My E-Portfolio

I am currently a freshman and an aspiring Paterno Fellow at the Pennsylvania State University.  I am pursuing a double major in Psychology (B.S.) with a neuroscience option and Biobehavioral Health with a minor in Spanish (B.S.).  After college, I plan to further my education by attending medical school in order to study psychiatry.

When I first enrolled in LA 101H in the beginning of the semester, I was not sure what to expect. I understood that it would be a combination of public speaking and writing, however, it proved to be much more.  Through this course I was able to improve my communication skills daily. I have learned many techniques for communicating effectively and have had the opportunity to utilize them in class throughout the semester.  Whether it be blogging, writing a paper, or preparing a multimedia project, I was constantly being challenged.  Through the weekly readings, I have seen rhetoric in many different lights and understand the importance of good communication skills.  

Not only have I acquired skills in public speaking and writing, but also technological skills.  Through the multimedia presentation, I have learned several different ways of getting my voice heard.  Blogging has also taught me how to voice my opinions.  Writing weekly has helped me to explore my creativity and broaden my communication skills. 

The first day of class  my professor asked, "What is rhetoric?"  At the time, I didn't really know.  But after this semester, it's rewarding to know that I have learned exactly what rhetoric is through constant writing, reading, and communicating.  The skills achieved in this class can be applicable not just to academic communication, but also daily communication.  LA 101H pushed me to keep my eyes open for examples of rhetoric, and soon I realized that it's not very hard to find. 


Katelyn M. Dowling E-Portfolio

Today's the Day: Happiness for the Long Run

We tell ourselves, "I'll go to the gym tomorrow because_________."  We've become experts at creating an excuse well enough to hinder interest in our goal.  But the truth is... now is as good a time as any.  For some reason we believe the future is this place where we have all the free time and dedication in the world.  But, the truth is tomorrow you probably won't want to go to the gym as much as you don't want to go today.  So give up the excuses, because excuses only get you further from your goals.  This picture shows a runner, a perfect example of commitment.  If you're a good runner than you don't simply run sporadically because you would never improve without first whipping yourself into shape.  It involves hard work and a goal you know you want without question.


Commitment is a great feeling.  But it doesn't always feel good in the moment, for example, when you're passing a Mcdonalds to go to a Saladworks because you told yourself to start eating healthier.  Think of it as an investment by comparing it to the college experience.  When attending college, you commit yourself to four hard-working, expensive years that yield (hopefully) a long-lasting career that will provide happiness longer than those four years it took to achieve it.  But on graduation day, you feel accomplished and proud.  And suddenly those late studying nights, finals weeks that you thought weren't humanly possible to survive through, and boring textbooks readings have indirectly brought you more joy that you thought possible.  Then you experience that great feeling that it was all worth it.  Committing to anything, big or small, can be looked at in this way.  Each little moment that makes you want to give up on your goals, (like purposefully avoiding the street with a Mcdonalds on it) just suck it up and know that the future lying ahead will be more satisfying in the long run.


Last year I used to run every day, sometimes twice a day.  However, with the new stresses of college I have resorted to this new "excuse-making" strategy.  But thinking back, I remember how happy I was.  Not saying I'm not happy now, but I remember how running put me in a great mood because it was my thing.  It was the thing that made me a dedicated person, not only in running but throughout my daily life. You may have one goal that you set yourself on, but sometimes that goal opens up a bunch of new goals.  That was what running did for me.  It made me realize that I can push myself more than I thought I could.  With each day I'd challenge myself to run better than the day before, and I have to say I miss that challenge a lot.  That's why today I'm going to make a change.  Not just a sparked interest, but a full-on commitment.  A commitment not just to running again, but a commitment to bettering myself.


A commitment can't just be something you hope will happen, you have to know that it will happen with hard work.  Motivation is also a factor that assists in making your goals a reality.  So don't just pick a goal, understand why you want it.  And through this understanding, spark an interest that turns into a life changing commitment.  So stop making excuses because everyone has the potential to be better, the hard part is committing.