I’m Alexandra Smith, a senior economics major from Ada,
Oklahoma! I lucked out when I decided to name my blog Alexandra’s Myths because
I did so without even realizing that when said aloud it sounds almost identical
to my actual name! I may not be a certified myth-smith yet, but I’m working on
it.
Last semester, I had a really cool internship here on OU’s
campus at The Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth. It gave me awesome
opportunities to get experience working with an actual client that was trying
to decide the best strategy for commercializing their new scientific
innovation. My official title was Interdisciplinary Analyst, and I worked with
a team of four other students to ultimately give a professional presentation
and a concrete deliverable to our client with all of the information that we
had acquired throughout the semester. I loved the whole experience, and I’m
definitely going to miss it this semester.
My CCEW team: Alex, Stephanie, Lena, me, and Jack
Over winter break, I spent two weeks in Boston, my favorite place, visiting friends. After I graduate, I’ll be moving to Boston to begin a
year with an AmeriCorps program called City Year. City Year is a program that
I’m really excited to be a part of because it gives students who are at risk of
dropping out of high school access to near-peer mentors and tutors who can help
them succeed.
I’ve recently been making myself get back into the habit of
reading for fun. With all the stress of school, I’ve let myself get away with
only reading a few books outside of school each year. My excuse has always been
that if I have the time to read for fun, I should be using the time to study or
read for my classes. Instead, I end up watching TV for hours! So from now on,
I’m prioritizing reading new and interesting books. I kicked this off by
reading four new books over winter break, and I’m currently in the middle of a
few more. Hopefully I can continue to make time for myself to read and let
myself enjoy a nice book every once in a while!
Oh wow, that S-Myth sound coincidence is really cool, Alexandra! And it's perfect for this class. And how great that you have worked at CCEW; that is one of my favorite things at OU. The projects people do there look pretty amazing. And I've heard about AmeriCorps before, but I have not known anyone who did that: I hope some of the work you do in this class might be helpful with that. Getting in touch with the fun of reading can be contagious, too: if this class helps you get back into reading for fun, you can inspire some of your AmeriCorps students to do the same!
ReplyDeleteWow, where to begin! I have never been to Boston, but I have heard many great things about it! One of my friends (also named Alexandra...) studies at the Boston Conservatory for Opera right now!The CCEW sounds like an interesting program and a great opportunity for someone studying Economics. I also love to read and am trying to convince myself to read more each semester. So far I am up to three fun books a semester, with the hopes of doing more!
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra! First off your blog's name relating to your last name is pretty cool! My cousin went to Berkeley School of Music in Boston and loved it there, so I hope I get the chance one day to visit! City Year sounds like an awesome program and I am so excited you get to work with students who need help! Giving back is always so satisfying!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you've done all sorts of exciting things. I've talked to people who worked at the CCEW and it sounds like they have fun with it. The people I talk to were part of the CCEW for computer science, but looks like that is a program that lets you work with many different majors. What kind of books do you like to read? Do you have a favorite genre? I also need to make more time for reading.
ReplyDeleteYes, CCEW has projects specifically for business majors, engineers, programmers, and then an interdisciplinary group for everyone else in between! I don't know that I have a particular favorite genre of books, I mostly just ask my friends and family for suggestions and go from there! Over the break I read a couple Toni Morrison books and I finally got around to reading 1984.
DeleteThat sounds like a really fun internship and your future job and Boston sounds like it is such a great cause! I really hope that all goes great for you! Also I LOL'd at your myth-smith joke, honestly I probably would have never noticed it. I am unobservant like that. I do not read hardly at all anymore. I just never feel like I have the time or attention span for it. I really need to buckle down and find a few good books. I hope you keep having time to do your reading!
ReplyDeleteHi, Alexandra! Congratulations on being so close to graduating! That is so exciting! I've always wanted to visit Boston, it seems like an awesome city to visit! I also laughed at your myth-smith joke, that was funny! I also need to set a goal to read more this semester as well. I love that reading can just take you to a whole new place. It is often a way I can relax. I look forward to reading more of your work this semester!
ReplyDeleteI love the name! It took me a second to get Alexandra’s Myths does sound like Alexandra Smith. I am also trying to get into the habit of reading for fun as well. I spend too much time on Netflix and watching movies (luckily I don’t have cable). I’m also unfortunately in the habit of reading only for classes (and sometimes I get lazy about that as well). This year I have a resolution to read 12 books in my spare time. It’s not a monumental goal but I’m doing baby steps.
ReplyDeleteAlexandra,
ReplyDeleteThat is funny about the name of your blog and your actual name, I smiled when I noticed that. That is cool you are from here in Oklahoma also; I have been born and raised here in Norman my entire life. I love traveling but have never been to Boston. I have also struggled with reading for fun or as a hobby, but this class is beginning to make it much more enjoyable! I also love the background you chose for you blog, it incorporated science, art, and music. To me, three of the greatest pleasures in life! :)
Hey,
ReplyDeleteha I did laugh at your name being very similar to the blog title. I think it fun and creative, along with the rest of your blog. Also congrats on this being your senior year! I am a junior so I'm getting close.
Your internship last semester sounds like it was a great experience. I know the feeling of trying to read for fun while attending school. I had a bout three chapter of a book left starting last semester. I had so many reading assignments I never got to finish the book. I finally did over winter break though.
Good luck with your classes this semester!
-Ashlie
Hey Alexandra,
ReplyDeleteI love your blog name(even if it wasn't on purpose)! I can't imagine being an economics major...do you love it? I wish I understood math and money better, but that's just not my gift. The CCEW sounds like a really cool program, and a great opportunity. Do you have any idea what job you want after you graduate? (after the mentoring program)
And congratulations on reading for fun! I will always be an advocate of reading, and yes, even when you have a lot to read or do for school, I still think it's important to make time for a fun book at least before you go to sleep. You learn things from novels just like you do textbooks! Better writing skills, story structure...there have even been studies on people who read more and how they're better able to read human emotions. (Sorry for the rambling; I'm a little biased. I'm a professional writing major.) Keep up the reading! Hey, what ARE you reading...?
Your blog name is super clever! It's awesome that it ended up sounding like your name on accident! It's so cool that you're doing City Year, especially in Boston! I went to Boston two summers ago and absolutely loved it. It was so fun exploring and I'm sure it'll be a blast to live there! I'm also trying to be better about reading for fun. I've just started reading Tina Fey's "Bossypants", but school is making it kind of hard to be consistent!
ReplyDeleteHey, fellow Price student! Your internship sounds really cool and interesting and I'm glad you had fun. The job you have after graduation sounds so awesome! It's great that you'll be making a change and helping all those kids gain access to the help they need to graduate! If you're looking for something to read, rereading the HP books is always an option (haha)!
ReplyDeleteHey there, Alexandra! Really cool introduction you have there! I first want to say that I think that is a very clever name that you've created for you blog! You should keep that for future items, just because it is so creative. I would love to know what got you interested in economics as a major, that is also pretty interesting. That's great that you got to have that opportunity to intern with a great group of people and learn new things. I would love to hear how your experience goes for you in Boston, upon graduation. It's awesome that you're going to get out of Oklahoma right away and for a really good cause! I also see myself getting out of Oklahoma once I graduate. Some people want to stay in their home state, while others do not. I'm one of the people that don't want to stay. I wish you luck in all that you do!(:
ReplyDeleteHey Alexandra, nice to meet you! Congratulations on your internship and also your job after you graduate! It's cool that you already know where you are moving and what you are doing after graduation! Although I don't have plans after graduation yet, I'm kind of glad to still have my options open. I always tried to get into reading, I just never could sit still long enough! Good luck this semester and hope you enjoy your move to Boston!
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra! I had to laugh out loud at your introduction and the Myth/Smith. Congrats on the internship. It sounds like it was a great opportunity and I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. I really need to get back into reading for fun as well. I used to read all the time, but now I rarely do. Family, school, and work can really take away from your free time, but it's something we all need to have for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteHey Alexandra! I love the layout to your blog, it is so fun! Your blog has inspired me to get a little bit more creative with mine!
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra! I think it’s great that you have what you want to do all planned out! I’m really interested in how Boston became your favorite place! I also love that you have decided to make time for reading for fun. I never can find the time because I know that if I start a book I’ll end up wanting to finish it. I would love to read during the semester if it didn’t mean the impending doom of my grades!
ReplyDeleteHey Alexandra!
ReplyDeleteHow cute is that about your name and naming your blog Alexandra’s Myths?! I love that! It’s so interesting to me to hear about your internship. It sounds like your gained a lot of insight and experience. I’ve never been to Boston, but would definitely love to visit some day. I’m glad you’re making time to read! We all need a little “me” time! Have a good rest of the semester!