My College LifeInteraction Theory, CCA, Spring 2013Yu-Wen (Mark) Liang

elemental temporal relational modal attitudinal

Elements of my college life:puzzle pieces of my life

schoolworkextracurricular

exhibition

moviesconcert

sports

piano party

bicyclegamefoodtrip

BBQsleeping

relationship

prom

travelcompetition

clubsKTV codes

projecttextbook

lecture

assignment

presentation

exam

circuitscalculuslearning

experiementnotes

overnight

math

quizcomputer

teamdeadline

elemental temporal relational modal attitudinal

Changes from freshman to senior:different phases in four years

freshman sophomore junior senior

explorelearn connect focus

1 2 3 4

elemental temporal relational modal attitudinal

Connections between my friends:relationship of different groups

electrical engineering

young entrepreneur

art festival

creativiy and entrepreneurship

peer / mentor / motivation

partner / aspiration

colleague / excitement

friend / teammate / inspiration

ME

EE

CEP

ART

YEF

elemental temporal relational modal attitudinal

Different modes as a student:roles in different groups

engineerprogrammerresearcher

inventormakerleader

innovatorentrepreneurteam player

designerplanner

communicator

Analytic mode Creative mode Organized mode Innovative mode

elemental temporal relational modal attitudinal

Attitude toward college life:balence between study and play

study hardstudy little

play hard

play little

“superman”well time management

leads to fulfilling college life

“nerd”too focus on studying

without having a balenced life

“wasted”spend too much time playing

and forget my goals

“sloth”don’t want to do anything

but eat and sleep

elemental “My college life was full of wonderful things. I spent a lot of time studying, preparing for exams and working on projects. Facing deadlines and studying overnight were common. At the same time, I enjoyed my life by going to movies, concerts and exhibitions, or singing with my friends in KTV, or having fun in parties. Both school works and extracurricular activities are important to me. These elements are essential parts to make my college life experience unforgettable.”

temporal “Four years of college life had changed me a lot. In freshman year I enjoyed learning new things, and focused more on myself. In sophomore year I started to explore different classes other than my major, trying to figure out what I really want to learn. In junior year, I joined different groups of amazing people. I started to take responsibilities and connect to different people with the same goal. In senior year, I focused on what I enjoyed doing, and studying hard to get myself prepared for studying abroad.”

relational “Making friends is one of the most important things in college. I have a group of friends in my EE department. we studied together and they always motivated me to work harder. Another group of friends was in CEP. They’re from different backgrounds and they’re all creative. There’s always inspiration for me. I joined a team working on Art Festival in 2011. They excited me with amazing ideas. And partners from YEF always gave me a sense of direction to help me go through ups and downs.”

modal “Shifting between different roles in different groups of people was common in college. In EE department I have to be analytic to solve different problems. In CEP we often have team works so I have to be creative to initiate ideas. In Art Festival team we organized different events and prepared for unexpected outcomes, so I have to think like a designer and communicate my proposal. In YEF we worked on business projects so we have to be innovative and push our ideas forward in to a well-established business.”

attitudinal “My attitude toward what I should do as a college student was changing in different period. Most of the time I encouraged myself to have a balanced life, but sometimes for example during break, I just want to play and hang out with friends. Before exams or some important interviews, I stayed at the dorm studying most of the time. After exams or some stressful meetings, I just don’t want to do anything but eat or sleep. I think changing different attitudes is a way to adjust myself to different situations.”