Rey Fire

The day before school started.

As you are all probably aware by now, California is in desperate need of rain. There has been several outbreaks of wildfires all around this state within the past month, including in Santa Barbara. The Rey Fire began August 18th and firemen are still trying to contain it. The good news is that the containment percentage has increased over the week or so. Right now roughly 78 percent is contained after burning 32,601 acres according to Noozhawk.

The first day of school before I

went to work. View from my
apartment.

School had just begun when the smoke started hovering over the mountains towards the ocean in Isla Vista and was visible from the city college. I was unable to capture a picture of the sunset because I was at work, but I can tell you that the sun was RED. I didn't want to begin my blogging for the year by beginning with a blog about the fire, but I think it's important to talk about it and make it aware that this is a local issue. All this smoke in the air can't possibly be positive for our health. My thoughts on cancer is that it comes from genetics or pollution. So honestly when I saw all the smoke in the air it was quite terrifying to me. This is not to say that all of us need to freak out about our health, but we do need to become aware of our environment and appreciate it for all that it is by doing our part to take care of it. However, at the same time California is a desert. I wish it was dessert so I could say that I basically live in Candyland, but sadly I cannot. The reality is that wildfires are spreading all over California and we need some agua up in here. 

Keeping my tacos safe. Thought this fit
in this blog because Lily's Taqueria is fire.

I find out a lot of interesting things about the school through The Channels newspaper class. Apparently last Friday there were dead, bloody bodies all over the school. IT WAS FAKE, IT WAS ALL FAKE!!! SBCC faculty and staff participated in a disaster simulation sponsored by the county. You can checkout the article here.

My Fall 2016 Classes

Cutest and realest planner I've ever owned.

The Channels: Reporting/Writing (JOUR 121)

Career Planning: Self-Paced (PD 191A)

Introduction to Ethics (PHIL 101)

Mass Media and Society (COMM 171)

Week 1 DONE! Above are the classes that I am taking this semester. The journalism class and the communications class are required for Journalism majors. The personal development class is an online, one unit class that I'm taking to help motivate me to plan out what career I'd be interested in. As of right now, I am not sure what I want to do and that's okay! All that matters right now is that I have an interest and a starting point. As for the philosophy class, it is my last General Ed course I will ever have to take! I'm not mad about it though because it sounds really interesting to me and it will involve writing papers.

Introduction to Ethics
I had the hardest time finding this class, just to find out that it is in the same classroom my JOUR 101 class was in last year. However, I was still a minute or two early and I walked in to the teacher already taking roll. Of course, since my last name starts with B, he already called my name. No big deal, if you are "late" to the first couple classes teachers are understanding that you are either trying to find it or parking is... well, crap.
Quote of the day: "If you get a D on an ethics exam there is seriously something wrong."
Ethics is the study of how we ought to live with others and ourselves. It is knowing or debating disputed/controversial topics right from wrong. So basically if you are mentally sane and have good morals, this class should be pretty understandable.

Mass Media and Society
I trucked my way over from Ethics on East Campus to this class on West Campus beginning right after. "Partition" by Beyonce is playing, giving the room a laid-back, and myself a confident feel. What do you know, this is the same classroom my communications class, Argumentation and Debate, was in last year!
Quote of the day: "We could talk about Donald Trump every day. Election is a great year to be in this class."
After going to this class a couple times this week, I've realized that I am interested in this class a lot more than I thought I would be thanks to the teacher! One of the things she mentioned is something I have been worried about as someone who may work in the media in the future. She said that the media is sometimes "ugly" and "crap", but that she wanted this class to be the opposite: "kind" and "brave."

The Channels: Reporting and Writing
As I was walking from the parking lot, I checked my phone to see what classroom this class would be in. Really? Really? This class is in the same building as my journalism classroom last semester and the same class as my ethics class this semester. I guess I kinda wish I had new classrooms for a new semester but that's okay. The only thing is this class is in the ECC buildings that aren't really even buildings, so it's either freezing cold or humid hot. Anyway! I was obviously the most excited for this class. But really, my heart was racing. It wasn't from nervousness, but the coffee shop ran out of iced coffee and offered me the Americano (expresso shots over ice). Yeah...never again. When we had to stand up in front of the class and introduce ourselves my heart was racing and I was shaking from the caffeine on top of the pressure. Yes, I introduced myself as a proud, third year school blogger! Two crazy things I learned was that as school journalists, we get a "press pass" to every event and game. YAY FREE THINGS! Also, I learned that we will be publishing a news story every week starting Week 2......WHAT? Not being able to control my facial expressions, the teacher caught me after she said that and laughed and the truthfulness of it.
Quote of the day: "In journalism we say.... It is never done, it is only due."
HEY EVERYBODY I KNOW MOST OF THE SCHOOL DOESN'T KNOW BECAUSE I ONCE DIDN'T KNOW, BUT WE HAVE A SCHOOL NEWSPAPER!!!! Click HERE to check it out. This is where my articles will be published. When I publish my first one, I will make sure to blog about it and give you all the exact link.

Career Planning: Self-Paced
There is not too much to say about this class as it is one unit and online. I was worried about it being online, but came to find out that it is much more simple than I thought it would be. I received an email the first day of school from the teacher, Christopher Phillips. I actually met with him when I was trying to decide on my major last Fall. So really you don't even need to take this class to get help deciding on a major or career. You can simply go to the Career Center in the Student Services building. I am taking this class only because I need that push to make sure I make time for this priority to figure it all out. The class seems so simple in fact, that after I read the email and syllabus from him, I emailed him asking if there were really only four assignments due the whole semester all by December 9th. He said yes. Talk about testing my persistence of procrastination.

I hope all you current SBCC students are settling into the classes you wanted. I have a couple tips for you! The parking will be even worse than it normally is the first few weeks of school until people figure out their best ways of transportation, so I suggest getting there early. Also, the campus is doing construction on the Bookstore. Now it is right above the stadium in these little rooms that used to be classrooms so the security is a little strict. It is normal for the Bookstore to have a huge line at the beginning of the semester while buying books. On top of that, now there is a line you have to wait in (up to an hour wait) before you can even enter the Bookstore for what I believe is security reasoned. I suggest buying your books online to save time! Have a great, first weekend :)

The Beginning to My Final Year at SBCC

Hi!!!! I'm back for my final, third year at SBCC and am so excited and grateful for all of you readers and the opportunities coming my way this year and all the years to come.

For those of you that are new to my blog, welcome! I have 101 other blog posts over the past 2 years ever since I was a freshie that you can go checkout. I'd be very impressed if you looked through them all! Never mind read them word for word. Because every day is a new day, every year is a new year, here is a third introduction of myself, Angela Rose Bickmann, during my first day at SBCC for the 2016-2017 school year (I almost typed 2015 yikes): 

First off, I am a Journalism major. Last year I was contemplating what major to decide on, which ended up being journalism. My entire life I have always changed my mind on what I want to do because I want to experience everything exciting life has to offer. However, I always found myself finding my way back to writing. Over the summer, it hit me that journalism has a couple different branches: writing and broadcasting. Many people this summer have hinted to me that I have "the look" for broadcasting on T.V. What I say back to them is what if I'm interviewing someone who is over 6 foot and I (5'2") am looking up to them reaching for what seems to be the sky with the microphone to their mouth. Haha, but seriously most of the contemplating I have done has been deciding between film and writing. Broadcasting may be a middle ground and I could always do writing on the side. Who knows, I am currently looking into an internship at the KEYT Santa Barbara news station which may help me decide. My main thing is I don't want a job that is boring or a job I dread going to. Film is entertaining and writing makes me feel good. What do I enjoy doing more? I don't know, but hopefully through all the opportunities I have this year I will be able to decide.

A couple other things you should know about me to understand the personality behind my blogs are as follows: 

- I was born in Thousand Oaks, California and moved when I was 8 years old to Illinois. A year and a half later I moved across the river to Iowa. I stayed there until halfway through my freshman year of high school when I then moved to Virginia. That is where I graduated high school.

- I am a writer because I have been through a lot and think a lot and writing my ideas/thoughts down and getting it out of my head leads me to this creative flow that is in a way therapeutic. My mom and brother passed away when I was one year old and I was diagnosed with cancer, Hodgkin's Lymphoma, when I was 15 years old. Those two things, along with many others, have made me into the type of person I am and choose to be today. I am a survivor and I am motivated with the desire to make the most of this life. 

-I recently put in my two weeks at my restaurant job for this reason. This year I will be working for the blogging team, The SBCC Channels Newspaper, possibly an internship, and another opportunity. I can't do it all, no one can. This summer was my 5 year remission mark for being cancer free, but that doesn't mean the struggles of it are over. I notice myself getting overwhelmed when I have too much on my plate at once. Well, this year my plate is full and I needed to make some room before I got too full. Get what I'm sayin'?

Last but not least I want you all to know that I am here to give you advice, I am here to be your friend and say hi at school, and I am here to hopefully inspire your college education in the direction you want your lives to point to. Comment below if you ever have something to say! You can also shoot me an email for any work or school related discussions ---->

arbickmann@pipeline.sbcc.edu

Face the ocean. Take a deep breath. Stretch. You've made it. And guess what? You can make more of it! Peace and love my friends.