I could only do 1 video on each I think, so here is one more. It is sort of a struggle of a video, but essentially i put the camera in my PFD while I was surfing on Jaws on the Nolichucky. You can't see as much as I would've like, but oh well, it is what it is.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Final journal entry!
Final Journal Entry
So it has definitely been a long time since I wrote a journal. Anyways, since my last entry I have had a lot happen in terms of the project itself (as in the presentation and all), but no so much happen in terms of kayaking at all. In my last entry I discussed my written document. I ended up doing what I had layed out there, that is, I wrote an article and got it published in The Falcon Flier. Honestly, I have now learned that not many people actually read the paper, but I feel like I wrote a pretty successful article and I think the consensus from those who did read it is the same. I feel like just writing that article hopefully had an effect on at least a few people where as the blog didn't seem to do much at all. If nothing else, actually writing the article really drove home the point of it to me.
Also since my last entry I have done my rehearsal, as well as my final presentation. The rehearsal went fantastic. I was a little worried because I realized partway through that the clock was broken so I had no concept of how long I was talking. It worked out though, and my timing was on the money. In general the comments were that I did a really good job, so that really helped me feel like I was doing well. Some of the comments were to maybe add a few more pictures actually of me, as well as to add a diagram, or at least bring in all my gear so I could easily show different things that they couldn't see so well in the pictures. They all said I seemed nervous for the first few minutes, which I definitely was, but that after that it was smooth and I did well. That was a great relief because that was my biggest worry. I was just afraid I would babble and talk to fast and all sorts of things but that didn't really happen so I was happy to hear that. Another common comment was that I did a really good job of talking about what I actually learned and gained through everything, which is the primary point of it all anyways so that helped me be sure I was on the right track as well.
I didn't really have a whole bunch to add to my powerpoint for the final, but I changed some pictures and such like they suggested, and I tried to make a diagram. It turned out that my diagram was really bad once I finished and looked at it so I opted to scrap it and just use my actual gear to demonstrate things if need be. When it came to my final presentation I felt totally ready beforehand. Well, until it was time to set up. I was supposed to use the chorus room, which had a class in it the period before. That meant I couldn't really set up my z-drag pulley how I wanted and make sure it was all right before I started. Everyone just funneled in and it was time to go pretty much right away. I was more anxious than nervous, but I knew I was ready and I had done the work. Unfortunately when I went to demonstrate the z-drag something wasn't set up right. I tried to switch part of it that I thought was the problem, but that wasn't the issue and I actually messed it up more in the process. I ended up just moving on from it after it didn't work and continuing my presentation. The rest of it went fine, but I was angry about the demonstration not working. It turned out that I just needed to push the boat over a little in one direction and everything would have been fine from the start. I really think that my rehearsal went a lot better than the final because of the demonstration but I knew it was all okay. I mean the demonstration, while it looks really bad that it didn't work, was not a big part of the grade or really even of my presentation. Also, I know if I had to do it 100 more times I would get it right 99, it was just that one that I messed up. I ended up with like an A- average on my presentation so I was right in that it was okay. I mean I wish I hadn't messed up, but it all ended up alright. I know the grade is not really what is really important, and I think I learned a lot from the presentation and from the demonstration not working and all.
There isn't really much left. I just need to figure out how I would like to turn in my written document. I think I'm going to end up basically cutting it out and gluing it on a page, laminating it maybe, and putting it in a presentation folder sheet thingy. That's about it. I'll be completely done after this is posted and I do that as well. I think I have enough media in my blogs, but I'm going to add a few more probably as well. So that's about it. Hasta luego senior exhibit.
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