Last Blog... ever :(

I cannot believe that the semester is already over, and that this is my last blog everrrr. I will especially miss my AP Psychology class and having Ms. Halfen as a teacher! This class has definitely been one of my favorite classes this semester, and it is depressing to see it end so soon. :(

What did I like about the class?
The reason I liked AP Psychology so much was because we actually learned some cool and interesting facts about ourselves and our habits that I never knew before. I especially liked how Ms. Halfen taught the class because she taught it in a fun and interactive way that allowed us to physically engage in the activities. AP Psychology has not been like other AP classes (such as Calculus or Biology) where you are given the textbook and are expected to learn the subject on your own at home, which is why I think that Psychology relieves some of my stress from my other AP classes.

What was my favorite activity or project?
I think my favorite project was the end of the year Motivation Video where we had to create a 2-3 minute video trying to convince other students to take AP Psychology. It was my favorite because we got to do it with our friends, and we were able to get creative have fun with it.

What did I not like about the class?
There isn't much that I did not like about AP Psychology but if I had to say one thing, I would say the notes. I think the amount of notes we had to take by hand was a little too much, but I guess that beats not taking any notes and reading everything out of the textbook.

What do I think Ms. Halfen should leave out next year?
Hmmm.. this one is tough.. I don't think Ms. Halfen should leave anything out. We barely finished all the topics that are covered on the AP so I guess we should spend less time on the beginning chapters so we have equal time to cover everything that will be on the AP.

Do I have any suggestions or ideas for things Ms. Halfen could do next year in AP Psych?
Just keep being you, Ms. Halfen :) Also, as I mentioned in the previous question, it would be nice if we shortened the beginning chapters to fit everything we need to learn. Additionally, I think we should have had more practice for the AP (especially the free response) because we never really covered any AP questions. It would be nice if we also had a day to take an actual AP test to prepare us for the AP. 

What is the one thing I really want Ms. Halfen to go over next week to review for the final?
Well.. It would be great if we went over the review in class and just talked about all those topics especially the ones we learned at the beginning of the semester (those are kind of fuzzy).

(Photo credits to Anusha Mathew!!) (;

Would I rather watch Solitary or Sybil?
Hmmm I think I would rather watch Sybil (you know, after we review for the final..) :)

In honor of my last blog EVERRR.. here are some funny psychology pics (at least I think they are pretty funny):

My Memory Put to the Test

To test my member, I decided to take the verbal memory test: http://www.memorylossonline.com/learning_memory/mem_games/verbaltest1.html
For this test, I had to read a list of 40 words and decide whether my associations with each of them are very pleasant, mildly pleasant, mildly unpleasant, or very unpleasant not knowing that the next page was going to ask me to recall as many of those words as I can. After I typed as many words as I could remember, I was given 40 word pairs. In each pair, one word was new and the other was from the original list, and I was supposed to identify as many words that were on the original list as possible.







My results actually turned out better than I expected. My recall score was an 11 out of 40 (not bad). My recognition score was 39 out of 40 (niceee). According to this website, the average score for the recall test was about 6. The "normal" was between 3 and 10. People who scored above 10 (like me) are doing better than 75% of the people who took this test. The average score for the recognition test was about 38. A score between 36 and 40 was considered "normal." Although I scored pretty well on this test, I do not think this test is very valid. I usually do not have a good memory especially when it comes down to recalling information. However, it feels good to see that I scored better than 75% of the people who took this test!

'Tis The Season To Be... Depressed?

 

According to an article from Psychology Today, 45% of North Americans do not find Christmas to be a jolly season. The National Institute of Health claims that experiences of depression increase during Christmas. Additionally, suicides and attempted suicides are off the charts. Why? Isn't Christmas supposed to be a time filled with love, family, and happiness? Well, that is just the problem. Some people are overwhelmed with the need to be "perfect" as the movies and advertisements portray. All of us have seen those heartwarming, lovey-dovey movies about finding true love on Christmas day and spending Christmas unwrapping presents with close friends and family. That is the perfection most people strive for; however, when things do not go their way, and their Christmas is no longer "perfect" because of that family member, job, budget, or spouse, they cannot help but feel depressed for not achieving the ideal image of Christmas. According to this article, some people also feel depressed because of excessive self-reflection about the inadequacies of life, pressure to spend a lot of money on gifts, social gatherings with people they would rather not spend time with, and loneliness because of the loss of loved ones or their jobs. Besides listing the common causes of depression during Christmas, this article also lists some ways to avoid and treat this depression. As stated, mental health professionals suggest to, first and foremost, seek out help. Additionally, set up a budget for gifts bought, be involved in charities and worthwhile causes, be grateful for what you have not what you don't, and focus on all the good things about Christmas like the generosity and kindness of this season. Most important of all (at least to me), don't accept any "perfect" representation of Christmas that is portrayed by the media and other people; lower your expectations to how Christmas should look like and just enjoy each moment you spend with your family and friends because someday those moments might be all that you have left from them.
Link to article: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201011/why-people-get-depressed-Christmas

 

 

 

 

Soundtrack of Emotions

1. Admiration - Wanted by Hunter Hayes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruyaKdPfTN4

2. Remorse - Because of You by Kelly Clarkson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra-Om7UMSJc

3. Fear - Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzhAS_GnJIc

4. Acceptance - Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2FRPA3Gf8

5. Annoyance - Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0NmOzzC9jc

6. Serenity - Prayer by Celine Dion ft. Andrea Bocelli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjNfkbQr5zc

7. Love - My Love by Justin Timberlake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1TsfShR5ZY

8. Interest - Still Into You by Paramore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OblL026SvD4

9. Sadness - My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiy9YB1coMw

10. Optimism - I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYqcpTYQ8I4

All Those Years of Cello Private Lessons Finally Pay Off

       I was first exposed to music, in elementary school. Music class was my favorite class as kid even though we just beat on some drums and sang a few songs. I loved it when my teacher, who played the oboe, would put on some classical music and make us listen to the different instruments. In fact, it was because of her that I decided to play an instrument. Eventually, in sixth grade, I picked out an instrument, the cello, and joined my school's orchestra all the way through twelfth grade.
       However, seven years of orchestra get quite expensive. All those years of private lessons, instrument rentals, and those "mandatory" out-of-state trips add up in the checkbook. I couldn't help but think how all this will pay off in the future, especially if I am not going to major in music in college or make a career out of it. However, after coming across an article from PsychCentral, I am glad I stuck with the cello for all those years.

       This article talks about how music can alter the brain anatomy. It says that a new study shows how early musical training can strengthen the brain, especially regions that influence language skills and functions such as planning, organization, and managing time and space. According to Yunxin Wang of the State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning at Beijing Normal University, the volume of brain regions related to hearing and self-awareness appeared to be larger in those who began taking music lessons before age seven. Wang states that "early musical training does more good for kids than just making it easier for them to enjoy music - it changes their brain and these brain changes could lead to cognitive advances as well." The article can be viewed using this link: http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/11/17/early-musical-training-alters-brain-anatomy/62122.html

       After reading that article, I realized that my orchestra directors were right. Everything we learn in the orchestra room applies to not only the music on the page but also life. I know. It sounds cliché; however, there are many skills that I learned in orchestra that are difficult to acquire anywhere else such as ensemble skills, planning, and organization.
       Looking back, I can see how orchestra has benefited me throughout the years. And I only started in sixth grade. I can't even imagine how I would be today if I started at age eight, seven, or six! It might be too late for me but hey, at least now I know to get my child straight into music lessons as soon as he/ she can walk. :)

My Life Story

       My life story begins with how I got my name. Before I was born, my parents had previously decided that they were going to name me Sylvia. They were 100% sure that that was going to be my name. However, my dad really liked the name of his friend's little daughter, Clara, and he noticed how smart and beautiful she was. On the day of my birth, he decided that he wanted to name me Clara. This did not go well with my mom at all. She wanted to keep my name Sylvia just like how they planned. To resolve this conflict, they decided to put both names on separate pieces of paper and draw from the 2 names. They did this 3 times and the name Clara was drawn all 3 times. And that is how I was named Clara.
       I was born on July 8th, 1996 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and I have 2 younger sisters. Although I was born in Abu Dhabi, I am technically an Egyptian because both of my parents were born and raised in Egypt. Arabic was my first language, but I learned English at school as well. Unfortunately, after I moved to Houston, Texas and became fluent in English, I now only understand Arabic. I cannot speak, write, or speak it very well anymore. I lived in Abu Dhabi for about 9 years and I loved it there! My friends and I went to the same school and church; we were basically brothers and sisters. I still remember playing hide and seek in my church's courtyard after Sunday school and begging my parents to let us play at my friend's house after church.

 

       The biggest transition in my life was moving to Houston, Texas at 9 years old. Moving to Houston was tough because I did not know anyone in Houston, and I did not want to be separated from the only home I knew. Even though I was scared about how my new life would turn out, I was kinda excited to live in a new country and meet new friends. Fortunately, I did meet some amazing new friends who have helped make that transition a little bit easier and have helped me during my times of trouble.

      
       Ever since I was young, math has always been my favorite subject. I always wanted to get some kind of job that involved a lot of math. Nerdy, right? Well, that is how I decided that I wanted to be an engineer. Coincidentally, both my parents are engineers. Anyways, to fulfill this dream, I plan on going to college (I still do not know which one) and majoring in chemical engineering (chemical because I found out I kinda like chemistry).

 

       As for my husband, my fantasy is that we will meet during college. He does not have to necessarily major in the same field, but he will be smart, handsome, caring, and preferably Egyptian. We will fall in love, get married after we graduate, and move into a beautiful house. Then we will have 2 children and a dog. The older child will be a boy and the younger one will be a girl and we will live happily ever after.

       I do not know when I will retire, but it will probably be around my 70's or when I start going crazy. Or maybe I'll just retire early on purpose so I can tour the world while I'm still sane. After I'm done touring the world, I hope to have a peaceful death at the age of 92 (more or less).

Personality Tests

Jung Typology Test:

After answering 72 yes or no questions, I received the letters INFJ. This means I strongly prefer introversion over extraversion (78%); I prefer intuition slightly over sensing (12%); I slightly prefer feeling over thinking (12%); I also moderately prefer judging over perceiving (56%). At first, I thought it was interesting how the test says that I prefer feeling over thinking. I always thought of myself as a logical person. I also found it interesting how accurate the others were. I am definitely a shy and reserved person. I usually do not like to mingle with people or start conversations with them. Additionally, I do tend to judge others by their appearances (maybe too much). Overall, I thought most of the results were accurate, and it was fun trying to figure out my true personality.
Test: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm

 

Art and Personality:

During this test, I had to rate different paintings on how much I liked them. I also had to rate how talented I thought the artist was then take a mini personality test at the end. According to the test, I like Impressionism. Impressionist paintings usually appear on mugs, calendars, and posters. They were also criticized for attempting to capture the effect of light and color found in nature. Here is a link talking more about Impressionism and a little bit of its background: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/imml/hd_imml.htm. The personality test predicts that I have low extraversion, average agreeableness, and high conscientiousness. I thought the test was pretty accurate overall. The personality test described me almost perfectly. I am more of a reserved girl, and I also try avoiding offending someone so I guess you can say I have average agreeableness. I am definitely an organized person who likes to prepare beforehand so the test was accurate in that area as well. I thought this test was fun, and it was interesting to see how it could predict my personality just by rating some pictures and answering a few questions.
Test: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/art/

 

                  

Careers:

The purpose of this test was to see what kind of job would best suit me. According to John Holland, there are six main types of person: realistic, conventional, social, enterprising, artistic, and investigative. My results suggest that the investigative, conventional, or social types of work might suit me best. Investigative types usually like to work with ideas rather than people which is very accurate. Typical roles with this type include scientists, engineers, computer programmers, and lab workers. I find this interesting because I am actually considering going into the engineering field so I think this type really suits me. Conventional types like to be organized, and they tend to focus on accuracy and efficiency. This also accurately describes me because I usually like to be organized and have a schedule that I must follow. The test also describes me as the social type, which like to help or teach people rather than do the thinking. I think the test is inaccurate in this area because I usually like to solve the problems and do all the thinking rather than teaching and assisting other people.
Test: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/careers/

The Sim's Personality Test:

For this test, I had to rate a series of personality statements from strongly agree to strongly disagree. The purpose of the test is to predict my personality based on the Sim's game. I received an 8 for neat (vs. sloppy), 4 for outgoing (vs. shy), 4 for active (vs. lazy), 4 for playful (vs. serious), and 8 for nice (vs. grouchy). My first impression of this test was that it was going to be inaccurate and a waste of my time; however, the results matched up pretty closely to the previous tests'. Just like the other tests predicted, I am a neat-freak and I do have to have things organized and planned out beforehand. As for outgoing, active, and playful, I received slightly lower scores which are also accurate. I am a shy, somewhat lazy, and somewhat serious person. Last but not least, I consider myself a very nice person. I am rarely grouchy and I usually give people the benefit of the doubt. The results also state that other Sims may take advantage of the nice Sims' good nature. Unfortunately, that is the downside of being too nice.
Test: http://www.personalitylab.org/tests/bfi_sims.htm

Implicit Association Test:

I thought this test was the most interesting of all the ones I took. Instead of answering a bunch of questions, this test has you matching a picture or a word to its correct category. In this case, the 4 categories were Black, White, Bad, and Good. If a picture of a black or white person pops up, you have to match it to the correct category; also, if a positive or negative word pops up, you have to match it to its appropriate category. You must try to answer all the questions as fast as possible without stopping to think about the answer. My results suggest that I have a strong automatic preference for white people. I never thought I was a racist person, but even the website states that our conscious and unconscious attitudes and beliefs often conflict. It does not mean that one is right and the other is wrong, so I guess this test is pretty accurate. I found it interesting that nearly 2 out of 3 white Americans show a moderate or strong preference for whites, as do nearly half of all black Americans. I guess it is true that everyone is racist in some way even if it is only unconscious.
Test: http://www.understandingprejudice.org/iat/racframe.htm