Indian Epics Braintorm Storybook Topics

The first possible topic that caught my attention was, “Women Characters”. I found this topic on the topics page provided for this course. I would consider myself a huge feminist, and have always sought to break the molds of what’s expected of me throughout my life. I love to read books and watch movies that feature a strong, powerful, intellectual, compassionate heroine characters. This is what sparked my interest for writing a story that features those kinds of women.

Research so far: My favorite female character in the reading we’ve done so far is Sita. After doing some more research on her, and reading the Encyclopedia for Epics of Ancient India, I realize that she is believed to be the human embodiment of the goddess called Lakshmi. I think this could make an interesting story, talking about the journey of a goddess spirit into a human body. Did the embodiment occur at birth or in small pieces over the course of Sita’s life? The website also says Sita is believed to reign over agriculture, perhaps this could be worked into a story.

Karma could also be an interesting topic for a story. We are all familiar with Karma- the idea that what goes around comes around. In my opinion, the best stories about Karma involve an antagonist who appears to win in the end. The evil character will boast and rejoice in what they think is a victory, however, the consequences of their actions will reveal themselves much later. In these stories the protagonist is rewarded in the end in a way the reader may have never predicted.

Research so far: I wanted to learn more about the theory of Karma from a religious perspective, so I checked out the Wikipedia page that explains Karma in Hinduism. Different views explain how exactly divine beings control Karma. For example, the Nyaya School which is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy explains that Karma is proof that a God exists. Hinduism beliefs of reincarnation also support Karma. For example, if a poor person lives a good and honest life, they will be rewarded for their patience in the next.

It Shoots Further Than He Dreams by John F. Knott, March 1918

source: Wikipedia

Love stories and epic couples would also be fun to write about. I loved the imagery used to describe Sita and Rama, and the way the author leads the reader to believe they were truly made for each other. I think it is human nature to tell stories about love, because it is ultimately what we each want for ourselves and our family.

Research so far: When love is sacrificed for selfish motives, immeasurable hurt and pain is created. This is the case of Kaikeyi and Dasharath. I enjoyed reading the Wikipedia page about this couple, because it lists some of the genealogies of this couple that aren’t mentioned in the shortened prose version I’ve been reading. On the other hand, there are stories about couples who end up living happily ever after. Radha and Krishna, a Hindu god/goddess power couple are an example of this. Krishna is considered to be the supreme deity, which explains why he has been able to be a part of the most perfect loving relationship. This information was found from reading through the Wikipedia pages for this couple. It’s interesting to me how, across religions, respect and reverence is given to those who are masters at loving others.

The topic called animal characters also caught my attention, probably because I read a few old storybooks based on this topic last week. Personifying animals always makes for an interesting tale. That’s why so many of the books we read growing up feature a cuddly creature as the star or a slithering snake as the bad guy.

Research so far: As I mentioned, most of my research on this topic has come from reading past examples of student storybooks. Although I read a couple last week, I looked at a few new ones this week. One in particular called Animal Cruise takes the reader on a journey that includes various monkey passengers. I thought it was creative that the writer combined a modern-day type of cruise line with an animal story. 

Bibliography

DuChene, Lauren. "Animal Cruise." Animal Cruise. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.

Gibbs, Laura. "Sita." Sita. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.

"Kaikeyi." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.

"Karma in Hinduism." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.

"Karma." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.

Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. London: Penguin Classics, 2006. Print.

"Radha." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.

"Shaktii." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.

Week 2 Storytellling- Caught in a Poisoned Pond

There once was a boy named Meach who lived in Brooklyn, Ney York. He was bad as a kid, but it was only because he didn’t know any better. His dad wasn’t allowed to spend time with him, and his mom was always gone working. He made friends with some older guys on his block. It was nice to feel like he fit in, and to know people cared about him. They were always up to no good. It started out with minor vandalism, spray painting their school and stealing traffic signs. Then they started to send Meach into stores to steal candy for them. He was so small and sweet-looking that store clerks usually just looked the other way in pitty. As they got older, they had an opportunity to join a gang. They praised Meach for getting invited; he’d be the youngest member they’d ever initiated. He’d be stupid not to join. Meach joined, but was starting to worry about his so-called friends. Their criminal acts were becoming more and more violent. Meach didn’t feel as bad when his actions didn’t hurt others, but now he was seeing shootings and muggings his gang members were a part of. Meach wanted out, and secluded himself for as long as he could to avoid the gang. The members took noticed and were worried Meach would start to rat them out. They wanted Meach to prove his commitment to the gang, and said he had to mug someone by the end of the week, or else. Meach knew what or else meant, he had heard the whispers calling him a rat. He had seen what they’d done to other so-called rats before. Ultimately, Meach did what he had to do.

“I am like a fish in a poisoned pond. Sooner or later I am bound to die, whether I stay in it or get out of it.” (The Ramayana A Shortened Prose Version of the Indian Epic by, R.K. Narayan)

He wished he didn’t have to, but he felt as though he didn’t have a choice. Even though Meach was still young, he felt old and tired. He had little hope for his own future, and barely had a will to survive. However, his will to survive was great enough to comply with the gang’s request. Meach secretly hoped that he would be arrested while he mugged that man. He even chose a strong and young man to attack in hopes that good could still somehow prevail, and the man would get away. The man he chose wasn’t going down without a fight. Even though Meach brought weapons, this man was stronger with just his two fists. Meach’s friends, watching nearby, eventually came in to help Meach.

Author’s Note

This story is a modern interpretation of a portion of our reading from R.K. Narayan’s The Ramayana A Shortened Prose Version of the Indian Epic. In the original story Ravana, who is a powerful and mighty being and the enemy of Rama, approaches his uncle Mareecha for help kidnapping Rama’s wife Stia. Ravana’s family and followers are known for their power and violence, but Mareecha has been trying to turn away from that lifestyle and pursue peace. Ultimately, Mareecha is forced to choose between his own death and assisting Ravana in the kidnapping of Sita.

I chose convert this story to a modern setting, because the group of demons described as Ravana’s “family” is very similar to a violent gang. Meach is based off the character Mareecha, and the members of the gang as a whole represent Ravana. In this story Meach was by no means a saint, but at least he was developing a desire to stay away from crime. Unfortunately Meach, like Mareecha, is too far in with the wrong crowd, and has to choose between assisting in evil schemes or death. The strong young man he attacks is representative of Rama. When reading for this class I wondered if Mareecha was secretly cheering for Rama even though he was helping Ravana, so I chose to include this element in my story. 

Rama and Laksmana Confront the Demons Marica and Subahu,

Original publication: 1597-1605, Author not listed, Source: Wikipedia

Bibliography

Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. London: Penguin Classics, 2006. Print.

Week 2 Reading Diary B- Into the Forest

I am starting to get really into this book! The twists and turns in the plot are impossible to predict, which has me sucked in.

First in this portion of the reading, Rama begins his exile out into the forest with his wife a brother... which is apparently easier said than done! His people throw a fit when he tries to leave, and even attempt to leave with him! Ultimately, the trio has to sneak away in the night. Rama's father literally dies from heartbreak. I wish he could have seen that Rama had come to terms with the exile, so he should have too! However, it is simply too much for the old king to bare.

Bharatha eventually returns home to all of this mess. Most people, when told they were to become king, would be excited.... but not Bharatha. He condemns his mother for her evils motives and goes to beg Rama to come back. In these scenes Bharatha proves himself to be a good and just man who had no connections with his mother's schemes. Ultimately, Rama remains true to his original plan and convinces Bharatha to serve as king for the remainder of the fourteen years.

Rama, Sita, Lakshmana,

Author not listed, Source: Wikimedia

The focus of the story now shifts to the trio's life in the forest. Lakshmana proves himself to be useful, protective, wise, and loyal in these scenes. As a reader I grew to love his character! He is such a servant to his brother and his wife. As soon as you think things are going to be okay, evil strikes in the form of a seductive Soorpanaka.

Soorpanaka is the sister of the evil Ravana, and becomes infatuated with Rama. This is the second description of someone becoming sick with love over Rama, the first example being Sita. However, the difference between Soopanaka and Sita is that Soopanaka is an evil monster who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. There are several instances of her pathetic attempts to win Rama's affection, including an attempt to attack Sita. It's almost funny to me how obsessed these evil demons are with love... or maybe it's just lust! This monster has the power to control the physical elements, yet can't even clear her mind enough to get over a crush.

Her brother, Rava, experiences a similar love-sickness, except his is for Sita. Just the description of her beauty disrupts his whole life. He uses his old uncle as a part of his plan to capture her. I feel so sorry for the uncle, who is trying to turn away from evil and lead a life of good! He is forced to choose between helping his evil nephew, or being killed by him. It reminds me of a good kid who is caught up in a gang, sometimes they can't get out even if they wanted to. Unfortunately Ravana's attempts to capture Sita are more successful than his sister's. His one problem, however, which I predict will save Sita's life, is that he cannot touch a woman without her consent or else he will die. I can't wait to see how Rama will come and save the day. I have so much confidence in our protagonist!

Reading Diary A Week 2, Following Rama's Journey to Adulthood

Of all of the options for reading provided by this course, I chose to read R.K. Narayan’s shortened modern version of The Ramayana. I found the book fairly easy to read except for some of the names of people and places. The first story highlights a king’s desire for children, and the process he goes through to be granted children. The king, Dasaratha, is blessed with children from each of his wives. The oldest son that is born is named Rama. The story describes how much richer the King is in the meaning of his life because of his children, and it becomes very evident that his favorite is Rama. That’s why it’s so hard for him to let Rama go on a journey with a sage named Viswamithra. However, begrudgingly, the king allows two of his son to travel with the sage. Viswamithra is a very interesting character because he was once a king, and has given up on all earthly riches in the pursuit of divine spiritual knowledge, so he gets frustrated when people bring up his former way of life. I feel like this is kind of how a former high school athlete feels when a friend brings up that state championship game. It’s over, it’s in the past, it’s not important to me anymore, and there’s no need to bring it up.

Rama and his brother Lakshmana both accompany the sage on this journey, and throughout the course of their travels the trio encounters a multitude of characters and places. My favorite portion of their journey is when Rama falls in love. The story of Rama and Sita meeting for the first time is, simply put, adorable. I thought it was interesting that the reader is informed that the two had also been together in a previous life, but could not remember that now. It gave the reader an understanding that the two of them have truly been made for one another. It is almost hilarious how lovesick and dramatic Sita is when she thinks she’ll never see Rama again. Nothing is right within her after just glancing at him one time! Ultimately, Rama shoots a ginormous bow and arrow from the god Shiva to win her hand in marriage. The story does a great job of explaining with vivid imagery all of the details of the wedding ceremony, however I longed for more of a description of Sita and Rama’s marriage. I still had a lot of questions about their actual relationship, but the plot moved away from Sita and focused more on Rama’s life for the remainder of this passage.

Characters of the Ramayana, including Rama and Sita, 

by Raja Ravi Varma, source: Wikipedia 

In the last portion of this passage, Dasaratha becomes very old and realizes it is time to pass his crown over to his beloved Rama. However, Kaikeyi, who is one of Dasaratha’s wives, has different plans. They actually aren’t her plans initially, but they are planted in her brain by a servant who wants to stir up trouble. Kaikeyi is reminded of a promise made to her by the king and wants her son, Bharatha, to instead take over. She insists not only that Bharatha be crowned, but also that Rama be exiled to the forest for 14 years. The king is so distraught, and in these moments you see again his love and favoritism towards Rama. It’s funny to me how obvious he is about having a favorite, but everyone in the kingdom appears to view Rama as the best as well.

The best part of this whole reading, in my opinion, is Rama’s humble response to the entire situation. He explains it as a blessing in three ways. Not only does his dad remain a man of his word, and his brother becomes a king, but he will also receive an opportunity for spiritual growth. I was amazed that he didn’t say a bad word about his father or his mother, even though he has been cheated out of what is rightfully his. This is the second instance of Rama’s dad viewing something as a tragedy, but Rama decides to make the most of it. His dad was so nervous to let him leave with the sage, but in the end Rama gained honor through multiple victories and found his wife. Similarly, I predict much good will come from Rama’s journey into the forest. I look forward to reading about this next portion of his life in the following reading assignment!

Famous Last Words Week 1

I have only been enrolled in this course for a few days and have already learned so much about opportunities in online education! I have refined my blogging and curating skills which will no doubt continue to be developed throughout the semester. I have also gained a general understanding of how this course is structured, and a broad overview of the material that will be covered. I have to admit, I feel like I have a much better understanding of how this course will go than most of the courses I’m taking in the physical class room. I had such a lovely summer and got to spend lots of time with my friends and family, as you can see in the picture below.

(Image Information: personal photo with friends;
photo from August 2012.)

However, I was ready to come back to school. I love the routine and self-scheduling associated with the academic year. I hope to stay ahead of schedule on most of my coursework at the beginning so that I can keep my head above water for the whole semester! I was very thankful to learn that this class will be very flexible and self-paced. If I have a crazy week coming up with lots of tests in other classes, I will be able to either get ahead beforehand or make up for any missed assignments with extra-credit. This will allow me to relax a little and really focus on the most important content in this course. I am most looking forward to the storytelling aspects of Indian Epics. The storytelling assignment we completed this week with a nursery rhyme was so much fun for me, and a great chance for me to get creative (or at least try). I am also looking forward to getting into the reading assignments. It looks like it’s going to be a lot, but it also looks very interesting! Can’t wait to dive into the readings next week!

Tech Tip: Pinterest Board & Embed Pinterest in a Blog Post

I have never used Pinterest before, but almost all of my friends have an account. Some of the reasons they use this resource are planning weddings, looking up recipes, coming up with fun art projects, and finding historical images that are meaningful to them. For this Tech Tip, I created my own Pinterest account and a board for this class specifically. You can find the widget for my Pinterest board below.


Follow Nicole Antonio's board Indian Epics Portfolio on Pinterest.




This was a very cool assignment. I've been wanting to join Pinterest for a long time, and I now feel like I have some purposeful searching and research to do on this site. I look forward to seeing how my board(s) evolve over the course of this semester and beyond!

Week 1 Curation Blog

I honestly have never used bookmarks on my computer until reading about them for this assignment. After creating just two folders, I completely understand how bookmarks are a powerful organizing tool. Usually when I am flipping between sites for a research project I open a bunch of tabs and then copy and paste all of the website addresses to a word doc so I can re-open the tabs the next time I work on the project. However, bookmarking and keeping organized folders would make research much easier!

As far as the tools for sharing go, I am active on Twitter, but mostly for social reasons. I love to tweet funny things that happen to me throughout the week, and also use it to keep up with my friends and family in their day-to-day lives. However, I understand that Twitter can also be used in an educational way for sharing news, articles, and ideas with others. I'd be interested to see how I could use Twitter for this class specifically. I'm familiar with Pinterest, but have not yet created an account. I laughed when Dr. Gibbs wrote she initially thought Pinterest was for shopping and cooking because those were my exact thoughts as well! However, my best friend who is a history major often uses Pinterest to find  images and quotes for her class assignments. I have not heard of Known at all, and am excited to explore that platform for sharing ideas.

Another way to share images, words, and ideas online is Instagram. I use Instagram to keep friends and family updated on my life, but I also follow some very informational Instagram accounts such as TIME Magazine. Below is a screenshot of my personal Instagram account profile.

(Image Information: personal photo of Instagram account;
photo from August 2012.)

I look forward to exploring concepts of curation in this class which will no doubt expand my ability to be creative, and effectively share my creativity with others.

Growth Mindset Blog

I remember once when I was in the fourth grade, a lady came to our class with some math "trick questions". I guessed a wrong answer and was told I was wrong, another student answered correctly and received praise. I remember in that moment thinking to myself, "I'm just no good at math". I remember coming home with math homework in elementary school and middle school bawling to my parents when I could not figure out my assignments. Luckily for me, I have very patient parents who understand the importance of a Growth Mindset. When I couldn't figure out a problem, they taught me how to search through my textbook like a detective looking for clues. I learned how to look back at other problems and find similarities and differences between the problems. The focused shifted from finding the right answer immediately, to learning how to problem solve... which is actually pretty fun! I remember both of my parent's constantly reminding me to slow down when I did my homework, which turned my homework into more of a learning experience than an assignment.

Fast forward to high school and math was not only my favorite subject, but the subject in which I excelled the most in. Moving on into college, I've chosen a major that places a large emphasis on statistics and calculus. I'm so glad my parent's helped me work out of the failing-mindset to the not-yet-mindset mentioned in the video.

I appreciate the concept of a Growth Mindset because it recognizes the paralyzing fear of failure that is evident in most students. I love the imagery Carol Dweck used of challenging problems exercising your brain and making it stronger. That really is so true. The ability to memorize facts and regurgitate them to others is decreasingly important with search engines and textbooks available to our generation at the snap of a finger.What is more important that ever is a willingness to learn, an ability to adapt to new challenges, and a problem solving process- all of which the Growth Mindset works to develop.

Photo: You Haven't Failed... You've Learned, Made by: Laura Gibbs with Cheezburger,

 Inspired by tweet from Vid Mcevic, Link: here

Nicole Antonio- Week 1 Storybook Favorites

The first story book that caught my attention was titled Elf Tales. In the introduction the author sets up the narrator as an old elf telling stories from his youth with his three best friends. The author is clever in how they name the elves, giving each of them the same name as a famous/commercially familiar elf. The story is silly and light-hearted, but still conveys important themes. The pictures alone are enough to keep the reader intrigued, check out the silly elf picture below!

Image Information: Elf Dance Party  Web Source: Recently in Music

Next, I noticed a project titled Gossip Girl. The flowery background and pink color scheme on the website are not usually associated with epic literature and folklore, however, the author puts their own modern spin on some Hawaiin legends to tell a unique story. By referencing a popular modern TV show, the author turns old stories into something familiar. The idea of linking present-day interests to historic stories is something I would be very interested in doing for my project.

The last story I picked was titled An Owl’s Tale. This storybook featured a simple but striking format that I very much appreciated. The author turns an owls call of, “who-who” into an idea for their story. The owl calls out to see who would want to hear a story, and the remainder of the plot flows from there. All of the owl’s stories are named after specific characters. I think it is a neat idea to keep some consistency in the naming for each of the chapters or stories. That is something I may want to implement in my project.

When skimming through past storybook projects it is easy to see how a student’s creativity can shine- not only in the words written, but also in the selection of pictures and formatting. This assignment definitely has me thinking about what my storybook might look like. 

Nicole Antonio- Indian Epics Overview

In all honesty, I first found this class after searching through upper division non-western civilization courses which are required as OU "gen-eds". However, after reading more in the course description, I realized this class would be very interesting for me.

I have little exposure to epic literature. In high school we read portions of the Iliad, but that's about it. While I have a broad understanding of epic literature, I am looking forward to learning about this kind of writing in Indian culture specifically. As I mentioned in my introduction so far, my coursework has been mainly focused on engineering and science. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to study topics such as mythology, religion, or Indian history... although I have wanted to! I am a religious person, and do study religion outside of school. I enjoy meditating and reading sacred texts such as the Bible. I also enjoy learning about religions that are different from my own- in fact I believe this is a great way to grow your faith.

My family is friends with many Indian families, and my best friend since the first grade and current roommate is Indian. Spending time with her and her family has exposed me to some aspects of Indian culture such as food, music, and traditions. In fact, last weekend we went to Dallas so I could be fitted for my first sari (traditional Indian dress) which I will be wearing as a bridesmaid in her wedding!

I am looking forward to diving deeper into the study of Indian history and culture, and appreciate the many resources made available through this course! Specifically, I've enjoyed spending time looking through the link provided that shows images and PDE epics. This one in particular caught my eye because of the beautiful colors, and mystical woman in blue. I can only imagine the fascinating story that inspired this picture.

Image: The Golden Deer

Sita, Rama, and the Golden Deer from Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues

Nicole Antonio- Introduction

Hello! My name is Nicole Antonio and I am senior studying Industrial and Systems Engineering with a pre-med option. I enjoy writing, but most of my classes are very dense and technical which leaves little room for writing exercises. That is the main reason I am excited about this course; I feel as though the writing assignments in a blog format will provide me with an outlet for creative expression.

Outside of school I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, running, and playing indoor soccer. This past summer I worked for an oil and gas company in Oklahoma City, called Devon Energy, and the summer before that I lived and worked in Titanyen, Hiati, for an organization called Mission of Hope. Working in a third-world country one summer and then corporate America the next definitely gave me whiplash. However, both opportunities provided me with invaluable learning experiences that I will never forget.

My family means everything to me, and I don’t know where I would be without them. I am the youngest of three children, and look up to my siblings more than they realize. My parents have also served as incredible role models for me. Our family has a small dog named Truman who is horrified of thunderstorms… it’s really pretty cruel we make him live in Oklahoma!

(Image Information: personal photo of my family;
photo from May 2014.)

In my first two years at OU I was heavily involved in the Campus Activities Council (CAC), specifically with an event called Soonerthon. Soonerthon is OU’s official philanthropy event which benefits the Children’s Hospital Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Last year I began to get more involved in Crimson Club and the Institute of Industrial Engineers chapter on our campus. I plan to continue my involvement with these organizations in my senior year.  

I hope you feel like you have learned a little more about me by reading this blog post, I look forward learning more about each of you throughout this course!

Week 1 Storytelling:Little Bo-Peep and her Precious Sheep

There once was a young lady who stood less than five feet tall named Bo-Peep. Her big brown eyes took up most of her face, and gleamed with hope and sunshine. She was so precious and lovely that no person could dare do her harm. Because of this, her parents allowed her to keep track of their sheep. Any robber who came to take their sheep would take one look at little Bo-Peep, and have their heart of stone melted to a soft mush. They would swiftly walk away doing no harm to the property.

Bo-Peep took her responsibility of taking care of the sheep very seriously. So seriously, she began to view them as her own children. She smothered the sheep with love, almost to a fault. The sheep began to feel suffocated under her care. One day the sheep decided they needed to get away, if only for a little while. They snuck away while Bo-Peep went inside the house to fetch her lunch.

LITTLE Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And can't tell where to find them;
Leave them alone, and they'll come home,
And bring their tails behind them.

Young girl holding onto sheep

Photo author unknown, circa 1940. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Bo-Peep returned outside to find her beloved sheep missing. She broke down and cried; tears ran down her face until her clothes became soaked. She cried so hard that she became exhausted, and fell asleep early that evening. She woke up every few hours to check if they had come back, but found herself still alone each time.

Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep,
And dreamt she heard them bleating;
But when she awoke, she found it a joke,
For they were still a-fleeting.

Meanwhile the sheep were enjoying their adventure. They stayed out late, and found a man with crooked teeth to play cards with. He fed them fine food, and brought out his best drinks. He offered them warm baths, and scrubbed them each until their coats were fluffy and white. The sheep picked up on card games quickly, and even learned how to gamble with stones the man with crooked teeth passed out to each of them. He then made them a bet, for their wool and their tails, which the sheep could not resist.

Bo-Peep awoke in the morning feeling determined to find her little loves. She set out for a long journey, and walked for miles until she no longer recognized her surroundings. Finally she found them all in a ditch. They were bald, cold, dirty, shaking, and bleeding where their tails had once been. They wailed out their apologies, and vowed to never leave her again. Bo-Peep was devastated, and felt like she had failed her flock. From then on Bo-Peep’s heart ached each time she looked at their little nub tails. She often wondered if she’d ever find a way to forgive herself.

Then up she took her little crook,
Determin'd for to find them;
She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed,
For they'd left all their tails behind 'em.

Author’s Notes and Bibliography

The story written above is based off the nursery rhyme, “Little Bo-Peep” which is quoted in italics throughout the story. You can find this nursery rhyme in The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang (1897). The rhyme is simply about a little girl who looses her sheep, and finds them again without their tails. I tried to think of reasons the sheep might have run away from home, and began to think of Bo-Peep as a type of controlling helicopter parent. Following that same train of thought, I considered what sometimes happens to kids who are sheltered by those types of parents once they get to college. Sometimes they go wild with their first real taste of freedom, and learn some life lessons the hard way.

Nicole Antonio- Favorite Place

My favorite place I've been to so far has to be the University of Oklahoma. I'm a senior, and at the end of each summer I am always so excited to come back to this school. The combination of caring people, beautiful landscapes, and unique traditions make OU the ideal place to learn. I feel extremely lucky to get to go to school here. While I have thoroughly enjoyed my coursework, I also enjoy spending my weekends here. Below is a picture of my friends and I at an OU football game.

(Image Information: personal photo at an OU football game;
photo from September 2012.)

My favorite spot on campus is the South Oval. In the fall and spring I love to walk around the beautiful buildings, statues, and flowers. However, the South Oval is also just as beautiful covered in snow in the winter.

Seed Sower
Photo by Flickr user Majdan, July 2005. Source: flickr.

There are many reasons to love the University of Oklahoma. For me the people, beauty, and traditions have made it my favorite place. 

Comment Wall

Welcome to Nicole Antonio's Comment Wall!

Sita enduring the ordeal by fire, Mughal,

Circa 1600 AD, Author: Unknown, Source: Wikimedia

Nicole Antonio- Test Blog Post for Indian Epics

Hi! My name is Nicole Antonio, I am a senior studying Industrial and Systems Engineering. I am looking forward to learning more about Indian Epics!