TGIF Video Friday: Look What the Cat Dragged In: An Alligator
On paper, some matchups don't really seem fair.
David vs. Goliath.
The 1980 United States Olympic hockey team (comprised of amateur and collegiate players) vs. the juggernaut Soviet Union (comprised of all professionals).
Of course, these expected one-sided battles don't always go according to plan. Sometimes, the beast gets slain.
It seems America loves an underdog, making this week's edition of TGIF Video Friday perhaps the most surprising episode since we started the series on Dec. 2.
This week's video, brought to my attention by fellow GU blogger Lindsey Leesmann, features a comical, yet intense stare down between a cat and an alligator. The two creatures are separated by nothing except five feet of fresh air. You can't make this stuff up. Enjoy:
Talk about an upset. If it was next month, the alligator would enter March Madness a No. 2 seed or better, the cat more likely a No. 15 seed or worse.
If you're like me, you had one thought going through your mind for the duration of the video: Hopefully, the alligator's curiosity wouldn't kill the cat. Like sitting in a movie theater during a horror film, you have an idea of what's ahead; you just don't know when it's going to strike.
That is one scary-looking alligator. Better yet, that is one brave cat.
On a broader, humanized scale, students in online degree programs run into their fair share of scary situations as well. I've outlined three of the scariest situations distance learning students seem to be facing in their studies, with corresponding solutions for each of them:
1. Tough job economy
Solution: Securing a job in your desired industry is no cakewalk after graduation. The job economy is improving - the 8.3 percent unemployment rate for January 2012 is a three-year low - but it's still a challenge.
If you're set to graduate soon:
2. Big tests, papers
Solution: Don't procrastinate. Prepare for the exam or start writing the term paper weeks in advance. The benefits?
- You don't have to tackle as much content at one time.
- The subject matter will resonate more.
- You can try to apply the information to people or situations in your life.
3. Not enough time
Solution: Apply time management techniques to ease the transition. Yes, going to school while working a full-time job or serving in the military is a potentially scary proposition. But it's not impossible, especially in an online learning environment. Budget specific times for your studies, persevere and believe in yourself.
Happy Friday, all.
Photo credit: stock.xchng
About the author: Eric Sorrentino joined Grantham University as Social Media Manager in October 2011. Prior to his current position, he blogged about the Big 12 Conference for KUsports.com and was a sports copy editor for the Lawrence Journal-World. Eric received his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Journalism from the University of Kansas.
Check out past weeks of TGIF Video Fridays: