Grade A Blogging

 Today I got a hands on lesson on how to blog during the afternoon session of the ILC tutorial. Today the tutorial was held in DeAnza High School's computer lab, where we crossed some time delaying difficulties with the internet. Most people couldn't get access to the internet unless they used the school computers, but after this was solved there was nothing but smooth sailing.

During the three hour session we were taught: what makes an interesting blog different from a boring blog, how to take pictures like a camera GOD, and we covered some of the needed materials for my college trip to Tennessee. During the session I learned of some very unique traveling requirements, such as your bag shouldn't weigh more than 50 lbs which, is new but strange to me seeing as I have never been on a plane.

Don Making Miracles Happen with the Internet

During the tutorial I learned that the key to a successful blog is in the description of your blogging and the pictures to go along with the posts. Although the content of your writing is very important, I also learned that the pictures are the attention grabbers of your blog. Pictures give the reader something to work with when imagining what you are going through. Pictures can sometimes be a small but interesting summary of what your blog contains which is why they are so important. Don also taught us how to focus pictures in and crop things out of the back-round so that the pictures look professional and focus on what we want the viewers to see. He also taught us how to prevent blurry pictures with a simple trick such as tucking your elbows in close to your body when taking a picture, or by leaning on a wall to stabilize your body from moving.

Afternoon Session Getting Down to Business

Another thing Don covered in the tutorial is that the reader should be able to see, feel, smell, or taste what you are doing through your blogging. We covered that blogging isn't just about telling what you are doing, but it's also about telling what you think and feel ( Critical Thinking).

The last thing we went over before going home were the things we would need for the trip. On the list was: spending money, mini fan, lots of different materials for class, bathroom materials etc. Now I'm not sure where my other ILC cohorts stand on this list, but I definitely have a lot of shopping to do before the trip in July which is coming up way faster than I ever expected. When I check my calendar I see three short months between now and the trip. With the 1st tutorial done, there are only a few more requirements before I'm on my way to Nashville, Tennessee living the college experience. Vanderbilt here I come!!!!!