Seuss-isms

Growing up, my parents bought me a small book titled “Seuss-isms: Wise and Witty Prescriptions for Living from the Good Doctor.” Full of small quotes from Dr. Seuss, there are enough to apply them to many different circumstances. Going forward, I will share a monthly Seuss-ism with you all. Hopefully, they can guide you all, just like they have guided me!

On equality and justice:

“I’m quite happy to say

That the Sneetches got really

quite smart on that day,

The day they decided that 

Sneetches are Sneetches

And no kind of Sneetch is the best

On the beaches.”

-The Sneetches and Other Stories

California Jones and the Golden Egg

Barreling down at high speed, the intense sound of the dry road making contact with the decently used all-season tires was covered up by the blaring of “Oye Mi Amor” by Mexico’s finest, Maná. California Jones at the wheel, no one could have been better equipped to keep the golden egg safer than him. Some say that he had been trained by the ancient Mayans on what is now the ruins of Chichén Itzá in evasive maneuvers. Others claim to have seen him alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at the gym, training to be strong enough to fight off any enemies in his pursuit of protection. California Jones has never been in the game for the fame, fortune, or thrill. No, he prefers to know that he was able to protect those who needed his help.

With a quick, yet gentle pull of the wheel, C.J. changed the course he was on, hoping that the advice from the ever reliable compass, “Ways,” that he kept on him was right. It was absolutely vital that every move he made was calculated in advance because any sudden movements could and would damage the egg. Looking in the rear-view mirror, California Jones noticed that not more than 5 car lengths behind approached “The Sickos,” the evil people that seek to infect the golden egg. As his foot applied more force on the accelerator, the engine roared louder, motivating C.J. to carry on as if he had a tiger in the back instead of just the golden egg.

The exit was now in sight. Pointing the beast in the direction, he waited until the very last second to hit the brakes and make a sharp right turn. Though it allowed him to gain some space on “The Sickos,” he had now put the golden egg in jeopardy as it had now moved under the belt buckle and sat unprotected in the backseat. At this moment, C.J.’s training with seal team 6 came into full use as he seemingly managed to get time to stop. Jamming his foot on the gas pedal, he fought the momentum of the vehicle to lunge himself into the backseat and reach for the golden egg. Palming it, California Jones returned to the captain’s seat to navigate them through what seemed like a planned field of obstacles in his way. Weaving in and out of the “traffic” that plagued those small streets, he was able to lose “The Sickos” just in time. 

Approaching the destination, the previously paved, straight road had turned into an uphill battle on rock and dirt. With the egg in one hand, the steering wheel in the other, and all of his effort into propelling the vehicle up the rough terrain; C.J. knew that he would not lose this fight. Though it sounded like the entire animal kingdom was screaming at the top of its’ lungs, he jeered the wheel back and forth, slowly making it up the steep “road.” One last push before the engine was to blow and the vehicle steadied out, no longer being on an incline instead having made it to the top. Here, the palace of Sylmar, was to be the safehouse for the golden egg as predetermined by California Jones. No “Sicko” could ever make it up there. Without a single scratch on it, C.J. handed the golden egg to its caretakers, where they would later watch the first golden bald eagle hatch. Once again, the evermore talented California Jones stunned the world with his determination, loyalty, and skill.

ARC Tips for the Start of 2nd Semester!

Editors’ Note: A version of this was printed November 2020, the content is the same, minus the intro paragraph. 

Happy start of second semester! As we settle into the semester, now is the perfect time to evaluate how virtual learning is going for you and if there is anything you want to change. As we all know, virtual learning asks a lot of all of us and it can be challenging to change  things up.. This is where the ARCs can come in!

We aren’t going to list here all the reasons each of us has to be stressed and anxious right now. But we are going to acknowledge that there is still a lot. Amidst everything though, we are also all students, meaning we have classes, and homework, and projects to think about — and that is exactly what we write to talk to you about today.

 ARCs have collected the following tips and tricks from other Oliners on what has been helping them navigate learning during this period of virtual school which are listed below. 

Task Management / Calendar

  • Post-it notes : A simple physical post-it note on your laptop or near your desk is an easy access way to track tasks and it is super satisfying to cross things out. 
  • Todo list examples : If you are looking for a Todo list that is electronic and simple to set up, consider a custom google sheets template!
    • Option 1: This option features a column for each class and a column for the random tasks like email with a due date and a checkbox to tick off tasks as you complete them
    • Option 2: This option is set up for a planning out your work week and assigning different academic/personal tasks to each day of week 
  • Schedule it! : In addition to adding classes and meeting to your personal calendar, try scheduling “do not disturb time” to get focused work done. 
  • Track Canvas assignments: Try adding canvas deadlines to your email!  Here are tutorials for adding your canvas calendar feed to outlook and gmail

Getting into a Workflow

  • Create a Commute – Before you hop on the computer for class or team meetings take a walk around the block , go for a run, or an activity that helps you to create space between school life and personal life.  
  • Bookmarks  – When you sit down to get working, try bookmarking things like calendar, class websites, and other commonly visited websites.  Having these links on hand means you can get to work quickly and not get distracted while trying to find the link to the zoom room!
  • Find where work is happening – If you are living with other students, doing work together is a great way to build momentum towards getting things done while adding a little friendly accountability.  
  • Focused Work? This time technique comes highly recommended by a number of Oliners! The Pomodoro method involves 25 minutes of focused work with 5 minute breaks.  This is a great way to build-in breaks while still being able to focus.
  • Hide your Phone  – Notifications on phones were designed to distract so moving your phone away from your work area or even out of the room helps to limit distractions.  This tip can also be great when trying to get to bed on time! **Also try flora for a little extra motivation to stay off your phone!

If you find yourself wanting help implementing any of these strategies, or needing more options, feel free to reach out to Adva (adva.waranyuwat@olin.edu) to get connected with an ARC. For various reasons, getting work done right now can be challenging, but the ARCs are here to help you figure out how to get through these barriers as much as possible! 

We hope that your semester  is as engaging, well-focused, organized, and restful as possible!  You are not alone! 

Love,

The ARCs 

Abby Fry, Grace Montagnino, Jocelyn Jimenez, Mark Goldwater, Reid Bowen, Riya Aggarwal, Sabrina Pereira