<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
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<title>CLA Student Blogs</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/" />
<link rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/atom.xml" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012-01-23:/clablog/studentblogs//5716</id>
<updated>2010-04-30T16:11:56Z</updated>
<subtitle>A blog for the CLA Student Ambassadors.</subtitle>
<generator uri="http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/">Movable Type Enterprise 4.31-en</generator>

<entry>




<title>MCAE Graduation!</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2010/04/mcae-graduation.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2010:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.232925</id>

<published>2010-04-30T05:19:50Z</published>
<updated>2010-04-30T16:11:56Z</updated>

<summary>Yesterday, I had the honor of sitting among brilliant scholars. Not only have these students completed the tasks necessary to graduate, they have also overcome many obstacles to do so, and that&apos;s what made the ceremony so special.</summary>
<author>
<name>Jasmine Omorogbe</name>

</author>

<category term="Jasmine" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />

<category term="Latest post" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
Yesterday, I had the honor of sitting among brilliant scholars. Not only have these students completed the tasks necessary to graduate, they have also overcome many obstacles to do so, and that&apos;s what made the ceremony so special.
<![CDATA[<img src="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/assets_c/2010/04/30265_10100202082232520_13953238_61099878_7392914_n-thumb-640x480-40195.jpg" width="530" height="397" alt="30265_10100202082232520_13953238_61099878_7392914_n.jpg" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" />

The MCAE Graduation is a time for family, students, and graduates to come together and celebrate achievements. It is open to everyone, but focuses on students of diverse backgrounds. I really like this ceremony because I get to see people who reflect my culture, and I think that is specifically imperative on a campus like ours. It was a time that I could reconnect with people I had not seen since high school or freshman year. It is funny how people can go their separate ways and still come together later in life.

The graduation ceremony was a "pre-graduation" of sorts, happening about 2 weeks before my official college ceremony. It was great practice for the CLA one and also let me know that I need to work on something cute to do as I walk across. I waved a little but the moment happened so fast. You wait four years and then it's over in 5 seconds. I am going to do a Michael Jackson move or elongated princess wave or something. I must make the moment last! 

Realistically, I probably won't do any of that. Between the general excitement, making sure the speaker says your name right, making sure you are not on the heels of the person in front of you, not holding up the person in back of you, making sure the cap does not fall off and walking successfully in heels, there is already ENOUGH to worry about! Again, this is a stressful (the positive kind) time but also a climactic and exciting point in life. I am going to do my best to enjoy it along the way and cherish these moments. I can guarantee that the MCAE graduation ceremony last night is a memory I will cherish for years to come!]]>
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>I have a dream... and a post-graduation plan!</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2010/04/i-have-a-dream-and-a-post-grad.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2010:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.230317</id>

<published>2010-04-21T03:07:59Z</published>
<updated>2010-04-21T03:09:38Z</updated>

<summary>This is the point in college I&apos;ve been dreading: being done and leaving. I&apos;ve invested the last four years into being a student and I sometimes forget that I need to eventually move on and take off the &quot;student hat.&quot; I have a lot to look forward to so I&apos;m going to take a moment to brag. </summary>
<author>
<name>maso0193</name>

</author>

<category term="Maddy M" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
This is the point in college I&apos;ve been dreading: being done and leaving. I&apos;ve invested the last four years into being a student and I sometimes forget that I need to eventually move on and take off the &quot;student hat.&quot; I have a lot to look forward to so I&apos;m going to take a moment to brag. 


I&apos;m graduating with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. I&apos;ve had a wide array of experiences and internships all leading me up to what to do after graduation and I can say that I have a plan! I&apos;m moving to Los Angeles, CA this summer to intern at The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.  I have always said that my dream job would be to host a talk show and one day I decided that there would be no better experience than to work on one so I started applying. After interviews with 3 different shows on both coasts, I landed The Late Late Show internship and I couldn&apos;t be more excited. 


I can also say confidently that I owe all of my successes that led up to this to having a liberal arts degree - every job and internship experience I landed was because of Goldpass, emails and announcements from my student community and employers looking for well-rounded students like those of liberal arts backgrounds. 
Although I hate to say goodbye to the university as well as the CLA, I have so much to look forward to and don&apos;t even know how to thank everyone that helped me get here. 


</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>GradFest!</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2010/03/gradfest-1.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2010:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.226959</id>

<published>2010-04-01T04:42:47Z</published>
<updated>2010-04-01T04:51:36Z</updated>

<summary>So the days are getting longer, but time is getting shorter. Commencement (aka Graduation) is approaching way too quickly!...</summary>
<author>
<name>Jasmine Omorogbe</name>

</author>

<category term="Jasmine" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />

<category term="Latest post" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
So the days are getting longer, but time is getting shorter. Commencement (aka Graduation) is approaching way too quickly! 
So there are about 6 weeks left until graduation.....it&apos;s hard to type that. I know it&apos;s super cliche, but time really does fly. Each day/week/month seems long when you&apos;re going
through it, but when you look back, it&apos;s all a blur. 

My graduation is May 16 and there is lots to do before then. However, I am now the new owner of a commencement cap, gown, and CLA tassel. Every year, the U hosts GradFest, a day for seniors to get everything settled. It was held in the Great Hall and there were lots of booths. One can order graduation announcements, sign up for an alumni account at TCF, look at housing options, order class rings, take photos and lots of other stuff. The U of M Alumni Association was there giving free gifts and explaining what being a member means. I definitely plan to join once I graduate, it seems like a great way to stay connected to the U. I was able to look at thesis binding options (yay!) at the University and look at the different types of sashes that one can add to their gown to spice it up. It was awesome to get all of that in one place. I&apos;ve tried on my gown a couple times...feels scary LOL. Hopefully, the days will slow down a bit before I have to wear it on the BIG day.
Until next time,
BE EZ!
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>Spring Fever!</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2010/03/spring-fever-1.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2010:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.225357</id>

<published>2010-03-24T17:03:04Z</published>
<updated>2010-04-20T15:21:21Z</updated>

<summary>It&apos;s officially wonderful weather again here in the cities and I couldn&apos;t be happier. Do you ever notice how much happier everyone looks just being able to walk around campus without a jacket/parka/snow shoes (kidding...kind of)?...</summary>
<author>
<name>roehm003</name>

</author>

<category term="Meghan R" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
It&apos;s officially wonderful weather again here in the cities and I couldn&apos;t be happier. Do you ever notice how much happier everyone looks just being able to walk around campus without a jacket/parka/snow shoes (kidding...kind of)? 
Unfortunately we&apos;re just getting back into the swing of things after Spring Break. One thing I love about college is that we have a break so early in the semester that helps break up the time. In Fall, we&apos;re in classes longer before we have a holiday, and the early break, wonderful improvement in weather, and anticipation toward the end of the year and summer really helps me. And, for some reason, I am more inclined to get work done when it&apos;s nice outside! My favorite thing to do is lay in the mall and listen to music and read in between classes. Haha...how &quot;college&quot; does that sound? Anyways, I&apos;m looking forward to another end to a successful and difficult junior year, especially because I&apos;m graduating early. Not sure I&apos;m quite ready to be out looking for full-time jobs. Things I can&apos;t let go of:
-	getting up at 11
-	making ramen noodles, pizza, and mac n cheese
-	walking to class (in nice weather), therefore paying less for gas
-	using the recreation center...for free
-	lounging in Coffman Union
-	volunteering as a student
-	pretending to study while people watching in the Purple Onion
-	getting a student discount at Loring Pasta Bar 
-	singing in my a cappella group 
-	working on campus at convenient times
-	making new friends in class every semester

There&apos;s so much more but I&apos;m starting to get verklempt and off to my night class: Counseling Psychology. It&apos;s a good one. Until next time.... 
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>Dinner Time!</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2010/02/rollin-out-the-gold-carpet.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2010:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.222034</id>

<published>2010-03-01T04:54:46Z</published>
<updated>2010-03-01T20:57:38Z</updated>

<summary>One thing I love about being on campus is having so many great options for dining. Not only is there University Dining Services, but also many restaurants conveniently located on campus!...</summary>
<author>
<name>Jasmine Omorogbe</name>

</author>

<category term="Jasmine" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />

<category term="Latest post" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
One thing I love about being on campus is having so many great options for dining. Not only is there University Dining Services, but also many restaurants conveniently located on campus!
Whether it&apos;s early morning or midnight, students can always find good eats on or very near campus. I am the type of person who loves to try new things and I have certainly beeen able to do that on campus. For example, the first time I had sushi was at Coffman Union&apos;s Marketplace. To my surprise, I loved it! Although other states have Chick-Fil-A, I had never heard of the restaurant chain until it moved into Coffman Union&apos;s marketplace. They have some pretty awesome food. 

If you don&apos;t want to go far from your on-campus residence, several of the residence halls have University Dining Services locations within the buildings. You can purchase a meal plan or Flexdine (like a pre-paid account) and have as much as you care to eat. They feature lots of variety and options. There is usually a salad bar where you can make your own salad/sandwiches, and then the other options vary by day and location. Sometimes you can choose between burgers, pizza, pasta, and other more unique dishes. Sometime, they even bring in guest retaurants or chefs. Residence halls are cool because (1) you don&apos;t have to dress up, you can come in your pajamas if you like (2) they are a great place to make friends or even get to know your roomate better and (3) it&apos;s lovely have food already cooked and readily available- no worries!

In addition to residence hall dining, there are lots of restaurants on campus, whether your are craving a sub, burgers, Chinese, Mexican, etc. Most places are pretty inexpensive, so if you budget right, eating out shouldn&apos;t eat up all of your finances, and that&apos;s awesome. One of my newest favorite restaurants is called Hong Kong Noodles,  it&apos;s open pretty late and has awesome food for great prices. I was able to try it with some friends after attending an event on campus. A lot of people love to frequent the campus Chipotle, Noodles and Company, Mcdonald&apos;s, etc, but there are also a lot of great smaller restaurants such as Al&apos;s Diner in Dinkytown. It is very unique because of it&apos;s small size but that&apos;s exactly why people love it. If you&apos;re a burger and shake person, Annie&apos;s Parlor is definitely a hot spot. There are so many more uniquely cool restaurants, it&apos;s hard to get bored with eating on campus. Some things require you to be a bit more open-minded, such as miso soup (with seaweed in it) at Obent-ya Japanese restaurant and other things are a bit more familiar, like a sub from Erbert&apos;s and Gerbert&apos;s. Regardless, trying new places (and making friends come along) is really fun and whether you like it or not, it&apos;s great to say you&apos;ve tried something new, and that&apos;s what experience is all about!

Until next time, be ez! 
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>Where do I go from here?</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2010/02/where-do-i-go-from-here.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2010:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.220706</id>

<published>2010-02-22T15:26:25Z</published>
<updated>2010-02-22T16:55:22Z</updated>

<summary>I&apos;m going to be an event planner. There is no question about that. I just cannot decide which event planning path I want to explore: nonprofit, corporate or weddings?...</summary>
<author>
<name>westx230</name>

</author>

<category term="Alex W" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
I&apos;m going to be an event planner. There is no question about that. I just cannot decide which event planning path I want to explore: nonprofit, corporate or weddings?
I&apos;ve always been the one with a plan, a mission, some sort of direction. With 2.5 semesters left of school at the University of Minnesota, it&apos;s time to start making decisions. I have been lucky enough to be well-trained in networking, so I have a lot of connections in a lot of areas. That doesn&apos;t necessarily make it easy for me to decide what I would like to do when I graduate, but that&apos;s not necessarily a bad problem to have either.

In this economy, it&apos;s great to have one option let alone many, but sometimes one option makes life easy! If I had all the money in the world, I would be a professional volunteer and donate my time to service in the community; however, I don&apos;t see that happening in my future. 

After speaking with my faculty advisers and mentors, I realized I don&apos;t have to decide right now or even next year when I graduate. They all suggest I start where my heart is at the time (right now that would be nonprofit) and then move where my feet take me. Keeping in contact with all my connections is a key element to career switching. The more you network, send thank you notes and send updates to people, the better chance you have of working with these people later on. I think of networking like a symbiotic relationship. The relationship must be mutual and must benefit both parties. If you always ask for things and never offer to help the other party, then you are just a mooch! Learn ways in which you can offer your services to the person you want to network with, and there will be a natural, mutually beneficial relationship built.

So for now, who cares that I don&apos;t know what I want to do? I&apos;ll go where my passions lie in the moment.
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>One year later...</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2010/02/one-year-later.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2010:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.219951</id>

<published>2010-02-18T17:44:47Z</published>
<updated>2010-02-19T15:17:12Z</updated>

<summary>Lately, I&apos;ve been very nostalgic about a lot of things, especially about experiences that happened in 2009. I truly believe that some of the issues I encountered, experiences I had and people I met have help me mold my being into what it is presently. </summary>
<author>
<name>kopfx007</name>

</author>

<category term="Kari K" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
Lately, I&apos;ve been very nostalgic about a lot of things, especially about experiences that happened in 2009. I truly believe that some of the issues I encountered, experiences I had and people I met have help me mold my being into what it is presently. 
My time studying abroad in Northern Ireland proved to be challenging, but well worth the risk. It has truly given me the travel bug, as well as the urge to become a better Global Citizen. After I returned from Europe, I knew that I wanted to keep the feeling inside of me alive, the feeling like I could do something proactive on the University of Minnesota campus, or more generally, the world. I knew that I was also going to have a hard time adjusting to American culture again. Some may say that the Irish culture is very similar to American culture and I couldn&apos;t disagree more. By the time I left Jordanstown, Northern Ireland, it had stolen a piece of my heart and I was speaking in an Irish brogue. In order to keep the study abroad spirit alive, I decided to get involved with two internships through the Learning Abroad Center: Global Ambassadors (GA) and the Classroom Visit Internship (CVI). GA allows me to stay connected with fellow students who studied abroad, and has even allowed me to meet a student who studied abroad for a year in Northern Ireland. It is these people who can fully understand what I mean when I say I&apos;m having a hard time readjusting or I&apos;m really missing the tea and digestives (cookies). We meet a couple times a semester to talk about various aspects of Learning Abroad and how to become better Global Citizens. CVI has allowed me an outlet to continue to talk about the impact that learning abroad had on me and how it could have an impact any student who decides to study abroad as well. I talk to 15 classes a year and answer any questions that I can about studying abroad. The University of Minnesota has a goal of 50% of all students Learning Abroad somewhere for some length of time. I hope that the U will be able to reach that goal and that students will be able to understand how beneficial it would be for them to learn abroad.

So one year later, I still love my experience abroad immensely. It has given me fuel to be a better Global Citizen and to learn more about my home country and others. I miss it, but I have no doubt that I will be heading back soon...
</content>
</entry>

<entry>










<title>Missing that Steak &amp; Kidney Pie!</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2010/01/missing-that-steak-kidney-pie.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2010:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.215827</id>

<published>2010-02-01T04:27:44Z</published>
<updated>2010-02-03T15:04:12Z</updated>

<summary>I am back from England and getting back into the swing of school. I had a great time. There were many things that were different from the US, one being a delicious dish filled with steak and kidney called Steak...</summary>
<author>
<name>Jasmine Omorogbe</name>

</author>

<category term="Jasmine" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />

<category term="Latest post" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
I am back from England and getting back into the swing of school. I had a great time. There were many things that were different from the US, one being a delicious dish filled with steak and kidney called Steak and Kidney Pie! As gross as it sounds, it was my absolute favorite thing about England!
<![CDATA[<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="warwick.jpg" src="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/warwick.jpg" width="604" height="453" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></span>

I spent 16 days in England over winter break- what an interesting experience. While the U of MN Twin Cities offers several options to travel the globe. A course titled " History and Soccer: The Rise of the World's Game" offered through U of MN Duluth worked better for me this time. It is awesome that one can study abroad in so many ways through so many programs, one is not limited to just their home school. There were two other girls from the U of MN Twin Cities, and the other 11 students were from U of MN Duluth. It was great to get to know new people.

We stayed in Birmingham (England's second largest city) for the majority of the trip, however we did visit London for 3 days, as well as Liverpool, York, Oxford, Warwick. There are many cool things to do, see, and eat in all of those places. London was fast-paced and  filled with people- very New York-esque. People move so quickly as if they are always late. In London, we were able to see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Picadilly Circus, the Tower Bridge, the London Bridge and a few of the other famous sites. Just for a taste of home, we also visited McDonalds, KFC, and Cinnabon, there are quite a few differences between those places in the US and London.<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="mcd.jpg" src="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/mcd.jpg" width="604" height="453" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></span>

Part of the course's focus was the sport of soccer so we were able to go to a game, and tour a few of the stadiums. Soccer, also known as football abroad, is a very big deal outside of the US. Life and death can literally be on the line for certain games. We were able to talk to some of the locals and it was clear to see that football reigned above all else.
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="aston.jpg" src="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/aston.jpg" width="604" height="453" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></span>

There were so many cool things on the trip, I'll have to share more in the next blog. Suffice it to say that travelling abroad to England was a great experience and I am glad to take advantage of the opportunity. Remember, check out <a href="http://umabroad.umn.edu">umabroad.umn.edu</a> to see all of the places you can go!

Until next time, BE EZ!]]>
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>Memory Lane</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2010/01/memory-lane.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2010:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.214827</id>

<published>2010-01-26T18:01:08Z</published>
<updated>2010-02-05T19:16:02Z</updated>

<summary>I&apos;m sitting in Coffman Memorial Union doing some people watching while reading and blogging - multitasking at its finest - and it is making me feel sappy and nostalgic. I&apos;m graduating soon. I&apos;ve spent the last four years living and breathing the University of Minnesota. It has become a major part of my identity and it is something I&apos;ll never let go of.  I&apos;m so proud of this part of me. There are so many things surrounding the U of M that make me happy and, well, who I am. 
</summary>
<author>
<name>maso0193</name>

</author>

<category term="Latest post" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />

<category term="Maddy M" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
<![CDATA[I'm sitting in <a href="http://www.coffman.umn.edu/">Coffman Memorial Union</a> doing some people watching while reading and blogging - multitasking at its finest - and it is making me feel sappy and nostalgic. ]]>
<![CDATA[I'm graduating soon. I've spent the last four years living and breathing the University of Minnesota. It has become a major part of my identity and it is something I'll never let go of.  I'm so proud of this part of me. There are so many things surrounding the U of M that make me happy and, well, who I am. 

Everyone always told me that I would meet my best friends in college. And I didn't believe them. But I've met amazing people in the last 3 and a half years. I've met people I know will be my friends for life. I'm in my roommate Emily's wedding this summer as a bride's maid. We've only known each other for 3 years but it feels like we have been friends forever. Cheesy, I know.  And I met my boyfriend here. It's weird to admit, but I think he'll be around for a while. Being away from your friends from home lets you reopen your mind to who you can be friends with in a way that high school could never allow. The choices in college are endless. And at your fingertips. Go nuts. I did :).

Everyone always said to make use of the professors, instructors and staff at hand. Professors never hesitate to invite students to their office hours and making use of those has created bonds with my classes and instructors stronger than I thought possible at a Big 10 school. Specifically in the <a href="http://www.sjmc.umn.edu/">School of Journalism and Mass Communication</a> where I've spent most of my time, we have a lot of adjunct faculty. Side note, adjunct faculty are people who teach classes at the university but it's not their main job - they typically work in the field of which they instruct in. It's very helpful and interesting to have people who are still working journalists bringing their real-life experience to the table. 

Anyway, I have instructors that are now on my list of references for my resume because I spent tons of time with them in the classroom, over email and in office hours. It's nice to have people who are working in fields of my interest that can notify me (and others) of job openings, volunteer positions, and job fairs  but beyond this, be a reference and make referrals for me and other students! 

These are only two of the important things I'm taking away from my experience here. The list goes on and on from my love of Gopher Hockey to my love of the Minneapolis music and arts scene. If I think of it, I'll try to add a few more highlights to the list every so often. It should be easy as every day I run into small reminders of why I moved to Minneapolis and made the decisions I have! 
]]>
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>Roman Holiday! Studying Abroad Minus the Books</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2010/01/roman-holiday-studying-abroad.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2010:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.214720</id>

<published>2010-01-25T23:32:49Z</published>
<updated>2010-02-03T15:15:36Z</updated>

<summary>So for the past 3 years I have been hearing about the joys and the benefits of studying abroad. Though I was aware of the fact that 1 in 3 students who apply for a scholarship through the Learning Abroad...</summary>
<author>
<name>Krystal Bradford</name>

</author>

<category term="Krystal B" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />

<category term="Latest post" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
So for the past 3 years I have been hearing about the joys and the benefits of studying abroad. Though I was aware of the fact that 1 in 3 students who apply for a scholarship through the Learning Abroad Office receive one and that it would be the experience of a lifetime I was still a little hesitant to go because I always wanted my first abroad trip in college to be with my friends from back home. 
<![CDATA[Well one day in January last 2008 my best friend Eryn from another Big Ten school said "Me and you are going to Italy and Greece for New Years. Start saving!" After correcting her grammar I asked, "How Can We Afford to Go?" Apparently there are a bunch of different college travel organizations that have payment plans for college students. We chose EF College Break and sure enough January 1, 2010 I was in front of the Coliseum at a concert.

For the first time I was able to practice my Italian with native speakers. It was so refreshing to be able to navigate the streets of Rome, Sorrento and Naples with by myself and with other American college students who couldn't speak the language. We saw so many unique forms of architecture that I had only read about and the food was delicious. I met a very cute soccer player named Lorenzo who showed me and my friends great place to party. 

Greece was a bit of a challenging experience. While Greece was beautiful and full of great landmarks that dated back 2000 years, I was a little upset that some people had mindsets that dated back just as far. 

While walking down the street I was snatched by a Greek police officer who demanded that I "Handover my papers." Being American I had very little knowledge of that which he was referring. Eventually, my I realized that he meant my passport. Once I handed over my passport and he realized that I was American he became very friendly. I believe that that experience confused me more than reading a menu in Greek without the pictures. 

All in all I had a great experience and after such a great experience in Italy I have decided to continue to study the language. I graduate this spring and though I did get the opportunity to study abroad my two weeks abroad was a great learning experience. 

Studying abroad can be very expensive so here are few tips to help you make it a more affordable experience:

<ol>
	<li><strong>Always bring a calculator to convert the exchange rate</strong> so that you do not over spend. (A souvenir may cost 25 euros but you must remember that that's almost 40 dollars. Budget!) If you must buy your own ticket, buy it months in advance. This will save you a lot of money. </li>
	<li><strong>Bring some snacks from the US.</strong> You'll never waste your money buying snacks you may not like and you can save money that you can put towards some great souvenirs. </li>
	<li><strong>Limit your cellphone use or change your plan to an international one</strong> immediately before you leave. Of course Mom was a little upset when she got the Happy New Year's text message instead of an hour long conversation but I was a feeling that she will be pleased with the bill. lol </li>
	<li><strong>Buy an electricity converter.</strong> It is much cheaper than buying new appliances because the outlets are different. </li>
	<li><strong>Take a lot of pictures.</strong> Sometimes pictures are the cheapest souvenirs and they help you remember the most. </li>
	</ol>
I hoped I helped a little for more information check out the Learning Abroad in Heller Hall. Safe travels future CLA students!

Ciao. Krystal!

Hope I helped a little. For more tips check out the <a href="http://umabroad.umn.edu">Learning Abroad Center</a>.

      ]]>
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>End of another semester...</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2009/12/end-of-another-semester.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2009:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.211720</id>

<published>2009-12-31T19:16:00Z</published>
<updated>2010-02-03T16:24:36Z</updated>

<summary>It&apos;s hard to believe that I&apos;m already half way through my third year at the University. The semester has come to an end and we will be saying goodbye to 2009....</summary>
<author>
<name>Pa Thao</name>

</author>

<category term="Latest post" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />

<category term="Pa" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
It&apos;s hard to believe that I&apos;m already half way through my third year at the University. The semester has come to an end and we will be saying goodbye to 2009. 
<![CDATA[In terms of courses, this semester has been fairly easy on me. I had some great courses! My two favorites were AAS 1101: Imagining Asian America and ENGL 1501W: Literature of the Public Life. When I declared my BIS degree major late this last summer, I had chosen Asian American Studies as one of my areas of focus, not really knowing what I was getting myself into. After taking the introductory course, I feel reassured. It reaffirms AAS as on my degree areas. I'm very proud of myself for the level of commitment I had to the course. Though you should put be equally committed to all your classes, some are just more important to you. This was one of them.

This course was very intriguing. I learned a lot of new things. We had some great memoirs on our list of required readings. One of these included The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir by Kao Kalia Yang. This book really struck a cord with me because I felt like Yang was telling the story of my family as well. Reading the memoir reminded me of how grateful I am for my wonderful parents and of how I don't go home nearly as often as I should for being so close to home.

I believe that I was also as committed as I was to the course because of the instructor: Dr. Erika Lee. She is an inspiring woman. She is so passionate about the work that she does. She teaches in both the History and Asian American Studies departments. She was such a good teacher, totally committed to the success of her students. It is rare that instructors such as these come along which is why I consider myself lucky to have come across two of them in one semester!

My ENGL 1501W course was taught by Dr. Dan Mrozowski. What a cool guy. For the class being at 8:15 in the morning, he was really great at waking us up! I initally chose this course to fulfill my literature Liberal Education requirement. I had no idea what an effect it would have on me as a student and as a member of our society. In this course, I had the option to choose a service-learning track in which I would get a chance to go out into the community and do some volunteer work.

We always want to do some more volunteer work, but we find reasons not to. I was like that too, but this course was good for me because it forced me to do what I couldn't do on my own. Through this course, I volunteered at a homeless shelter. It was a humbling experience and made me start to think more about the invisibility of the issue of homelessness. People just don't think and talk about it enough. 

Not only am I more interested in social policy and reform, I'm also now thinking about the Community Engagement Scholars Program. For more information on that go to <a href="http://www.servicelearning.umn.edu/cesp/"></a>. Also, for a list of upcoming courses with service learning, please visit <a href="http://www.servicelearning.umn.edu/info/courses/courselist.html"></a>.
]]>
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>My 21st Birthday</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2009/12/my-21st-birthday.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2009:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.211716</id>

<published>2009-12-31T16:37:47Z</published>
<updated>2010-02-03T21:18:56Z</updated>

<summary>It&apos;s been a while folks. I apologize for the long delay in writing a new entry. It&apos;s been a hectic year since the last time I wrote to you all. I like to think that I&apos;ve not only gotten older,...</summary>
<author>
<name>Pa Thao</name>

</author>

<category term="Latest post" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />

<category term="Pa" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
It&apos;s been a while folks. I apologize for the long delay in writing a new entry. It&apos;s been a hectic year since the last time I wrote to you all. I like to think that I&apos;ve not only gotten older, but wiser as well. I&apos;ve recently celebrated my long awaited 21st birthday! Keep reading to find out what I did to celebrate...
First off, I&apos;d like to start by saying that I think that there&apos;s a popular conception about what your 21st birthday should be like. Let&apos;s face it, society and popular media show us that your 21st birthday should consist of a huge house party at which you are to become so intoxicated that you can&apos;t remember what happened in the morning. Pretty harsh, I think.

I actually started off my birthday with three of my closest friends. At midnight, I enjoyed a nice round of card games with them- always best when you play with the right people. Later on that day, my special someone took me out to dinner at BWWs-my fave! I&apos;ll be honest, and tell you that I had ONE drink. I ordered a strawberry margarita which I only finished half of. And I haven&apos;t had any alcohol since.

I&apos;ve never been very interested in drinking, probably because I feel that there are better ways for me to spend my time and have fun. I won&apos;t lie. There will be parties and alcohol on campus. It is up to you as responsible adults to make your own choices regarding underage drinking and partying.

Here are just a few of the things that you could be doing to have fun that don&apos;t involve alcohol: taking the light rail to go shopping at the Mall of America, attending a free performance at Rarig Center in our West Bank Arts Quarter, attending an event sponsored by Gophers After Dark, bowling at Goldy&apos;s Gameroom, seeing a free movie at the St. Paul Student Center, or having dinner at one of the many restaurants that we have on and off campus. As you can see, when you attend a Big 10 university in a major metropolitan area, there&apos;s always something exciting going on. And it&apos;s never hard to find something to do that is alcohol free!
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>Papers, Presentations, and &quot;The Twitch&quot;</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2009/12/papers-presentations-and-the-t.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2009:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.211459</id>

<published>2009-12-25T05:51:25Z</published>
<updated>2009-12-30T16:53:12Z</updated>

<summary>Undoubtedly, this semester has been the most challenging of my undergraduate career and has been the most taxing on my own physical and emotional health....</summary>
<author>
<name>rami0121</name>

</author>

<category term="Yuri R" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
Undoubtedly, this semester has been the most challenging of my undergraduate career and has been the most taxing on my own physical and emotional health. 
It is tough being a college student, but regardless of what is going on in school, life continues, and thus, so do problems. However, with a good support system and great mentors, and of course balance, it always works out!

Finals week is a source of constant stress for all college students. I find that as I progress in my studies, mine become more focused and concise, which works for me. 

As a history major, my finals consist of final papers that have no right or wrong answer, but rather ask me to condense everything from the semester into a viable argument that I have deduced from my own learning. Hence, my grade is dependent on how I use the sources I was given to present a reasonable argument in--usually--a 5-7 page paper. Some might find this to be the worst task in the world; I would much rather write a paper than take an exam in two hours. 

However, there are still those cram sessions for exams. This semester I had one in-class exam before finals week, actually, and so I felt the burden of having pre-finals anxiety as I sat in the library for 8 hours straight. But everyone goes through it, and most people get through it. 

What I have found works for me is constant re-writing. Throughout the semester I take notes in my notebooks; as finals draw near, I start retyping those notes in the form of a study guide, and once that is all done, I print it and just read and re-read it. Absorption, of sorts, is key for me, but find whatever works for you and stick to it! 

And, aside from my final papers and exam, I also had to do two presentations! As an honors history student, my pre-major paper class required us to present our prospectus--or rather, the proposal for the papers we would write during our senior years--to our class. Our professors wanted us to have experience presenting in a formal environment, so it was actually a lot of fun. 

And, as my research with the Immigration History Research Center drew to a close, we also presented to a group of family, friends and colleagues the research we had each carried out. It was great to hear the work of other students working with the IHRC on different media projects, and it was especially exciting for me to present with the students I have been working with for this semester. Strangers in the beginning, these individuals taught me so much about their own cultures and backgrounds and even strengthened my own desire to learn more about the global world we live in. I will truly miss them next semester. 

But both of these presentations were, while nerve-wracking, great opportunities that allowed me to exhibit the work I&apos;ve spent so much time on and receive feedback from colleagues as to different approaches I can take with my research. 

But like I said, this semester has been quite trying. My (over) involvement in research, internships, and outreach activities limited my time to do anything, really. This semester forced me to really prioritize my life and decide what was important in my undergraduate career, which ended up eliminating a lot of social activities I used to partake in. 

Also, the lack of sleep and constant stress led to the development of my worst enemy--a twitch in my left eye that lasted for about two months. It got so bad to the point that my fellow Ambs (CLA Student Ambassadors) worried about my sleep and constantly advised me to rest. I&apos;m telling you, without these people in my life, I do not know what I would do. 

So, although there is always stress, and there is always going to be more work to accomplish, have a support system that will force you to realize that if you aren&apos;t well, or if your eye is twitching, that is  priority. A great lesson I learned: learn to say &quot;no,&quot; and sometimes, you just need to put yourself first! :) 

Happy Holidays!
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>Done with finals...</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2009/12/done-with-finals.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2009:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.211398</id>

<published>2009-12-23T17:06:00Z</published>
<updated>2009-12-30T16:55:10Z</updated>

<summary>I just finished my last final at 10:00 this morning and I am ready to enjoy a relaxing winter break and catch up on some sleep....</summary>
<author>
<name>Michael Modry</name>

</author>

<category term="Latest post" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />

<category term="Mike M" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
I just finished my last final at 10:00 this morning and I am ready to enjoy a relaxing winter break and catch up on some sleep.   
<![CDATA[However, there are still many things I need to do before I can sit down, drink some hot chocolate and enjoy some bowl games and college basketball games.  Final exams and projects have consumed all of my time this past week and I still have yet to buy any presents for my family...

However, I am not too worried since I live a short train ride away from the <a href="http://www.mallofamerica.com/#/main/home/home">Mall of America</a>.  This is the largest mall in the United States and where I will definitely be able to find some great gifts at the last minute.  

This Mall is located in Bloomington, Minnesota which is a suburb of the Twin Cities.  There is a <a href="http://www.metrotransit.org/rail/">Metro Rail Line</a> that runs straight to the Mall and stops right next to the University of Minnesota Campus (only a short 5 minute walk to get to the train stop).  It only takes about 20 to 30 minutes to get to the Mall on the Metro Rail Line and I like the convenience of not having to fight traffic and drive there myself.  

From Macy's to Bloomingdale's, there are several big name stores that attract shoppers from all over Minnesota and this country.   In addition to stores, the Mall of America also has a gigantic indoor theme park called <a href="http://www.nickelodeonuniverse.com/">Nickelodeon Universe</a>.  This is the largest indoor theme park in the United States and features roller coasters, log flume rides and much more.  

The Mall also hosts an underwater aquarium called <a href="http://www.underwaterworld.com/">Underwater Adventures Aquarium</a> where guests can view sharks, sting rays and tropical fish in the middle of December!   I will unfortunately not have enough time to enjoy these other attractions during my visit but hopefully this helps show you how many fun things there are to do when you live in the Twin Cities.  

After I finish up my last minute shopping I will be heading back to my hometown to spend time with my family and friends.  However, if you have read some of my other blog entries you will probably remember that I manage a movie theatre during the summer and holiday breaks.  My school work is over but I will be working a lot until New Years Day.  However, it will be nice to make a little extra money over Winter Break and see some free movies with friends.   

The University of Minnesota actually has its own movie theatre in <a href="http://www.coffman.umn.edu/">Coffman Memorial Union</a>.  This theatre plays a wide variety of movies that have been in the theatres for awhile but have yet to come out on DVD.  These movies are FREE for any University of Minnesota student and the theatre plays movies on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the entire evening.  As you can imagine, I definitely get my fill of movies during my time at this University and my back in my hometown.    
 
Happy Holidays!

Mike
]]>
</content>
</entry>

<entry>

<title>All Abroad!</title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/2009/12/all-abroad.html" />
<id>tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2009:/clablog/studentblogs//5716.211213</id>

<published>2009-12-22T16:10:18Z</published>
<updated>2009-12-30T16:57:17Z</updated>

<summary>Now that finals are over, I am looking forward to my next big adventure, traveling to England for winter break!...</summary>
<author>
<name>Jasmine Omorogbe</name>

</author>

<category term="Jasmine" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />

<category term="Latest post" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />


<content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/clablog/studentblogs/">
Now that finals are over, I am looking forward to my next big adventure, traveling to England for winter break!
<![CDATA[In just a few days, I will be traveling to Birmingham England for just a little over two weeks. Up until now, I really hadn't had time to think about it and what all it entails. 

I am a bit nervous as I have never been overseas before, yet excited to make the journey. The flight is a little over 8 hours, and unfortunately, I will be on the plane during New Year's. I'll leave in 2009 and arrive in 2010, how strange is that? 

This trip is a little different because I am going with the University of MN Duluth rather than my own campus. I will be going with two instructors and 14 students, 2 of whom are from my campus also. That is a good thing about going to a large school, I didn't like the programs offered through my campus, but was able to check out other ones. 

The course I am taking is called British History and Soccer: The Rise of the World's Game. We will be studying how British culture facilitated the sport of soccer and then how it spread to the world from there. I am not the most interested in the soccer aspect, but hopefully, I will learn lots about it from this course. The World Cup is happening this year, so this course will make it more exciting for me.

During our trip, we will make lots of day trips to nearby cities and sites, I plan to take a BAZILLION pictures. My Facebook friends better get ready now haha. I will also post some pics in my next blog. It will be cool to see castles and old buildings and also to hear the British accents that Americans envy so much. I have heard that there are many Nigerians there, which is exciting because I may be able to talk with them and learn more about my own heritage. It's going to be an awesome trip!

Study abroad is an excellent opportunity that you may not have later in life. You get to go somewhere for anywhere from 2 weeks to a year or more with a specific group (who will later become friends), and get to do a lot of stuff at a discounted price. It's great to have a guide and people who are familiar with the area with you as well. 

The U has programs in hundreds of countries, you can go and work, intern, study, or volunteer abroad almost anywhere that you want. They will help you with financial aid, preparing to go, applying, and everything in between. There is really no excuse not to go sometime during your undergrad career!

Visit <a href="http://umabroad.umn.edu">umabroad.umn.edu</a> for more information.
Until next time, BE EZ!
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</entry>

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