break your back or get carpal tunnel syndrome?

Share a photo of your workspace with the class (if you want to)!

WOOP

What's a wish you hope to fulfill in the future?

What is an outcome you plan to achieve within the next two weeks to help you get closer to your wish?

What is an obstacle that could prevent you from achieving that outcome?

What can you do to overcome your obstacle?

POMODORO

What is a large project you hope to accomplish in the not-too-distant future?

After giving yourself 20 minutes to do nothing but work toward your goal, how did you find the pomodoro method?

What is your email address?

For more information:

Week 05

Your Logical Fallacy Is... — A helpful resource for answering this week's questions.

This video accompanies the last question.

Week 5 - Information Literacy

What's your name?

Should we ban ice cream? If not, what logical fallacy does Chris make?

Is global warming a hoax? If not, what logical fallacy does Chris make?

Should we ban recycling and encourage more pollution? If not, what logical fallacy does Chris make?

Do you think it's likely that Eddie has digital editing skills? If not, what logical fallacy does Chris make?

Should we protest against this young woman's euthanasia? If not what logical fallacy does Chris make? (see video).

Don't forget to send in your own logical fallacy video this week. You're welcome to work with anyone from class. Don't repeat any of the logical fallacies that Chris already did. And bonus points if you can share your fallacious video on social media and get people to agree with it (though please tell them later that they fell for a logical fallacy and that they need to take an information literacy class!).

What is your email address?

For more information:

Week 06

Week 6 - Group Projects

What's your name?

What topics would you most like to explore for a group project? (list in order of preference: e.g., academics, charity, food services, information literacy, sustainability, etc.)

Is there anyone in the class with whom you already want to work?

Is there anyone in the class with whom you would like to avoid working?

What is your email address?

Week 07

Week 7 - Group Projects

What are your names? (each group should work together to submit one set of answers this week)

What is the overall topic your group plans to cover for your class project?

What is the goal you plan to accomplish by the end of the project?

How will you accomplish your goal(s)?

What are at least ten reliable resources (academic studies, organizations, profesionals, etc.) you'll consult to accomplish your goals and ensure you become knowledgeable about your topic?

What will a successful final product look like and how should you be assessed?

What is your email address? (Just one person here, who will be the main contact)

Week 08

Week 8 - Advising/Group Projects

What are your names? (each group should work together to submit one set of answers this week)

Describe in detail what an "A" project would look like for you:

Describe in detail what a "B" project would look like for you:

Describe in detail what a "C" project would look like for you:

Describe in detail what an "F" project would look like for you:

What is your email address? (Just one person here, who will be the main contact)

Week 09

Week 9 - Time Management

This week, you're making a one-minute video about time management based on your own research. You can send the video via email, or, if it's too large, you can use Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox to send the file. You may want to start by checking out any of the books below. Keep in mind, however, that you should introduce one time-management technique and not everyhing in the book. You should be able to answer yes to following five questions:

Do you clearly explain an effective time-management strategy and what sets it apart from others?
Have you learned about this technique from a reputable book or article that you cite in your video?
Have you tried this yourself and can you speak to the pros and cons of its implementation?
Is this technique likely to help your peers and other viewers (like Chris) better manage their time?
Is your video ONE MINUTE?

For more information:

Week 10

Week 10 - Self-Reflection

What is your name?

Select Day

What are three things that made you happy today?

What are three good things you did for yourself or others today?

What were three challenges you faced today and how did you respond to them?

How could you have made today better?

Describe at least one significant thing you plan to acomplish tomorrow?

What is your email address?

Week 11

Week 11 - Leadership

What is your name?

After watching Roselinde Torres' TED talk, what leadership practices stand out to you and how will you incorporate them into your own leadership practices?

After watching Simon Sinek's TED talk, what leadership practices stand out to you and how will you incorporate them into your own leadership practices?

Describe a strong leader you have encountered in your own life and what made them effective.

What specific leadership lessons did you learn from this person that you can apply to your own practices?

Describe a strong leader you have seen in the media (fictional or non-fictional) and what made them effective.

What specific leadership lessons did you learn from this person that you can apply to your own practices?

Describe a poor leader you have encountered in your own life and what made them uneffective.

What specific leadership lessons did you learn from this person that you can avoid in your own practices?

Describe a poor leader you have seen in the media (fictional or non-fictional) and what made them uneffective.

What specific leadership lessons did you learn from this person that you can avoid in your own practices?

What is your email address?

For more information:

Week 12

Week 12 - Habits

What is your name?

After reviewing your journal entries that you should receive by Monday, what practices or habits have you found helpful or detrimental to you? What changes, if any, will you make to your daily plans?

After taking the Race IAT (click to take), what results did you recieve and what reflection do you have upon those findings? Will you change anything or think differently abour your everyday practices and habits?

After taking the Sexuality IAT (click to take), what results did you recieve and what reflection do you have upon those findings? Will you change anything or think differently abour your everyday practices and habits?

After taking the Disability IAT (click to take), what results did you recieve and what reflection do you have upon those findings? WIll you change anything or think differently abour your everyday practices and habits?

What is your email address?

For more information:

Week 13

Week 13 - Careers

What is your name?

After reviewing your VIA Character Strengths Survey results (link here), what did you learn?

What careers are consistant with the values you have identified?

What does the market look like for those entering your desired career in the next few years according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics?

What would differentiate an average person applying for your desired career from a Super Star?

What is your email address?

MORE ABOUT FIRST-YEAR FOUNDATIONS

Upon successful completion of this course, you'll be able to:

Find information through more reliable sources
Read, understand, and synthesize academic work
Critically assess the validity and accuracy of claims found in scholarship and popular culture
Locate all the important stuff on campus and online
Articulate your thoughts a little better
Celebrate your first term as a college student

Readings

There are no textbooks assigned by me. I'll share articles as weeks go by. But if you want to kick-ass as a first-year student, these books are worth checking out...

First-Year Foundations

Ask Me Anything

Week 01

Week 1 - 20 Questions

For more information:

Week 02

Week 2 - Making Friends

Week 03

Week 3 - Liberal Arts

World Map

For more information:

Week 04

Week 4 - Getting Organized

Workspace

WOOP

POMODORO

For more information:

Week 05

Week 5 - Information Literacy

For more information:

Week 06

Week 6 - Group Projects

Week 07

Week 7 - Group Projects

Week 08

Week 8 - Advising/Group Projects

Week 09

Week 9 - Time Management

For more information:

Week 10

Week 10 - Self-Reflection

Week 11

Week 11 - Leadership

For more information:

Week 12

Week 12 - Habits

For more information:

Week 13

Week 13 - Careers

MORE ABOUT FIRST-YEAR FOUNDATIONS

Upon successful completion of this course, you'll be able to:

Readings