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One of the best things about winter break and living by the academic calendar is having the time in between semesters to work on personal projects that aren’t necessarily related to a specific class but will help further my artistic pursuits. There are a lot of things I’ve wanted to do to prepare for the next semester, and I feel like I’m actually getting to accomplish these goals.

1. One of my goals has been to read some media theory.

I just finished the New Media Reader the other day. Next, I want to get caught up on the Journal Leonardo and go back and read some of the top articles on the online publication Rhizome.

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2. I’ve also been working to develop my skills in creative coding.

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post about the class Code and Language where we were introduced to three programming languages that can be used for creative outcomes. This was a tremendously interesting and exciting class for me. I’m still blown away by the creative possibilities that coding provides. There is a steep learning curve, however, so I have devoted much of this winter break to trying to teach myself some creative coding. I’m currently trying to teach myself Objective C so I can make some iPhone applications. I think this might come in handy in my class Public Art with Annette Barbiette where we will be developing public art pieces that incorporate GPS and augmented reality. I also hope to work on my processing skills and to teach myself some Open Frameworks and Cinder.

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[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBV14-3LT-g[/youtube]

3. And finally, I’ve been getting organized.

This has been one of the big goals for me this winter break. I have been embarrassingly disorganized the last few years. For the sake of reducing stress and maximizing my productivity, I knew I needed to do something about it. I began by asking for advice from some of the more organized people I know, and they gave me some strategies to try. A friend also recommended the book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, which I have found to have some wonderfully practical suggestions for developing habits that lead to better organization and productivity.

There are only a few days before the next semester begins! I have a feeling it’s going to be a good one.