Laurie’s SECRET coffee recipe

As a devoted coffee aficionado, I have a particular fondness for Iced Americano and Iced Almond Milk Latte. However, this piece isn’t a chronicle of my journey into the world of coffee. Instead, it’s an analogy where I liken the various elements in different coffee beverages to the components of my writings in class.

Take, for instance, the Iced Mint Latte. Its recipe, as depicted in my drawing, symbolizes my narrative writing. Crafting our technology literacy narrative required five essential components, mirroring the steps in brewing the perfect Iced Mint Latte. In this allegory, the Cold Brew epitomizes the stretches we undertake in our class. The Frappe is synonymous with our Podcast Series, while the Iced Mocha finds its counterpart in the Twine game.

Each coffee type has its unique ingredients and steps. “Laurie’s Mint Syrup” signifies the initial draft for our technology literacy narrative. For the Frappe, given its alignment with the podcast production process, “Laurie’s Iced Coffee” evolves into the planning and finalizing stages for the podcasts. Meanwhile, “Laurie’s Hot Chocolate” encapsulates our collaborative spirit in crafting the Twine Game.

My Playlist — FALL MADNESS?

The name of my playlist is “when your friend was mad with his math315 and qtm151.”

I curated this playlist in response to a close friend’s struggles with MATH 315 and QTM 151. Given the challenging nature of these courses and the sheer volume of homework, it’s no wonder he felt overwhelmed. Wanting to provide solace and motivation during the midterms, I carefully selected tracks that would resonate with him. I incorporated some of his favorite tunes from The Weeknd and Kygo and also added songs from my own go-to calming playlist. Incidentally, when he learned about this assignment, he expressed a keen interest in joining our class!

HTML Landing Page

Here is the link to my landing page

This semester, I enrolled in the CS170 class, only to discover that coding presents a real challenge for me. Grasping the underlying logic often eludes me, and I admit that I might lack the patience required for coding. Interestingly, I had previously dabbled in coding during high school, attending a foundational computer class. What surprised me during this assignment was the realization that creating a landing page wasn’t as daunting as I had imagined. With clear instructions, the task felt quite manageable. Yet, I wish I had been more inventive when styling the page.

Truthfully, coding has never been my forte. The nuances of programming languages often overwhelm me. So, the mere mention of this assignment filled me with apprehension, and I anticipated seeking assistance from Professor Morgen or my classmates. But as I started, I found that the detailed guidance provided made constructing the HTML file straightforward. The challenge arose when I aimed to add flair to my page using the CSS file. Inspired by Professor Morgen’s website, and after analyzing its source code, I adapted it with my touch, finally creating my desired landing page. While learning to code can be more intricate than most anticipate, it’s seldom as insurmountable as one might fear during challenging moments. It’s an iterative process of identifying issues and resolving them.

Squidward and His Broccoli Dress

I selected images of Squidward and broccoli to merge. My fondness for broccoli, my favorite vegetable, combined with my admiration for Squidward, a beloved character from the SpongeBob series, inspired this choice. The broccoli’s shape is reminiscent of a dress, making it apt to blend with Squidward’s form. When creating my composite image, I faced challenges: some images had white borders making seamless integration difficult, and the clarity of the images diminished post-download. My final rendition suggests that even though Squidward doesn’t wear underwear in SpongeBob, he can certainly don a broccoli dress. The harmonizing green hues suggest that broccoli is indeed a fitting attire for Squidward.

Design for Podcast’s Cover

I designed this cover for our podcast series using Canva, a tool that I find incredibly intuitive for crafting various graphics. In selecting the color palette, I opted for cool tones, though not exclusively blue hues. My intent was to capture the somber nature of the COVID era while also conveying a message of hope and resilience amidst adversity. To further emphasize the pandemic’s context, I incorporated images of masks.

Does Visual Note Taking Distract My Concentration?

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The notes you see are from my ISOM 351 class. Crafting these visual notes was an experience I genuinely enjoyed. They serve as an effective method for highlighting and retaining key concepts from the lessons. Well-organized and aesthetically pleasing notes make revisiting the content a more delightful experience. By intertwining concepts with corresponding visuals, I’ve achieved a more lucid grasp of the course material. While revising, I find it far more engaging to peruse visual notes rather than just plain text. They foster both cognitive and emotional connections. However, it’s worth noting that while visual notes are beneficial, they can be time-intensive. Often, I find myself preoccupied with the aesthetics of the note, potentially diverting attention from the core content.

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Why you chose those images, what aspects of yourself and your interests are represented in your badge, and/or what difficulties you faced in creating the badge?

I selected the images for my logo because each holds personal significance to me. For instance, my surname in Chinese translates to “leaf.” Back home in China, my parents have a cherished Corgi. Additionally, I have a deep affection for cats and aspire to adopt one when I start my own family. Olive green ranks among my favorite colors. Crafting the badge was a seamless experience for me; I found delight in incorporating elements that resonate with my preferences and identity.