Final Digital Apps Blog of the Spring Semester

Over the course of the spring semester, I learned a great deal from my digital applications class.  Many of the projects and assignments I completed taught me a great deal about the same computer programs and applications that I have been using for years.  Before I took this course I felt as though I had a strong understanding and mastery of these technological tools, although I soon realized that there was much left to learn.  As a whole I believe my excel project, my video production assignment, and my decades group power point presentation were the three projects that will most benefit me as I continue my academic career here at Nichols College.

As an accounting and finance major here at Nichols, I will be spending a great portion of the next three years dealing with excel.  Creating detailed financial reports and spread sheets requires a strong understanding and mastery of skills with the Microsoft Excel program.  It was both helpful and beneficial to learn how to make simple pivot tables, graphs, and organize data in a comprehend-able, attractive format.  Furthermore as a future accountant in the workforce someday I will be expected to know how to navigate and utilize this tool.

The video production assignment was the most challenging and rewarding project I completed over the duration of the entire semester.  I learned how to incorporate pictures, video, music, and voice overs to create my presentation. Prior to enrolling in digital applications, I had never before had any experience in creating my own video presentation.  I have had a lot of experience in creating power point presentations all through high school and already throughout my first year here at Nichols, but never before had I dealt with this program.  I believe that this project will benefit me academically in the long run due to the fact that it provides me with a new and interesting way of presenting projects in future courses of my academic career and also when I go to work someday.

In regards to the group Power Point presentation, I believe that I learned numerous lessons.  Cooperation and communication are two necessities in order to work effectively with group members.  I strongly believe that my group and I did a fantastic job of collectively contributing to the overall presentation, which made the project that much better.  In addition, I enjoyed the Power Point presentation as I learned how to embed videos, add sound effects, and incorporate several other elements.  In the workplace and over the next few years I will have to know how to create presentations that catch the eye of my professors and superiors.

In conclusion, I feel as though digital applications has prepared me for upcoming presentations and projects I may be assigned in other classes and eventually in the workplace someday.  Often times those with the most attractive and creative presentations or projects are the ones that achieve good grades or get the promotion at work.  Through taking this course I strongly believe I have gained some assets that may give me a future advantage.

Dream Vacation

If I were to go on my dream vacation, there is only one place I would go. That would be Florida in March. You might be asking, why so specific on the month. Well there is one simple reason, baseball spring training. To be even more specific. I am a huge baseball fan and spring training is like the mecca of baseball fans because about half of the ball clubs are in one state for an entire month. Now this isn't the cheapest trip to take. A plane ticket from Boston to Miami averages around $185. Plus you have to deal with the price of hotels in Florida, not the cheapest. Luckily for me I have close relatives that live in Boca Raton, so I would not have to worry about the expense of a hotel.

Florida at this time of year is probably the best time to go. The temperatures are in the nice ranges around eighty degrees with the water being very close if not the same. Going around this time of year also eliminates the chances of running into the very annoying summer tourist so it is very peaceful and fun at the beaches.

But then there is the real reason I am there, spring training! Baseball has been my favorite sport for the longest time. I can remember a time were baseball was not part of my life. The thing about spring training is that there are so many teams and the tickets are so cheap. The average spring training ticket is around $15 and there are so many games every day and every week. Even better all the games are within an hour or two in driving distance, making it so convenient. If I where to go down there for two weeks I could probably see about 18 games. Now I don't know about you but that is one of the greatest deal I can think of. so in reality a two week trip down to Florida for spring training would cost about $900 if you include the plane tickets, game tickets and cost of food and other things that are needed to be spend for a good vacation.

King Dream Vacation

 


    For my dream vacation I would go to Tokyo, Japan. I would go mainly because of their influence in fashion. I am in the process of starting my own fashion line so going to Japan would be a good opportunity to scout possible markets and to source fabrics, designs, and other things to help build my brand.
    For this trip I'd like to stay in Tokyo for a week. The approximate cost to stay at the Park Hotel in Tokyo would be around one thousand dollars for a week. The approximate airfare cost would be $1200. You can find quotes for airfare at KAYAK. So my travel expenses will be $2500, to be on the safe side. Beside airfare and hotel, I will bring money for food and shopping. I will bring $1000 for food and $1500 to shop.
    During my trip to Tokyo there are two main points I would visit and like to acclimate to. The Daikanyama shopping district, and Tokyo's midtown. These are two areas that do a good job displaying Tokyo's architecture, and houses many shops. It will give me a good chance to see the culture of Japan, as well as the structure and system of the retail.

home is where the heart is

There is only one place I would like to go visit again is Oklahoma. Mostly because all my family is down there, also my tribe is there. I think it would be nice to see where I come from. I also love the weather, tornadoes are calm and when I was little I wanted to be a meteorologist so I like the constant change in weather.

 I never been to a powwow I’ve heard of everyone going and how much fun they have. I want to experience it for myself. I know my cousin Jenna been to a few when she was younger, she said they were an experience of a life time.

I only had been down to Oklahoma once when I was eight. I don’t remember much because I was little. But I do remember eating biscuits and gravy every morning, my uncle and I messing around, meeting my cousin for the first time, and going to Texas. We went to Kensie Texas to visit the military base my dad was born in. every generation of the Howe clan goes in and serves its 4 to 8 years.

I would not want to live there permanently.  I want to experience Washington DC. Then again Berkshire County is where I am from. It may not seem much to me now but, it’s where I grew up. It’s beautiful there; I would not trade it for the world. Life takes you on many journeys; I may not know where ill end up, but I’ll never forget my ground roots.

I am not too sure how much the cost of living in each area is but, I know for a fact the Washington DC will cost the most because of its location. Second would be the Berkshires and the cheapest would be Oklahoma. In all places I will end up I still will be able to have a family (not any time soon). I think at the time it will come down to what part do I want to live in the west, the south or back home.

 

Bora Bora

 

 A place that one day I aspire to go to is Bora Bora. Many people ask where Bora Bora is. So where is it? Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia. The population of Bora Bora isn't enough to keep the economy going, the island relies heavily on tourism. Many people go to Bora Bora or at least strive to because of their villages on the beautiful ocean.

 

 This island is a favorite destination for many of the rich and famous. Celebrities include the Kardashian family, Kristin Bell, and Jeff Goldblum. Many of the tourists are infact celebrities and that is because it is difficult for the island not to fill up of tourists. Only the wealthy and the prestigious are able to reserve their spots.

Traveling to Bora Bora is not cheap. For a 5 day 4 night stay flight and hotel included the cost averages between $4,000-$9,500 per-person! Most people think that the cost may be ridiculous, however if I am ever able to have that kind of money, I'd be the first one to sign up for a trip down to Bora Bora.

The top ten things to do in Bora Bora can be found here.  Some of these things to do is ride a wave runner throughout the island, since it is small enough to do that. On this island you can feed sharks and sting rays... Something like that is something you'll never forget. Of course you can snorkel too! The most enjoyable thing to do on this beautiful island though? Kick your feet back and relax!

I don't know if it is the relaxation factor that draws me to this island or if it is just the crystal clear waters. Either way- This is my dream vacation. I only hope it will come before I have children so I am able to relax there just like everyone else. Bora Bora is my ideal location for a honey moon. What better place is there to spend some time with your newlywed than an island that you feel as if you're the only on it!

Paris

Last summer for my graduation I went to Paris, France. This was the best vacation I have ever been on and I would recommend anyone to visit if they ever have the opportunity. My family and I flew Air France from Boston straight to Paris. On the AirFrance website the cost of these tickets can range from $537 and up for a one round trip in the Economy section of the plane. For accommodations in Paris, it is much cheaper to rent an apartment instead of staying in a hotel. This also depends on how long you are staying. For a longer period of time it is more beneficial to stay in an apartment.

 

We stayed for a week and instead of staying in a hotel it was a lot cheaper for the four of us to rent out an apartment.  My aunt went on ParisAttitude.com to find an apartment to stay in. This website has many apartments to view. They can range from studio apartments to 4 or 5 bedrooms, depending on who is going with you. We stayed in this apartment which is located on Boulevard Saint Germain, in the Latin Quarter of Paris. It is not that close to many tourist sites besides Notre Dame, but it was really easy to find transportation. A metro station was right around the corner, and there were two bus stops right across the street from where we were staying. One thing we found most convenient about the city was that the public transportation was so much cleaner and easier to get around than we expected. For all of us to get around we purchased Ticket Mobilis. These you can use on every form of public transportation in the city. The only way to determine the costs is what zones of the city you want to visit. The more zones you want to visit, the more you have to pay. The maximum you would have to pay would be 15,65 €.  

Another advantage of the city is that many of the tourist sites are free such as: The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Champs Elysees, and the Arc de Triomphe. The only sites we did have to pay to get into were the Louvre Museum and a tour of the Seine River. This was one of my favorite things to do in the city because you are able to see all of the important parts of the city in an hour. We took the Vendettes Pont-Neuf for the tour and it only costed 13,00 € for a tour which is fairly cheap for the city. One of the restaurants we went to many times during our stay was Le Petit Pontoise which had amazing food. I tried almost everything on the menu, but my favorite was the escargot! They got many great reviews on their food from various websites.

Looking to get away from everyone? Actually, get away from the world in general! Bora Bora is truly heaven on earth. It is most beautiful patch of islands on the face of the earth. I have never been here before, but it has always been my dream to go to this place ever since I saw the movie Couples Retreat when it came out in 2009. The movie takes place in Bora Bora. Throughout the hole movie, scenes are shown all around this beautiful place. The water is so clear, you can see the sea shells on the sea floor. Look out over the translucent waters of the lagoon as you dine on inspired specialties that highlight Polynesian and French traditions. Treat yourself to an elegant three-course meal prepared by the  executive chef in the Arii Moana restaurant and served on the beach or in your bungalow. Relax in the shade of a thatched roof as you sip tropical cocktails and enjoy salads, sandwiches, and desserts at the Fare Hoa Beach Bar. Bora Bora offers the holistic spa, a fitness center, event rooms, an infinity pool, tennis, and tandem treatments. you can even rent your own private island. Enoy the scenery every day and relax like you've never relaxed before, before you have to go back to reality. you wont want to leave this paradise. Find out why U.S. News called it "The best Island in the World". 

 

The Surf and Turf Package: "The Surf & Turf package from Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora invites you to experience the best of land and sea with two unique experiences during your stay there. Embrace the aquatic life from one of the Over-Water Bungalow Suites, and connect to the local fenua in one of our private villas on the beach, with its colourful gardens of tropical flowers and private pool – all during the same stay. The package also includes a land and sea tour with our marine biologist and daily breakfast."

There are many packages to choose from for your stay at Bora Bora, French Polynesian island. When you leave you will say that it was worth every penny. 

Book your stay at Bora Bora here now!!!