A Few Little Things...

Now that I’m a few months into college, there are a few things that I have just figured out that I wish I would’ve thought of earlier. Just a few helpful things that would’ve made the first few weeks of classes a little bit smoother. First of all, if you are taking classes in college that you took in some form in high school, bring your materials! I ended up bringing up high school study materials and notes just a week or two ago and I wish I would’ve done it earlier. High school teachers tend to put together nice concise study guides and easy lists with ways to study things that are way easier to understand than your college professor who may or may not speak your language. I would also strongly suggest saving all of the major papers that you write in high school. Chances are they had the opportunity to be proof read a few times by teachers and classmates in high school, and you don’t get that luxury very often with papers in college. Plus, if you took classes in high school that are somewhat relevant to your college courses, there’s a pretty good chance you could end up with a repeat topic for a major paper. One of my good friends recently got assigned a 7-9 page paper on stem cells but it was no problem because she already had 5 pages to work with that she had written in high school.

One last thing about college that I wish I would have realized that is completely irrelevant to academics: people don’t dress up for class! I bought a bunch of new clothes for college that are the cute everyday kind of clothes, but I wish I would’ve bought only sweats, t-shirts, and going out clothes. Maybe that’s obvious to some people, but I didn’t realize that the people in your classes aren’t necessarily the friends you hang out with. No one cares and you usually don’t have anyone to impress, so be smart – save money and go comfy.

"Off" days

On days like yesterday and today I am so thankful for the people who care about me. I woke up yesterday with a horrendous headache. It was one of those headaches that leaves you unable to formulate complete thoughts or function properly. My roommate offered to take notes for me in the two classes we have together in the morning so I could sleep some more. It was so sweet of her because those few hours of sleep helped my lessen headache. Today I was feeling pretty down because I was really tired (I only got 3 hours of sleep because I a research paper due today), I was not feeling well still, and I was frustrated over one of my classes.

But I have had several things throughout my day today cheer me up. My friends really made me feel better. They have been in my shoes and knew how to cheer me up. I also felt better after blessing some little kids. I am in science student council, and we did science experiments today for young children at the West Lafayette public library. We made “disappearing” bubbles with dry ice, “vomiting” pumpkins, and other Halloween “explosions.” Seeing the little kids be amazed by the simple experiments we did for them was so fun. Doing the experiments for the children cheered me up. I also felt better after talking on the phone with my sister and my boyfriend. They always know the right thing to say. I am so grateful for the people in my life who love me , care about me, and cheer me up even on my “off” days. I should be better about appreciating them. One good thing about crappy days is that they can remind of the things you have to be thankful for.

Football, costumes, pumpking carving...what could be bettter?

I am having a weekend of goodness (which is exactly what I needed after this stressful week of midterms). First I went to the Homecoming game earlier today and watched the football team beat Northwestern. During the second half the momentum really picked up. It was fun to join in the crowd chanting Boiler Up, singing the fight song, and throwing my hands up and yelling “Shout!” It was an enjoyable game and I got to see Neil Armstrong (his pep talk turned the game around J ).

Tonight I am going to a Halloween party at my boyfriend’s house. Each year the guys in his house always come up with a theme. This year the theme is toys and games of our childhood. Some of the different costumes are the Operation game, a Lego man, Raggedy Ann, and a Battleship ship. My boyfriend is being a yo-yo, and I am going as a Scrabble piece –the letter L. It should be interesting to see all their costumes. I love coming up with a costume and making it. It’s fun to be creative when making your costumes. I like seeing the different costumes people come up with.

Sunday I am going to the MythBusters show at Elliot which is very exciting. And the best part of the weekend will be Sunday night. I am going to a pumpkin carving at my boyfriend’s home. His parents always throw a pre-Thanksgiving get-together. It is one of my favorite traditions. There is pumpkin carvings, home cooked food, and family time. Once the sun sets we all light our pumpkins and admire our creations. I know most if not all the dorms have a pumpkin carving of their own. I would encourage anyone to do it. It’s really fun!

Halloween at Purdue

Halloween is always a fun time of year. As October approaches I always find myself counting down the days until the 31st. It may be obvious as to why Halloween is such a fun holiday, but to name a few you get to dress up, have a reason to get free candy and eat as much as possible, and of course the haunted houses and scary movies that accompany it. All of these things and others add to the spirit of this fun holiday.

I don’t know anyone who complains of getting dressed up on Halloween. It is the one time a year that you can get dressed as whatever you want, and trust me when I say whatever, I have seen some pretty crazy things. People can get pretty creative with costumes and being that we are all at a college campus yes, we will see some pretty funny costumes. It is always exciting to see what people come up with though. If you are still looking for a costume and don’t know where to look here is a few places. First there is the obvious, the Tippecanoe Mall. Here there are stores like Spencer’s and Hot Topic which, from what I have seen and heard have some costumes. If you are at or by the mall area you can also check out a couple places right next to the mall. One is named Halloween Express and the other is called Spirit Halloween. Both of these stores I have been to and they both have a large selection of Halloween gear, from costumes to accessories to party favors, if you have to pick up some last minute Halloween things these places can be of use.

My personal favorite thing about Halloween is the haunted houses and other haunted trails, barns or mazes. As an article in the Exponent describes, there is a haunted house that will be running from the 20-21 and 26-28 of October at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds. This actually takes place in an old barn on the fairgrounds. It is supposed to be pretty scary, as children under 12 are not recommended to go. All of the proceeds also go toward funding for the Jefferson High School Choir. Another article in the Exponent describes another haunted experience, but this ones right on campus! The union this weekend will be trading its more formal surroundings in to create the look of a prison. It is described as bringing together the ‘virtual and real’. The PSUB and the Envision Center will jointly be sponsoring this event, which takes place from 7 to 11 pm on Saturday night. It sounds like a spooky but fun event that is being offered, so if you want to be scared but do not want to go very far to do it, set aside some time on your Saturday night to make sure your spooked and fully ready for Halloween.

So do you think you have a crazy or creative Halloween costume? If you do and you want it be known, send it into the exponent. They are looking for students to submit their crazy, creative, and creepy Halloween costumes to be featured in the Exponent’s upcoming Halloween guide. If you are interested you can email your costume idea and contact info to features@purdueexponent.org to be featured in the exponent.
Maybe all the scary haunted houses isn’t for you and you would prefer something a little quitter and less spooky. Well, that’s okay, this Sunday at the Long Center in Lafayette the Purdue Symphonic Orchestra will be performing their fifth annual Creepy Classics Halloween Concert. The concert is said to include a lot of traditional Halloween music. So you will still get the whole ‘Halloween feel’ although you are sitting in a chair in normal clothes. This also sounds like a fun Halloween event. There are numerous events that are taking place not far from campus for the upcoming holiday. Halloween seems like it has gotten pretty hectic in recent years, especially at college campuses. So maybe opt for another way to celebrate the holiday and attend one of these exciting events.

I hope that some of these ideas help you gear up and get ready for this upcoming holiday. It is always fun to do things related with Halloween because after all it does only come around once a year. So grab a couple friends and get a costume, go be scared, and eat lots of yummy candy! Remember to be safe and have a great Halloween!

Realistic Tips for Staying Healthy...

So, most incoming college students have the thought of gaining the Freshman 15 in the back of their minds, but most don’t realize just what it is going to take to keep these unwanted pounds off. I wrote a post earlier of some basic tips to stay healthy, but I’ve discover a few more simple ideas that will actually help make working out and eating healthy a bit more realistic.

First of all, know what you’re eating in the dining halls. Stick to simple rules such as only having one portion – about the size of your fist for entrees such as meats. I also discovered online on the on campus dining website that they have a calorie calculator for a lot of the foods served in the dining halls. Also, at the On-the-Go locations there is a piece of paper taped to the checkout counter that gives the nutritional facts of the foods offered. Even if you aren’t super obsessed with calories and what not, I would suggest checking this stuff out – that simple sandwich that you have for lunch every day that you thought was healthy quite possibly costs you about 600 calories – ouch!

Here’s a few working out tips that I have found to work fabulously for me. My first discovery was stairs. If you go to the football stadium its easy to find an entrance that has 2 or 3 flights of stairs right together. If you run up down these (or even walk down) for about 30 minutes you’re pretty much guaranteed to be sore the next day – unless of course you’re super fit in which case you probably don’t need to be reading this post in the first place. But for the majority of us, this can serve as a quick workout that actually makes you feel like you accomplished something – and something is always better than nothing. Another idea: do homework while working out on cardio machines in the co-rec. I have found it’s really easy to read assignments while working out on the elliptical. If you have an exam to study for, studying while working out is a great way to multi task. Studying takes your mind off working out, and before you know it 40 minutes will have passed; at the same time, working out for 40 minutes designates a focused time period to study in which you really can’t be distracted by much else.
That’s about it for the few healthy tid-bits that I’ve decided work well for me. I’ll keep trying to add to the lists as I can..

Under-recognized

I was really hoping to get to the PU women’s soccer game against Illinois yesterday, but I had a prior commitment and could not go. I have never been to a women’s soccer game, but I had been told by a fan that Sunday’s match up was going to be very exciting. I decided it would be a good first game to attend, and it was senior day. It definitely sounds like I was right –it was a good game. Today when I read in The Exponent about the game I was bummed I had missed the game.

The women’s soccer team beat Illinois 2-1 which placed the team 5^th in the NSCAA National Rankings and ahead of all other Big Ten schools. When I was reading the article about the game I could tell the game had been intense and exciting. Unfortunately one of the seniors, Jill Sarbaugh, was injured while passing to another player. Sarbaugh nutmegged an Illinois player when she was injured. (Nutmeg means you pass the ball through the defender’s feet. I did not know this term, but it definitely sounds challenging to me.) The other girls pulled through and scored two goals after the scoreless first half.

It would be hard to be completely thrilled about the victory and top ranking when you had a fellow teammate injured at her senior day game. One of her teammates Stapleton was quoted in The Exponent as saying, "When you lose your best player, you go out and play for that person who can't be out there." In the article it said Coach Rob Klatte was sad along with the other players about Sarbaugh’s injury, but he said he knew the other girls would be playing for her and wanting to bring home a championship ring for her too. He also said she will be a great “vocal leader” on the sidelines. I think this is really great of the whole team to help Sarbaugh focus on the positives and give themselves wholeheartedly to winning the championship for her. It would stink to be injured when you were doing so well especially as a senior, but I would want to be surrounded by the encouraging teammates and coach it sounds like she has supporting her.

I think women’s soccer deserves much more recognition and appreciation for there accomplishments. I should have done a better job in the past of getting to the games, but I am going to try to go to future matches. The girls play here at Purdue on Friday, November 2 against Indiana who is ranked 24^th overall right now. I would encourage anyone who reads this to write the date down on your calendars so you don’t forget. Plus it is free admission.

Oh where to live sophomore year...

As a freshman in college, housing is probably the easiest decision you will make. You pick the nicest dorm, the dorm closest to your classes, or the dorm that is most recommended by older students that you know. However, for kids attending college for the first time, finding housing for sophomore year can be very confusing. Personally, I am the oldest child in my family so college is a new experience for all of all. I feel like I’m way too young to get a place of my own, but this is something that is approaching quickly. Joining a sorority or fraternity can be an easy way to figure out where to live sophomore year – a sorority was not for me since I’m not very girly, but a lot of my good friends became involved in greek like and are very happy with their decision. At first I was really stressed out about how I should pick a few girls to live with next year, but now that I’ve figure it out, I have a few guidelines that have worked with me so far.
First of all, I looked for girls in my dorm that I knew that had similar personalities to me. The girls that I found have the same work hard, play hard personality that I do; if you are very into classes and aren’t much into going out, I would suggest finding roommates who feel the same way. This will minimize the probability of conflict during the week about partying and things like that. Also, I kept cleanliness in mind. I’m not a clean freak my any means, but if my roommates left their stuff all over our apartment it would drive me nuts; once I found out who I wanted to live with next year I investigated their dorm rooms to get a feel for their habits and their general cleanliness.
Figuring out who to live with is only half the trouble; finding the right location is scary and frustrating. The best advice for me came from people that I knew who are older than me and who could suggest different areas around campus that are great places to live. Purdue also offers a few housing fairs once classes get started, which is a great way to discover different places to live. Also keep in mind that you have to be pushy when it comes to housing. You have to have the initiative to call the different housing companies to find out information and set up meetings.
One last suggestion…. Don’t wait until last minute! The good housing goes fast, so definitely figure out where you want to live and who you want to live with ASAP. The worst thing that could happen would be getting stuck with a crappy apartment in a location that you didn’t want…

TV bonding

Everyone knows that TV can have negative side effects, but I believe it can also bring people together. Last year several girls on our floor in Windsor always got together for Grey’s Anatomy and chips and salsa night. It was something we looked forward to at the end of a busy week. We all bonded while spending time together watching Grey’s Anatomy. This year I get together with my suitemates to watch The Office (I watch Grey’s online later). We watched seasons one through three in the weeks leading up to the premier to refresh our memory and get us psyched for season four. I appreciate living in a community like we do on campus because it is nice to have others close by to have fun with together.

If you do not watch The Office I encourage you to give it a try. The Office is the greatest show, and it is so original. I like that it is setup like a documentary, it is hilarious in every aspect, and there is a little romance too (Jim and Pam finally got together this season. It was so exciting!). I think whether or not a TV show appeals to both guys and girls is a determining factor in the awesomeness of a show. The Office does a good job of appealing to both sexes, and it is definitely up there in the awesomeness scale. It does takes a certain sense of humor to like the comedy in the show, but I think it is hilarious (albeit sometimes rather risqué). Plus the show has so many great lines. My friends and I probably quote The Office too much.

Okay this is one of my favorite quotes by Dwight Schrute...

"The purse girl hits everything on my checklist: creamy skin, straight teeth, curly hair, amazing breasts. Not for me... for my children. The Schrutes produce very thirsty babies."

Intercollegiate Horsemanship Association

Not only is college about academics but it's also about being involved. Universities today have just about every club or intramural you could ever think of. I've seen call outs for everything from sailing to ballroom dancing. It's just about finding a place where you fit in. For some people it's sororities and fraternities and for others it's clubs and sports. I recently joined the Purdue Intercollegiate Horsemanship Association and I love it. I have rode horses and competed in horse shows my whole life so I was so excited to find out if they Purdue actually has an Equestrian Team.
I found out about the team from signs posted in my dorm room. I then went to an informational meeting where they tell you all about the team. They told us about everything from fees to club activities. The first thing I did with the team was called a trial ride. This is where you go out to Foxton Farms (which is where the team practices at) and ride in front of the coach. He then asses what level you should ride at. I was nervous when I went to do this, but I found out it was very laid back and everyone I met was really nice. The coach puts you in one of the following levels: beginner walk/trot, beginner walk/trot/canter, advanced walk/trot/canter, novice, Intermediate walk/trot/canter, or open. So even if you have never rode a horse before you can still be on the team. This level is not only determined on how well you ride, but also what kinds of horse shows you have participated in prior to coming to college. If you have not been in any then you will automatically be place in beginner walk/trot or beginner walk/trot/canter. but don't worry it is very easy to point up out of these divisions which I will explain later.
The team practices once a week, you Will be sent an email saying the day and time of your scheduled practice. Since the barn is off campus you will have to get a ride with an older girl if you don't have a car. This is very easy most of the girls are more then happy to take anyone that doesn't have a ride. In addition to practices we have a meeting once a month to discuss club activities and up coming horse shows.
You don't even have to ride to be a member of the team. If you just like being around horses and helping out with horse shows and going to club events you can also be a part of the team. You just have to pay a $20 club fee at the beginning of every semester. If you do ride there will additional costs for lessons, horse shows, and IHSA dues.
Participating in horse shows are a big part of the team. They are usually about once a month. We have shows that we travel to (usually not farther then 2 hours) or we have home shows which are held at Foxton Farms. If it's a home show all riding members and club members are expected to help out at the show. You will be assigned certain duties to help the show run smoothly. If you are riding you will be given a number and informed of what class you will be riding in. There are separate classes for each level I talked about earlier so you will essentially be riding against people in your same level. When it's time for your level to show they will call you to the draw table. Here you will draw at random to see what horse your riding. It may or may not be a Purdue horse. After your class shows they will announce the winners of that class. You can place from 1st to 6th, each place has a certain point value, if you accumulate enough points it's possible to move up levels.
You can also run for positions on the team such as President, Vice president, Treasurer, social planner, and point chronicler. The team votes people for these positions. The club runs all year long and is only mildly time consuming. I have greatly enjoyed my experience for far and I know I have many great memories to come. This has just been my experience with a Purdue club, but there are many great clubs out there. So I encourage you to go find where you fit. It's a great way to meet new people with the same interests as you. If you are interested in joining a club at Purdue go to this website

How to Keep your Dorm Room Clean

Before college most students were used to having everything done for them. Whether it be laundry, cooking , cleaning etc. It can be hard for some students to adjust to having to do things themselves once they go to college. I know for me the first two weeks my dorm room was a disaster. I had laundry everywhere (most of it being dirty), the trash can was always overflowing sometimes even having a strange smell to it. It didn't help that my room mate is just a messy as me. No matter how messy you are it is very easy to change your lifestyle to being a little bit cleaner. I found myself getting stressed about how messy my room was and when I cleaned it I actually felt better.
First of all take out your trash. If you do it a couple times a week it won't pile up, over flow, and start to smell. This will make your room appear instantly cleaner. It's also a good idea to put a plastic bag inside of the trash can so it's easy to take out and you won't get things stuck to the bottom of the trash can. I would also recommend putting the trash can in a corner where it's not easily visible, this way you don't have to stare at trash all the time.
Another Idea is to put all of your laundry in a laundry basket in your closet. This seems like common sense but I don't know how many rooms I've seen with laundry all over the floor (mine being one of them). I've found that if you pick it up and put it all in one area your room will seem much cleaner. If it's clean, hang it up or put it in a drawer, this will save you time when you looking for something to wear. You won't have to search through huge piles of clothes trying to find something clean. You could also try doing laundry more often. This way when you do go to do laundry you won't have to do a lot of loads at one time. I know for me it was a pane trying to pull huge laundry baskets down to the laundry room.
The article How to Intensely Clean a Dorm Room suggest making your bed. I know its probably about the last things a college student wants to do. The article states that "A made bed makes a huge difference in the appearance of a dorm room. In tight spaces, a bed is the focal point of the room and may double as a couch and study space. Make sure your bedding is simple and make your bed daily." It's something easy and only takes up about three minuets of your day.
It's also important to vacuum your room once in a while. This will eliminate all the dirt and crumbs that can accumulate over time. If you don't have a vacuum don't worry, all of the RA's have one in their room and they would be happy to let you use it. The article also suggest spot treating any stains, you can buy carpet cleaner at any grocery store. You should also try to dust your room every couple weeks. The article says "Dust particularly attracts itself to electronics, so be sure to dust down computers, stereos, and televisions. You will also need to periodically dust down ceiling corners and walls to remove cobwebs. " This can sometimes take awhile so get you roomate to help you and you'll get done in half the time.
Putting you books on a shelf or in a drawer will also keep your room cleaner. Your books will also be easy to find when your on your way to class. Organizing your desk helps too. I know I get so many papers laying around I can nevr find anything. So buy some folders or something to help you organize your papers so you don't lose anything important.
The last thing I do that helps my room stay cleaner is use air freshner. Nobody likes a room that smells, so either buy the kind in a can, or you can get ones that plug into the wall. this will keep your room constantly fresh smelling. I hope these tips help you keep your room clean, I know that my room has transformed from being a complete mess to actually being clean.

Vote for Homecoming

Don’t forget to vote for Homecoming King and Queen by tomorrow at midnight. It’s really simple. Just log onto SSINFO and click on voting/elections. You probably won’t know the candidates personally so you can look at their bios on SSINFO. Go to the King and Queen contest info under Student Life. This page has a bio of all the contestants –their majors, GPAs, hometowns, activities on campus, and scholarships.

There is a lot more going on with homecoming besides the king and queen contest…namely the football game! The game against Northwestern starts at noon on Saturday, October 27. Plus there are a lot of fun activities and free give-aways leading up to the game. There will be a homecoming parade all through campus at 8:00pm on Friday night. It will go past all the dorms. I would recommend going outside when you hear them coming because they will throw free stuff. After that they will walk on over to Slater Hill for the pep rally with the band and candidates. At Slater they will announce the 2007 Homecoming Kind and Queen. At the end of the pep rally there will fireworks!

Then Saturday morning at 9:00am before the game there will be activities on the Mall. This includes performances, free food, tents from different schools, games, and a tour of the new Neil Armstrong Hall. Finally President France Córdova will lead a march to the stadium to “kick off” the game.

Be sure and participate!

Safety at Purdue

Everyone would like to think that we are safe all the time. However in reality, we aren’t and especially as college students there are many precautions that we should take to ensure our safety. There are always horrifying stories that are circulating about tragic events that happened at colleges. This is why we, as college students, need to be careful at all times.

First of all no one should ever walk home a lone at night. Here at Purdue there are ways that they are trying to prevent this. There is a reason they want to ensure no one is walking a lone at night, it simply just is not safe. This is why Purdue has the Security Escort Service. They are in operation on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 pm until midnight. In addition, they are also available from 9:00 pm until 3:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays. They can be reached by dialing 494-SAFE. The escort service will come to where you are at and walk you back to where your destination is just to ensure your safe arrival. People may be embarrassed to call, or think it is stupid, but in reality this service is in tact for a reason so it should be taken advantage of.

I really do feel that Purdue is a very safe campus. I feel that there have been many measures taken to ensure this. Purdue has a 40-member Purdue Student Security Patrol, and these members have two-way radio communication with the police department and wear easily identifiable jackets while on duty. This is just one of the many aspects that really makes me feel safe. There are also many emergency boxes located all over campus. The last I have heard, there were 215 emergency telephones functioning all over campus. They used to be inspected twice each semester. However as of June 2006 they are now inspected by the Student Security Patrol more often. This is also another huge safety precaution Purdue takes. It is nice to know that they not only have all these boxes all over to ensure that if there is an emergency on campus police are only a button away, but also that they are all in working condition for the most part because they are updated regularly.

I also read an article that said that the security patrol are continuously looking on traffic patterns around campus to see if there needs to be more ETS boxes. This is a good idea because I think that it is important that there are these emergency boxes at high traffic areas, however, at the same time it is important that they are present at places that might pose more of a risk. These places could be places on campus that are more secluded, and that could be why they are of more risk. I don’t know about you but it is nice to know that Purdue is doing all these things to make sure that campus is a safe place.

The ETS boxes are painted yellow, so they are very easy to see. When pressed they are treated just like a 911 call, they are transferred directly to the Purdue Police Department. While this is all nice to know, again no one should walk alone at night. If you are planning on going out for the night, although you have most likely heard this numerous times, go with a buddy. Make sure there is someone with you.

Another way to ensure your safety here at Purdue is to be extremely careful when driving/walking around campus. I can not even explain how many horrible accidents I have heard of on college campuses. It is an unfortunate truth that many students do get in accidents and can severely hurt others. There are constantly numerous people all over campus, this is quite obvious. So when driving, especially because of all the one ways around campus also, it is important to be a cautious driver. Do not speed, or take your eyes off the road just to change the radio or reach down to get something. Also when walking, mainly when crossing streets, it can be tempting to just go ahead and cross when the walk sign is not yet on, but this can be dangerous because a car could whip around the corner and you both not notice each other.

I know that many of these safety precautions may seem obvious and things that your mother told you when you were 10. Okay maybe she did, but if these precautions are overlooked, and they are whether you will admit it or not, they can be very dangerous. So during your college experience, just keep these simple things in mind so we can walk away from Purdue with only safe and great experiences. For more information or ways to get involved in the security patrols around campus visit the Purdue Safety Committee Web Page Directory.

Freshman Can't Bring Cars to Campus - Or Can They?

Coming into my freshman year in college I didn’t think I would mind not having my car to drive. However, I quickly became aware that if you are involved in many activities and have a lot of homework and a social life in addition to that, walking everywhere simply becomes not possible to pencil in to a 24 hour day. I’m in engineering and I’m also involved in the equestrian team at Purdue, and the barn where we ride is a whopping 25 minute drive. I made the decision to bring my own horse up to West Lafayette figuring I could hitch rides with other people out to the barn a few times a week. Although this has been possible, it has been a huge inconvenience for me and has put me through a lot of frustration. I’ve dealt with unreliable rides along with the issue of rides not being available at the times that work best for me. So I decided to convince my parents to let me bring up my car which leads to the question…

Where can freshman on Purdue’s campus park? It is possible to get a residence parking pass as a freshman, but there are pretty tight restrictions. Basically you have to have proof that you have a job or class off campus that meets a certain time requirement – which I don’t. This lead me to investigate the undercover places that freshman can park that no one wants us to discover.

The places that I discovered are on Waldron and Russel Street. These roads are pretty convenient to most residence halls, especially the ones on the north side of campus. The housing lining these streets are mostly sororities and fraternities with a few houses and apartments scattered in between. There is unmetered roadside parking, and you don’t need a parking pass to park there. Even though the parking is unmarked, I tested it out with my boyfriend’s car a few times when he came to visit and no problems so far. The only problem with these spots is that they are first come first serve, so there is always the risk of not being able to find a spot. If I discover new parking for freshman I’ll be sure to share…

MythBusters

I want to make it my duty to inform everyone who does not know that MYTHBUSTERS IS COMING to Purdue! I am very excited about this fact. I thoroughly enjoy MythBusters on the Discovery channel. I always learn something, laugh a lot in the process, and get to see stuff get blown up or shot at or launched into the air. Who doesn’t love that? If you have not watched the show I highly encourage you to do so and get to know everyone –Adam, Jamie, Kari, Grant, Tory, and the rest of the crew. Avid fan or newbie you should come to Elliot on Sunday, October 28 at 1:00pm and see Adam and Jamie in person. The tickets are only $10 for students which is a really good deal. Bringing MythBusters to Purdue is part of the Science Centennial Kickoff (the college of science is celebrating its 100^th year). I was even more excited about MythBusters when I found out that as a member of Purdue Science Student Council I get to usher the event. I do not know a lot about what the Mythbusters will be doing while on stage, but I do know there will be a question and answer time. I think that is a great idea. Many times during the show I thought of something I would ask the “busters” about the experiment, setup, or a behind the scenes question. Or have you ever thought of a myth you wanted them to solve? This event is the perfect time to do it. You should definitely be there!

What to bring...

When packing things up and getting ready for college, it easy to get overwhelmed with the number of items that you need to bring with you. I would strongly suggest a check list so that you don’t forget any of the most important items! I put together a list of things incoming freshman should be sure to bring along…..

Alarm clock
Laundry basket & laundry supplies
Pillow, bed linens, and blanket
Umbrella
First aid kit
Bathrobe
Toiletries
Fan – especially for non air-conditioned dorm rooms…
Towels and wash clothes
Flashlight
Shower shoes
Extension cords/power strips
Cash
Cold medicine
Air freshener
Cleaning supplies
Decorations for your room (pictures, memory boards, etc.)

Winter is coming!

You can tell winter is almost here when people start breaking out there North Faces and Ugg Boots. After the nice long summer the cold weather hit us by surprise. I know the first morning it got cold I was freezing walking to class! I recently read the article “Staying Warm and Looking Cool this winter” and I learned some fun tips to stay warm while trudging to class on those cold winter days.
The first important tip is layers, layers, and more layers. According to the article there are three important layers, the wicking layer, the insulating layer, and the protection layer. The wicking layer is worn closest to the skin, its purpose is to “(move) moisture away from the skin and pass it through the fabric so it will evaporate.” Good examples of this would be long underwear or anything made of synthetic fiber. The insulating layer is the middle layer. This is where you wear sweat shirts and fleeces “It should be loose enough to trap air between layers, but not so bulky that it restricts movement.” According to the article cotton is not good to wear in the winter anymore because it retains moisture that can make you feel colder. Fleeces and wool would be a better alternative to cotton. The last layer is the protection layer. It serves to protect you from snow, sleet, wind, and rain. An example of this would be a good winter jacket.
The next tip is to accessorize, it’s important that you always wear a hat because according to the article “Up to 60 percent of the body's heat can escape from an uncovered head.” So just from wearing a hat you can greatly increase your chances of staying warm. Also make sure not to forget your gloves and socks, the article suggest only wearing one good pair of socks because “putting on too many pairs of socks. You'll restrict circulation and actually cause your feet to get colder” so just stick to one pair and your feet will stay warm.
Wearing boots has helped me stay warmer in the winter. I’ve noticed that when my feet are warmer the rest of my body feels warmer. I also like to wear fleece, I found it blocks the cold very well even when it’s windy outside. Here are some links where you can find some good winter clothing: The North Face, Ugg Australia, Columbia

Going to the Student Health Center

It’s inevitable that sometime during you college career you will have to visit the Student Health Center, also known as PUSH. I know the first time I went I was very confused on what to do, but it’s very easy you just have to follow these few simple steps:

1. First of all try to go early in the day you have a better chance of getting an earlier appointment time.

2. Make sure before you go you bring you student ID and medical card. If you don’t have your medical card just make sure you know your health insurance information.

3. Once you walk in go to the left and up the stairs you will see a desk that’s says CHECK IN, there may or may not be a line. The person at the desk will ask for you student ID and medical card. They will then offer you an appointment time, it’s usually the same day. If the time they give you does not work with you they can schedule you another time that’s more convenient.

4. Come back at your scheduled time; try to arrive a few minuets early. You will go to the same check in desk and they will give you a slip of paper telling you what room to go in.

5. Once you find the room their will be a nurse in there that will take your vitals and write down your symptoms. You will then be asked to go into another room which is where the doctor will be.
6. If the doctor gives you a prescription it’s very easy to get it filled. You will have to walk to the Pharmacy building which is right next to PUSH.

7. There will be a counter where you will check in, it usually takes about a half hour to get a prescription filled so you can either wait there or come back later in the day.

Here’s a link to the Student Health center where you can find information about appointments, billing/insurance information, urgent care etc.

Student Health Center

Recycled Food

I try to read The Exponent everyday to stay on top of what it going on around campus (and to do the crossword). I came across another article I thought was interesting about the dining halls on campus reducing the amount of waste by reusing more food. Some may say that recycling food is gross, but I was really glad to hear they were making a conscientious effort to decrease waste for several reasons.

First I am used to having leftovers a lot at my home. Reusing the meat for one night’s meal in an omelet for the next night’s meal isn’t nasty to me. Secondly I have been on two mission trips to Jamaica and every time it saddens my heart to see the skinny children, mothers, and fathers everywhere because they cannot afford food. Most Jamaicans eat one meal a day. (We can also look around our own country and see places were food is in need too.) I would have such culture shock when I returned to the States and saw the excessive amount of everything that we have –food, water, clothing, shoes, cars etc. It made it hard to see anything go to waste. But I did realize that by throwing away that brown part of the banana or the crust on my sandwich didn't make me a horrible person. We can all do our part to not be wasteful, but we shouldn’t feel guilty that we were blessed to be born into a “wealthy” land. Lastly I worked as a waitress this summer in a thriving local restaurant in my town. I saw first hand how it is necessary to be resourceful in creating meals and entrées from leftover food. I was amazed many times by the wonderful specials or soups the owner would “makeup” without a recipe using what was left. It is essential for her to be able to survive and make a profit. Also I fully confident in Purdue’s ability to wisely reuse leftovers heating them at the right temperature and knowing when something should be thrown out.

I have wondered about how much food the dining halls waste everyday and how it was sad to see it go to waste. It was encouraging to me to learn from the article that food is recycled and that only a small percentage of the food purchased by the dining halls is thrown away. Considering the amount of food that is made at all the dining halls each day I am sure the waste could be much more. I think it is great the effort Purdue is putting into reusing food.

Learning the College Life

I have come to really enjoy my college experience thus far. I was scared upon coming here if I would truly like it or if I would feel overwhelmed and unprepared for such a big adjustment. First there was the whole living in this small little space with someone who is a complete stranger. This was my main concern. However, my roomate and I get along just well. The whole space thing isn't that bad either. I have learned to get used to it. I must say, however, that when I went home for October break my room seemed so much bigger because while I really only slept in my room back home I now live in a room that is about the same size. It was also extremely weird having my own personal bathroom instead of sharing one with bunches of girls.

I never thought that going home would be so weird, but the realization hit me that it will never truly be "home" again. Kind of sad in a way, but I wouldn't want to trade my college experience for anything. Being home was weird as well because of the fact that I noticed little changes in my town. Like how there is a new strip mall that was built and it has new stores in it. I thought it was funny how little things popped out to me because I really hadn't seen it in two months!

It's also weird how friendships change in college. Some of the people I was best friends with my senior year I barely talk to anymore. I know that we all have busy schedules with school and all, but it is sad to know that we all have different groups of friends now and other priorites and keeping in touch is not as easy as we thought it would be. I have met some wonderful people at Purdue though that I would never trade in for anything. I have built friendships that although we have only been here for about eight weeks it seems like we've known eachother forever. I find that I do not really even have time to call all my old friends. Between homework, classes, and all the other things to do in a day, I guess it is easy to forget.

Another weird thing is how strange it is to go out to eat or just eating on my own. I have become so accustomed to food being served buffet style, and having so many different options. Ordering off of a menu is just bizzare, and having a person give you your food...very weird. I remember the days also when I would pack a bag to go on vacation or stay at a friends. Now I pack a bag to go home? I though everything you needed was supposed to be at your house..nope not anymore my dorm is my home it feels and it has everything I need for the most part.

I also don't like the fact that my brother and sister are growing up so fast and I don't get to see it. I hate how I can't steal all my little sisters clothes and I can't take them with me! These things are overlooked however, which is bizarre in a way because once again with classes, homework and the other various activites we all have as college students, I guess I once again just forget.

Now however, I am very excited for breaks! It is my "catch up time", and it is something I know I will always look forward to. It will be nice on thanksgiving break because I know that all my friends will be coming home and all be in town. For fall break not many of my friends came home because they do not have a fall break. It will be weird to hear of their stories, their new friends, their new activites and everything else that they will have to say about their college experiences. I know one thing, my stories will all be very positive. It will be weird to see them because I am used to seeing them everyday and of them knowing about everything I do. Now I will have to tell them what I have been up to for the past couple of months.

So yes things change. Things change a lot, I expected it but it is weird just going through it all. I think it is just being a freshmen as well. Once the other years come it will be something we have all come a little bit more used to. We will grasp the fact that our old home isn't really home anymore, that people change, a lot, priorities change, and people grow up despite your being aware or being there to see it. It is these things that we as people, as students, will come to know all to well.

October break II

People have many different ways to spend their breaks. Some may spend it being adventurous and taking trips or going on a mission trip, some may catch up with family and hometown friends, some may develop their partying skills, and still others may decide to do what most of us yearn to do…nothing. With October break 2007 behind me I am thoroughly pleased with how I spent my time.

As I said in my last post I went on a road trip with two of my friends to St. Louis. I still stand by my theory that while in college you should take advantage of every opportunity to go on road trips with friends and choose to spend your breaks being adventurous.

There are many reasons why I loved my October break road trip to St. Louis with my two friends. Here are a few…

1. I did not have to spend a lot of money since food and housing were with family
2. Hours riding in the car together created lasting memories
3. I saw awesome animals at the St. Louis Zoo (and it was free!)
4. Home cooked meals
5. Sleeping past 9:00am

This break came with perfect timing. I was pretty exhausted by the time fall break came around. There is a down side to short breaks though. Because you are beat from school you don’t want to do any work over break...so you don’t. Then when you get back to the reality of school you are behind. I definitely have some catching up to do on studying and homework. I also need to catch up on sleep because my body got used to getting more sleep over break and now it is not and it doesn’t like it. All in all it was a great break, and I can’t wait till Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone enjoyed the way they chose to spend fall break.

p.s. Enjoy my zoo photos :)

Roommates: My Experience

So far, the situation I have had with my roommate has been nothing short of fabulous. We didn’t know each other going into it, but we haven’t had any issues since we moved in. I think I can owe most of this to how honest and open we are with each other, along with having a strong sense of mutual respect.

I was pretty messy in high school – I tended to try on about 5 different outfits, and when I found the one I wanted the other 4 would camp out on my bedroom floor until laundry day. Amazingly enough, my habits took a turn for the better once I moved into my dorm room. The space is way too small to be messy. I’ve also noticed that my roommate and my cleanliness kind of feed off of each other; if my things start to get messy, so do hers, and if I pick up my things, so does she. Out of respect for her I keep my stuff picked up, because I know it would annoy me if her crap was constantly all over our little living space.

Another major thing to keep in mind is flexibility. My roommate and I have very different schedules, and we do really well with adjusting ourselves to respect each other. I tend to have more homework than she does, so if she’s just hanging out and watching TV while I’m trying to study, she’s very courteous and goes next door to watch her show with some of our friends. Also, if I know she has an early class the next morning, I’ll either go to bed early with her or leave the room to continue studying when she wants to go to bed.

We also have pretty good ‘rules’ about visitors, if you can call them rules. I have a boyfriend that goes to another school, and that could potentially cause issues with a roommate if you aren’t careful. However, I try to not have him come and visit during the week, so that it won’t distract my roommate (or me) from our studies. We are very conscious of each other’s privacy – I’m always willing to leave the room if she needs me to, and she’s always willing to do the same for me – and on the other hand we never expect each other to leave at unnecessary times for unnecessary reasons….

One last bit: my roommate and I get along fantastically; however, we don't try to be each other's best friend. It's inevitable that it will get really old really fast if you try to be best friends with the person you live with. I think we both understand this and don't feel the need to spend every minute outside of our room together when we already spend plenty of time together in our cozy little home...

Living with a Roommate

For the majority of college freshman, this is the first year that they will spend living with a roommate. This means sharing about half as much space as you’re used to with a person that you have possibly never seen before. I found some tips about living with a roommate online, and I’m sure a few of them could help out. (click on the title of the post to see site).

-Communicate: agree on rules and talk about potential issues before they become a problem.

-Don’t beat around the bush and drop hints when there’s a problem – it’s better for both parties if you are straight up and honest about and issue you are having.

-Practice common courtesy when it comes to visitors – determine general rules for visitors right off the bat, especially for weeknights.

-Set a policy about borrowing each others’ things, and make sure you always ask before using something of your roommate’s. When you want to borrow something of theirs, think about whether or not you would care about sharing something similar.

-Be flexible – be willing to adjust to your roommate’s schedule and realize that he or she has the right to visitors and the right to ask for privacy. However, don’t be flexible at the expense of your own health or grades.

-Try not to get caught in the middle of your roommate’s issues. Personal issues with their friends, family, significant other, etc. are theirs. Don’t offer advice unless you are asked because chances are you don’t know the whole situation.

-Be considerate about your living space – even if you are used to being a slob, out of respect for your roommate, keep your stuff picked up. Keep in mind that you wouldn’t want someone else’s crap all over your living space if you were trying to work or have visitors.

Coming soon… my thoughts on these rules and a few tips of my own…

Shopping in West Lafayette

One thing I really miss about back home is that I could hop in my car and drive myself to a mall, which was about five minutes away. Now, being at Purdue and being a freshmen, means I’m car-less so I no longer have this advantage. I enjoy shopping and I find that since I’ve been here I have saved a good amount of money not doing it as often.
The closest mall is about a fifteen-minute drive. If you do not have a car and have to take the bus it takes quite a long time.
The mall is decent; it has good stores, necessary ones. It is not the best and personally I am not in love with any of the particular stores that it has. If you need a certain something, however, like for a special occasion it can most likely be found at this mall. To find out more about the mall’s stores visit the : Tippecanoe Mall website.
If your like me then you will not really want to go through the hassle of going to this mall unless you really need something. Mainly this is due to the bus experience, which was definitely not a good one for me, it took close to forty minutes to get to the mall and we had to change buses at one point as well…not fun. There are a couple alternatives to the mall; they consist of little clothing boutiques in West Lafayette.
One is located right next to Love shack around the corner from Chauncey. The name of it is Indigo. This store is very small, even smaller than my dorm room. It has rather plain shirts, but they are still stylish. It also sells jeans and fancier bottoms such as skirts and casual pants. This stores has a pretty good selection of jewelry, especially earrings. It is priced very reasonably, most shirts here range from about twenty to around thirty-five dollars and jewelry is not more than about fifteen dollars per piece. This also depends on what the piece of jewelry is and how much detail there is to it. Last time I was in the cashier told me that they get shipments in about every week, so if you cannot find something the first time you go in, you can always try a week later!
The other boutique is a little bit further than Indigo is. It is located by Scottie’s down by the Levee. The name of this store is Juniper. When I first visited this store the first thing I noticed was how helpful the staff was. They help you find exactly what you need. This boutique is a bit more pricier than Indigo is as well. It also sells the brand billabong here, which is more expensive than the other brands sold at this store. When I went here I also noticed that they sold a lot of dresses and cute fall coats. They have many cute shoes as well, and a good variety too. They have heels, flats, boot, sandals, ect. They also have a good selection of handbags and an excellent selection of jewelry.
The store is a nice size and it is a fun and unique store that I definitely recommend checking out.
If you are on a hunt for cool jewelry at a reasonable price, then you should go to Von’s. They have really cute and unique jewelry here and they have a huge selection of it as well. There jewelry also conveniently runs on the cheaper side. One bracelet that I got here was only two dollars! If you are looking for something specific that you cannot exactly find they even let you make your own jewelry here! They have a huge variety of beads and strings that you cant make necklaces and bracelets with. It really cool and they have a lot of different things here.
One last place I have discovered is a little bit different than any other clothes store I have been to. This store is called Amused Clothing. I am not sure that it is really my style, but it is a rather unique place. They sell mostly used clothing, but they change it from its original style. For example they will take a used shirt and cut it and tie the ends to change it up a bit. It’s kind of different. They also sell some new clothing here as well, I believe. They have a good quantity of clothes here and it is all pretty cheap.
I hope that if you are sick of traveling to the mall that you will enjoy these stores that are a little closer and in walking distance.

Taking your First Exam

Taking your first exam can be a stressful thing for a freshman college student. College exams are much more difficult than those in highschool because highschool teachers help you prepare by giving your detailed notes and study guides, as well as daily classes. College professors, on the other hand, expect you to learn a lot on your own through reading and taking your own notes. However, there are a couple things that can do to help you to study and prepare for your first college exam.
First of all DON’T procrastinate; this can be the worst thing a college student can do because often times there is just too much information to cram the night before. It’s important to spread out the study material for at least a week or two. This way you can study small amounts each day, which will make the material easier to remember. Each day you study new material you should go back and look over the things you studied the previous day.
Another tip is get help from your TA, professor, or tutor if you need it. If you do not understand what you are trying to memorize, it will do you no good. So use your resources and make sure you understand everything. It’s also important to take good notes in class. If your professor is writing something out or has it on a power point it means they want you to remember it. Pay special attention to things highlighted or underlined because this information will most likely appear on the exam.
An easy way to help you remember things is to make note cards. This can sometimes be time consuming but they are a really good way to test yourself. You can also save these note cards and use them to study for finals. Some professors give you access to old exams from previous years, these can be extremely beneficial because you will find out what kinds of questions the test will ask and will help you figure out what you need to study.
It’s also important to be prepared the day you take the test. In the article “ Tips for Test Taking” it stresses the importantance of arriving early, being comfortable, and staying relaxed. It’s important to arrive early so your not stressed about being late and you won’t miss attendence. Also make sure you have everything you need to take the test, as staying comfortable and relaxed can help you stay calm during exams. It is really easy to feel anxious but try to stay calm because this will help your memory and ability to think through the questions. The article also talks about answering the easy questions first, this will allow you more time to think on the more difficult questions.
If you follow all these guidelines you should do great on your first exams. Just remember to study properly, get there on time, and to stay calm. Your will start to develop a rhythm for test taking and each exam will become easier. So, good luck and happy test taking.

Staying Awake in Class

Being a college student, it is very difficult to get enough sleep. I am so busy with classes, studying, clubs, and meetings, there is literally not enough time in the twenty-four hour day, to get as much sleep as I need. Due to the lack of time, it is easy to find myself dozing off during a morning lecture or even an afternoon class. So, when I recently read the post “How to Stay Awake during Class”, it sparked my interest on this topic. I discovered some tips that really helped me stay awake and more alert during those tedious classes.
The first tip the article comments about is taking notes by hand. Although taking notes by lap top can be more efficient, it is easier for your mind to wander while you’re typing. Typing is so automatic it is hard to pay attention to the content of the class and stay focused. It is easy to lose your attention. It is also easy to become distracted by other things like face book and IMing. By writing the notes, it takes more concentration, so you have more time to soak up the information. It will also to force you to stay awake.
The next helpful tip is to eat healthy and stay hydrated. The article says that
“Carbs and proteins—can help energize you” so it would be a good idea to grab an apple banana or any healthy fruit when you are on your way to class. Fruits are loaded with carbs, so they should help you be more alert and you won’t find yourself dozing off as often. It’s also helpful to drink lots of water. Dehydration can make you very tired because your body isn’t getting the water it needs to funtion properly.
The last thing the article talk about is trying to be interested in the lecture. It might not be the most exciting class, and it might not be the most interesting lecture, but if you try to stay focused and learn what the professor is saying it will greatly increase your chances of staying awake. It is very easy to fall alseep listening to a boring monotone professor, but if you try and concentrate and remember what they are saying you won’t have time to fall alseep.
It’s also imporant to try and get enough sleep the night before the lecture. This combined with all the other helpful tips will make it easier staying awake. I know all of these things helped me stay awake and they can help you too.

October Break

I am psyched for a fantastic weekend. In a few hours I will be in a blacked-out crowd full of students all cheering Purdue on as they face Ohio State. It is sure to be an exciting game because no matter what the outcome of the game it will be an electric atmosphere. I know the players, the band, and the cheerleaders have all been preparing extra hard to put on a great show tonight. I am excited to go to my first night game…in a glow in the dark shirt no less. Even though it is October break I think we will have a good turnout of fans. Campus is definitely buzzing with people everywhere. The intramural fields are packed to the maximum with tailgaters. T minus 2 hours!

Then after the game my two friends and I are going to catch a few hours of sleep and then get up and drive to St. Charles, MO which is a suburb of St. Louis where my friend lives. I have never been to Missouri and cannot wait. Not only will we get to go to the St. Louis Zoo, see the arch, and eat at wonderful restaurants I will get to meet all of my friend’s family and see where she grew up. I think part of the college experience is going home with your friends and seeing different areas of the US. Plus we have a place to stay for free and no obligations over break so college is the perfect time to take road trips.

Facebook: the Down-Side

Although I really talked up Facebook in my last post, I don’t want to give the impression that it’s 100% wonderful. There are also some aspects of Facebook that aren’t so fabulous. The most prominent one is that it is addicting. I’m not talking mildly addicting for amusement, I’m talking hard core can’t draw yourself away from it. This probably goes mainly for girls, but looking at people’s pictures on Facebook and chatting with your friends can become very distracting. The art of “Facebook stalking” is also very prominent in college; searching for information about the latest gossip by checking out other peoples’ conversations, photos, etc. Sometimes I find myself on Facebook for over an hour before I even realize it, and this can be very detrimental to students with busy schedules.

Although the addictive nature of Facebook can be devastating, it is only a matter of self control to fix. There are other more serious issues that come with being a Facebook user. First of all, anyone can see everything that you post on your profile. This means contact information etc., so you always have to be careful about what information you disclose to avoid your information coming into the wrong person’s hands. Also, some employers have recently started checking Facebook as a part of their hire process. This means that any inappropriate photos or information could cost you a job or a scholarship. Even though Facebook offers very useful networking tools, it must be used smartly in order for it to not work against you.

Land lines vs. cell phones

In our generation land lines are becoming extinct. Cells phones are more essential and more practical than land lines. Cell phones are just way more convenient –you all your numbers right there (I hardly have anyone’s number memorized), you can silence when in class, and you can always call if you are in danger or in an emergency.

In the Exponent today there was an article discussing the land lines in the dorm rooms vs. cell phones. They said that students overwhelmingly choose to use their cell phones. This does not shock me at all. Last year in Windsor our phone sat under my desk on the little ledge because we never used it and it didn’t get in the way down there. It flashed red practically all year because we couldn’t remember how to check our voicemails. The only phone calls we ever got were from newspapers trying to get us to pay for a subscription. It was pointless to have since no one knew that was our phone number. This year our room phone is stored away too.

The article was right when they said, “due to habit and convenience, student’s think of their cell phone as their primary number.” It’s true because my cell phone is always with me. I feel lost without it and I feel safer with it. The article said the phones are kept in rooms right now so emergency 911 calls can be made. Cell phones calling 911 transfers to the provider number not the county number which would pinpoint your location better and provide a faster response. But in my 20 years I have never had to call 911, but if I had had to I would think first of my cell phone.

In the dorm that is currently under construction here at Purdue will only have one phone for every cluster of 22 rooms. This makes sense considering at Notre Dame they have the option of choosing to have a land line or not and only 18 of 7,000 students chose to have a land line. When I am living on own not in a dorm I will not have a land line either. In college you try to avoid unnecessary costs and a land line is definitely one of them.

Facebook: the Up-Side

In my opinion, Facebook is one of the greatest online creations of the past few years. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, Facebook is an online network on which users can create a profile, make friends, write blog posts, hold events, join groups, etc. There are many perks in being a Facebook user in college, but there are also a few drawbacks. Hopefully this post will inform you of both sides of Facebook…

First of all, Facebook is a great way to network socially. You can join your college’s specific network, and join groups formed specifically for people at your college with things in common. These could range from classes, to dorms, to your graduating class. Since you will meet a ton of new people in college, Facebook is a great way to help keep names and faces straight. When you meet someone new, you can add them as your friend on Facebook and write messages to them, etc. You can also get invitations to parties and other functions through Facebook. Not only is Facebook a great way to keep track of new friends, it’s also a great way to keep in touch with old friends, or siblings that you no longer live with.

Along with being a great place for social networks, Facebook is also quickly becoming a place for academic networking. For example, it’s a great way to send out mass messages to group members about a project, or contact people who in your classes for help with homework. For example, I just joined a help group for one of my hardest classes. Students post questions and comments about the class, and other students can post their answers and opinions. Even some of the teaching assistants for the course have joined the group and have been giving us tips on assignments and answers to tough questions.

If you haven’t joined Facebook yet, it would be worth your time to check it out. Have a friend give you a little online tour. Coming next: the not so good aspects of Facebook.

Harrison Grille

Tonight for the first time I ate at Harrison Grillé, and I really enjoyed it. I never realized how convenient eating there is since it’s so close to where I live, has late hours, and takes Dining Dollars. It is open at night so when the dining halls are closed, but you’re hungry for “real” food you can go there. I have often been annoyed when I have a test, group or club meeting, or some other activity during dinner hours, and then we I get back to the dorms –starving –the dining halls are closed. Now I know that I can go to Harrison Grillè and get a really good meal. I also never realized that Harrison Grillé was an actual restaurant. You order, wait for your food, eat it at one of the booths, and can watch TV…or you can get it to go. There is a wide variety of food. They have appetizers, sandwiches, salads, wings, pizza, on-the-go style sandwiches, fruit, and drinks. Another awesome thing about Harrison Grillé is the “sweeter side.” They have Eddy’s ice cream which I really like because I enjoy scoop ice cream much better than the soft serve most dining halls have. They also have milkshakes! The special flavor this week was pumpkin pie. Yum!

Hours:

Monday – Friday 6:00pm – 1:00am

Sunday 2:00pm – 1:00am

Harrison Grille Menu