2020 sure has been a year and it’s still only September. Despite not being able to meet in person this semester, we’re working hard to bring you fun virtual programming that will pumpkin-spice up the Fall 2020 experience. Classes have started back up and as we’re all settling into Zoom calls and Webex meetings, we wanted to get the opportunity to introduce ourselves!
Our 2020-2021 Leadership team is as follows:
· President: Claney Outzen
· Vice President: David LeMay
· Treasurer: Julia Cornish
· Secretary: Samaria Alston
· Social Media Co-Coordinators: Sophia Giddens / Alexis Alexander
· Membership/Induction: Kristina Goode
· Events/Fundraising: McKinlie Rodenbeck
· Webmaster: Fiama Mastrangelo
To recreate the feeling of first-week awkward introductions and excruciating icebreakers, I decided to interview our leadership team to give you the 411 on everyone’s deepest secrets and tips for success!
How has Psi Chi membership personally benefitted you?
David (vice president): Psi Chi has given me a lot of resources to use both as a student and as a person. Psi Chi provides students with like-minded individuals to bond with and support each other, something that's especially important for students who may not be from the area. It provides a social outlet in which people can have fun and be goofy as they want! It also gives access to faculty members and loads of information regarding grants, research opportunities, graduate programs, and general tips for success.
Julia (treasurer): I love being part of a group that focuses on academic excellence, research, and mental wellness in college students. As a nontraditional student, I did not expect to develop a college identity. Psi Chi has provided opportunities for leadership, comradery, and research. Being a member of Psi Chi has made every part of my college experience more meaningful.
Why is it important for Psi Chi members to get virtually involved this semester?
Claney (president): Getting involved in Psi Chi is even more important this semester because of virtual learning. By getting involved with Psi Chi's meetings, you get to connect and hang out with your fellow members in a way that can't be done in person due to COVID-19. It helps you keep updated on what's going on in the Psychology world through our discussions as well as opportunities that might help you down the line such as research opportunities, grants, and other CV boosters! I know meetings have been helping me keep sane through all of this.
Fiama (webmaster): I really miss getting to see some familiar faces throughout the school day now that most of my classes have transitioned to online learning. Getting to meet with other psych majors and have structured social time has really helped me cope with limited social interaction. Psi Chi also has lots of resources for adjusting to teleworking and coping with pandemic-induced stress that I find to be extremely valuable right now.
Which UWF psych course was your favorite and why?
Julia (treasurer): This is a really difficult question. At UWF, we are fortunate to have amazing psychology professors. Each professor has taught me more than I ever expected to learn in my undergraduate career. I love being challenged and learning new information; however, I was really surprised when I fell in love with neurocognition. I have taken four classes with Dr. Arruda and worked as a teacher assistant for his Sensation and Perception class. Dr. Arruda really cares about the success of his students. As my faculty mentor, he has provided a stable and expansive learning environment for me to explore the field of psychophysiology, neurocognition, neurolinguistics, and neuropsychology.
McKinlie (events): My favorite UWF psych course was definitely Abnormal Psychology with Dr. Wiggins. I found this course to be so interesting and I really enjoyed learning about the different mental illnesses as well as how to treat them. Also Dr. Wiggins gave amazing lectures! Taking this course is what inspired me to pursue a career in clinical psychology
Kristina (membership): Sensation and perception is my favorite course. It is about you and how you’re able to perceive the world around you. It’s mind blowing to think about all of the processes your brain goes through while doing anything.
Samaria (secretary): My favorite psych course was abnormal psych with Dr. Wiggins. It made me understand why people act a certain way and how they are genetically predisposed to certain conditions.
How have you used something you learned in a psych class in your everyday life?
David (vice president): The pandemic has been very stressful for most people, me included. Lack of social interaction, uncertainty of future health, and an unstable political environment can really wear down people's nerves. Not to mention adjusting to online school! But one class in particular has helped me throughout all this, and that class is Positive Psych. It really gave me a lot of tools to change how I think about certain situations and refocus my attention to the positive aspects of my life.
Fiama (webmaster): Positive Psychology gave me a lot of insight as to how meditation and mindfulness can help cope with everyday stress. I’ve had Headspace downloaded since I was in Dr. Pritchett’s lab, but seeing the research-based findings really inspired me to practice it more with great success!
What is your greatest piece of advice for success in online learning?
Samaria (secretary): Use your google calendar and plug in your canvas calendar so that they are synchronous. This allows for you to keep up with all your assignments along with any extracurriculars.
Kristina (membership): Create a schedule with a planner or calendar. Structure your courses as if you were going to each class twice a week. This way you can see what you need to do and hold yourself accountable.
McKinlie (events): My advice for succeeding in online courses is to stay organized. I have found that in order to succeed in online classes you have to stay on top of your workload. For me, using a planner and keeping to a schedule have been a big help in the past.
What has been your proudest moment as a UWF Psychology major?
Claney (president): Being chosen to represent UWF and present my research to legislators in Tallahassee this past spring at the Florida Posters at the Capitol conference was by far my proudest moment as a psych major. I got the experience to frame my research on mothers' stress and parenting behaviors in relation to their preschooler's self-control through the lens of social policy and advocacy, and talk to both our local and state lawmakers on the importance of child development research and providing resources to mothers. It definitely opened my eyes to the world of science advocacy!
Julia (treasurer): My proudest moment as an undergraduate was turning in my completed research data to my faculty mentor, Dr. Arruda. The project spanned from January to September. It was a huge accomplishment to complete face to face data research during Covid-19. The process provided invaluable experience and significant learning opportunities.
Where is your favorite place to hang out during the day and why is it the student psych lounge?
Fiama (webmaster): One time I accidentally got three hours of sleep the night before a test and the psych lounge has these great couches for power naps that saved my sanity that day. We’ll meet again student psych lounge… one day…
Julia (treasurer): Hahaha! I was a total psych lounge rat before Covid-19. Many of the students are my children’s age. I learned so much about my child while sitting in the lounge hanging out with fellow students. I love you guys!
Which famous psychologist do you think you could beat in a fight?
Claney (president): Sigmund Freud 100%. Also B. F. Skinner based on pictures alone. No disrespect to Skinner, all the disrespect to Freud.
McKinlie (events): I’m not much of a fighter, but I do think I could beat Freud in a fight if I had to!
What is your current Netflix guilty pleasure?
Samaria (secretary): I am in the process of binge-watching Criminal Minds. My absolute favorite character is JJ.
Have you ever used anything you learned from Social Psych for evil?
Kristina (membership): I like to mess with my mom with what I have learned from social psych. Especially with mirroring body language. Shhhhhh…… don’t tell her, she’ll yell at me.
David (vice president): While not necessarily evil, I babysit my little brothers fairly often (Age 6 & 11), and I'm a little ashamed to admit I've used a trick or two from Social Psych to get them to fall in line! From little things like sneakily rewarding them when they do something nice, to taking advantage of cognitive dissonance when they do something bad. Although, the cognitive dissonance doesn't seem to have a big effect on the youngest! Example from the youngest: Me: "Mason, you know it wasn't very nice of you to eat Jaxon's fruit snacks." Mason: *Stares at me like a little psychopath*, Me: "Is that what good boys do?", Mason: "I don't know", Me: "Well you know that you're a good boy, and good boys don't steal.", Mason: *Non-committal grunt*, Me: "So what do we say to Jaxon?", Mason: "Eat your snacks before I do", Me: "...................."