I cannot believe that I am finishing up on my last round of exams and the semester is winding down. It seems like the first day where my parents and I were moving in and I had just gotten my room all situated and set up. Older students were shuffling around big totes and bags and helping us find our correct rooms and where all of the amenities are located in the building. I remember feeling so overwhelmed and thinking this was not the right decision to make. You never know unless you try and that was just the idea and mentality that I had coming into college. Throughout this semester I have begun to like college more and more and I am so glad that I made the decision to leave home and come to Purdue. It offers you an endless opportunities and situations that you can take advantage of that smaller colleges may not. Smaller colleges sometimes do not have the resources or accommodations to specific ideas and programs. They do not have available or offer a wide range of majors that you can choose from.
As the semester is winding down make sure you do not slack. You think that your main exams are over and now you can relax and take it easy think otherwise. This is the time where you need to make sure you attend and go to all your classes, keep up with your homework, and do your readings. The hardest thing about the semester still has not yet come which is the dreaded final exams. The worst is where the exam is cumulative and you have to try and remember everything from day one till now. A couple of pointers would be to study a little each day. There is no way that you can cram the night before for a final exam you will be so overwhelmed and stressed. If you spread it out over a couple of days or weeks you will be able to retain more information and not get everything messed up in your head. When you cram you get things all confused and can’t remember where information goes and how things connect. I have also learned in my psychology classes that if I apply specific ideas and theories to things in my life that have happened it helps. It is easy when you make connections to your own life and you can recall the information better by making these comparisons. Hope you do not wait till the last minute to start studying make sure you look ahead and do not get weighed down.
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Ohhhh What a Variety! Part I
Have you ever gotten sick of eating the exact same food, day in and day out, but you just want a change? Well here at Purdue, the major five food courts each have their certain perks and expertise in a particular area that other ones may not offer. I am not saying that after a whole year you will never get sick of cafeteria food because of course at some point in time you will eventually and it is not the traditional home cooked meals that your mom makes but they do offer a good selection.
The food court that I go to the most is Earhart just because it is the most convenient and easiest to walk too. The bad thing about it is that you either have to go right at 5 of later around 7 unless you want to wait in a line that goes out the door and wraps around the sidewalk to the corner. Trust me you do not want to just stand there with your stomach growling waiting to just get inside, it is the worst feeling ever. The best part about Earhart in my opinion would be the ability to make your own pizza, pasta, and stir-fry. When you make a pizza, it only takes 5 to 6 minutes for them to cook it and they have a vast amount of toppings and sauce that you can put on it ranging from pepperoni, sausage, bacon, barbeque chicken, and lots of veggies. The pasta consists of a variety of noodles and pasta and two types of sauce. The place that gets me in the most trouble is the desserts and pastries area. They always have tons of trays of different kinds of cookies, cake, cheesecake, and basically everything you can think of! I am a big fan of the lemon bars they definitely hit the spot especially on a long day. If you haven’t been to Earhart yet it is worth the walk and wait to go and try it out. I would highly recommend it.
Hillenbrand is a smaller close knit food court that usually has a steak night every week. If you want it you just have to swipe your card twice and I have noticed that it draws a good number of guys usually. I have never personally tried it before but I have heard it is pretty tasty. The best section would be the quesadilla line where there are vegetables, some sauces, sour cream, and chicken and you fill up a little bowl and they cook it for you. Along with the salad bar, on certain days of the week, they offer a whole range of different fruits; I was quite amazed when I saw it. They had cantaloupe, watermelon, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, grapes, and of course my favorite strawberries. It is always good to throw in a couple of vegetables and fruits here and there even though we tend to go for the greasy food and desserts because they taste so much better. Hillenbrand is tinier than the rest but never usually has any lines and you can get your food fast and is very practical. Here is just two out of the five that I have taken a look at so far. In a later blog, I will discuss the other three and what they are known for.
The food court that I go to the most is Earhart just because it is the most convenient and easiest to walk too. The bad thing about it is that you either have to go right at 5 of later around 7 unless you want to wait in a line that goes out the door and wraps around the sidewalk to the corner. Trust me you do not want to just stand there with your stomach growling waiting to just get inside, it is the worst feeling ever. The best part about Earhart in my opinion would be the ability to make your own pizza, pasta, and stir-fry. When you make a pizza, it only takes 5 to 6 minutes for them to cook it and they have a vast amount of toppings and sauce that you can put on it ranging from pepperoni, sausage, bacon, barbeque chicken, and lots of veggies. The pasta consists of a variety of noodles and pasta and two types of sauce. The place that gets me in the most trouble is the desserts and pastries area. They always have tons of trays of different kinds of cookies, cake, cheesecake, and basically everything you can think of! I am a big fan of the lemon bars they definitely hit the spot especially on a long day. If you haven’t been to Earhart yet it is worth the walk and wait to go and try it out. I would highly recommend it.
Hillenbrand is a smaller close knit food court that usually has a steak night every week. If you want it you just have to swipe your card twice and I have noticed that it draws a good number of guys usually. I have never personally tried it before but I have heard it is pretty tasty. The best section would be the quesadilla line where there are vegetables, some sauces, sour cream, and chicken and you fill up a little bowl and they cook it for you. Along with the salad bar, on certain days of the week, they offer a whole range of different fruits; I was quite amazed when I saw it. They had cantaloupe, watermelon, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, grapes, and of course my favorite strawberries. It is always good to throw in a couple of vegetables and fruits here and there even though we tend to go for the greasy food and desserts because they taste so much better. Hillenbrand is tinier than the rest but never usually has any lines and you can get your food fast and is very practical. Here is just two out of the five that I have taken a look at so far. In a later blog, I will discuss the other three and what they are known for.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
more college survival tips
Lately, my roommates and I have been attempting to catch up on TV shows. Yes, we realize that House and Grey’s Anatomy have started back up.
But, with all of our crazy schedules, we’ve been starting a DVD of Grey’s or House at 9 at night. This means that we don’t get done with the DVD until around 1 AM. This wouldn’t be a problem if there was no such thing as classes before noon. Sadly, I have 4 8:30 AM classes, and my roommates have 7:30 AM classes. Oh, do we look dead in those classes, if we don’t sleep through them (which I’ve observed other people doing. They show up, and then sleep through the class, wake up, and then leave.)
I advise starting a show before 9. Or, you can start it at 9, and then just watch one episode.
Sometimes roommates are just a pain in your…well, you know. Take a friend of mine.
Every so often his roommate kicks him out of his dorm room because he wants to do the mcnasty. I understand that it’s this other guy’s room too, but you can’t just kick your roommate out at 3 AM because you can’t control your hormones. So, to all of the people out there who kick out their roommates at absurd hours, stop it. It makes people plot against you. For your own safety, do the mcnasty while your roommate is in class. At least then you feel like less of a jerk, and they actually have somewhere to be.
(photo courtesy of classicinsight.com)
Saturday, September 29, 2007
To all the parents of college freshmen
I know that we’re your babies. You fed us, changed our diapers, clean up our puke, stayed at our bedside, and fought off the monsters under the bed. We appreciate this. There are some things, however, that need to be addressed.
Don’t panic when we don’t call. We will call if we need something. When we don’t call, it means that we’re busy, we’re fine, and that we’re having a grand time doing our own laundry.
If we don’t call every night, every other night, or even every week, we are not dead. This does not give the right to call our RA, our advisors, or the cops to see if we are still alive. All this does is make us never want to talk to you again for humiliating us in front of our roommates and peers. (You think I’m joking. My roommate is read to kill her parents for calling the cops.)
If you’re that worried that we’re dead, send us a box of useful things: candy, soda, coffee, chocolate, clean clothes, rolls of quarters, laundry stuff.
I know that you remember the good old days of back when you were in college. At least, you think you do. College is both different and the same. There are many new obstacles, new tasks, and new hardships that didn’t exist 20+ years ago. For example, one of the many harmless pranks that you got away with will now get us expelled and sent to jail. Don’t give us ideas.
We value your advice, but rarely hear it. No offense, but we’ve been ignoring it for the past 18 or so years. When we ask for your advice, we really want it. And, yes, we know that you told us how to do this every day over the past summer, but we really need it now.
Factor in time zone changes when you call. There’s nothing more annoying to the rest of us than someone’s cell phone going off in the middle of class ever 2 minutes, followed by the ‘missed call’ sound, and finally followed by the ‘new voice mail’ sound. While your child’s ringtone is catchy and fun to dance to, the other sounds are annoying and grating.
Really, when we don’t call, it’s not that we don’t love you. It’s that we’re fine, busy, and having fun. Honestly. I promise. We’ll call in a week or two when we need something, and we’ll remind you how much we love you then.
Don’t panic when we don’t call. We will call if we need something. When we don’t call, it means that we’re busy, we’re fine, and that we’re having a grand time doing our own laundry.
If we don’t call every night, every other night, or even every week, we are not dead. This does not give the right to call our RA, our advisors, or the cops to see if we are still alive. All this does is make us never want to talk to you again for humiliating us in front of our roommates and peers. (You think I’m joking. My roommate is read to kill her parents for calling the cops.)
If you’re that worried that we’re dead, send us a box of useful things: candy, soda, coffee, chocolate, clean clothes, rolls of quarters, laundry stuff.
I know that you remember the good old days of back when you were in college. At least, you think you do. College is both different and the same. There are many new obstacles, new tasks, and new hardships that didn’t exist 20+ years ago. For example, one of the many harmless pranks that you got away with will now get us expelled and sent to jail. Don’t give us ideas.
We value your advice, but rarely hear it. No offense, but we’ve been ignoring it for the past 18 or so years. When we ask for your advice, we really want it. And, yes, we know that you told us how to do this every day over the past summer, but we really need it now.
Factor in time zone changes when you call. There’s nothing more annoying to the rest of us than someone’s cell phone going off in the middle of class ever 2 minutes, followed by the ‘missed call’ sound, and finally followed by the ‘new voice mail’ sound. While your child’s ringtone is catchy and fun to dance to, the other sounds are annoying and grating.
Really, when we don’t call, it’s not that we don’t love you. It’s that we’re fine, busy, and having fun. Honestly. I promise. We’ll call in a week or two when we need something, and we’ll remind you how much we love you then.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
life lessons in college
College admissions like to let you think that they are telling you everything. If they actually told you everything, most people wouldn’t go to college.
That’s why this guide is here. Here are a few things that I’ve discovered over the past month:
-Quarters are the most desired form of currency. You need them for vending machines and to do your laundry.
-Text books are heavy and cost as much as they weigh. If you can, trade textbooks with roommates and friends. You save around $100, and you also get tips from the people who have taken the class.
-Mail and packages make you feel special. Even if it’s just your mom sending you detergent, it boosts your ego.
-Having clean laundry is as much of an ego booster as passing a class. It comes more often.
-A ‘C’ in college is like an ‘A’ in high school. They are just as frequent and mean the same thing. Don’t fret if you’re a straight A student. Getting a C is not the end of the world.
-Coffee, tea, Mt. Dew, and Coke are your new favorite drinks. Don’t get anything that doesn’t have caffeine.
-Naps are a wonderful thing, especially after a 7:30 AM class.
-Exams are rarely during class. They will generally be in the evening.
-If you’re a female, get some mace or some pepper spray. It’s a must have on a college campus. As the cliché goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
I’ll add more when I learn more, which I’m sure I’ll have plenty to add in the coming months!
That’s why this guide is here. Here are a few things that I’ve discovered over the past month:
-Quarters are the most desired form of currency. You need them for vending machines and to do your laundry.
-Text books are heavy and cost as much as they weigh. If you can, trade textbooks with roommates and friends. You save around $100, and you also get tips from the people who have taken the class.
-Mail and packages make you feel special. Even if it’s just your mom sending you detergent, it boosts your ego.
-Having clean laundry is as much of an ego booster as passing a class. It comes more often.
-A ‘C’ in college is like an ‘A’ in high school. They are just as frequent and mean the same thing. Don’t fret if you’re a straight A student. Getting a C is not the end of the world.
-Coffee, tea, Mt. Dew, and Coke are your new favorite drinks. Don’t get anything that doesn’t have caffeine.
-Naps are a wonderful thing, especially after a 7:30 AM class.
-Exams are rarely during class. They will generally be in the evening.
-If you’re a female, get some mace or some pepper spray. It’s a must have on a college campus. As the cliché goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
I’ll add more when I learn more, which I’m sure I’ll have plenty to add in the coming months!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A Quick Transition
Transitioning into college seems to be on a lot of people’s minds, even parents and friends around this time of year. Why is it one of student’s biggest fears? Why does it seem like an overwhelming and stressful task? College indeed is a major step to take in life and you have to decide if it is right for you or not. It takes you to a brand new place with so many new and exciting things to try that sometimes you just do not know where to begin. It takes you out of your daily routine, tradition, and comfort zone. You have the ability to start fresh and be who you want to be and not worry about what happened in the past. You no longer have anyone telling you what to do and your parents are not watching your every move. It is a time to make new friendships and discover who you truly are.
College is a totally different atmosphere and is not like high school at all. I believe the whole transition just takes time. It is not impossible you just have to live and learn. You have to get use to being self-motivated, independent, and organized. Organization is the key to being successful in your first couple of weeks especially. Professors and teaching assistants all give you information that you must retain and certain dates and times when everything is due. I would suggest keeping a planner or schedule so you can write everything down because it would be impossible to remember everything. Another adjustment would be your classroom settings and having huge lectures that are filled with 400 people. This is very overwhelming at first and you have to adjust. Some of my classes I will never even meet my professor and receive one on one attention.
Some words of advice would be to not give up and take things step by step. Everything at first may seem overwhelming but when you break everything down you will realize it is not that hard. Make sure you do not procrastinate and get all your assignments and papers done as soon as possible. You will then end up having more time to relax, kick back, and hang out with your new friends. Also, do not live in your dorm room, get out and introduce yourself to new people; everyone is in the same position that you are. You can also join extracurricular activities such as clubs and teams to socialize and stay active. The only way to conquer this transition is through experience and not giving up.
College is a totally different atmosphere and is not like high school at all. I believe the whole transition just takes time. It is not impossible you just have to live and learn. You have to get use to being self-motivated, independent, and organized. Organization is the key to being successful in your first couple of weeks especially. Professors and teaching assistants all give you information that you must retain and certain dates and times when everything is due. I would suggest keeping a planner or schedule so you can write everything down because it would be impossible to remember everything. Another adjustment would be your classroom settings and having huge lectures that are filled with 400 people. This is very overwhelming at first and you have to adjust. Some of my classes I will never even meet my professor and receive one on one attention.
Some words of advice would be to not give up and take things step by step. Everything at first may seem overwhelming but when you break everything down you will realize it is not that hard. Make sure you do not procrastinate and get all your assignments and papers done as soon as possible. You will then end up having more time to relax, kick back, and hang out with your new friends. Also, do not live in your dorm room, get out and introduce yourself to new people; everyone is in the same position that you are. You can also join extracurricular activities such as clubs and teams to socialize and stay active. The only way to conquer this transition is through experience and not giving up.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Gosh Survivor, you were right! Those buses REALLY are tricky!
I can tell you right now that unless you go (or plan to go) to a college that utilizes a bus system, this particular blog entry will probably not interest you in the least bit. As I have mentioned before, I go to Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and for the first time today (in fact, it happens to be my one month anniversary of living here at Purdue!!), I rode a campus bus. I had always been a little apprehensive about using the bus system because there are a number of buses and each has a different route, and even though I have a bus schedule, I have had a continual feeling that if I get on a bus, I would still end up on the wrong one, leading me to the wrong destination.
Anyway, I had just got done with my 830 class and did not have another until 11:30 so instead of walking the usual 20 minutes back to my dorm today, I decided I should just conquer my fears and ride one of those bad boys. So my friend (who had never ridden the bus either) and I walked 2 seconds to the bus stop, and we began to scrutinize the schedule to find which bus/route would take us to the closest area where we wanted to go. Eventually the right bus pulls up and we get on and sit down. The bus made frequent stops before we even got close to the Shreve Residence Hall, At each stop, people were either getting on or off and all of a sudden, the bus went right past Shreve!! Now what the heck?! We had no idea that we had to pull down on a black handle in order to indicate to the driver that we wanted to stop and get off. Of course, she and I ended up at the same bus stop at which we got on in the first place. My advice to you: LOOK AROUND AND OBSERVE WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING INSTEAD OF STARING OUT THE WINDOW ENJOYING THE SCENERY. Chances are they’ve ridden the bus before and they know the routine and/or they’re just not as stupid as some of us can be.
In order to get to my 11:30 class, I decided to take the bus again because I knew exactly how to use it this time! I was pretty excited about it and all so I go to the bus stop, got on when the bus pulled up, sat down, and ended up stopping at 6 different stops before my stop. I was late to my 11:30 by 7 minutes. I know for a fact that walking would have been a lot quicker. So how about you don’t take the bus if you are trying to get to class (just to be safe!!). More often than not, walking is probably quicker anyway. Besides, 8 out of 10 times, if you take a bus, you're just being lazy. =)
If you are just absolutely set on riding the bus, here are a few more helpful tips integrated into this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKzilLsUZCw
Anyway, I had just got done with my 830 class and did not have another until 11:30 so instead of walking the usual 20 minutes back to my dorm today, I decided I should just conquer my fears and ride one of those bad boys. So my friend (who had never ridden the bus either) and I walked 2 seconds to the bus stop, and we began to scrutinize the schedule to find which bus/route would take us to the closest area where we wanted to go. Eventually the right bus pulls up and we get on and sit down. The bus made frequent stops before we even got close to the Shreve Residence Hall, At each stop, people were either getting on or off and all of a sudden, the bus went right past Shreve!! Now what the heck?! We had no idea that we had to pull down on a black handle in order to indicate to the driver that we wanted to stop and get off. Of course, she and I ended up at the same bus stop at which we got on in the first place. My advice to you: LOOK AROUND AND OBSERVE WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING INSTEAD OF STARING OUT THE WINDOW ENJOYING THE SCENERY. Chances are they’ve ridden the bus before and they know the routine and/or they’re just not as stupid as some of us can be.
In order to get to my 11:30 class, I decided to take the bus again because I knew exactly how to use it this time! I was pretty excited about it and all so I go to the bus stop, got on when the bus pulled up, sat down, and ended up stopping at 6 different stops before my stop. I was late to my 11:30 by 7 minutes. I know for a fact that walking would have been a lot quicker. So how about you don’t take the bus if you are trying to get to class (just to be safe!!). More often than not, walking is probably quicker anyway. Besides, 8 out of 10 times, if you take a bus, you're just being lazy. =)
If you are just absolutely set on riding the bus, here are a few more helpful tips integrated into this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKzilLsUZCw
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