So there are about 6 weeks left until graduation.....it's hard to type that. I know it's super cliche, but time really does fly. Each day/week/month seems long when you're going
through it, but when you look back, it'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'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!

Unfortunately we'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'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's nice outside! My favorite thing to do is lay in the mall and listen to music and read in between classes. Haha...how "college" does that sound? Anyways, I'm looking forward to another end to a successful and difficult junior year, especially because I'm graduating early. Not sure I'm quite ready to be out looking for full-time jobs. Things I can'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's so much more but I'm starting to get verklempt and off to my night class: Counseling Psychology. It's a good one. Until next time....

Whether it'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'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's marketplace. They have some pretty awesome food.

If you don'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'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'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't eat up all of your finances, and that's awesome. One of my newest favorite restaurants is called Hong Kong Noodles, it'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's, etc, but there are also a lot of great smaller restaurants such as Al's Diner in Dinkytown. It is very unique because of it's small size but that's exactly why people love it. If you're a burger and shake person, Annie's Parlor is definitely a hot spot. There are so many more uniquely cool restaurants, it'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's and Gerbert's. Regardless, trying new places (and making friends come along) is really fun and whether you like it or not, it's great to say you've tried something new, and that's what experience is all about!

Until next time, be ez!

I'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'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't necessarily make it easy for me to decide what I would like to do when I graduate, but that's not necessarily a bad problem to have either.

In this economy, it'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't see that happening in my future.

After speaking with my faculty advisers and mentors, I realized I don'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't know what I want to do? I'll go where my passions lie in the moment.

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'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'm having a hard time readjusting or I'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...

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 School of Journalism and Mass Communication 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!

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:

1. Always bring a calculator to convert the exchange rate 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.
2. Bring some snacks from the US. 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.
3. Limit your cellphone use or change your plan to an international one 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
4. Buy an electricity converter. It is much cheaper than buying new appliances because the outlets are different.
5. Take a lot of pictures. Sometimes pictures are the cheapest souvenirs and they help you remember the most.

Ciao. Krystal!

Hope I helped a little. For more tips check out the Learning Abroad Center.

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 . Also, for a list of upcoming courses with service learning, please visit .

First off, I'd like to start by saying that I think that there's a popular conception about what your 21st birthday should be like. Let'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'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'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't had any alcohol since.

I'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'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'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'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's always something exciting going on. And it's never hard to find something to do that is alcohol free!

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'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'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't well, or if your eye is twitching, that is priority. A great lesson I learned: learn to say "no," and sometimes, you just need to put yourself first! :)

Happy Holidays!

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 Mall of America. 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 Metro Rail Line 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 Nickelodeon Universe. 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 Underwater Adventures Aquarium 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 Coffman Memorial Union. 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

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 umabroad.umn.edu for more information.
Until next time, BE EZ!

Finals week, also known by many other negative names is a tough time on campus. People tend to be stressed out, antsy for break, and anxious about finals. The good thing though, is that finals are a time to showcase what you have learned, (sometimes, be creative with projects) and give one last opportunity for you to remeber what you learned in class.

The University offers lots of help, they have special relaxation sessions at the Rec Center, including free massages, they have special one-time classes to help you remember how to study and how to cope and MCAE even offers the Cram Slam, an all day study session complete with tutors and pizza on the Saturday before finals.

Finals goes pretty late this year, I don't remember it going up until Christmas Eve last year. Regardless, I think that only makes people with Wed finals, that much more appreciative of break. Things get pretty quiet once break begins. I usually stay on campus for most of break, but go home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I love it because there is no waiting for the elevator, the computer lab is empty, and all the rooms are free for me to use. This winter break I won't be around much, but I'll save that for the next blog.

I have one 8am exam, a presentation, and turning in a paper standing between me and being done with my second to last semester at the U of MN. So close, yet so far. I will be relieved tomorrow evening, as Voices Merging hosts our end of year party potluck. I am looking forward to good eats with our little student group family. They have certainly been a bright spot throughout this rough semester. I hate being stressed and so rushed now, but I know I will miss the pressure once I graduate. Who knows? I might even lose my mind and wish I had finals again haha! (ok, I doubt that one) but I am happy that I made it through this semester and it looks like all of my grades will be on point. Last semester I had a 4.0 and I am striving to do that again this time. Cross your fingers for me!

Well, wish me luck on my exam tomorrow, it's cumulative so it's a bit more difficult to remember stuff from the whole semester as opposed to just the last section. I am gonna study as hard as I can tonight, but still be sure to catch some zzz's so I don't feel like a zombie during the test.
Until next time, BE EZ!

Every semester of every year we find ourselves taking multiple final exams, writing final papers, and getting together to do final group projects. Can it be overwhelming? Yes. Stressful? Yes. Impossible? Definitely not!

So I'm just going to share a couple of tips about how I prepare for this wonderful college experience, and maybe it will help ahead of time ... before you find yourself out of time, patience, and sanity.

During the semester:

1. Stay on track with your syllabus.
Every single instructor is required to give you a syllabus at the beginning of the year. If they don't, ask for one! If you stay on track, you don't have to spend the last week of school trying to peruse through lessons blindly, hoping to magically absorb the situation.

2. Attend as many lectures as you possibly can.
So many instructors test off of things DISCUSSED IN CLASS. Don't make the mistake in thinking you can just get the lectures on-line because a lot of times that doesn't work.

3. Go into office hours.
It's important to keep a relationship with your instructors so that you: A) feel comfortable asking them questions and fully understanding the course material, and B) find mentors in the programs and subjects you are interested in.

4. Keep all course material throughout the year.
If you keep everything from the course, you will have all of the materials needed for when you DO have finals. Sometimes it's hard to remember that you will be tested on all of the things you've talked about in the last 3 months, so keeping these things in order (I find binders are helpful) makes finals week much more organized.

These are over-arching unspoken rules that always help me stay successful.

During/ Right before Exam Week:

1. Find a spot where you could see yourself sitting comfortably and working productively for hours.

For me, this is usually a coffee shop. I take all the materials for one class and go through as much as I can at one time. If you need to be somewhere quiet, I suggest finding a spot in your house at a desk where you won't be distracted. Also, if you live in the metro area, a lot of people like to go home to study so they can have no distractions.

2. Go through your materials chronologically.
I like going from the oldest information to newest, because you generally know a lot of the stuff you just went over, so as you get closer to the end, it takes less time. You can also go newest to oldest if that helps as well.

3. Look at old exams/exam notes/ study guides/ notecards.
A lot of instructors compile their Finals based on information in previous exams because, obviously, it is what they want you to be able to take from the class. Try to always go over exams and find the answers to the questions you answered incorrectly so you can know it for the final.

4. Get a good night's sleep!
Studies show that lack of sleep can be very debilitating, so clearly this should not be one of the things that hold you back for finals time. A lot of people think that it's fine to pull "all-nighters" to get all the work done. That's actually the worst thing you could do. So, start studying at least a couple days before the final (I start about a week early).

5. Get to your exam early.
That last thing you want is to get ready to leave for your exam and get stuck in traffic, get into an accident, have a late bus, or have any other number of unplanned events occur. Plan ahead!

For me, taking these steps over the semester has allowed me to be successful academically. Hope it helps you!

Till next time...good luck on Finals, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!
- Meghan

First of all, I would suggest managing your time so that you do not have to struggle to finish writing every final paper before it is due this last week of the school year. It is a good idea to get ahead so that you won't fall behind. Try and complete a final paper or two before finals week so that you will have more time to study and will not feel as much pressure. I realize that this is easy to say and not as easy to do, but give it your best shot.

Also, don't worry if it still looks like you are going to have to spend all your time in the library during finals week. Walter and Wilson library stay open 24/7 during finals week so that students can study/cram in a quiet environment the night before their big exam. I have taken full advantage of this opportunity during finals week since I am a night hawk and like to study until the wee hours of the morning.

There are also resources to help you stay awake after you cram all night for an exam. There are several coffee shops all over campus that can supply you with the caffeine needed to give you that extra burst of energy when you may be a bit sleep deprived.

There are actually coffee shops located in the basements of Walter and Wilson library. Walter library has the Wise Owl Café which is located on the east bank of campus. This small café offers specialty coffee drinks and prepackaged bakery goods. There are also several coffee shops in the surrounding Dinkytown area where students can also get a caffeine fix. From Espresso Royale to Bordertown Coffee, there are several options to choose from.

However, I am not much of a coffee drinker myself and prefer a simple caffeinated soda to help me study late into the night. There are many small grocery shops located around campus where students can purchase soda, chips, energy drinks and much more. One of these convenience stores is called the Gopher Express and is located in the 'Cube' of Coffman Union. This grocery stop has a lot of different products to choose from and students can use their Gopher Gold to purchase the items.

So, if finals week is fast approaching and you find yourself short on time, take a deep breath and remember that there are resources to help you study well into the night/morning.

Best of luck!

-Mike

CLA Commencement, be it fall or spring is a big deal. There were some 450-500 CLA graduates at today's ceremony. In the spring, there are two ceremonies because there are so many graduates, last spring there were about 800 grads at one and 600 at the other. All of the grads are excited and nervous, that excitement sometimes makes it hard to get them to listen to instructions, haha, but it all works out.

In spring, the graduates process from Coffman Union down the mall to Northrop. It looks amazing and is a really special moment. Their families stand on the plaza with cameras in hand, proud smiles on their faces, and sometimes tears on their cheeks.

Graduation is not easy, although there are millions who do it every year, there are millions more who will never have that opportunity. It is a privilege and a time of recognition for years of hard work, homework, late nights, and droopy eyes. It is a time for your family and friends to honor you by cheering for you as you walk across the stage. One family today brought a bullhorn, another had each family member hold up a letter of the graduates name...her name was Danyelle, so it took a lot of people.

It is also an honor to be selected as the student speaker for commencement. Today's speaker Mike Lipset, was great. He incorporated spoken word into his piece, illustrating how creative CLA grads can be. He talked about his story and his experiences here at the U as a transfer student. In addition to a student speaker, there is also an alumni speaker and a keynote speaker. It is great to hear words from a peer, but also to those who have come before and been successful. All of the words were inspiring.

This was my last time working Commencement and it caused a lot of mixed emotions from me. Graduating is great but a BIG time of transition and uncertainty. I have 5 more months until it's my turn. I am hoping that a lot happens between now and then to help me prepare mentally. I have loved my time at the U and know it will be a challenge for me to leave, especially when a lot of my friends will be here for another year or so.

Regardless, CONGRATS to all of today's grads and best of luck!
Until next time, BE EZ!

Last month my fellow Ambassadors Yuri Ramirez, Thomas Toley, and I were three of the thirteen people who won the 2009 SEED Award from the Office of Equity and Diversity. The Office of Equity and Diversity celebrated 13 students commitment to continuing the practice of Equity and Diversity with a breakfast banquet and allowed us to sit with many of the business that helped to support the banquets and scholarship. I felt deeply honored by the opportunity.

Unfortunately I was saddened by how many of my friends almost applied for the scholarship who needed it and did not apply. I applied last year and unfortunately I was not chosen but this year I was, so I guess the moral of my story is if at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again. I am so fortunate that the Office of Equity & Diversity saw potential in me, but they would not have been able to if I had not seen potential in myself.

The change of venue sparked the interest of many students and the event filled up within three days of the initial invitation. We hit our maximum reservation limit of 60 and had a waiting list with over 20 more students and professors wishing to dine that evening. The Student Board will likely be looking to reach another agreement with Loring Pasta Bar in the near future due to the popularity of the location.

Some of you may be wondering what exactly is a 'Food for Thought Event.' Basically, the Student Board hosts two of these gatherings every semester where students are able to invite their professors to dinner and the Student Board will pick up the tab! It is a great way to get to know your professor in a more casual, one on one environment. After listening to feedback from several professors and students we have learned that professors tend to be very interested in the event which provides a medium in which they are able to interact and listen to the comments of their students.

The first Food for Thought Banquet for this fall semester was held at Noodles and Company. During the event I overheard a professor talking about how the Student Board used to host this event at the Loring Pasta Bar a long time ago. The Loring Pasta Bar basically provides a very unique, European style dining atmosphere and is one of the main highlights in the Dinkytown area. This attractive environment seemed very conducive for professors and students engaging in lively dialogue; so I decided to contact Loring Management to see if a deal could be worked out. They were very interested in the event and were willing to work with us to come up with an affordable plan allowing a significant number of attendees.

The event was a success and several students and professors expressed their pleasure with the choice in venue. This was very encouraging and we are hoping this interest in the event will continue for future semesters whether it is hosted at Loring Pasta Bar or another location. So keep an eye out for our Food for Thought email invitations this upcoming spring semester!

The end of the semester is quickly approaching and all I can think about is being home for Christmas break with my family and beautiful puppy. Every semester goes by so fast and now it's officially "crunch time" for everyone I know. Everyone is making sure they are caught up on homework, studying for finals, finishing applications, and, of course, Christmas shopping.

Over this week, I've been especially busy helping out with two subjects that are very important to me. The first is recruiting for new College of Liberal Arts Student Ambassadors. That's us!

We went through a whole application process where we read through all the candidates, chose our top picks, interviewed them thoroughly, and picked the best candidates. It is always so hard to be on committees like this because the applicants are so exceptional that it is very difficult to weed people out. Ambassadors also help interview and pick commencement speakers, which is the same rigorous process.

Overall, I definitely remember being on the other side of the table. It's not easy to be interviewed and it is especially not easy in a group interview setting (which is how we conducted them). The candidates certainly have to know their stuff and stand out in a group. I didn't think that I would have been chosen out of all of the people in my group when I first interviewed. But, I made it!

I think it was all about confidence. I just told myself.. you know what you're talking about, you love your college, and you love helping people - just be yourself! The candidates who did the best in our interview obviously had that same pep-talk with themselves. Actually, I find this to be true in any interview-like process: jobs, meeting new people, volunteering. Anyways, it was a good experience to be able to pick others the same way I was chosen.

The other thing I have just started working on with Anise McDowell is the "I Know I Can College Awareness Day" which is taking place on February 11th this year. This is something I am very passionate about because it is a state-wide event that motivates 3rd graders very early on to see the possibility and importance of going to college.

Studies have shown that even as early as middle school, children begin to make goals about what they do our do not want to accomplish in life. If motivated young adults like us can work to physically show them that they can do whatever they want if they try, we believe we really can make a difference.

Over 80 people helped volunteer in the Minneapolis area last year, and numbers were similar the year before, but this year I'm helping run the training and volunteer process so we can make sure at least every 3rd grade class in the metro area has someone to talk to them.

Volunteers go to the classrooms, read a book called "I Know I Can," by Wendy W. Rouillard, and then talk about their own experiences as college students/graduates/alumni. We've had outstanding responses in the past and the kids love the break from school, new visitors, and encouraging words.

Contact me if you are interested in helping out or visit our volunteer website at volunteer.cla.umn.edu and sign up!

So, after all of that extracurricular stuff, I need to get my focus back on school and studying.
...I can't wait until Christmas!...

When I say "hidden", it's not really so much in hiding as it is underutilized. It's right out in the open, at http://lib.umn.edu, but many students have never visited the site nor the physical library.

The other day Thomas and I were commenting on how difficult writing papers must have been 30 years ago, even 10 years ago. Many things have changed and technology has definitely made assignments easier for us.

Ironically, many college students have a severe aversion to books. Thankfully, these days, we don't have to spend hours in the library, searching for materials and digging through archives. It's all online and less than a click away.

The U's libraries are some of the best in the country. They have all sorts of special collections, old articles, books and even multimedia material. You can find books, articles, and journals all from the comfort of your own room. In the event that you do need a book, they will even send it to the library closest to you.

One of the best things about the library is the helpful librarians that are available. They are there all day in person and will help teach you (not just show you once) how to find things in the library and even provide helpful tips on where to go. If one is not able to go in, there is phone, email and even cooler, chat!

I am writing a research paper and definitely could not do it without the awesome resources available at the U's libraries. I had a lengthy online chat last week with a librarian and it was invaluable. She even posted links within the conversation to help me out. I know that there are pricey access and subscription fees, so many other schools don't have such an exhaustive array of resources available, but for the sake of this 12 page paper and my other assignments, I am so thankful that the U has an awesome, user -friendly library system

I know this may sound like an informercial, but real talk, the library is where it's at. I definitely would not be writing these papers without it. Until next time, BE EZ!

This semester has been more difficult than any other for me. There is a lot more pressure than there was before. While I do like the things I am doing, I don't feel that I am fully enjoying my senior year as I had hoped. It has been more stress than smiles, more early mornings than restful nights. Graduation is quite near and it looks like more of the same for my last semester

However, that is what makes this upcoming Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks all the more exciting to think about. This week alone (M,T, W), I had 2 exams and 3 papers due. Needless, to say I need to catch up on some sleep. It is exciting that I get to see my family and old friends on Thanks giving. My best friend is coming up from Florida, and another friend is coming back from Texas. I will only have a very small window of time to see them because....fellow ambassador Thomas Toley, our other 2 friends and I are travelling to New Orleans on Friday morning for the Annual Bayou Classic- which is a big deal. There is a big rivalry between Southern University and Grambling University and this weekend is when they square off on the football field. Also, on Friday night, there is a Battle of the Bands and a Greek stepshow, which is going to be super exciting. Bands and Greek life in the south are much different from here. We are going with our friend, Mosun, who particpated in the National Student Exchange and went to Louisiana State University last year. She was able to go there and experience a different side of life for about the same cost as she would pay here. She loved it and is so excited to be going back to visit all of here friends. I think it's very cool that the U allows you to visit other schools in different parts of the country, and even the world with the Learning Abroad Center.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all and until next time, Be EZ!
(pics of the trip will be posted next week!

The International Program in Toledo has many excursions included in the cost of the semester, which is fabulous because you get transportation, wonderful tour guides, and an amazing meal with food from the region you are touring! One of the excursions we took was to El Escorial. El Escorial is a palace built by an old king of Spain. He (unfortunately) was from the line of Austrians that ruled here. I have no problem with Austrians other than the fact that a loooooong time ago, their kings were...well...boring. If you've ever seen a French palace, the Austrian palaces are the exact opposite. They didn't like flashy, showy, ornate palaces. They enjoyed brass, stone, and simplicity; which makes for a pretty boring visit for someone who thinks the Disney castle is her next home. When we reached stairs leading to the king and queens' tombs everything suddenly changed. This room held all of the monarch leaders of Spain (minus Fernando and Isabel). As we started to descend into the chamber, the walls turned to marble and the railings were made of gold. When we reached the bottom, the tombs lining the walls were gold plated and made of a rich green marble. The tombs were stacked at least 5 high around the circular room. I realized they spent more money on decorations for their dead than they do for their living! I thought I would experience some sort of grand feeling being in the presence of great dead rulers, but then I realized that we all put our pants on the same way, only following their pants, they put on a crown.

The next day I took a short trip to Segovia located in the region of Castilla y Leon. The staff here in my program is so helpful with bus, train, and plane schedules, so if you ever want to take an excursion by yourself or with friends, it's very easy to do so. Segovia is much like Toledo only the streets are much wider. Segovia has some of the oldest and most intact Roman aquaducts in Europe. You really have to stand next to them to realize how huge they are. Segovia also has a stunning cathedral and an amazing castle. The castle (alcazar) was once Queen Isabel's home. She is the first catholic queen of Castilla and quite famous for her conquering of the Moors in Granada and spreading Christianity across Europe. After seeing this castle, she quickly rose on my list of favorite queens following Marie Antoinette of France and Queen Elizabeth of England. I think I liked it so much because it is the castle the Disney designers used as a model for the Disney Land castle. It was very simple, but we were able to take pictures (with flash!) of basically everything. The castle is gorgeously preserved with some of the original artwork, tapestries, and furniture. Needless to say this has been one of my favorite castles I've visited in Spain.

My next journey takes me the Canary Islands (for Thanksgiving) where I will be taking in some sun and relaxing before finals week!

When my friends Alex and Adam told me they wanted to go to Paris, I thought of it passively since I've traveled to Paris before with my aunt. Paris is a pricey city, and there are many other places in Europe I still have yet to visit. And then, they said the magic words: We're going to Disney Land-Paris.

Now, as a grandma, my mind went directly to screaming children, long lines, and carnies, but then I remembered: "I'm not in America anymore." Children are much better behaved here, people are relatively more patient here, and well, carnies seem to follow me everywhere, so they might be unavoidable. I haven't been to Disney since I was 5 years old, and I don't remember any of it other than Jafar was a creep, and I didn't like the Haunted Mansion. I thought I should give it another chance.

I don't think I stopped smiling the entire time I was there. We had a pigtail meter to gauge how much fun I was having. They got a little out of control. By the end of the day I would put my age at a solid 5 years old. There was skipping, and singing, and laughing, and even a little crying (Space Mountain is really fast and made my eyes cry a bit). It was almost as if I didn't have a few jobs, a couple internships, volunteer responsibilities, and a degree to work on. I was 5 again and happier than I've ever been.

Don't get me wrong, I would never take any of those things back just to be 5 years old again. I've worked way too hard and have been way too blessed with mentors, friends, and co-workers just to be able to sit in a stroller and order off the kids menu. However, throughout the last 2 months in Europe, I've definitely realized that it's okay to have all of those things and still have the spirit of a 5 year old.

Everyday here is like the first day of kindergarten (minus the finger paint): meeting new friends, finding new places, learning who I am, and gaining new responsibilities. When I get home, I hope to keep those kid qualities. I'm not saying I'll give up watching Jeopardy everyday (let's not get crazy here), but I don't want to be afraid to put on those pigtails proudly and skip through life enjoying every minute of it.

I think this is what they call "the beauty of studying abroad." Tiny little realizations that there is always so much more to the world than you think you already know.

Sounds fun huh? This part may be a little boring but our upcoming Art Fair is going to be a blast! Next week the Student Board is hosting an Art Fair for all students in the College of Liberal Arts so that they can have a venue where they can put their art on display and possibly win amazing cash prizes! I really enjoy this event because a lot of these students have not had a chance to publicly display their artwork to the public. This Art Fair gives them the opportunity to be judged by their peers and a location where they are able to see the art work of other undergraduate students who share a similar passion for the arts.

For those of you who may be on campus this upcoming week, the event will be held from 9am to 4pm Thursday, November 19th and 9am to 2pm Friday, November 20th. It is going to be in the President's room in Coffman Union and there are going to be some sweet refreshments as well (for all of you college students who love free food).

There are three different categories. Current students are able to enter artwork in the 2D category (paintings, etc...) 3D category (sculptures, etc...) and a reproducible category (basically photographs). It is also free to enter artwork! So if you are an undergraduate student reading this blog, make sure to enter a piece by this upcoming Wednesday, November 18th! Just stop Johnston Hall, which is located right off Pleasant Street on the East Bank. Our CLA board office is located on the first floor in room 12. If you knock on the door, a friendly board member will be able to give you the applications you need to enter your art work in the Art Fair.

The award ceremony is going to be at 2pm on Friday, November 20th. During this ceremony you can find out if you won and can receive prizes of up to $200 dollars! The Dean of the College of Liberal Arts will also be present at this ceremony, where he will be picking a piece of artwork he feels is worthy of a cash prize as well.

It should be a lot of fun so make sure to stop by and check out some of the artwork!

-Mike

I have a year left now and I figured it's time for me to find an internship in something I'm interested in. I'm studying Psychology but I work in Facilities Management on Campus, Outback Steakhouse in Roseville, and Marcy Elementary School. I volunteer on campus, sing in an a cappella group, play recreational sports, and miss my dog (unrelated but always on my mind). It all seems unrelated, doesn't it? Sometimes I sit here and wonder how many other people there are applying for the same jobs as me, wanting to achieve the same goals, building the same resume, volunteering their time as much, putting in as much effort... There's got to be thousands. But when you think about it, that means there are a thousand times more people than my just trying to make a difference. When I think of it that way, it's inspiring. When I think of it in terms of competition, it's nauseating. I've been working all of this time (20 years, 9 months, and 6 days) to be successful, happy, a role model, and most of all, to make it worth it in the end. I'm far from "the end," but I'm hopeful that it will be "worth it." It's so hard though. I've met so many great people and had so much fun just being a young adult that I don't want to make that leap to full-fledged adulthood...just isn't as appealing. I'm working on it though. Little by little I watch what I'm eating, take care of myself when I'm sick, solve problems by myself, ask for help, and keep my eye on the prize: graduation, occupation, and hopefully elation.

So, here I go. Back to the internship application. I suppose I could go to the Career and Community Learning Center to help me write it out (Jasmine O...represent). Or, I could be a big girl and just hammer it out! As for tonight, Nike's my inspiration: Just Do It!

Until Next Time,
Meghan

I spent this morning in 60 degree weather watching our Minnesota Gopher football team play Illinois in our new outdoor stadium. Unfortunately we didn't win this time, but it was a close game until the very end (final score was 35 to 32). In addition to gopher football games, there are also a lot of other things to do on warm November days in Minnesota.

Yes, Minnesota is the land of lakes, so a few friends and I decided that we are going to go bike around Lake Calhoun since it is supposed to reach 65 degrees this afternoon. This lake is located very close to the University of Minnesota campus and provides a nice retreat for students who are looking to relax a bit between studying. It is a very popular lake where students can swim, fish, play volleyball or just enjoy the amazing scenery. 60 degrees is a bit cold to go swimming, so my friends and I are going to stick with biking around the lake this afternoon. Lake Calhoun also provides a perfect view of the Minneapolis skyline which will impress anyone. There are also great shops and restaurants around Lake Calhoun so you can grab a bite to eat if you get hungry. Lake Calhoun is actually the second most visited location in Minnesota besides the Mall of America.

In addition to Lake Calhoun, students can enjoy grabbing a bit to eat at one of the many restaurants located on campus in Dinkytown. Most of these small, local restaurants have areas where you can dine outside and enjoy beautiful fall days. One specific restaurant that I enjoy is Annie's Parlor located in Dinkytown. It is a unique little burger joint where people can come and enjoy a tasty cheeseburger and delicious milkshake. Another aspect of Annie's that sets them apart from other locations is their outdoor seating. Annie's has a big wooden deck connected to the restaurant where patrons are able to sip on their milkshakes and work on their tans at the same time. This burger joint is just one of several mom and pop restaurants in Dinkytown which serve great food at very reasonable prices.

So, if you get the chance to experience one of these warm November days at the University of Minnesota I would suggest taking a stroll around Lake Calhoun to soak up some rays and make sure to grab an old fashioned cheeseburger and cold milkshake at Annie's as well.

-Mike

This may be a little daunting to first year students moving to Minneapolis from smaller town settings but don't worry; there are enough activities to do on-campus that you will not have to head downtown until you are ready. However, many students approaching their sophomore, junior and senior years are excited by the opportunity to explore the largest city in Minnesota.

First of all, it is very easy to get downtown. There are several bus stops that go from the University of Minnesota directly to many popular locations downtown. In addition to taking the bus, student may also choose to ride the Light Rail downtown. This railway system starts at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota and ends in downtown Minneapolis. One of the stops on the Light Rail is only about a short, 10 minute walk from campus.

There are also many, many things to do downtown. I was attracted to all of the sports venues located downtown. Two of my favorite sports teams are the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team and the Minnesota Twins baseball team. During the baseball season the Twins host 'Student Nights' where students are able to get very low priced tickets to the game. The Minnesota Timberwolves also host 'Student Nights' when the basketball season starts up toward the beginning of November.

There are also many things to do besides watching professional sports teams. The Target Center downtown hosts many musicians from Beyonce to Green day. The Target center also hosts many different speakers; one of the most recent was President Obama just this past September. Another smaller venue downtown is called First Avenue. This location tends to host smaller local bands but has also brought in bands such as Third Eye Blind and Hanson.

Minneapolis also offers more theaters seats per capita than ANY other city in the U.S. besides New York. One of these theaters is the Guthrie which is located within walking distance from the West Bank of the University of Minnesota. This is actually a brand new venue as of 2006 when the Guthrie moved to its current location overlooking the beautiful Mississippi river. A few of the upcoming plays at the Guthrie are A Christmas Carol and Macbeth. In addition to theater, Minneapolis also has many museums and art centers as well.

As you can see, there is plenty to do in this very lively and energy filled city of Minneapolis. Come check it out!

-Mike

After a full, long day of traveling home from Mallorca, I am left alone with my thought. (That's right, I only have one). Everyone is still on their fall break vacations, and I returned to a) catch up on some shows online b) spend some quality time with Toledo and c) write a ten page paper due next Tuesday.

Anyways, my thought:
I am so lucky. Through all the homework, the people I miss, and the yearning for some sort of hot dish, I have come to realize that I am surrounded by some pretty awesome opportunities. I just returned from a trip to the beautiful island of Mallorca with my best friend, and next week I will be headed to Paris to go to Euro-Disney. I haven't been to Disney World since I was five years old, and it has been a dream of mine to return. I sure hope French Mickey doesn't disappoint. I have a trip booked to Bordeaux, France and a Thanksgiving feast planned in the Canary Islands. As much as I would love to see the leaves change this time of year in Minnesota, I am really enjoying watching myself evolve into a more independent, observant and self-sufficient adult (yes adult). Ever since I arrived, I've been trying to figure out why it's so quiet here. Certainly Toledo is smaller and a little more low-key than Dinkytown on a Saturday night, but it's not that quiet here. Suddenly I realized what it was: I stopped talking so much. Not just verbally talking, but my brain has stopped buzzing. If I have learned one thing from my study abroad experience, it has been to recognize your thoughts as your own and not just as noise. I think I've learned a lot about myself through the art of this thing called "listening". If you haven't tried it, it's a great place to start to make a change (and you don't have to leave the country to do it).

My first suggestion would be to literally keep your door open. During the first couple weeks of the semester almost all first year students will want to meet new people and create friendships. By leaving your door open in your dorm there is a good chance other students will pop there heads in and introduce themselves.

Another suggestion is get involved! I transferred to the University of Minnesota my sophomore year and was not able to meet new friends through the traditional first year dorm experience. So, I decided to get involved in a few organizations and ended up meeting a ton of new friends. During the first couple weeks of the semester you will receive a lot of flyers and emails from different student organizations trying to persuade you into coming to their kickoff meetings. A lot of times they will even tempt you with free pizza! I suggest looking at some of these organizations and check them out if they interest you. Meeting other students who share similar interests can be a great way to find a niche at your new school.

After I transferred to the University of Minnesota I was sent an email from the College of Liberal Arts Student Board telling me they were going to have an initial information meeting for anyone interested in having a greater voice in their education. I thought this would be a great way to get involved and the free pizza didn't hurt either =] ...Now looking back, this was one of the best decisions I have made at this University. I have met a ton of new people through this organization and have become great friends with a few. I ended up serving two years as the Chair for the External Relations Committee and I am currently in my fourth year as a member. I also learned about the creation of a new group that was looking for students to serve as Ambassadors for the College of Liberal Arts. I learned about this opportunity through my connections from the Student Board. This Student Ambassador group has also helped me make a deeper connection to this University. This goes to show that taking the initial step toward joining a student organization can lead to many more opportunities in the future.

I definitely found my niche with these specific organizations which helped me make a smooth transition to the University of Minnesota.

So get involved!

-Mike

Yes, I said amazing. In the past, Gopher football was played at Memorial Stadium which was an on-campus football stadium. However, in 1982 the decision was made to move football inside. From 1982 to 2008 the Gopher football team played in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (named after our former Minnesota senator) in downtown Minneapolis. However, this fall of 2009 the Gophers brought football back to campus by opening the new TCF Bank Stadium (which is near the same location of the former Memorial football Stadium). The only real complaint that I have heard regarding this transition to an outdoor stadium is that it is too cold to be watching football games outside when November rolls around in Minnesota. It may get a little chilly in November yet I feel having an outdoor stadium is well worth the cost of putting on a couple extra layers for the final games of the football season.

First of all, being able to watch the first football games in 70 degree sunshine during September is great. Football is meant to be played outside and the atmosphere and energy that an outdoor college football stadium provides is indescribable (so you will just have to come watch a game and experience it!). There are also a lot of on-campus events/activities going on during game days. From tailgating outside to attending the pre-game football party at McNamara Alumni Center, there are many things to do.

TCF Bank Stadium (AKA 'The Bank') currently seats around 50,000 people and has sold out ever seat so far this football season. The stadium was also designed so that it can expand to seat around 80,000 people in the future. The stadium is also designed in a horseshoe configuration where it opens up to show the Minneapolis skyline which was pretty spectacular the night of September 12th when we played our home opener against Air Force (which we won).

In addition to the Gophers new stadium, the Minnesota Twins will also be moving out of the Metrodome and will open up a new, outdoor baseball stadium this upcoming spring 2010 season.

It seems like outdoor stadiums are the new craze in Minnesota... come and check it out!
-Mike

This year has come so quickly and is moving faster than I can handle. I feel like school JUST started and we are already four weeks in! I am learning many new things, I have great classes and a great schedule this semester, but somehow there just isn't enough time in the day.

You may be thinking, 'Why is 24 hours not sufficient?' Well, when you are involved in many things and want to have any form of social life on top of academics, time seems to disappear. This year, I am president of our student organization, Voices Merging, which is a big responsibility. We have a large board and are implementing many new projects, and it can be a lot to manage while trying to make sure members are on top of their duties and enjoying their involvement. I am learning that sometimes its fun to lead and take pride in what the group is doing, and other times it's not so fun being the first one there and last to leave. Regardless, it is all a part of leadership and comes with the territory. I will certainly be heading to the CCLC for help with adding this experience to my resume. It will look great to employers!

It's also a bit daunting that I need to find topics for my UROP and Honors thesis like yesterday. The University provides awesome opportunities for undergraduates to jump in and do research, and even get paid to do it! I never thought I would be doing research on topics I was passionate about like Spoken Word and Hip Hop. I thought "research" was about white lab coats and experiments. Now that it is time for me to embark upon an intense research journey, narrowing a topic down is proving to be quite challenging. There are so many possibilities and options, which in itself is great, but I need more direction to be able to handle it. Cross your fingers and send me any ideas that you have ;)

There are so many important decisions to be made this year that will have a big bearing on my future. On top of school work, it is time to begin looking for employment and future grad school programs. I am so lucky that the CCLC has GoldPASS, a job and internship database just for U of M students. It's a great place to post a resume and start my job search.

Though it is a whirlwind and can be overwhelming, I am still loving every minute of it and I plan to rock this year 'til the wheels off. It's going to be a BLAST!

Until next time, BE EZ!

I have been attracted to this class based on the fact that the class is very applicable to my current life/our current society and it provides the opportunity to volunteer in an educational setting with Latino youth. I also have a minor in Spanish Studies and having the ability to practice speaking outside the classroom is very appealing. The University of Minnesota provides several unique learning opportunities such as this one that students are able to take advantage of. I finally decided to take this Chicano Studies class this year since I brought my car to campus and can easily drive to my service learning site. However, many students take buses/carpool to their service learning sites as well.

I was placed in La Escuelita (this means 'little school' in Spanish) which is an after school program for Latino students where they can go every afternoon when they get out of high school or middle school. At La Escuelita we hang out with the students and help them with any difficulties they are having with their school work. It is eye-opening to see how disadvantaged some of these kids are in our educational system given the fact that many are still struggling with English and have to work extremely hard to catch up. Getting out of the classroom and learning about language usage and educational methodologies first hand is a unique opportunity that I would suggest you consider taking if you have the time.

There are also many other unique educational opportunities at the University of Minnesota from directed research with a faculty member to freshman seminars based on several interesting topics. One interesting freshman seminar this fall semester is based on the psychology of eating and the body and is taught by Professor Traci Mann. This class is solely reserved for first year students who want to learn in a closer setting with twenty other students. As you can see, there are several opportunities waiting for you here at the University of Minnesota.

-Mike

What exactly is this Meet, Eat & Greet event I am talking about? This is basically a meeting that the Student Board holds toward the beginning of every month where we invite all of the undergraduate students in the College of Liberal Arts to stop by and let us know any concerns or questions they may have about this college and the direction it is heading. We usually hold the meeting in Coffman Memorial Union, which is a nice central location where many students can stop in and talk with us before they have to run off to another class. We also supply a slice of free pizza to students who stop by as a little incentive so we can hear their ideas. So make sure to keep an eye out for our emails toward the beginning of every month if there is something on your mind and you want to see change.

You may be asking yourself, "How is the Student Board going to be able to act on any suggestion I have regarding the College of Liberal Arts?" This is a very good question. Twice a semester members from the Student Board meet with the dean of the College of Liberal Arts in a round table discussion where the sole intention is to present the concerns of current undergraduate students to administration so that change may take place. Change may not occur the next day but you can be assured that your voice is being heard.

Through these meetings with the dean, the College of Liberals Arts Student Board has helped facilitate changes in the foreign language requirements at the University of Minnesota and we will be working on pushing legislators to provide funding for remodeling the interior of Fowell Hall this upcoming fall semester. We tried to secure funding for this project last semester but it did not pass. We are hopefully that we will be successful this semester since the project seems to be at the top of the list.

Please stop by one of these Meet, Eat & Greet events where you can meet some of your current College of Liberal Arts representatives, grab a slice of pizza and be assured that you are helping to create change here at the University of Minnesota.

Whether it is Spanish Studies or Chemistry, the College of Liberal Arts offers the ability to become a well rounded individual with the large assortment of majors and minors in the social sciences, arts and humanities. This college actually has 30 departments and over 60 undergraduate degrees to choose from. With this broad array of flexibility, students are ready to succeed in almost any profession by the time they graduate from the College of Liberal Arts.

One of the classes I am really excited about this semester is Modern Latin America 3512. This is one of the final classes in my Spanish Studies focus and should be very interesting. Most of my Spanish classes so far in my academic career have focused on Spain and Europe. However, this semester I decided it would be ideal to learn more about the history of Latin America. I am especially interested in learning more about our neighboring country of Mexico. From immigration to NAFTA, I am interested in understanding some of the more current issues that have an impact on the world I live in. I am also taking a Chicano Studies Service-Learning class where I will be volunteering at an after school program for Latino youth called La Escuelita. I am really excited about this opportunity as well and will probably talk more about it in one of my following blogs.

Students in the College of Liberal Arts are also able to take classes in other colleges. Another class I am excited about taking this semester is a Labor Unions and Collective Bargaining class from the Carlson School of Management. Students from the College of Liberal Arts are able to complete a 'Management Minor' with this school which I feel is an excellent way to prepare for a career in any field. The reason why I am excited about this Labor Unions and Collective Bargaining class is because one of the class activities involves dividing the class up into management and labor union teams and conducting actually collective bargaining sessions based on information from a collective bargaining simulation. Both sides will be fighting to secure more rights and impose more costs on the other sides, which should be fun. The two sides will have to come to an accord by the end of the semester with a finalized contract or else we will fail the project. So there will definitely be an incentive to negotiate and come to an agreement.

So, if you come to the University of Minnesota make sure to look over all of your options for classes because there are many to choose from!

My parents always said that I'd understand so many things when I'm older. I've just realized that after 20 years, 7 months, and 2 days, that I'm finally "older". I'm about to go into my Junior year of college, to move into a house with 6 other girls, and will never have a summer again.

When I was younger, things were so much easier. I had less homework, less responsibility, less stress, and less knowledge. Now I know better. I know it's more responsible to eat at home and save money... to not go out instead of studying... to go to work every day. I've worked 2 jobs all summer and never see the light of day. But, after all of this, even though it sounds like it's negative, I love it! I love that I'm older. I love that I can say that I pay my bills on time. I love that I make myself go to class. I love that I can get up on my own without my mom coming into my room 20 times. Granted, I push the snooze button about 20 times, but I still get there!

I was talking to my roommate the other day and we can't believe the kinds of things we worry about now. I've become my mother (which is a good thing). "Who didn't do their dishes?!", "Why are all of the lights left on? We need to pay for electricity, you know!", "Put the toilet seat down!" We're all grown up now.

I don't know if I would have been in the same place I am now if I didn't go to the U. What if I went somewhere else? What if I didn't go to school? What if I didn't have jobs on and off campus? I wouldn't feel as accomplished, as successful, or as experienced. The people and friends that I've met here have all been such a huge addition to these feelings, too. I'm so grateful for it all.

Well, sorry for the sappy reflection. On a lighter note, I'm taking the end of summer off of my day job on campus and ENJOYING it. I can't wait. It's time for State Fair, downtown, and Lake Calhoun!

Until next time,
Meghan

I've had my suitcase sprawled in the middle of my floor for a week hoping it will magically pack itself. Academically, studying abroad is easy. If you work with your advisors and Learning Abroad Center staff, you can often get your credits to transfer without hassel, have an amazing experience, and still graduate on time. That's the easy part. Figuring out how to pack all my shoes in one suitcase...now that's a real challenge. Check back later to follow me on my trip to Toledo, Spain! My adventure starts September 5th!

Spring semester in 2009 is definitely a semester to remember. Not only did I get lucky and get done with finals early, but I definitely made big moves this semester.

Now that this school year is days from being over, there are lots of things to look forward to for this summer including fun with friends who went away to other colleges, visits to the Mall of America, hanging out at the Farmer's Market, and watching movies in downtown Minneapolis!

Also, this summer, I will be leading my first high school tour with Students Today Leaders Forever (stlf.net). I and 8 other leaders will be on a charter bus filled with alternative students from both the north and south side of Minneapolis. It will be interesting to say the least. We will stop in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri and do a community service project in each city. I got to plan our service project, dinner, and lodging for the day that we will be in Springfield, IL. Fortunately, it turned out to be a pretty simple process, The Salvation Army was excited to hear that we were coming. That will be 5 days of full of dancing, fun, and leadership. I can't wait!

Upon my return from that, I will be taking a family vacation to Atlanta for a week. Hopefully, I will get to see some family who i have not seen in a while. There will be no internet access, so it will definitely be a challenge for me, but I am sure it will be a great time.

When I return from there, more fun will be awaiting me, Luckily, thanks to the help I received from the Career & Community Learning Center, I have been offered an internship and am excited to gain experience in a new field this summer.

One great thing about living in the Twin Cities is that there are so many Fortune 500 companies close by, If you are interested in working in corporate America, it is a great place to find internships and see what areas you like.

The CCLC helped me to create an awesome resume and cover letter, and learn about the importance of informational interviews, which is how I got this upcoming internship and the one I had last summer. I am very excited to begin working for this company and gaining experience in a new area.

This break from school will be much needed and I will return in the fall raring to go!

Until next time, Be EZ!

I have three exams in the next two weeks and I am a revising fool. Revising is what you and I would normally call studying, and the examinations that I am going to take are what we know as finals.

While I’ve been studying here, I took three classes: Modern Irish Society (which isn’t really modern at all), Interpersonal Communications with a lab, and Talk, Interaction and Social Organization (if you can tell me what that is, that would be greatly appreciated…because I still have NO IDEA).

I’ve been blessed with wonderful, understanding professors who take time out of their teaching and research to make sure that I am personally succeeding in their class. I don’t have the heart to tell Catrin, my favorite professor, that I still have no idea what the difference between Pragmatics and Discursive Psychology is, but I have until the 21st May to find out. Wish me luck!

The Learning Resource Center (LRC) or library has been crazy busy since the beginning of last week. Many students have packed themselves a picnic lunch and have camped out at the LRC for the past couple weeks revising and finishing up assignments. I am technically a 2nd year student here (most courses or majors are only three years long), and marks (grades) don’t count for Irish students until their third and final year.

I unfortunately (or as my parents look at it…fortunately) have to do very, very well on my exams in order to get an A or B back home because my credits transfer back as resident credits….so it’s like I never left the U after all! Having that in the back of my head the entire semester has helped motivate me to do well on assignments and papers, but have made me extremely jealous of the other international students who simply have to pass in order for their credits to count.

All in all, I am confident that it will all work out in the end. I’m excited to get done with my finals and be able to do the things I have been meaning to do since I’ve been here and spend the rest of the money that I don’t have to spend!

Good luck to everyone on these last days of school and finals! Even though I HATE finals week, I enjoy looking back on it in just a few weeks time and I always think, ‘it wasn’t as bad as I thought’.

Stay classy and cool, Minneapolis!

They really can’t appreciate the excitement and anticipation that fills the air when we first hit 70 degrees in April.

Lately I’ve been swamped. It gets so hard to make the right choice by finishing research for a big paper coming up when all my friends are playing yard games and grilling. But the few rainy days we’ve had in the last week have saved my life. Tomorrow I have a history paper due and I get a little bit of a breather before finals sneak into my schedule. This semester I have 3 tests, one paper and a website standing in my way during finals week – May 14th will be a glorious day.

This time last year I was finalizing my plans for studying abroad in Italy. Ever since then I’ve been itching to travel… I can’t see enough of the world! Every once in a while something will remind me of my time abroad and I’ll tear up. I tried to convince my parents to let me go somewhere again this spring but with a dwindling bank account and the economy these days, it wasn’t an option. I’m just grateful I took advantage of the learning abroad center at all in college – if I have one recommendation for students, it’s to go somewhere else for a while. Whether it’s volunteering for 2 weeks, interning for a summer or studying for a year, it is an experience you’ll never forget. It’s challenging to be somewhere else and beyond learning about another culture, I learned a ton about myself.

Anyway, back to my paper. Happy spring!

Some may say that 6 weeks is a really long time and before I studied abroad, I would have said the same thing, but if there is one lesson that I have learned since I've been here it is that time is precious and with a blink of an eye, it can pass you by.

I have so many things that I need to do before I leave, however. This week I have a presentations due, then I'm off to Scotland for the weekend. Next week, I have a piece of coursework due, then I am off to Normandy and Paris, France for 4 days, then it's the beginning of May. In the month of May, I only have one week of revision class, then three exams to study for and hopefully pass with flying colors. After that, May 30th will be coming up very quickly and I will be headed to Dublin to catch my flight back to the US. Although I really love it here, I'm excited to head home.

I have missed a few things from back home. My parents, mostly, followed very closely by my family away from family...the CLA Ambassadors. I've also missed having a Chipotle and a Starbucks at my fingertips. I can't wait to get back to work and see everyone in the CLA offices, but mostly I can't wait to get back to Minneapolis. The city was one of the biggest reasons that I choose to study at the University of Minnesota. I am really going to miss some thing from here, though.

I'm going to miss the people. The friends I've made here are some of the most amazing people that I have ever met. I'm going to miss drinking tea socially, the beautiful coastline, and the weather. As cliche as it sounds, I owe my study abroad experience a lot. I have learned very valuable lessons since I've been away and I've not only studied and learned at a great University, I've learned a lot about myself as well.

I remember talking to a good friend of mine last semester and he asked me why I am studying abroad. I told him that I wasn't really sure besides the facts that I love to travel and I really needed to get away and know that I could live on my own for a change. I'm sure he could tell that I was scared to go away, but he and I both knew it was something that I needed to do. I look back on that moment last semester and realize that studying abroad has helped me grow so much and I will not be returning to the US the same person, but someone who has a broader view of the world and is more understanding of my surroundings.

As I look forward to this summer and all of the activities that are being planned, I can't help but to look back on my experience abroad. Like I said, I still have 6 weeks left, but those will fly by so quickly and I will be thankful that I've had a wee bit of time to reminisce on studying abroad.

I hope the Minnesota weather is clearing up and there is no more snow coming your way. I'm sure you are sick of it as much as I am of the rain here!

Wish me luck as I'll be stuck in a whirlwind these next few weeks. I promise I will get out alive to tell about it!

One of the nice things about the libraries on campus is that many articles and research materials are online. I can do a lot of research for my papers from the comfort of my room. It’s easy, helpful, and I don’t have to lose time by going to the library for every little resource.

This past week I did end up going to the library to check out books for one of my research papers, and it was relatively simple to find what I needed and move on. As an underclassman I used to spend a majority of my time in the library while I studied. Now, however, I spend less and less time there, opting instead for my quiet room or a local coffee shop. It’s nice however to have the option of getting my resources at the actual library or online as well.

This week I checked out my first video for a class from the digital library. I was able to watch the VHS on a VCR in the library, which was a nice service since I don’t have one here. While I was searching for the movie that I needed for class, I saw that the library has many films and movies to choose from, and not just the studious kind. It was kind of fun to find more popular movies intermixed with the educational ones.

Anyway, as you can tell, I had a busy week that included many stops physically and online to the library. I was just impressed with the ease of the resources there.

Upon leaving the US, I was filled with NOTHING but doubts, fears, anxieties, and the general feeling of, "what on earth have I gotten myself into?" Everything in my life was falling into place perfectly at the time, and leave it to me to go and mess it all up by fleeing the country for 4 months. Little did I know.......

Everybody always says life comes at you fast, right? A lot of people never stop and take the time to think about how fast it really goes. When I left I thought, "oh my God, 4 months is like an eternity - my whole life is in Minnesota, why do I keep leaving?" - and within my first few weeks in Quito my mindset changed to "wow, 4 months is nothing in the grand scheme of life."

Now I have only one month and 3 days left to go, and I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. I spent 7 weeks in Quito and then one in Peru (spring break) before heading to where I am now in Tena, Ecuador (6 hours SE of Quito). The first 7 weeks were all academic at Fundación CIMAS del Ecuador as part of the Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID) program through the U of M. Now these second 6 weeks are all devoted to a rural area internship. The internship is dedicated to whichever area of study you desire it to be in (i.e. mine is public health, there is also education and micro finance).

Anyway, I spent my weekends in Quito, well.... away from Quito. I traveled all through Ecuador to the north (Otavalo and Cotacachi), to the coast (Montoñita), and to various other places such as San Miguel de los Bancos, I jumped off a bridge in Baños, I climbed a volcano (Pinchincha), and we eventually found our way to Peru where I was able to throw up on one of the 7 wonders of the world at Machu Picchu (no sleep, high altitude, and bad food make for a great day). Still, at least I was able to leave my mark. All of these places have certainly left their marks on me.

As fun as those first 7 weeks were, I have now come to the powerful part of the study abroad experience. MSID is like no other program in that it is really meant to open your eyes to a different culture and helps you do so by being involved in the community through an internship and living with host families. I am currently working in the emergency room in the hospital here in Tena - the biggest hospital in "El Oriente" region of Ecuador. It has been incredible just in these first few weeks to see the incredible differences among not only life in the US compared to here, but life in Quito compared to here. It has been quite the double culture shock. I can only hope I continue to be awed by the simplicity of life here that is so contradictory to that of the US.

I could go on forever, but I'll cut it short here so I can go rest from an intense day of white water rafting through the jungle yesterday! If anybody ever asks you if you're planning on studying abroad - my advice is to do your best to put EVERYTHING on the back burner, and I mean everything, and respond with an immediate yes. Entonces, siga no más, come and study abroad to see what the world outside of Minnesota and the United States has to offer - I promise that you'll never regret it!

Peace love, and enjoy warm water, toilet seats, and sleeping past 4am,
- Dave

In September I applied for a program called the Multicultural Advertising Intern Program, which is an organization which helps major advertising and marketing firms to recruit qualified multicultural students for the summer to work in the advertising industry.

I worked hard to on this internship, but if it had not been for faculty like Professor Jisu Huh and Catherine Squires constantly sending students updates to me about internship opportunities I would never have known to apply.

I was also fortunate to have the support of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication staff. Maggie Cosgrove helped with my printing and scanning needs (my printer at home is sucky to say the least) and Linda Lindholm was constantly checking in on me and giving me support.

I am also thankful for all the internships that I had in the past which were not always the greatest. I remember having to sprint down the street in heels outside of Clear Channel waving a banner screaming "100.3! The number 1 station for Hip Hop and R&B!" in 100 degree whether or working 40 plus hours a week in Abercrombie and Fitch where everyone seemed to be a size and the music was so loud I am almost certain I have permanent eardrum damage, but now that I look back it was all worth it.

If i had not paid my dues I would not have had the experience needed to obtain and internship at Young & Rubicam, also referred to as Y&R, one of the most prestigious advertising companies in the world. I feel very blessed and feel very grateful.

I hope that every single person who comes to the University gets stuck with a sucky internship, to learn valuable lessons and skills that will bring them closer to their ultimate dream.

TTYL

Krystal Bradford

I went to the financial aid seminar, and it was really helpful in assisting students with making money decisions for the future as we all leave undergraduate college and move on to other things. It was primarily basic information, however they covered a lot of pertinent information such as student loans and how they work, budgets, and financial tips that we can use in the future.

Other stops along the way were picking up my cap and gown and getting information on all types of insurance. I even stopped by the Alumni Association table to look in to how I can keep up with what’s happening here at the U.

Overall, I was really glad with all the resources that the University prepared for us. It makes me feel good that these resources are available to us throughout our college experience, and that they are trying to prepare us for the best future not just through our classes, but by ensuring that we have the information to move forward in our personal lives as well after graduation. I just thought it was a nice event, and a helpful one at that!

This event is sponsored and run by the College of Liberal Arts Student Board. The Student Board is an official student organization here at the University of Minnesota which any student in the College of Liberal Arts is able to join. The two main requirements necessary to become a member is whether you are able to dedicate the time to be an active member and if you are able to attend the weekly meetings in Johnston Hall (room B-33) from 3:30 to 5:00. That’s it! So make sure to check us out; it is a great way to meet new friends and get involved in your education.

After you have been selected as a member-at-large you will also have the option of running for a board position. Some of these positions are President, Vice Pres. Treasurer, Secretary, External Chair, Internal Chair or Academic Chair. At the end of each spring semester all of these positions are up for grabs and any member-at-large is able to nominate themselves or someone else to run for one of these positions.

I am currently a Chair on the External Committee and one of our big events is the College of Liberal Arts Major Fair. This event is targeted to freshman and sophomores who are undecided on what major they want to pursue. It is also a good way for any student to get more information on potential minors that they may be considering in additional to a current major they already declared. This event will feature departments from all over the College of Liberal Arts who will be ready and willing to help any student find that certain major/career path.

There are also several other events that the External Committee puts on for students throughout the year. These range from an Art Fair during the fall semester, an Improv show during the spring semester, as well as several other events that are geared toward getting students more involved in their education.

So come check out the CLA Major Fair this Wednesday if you are around. There will be free CLA t-shirts, Frisbees, a raffle for gift certificates and much more!

Hope to see you there,

Mike

This will be my first time there, but I'm geeked! Everyone's been talking about how fun it is. On top of that I'm getting ready for some more freshmen welcoming events. I've been working with the Multicultural Center of Academic Excellence (MCAE).

Every year MCAE hosts an event for incoming freshmen known as the Multicultural Kick-Off. I attended this event as a freshman and have been an ambassador for the past 2 years. I always sound so corny when I talk about the Kick-off, but I really feel like it completely changed my entire experience here at the U for the better. I met so many people when I was at the Kick-off that I'm still close friends with today. I was introduced to a number of resources and student organizations that really fit my interests and needs as a student.

Everyone should go to the Kick-off if you're coming here! You won't regret it. It's a great way to meet people and get involved! It changed my life! haha.

In addition to getting ready for the Kick-off, I've been working hard with my school work and my student orgs. My student group, 'In The Mix' is getting off to a good start! We've been meeting regualrly and have really started to get our plans off the ground and we're preparing for our first big event. I'm really excited for this!

In case you didn't already know, the U of M offers over 600 student organizations for students to get involved. You can also create your own student organization if out of all those organizations, your needs aren't satisfied. There are so many ways to get involved here on campus, and I definitely recommend looking at some of the chances as soon as you can!

Until next time!
-Thomas

I think that one of the fantastic things about being at the University of Minnesota is having the Twin Cities advantage of being in a thriving metropolitan area. Because of this fact, I am able to spend my time both working and studying, and learning a lot in the process.

It’s been a cool experience to be in St. Paul and a part of the legislative session, and I have been able to use some of my skills that I have learned through both my political science and journalism classes to assist me at my internship.

One of the neat projects that I get to work on is compiling the newsletter and writing and brainstorming ideas for its content. This is fun, and it allows me to apply skills that I have learned through school in an enjoyable professional setting.

Internships are really important in preparing students for future careers. They not only give you valuable work experience, but you also are able to have real-world work experience to see if it’s even something you are interested in pursuing. I know that I have done internships throughout the summers, but I have been glad to have the option of interning during the semester as well.

I definitely encourage looking in to internships and considering them for your college experience. Having the option of many different internships close to campus has made all the difference for me!

I spent the last week managing a local theatre in my hometown, catching up on some movies (I was finally able to see The Wrestler and the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire!) enjoying some delicious home-cooked meals and rebooting my system with some much needed sleep. However, all good things eventually come to an end. Even though my mind is still ‘on vacation,’ it is time to start buckling down for a busy B-Term.

I am guessing you may be asking yourself, “What exactly is a B-Term?” This is a very valid question since I also was unaware of B-Term classes before entering this spring semester.

A-Term and B-Term courses are actually classes offered at the University of Minnesota that only last for half of a semester. Students are able to enroll in these two credit classes that will run for approximately two months. However, the workload of the class is similar to a four credit course since you are learning the material of an entire class in half the normal time period.

During this current B-term I will be starting two human resource management courses through the Carlson School of Management here at the University of Minnesota. (Students in the College of Liberal Arts are allowed to take these types of business classes if they decide to declare a minor in business management).

There are also many other class options that give students this type of flexibility when they register for classes. In addition to half-semester classes, the University of Minnesota also offers night classes, internet-delivered classes, as well as other manageable options. With all of these options you should have no worries about scheduling your classes around a part-time job, weekly meetings of a student organization or any other part-time commitments during the week.

Wish me luck,

Mike

They have a non voting delegate in Congress and no senators. That pretty much sucks when they have the most military per capita of any city and they pay taxes. Thus the reason their license plates read "Taxation without Representation." I was so excited to lead a trip to the Capitol and work with groups like DC, Vote and DC, Represent and meet with Congressman Jessie Jackson Jr. as well as other influential people in the house and in the Senate. I was prepared to fight for HR. 665( its a bill) but by the end of my trip I learned a lot about leadership.

While leading this trip I learned that all people cannot be lead the same. For instance, my Co-Leader was younger than all of the other trip attendees and was very shy. He works better when he's delegated tasks. Some people need a leader who gives them freedom and others need a leader who micromanages, and then there are people who just want to lead.

On this trip I learned that being a good leader means identifying what type of leadership is needed. I realize that "You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time." Sometimes you have to put your foot down and you will be respected for it but for the most part compromise is a must.

I also learned that if everyone likes you all of the time while you are leading then you are probably doing a horrible job. lol Washington, DC taught me a lot about leadership, despite me thinking I knew everything that there is to know.

I wonder if President Obama has been as fortunate. I'm not sure but I am guessing he has learned a lot about leadership too in Washington, because he is doing a great job!

My grandparents are snowbirds, meaning they rent a place in Florida to get away from the snow for 4 months (if only I could do that!). They offered their spare bedroom to me and a friend - PERFECT! Grandma's pies and the beach out our front door!

After frantically packing on Saturday night, I wasn't quite totally awake when we arrived at the airport at 5:45am for a 7:00am flight. We checked out bags, grabbed some much needed caffeine and headed to the plane.

When we arrived in Dallas, TX, for our connecting flight, we learned that we along with 5 or so other passengers had been kicked off for overbooking and weather weight restrictions. In my opinion, mid-March is not the time to be overbooking flights to Florida. Apparently they thought all of us college kids on Spring Break would not show up for the flight...

They booked us into a hotel for the evening along with $15 in food vouchers (to last us three meals and they could only be redeemed at the airport). So here we were - at a hotel not even in Dallas but Irving near the airport, with no luggage, $15 to last us 3 meals and nothing near us except vacant parking lots and a gas station about a 10 minute walk away. Not the beach that I had been dreaming about for 2 months.

We finally arrived at my grandparents' place on the beach at 11:00pm the next night... leaving us 2 1/2 days on the beach before we both had to get back to campus to work the weekend shifts.

It definitely was not the spring break that I had planned. But it was better than being here - although I hear it got up to 69 degrees so maybe I should have just saved my money. Those 2 1/2 days were relaxing as promised, and if nothing else I've got a good story now.

Best of all, it was one week without midterms!

Well, I feel like no matter where I go, I want to leave my mark. Even though the University of Ulster-Jordanstown is about four times as small as the University of Minnesota, it can still feel daunting walking around and not knowing or even recognizing a single soul in this place. As my fellow Ambassadors and I will tell you time and time again, getting involved with clubs, societies, or sports on campus is a great way to meet others and to make the campus seem a little smaller than it actually is.

Although I was nervous to go out and start talking to people, I knew it was something that I both needed to do and wanted to do. I remember walking along the shore with another international student from Wisconsin, talking about what types of things we were interested in and what we wanted to do while we were here. The first thing that connected us was the fact that we both wanted to find a church in Northern Ireland. Both being Christian, we would not have been able to go four and a half months without going to church. We were definitely directed to the perfect church for us; allowing us to become really great friends with college aged students, as well as other older congregation members who have stepped out to help us in any way possible since we've been here. It's truly been a blessing.

Not only have I gotten involved with the church off campus, I've also been able to meet and get involved with other numerous activities on campus. The biggest club that I'm involved in is the Christian Union, or CU as they call it for short. If you know anything about Campus Crusades for Christ on the U of M campus, it is very similar to that. We meet once a week for praise and worship, then are able to listen to a sermon prepared by numerous people from around Belfast. I have met so many great people through CU and I look forward to going every Thursday evening.

I have also joined a Small Group, or Bible Study as they are sometimes called. This has not only allowed me to learn more about Christianity, but it has allowed me to grow closer to about ten people or so. These are ten people who I know I don't have to hesitate to call if I have a question, need an ear to listen or just someone to cheer me up.

Every Wednesday night, I have been going to an event called iCafe. This a dinner event put on by the Christian Union, which allows international students to join together and meet other international students, as well as students from Belfast and surrounding areas.

I have also joined the Sports Union. As a member of the Sports Union, I am able to participate in sport at Uni. I am also allowed to use the gym whenever I please. UUJ is known for their sports, so it's really cool to see so many great athletes in sports that I don't normally get the chance to see, especially galactic football, rugby, and field hockey.

Through these on campus clubs and events, I have had no trouble meeting people. It is a comforting feeling walking down the Mall of the university building and seeing someone I know almost all the time. So, I am living proof, that even if you are in a foreign country, it is very easy to get involved and meet people on campus as long as you step out and give it a chance. It helps that the Northern Irish really like the American accent!

Until next time...

Some good and some bad, but its def all been a good learning experience. Here's some updates. I am now one of the newest members of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity Inc. I am currently in the process of preparing the 2009 Multicultural Kickoff with the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE) and have been hard at work continuing with our events for Voices Merging. On top of that it's time for midterms again. I barely have time to breathe, but as you guys probably already know, I wouldn't have it any other way!

'm gonna relax tonight though. I'm hanging out with my roommates. Its been awhile since I did that. it's always good to take a break sometimes. Especially since I have a huge event I'm involved with tomorrow on campus. I'm excited for it though and I think it will be a success, so I'm gonna kick back tonight.

I know I've mentioned this before, but college is definitely the time when you discover yourself. All of the people I've met, opportunities that I've had and risks that I have taken have really helped me figure myself out. Thanks to the help of myfamily and friends and ambition, I can finally say I know where I'm going. Now I just need to find the time to put in the work to get there haha.

I have to give HUGE THANK YOU to my friend and fellow Ambassador Jasmine O. I can't even begin to tell you how much she's done for me and continues to do for me everyday!

I will write again very soon with more detailed updates, but like I said tonight is my night to relax.

Leave me some comments please:)

Deuces,
Thomas-

I have currently narrowed my options down to three choices either return to my hometown in Rochester, Minnesota and work as an assistant manager at Cinemagic Theatres (the job I held last summer), study abroad in Toledo, Spain or attempt to find an internship in the Cities... Big decision huh?

Right now I am actually leaning toward doing a May term in Toledo, Spain in addition to working over the summer. The May term program would run through the first week of June and then I would hopefully be able to return to the States in time to still make a little cash during the summer.

Students who decide to study abroad are able to choose from a variety of study abroad programs from all around the world. There are fall semester, spring semester, full academic year, May term and summer programs to choose from. So if you don’t have the time to dedicate a whole semester abroad (which is my case) you can still experience a different culture during a three week May term or a longer summer program.

The first step to studying abroad is attending a First Step Meeting. You can check out times for a First Step Meeting at the Learning Abroad Website or by simply stopping by the Learning Abroad Office in 230 Heller Hall. After a First Step Meeting you will be able to sit down with an adviser and discuss specific programs you are interested in.

There are several advantages to studying abroad in a foreign country. From learning more about our globalized world to experiencing a culture first-hand, it is an experience that is strongly encouraged by advisers at this University. It is also valued by many employers and can be an excellent resume builder and conversation starter.

Some students may be a bit apprehensive in deciding whether to study abroad due to the nature of our economy and various financial concerns. However, I suggest simply looking into a program and you may find that it is more affordable than you thought. There are also MANY scholarships available to students who study abroad!

Until next time,

Mike

School here is a bit different than back home. I am only taking 3 modules or classes as we know them in the States. All students here that go through the 3 year course are handed their schedule at the beginning of the semester and are not allowed to change their classes unless they change the whole course that they are on. Professors are called lecturers, classes are called modules, majors are called courses, and craic is not a drug, rather a term for 'fun'....I am learning so much lingo here. I am only in class for about 9 hours a week, consisting of 3 lectures (1-2 hours each), 2 seminars (1 hours each), and a lab (2 hours, but rarely ever takes the whole time). I have so much downtime during the day that I have been able to sharpen up my Facebook skills quite well. The lecturers here expect there to be many readings down for the end of the semester from multiple books, for example, there are close to 20 books that I must read excerpts from in order to use them on my exam at the end of semester. We are only graded on two things here-coursework and exam. Coursework is worth 40% of my total grade and that consists of either a lab book, a presentation or an essay alone. Exams are worth 60% of our grade, and they are all essay exams. Some are seen exams, where you see the questions prior to the exam, and some are closed exams. Although I do not like exams, at all, I am a bit more confident because they are all essay. I was told that classes were easier overseas than they are at our home institutions, but I'm not so sure I believe that. I don't think that classes here are any easier, I just think they are very different than home, and it makes it a challenge to get used to the processes here.

I spent the day today 'playing catch up'; the story of my life. I was able to reread and write 3 lectures from the past couple of weeks and read a little bit. I still feel like I have a quite a bit to do, but unfortunately have lost the motivation to do so. Maybe I'll start fresh tomorrow.

On the upside, I am having the time of my life here in Ireland. It was a big step to come here for the semester, but I truly believe that it has been all worth it. If you are even considering studying abroad, I would start looking into it now. There are so many great programs out there and if you have done your research homework, you will be able to find the one that suites you the best!

Until next time...

This is my first semester of solely journalism courses - four of them to be exact. Though my time on campus is spent entirely in the J-school (Murphy Hall), my classes have enough of variety to keep me as excited as I always have been to be studying journalism. I'm taking a Visual Journalism course, Mass Media and People of Color, History of Media Communication and Magazine Writing. The four courses have complementary aspects but also very different content.

My magazine writing course is taught by an adjunct faculty member which means she has a job in the "real world" (which is anywhere off of the U of M campus, according to most students). She has worked for the Associated Press and various magazines as writers and editors. The J-school often brings in adjunct faculty to bring the "real world" experience to the students.

This is my first semester with a for-credit internship. I'm a News Intern at WCCO-TV on the Nicollet Mall downtown Minneapolis. Through the various departments at the CLA (mine being journalism), most offer the opportunity to get an internship where you can receive credit for doing so. I get to spend 15 hours every week in the newsroom of Channel 4, learning the ropes and watching news happen. It is the most exciting job I've ever had - there is never a dull moment and I learn all the time (more than just current events).

This is my first semester with a new plan for graduation. Because of my internship, I've not exactly changed my major (wouldn't want to do that again); rather, I've updated it. I was on track to be a professional journalism major with an emphasis in magazine writing. I have worked out my schedule for the next two semesters to have emphases in magazine AND broadcast journalism. I'm really excited about this.

Other notable "firsts": first semester without wisdoms (had them pulled on Friday the 13th! And not the best idea to try to recover over one weekend); first semester as a 21-year-old (my golden birthday is on February 21st); first semester legitimately stressing about how I'm going to find a job when I graduate (...there actually is a "real world" after this?); first semester of college not having to sign a new lease (my roommates and I are staying in our current off-campus house... thank goodness!)

… new job
Right after winter break, I moved into University Village (one of the three university housing apartment residence halls) as a Community Advisor. So what exactly is a community advisor? Other universities sometimes call them RAs or residence hall advisors. I’m a student that lives in the residence hall and acts as leader or facilitator for one floor of the residence hall (a house).
Last year I lived in Comstock Hall, a more traditional residence hall. Last semester I shared an apartment off-campus in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood. Now I’m in a University apartment.
It straddles the two. University Village has the community and campus involvement as with the traditional residence halls but also the independence from having an apartment.
Some of my favorite perks: free laundry in each apartment, a dishwasher (amazing! After six months of washing dishes by hand) and the rec center within the building.

* So feel free to shoot me any questions about housing, and I’ll figure out a way to get it answered if I cannot.

… new classes
(well obviously…) But it’s more than just new classes. This semester I made it a priority to have a few “fun” electives. I love my classes within my majors (especially that I am getting beyond the foundation and being able to specialize), but I love being able to relax and now that I am taking a class because I want to and not because I need to for a program.
My two “fun” classes are photography and self-defense, both of which will help me while I am studying abroad next year. It’s great to have a homework assignment that asks me to walk around the lakes or spend an afternoon downtown.

One of the best movies I saw was Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood. Eastwood played a Korean Vet who helps protect a troubled youth from a local Hmong gang. ~Fun Fact: The movie was actually based on the culture of the Hmong in Minneapolis and one of the main actors (Bee Vang) goes to high school in Plymouth, Minnesota.~

I also enjoyed Will Smith’s performance in Seven Pounds where he plays an IRS agent and decides to change the lives of several strangers. This movie did not receive the best reviews since critics feel it plays with the viewer’s emotions, but I was still very impressed with Smith’s performance. I would suggest seeing both Gran Torino, Seven Pounds as well as many of the other notable movies that were released before the new year (Valkyrie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road, etc...).

However, winter break is now over and it’s back to the reality of the busy college life style. It is now the end of the second week of school and I am still trying to get back into the rhythm of studying and writing papers late into the night. Fortunately my class work has yet to pick up, so I will be able to enjoy watching Super Bowl XLIII this Sunday. I am not really favoring one team over the other so I decided I am going to cheer for Arizona since I feel they are the underdogs. I am also a fan of Larry Fitzgerald who used to be a Vikings ball boy.

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday!

Monday: First day of modules! Today was a bit uneventful, but successful nonetheless. I had my first module (or class, as they call it in the States), and it was titled 'Talk, Interaction, and Social Organization'. I had spoken to the professor last week about the module a bit, and it seems like the material will be challenging, but nothing I can't handle. I have a strong social theory background, but no pragmatics background, so that might hurt me a little bit. We have one presentation and one exam that makes up our entire grade, so talk about pressure! It is most definitely a change from the States, but a challenge that I am ready to take on. My module is from 9:15-11:15 AM, and after that I am free the rest of the day.

Tuesday: Second day of modules! Again, today was a bit uneventful. I would normally have a seminar from 12:15-1:15 PM on Tuesday afternoons, but we don't have seminars the first week. So I waited until 3:15 PM for my Interpersonal Communication theory module to begin. This module is a first year skills module and the lecture is probably about 300 people strong. Our practicals, however, will be less than 40. This module involves a lot of hands on activities. There will be a lot of recording of ourselves, then analyzing how we said what we said and our body language, all associated with how we communicate with others. This module will be something that I have yet to experience and for that I am excited.

Wednesday: Third day of modules! Today, I had only one lecture, but I will have a seminar in the morning starting next week. This was my Modern Irish Society class. I was very intimated at first from this class, because even though I took a European History class my senior year of high school, I regret to say that almost NOTHING stuck in my head. The professor kept saying 'in last years set of modules' or 'you should know', and I didn't. I am quite nervous about the class, but excited nonetheless. I think it will help me be informed about Irish Society more completely in order to make the most of my trip.

Thursday: (Would have been the) Fourth day of modules! Today, I would normally have a practical session for my Interpersonal Communications class at 9:15, but again, no practicals or seminars the first week of class. So instead, I slept in. I had a meeting with my advisor at 12:30 PM to finalize my modules for this semester. After a huge runaround (going to 4 different places to get stamps and whatnot) and 45 minutes, I finally got registered and am an OFFICIAL STUDENT AT UUJ! I have my student id to prove it!

Friday: I don't have any class today!!! It is currently 12:30 in the afternoon, and I am leaving for my home stay in a few hours. The drive to our home stay is about 2 hours away, so my roommate and I will have a while to rest up. I have been looking forward to this home stay since I got here. I think that it will give us a great insight to how Irish people live and it will be interesting to see the differences between how they and we as Americans live.

Until next time....

The hustle and bustle has returned to campus! Being one who stays here year round, I must say that I enjoy the quiet during breaks--there are no lines to wait in, it's easy to make appointments with people, and there is no wait for the elevators in my building. However, it is great when friends return and things get back to normal.

This semester is off to a great start! Why, you may ask? Here are just a few reasons:
1) The days are getting longer! I hate in the wintertime when it starts getting dark around 3:00. It makes me just want to go home and sleep. So now that the days are getting longer again, I have more energy and am more enthusiastic about doing things after my school/work/meeting day ends.

2) I love my classes! I am really getting into my major now, taking 4 communications classes and one industrial/organizational psychology class that I think I will love. I am feeling like I will get along well with my professors, and they seem to be pretty nice in general. Some even offer extra credit! The classes are all pretty full, so there are a lot of new people for me to get to know. However, one thing I am ELATED about is that I am taking my night class with two of my best friends, one who is fellow ambassador Thomas Toley (check out his blog). A 3 hour night class can go a lot faster when you sit with people you love.

3) Thomas and I are starting to get busy doing things with MCAE (pronounced MK). Every year there is a two day Multicultural Kickoff right before school starts for incoming freshman of color. Last year, we were emcees for the event, but this year we have a lot more added responsibility with regards to planning it, selecting leaders, training, etc. It is hectic, but fun and I am glad we get to have an impact on this year's kickoff. If you are interested in getting more information, you can go to http://www.mcae.umn.edu.

4) Voices Merging is planning on doing many big things this semester including our regular open mics on Monday nights, but also a hip hop/spoken word play and a poetry slam and lyricist battle. It will be off the chain--no lie. Plus, the first Open Mic of '09 is this Monday, so we are very excited about that. Historically, this is the biggest one of the year with at least 275-300 people in attendance, I'll give you an update on it on the next blog.

5) Spring Semester means SPRING IS COMING!!! Can't wait to walk outside and not freeze or have to bundle up with double gloves and socks, boots, scarf,long johns, etc. I love spring, it definitely boosts my morale so cross your fingers on groundhog day that winter ends right then and there ok? Haha, we'll see but until next time, BE EZ!

My amazing journey began close to one week ago, January 16th from O'Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois. My flight to London left Chicago at 7:55 PM. What was suppose to be a peaceful, overnight, 6.5 hour flight turned into not much of that. I slept a little bit on the plane, but I was unfortunately sitting in very close proximity to two small children who had too much hot air.

We arrived very late to London because we circled the airport for about 45 minutes before we landed. Heathrow, because of the bad weather earlier in the day, was delayed about 45 minutes and I was terrified that I was going to miss my flight, but after running around the airport for about 30 minutes, I got to my plane and boarded, only 1.5 hours later than expected. It could have been worse...I could have missed my flight entirely.

So I got into Dublin and my luggage arrived, thank goodness, and I waited for another girl in my program to arrive. We then ventured our way to our hostel....both extremely tired from traveling for almost 24 hours, but we wanted to get over our jet lag, so we hit the City Centre with bags under our eyes, grabbed a sandwich, then headed back. We were both very pleased that we made it until 8:30 PM before we went to bed.

The rest of the week, or rather 4 days went by quickly as ever. We had our program orientation, spent the week with an amazing group of students traveling to Limerick with Arcadia University, and got to know Dublin City Centre pretty well.

This morning, we were bused to Belfast. It was about a 2 hour drive, but three of the four of us girls who came to the North slept the whole way. For the part that I saw, it was a beautiful drive, but it was raining. I suppose I'm going to just have to get used to it. Tomorrow and Friday, I have the University orientation and I can register for classes. I am excited to get my schedule figured out and get settled in for the next four and a half months.

I will update you all soon. Have a great day!!

Kari

1) I am definitely going back to Mexico to get Mari (our personal chef's) recipes and 2) I need to do something about the unjust things that are going on in our country and the prejudice that is being committed against Mexican Americans.

Y-Immersion allowed us to see an unbiased view of issues happening at the border. We stayed at Casa Incah and talked to teenagers deported from America, many of which had been in America the majority of their lives and couldn't speak Spanish. We also met with Minute Men, self proclaimed patriots who patrol the border to return Mexican migrants. We met border patrol officers as well and saw the miles of impenetrable border that was being built daily.There are so many sides to this issue and people are passionate about each one. However, when I went to Casa Cornelia an immigration law firm based in San Diego and learned that American Citizen were being deported. I was furious.

Despite having one of the most multicultural presidents in American history we still have people who are being treated unjustly because of their color, religion and sexual orientation. My new president has restored hope to the nation but his vision cannot be fulfilled if he is the only one working to end discrimination. We have to work together as a collective. This is why I have now chosen to go to law school and study civil rights law. I want to be the change I want to see in the world.

I have just become a Big Sister, through the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters program. This is great. I have a natural big sister who inspired me to make responsible decisions in life and now I will be able to do the same thing as well as teach my little sister cool little things I learned like knitting, crocheting, yoga and fun community service activities.

I have also decided to let positive thoughts control my life. For Christmas, I bought my mommy a book called The Secret and it talked about how when we invite positive thoughts into our life we invite positive things into our life and we transfer our positive energy to whomever we are around. I want to give my loved one the gift of positive energy, but that cannot be achieved unless I myself am positive and take everything that happens with a cup of sugar opposed to a grain of salt.

All of my friends from high school went to universities in different states. We are all pretty independent, but it was not until I spent Thanksgiving in Minnesota without my family that I realized nobody is too independent to not need their family. I thought I was saving a buck (or $400) by staying in Minnesota and not going to Missouri but instead I lost a lot in not going home. My family has always been a dysfunctional support system that keeps me grounded and going. They understand me and my growth and they never attack my culture, because they are apart of it.

Nobody understands you quite like your family, so here’s a tip to all of my entering out of state students. Never miss a holiday with your family. If you are experiencing some financial issues, here are some options for the student who is “balling�? on a budget.

1. Buy your travel tickets at least a month in advance.------
2. Check at least four websites before you buy a plane ticket.
3. Look at other travel alternatives ( carpooling with someone else from your state and offer them gas money and or food for compensation)
4. Take a bus (Megabus.com usually costs between $15 and $25 and goes to most of the major cities surrounding the University like Milawaukee, Chicago, Madison and even my favorite city, my hometown Saint Louis.) Greyhound is also always a good choice. Greyhounds will take you anywhere. You meet interesting people and the buses are way less than your average plane ticket, though they might be trading price for speed.
5. You can also take a train. Trains cost more than buses, because they are faster and there is also more room to stretch and sleep.

There are ways to see you family in tough times. Seeing my family during Christmas was one of the greatest Christmas gifts I could have gotten and it was also a nice reminder of why I went to school out of state. lol Happy Holidays all!!!

It seems that in my final year here at the University of Minnesota I’m doing a double-take and making sure that I’ve checked everything off my list that I wanted to accomplish. Studying abroad was one thing that I hadn’t done yet, and another is interning in the Twin Cities area. I have had a lot of internships in college, but none have actually been within the Twin Cities. Next semester I will be interning at the Minnesota state capitol in the Senate. I think it should be really fun, and I’m excited that I’ll have not only the chance to do so, but also the time to intern during the semester.

It seems that as I’m reflecting over the past semester, and looking forward to the next, I just want to make sure that I have all my ducks in a row and make it as rich an experience as possible. I can’t wait to get abroad, and then come back and start another great semester trying new things!

Finals are finally over for me! Today is the last day for everyone, but my last one was last night. Finals can be some of the most dreaded, grueling, tiring weeks of ones life. You are expected to remember things you have learned throughout the semester and tie them all into a paper or test. Luckily, not all finals are cumulative, so sometimes you just have to remember what you have learned 2-3 weeks ago, but even that can be hard sometimes. I love the professors who give out assignments/tests early so you don't have to actually do them during finals week and can start your vacation early.

There is one great thing about finals though, that's the feeling of relief you get when you finish your last one. After I finished last night at 8:00PM, I calmly turned in my test, put on my coat, walked out of the building, and proceeded to scream the most joyous, stress-relieving, celebratory scream of life, right there on the West Bank. I got a few looks, but apparently they must not have been done with finals yet or they would have been doing the same thing.

Break in college is much longer than it is in high school, we get about 4 full weeks, just about a month, I am looking forward to it. Towards the end, I will probably be ready for the hustle and bustle to start up again but right now, I am ready to take it easy. I still have to work on campus and have a long list of things to get done over break, but I plan to travel to Atlanta for a national conference with the Impact Movement ( a student group here at the U) and also to Alabama and visit some family I have not seen foe about 13 years. It will be great!

Well, check back next month to hear about all the crazy adventures of winter break. I wish you all happy holidays and until next time, Be EZ!

So, what has been happening in Bobby's World? First, I did get go to a Wolves game a couple of weeks ago. They were playing Philadelphia, and surprisingly, they won!! Now, I love Minnesota athletics, but I'm going to be honest, the Wolves are in my mind not worthy of a regular ticket price. Lucky for me though Wednesday is student night. That means that students get tickets for Wednesday night games for a discounted price and one of the best things ever...dollar hot dogs! Anyways, this game ended up being worth going to, because they won, and I was able to go watch the game with a few of my close friends. This was pre-Kevin McHale as coach, so I'm still interested in seeing how that works out.

Anyways, with finals coming up, and winter break around the corner, things are getting really busy. I'm busy looking for a nice summer internship I could secure...if anyone has any ideas, let me know! Along, with that, I'm thinking about taking the LSAT in February, finishing up finals, and just reaching the tail-end of my fantasy football league. Yes, CLA Ambassadors play fantasy football too, this particular Ambassador loves it. Anyways, this week was the first week of playoffs and barring Brian Westbrook scoring about forty fantasy points, I think I'll be winning this round. Alright, better get back to the grind! Wish me luck.

Until Next Time.

Last time I wrote, I was gearing up for attendance at the American International Model United Nations Conference in Chicago. It was very conveniently scheduled for the weekend before Thanksgiving, extending a much anticipated break from school… although the reading and homework assignments didn’t do itself and somehow I managed to complete the majority during the 8-hour bus ride to Chicago.
The conference was fabulous! As a delegate of Argentina, a leading South American country, on the United Nations Environment Programme, I made sure to make myself heard. Teaming up with other South American countries, I got to see my resolution on funding for “green�? development passed by the committee and sent to the General Assembly. It was a new experience, promoting the agenda of a country that I did not necessarily agree with 100%, but I was there to represent Argentina not an imaginary idealized nation.
After spending the Thanksgiving with family in Indiana and then shopping in Chicago, I returned to the University of Minnesota with only a week and a half left of classes before finals week. Thanksgiving break is brutal. It like being able to smell fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, and getting none to eat. The Thanksgiving break comes at a time when it is much needed, but it is way too short. I was just getting used to relaxing, when BAM! I was back in classes with papers up the wazoo and final exams just around the corner. Luckily winter break is going to start at the end of next week…

The first week of classes after break were per usual, but this week has been brutal. Somehow I never seem to learn to start papers earlier so that I don’t have a combined 30 pages to write in 4 days… but it always works out with many late nights and so I never learn. Walter Library has been my savior! It’s amazing how focused I get when surrounded by a hundred or so other students who are studying as well. I fell guilty if I stay on Facebook too long rather than writing my paper.

Currently I stand at 2 papers and 2 assignments down, 1 paper and 5 exams to go. One day at a time. I finally sat down and wrote a study schedule so that I can prioritize and stay on track. I’m always afraid that I will forget to study for an exam simply because it wasn’t in my schedule, but I’ve double and triple checked it… One can only hope and do one’s best.

Obviously they had not experienced a Minnesota winter in quite some time. Yet, a Minnesota winter should not be a deterrent from considering whether to attend the University of Minnesota. In addition to the winter season, students also get to see trees changing colors in the fall and the blooming flowers of spring. Being able to experience four distinct seasons is one of the many benefits of living in Minnesota.

And yes, the temperatures do dip below freezing during the winter. Yet the cold also has its benefits. From snowball fights to sledding, there are many fun things to do during a Minnesota winter. So if you have never experienced a snowfall, this may be the opportunity for you. There are also physical education classes offered that take full advantage of the winter. The University of Minnesota offers beginning and intermediate skiing and snowboarding classes for students who wish to explore the winter even further.

What if cold temperatures are not for you? There are also ways around walking outside that the University has provided. Several buildings and classrooms on campus are connected by a system of tunnels called, ‘The Gopher Way.’ So on a cold, blistery day you can navigate your way through these twisting tunnels/skyways and stay warm.

Yet, if you discover how to reach your classes without taking a step outside I still would not suggest wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of winter :)

-Mike

Thanksgiving just passed. It was dope. It was nice to eat, relax and finally watch some tv. I think i watched more tv over Thanksgiving weekend than I did all semester. Part of that is because the cable doesn't work in my room tho. Anyway, winter break means it's time for finals and final projects too.

I have two 10-12 page papers, a 3-5 page paper, a project and 3 finals.....typical end of the semester. Its not too bad tho. I just keep looking towards the 18th, when I'm done with my last 2 finals and can go home and chill!!!!! Continuing with getting my life together has been pretty good too. I'm still on track and I declared my major and my minor this week. I am now offcially a Communication Studies major with a minor in Art! It feels good to have that taken care of so now I can focus on the classes I need to take and want to take. I'm finally taking the steps I need to reach some of my goals.

Now I have to just find a way to make money over winter break. I'll keep working my weekend job over break, but it'd be nice to get a paycheck or 2. I keep my change every semester and cash it in after finals so that's about $50 I can look forward to haha.

Anyway back to studying! I'll keep you updated on how everything's coming!

Peace-
thomas-

So one thing that surprised me when I got here was how long Winter break is. It is over a month, whereas in high school it was like 2 weeks. However, we also did get a lot more days off in between.

Even though Thanksgiving Break is over in 30 minutes, I am not going to lie, I could certainly use another break, but will certainly, no matter how challenging they are, miss some of my classes this semester. I have met some great teachers and done some actual learning- what a surprise.

There are some classes you take because you have to or because the course description SOUNDED alright, and you do what you have to in order to get a good grade and be out. Then, there are some that truly effect how you see the world. The Global Politics and Intro to Organizational Communication classes I took this semester have been those type of classes. I can take what I learned in Org Comm and truly apply it to my future in Human Resources, which is what I THINK I want to do with my life.

The Global Politics course opened my eyes to issues I never really thought of. Most of our education is pretty centered on America and doesn't really focus on other countries (not just geography or locating them on a map, truly knowing what their issues and conflicts are and how the US sometimes causes them), so it was great, but saddening to learn about the realities of Darfur, Rwanda, immigration in general, world finances, etc.

But I was going to review this month briefly:
1) As of November 4, 2008, in the first presidential election I was ever able to vote in, the people of the United States elected Barack Obama to be the next leader of our country. Needless to say, this was the first presidential election that I cried over. I watched CNN the whole night, then I went to the grocery store around 9:30 and ended up missing the big moment haha. Everyone in the store was clapping and cheering, you would have thought they had just put everything on clearance! It was crazy, the energy on campus and in my apartment was electric. Everyone was excited, people were screaming out of their windows into the wee hours of the morning. I am so glad I was able to live during this time. I will certainly be praying for Barack, he has tough times ahead of him, but I believe that...YES, HE CAN!

2) It got cold. Throughout this month, the temperature has been dropping, it has been snowing, and I have found that my hoodie and ballet slippers no longer make the grade :(, I love those slippers! So, I had to go to Burlington Coat Factory, the one stop shop for winter here in MN, and buy a dress coat and everyday warm coat. I got pretty good deals, my torso has not been cold yet! I also had to buy winter boots- in the past I have been totally against the Ugg style boots, but I bought a pair and found that though they are not cute in any shape, form or fashion, they are very warm and comfortable. So now, whether I am walking to class outside or the Gopher Way (an underground tunnel system here on campus), my feet and upper body will be warm...now to find some long johns for my legs

3) So much so little time, this month also included many other amazing things. For example, Free Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream at Gophers After Dark, a midnight breakfast hosted by a fraternity on campus, two awesome open mics, Experience MN (a day of fun for multicultural prospective students and families) where Thomas and I performed, a showcase featuring the art of stepping hosted by the Black Student Union, me winning the $1000 SEED of Change Award/ SEED Breakfast, the John Legend concert here on campus- (AWESOME!), the Unity Dinner hosted by several organizations, Ebony Mic Night at St. Thomas (an open mic event at a local university), the sad end of Gopher Football and our last game in the Metrodome, Thanksgiving, Black Friday and finally, World AIDS Day/The Red Revolution hosted by Shades of Red Student Group kicks off tomorrow.

What a month, with finals fast approaching and winter break approaching even faster, there is a lot to do. I am going to try to have the maximum amount of fun possible over break. Can't wait! I will certainly be filling you in...until next time...Be EZ!

Nevertheless, I will be extremely busy with these last two weeks of class. During these weeks I have three big papers left to turn in, two early exams and all of the stress that comes with studying for finals. So what am I doing this Post-Thanksgiving Sunday night before the two busiest weeks of the semester? Of course I am… watching the Minnesota Vikings play the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football! After working ten hour days over the weekend I decided to relax and take one final break tonight and dive into all of my studies tomorrow. Sometimes it is good to just take a step back, take a deep breath and calm yourself before the storm.

Another task I have to complete during this final stretch of the semester is figuring out my schedule for next semester. Registering for classes is performed online where each student can see exactly how many seats are left in every class since it is continuously updated as students add/drop classes. This is a very efficient method since students can stalk closed classes and wait for a seat to open in the convenience of their own dorm/apartment. I actually initially registered for classes in early November, but I am considering several different classes and may switch some in the near future.

Update from the Vikings game: Gus Ferrottee (Viking’s Quarterback) just threw a 99 yard touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian and ties the record for the longest play in NFL history!

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

-Mike

Anyways it was awesome to see them, and it was a feeling that I would have not thought I would feel in high school. Back then I was just ready to leave and be on my own. I did not think that not having my family around would be as big of a difference as it is.

I've been lucky though. I've made my own family while I have been at the University of Minnesota. Whether it is my family at my fraternity of Delta Kappa Epsilon, my roommates at my apartment, or my lovely fellow CLA ambassadors, I feel like I have a lot of family here at the University.

I think that is a big part of fulfilling your college experience. Getting out and experiencing new things, and finding your different niches. By experiencing new things, joining different clubs and organizations, and just generally putting yourself out there, you learn a lot about yourself, what makes you tick, and the people you feel most comfortable with, thus translating into a better and more productive you. So I guess my advice for the day is...go out, experience new things, do things you've never done, get out and get involved!

Till next time...

I have not been home since July 4th, this past summer, and I was ready for a break. This semester has been tough, but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. However loud and crazy my family is, I was ready to come home and see them and catch up in person, not in e-mail and over the phone like we have been communicating for the past four months.

Thanksgiving Day was eventful as every other family get-together is and always will be. I first drove with my mother to Baraboo, Wisconsin for lunch with my father’s parents, sister, and cousins. It was a smaller meal than most, but I cherish the time I get to spend with my family now because I know those times will be few and far between since I will be gone for five months starting in January. We then made our way to Madison, Wisconsin to finish off the night with more food, friends, family and of course, football.

Everyone started to leave my mother’s parents house around 7:30 PM or so, and it finally hit me that I have a ton of things to get done on my so-called ‘break’. I have a presentation to write, a scholarship to write, an application to finish, about 100 pages of reading to complete, and some blogging to get done. I have started with the blogging, obviously the most fun. So essentially, my ‘break’ has turned into work; my Thanksgiving Day into a work night.
I am thankful, though. I am thankful for my amazing CLA Ambassador family, a wonderful college and university, time with friends and family, and for food on the table for all to enjoy.

But, I am most thankful for opportunities that create the work for me. I am thankful for work because without it, I would have eaten too much Thanksgiving food today.

Happy Thanksgiving and thankfully yours,

Kari

The semester started with a bang and I immediately fell flat on my face academically. I was busy with waterski tournaments and meetings, hanging out with my roommates in our "new" house in Dinkytown, and just readjusting to college life - this year is my first in the past 3 that I have been attending the same school that I ended at last year.

Anyway - to make a long story short, this academic instability is normal for me. I usually start of the semester by doing not performing as well as I should on my first midterms. However, eventually I always hit the ground running and recover by doing extremely well on my next two midterms as well as my finals. This year, though, something strange has happened: I never got my feet under me.

With waterskiing, study abroad paperwork from the Learning Abroad Center (I am going to Ecuador in the spring for a study abroad/public health internship), CLA Ambassador meetings/events, and simply the insane amount of reading and homework that was immediately necessary for all four of my classes, I was stuck.

The week before Halloween I hit a low point. I spent more time in the Bio-Medical Library (Diehl Hall) that week than I spent in my house. Literally. I was living off of energy drinks, incredibly small amounts of sleep, and studying until close (3:00am) each night. By the time Friday--Halloween--rolled around I had become extremely sick. However, because it was Halloween and Homecoming weekend, I felt obligated to have fun; plus, we had a Halloween party at our house so it was difficult to avoid. Nonetheless, by Sunday, I literally could not stand up long enough to brush my teeth. I collapsed twice in the bathroom and seriously contemplated finding one of my roommates to drive me to the ER.

Why am I telling you this? To put it briefly: it's not worth it. I studied that long and so hard for those tests, and I did everything I could on all of my assignments that week and did I get A's? Nope. By the time I took my tests I was so burnt out and had no energy left to put into the exams. I knew all of the information, but my mind immediately became blank when I started filling in answers. You know that overly-full feeling you get when you eat wayyy too much stuffing or mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving? I was feeling that big time.

My point is that one way or the other you'll get through things in life. I learned through my actions that I need sleep. I need to eat. I need a break and to relax. I'm not superhuman but nobody is asking me to be. If you have way too many things on your plate my advice is to eat the things you like the most. Maybe take a bite out of those that you don't like or that you know are good for you (like vegetables, yuck), and if something is on your plate that you passionately don't want and it is making you miserable, then get rid of it.

I'm not advising you to waste food or to drop classes, but just to recognize that there is no good reason in life to be miserable. I've been miserable far too many times to have not learned that whether it be means to an end or not, there is usually not much good associated with misery. As much as college is a time to determine the rest of your academic and professional life, it is also a time to have fun. Don't do what I did. Give yourself a break and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Since that week I have limited my time studying and have become far more efficient while doing so. I'd have to say that the most important life lesson I've learned so far at the U is how to find my balance. I'm still getting there, but I feel like now I know enough about how to avoid the lows. I'm about to clear my plate.

Anyway, enough preaching. Back to chemistry.
This blog was kind of boring and preachy, oh well.

Peace love, and don't eat too much,
Dave

I've been on top of everything I needed to do for the past 3 days! I know 3 days isn;t a lot in comparison to all the responsibilities I've had this semester, but I think I'm off to a good start. I just have to make sure I stick to the new me!

It all started on Monday in my Sociology class. We watched this video on Youtube called "A Vision of Students". It's a pretty dope video about what college from the perspective of college students. The video got me thinking about my life as a student and what my college education really meant to me. The following night I met up with a good friend of mine to study and try and get some work done. We took a little break from homework and I decided to show her the video. After we watched it we got to talking about our college experiences and our goals for the future and what plans we have to get there. I could feel the inspiration building up! haha.

So the very next morning a wake up to my phone going off telling me I got an e-mail. I open the e-mail up and start to read it. Turns out the entire thing is about taking steps to reaching your goals and making sure that you aren't all talk, but that you actually do what you need to do in order to acheive the things that you want to acheive. It pretty much went right along with the conversation I had the night before. Usually I just deelete these kinds of e-mail, but this one really got me. I think I read it 3 or 4 times through and I'm not too into reading haha. The e-mail challenged the reader to pick one thing in their life that they want to change and take a step toward it everyday for a week. I started to think about what I wanted to do.

That evening I had to the weekly CLA Ambassador meeting. The meeting went right along with these other events that were helpin me change my life. That week we took personality tests in order to see how we could work better together as a group and so we can help plan and execute programming as effectively and efficiently as possible. My results should me a few things that I knew about myself, but never really considered how much of an impact they had on my everyday life. My results told me that when it comes to tangible organization and scheduling, I'm pretty much a 0. I'm more into things being spontaneous, and just keeping everything in my head or scribbled on a piece of paper somewhere that I wouldn't misplace...hopefully. I like it this way though. I think I need to be disorganized in order to stay sane, but I realized that there was definitely a little room for improvement.

The next day I headed out to Target to pick up a white board. I got home and put it up in my bedroom right next to the door so i could see it everyday before I left. Next I wrote down a bunch of my goals on it; small, big, practical and abstract. From there I dug around in a stack of papers and books and found my planner. I hadn't even opened it yet. I challenged myself to use it everday for the next week and keep using it after that. So far I'm doing alright. I've actually been writing things down and checking things off my looooonnnnnggg list of things to do, including making sure I keep blogging to keep you updated on what's going on with me.

On that note though, I'm about to get back to studying for my quiz on Tuesday. Just wanted to share my week with you.

That's it for blog #3!
Check!

I'm out - Thomas

I decided to take a quick break after consuming copious amounts of caffeine, Chinese food and sour gummy worms. Usually my nights/mornings are not this hectic but once in a while I am forced to go buy the twelve back of Mellow Yellow, pick up some Chinese food and make a lovely date with my homework.

However, I am currently having a difficult time concentrating on my studies because I am very excited about this upcoming Saturday, which will be the last Gopher Football home game of the season! We will be playing Iowa (which should also contribute to having a big turnout given they are one of our bigger rivals next to Madison) and desperately need a win (we just lost a really really (have I stressed the 'really enough?) close game to the Badgers). So Saturday I will be cheering the Gophers to a victory, which is important because a win would help us secure a better bowl game.

This Saturday is also very special due to the fact that it will be the last game that the Gophers will play in the Metrodome downton. Where will the Gophers be playing next year? A new on-campus football stadium is in the process of being completed and will be finished this up-coming fall 2009 football season (and it's an outdoor stadium!).

The stadium (which will be called TCF Bank Stadium) will be shaped like a horseshoe and will be located right by the Williams and Mariucci arenas. Another interesting fact about the Gopher Stadium is that it will contain the largest locker room in NCAA football. The locker room will also be shaped like a football (the only other stadium (pro or college) with a locker room shaped like a football is Lambeau Field/home of the Green Bay Packers). As you can see, I am very excited for next season but will be cheering my team on to one last win before they move to their new location on campus.

One this note I feel it is time to get back to my paper writing,

Wish me luck!

-Mike

This year I am an officer for the United Nations Student Group. Every year 30 or so students from U of M fly, bus or drive to Chicago for the conference where we meet up with groups from universities across the country. Every university, depending on their size, gets assigned 1 or more countries to represent at the conference. This year the University of Minnesota is representing Argentina and Laos.

This will be my first year going to the conference, and I can’t wait to dive right in! I always wanted to do Model United Nations in high school, but I never had the chance. Here it is! I’m the sole representative for Argentina assigned to the United Nations Environment Program. I still have quite a bit of research that needs to get done before the conference begins on Saturday.

I’ll let you know how it goes…
Wish me luck!

I'm taking two writing intensiive sociology classes this semester. Too bad when I registered for them I didn't realize that they would each assign 10 page papers within a week from one another.

So I got through the first one a little ahead of time because i knew my schedule would be packed that week, but as soon as I turned it in, I get the next on in my other class.That one didn't go as well. The topic of the paper was definitely more interesting to me, but for some reason I just couldn't get the words out and I ended up pulling my first all-nighter this semester. Definitely not something that I suggest you do often.

I've always been the type of person that doesn't require much sleep to get by. I can make it without my full 8 hours or whatever you need, but I know I'm not like everyone else. I definitely sacrifice my sleep in order to get other things done. I'm a procrastinator and I'm ok with that. I know that I work better under pressure and in general tend to produce better results when I am under pressure.

Last night, I took a personality assessment test to see what type of person I am. When it came to procrastination versus getting things done on early, I was completely on the side of procrastination, but I know that if I tried to do my work early and have a nice well laid out plan that I would not preform as well.

One thing that I noticed about coming to college is that you will really discover aspects about yourself and your personality that you didn't know before. You will learn things about your personality without taking any kind of test. College will be your test, and for me that is something that I am very grateful for.

I've learned how to talk to people to get ahead, how to write well, how to write under pressure, how to plan things out, how to work with other people. I've been tested in so many ways here and I know that it has made me a much better person. And even if I get hit with another 20 pages (which I know I will), I'll be ready for it. I'll be ready for whatever.

I went to the Learning Abroad Center to get some information on studying a second language and getting a semester's worth of credit for it. I also told them that I was a little strapped for cash. They showed me three potential scholarships that are only offered to the University of Minnesota students.1 in 3 applicants gets the scholarships. I like those odds.

Financial Aid is also available through the Learning Abroad Center on the second floor of Heller Hall. They took my pictures for my passport and they only charged me $6, when the post office tried to charge me $15 and they were all around friendly. All of the workers in the center have studied abroad and were super informative about costs, cultural expectations and most importantly recreational activities. I was amazed at how cool everyone was and how affordable studying abroad can be.

However, I wanted to feel like I was doing more to help the global community. That is when I looked to the YMCA for more opportunities. The Y-Immersion program which I blogged about last year, is also an awesome affordable place where you can travel to different countries, for little money and make a big difference.

This winter break Y-Immersion is having a trip to study immigration justice in San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico. They are also having a trip to study environmental issues in Costa Rica. I met the trip leaders and they were cool people who you could tell cared about the issues that were being studied.

Another option was going to my local Rotary International Club. Rotary Clubs sponsor students across the WORLD to study and live in other countries to promote world peace. They give up to $25,000 a year to fund good will missions. However that application process hasn't started as of yet. With so many options it is really hard to decide where to go for winter break, however I'll let you know my decision by my next blog. The moral of the story is that you too can study abroad and interact as a global citizen.

Adios Amigos. Ciao a Tutti!

P.S. My biggest problem is determining what country to travel to. I speak two languages. LOL

Class, class, class- I have to attend class. Then I have to make time for homework, reading and studying. I've been running around trying to make meetings and make time for projects. I've also been trying to attend University events where I can meet prospective students such as yourselves! All the while, I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with my future. I'm trying to plan out my degree, and I haven't even figured out which classes I want to take next semester. On top of that, I'm trying to keep my social life alive, which I think I'm failing at.

I have four-count 'em-FOUR jobs! Well, that really depends on whether or not you'd count being a student ambassador as a job. I work at the Humphrey at the front desk, welcoming people with my smile. I also go home every weekend because I decided to keep my job at good old Panera! I kept my job at the Veterinary Medical Library too. So to total up, I have three on-campus jobs and one off-campus. Wow, right?

I'm so confused about everything that's going on, sometimes I just want to hide where no one can find me and just sit for a while. Which brings me to my point. When the world gets to be too much, RELAX! Take a breather. Find a good book to get lost in for a bit or maybe even take a nap. Take a break from your hectic schedule to do your thing. Then when you're ready, jump right back in. Life throws a lot at you. Sometimes you need to rest before you can refocus.

However, this specific election year was extra special. No matter whether you voted for Obama/Biden or McCain/Palin, this election was destined to go down in history. If the Republican ticket won, it would be the first time in the history of America in which there would be a female Vice President. However, the Democratic ticket won and America made a big step forward in electing the first African American presidential candidate to office. I am not going to go too in-depth into my political beliefs, but let’s just say that I am very excited for change and to see how Obama will take on this problematic economic situation that needs to be a top priority.

The main issue for me was not addressing whether a person held the same beliefs as me. It was simply important that everyone took the initiative to vote and be a part of history. After witnessing the longest presidential campaign season in the history of America, it seems irrational to not be a part of this historic presidential election. So I urge you to take part in the political process and vote for the candidate of your choice in future elections. If you voted in this past election I sincerely thank you (and if you have not yet turned 18, do not worry. You will still get your chance to make your mark in history and elect future presidential candidates to office).

Cheers!

Mike

There were people on every street corner holding ‘Obama’ or ‘McCain’ signs, receiving honks of approval and disapproval from the busy University Avenue traffic.

It was my second time voting but first time in a Presidential Election. I love politics so it was such an exciting day to be able to voice my opinion and encourage others to do the same. My friends (who differ in their beliefs) and I watched the election results all night and celebrated the states that had won our respective colors.

I can’t even wrap my mind around how much this election means to our country and the world. Either way, it was going to be one for the books. It was so cool to be able to say that I contributed to something so large. When Obama was announced the president-elect, there were groups of students who cruised through campus, shouting in celebration. I however, didn’t participate, as I was more interested in the speeches and watching the rest of the results come in.

November 4th seemed so far away, for so long – for the last year! It’s hard to believe that all the attack ads and nasty comments are finally over. It seemed like it wasn’t going to end. Along with that comes post-midterm, pre-final assignment time. I finished all my midterm exams and papers the week before Halloween/Homecoming and had a bit of a lull in assignments. Now, its crunch time with only about a month of school left. Better get back to it…

I've heard that saying so many times, "If you put your mind to it, anything is possible." But I've never truly believed this statement. As a minority student, I've been taught I have to work harder, think faster, and dream smaller to reach my achievements. The election of president Barack Obama has changed these notions.

Although hard work, perseverance, and goal setting are essential to making dreams come true, I now need not rest on my laurels and settle for anything less than my lofty dreams. As a student of color, I feel empowered and like I truly can do anything I put my mind to, and you should too.

Whether you voted red, blue, green, or didn't vote, the passion and voice of America's youth has been heard. The energy around campus has been exciting and addicting. Students are reaching out to each other, assembling and organizing themselves, and celebrating the notion of change in America.

When you come to the University of Minnesota, you know that when you leave here, your dreams and goals are a possibility. If you can believe it, you can achieve it.

The temperature was cold, and I consequently became ill because of our almost three-hour wait, but I will never forget that I saw him speak.

Nov. 4 will be a day that will forever live in the hearts of many.

As I stood in line Tuesday at 6:45 a.m. and waited to vote, I was humbled by all the people who were waiting as well. Students and adults alike were waiting anxiously for the doors to open in order to fulfill their civic duty.

I continued seeing this throughout the day. People waited hours in lines in order to vote for the most historic election to date. And regardless of who anyone voted for, it was beautiful to see so many waiting patiently in the lines for their turn.

People were on their phones, calling their parents and yelling, "I voted!" I saw students texting away, surely reminding their friends to go vote if they had not already. My phone rang about three times from supporters enthusiastically reminding me to go vote during this historic election.

Their efforts were repaid ten-fold.

Campus was full of life, a life I had never seen before. All around, I heard the humming of people as the polls were open. Everywhere, one could hear "Coleman," "Al," "Obama" or "Palin". Discussion was fervent as people reminisced about their first voting experience, and they exclaimed how important this election would be.

Signs were posted all around campus at kiosks, people were handing out stickers, and students were standing on the corner of University and 15th holding signs and banners. Cars and buses would pass and honk, inciting screams and fist pumps in the air as they celebrated this acknowledgment.

The air was full of enthusiasm. And I was a part of it.

Perhaps I doubted my classmates at the U too much. Perhaps I doubted my generation too much. Perhaps I doubted my fellow countrymen too much.

I am glad they all proved me wrong. My heart is filled with warmth because I lived to see the day that a man of color was elected to be the Chief Executive of this country. I am glad because one day I will be able to tell the next generation that I voted for the first African American to become President of the United States.

As they announced Obama's election, I could not restrain the tears. They fell and fell and continue to fall. Never before had I been so proud to call myself an American. This is a step for us all, a step for minorities, a step for all those disenfranchised who believed they could never do it.

He fought twice as long, he fought twice as hard and he accomplished a beautiful thing. But what is more, we as Americans accomplished a beautiful thing that will transcend time. We as students got out the vote. We as individuals went to the polls.

At a time like this, I am reminded of a quote by Chicano activist Cesar Chavez. "When you have people together who believe in something very strongly - whether it's religion or politics or unions - things happen."

This was perhaps the most important factor--believing. Americans believed in a dream, Americans believed in change, Americans believed in hope. We believed. We achieved.

Today, I am a proud American.

After years filled with lots of studying, learning, rehearsing and laughing, I was ecstatic to hear these words. I spent the next hour running around campus telling everyone I know-friends, mentors, teachers, anyone who would listen- that "Guess what, I'm going to graduate!"

However, none of my celebrating was actually justified until I finished the logistical process of meeting with my departmental advisor (my advisor within my major) and was officially cleared for graduation. Having met with her yesterday, I am ready for my second (and more official) round of announcements to the world, "Get ready, because I'm graduating."

But wait...

Similar to what I experienced on the brink of graduating from high school, I was faced with a moment of realization: What's next? What do I have planned in the future? And like the high school version of myself, I remembered: Oh yeah, even MORE school.

Since I want to be a dentist, it looks like I'll be sticking around a college campus for at least the next four years. However, unlike the high school version of myself, I have already made the U of M campus my home and I am confident this is where I want to stay. So, if I'm lucky (aka, if I get admitted to the U of M Dental School), I'll get to spend another wonderful 4 years on the U of M campus and someday get to announce, "Guess what, I'm graduating...yet again"

One of the biggest things reiterated in the panel, was the importance of internships and to take advantage of getting credit for an internship while in school. It was also really neat to be able to connect with alumni and ask questions about the workforce and to get ideas.

So as a senior, I’m starting to think more seriously about what I’m going to do after graduation in the spring. I still am unsure as to where I want to look for jobs and if I’m staying in the Twin Cities area or not. It’s a little stressful, but I know that I still have plenty of time to think about it.

A week later I attend the College of Liberal Arts career fair focusing on jobs in government. I went to the fair and it was really helpful to see many different local and national organizations and talk with recruiters to hear what entry level positions generally are in each field. It was a great experience and I’m really glad that I attended. It just makes me realize that I need to utilize the Career and Community Learning Center more than I have in the past, and continue to use the help that CLA offers!

The College of Liberal Arts has a Career and Community Learning Center that will help any student in these pursuits and it is completely free! Mock interviews, resume reviews and offering tips for writing cover letters are only a few of the helpful services the Career and Community Learning Center has to offer. All College of Liberal Arts students also have access to an online database called Gold Pass. This site allows students to post their resumes and connect with potential employers from across the country. Students are able to log into this database and actively search for any internship or part-time/full-time job that is of interest.

On a personal note, I just went to an information session for a summer internship at Hallmark Cards Inc. At this information session I listened to a presentation telling me all about the internship and was able to ask any questions I had pertaining to the position. After attending the information session and getting a better feel for the internship I can apply for the position through the student database and be more prepared for an interview.

Overall, I strongly urge any incoming student to take advantage of these resources. Even if searching for an internship is not a top priority, it is never too early to work on building a resume to start preparing for a future career!

Best of luck,

-Mike

How do I get over my affinity for procrastination, when I sit at my desk and think only of checking out the Food Network and browsing on YouTube? It’s best just to get out of the house. If I take the effort of going somewhere to study, there is no sense in coming home with nothing done.

Step 1: The perfect study spot...

A few of my favorites…
1) THE WHOLE. At night, it’s the music club on campus, host to events from open mike to local bands to nationally touring groups. During the day, it’s almost empty, making the best place to get cracking on that essay due. No noise restrictions, it works well for casual group work. The chalkboard walls allow for a game of hangman during a break.

2) 2ND FLOOR LOBBY OF WALTER LOBBY. This is my go-to-spot for group study. Comfy chairs, wireless, coffee only 2 flights of stairs away – what more could I ask for?

3) MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC LIBRARY. Getting away from campus allows for a change of scenery, and when I bring all of study materials with me on the bus, I feel that I must be productive to justify the extra effort. Downtown also makes for prime study breaks – everything from lunch breaks at Panera to light-reading in the children’s books section.

And now the hard part... Yikes!
Step 2: Sitting down and getting through the material.

While I can get myself out of my room and to the library, I don’t find it as easy to finally crack open the textbooks. Rewards, however, do wonders. Nothing gets me to write that first draft essay faster than a promised study break in one hour with the added incentive of coffee or Jamba Juice.

As a matter of fact, now that these two steps are written down… perhaps a stop at the Coffman Marketplace for Panda Express before starting that French essay?

I took a class in the Fall of my Freshman year for Major and Career Exploration which really helped me see the differences between majors and careers. I always thought that the major defined the career, but quickly learned that is not the case at all. I was always interested in psychology but didn’t think there was much room to be diverse in the field. I thought either I’d have to be a counselor or social worker.

Taking the class made me go to the psychology department and specifically ask questions on what kinds of careers I can follow in psychology, what kind of undergraduate areas there were to study, the prestige of the psychology programs specifically at the University of Minnesota, and other such necessary information I would need to know if I chose to be in the field.

I decided I loved this. It was exactly the area that I wanted to go into with many different areas of focus available to study and get excited in. By the end of last year I had decided I wanted to study psychology as my major, but never found or took the time to finally make that appointment.

Finally, this year, I contacted the same woman (Holly Hatch-Surisook) who explained the psychology department to me for my research in the career class. She said all I had to do was come in and fill out a little questionnaire about myself and why I wanted to study psychology.

After an hour appointment, I knew exactly where I was going in life (at least for the next two years) which is especially relieving for me, since I like to have a plan.

So here I am now! Meghan Roehm: Psychology Major. I know it’s not as exciting as it sounds... but maybe some day you’ll understand! Until next time..stay warm =)

One alternative to partying during the weekend is attending events put on by a student organization called Gophers After Dark. Basically the group puts on free late night events in the student union every Friday and Saturday night which run until around 2 o’clock in the morning. From free films in the Coffman Memorial Union Theatre to extreme games of laser tag, there are many different activities to choose from.

To give you a taste of these events, I thought I would mention the events that are happening this weekend. The film for the week is the movie Step Brothers which plays at 7pm, 9:30pm and midnight (and it’s free!!). This Friday is fiesta night with a live mariachi band performing and free food from Qdoba. This Saturday is luau night with a limbo contest in addition to free Maui Wowi smoothies and island hors d’ oeuvres. Hopefully this gives you a glimpse into a few of the different events that are available for you when you come to the University of Minnesota.

Another option over the weekend is discovering events happening off-campus. Minneapolis is the hub of many professional sports teams and students are able to choose from taking a short bus ride to see the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome, the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center and many other sporting events. Minneapolis is also a central location for the arts. From visiting the Guthrie Theatre to watch a play or visiting the Walker Art Center to view many different exhibitions, there are many options to choose from.

With the urban environment surrounding the University of Minnesota and the many on-campus events, there is no need to worry about not having anything fun to do on campus. However, make sure to balance these fun events with school work!

Until next time,

-Mike

This time, it was a happy release because I feel I prepared well for the three midterms. Instead of stressing out at the last minute, I have been trying an ancient method professors call "study as you go."
Now it may sound complex, but the idea is relatively simple. Whenever I get some free time or have caught up on all my readings, I go back and quiz myself on previous chapters.

A study recently came out in the University of Minnesota's student-run newspaper, The Minnesota Daily, linking stress symptoms to bad grades. I can definitely attest to the loss in sleep, constant frustration, and empty cans of Red Bull at 1 in the morning as the cause of a midterm gone very wrong.

I've learned that sleep is more important than theories and a healthy diet is more important than vocabulary words. I can promise I will never return to my old ways of cramming and panicking for tests. I now relax, take a deep breath, and rest assured that I did my best.

I unfortunately did not accomplish as much last weekend as I would have like to because my mom was in town, so all week I felt like I was playing the ‘catch up’ and ‘get ahead’ games. I failed pretty miserably at both games this week, but today is Friday, the week is over and I can start anew. Although I’ve had a pretty stressful week, there have been some things that have kept me pushing ahead.

First and foremost, after a ton of waiting, I got accepted into my study abroad program for next semester. I completed my application for review this past summer, and it wasn’t until recently I was accepted.

It was quite the relief to be accepted, but there was so much paperwork that needed to get done in a certain time frame in order to confirm my place in the program. I’ve never filled out so much paper work in one week, but it’s done and was received by both the University of Minnesota and my other college sponsor for my abroad trip.

I am going to Belfast, Northern Ireland for the semester to study Communication Studies and possibly take one Sociology class. I am going on my study abroad through a ‘co-sponsored’ program. A co-sponsor is another college or university throughout the US that the University of Minnesota works closely with in order to offer certain study abroad programs to U students. My co-sponsor is Arcadia University in Pennsylvania.

Thus far, I have had a great time working with both the University of Minnesota Learning Abroad Center and Arcadia University’s study abroad center. They are both very helpful and are great at communicating with me; making sure things are all set when I depart the U to go to the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland in January.

Although the paperwork and information for my abroad program can seem daunting at times, I am trying to keep my eye on the bigger picture. I can’t wait to get to Northern Ireland and be immersed in their culture. It will be a growing experience for me. I’m not nervous yet, but I’ll let you know how I’m feeling in a month or so.

Secondly, last Monday, October 20th, I had my first band concert of the semester. Up until then, our ensemble, the North Star Band (campus band) has been rehearsing and trying to perfect the five pieces we performed. It was a great concert and we all felt really confident in our performance.

We have two non-audition ensembles here at the U; the Campus Band and the University Band. The Campus Band is split into two sections; the North Star Band and the Maroon and Gold Campus Band. This band meets every Monday evening from 7:35 PM until 9:30 PM. The University Band meets twice a week, Monday and Thursday, for about an hour each time. I have found this to be a great way to connect with our amazing School of Music, while not being a music major. This is also a great way to continue on with a hobby of mine that I love and started in the sixth grade.

On top of dealing with study abroad things and band rehearsals and concerts, I have been trying my hardest to balance my on-campus student job at the Office of the Assistant Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, the work for CLA Ambassadors, such as filming for our videos that will premier later this semester and welcoming CPEO parents on this campus to give them a taste of what the University of Minnesota is like, as well as my internship at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities. Most importantly though, I have been trying to stay on top of school and have a ‘get ahead, stay ahead’ mentality. Like I said before, that just wasn’t the case this week.

Balance has been the theme for me as of lately. I am balancing as well as I know how right now, and I’ve been doing okay. Really, it seems like I am complaining about having my schedule be so booked, but I would truly have it no other way. I am growing as a student and as an individual so much this semester and I am looking forward to a great semester abroad in the spring.

But as for now, I guess I’ll start playing the ‘catch up’ game again. I hope to not fail miserably this time.

Dare to Live Out Loud,
Kari

I work in a mentoring office through CLA called Access to Success. I have a great time working with freshmen and prospective students so I take every opportunity I can to do so. After I get off here, I have to head to a meeting with one of my professors. She is goiong to help me with a paper that I am working on for her class. Usually I don't get too excited about homework, but this class is actually really interesting and I'm even looking forward to this paper. The course is American Race Relations 3211W. If you think that'd be interesting or want to take a cool class, I would definitely keep that in mind. I really like when you can find a course that genuinely interests you. It makes the work so much easier and that takes away from all of the stress of your other courses.

Even though I am looking forward to this paper, I can't say that I'm not stressing at this moment. Right after I leave my meeting with my professor, I'm on to my final midterm in my Journalism class. This is another class I really enjoy, but I can't say that I have ever really looked forward to an exam. The professor, Brian Southwell is really cool though. I would keep his name in mind for the future if I were you too. I'm feeling pretty good about the exam even though I didn't get to study as much as I would have liked to, but I think it'll go alright.

After this week is over I think I will finally be able to have a social life again and get back involved with my extracurricular activities and student organizations. For me it was my participation in these that really helped make my experience here at the U what it has become. I am a part of a student organization here at the U of M called Voices Merging. It is one of the many groups I work with. Voices Merging organizes and host a number of events throughout the year. We are especially known for our open mics that we have every other Monday. Our next open mic will be this Monday. I really excited too because it's our Halloween open mic. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. The open mics are always lot of fun and we usually have a great turn out. Anyone is welcom to come and watch, but they can also perform if they want. We have poets, dancers, singers, rappers, comedians and anything else you can think of.

Well, my shift is getting to close to ending and I think I should try and get back to studying for this midterm that coming up. I don't want to have these time issues anymore. Thankfully I have some friends that help me keep my life on track. Anyway, I hope everyone has a great weekend. Enjoy the weather we have now, because it seems like its only gonna get colder....I'm outty. stay warm. talk to you soon.

For those of you readers who don't know, a collegiate waterski tournament consists of three events: slalom, trick, and jump. Each team sends their 5 best members in each event to ski. My event is slalom - if you are wondering what I mean by slalom, you should enter "Collegiate waterski national championships" into youtube and select men's or women's slalom to watch, it's really entertaining.

Anyway, I'll do my best to explain some things about slalom to clarify for you all. Slalom scores are judged by how many buoys a skier can get while skiing through the slalom course. The course consists of the entrance gates, 6 buoys, and the end gates. What sets one skier apart from another is how fast they can go, and the length of rope they can ski on. For example, standard tournament speed is 36mph, and standard rope length is "15-off" which means 15 feet off of the full length 75 foot rope (i.e. 60 feet). Anyway, for each successful pass through the course, the rope is shortened to increase difficulty. The rope lengths go from 15-off, 22-off, 28-off, 32-off, 35-off, 38-off, 39.5-off, 41-off, and the world record 43-off. In tournaments it is necessary to run each pass successfully in order to earn another pass. The first pass is the most important because if you do not run your opener, than you get considerably less points than if you make it (the scoring is confusing, so I won't get into that).

SO back to the tournament. My teammates and I had driven 8 hours to Wilmington, Illinois for the Great Plains Conference Championship, and we were anticipating a close weekend. That is, we originally were not expected to make the regional tournament, which consists of the top 9 teams from our conference (among teams from other conferences). We arrived at the lake tired and stiff from our long drive, but we were ready. The moonlight reflected off the lake just enough to illuminate the course. I immediately turned to my two roommates/teammates and said, "we've gotta own that tomorrow," and they agreed.

The next morning was an early one, men's slalom began at 7:30AM and the wait for my turn began. Everything I had worked for all summer, all of my hours of skiing came down to my performance at this tournament. As my turn neared I apprehensively but confidently grabbed my equipment and headed down to the dock. The wait was almost unbearable from that point on. With only a few skiers left before me, the butterflies in my stomach felt like eagles, but I remained calm.

Finally, it was my turn. I put on my ski and dipped into the water. I took the handle and shouted my name, school, speed and rope length to the driver. He repeated all of my information into the walkie-talkie and asked if I was ready, and I nodded. Next thing I knew I was up and ready to cut through the gates. My mind was racing as I cut around the first buoy and onto the second. Second turn, a little late, but a good cut and I was still early for buoy number 3. Another decent turn and I was onto 4. A great turn around 4 and I was feeling great, and even thinking ahead to my second pass.

This was a mistake. I went into 5 ball with too much speed and was what felt like hours late on the turn. I could hear my teammates shouts echoing in the air, "PULL!" And I did, I pulled with everything I had to make it to 6 ball. I made it to the last ball and extended my body as far as I could to get my ski all the way around it. This was a success, and I made it around the buoy, but the extreme shift in my weight caused me to lose balance. I fought and struggled as hard as I could to make it the few feet back to the gate, but I couldn't do it. I fell and my dreams of regionals fell with me and sank into that lake in Illinois.

As it turns out, if our team had skied adequately - that is, as well as we had the weekend before - we would have easily made it to regionals. However, due to miscues, flukes, and questionable judges scores, we finished 10th. As mentioned before, we needed 9th, and just like that, our season was over. It was a more than depressing end to a great season. Since this point I have realized that the beauty of the sport is that I get to train and ski all of next summer and hope for an even better performance next year. Redemption is on its way!

I think this is the longest entry of all time, but I had fun writing it nonetheless. If you are have questions or are interested please comment and I'll get back to you.

Peace love, and don't get too far ahead of yourself,
Dave

This was a tough loss for me to take (I already had tickets to the first playoff game in the Metrodome!) but also may be a gift in disguise. Watching Twins games almost every day ate away at my study time a bit. It is a good idea to try and balance your study time and leisure time so you don’t get too far behind in your coursework. There may be quite a few distractions in your dorm or apartment that prohibit you from fully utilizing your time set aside for studying. If this is the case, one good place to go and study is the library.

There are over twenty libraries located all around campus which are open to University students. The main library for studying on the East Bank is Walter Library, while the popular study location on the West Bank is Wilson Library. Both of these libraries have countless resources that students are able to checkout and look at online. These two libraries also have cafes so that if you get hungry or need a coffee to stay awake they will be available. Also, during finals week these two libraries will be open 24/7 so that students can do their last minute cramming and finish up those final papers before the deadline.

Overall, whether you decide to spend time studying in a library, in a study den on your dorm floor or simply in your room, it is essential that you set aside time for academics. So whether it’s a sports game or a video game, make sure to balance these leisure activities with your study time!

On this note I bid you adieu,

-Mike

My roommates are all asleep by now, since it is 1:33 a.m., but of course, here I am working away as I jump from reading, to blogging for my journalism class, to reading some more and working on some geology homework. I really would get everything done during the day… if there were only more hours.

While I would not give up any of my activities to have more than five hours of sleep, I just wish there were more hours… hours enough so that I could sleep at least seven and finish my work during the others. Wouldn’t that be perfect? Perhaps too much so.

The school year thus far has proved to be quite intriguing… and challenging. I find myself loving each of my classes and learning a great deal, especially now that I am focusing on my two majors, history and journalism. I have two classes in each major, and I am taking GEO 1001 to fulfill the CLA requirement.

My classes are really fantastic though. I am taking a newspaper reporting and writing class that—while I cannot seem to get an A—I am learning a great deal from an actual professional working in the field, something that only the U can offer me, I think. I also have a Latin American History and Film class where all we do is watch movies based on Latin America in order to learn history… how much more fun could that get, really? It’s a three-hour night class, but it’s nice to just watch a film instead of being in a lecture hall for 50 minutes speed writing.

My classes are all less than 30 people, except for my GEO class, which is probably about 150 or so, but it is not overwhelming in the least. What is more, it is actually a team-taught class, so I have one professor lecture one week, while the other professor comes to lecture the next week. It’s an innovative approach to learning that I have never seen before, and I find it to be… fresh.

What is even more exciting is that I finally decided where I am going to study abroad! Woo! I have decided I am going to Mexico to la Universidad de Guanajuato. I decided this because I need to learn more about myself, my history, my culture, my people and, if I really want to be an immigration lawyer, I need to perfect my Spanish. So, with the help of a past History professor, I decided Mexico would be the place for me ☺. Now all I need is to decide is which semester during my junior year I will go. Any suggestions?!

We took a short bus ride to the Saint Paul campus and explored the University’s Dairy store where they sell University made ice cream and cheese. I also learned that there is a College and Career Learning Center (CCLC) on the Saint Paul campus in addition to the one on the Minneapolis campus on the East Bank. I know that I need to get back in to talk to one of the advisers at the CCLC to start my job and internship search for next semester and after graduation.

Running around reminded me of so many different opportunities that the University has to offer. The “Amazing CLA Race�? took us to Heller Hall to the Study Abroad Office on the West Bank. Moving from the science buildings to the social science and music buildings continues to show me how many faces there are to CLA. There are so many different majors and environments on campus that cultivate many different aspects and interests of a CLA student.

I think it’s really neat that there are so many options within CLA and that by taking general education requirements; you get to explore a variety of different fields before deciding where you fit. If you’re like me, you’ll choose a couple of interests and majors. I like how they complement one another, and hopefully I’ll be able to use them both after college.

All in all, it was a fun race, but I’m glad I’m back sitting down again. It was fun however to explore the University’s campus all at once, and in such a short amount of time!

I took three summer school classes through the University’s great summer school program. It was really nice because I almost got a whole semester of school done in two months! It was great.

I also was involved in a great research opportunity. I got to help on a research project with one of the University’s distinguished professors in the communications department. She was writing a chapter in a book about communication and how it helped with ethnic conflicts. The chapter talked about many different techniques and the right way to use communication to solve ethnic conflicts. It was really great to see first-hand how something like that is done, and to get to be a part of it. Thanks to the University of Minnesota I have got another great experience under my belt, and there is a possibility I might even be receiving college credit for it!

All of that, along with going to the beach, playing basketball, and hanging out with friends kept me busy for the first couple months of summer. However, all of that was done by the middle of August so I went home for a while, and then I actually got to go to Italy!

My dad just got a promotion at his job, and he is now stationed in Italy. Luckily for my sister, and me we got to go visit with him in the town he will be working at. It was really fun, we got to go to his office, see the condo he might buy, go to the Alps, the beach, and Milan! It was a great experience and something I will never forget. My summer was a good mix of things; I had a lot of fun, got some schoolwork done, and got some work experience. It was a great mix and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Well guys, I am going to get back to watching the Twins game. They’re tied with the White Sox for first place, and if they win they’re going to the playoffs! Go Twins!

My calendars are my best friends. Yes, plural. Without them, who knows how many things I would have missed out on. I like to stay busy because I manage my study time better when I have to set specific time slots to do it. Sometimes it makes life a little hectic, but somehow, I manage to finish everything (and sometimes even sleep).

I have been in touch with my advisors a lot lately because I just declared my major and I am looking to study abroad in Toledo, Spain next fall. It's important that I talk to my advisors about all these things because they are the people who make sure I stay on track. My advisors (like my calendars) keeps me in check. They have tons of walk-in hours if I have a quick question in between classes, but it is also pretty easy to make an appointment if I have a more in depth question.

I recently scored an internship at Tiger Oak Publications. They publish Metro Magazine, Minnesota Bride Magazine, and many others. Without my advisors, I would not have known I could get class credit for my internship through the School of Journalism and Mass Communications (SJMC). I was able to sign up for the one-credit class that doesn't meet anytime during the week. I keep a journal of my projects at work and submit a summary at the end of the semester.

This is such a nice option because I can still take a full load of classes, and spend more time at the internship. Toggling an internship and school hasn't been too difficult yet (although I haven't reached midterm or finals season). The experience I will gain at the internship will be invaluable after graduation!

I am Jasmine, one of three new ambassadors this semester. I am so excited that I am able to participate in this experience this year. No matter what you see on these blogs, please know that deep down in the depths of their hearts, all of the ambassadors are completely CRAZY! But of course, that's crazy in the fun-loving, know how to have a good time and enjoy the college experience type of way :).

This school year is certainly shaping up to be hectic and exciting! As fellow ambassador Krystal mentioned in her blog, being involved on campus is awesome, but it definitely requires good time management and remembering to take a deep breath and chill out. If you don't it is easy to get burned out, and who wants to go through 4 (or more) years of college feeling like a Donald or Debbie Downer? Certainly not I. Even with my busy schedule, I would choose it any day over only doing homework or catching up on Fox TV shows. It also helps that most of my friends are super-involved as well. That keeps me motivated and reminds me that it is all well worth it.

Although we ambassadors work hard, we play hard as well. Lately, I have been enjoying all the free food that the Gophers After Dark program has been giving away, ice cream, chicken, pizza, coffee, etc. It's ridiculous! Sometimes the lines are long, but that's all the more reason to bring friends. They have some pretty cool events lined up this semester, in addition to the free movies. That's where you will find me!

Well, I hope your heart is now at ease. I don't know the meaning of life, but you better believe I will be blogging regularly and sharing my experiences with you. That void can now be filled. Have a great week and until next time...be ez!

I moved into a house over Labor Day weekend and it finally feels like home. My roommates and I have been organizing, cleaning and settling in with every spare moment we have (which isn’t much). So far this semester I’ve filled my time with 15 credits, 15 hours a week at my internship, PRSSA (the student group I’m a part of), studying at the library and somehow still have time to run, hang with friends and support Gopher Football. Who needs to sleep, right? Ok so I’m exaggerating. But 6 or 7 hours of sleep a night is new for me; I’ve always been a 9 hours-per-night kind of girl. Old habits die hard.

I’m going to the Twins game tomorrow night, general admission is only $7 and a short bus ride (or long walk) from my place. It’s going to be nice to have somewhat of a night off from studying – I’ll just work extra hard tonight. Better get started on my paper…

I participated in a three-week seminar through the Learning Abroad Center in which I spent May term studying Mexican Popular Culture from one of the U of M's greatest professors, Mark Pedelty. As I anticipated, the experience was incredible.

Though I came home very ill with what my grandma refers to as "Moctezuma's revenge," I nevertheless look back on the experience and smile in awe of everything we did. I learned so very much about Mexico, the U.S., and myself that I can't believe I was there for only three weeks! I would even go as far to say that I'd risk getting sick all over again if I could go back right now.

But, as the rain beats down on the roof above me, I am reminded of what I set out to write: how I was nearly carried away through the city of Cuernavaca when the streets turned into ravines.

First of all it is important to know that Cuernavaca is full of hills which provide for a natural drainage system because all the water runs to the lowest point, at least that's what my host mom told me. However, the rain falling on this particular night was more than gravity could handle.

So much rain was pouring from the skies that there was seemingly over a foot of water everywhere I turned. Now, it'd be one thing if the water was just standing still, slowly collecting into one massive puddle. But, remember the hills and the natural drainage system? Well, the water was rushing past my feet so fast in an effort to get to the bottom of the hill that I had difficulty standing up and very nearly took a swim through the streets. Within seconds I was drenched though I was using my umbrella. All of this happened before I could even attempt to hail a cab.

Hmmm....having said all of that, the current rainy conditions outside don't seem nearly as bad. Perhaps I can make it home without the need to put on my swimming suit.

The great thing about this semester though, is that it's opening up so many new doors of opportunity for me. I am having so much fun with everything I am doing this semester, most of the time, it doesn't even feel like work. I do wish I would have an afternoon off every once and awhile.

The reasons for why I am so busy are really great. I am working about 10-15 hours a week at the Assistant Dean's Office for the College of Liberal Arts, have a 16 credit class load, and an internship at Big Brothers Big Sisters two afternoons a week. I am also a Big Sister is a school-based program through Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I get to spend my Tuesday afternoons with my lovely Ambassadors. We also have events that we are privileged enough to do throughout the semester.

I am really excited about my internship this semester. I am interning for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities as their recruitment intern. The main part of my internship consists of recruiting Big Brothers and Big Sisters at the University of Minnesota. I do a ton of research about student groups and the different colleges and departments on campus. I am also involved with helping the Big Brothers Big Sisters Student Group on campus with recruiting and getting some of their ideas started. I am learning something new every day that I spend at my internship. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to work for a non-profit organization, and getting this internship has been really great to see how things works.

I believe that I am loving my college career thus far because I have been able to get involved with numerous activities. Although I would like an afternoon off every once and a while, I wouldn't trade these opportunities for the world. I have had some great experiences, made some great networking contacts, and have made some great friends. I know it's been said before, but getting involved really does make the days go faster and the campus seem smaller!

Between being an MLK Mentor, a CLA Ambassador, a member of National Student Advisertising Competition and PRISM, doing community service, working 20 hour work weeks, and various other extra curricular activities I have been a tad bit tired. Sometimes it seems like life would be better if we were given 26 hours a day instead of 24. But then again, if i were given 26 hours a day, I'd probably just add on another commitment. The reality of the matter is that as leaders we often stretch ourselves thin because we have a fear of disappointing people. Well, that's not fair to others or ourselves.

So I decided that everyday I would devote 2 hours to myself. In that two hours I relax. I watch a little CNN, put my feet up, turn my phone off, and take a cat nap. I learned this week that with a little time management I can get a lot of things done if I write everything down and schedule accordingly. Us leaders must remember to take care of ourselves. If we don't who will? Lyricist Jay-Z once said "Difficult takes a day. Impossible takes a week." I believe that he is absolutely right but it is pretty hard to do the impossible when you are sleep deprived. LOL

I still fret too much about getting to class on time and not tripping on the front steps. My roommate offered to take my picture as I waited for the bus, and I forgot my snacks on the kitchen counter – the same as the first day of kindergarten.

Classes today seemed like a day of rest after 10 days of Welcome Week. Friday evening until Wednesday morning was considered Prep Week, and freshmen arrival Wednesday evening for Convocation meant the official beginning of the U of M’s first Welcome Week. I took a lot of hours – probably 150-200hrs for the week – but I survived, and I truly feel like this year’s incoming class has the tools to start their college career well. As a leader I got the perks of knowing most of the surprises in advance while still being able to play giant Jenga… The free food and free shirts would have been enough anyways – definitely the way to any college students’ heart.

Welcome Week could not have been any better, amazing execution for its inaugural year. The days were packed to the brim with presentations, activities, and amazing sidetrips: Nickelodeon Universe and the State Fair, volunteering off-campus, and shuttles downtown and uptown.

The best part: I got to be on the Mariucci JumboTron!!! Never before had I been so nervous. I was fine sitting to the side, waiting for my turn, even while looking the 2500+ audience. Only when I looked up at the huge screen and saw myself up there did I start to feel the butterflies in my stomach and worry about mispronouncing the German sentence.

A year ago, starting my freshman year, I would never have thought that college would feel like “normal life�? now. After a summer of working sometimes as much as 45 hours a week and still finding time to go to the cabin, celebrate birthdays, and visit family out-of-state, I couldn’t wait to dive right into classwork. Campus just wasn’t the same, without all of the activity – and to be honest, it wasn’t much easier trying to find a parking space when school wasn’t in session.

The semester is starting off perfectly (although there has only been a day for anything drastic to go wrong) – the homework seems manageable, the dishes haven’t had the chance to pile up at the apartment, and I found all of my buildings on the map.

Talk show row is (as the name suggests) where all of the talk shows and their hosts broadcast their shows. There are about three different rows lined with tables where each show broadcasts from. Politicians, celebrities, etc. go to talk show row often because it is easy to hop from table to table, station to station getting interviewed and getting facetime.

It is a good place to hang out because it gives you the chance to talk to a politican's/celebrity's assistant to pull them aside for an interview. For example, I saw Newt Gingrich, John Voight, and Mike Huckabee there over the course of the past two days and I don't even spend that much time in talk show row. CBS Radio got skybox interviews with Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich because we caught them on talk show row.

Apparently talk show row is also the place to find the Daily Show. Yesterday, two of the four CBS runners were in talk show row when approached by Daily Show correspondent Jason Jones's photographer. He told the two runners that Jason was going to do something funny and told them not to laugh. Jason came running up to them and hugged the female runner. He then let go and said something along the lines of "Maybe it would be funnier if I hugged a guy," so he hugged the other runner. I also saw Samantha Bee in talk show row today interviewing a woman. Maybe the Daily Show frequents talk show row because it does not have access to the larger part of the convention. Who knows...But I am hoping to run into someone from the Daily Show by the time the convention ends.

Today was a bit slower than yesterday, and it was freezing up on the Press level of the Xcel too. But today was also exciting because I watched Mike Huckabee and Bob Schieffer being interview in the CBS Radio skybox, which was cool. I am opting out of the main convention tonight because I was done at 3pm. However, tomorrow and Thurday I am coming in later and will be staying until closing time both nights. That way I can see all of the speeches the last two nights, which is what I was hoping for, so hopefully I'll have some good pics!

As one can imagine, security is insane. It increases as the convention events near: Guards are placed around every corner so that every spot is being watched. There are also dozens of check points where you have to show your credentials in order to get by, even after you have already passed the main security checkpoints. The guards are tough, but some of them can be sweetened a bit, which is nice.

More later, I am not sure when because I am working until close tomorrow, which is around 10pm. About the protests, I have not seen any of them because I have been inside, but I have heard all of the coverage and have read and watched stories about it on tv.

Here is a link to my RNC photos on my facebook profile:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2547218&l=d5c6e&id=13963335

But to back up, I received this opportunity when I interned at WCCO Radio last spring. I am going to be working at the convention until the Saturday or Sunday after it ends all day, every day. I am excited, but also anxious because I have never experienced anything like this before.

Although the convention itself will be insanely busy, the few days before it are going to be chaos because normally there are few weeks between the Republican and Democratic Conventions: this year there are three days. I spent my shift today trucking equipment from the CBS News area (located in the depths of the River Centre) upstairs to the Press level in the Xcel. Though it was a lot of grunt work, I am so thankful to have the opportunity to be working at the convention. I am sure once the convention starts there will be a lot of exciting news, famous sightings, and other miscellaneous things to report.

Being the media/journalism and political junkie that I am, here is today’s report on media/political sightings: I did not see any famous/well-known journalists or politicians, though I was not completely surprised being that the convention does not start for two days. However, it was exciting to see CNN set up shop across the street from the Xcel, with their Election Center bus and all. I also got a thrill walking on the convention floor and seeing various media outlets set up their cameras and equipment around the floor and in the skyboxes and suites aligning the arena.

If anyone has any suggestions, questions, critiques, comments, please feel free to pass them along.

I moved home for the summer thinking I would have tons of time to catch up with friends, but with everyone working or living on campus during the summer, I've found it increasingly more difficult to stay connected. In the last week, I've had about 25 coffee dates with friends back at home. I don't know if I can handle anymore coffee!

Most people won't admit it, but I'm so excited to move back to campus. After a summer of everyone being busy, I'll get to be busy with my friends! I'm moving into an apartment in Dinkytown this year, so it's going to be a whole other experience after dorm life. I'll actually have to cook! Keeping up with my studies should be a little easier because I have my own room and can concentrate without distractions. I made honors this year, so my grades are my priority.

I'm the membership officer for the University of Minnesota Women's Lacrosse Club, so I've had so much fun getting to know incoming freshmen. I'm hoping I can run into a few of them at Thursday's College Day for Welcome Week! Everyone seems so eager to get going on classes, which is refreshing because I think I'm one of the few sophomores excited to start my homework. Since I've just declared my strategic communications major, I'm starting in on some of my major classes this fall semester! I honestly cannot wait to start my first paper....I'm sure I'll eat my words within the next month.

It was a great experience which allowed me to travel, increase my wardrobe and take some of the financial burden off of my parents.

I went to the corporate office where surprisingly enough it was not business as usual. The campus of Abercrombie was different from any other corporate office I had ever seen. Everyone rode around on razor scooters; there were no suits and ties, instead there were flip flops and scarves which were worn by top executives. It was crazy.

We also were allowed to see the new stores that Abercrombie had like Gilly Hicks and RUEHL which had the most amazing leather bags. All of the people who were in power so young. One of the senior recruiters was in his thirties and Mike Jeffries, the CEO of the Abercrombie & Fitch surprisingly resembled Fabio, the Italian guy.

The entire experience made me realize that work does not have to be a mundane experience. It doesn't have to be boring; it can be flip flops and bosses who dress like surfers and co-workers who care about their appearance and health. The lunches were so healthy and the work environment was so comfortable that I realized that it actually made me excited to go to work each day. I enjoyed it.

However, nothing can bring me as much excitement as being a CLA Ambassador... during the school year... Yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. LOL

My friends and I jumped right back in where we had left off months before; granted, seeing them was hard enough as we all had conflicting work schedules. Regardless, we found hours in the mornings to go out on the lake or late night trips to Denny’s after work, so all was well.

The relationship between my parents and I was the greatest thing that changed during my first summer back home. First off, freshmen year of college, you are—for the most part—independent. You can do as you wish and come and go as you please, Of course, these perks come with a great deal of responsibility, but you learn to cope as time passes. However, you have a freedom that you never had at home during high school.

This, however, is a slap in the face when you return home, because parents have rules and curfews, and because they ARE your parents and it IS their house, you must abide by their rules. Though I dueled with my parents for more freedom, I think we both eventually realized the reality of both our situations. My parents loosened up a bit, and I got home by curfew.

I worked two jobs this summer—day and night—and I do not think I will ever, ever, EVER do that again. Aside from sleeping six hours a night (what is this… college?) for two months and waking up way, WAY to early to go work at a water park during 98 degree weather, I just came to the realization that tourists in the Wisconsin Dells are not the happiest of people, and I in turn became not the happiest of employees.

After a weeklong fever in mid-July, my parents put an end to my day job, so my last month of ‘home’, I was able to sleep in until 1:30 PM and watch Spanish telenovelas (soap operas, for those of you Spanish illiterate) until I couldn’t stand the fake drama anymore!

While I was completely and utterly ready to move into my apartment with my 5 roomies, I was not so entirely set on the idea of the whole ‘school’ aspect of it all. Alas, here we go again. Go Gophers… cheers to another promising, fantastic year.

Everyday, we’d walk along the Arno River, right by Ponte Vecchio to class. The Tuscan sun was far from forgiving and the frequent, yet short rain showers were welcomed. We spent every minute on the go from Rome to Bologna and Cinqueterre to Torino. Each city had something unique to offer. It’s hard to choose a favorite place -- I’m partial to Florence because that’s where my apartment was but the charm of Cinqueterre (Italian for Five Lands) is hard to ignore. As the days went on, the sun got hotter and the streets were more and more packed with tourists.

The return home was bittersweet; I missed my family and friends but hated to say goodbye to Florence. This summer is pretty low-key so far. I work about 25 hours a week. I’m training for the Women Run the Cities 10-Mile and sun bathing at Lake Calhoun in Uptown. Summer in the city is a new experience for me but so far, it’s great. There is always something to do or something to see.

My roomie is still at her history final, and my parents are on their way here from Reedsburg, while my best friends (who are consequently my neighbors in the dorm) are still sleeping. So, I sit here and try to put into perspective my freshman year at the U, and I still cannot believe it is gone. Where did it go?

It is quite a blur of things; definitely, this year has been one that has brought me many opportunities and beauty, one that has provided me with growth and reassurance, and one that has forced me to become independent and love each and every new day. Often, I found I had no time to worry about things, life, etc., because I just did not have any time. From being in meetings and going to the Writing Center so I would not fail my history class; to attending office hours and getting to know from professors; to attending receptions and events planned by so many different student organizations; to hanging out with my friends or in a comfy chair in the library; to sitting on the West Bank with the wind blowing in my hair and realizing this is it.

I remember sitting in church last week, sitting next to my roomie, and my eyes were welling up because I realized it was ending so soon, almost too abruptly. A senior spoke at church and said a quote I will never forget, “This, too, shall pass.�? Indeed, it did. The beginning of college when I was so depressed that I called my parents every day: passed. The awkward times when I was shy and scared to get involved: past. The transition between living by yourself and with another: passed. The awkwardness of having a roommate you did not know: passed. The stress over midterms: passed. The coffee highs during finals: passed. My freshman year at the U: passed.

I will never forget my freshman year at the University of Minnesota. As I sit here and contemplate, I could never dream of having gone anywhere else. I would have never been presented with so many amazing opportunities and people and with the greatest professors any student could wish for. My year at the U flew by, and as I recall the memories, I will fondly remember my time as a freshman at the U. I can only say to those of you beginning this new transition in your life; college is something to be experienced. Take each and every opportunity you can. Get involved, meet your professors, and start thinking about your life early on. You will be so happy you did, and you will realize that your time spent at the U is time you invest in yourself.

Being from out-of-state, I was afraid to leave my friends and family and go somewhere all by myself, but being on campus on my own has allowed me to be so much more independent and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Don’t get me wrong, I still talk with my family every day and am very close to them, but it’s nice to be here at the U of M and have an experience that’s all my own.

I came to college not knowing anyone, and now I can’t walk through campus without running into people in my classes, clubs and groups, and those who lived with me in the residence halls freshman year! It’s true what they say, campus is made so much smaller because of all the wonderful people you meet here.

Now that I’m wrapping up my junior year and am looking forward to my own senior year in college, it’s funny to think that I once was nervous about coming here. So even though it might be a little scary, I can’t imagine not knowing all those that I do now. Senior year in high school when you choose the college of your choice, it is one of the most exciting times in your lives- just know that once you’re here, it only gets better!

Me and my buddy Al, who is on my team, were sitting in the library getting ready for finals and whatnot so I felt like this was the appropriate time to let you all know that we won. I know most of you do not really care, but we're pretty proud of our accomplishment, so I'm going to brag a little.

Anyways, besides that nothing that new has been going on with me. I did celebrate my birthday the other day. Birthdays are usually fun right? Wrong, my birthday consisted of me driving four hours on a Monday to Fargo, North Dakota.

However, besides that I guess I can't really complain. I'm sure all of you high school students out there are just itching to get out of the house, and let me tell you a couple things about that.

Sure, it's amazing leaving the nest, but just remember me saying this. You will miss your free meals, free gas, or whatever else you take for granted at home. It's a whole new world out here but trust me, you will make the right decision on where you're going, you will enjoy it, and all those countless hours spent at home, school, etc., worrying about what you were going to do with the next four years of your life will be well worth it.

While I was sitting at home, in my great big comfortable bed, I'm not going to lie I did not have much to do. Unlike being at college, everything was being taken care of for me. That got me to thinking about why I chose to come to the University of Minnesota.

I mean most of my friends stuck around at home, and my family, welll that was a different story, they were ready for me to go far far away, and learn what it was like to be completely on my own. In the end though it came down to what I wanted.

There were many things the University of Minnesota had that I wanted. I absolutely was thrilled about being so close to the city. Coming from North Dakota I could not wait to experience Dinkytown, the Metrodome, Mariucci Arena, etc. Obviously knowing the University was one of the top institutions in the nations also swayed me to come here.

Location, location, location...I loved the fact that the University was close enough where I could drive home whenever I wanted to, but also it was far enough away where I met new people, I was on my own, and most importantly felt a little uncomfortable. It was time to grow up. I was scared but being here really helped me.

This campus and the staff here are in my mind the best at teaching students how to grow up without having somebody hold their hand but also without letting them fall flat on their face. I have always felt like one of the most important things to learn in life is how to be independent. This institution has helped me do that, while at the same time letting me learn about things I enjoy, and having fun doing things I love. My advice to you is, think about what you want. Don't worry you'll make the right decision, I have no doubt in my mind that I did.

It's funny now that I look back on it. But when it was happening, it wasn't funny at all. My Mommy always told me that I worry too much. Turns out like every other time in history, (except in my clothes selection) she was right. But I am thankful for all of those times that I only got 3 hours of sleep before going to my 6:30am class and crying over B's.

Because it has made me the person who I am and it made me remember that success is not an event. It's a habit. So here's a little advice to all of my future college students. If you have made success a habit, don't let a standardized test or a class or a school's poor decision get you down. Success is not an event. It's a habit.

Needless to say, fear of the unexpected got the best of me and I decided to go to school 30 minutes from home, and until recently, the farthest I'd managed to backpack was the U of M East Bank, a trek I now make daily. What I couldn't anticipate in the spring of 2004 was that moving out of my parents' home or navigating my way through my freshman year of college were going to be adventures in and of themselves. I didn't realize at the time that college is an adventure no matter where you go to school and the opportunities to travel Europe or visit a remote island can happen while pursuing a degree. The fact that I will be graduating from college with a bachelor's degree and graduate school in the future is proof that I am (slowly, but surely) entering adulthood.

Moreover, it appears as though I will be getting the opportunity to live the "adventure" I envisioned four years ago, but at a time when I feel prepared to take it on. I am in the process of preparing for a global seminar in which I’ll study in Cuernavaca, Mexico in the middle of May.

But fear won’t be getting the best of me this time. I feel confident that the preparation and lessons I've learned from a different adventure-that of going to college and living on my own-has prepared me for the unexpected events of my Mexico travels. I no longer yearn for proof of adulthood. In fact, I love it when my mom does my laundry or lets me go grocery shopping in her cupboards. But, I am pleased to realize that I can still have the adventure my aspiring self envisioned four years ago with the security in knowing I have nothing to prove to myself. College was the adventure, studying abroad will be an incredible experience.

When I was a senior in high school I looked a lot of different schools- public, private, in-state and schools thousands of miles away. It took a lot of thinking and embarrassingly a few tears of frustration until I decided. I chose the U because I wanted a big city experience, Big Ten sports, and a campus that was only an hour or so from home.

When I got accepted, many of the schools I applied for wanted me to narrow down a major right away but I did not have a clue what I wanted to do. The College of Liberal Arts sent me a huge list of majors and minors and asked me what, in general, I was interested in. I knew that in CLA I wouldn't be pigeon holed into what box I checked on my acceptance letter.

The experience I have had at the U has been amazing. I could not have asked for a more fulfilling four years. But no matter what school you chose to attend, you have to take the initiative to make it the best. Get involved in school right away. Join a student group or hall council. Everyone will be in the same situation as you are and you have the power to make the best out of whatever decision you make! Whether it is the U or another school that you want to call home for four years, you will be able to make it a great college experience!

Once you receive word on which colleges you were accepted to, it is essential to remember why you applied to those colleges in the first place. If that initial reasoning has changed, then re-familiarize yourself with the reasons why you chose those colleges so you will be able to narrow your choices down. Try listing the positives and the negatives of each college to help differentiate between them. If no select college is clearly standing out as the ‘right’ one for you, it would be a splendid idea to go visit the actual college campuses and get a feel for what college life is all about.

If you come and visit the U of M, we have campus tours every weekday morning and weekday afternoon that all prospective students can easily register for online. Besides getting a feel for the campus, you are also able to tour dorm rooms and sit in on a class of interest. So after touring a residence hall, and learning all about the U of M, you will hopefully be able to tell if this campus fits you.

If you are still indecisive after touring the campuses of your potential colleges, it could also be a good experience to seek out a current student at each college and ask them any questions or worries that are on your mind. Hearing a current student’s perspective can be very useful since that student has been immersed in the college culture for an entire academic year.

Overall, it is essential to pay attention to all of the deadlines for housing and confirming your application. By meeting these deadlines you will be able to transition smoothly into the college that you choose.

Personally, one of the main reasons why I choose the U of M is due to the strong liberal arts college. After asking many questions and doing an ample amount of research, I discovered that the U of M’s Psychology program is ranked with the best. This information was an influential part of my decision to come to this University.

Best of luck with your college decisions!

When the campus starts to look green and the flowers are planted, it’s too tempting to grab my friends and play volleyball or soccer out back behind the residence hall. This past weekend was Spring Jam, pulled indoors because of the weather but still a success! This coming week is ActiFest, a week of activities promoting political and civic engagement. For both of these series of events, several students groups came together to work on them, and it’s been great getting to meet other students and plan campus-wide events.

This past weekend was also my birthday! I had a blast celebrating with my friends, two of whom had their birthdays this weekend too. Minneapolis is great for birthdays, so I’ve found out. Of course we all demanded that we go out to dinner at Annie’s for their amazing shakes!

As always, when looking back a year ago, life seems so different. As a senior, I was worrying about my advanced placement (AP) exams coming up in May and then finals in June. Even though AP exams were stressful and challenging, I am so glad to have put in the extra effort in high school to earn credits toward liberal education requirements at the University. Seeing as how I am definitely scientifically inclined, I love knowing that I will never be required to take a science again thanks to AP Bio!

It’s weird to think that at this point last year, I was still making the final decision about college. It wasn’t until the 29th or the 30th that I decided on the University of Minnesota. At this point, after two fantastic semesters, I can’t imagine being anywhere else. Talking with friends, it seems that while they are at different schools, they can’t imagine being anywhere else either. I get to see all of my friends from high school in about one month, and this summer will be filled with catching up and hearing about their first year of college.

One year ago my decisions were made and I was ready for college at the University of Minnesota. Actually, ever since I was a little girl, I think I've always known I was supposed to be a Gopher. I knew I wanted to live in a city with endless possibilities for weekends, go to a school with a superior education program, and obviously have an adorable mascot to cheer on. I have known deep down this is where I am
supposed to be.

I came here thinking I had to know everything about what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go in life, but as it turns out, that's a big lie! This first year of college has been such a learning experience for me. I've always been that person that plans what they're eating for lunch three days in advance, but over the past year, I've learned to let go of all the planning in life and just let things happen.

Whether it's exploring different classes outside of my original major or just "winging" lunch (which I'm still working on), I've really learned to open my mind here at the University. I have really learned to just go with my gut no matter what. It's good to have a plan, but it feels so good knowing I've really found what I want in a career because I explored classes I wouldn't normally think of taking.

I can't imagine discovering all my potential and boundless possibilities anywhere else.

I didn’t have the opportunity to visit either school, so I spent a lot of time researching online. I probably went through a million college handbooks just to find the key to my answer. Academically, both schools were on the same rung. One offered me a generous scholarship (which seemed reason enough to accept). The other didn’t offer me anything but had more resources and name recognition. It also had the advantage of being situated in the biggest metropolis west of Chicago (besides Seattle). Ultimately, it came down to a clash between money and resources.

I picked Minnesota.

I do not regret my decision at all. Not once have I thought about what it may have been like to attend the other school. The U of M has opened many doors that I didn’t know even existed. This may sound like cliché college talk, but it’s very true (in my case, at least). I believe the greatest strength of the U lies in its students. With a diverse population of 25,000 undergrads, you are bound to find a group of people with similar interests as you do. And these are 25,000 bright students… getting accepted to Minnesota is not the easiest thing in the world. Along with the diverse student population, there are numerous groups and organizations to explore and join. As a college student, your extracurricular activities may be just as important to you as classes and friends.

When picking a college, there are many factors that must be considered. The best way to get through this is to think about what you want out of your college experience. Do you want to have a well-tailored academic course of study? Or maybe you are counting on having things to do outside of class. No matter how hard the process, remember that you pre-selected the schools that accepted you. You can’t go seriously wrong with whatever choice you make.

Good luck!

Which school I chose is no longer important, and both of them are great schools. I am still unwilling to say that I made the wrong choice, but simply that I could have better informed myself what to expect. Nonetheless, I learned a great deal in my freshman year both academically and personally. In this regard, there is no wrong choice for college. No matter which school you choose, you are going to learn a lot about yourself. This knowledge may allow you to know that you made the right decision and you love where you're at. However, it could also lead you to recognize that you need to go somewhere else in order to be happy.

I was not ready for college, and for anyone out there who is afraid or reluctant to make such a big decision, I was right there with you. In fact, I have yet to find someone who was more reluctant and scared to go to college as I was. Either way, finding the right college can be the necessary key to being happy.

For me, the right college is here at the U of M. Largely diverse intellectually, ethnically, and socially, the U of M has phenomenal network availabilities. Also, I have been a huge gopher sports fan my entire life, and I have never seen school spirit as fierce as it is here. The U is a school that challenges all of its students to be independent and self-reliant. There are numerous resources to help students, but it is up to you to be motivated enough to either do what you need to do, or seek help to get it done. Also, it's important to choose a school where you can be yourself and surround youself with people who are similar to you, but still unique in their own ways.

When it comes down to it, the choice really is all yours. Despite what your parents, friends, siblings, girlfriends (etc.) may think or want, only you can make yourself happy (or sad, for that matter). Have confidence in your choice, and know that whatever choice you make is not the end.

Peace Love and don't let having a bad day ruin your day.
Dave

My senior year of high school, at Oshkosh West High School was a challenging year for me. I know that most kids slack off their senior year, but not I, instead I decided to get a head start on college, and I took courses through our hometown college, as well as an AP class. I wanted to prepare for what everyone said college was going to be…lots of reading, writing, and studying.

It wasn’t until the end of March that I found out I was accepted into the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. I had applied to six different schools, and I had been accepted into all five of them before I received my letter from the U. I remember the exact time and place I found out I was accepted. I was in Washington DC at the National 4-H Conference serving on the National 4-H Conference Planning Committee when my mom called and told me I had a letter in the mail from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. I debated having her open it or not, and I finally decided to have her open it for me. She started reading it to me.

“Dear Karissa, Congratulations!�?

That is when I lost it and starting jumping up and down because I was accepted into the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. I remembered the first moment I had ever stepped on campus here the summer before my senior year of high school. It was love at first sight. The size of the school intrigued me. It was a challenge I was willing to take. The beauty of the school made me smile. It had one of the best layouts I had ever seen and it was extremely easy to get around. Then of course, the U has the “Minnesota Nice�? factor, which made me feel at ease with the situation. I knew I didn’t want to transfer universities at any point, and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities was the only school that felt right to me while I was touring.

The toughest decision I had when choosing a University to attend was the distance from my hometown. I pretty much knew that I wanted to go to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, but because I am the youngest, my sister had only gone to a school two hours away, and I am really close with my parents, I almost felt obligated to go to a school only an hour and a half away from home. I knew I would not be happy if I had gone that route though. My parents are supportive individuals, but they wanted me to go to a school closer to home. In the long run, though, they knew I would get more out of my college experience if I went to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. The accepted my decision to attend the U, and I confirmed my enrollment the very next day.

Being here at the U is more than I could ever ask for. I have learned and grown so much in the past eight months and I couldn’t ask for a better school to do it at. I have met some of the most passionate and gifted people here and they make me want to be a better person. Not to mention, there is always something to do here, so there is never a dull moment. The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is the place for me.

Now, here I am. Graduated from high school at a perfect college on a beautiful campus. I couldn't have asked for anything better. In my case, I just knew i wanted to go to the University of Minnesota. Honestly, it was the only school I applied to (which I wouldn't recommend due to the stress factor of waiting for your acceptance letter). Either way, the first time I really came to campus was for orientation. I kind of wish I would have visited earlier if I knew that was an option. You can! I know this because its what we do with students as Student Ambassadors =).

Anyways, I had not only not been to the campus, but I hadn't really been to the city either. I remember driving up on the freeway and seeing the beautiful city skyline in the background. It was bright, sunny, warm, and welcoming. Something about the excessive UMN propaganda, although a little overwhelming, made me feel at home. Every shirt, sign, flag, writing utensil, etc. was stamped with University love!

Of course my mom loved it too, so I thought that, should I decide on a different college, she wouldn’t pay for it unless I went here (this is an insane exaggeration, but you get the point). So here I am, as I see all the “youngsters�? in lieu of making this decision, and I just don’t know how it’s even a question in your minds. Happy picking – hope to see you all next year =)

I’m not a good decision-maker and the May 1st enrollment confirmation deadline was rapidly approaching. Had I known what I know now, the decision would have been crystal clear. I knew I needed a school that could guide me to figure out my passions and also challenge me academically and socially.

It’s hard to actually picture the way your life will be a year from now. Senior year to freshman year is a drastic jump that is heavily influenced by your surroundings and the lessons (inside and out of the classroom) that you learn. I know what I expected from freshman year was much surpassed and can’t imagine myself on any other campus.

Spring Jam is this weekend which really doesn’t help with the spring fever. I’m really excited to go to the concerts and watch all the competitions but these next few weeks are crucial in my classes. I’m taking Friday and Saturday off from studying/writing papers which probably isn’t the best idea but with all the work I’ve been doing, I deserve some play. Sunday I’m cracking down. Finals, here I come.

Being from a small town in Wisconsin, I greatly looked forward to moving to the big city I knew little of. Of course, I was a bit sad to leave my home, friends, and family, but I was about to embark on the most important journey of discovery and self-fulfillment.

Of course, this did not stop me from scoping out all of my U of M friends to ask them all the necessities. What do I need at school? Which dorm is the best? Will I get lost? Do I need flip-flops for the shower? Do I need a shower caddy? A fan? Will someone help me if I get lost? How much money should I bring? What are the things you wish you had known and were not aware of? So, since I had these questions, I am sure some of you do too, so here are my responses:

As far as school supplies go, I would say stick to the same high school rules: at least a folder and notebook for each class. Do not go buying huge binders or anything like that. First off, it is too heavy to carry around all day. Secondly, sometimes you do not even write that many notes because your professors will print them. Just to be safe, a simple notebook and a folder are perfect. And do not waste money on expensive folders/notebooks either; we’re in college—money must not be wasted.

While I may be a bit biased, I undoubtedly believe that Territorial Hall is the best freshman hall, though I do believe the Super Block is where it is at, especially for your freshman year. And do please live on campus—the college experience is so much more personal by living with fellow colleagues. You will not get lost, trust me. The U may seem big, but it is so comfortable that you create a community on campus, so it is so much smaller than you really think. Flip-flops: yes. Shower caddy: yes. Fan: absolutely, even if your dorm has air conditioning, bring a fan.

If you need some backup on those first few days, or need just a little morale boost, I am always here for you. Comment my blog and we will chat.

Money… that is all your own preference, really. You will need enough to subsist.

What I wish I would have known when I initially moved in was that I actually had a lot of space in my dorm, so I did not over-pack (thanks Mom and Dad), and stamps and envelopes are always handy, as are pens, white out, highlighters, etc. One other thing I wish I would have known was that there is always free food/shirts/merchandise/bottled water somewhere on campus; you just need to find it. Oh, and there are tunnels everywhere on campus. Figure out the Gopher Way, and you will experience very little of the Minnesota winter.

So, congratulations on graduating high school. I know there are still a couple of weeks left, but you have made it this far and have been accepted to the U and for that you deserve great praise. I hope you heed my words and do not stress yourself over this transition. While it may seem to be something you cannot bear, I promise you, you will persevere and come out shining! After all, it is what I did. Best of luck.

School hasn’t been too bad this last week, I think the reason for that is the week before spring break consisted of so much to do in all my classes, that all my teachers decided to ease up for a little bit. I had two papers, a case study, two midterms, and one quiz to do, all in the week right before break, so I don’t think my teachers had anything left to give us.

That was really nice, because this week my intramural basketball team was in the playoffs. We had to play two undefeated teams and were the sixth seed, but we ended up overcoming all the odds and making it to the championship game. I am really glad we made it because the championship game is going to be played at Williams Arena on Monday at nine! We won three games in four days and I’m just hoping we can pull it out in this last one. If we win we get t-shirts. However, win or lose, It’s going to be really fun playing on the court that all the Gopher greats have played on.

That court has been around for so long and has so much history within those walls, that it will be enough of a prize even if we lose. All right, I have a paper to start on that’s calling my name so I better get back to that. I’ll let all of you know how my intramural game turned out next time.

I've been keeping busy with lacrosse and the student organization I am on. The women's lacrosse team here is doing phenomenal this year. We are ranked number 21 in our division (which is amazing since we sat in the hundreds just 2 years ago). Being a rookie this year is pretty fun! I've met a lot of great girls that push me to get better. Not to mention my coach, Jan, is awesome!

I am the marketing chair for the Business Association of Multicultural Students (BAM). This student organization is based in the Carlson School of Management, but we have many members from other colleges who are just interested in different aspects of business. I've had such a great experience learning the ins and outs of the business world from other business students and corporate recruiters.

With all my activities (including work), I've done a pretty good job staying on top of my homework. If anything, being so busy has brought me great time management skills. The little time I have to study is spent completely focused with no distractions. I feel really fortunate to have gone through all this my first year of school because I feel I can use this skill for the rest of college and beyond!

This season was a rocky one. The loss of two players (one being an All-American) immediately prior to school starting in September (i.e. too late for Coach Lucia to recruit adequately to take their places), along with an early injury to a star forward spelled disaster for this year's team. As if these losses didn't hurt enough, a midseason departure by the Gophers top star sent the team spiraling.

Although many counted the Gophers out and gave up hope, I would like to pat myself on the back for keeping the faith. The Gophs inevitably went on a run to close out the season and power through the WCHA playoffs. Nonetheless, the aforementioned run was ended all too quickly in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday.

Oh well, I suppose. Next year the Gophers have the number 1 rated recruit in the nation coming to play for them as well as having Minnesota's 2008 Mr. Hockey joining the squad. Given the abundant talent that is about to join our forces, I'm extremely confident that this will be my last season, at least until I graduate, of experiencing post-hockey depression.

PS - I just figured out that blogging is an extremely effective way of passing time during work. Excellent. More to come on my work life. Stay tuned!

Peace Love and enjoy the snow,
Dave

This semester I’m taking a media graphics class where I’m learning how to use Photoshop and build a website. It’s really neat and I’m excited to play around with my camera and layouts over break so that I have some new ideas for the second part of the semester. It’s really kind-of fun to get to experiment and be creative with my designs.

I’m also taking a U.S. Congress class which is pretty interesting. We are learning obviously about Congress and its Institutions, but we are taking a more in-depth look at it. Also, one of the coolest parts of the class is that we each are “playing�? a different member of Congress and participating in an entire class simulation. The class is split proportionally into democrats and republicans and we are assigned to behave as our particular member would. I am playing my actual representative which is pretty neat because it gives me a chance not only to learn more about the person who represents me, but it’s interesting to see the roles of parties and committees in Congress.

Well, I need to get back to my studying, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

On another note, I am very excited about next year. Two of my friends and I are going to be living in the bottom floor of a duplex and we just signed the lease. It gets to be kind of stressful looking for places to live when you aren’t in the dorms. We took as much time looking for a place as I did deciding where I wanted to go to school – if you can believe that.

A little piece of advice though; find a landlord that you like. This process was especially frustrating because we originally wanted to live in this centrally located apartment complex. We contacted the landlord very early on in the year (hoping it was a first-come-first-serve situation), figured out who was living with us, decided how many bedrooms we wanted, and calculated how much we were willing to pay.

The landlord was angry that we came “too early,�? never got back to us, and left us not knowing if we had a place to stay next year or not. FORTUNATELY though, my friend, Tony, was looking at the upper level of this duplex and we decided to look at the first floor. We loved it, it was affordable, and it isn’t that far from campus.

So, for all of you out there who think living out of the dorms on campus is unreasonably expensive, this is not the case. Also, I found out that the there is a place on campus that will look over your lease for apartments or houses or whatever, and make sure they are reasonable and fair. This might be in the Career and Community Learning Center, but I’m not sure. This definitely would have been helpful too, since I’m not very experienced in residence-hunting, as you can imagine.

Besides this, my academic life is going pretty well. Mid-terms are coming up again, so I’m getting ready for a long stretch of studying. Hopefully the weather will be better by this weekend so I can do it outside in the Mall area, though! Goodbye for now! Hope next time I blog there will be warmer, brighter days.

It was my first ever so I’m pretty proud of myself. However, Sunday was a lazy day for me because I couldn’t move because I was soooo sore! Next time, I’ll have to remember to stretch a little better (or maybe actually train). There are always 5ks and other races going on on campus so I’m going to try and keep it up and I’m also considering joining the Running Club on campus. I talked with one of the members at the race and it sounded like a fun way to keep motivated.

On another note, my dad came down today from home (Buffalo – only 45 miles west of here) to say hi. I hadn’t seen him in a while so it was a nice surprise. Best of all, he took me grocery shopping. I got to splurge on my choices for once! We went to the Super Target on Snelling Ave. which I had never been to. It was surprisingly dead for a Sunday afternoon making it much more enjoyable because I tend to freak out at the grocery store and crowds so the combination can be an issue for me – plus, it was sample day!

I cracked down and began my research. I called students and alumni, visited websites across the board, and talked at length with my parents. By this time last year, I was sick of it all and just wanted to know where I would be in the fall.

Eventually May 1 rolled around and I drove out to the airport at 11:00pm to postmark my reply to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. In all truth it was the Open House that convinced me to sign that confirmation letter.

I remember attending an information session about individualized degree programs (IDP) and knew that it was something worth checking out. For someone like me, who is interested in the entire social sciences and did not look forward to focusing my studies on one discipline, it was a viable option. And so there’s my intended major (although I still have to formerly declare)…

It really is the perfect option for me. I get to combine 3-4 concentrations, designing my own major. I’m not really sure how it is all going to work out, but in the end I am sure to have found the perfect way for me to get a degree in international relations.

I met with my advisor last week to discuss classes for next semester. I can’t believe it’s almost the end of freshman year. Next fall as a sophomore, I plan on taking classes to help me decide on my IDP. Sociology, anthropology, social justice, global studies, political sciences – it’s all up in the air. It’s great to have completed my liberal education requirements. They were fun classes that showed what interested me and what I should never attempt again. (Astronomy turned out to be the latter, unfortunately).

In the advising session, we also discussed such things as study abroad and internships. I definitely count on studying abroad at least once, if not twice. The programs here are amazing. I could go for as long as a year or just 2-3 weeks over winter or summer break. I could study international ethics in Amsterdam or study the Olympics in China. Now all I have to do is decide…

While this might all seem settled and that I have my college career, it’s anything but. Last semester I was briefly considering pursuing a major in technical theater. Last month, I was wondering if I wanted to be hoping on a plane this may to Argentina to study human rights. Next month, I anticipate much to be the same. Or I might surprise myself by registering for Korean. We’ll just have to wait until then because I never know. I’m still figuring things out.

I am currently deciding whether or not to study abroad this summer in Toledo, Spain. I have declared a minor in Spanish Studies and would be able to complete my final two Spanish classes in Toledo. However, I would also like to continue taking Spanish classes next year, so I am still undecided. The deadline to confirm is in two weeks, so I will keep you posted. The U of M has a great Learning Abroad Program, where students can choose between studying for an entire academic year, fall or spring semester, May term, or for the summer. Students can go to the Learning Abroad Website to check for the time and location of the next ‘First Step Meeting,’ which will inform them of the basic procedures on how to search and apply for specific learning abroad opportunities. After this first step meeting, the Learning Abroad Office will make a profile for each student to assist them when they drop by to discuss a possible experience abroad.

I am also looking forward to working at the CLA Open House this next Saturday, April 5th. This is one of CLA’s biggest events, where we host hundreds of prospective students (and their parents) and let them get a feeling of what college life is all about. From learning about Studying Abroad Opportunities to hearing a student panel answer questions about their personal U of M experiences, the future class of 2012 will go home knowing everything that CLA has to offer.

It was sunny and low 80’s the entire week and we couldn’t have had a better time. We headed to Lake Havasu, Arizona for a day and met up with some guy friends from school who were staying there and hung out on the beach. Before we flew out of Vegas, we spent two nights there exploring the city.

Anyway, school didn’t cross my mind once over the week but I now realize that it should have – probably many times. On top of all my projects and papers coming up, we’re getting ready for the CLA Open House which is way more fun to spend my time working on than school so I’m a little stressed.

The other thing that I’m not ready for is the Autism Initiative 5k that takes place this Saturday. My friend Sarah convinced me to sign up and over a month ago it sounded like a great idea. However, only a few days away, it sounds impossible. I haven’t hit the gym or the streets in over 3 weeks – it could be rough. I’ll let you know how many muscles I pull…

As I am sitting here on my bed at my house (it’s Spring Break), I recall that I had forgotten how good it felt to be home. While I see my book bag wandering in front of me, overflowing with books I have to read and papers I need to begin, I sit on my bed and think, I’m home. Eventually, however, I know I will go back to the U and be welcomed with a little over a month left of spring semester and then smack, finals! Well, let’s not get so far ahead of ourselves.

I just finished working on a newsletter for La Raza Student Cultural Center, one of the many fine student organizations located on the second floor of Coffman Memorial Union. I have been quite involved with La Raza ever since I arrived at the U. I had always wanted to become involved, but I had always been nervous to go there by myself. In my Journalism 1001 class (Introduction to Mass Communication), though, I met a girl who had frequented La Raza, and she took me there and introduced me to many people, all of who I am quite close with now. You can always find us at La Raza, chatting about the Presidential election, why this Mexican restaurant is better than that one, or what new and exciting activities are taking place. We often go out on weekends, salsa dancing in Dinkytown or to some other dance in the city.

Getting involved with La Raza has been the best things I did when I first got to the U. Providing me an outlet and a means to get to know my culture, La Raza has been an integral part in shaping my identity. Plus, it has given me a ton of things to do, which can be a good or bad thing. You see, I was already a busy girl, volunteering and tutoring in the cities, but being a member of La Raza, well… that means taking on a bit more responsibility. So I was endowed with the task of creating a newsletter, one which I embraced because I used to be the editor of my school newspaper and I love to write, and layout is kind of my forte, but one which made me nervous because everyone would see MY work. Plus, it would look great for me personally, since I have just been accepted into the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC).

Unfortunately, due dates in all of my classes are all getting closer and closer, and I am feeling the stress coming on. I try not to think about it, because I know in the end it all works out. I just need to prioritize more and decide what needs to be done because it’s my duty as a student, and what I can wait to do because it’s an extracurricular, if you will. Of course, I am saying this now, but I know I will try to get everything done so no one is disappointed in me. Oh well, I see it as further motivation.

Plus, it’s like 40 degrees outside. Can you say heat wave? The sun is shining, and regardless of how stressed I feel and the need for me to really start doing my homework, well… it can wait. ☺

Prior to my trip, I was busy with essays and midterms. I had an eight-page paper for my political science class that I left off until the last possible moment. That definitely was a terrible idea. Although I am usually good in getting my schoolwork done ahead of time, it is very easy to get sidetracked by random, miscellaneous things. College life involves an intense juggling of priorities, and it only takes practice to get better. It is especially hard during freshman year when you are exploring campus and developing new friendships. Everything works out though, as long as you maintain some sort of balance between work and play.

I have also realized that there’s only a month and a half of classes left. Hopefully, that’ll motivate me to focus on school and avoid procrastination. However, I know that the warmth of spring will draw me outside while I’m supposed to be working inside. Oh well… at least I won’t have to battle chilly winds and wear three layers of clothing whenever I step outside anymore. Move aside winter, spring is coming!

I participated in a Teen Summit for CLA Ambassadors, and unfortunately was the only ambassador present. I along with many other groups like the Minnesota Spoken Word Association, and help put on a teen summit which explored the thoughts of teenagers ages 12-19. It was a powerful experience. Despite the unequal funding of the educational system, these kids were brilliant. They were reading Voltaire in their free time and engaged in political debates and discussions. They quoted theories from W.E.B Du Bois. Which is surprising since in my college American History class no one knew who he was. I was more than proud. I was inspired. My task was to teach them about something I love. HIP HOP!!!

I know what you are thinking. What is so important and brilliant about hip hop??? Well like I taught my students hip hop was the result of poor government regulation and a direct result of the effects of Reagan-nomics. It is one of the first forms of American based music that was created by a variety of ethnic backgrounds and it became the voice of marginalized people. Hip Hop culture gave many youths a peaceful escape from the desparities of life in the late seventies early eighties and even to this day.

I learned a lot from my former professor Alexs Pate, who teaches The Poetry of Rap class. He was the acclaimed author of Amistad and he has given me a greater respect for music saturated in meaning. Many of those students informed me that they often are disappointed with the direction that hip hop is taking, so they listen to "Old School" music like Tupac LOL and the Roots. I think there will be hope for my future generations yet.

Last week I had three midterms and two papers due. I don’t have anything due this week, so I decided to give myself a night off. I feel like rewarding me with a night away from homework is needed otherwise I would go crazy. Homework and school are extremely important to me, but sometimes a break is really all you need to give you one last little push to get you through a week, especially the week before spring break.

I am really excited for Spring Break. I do have some homework that I have to get done, but I am just excited to go back home to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for a few days and see friends that I haven’t seen for a couple of months. I think it will be fun! I don’t plan on do much besides catching up on sleep, doing some homework, watching some movies, and seeing some friends, but I don’t think I’d want it any other way. It will be relaxing.

Also with Spring Break approaching, I have come to realize that I am ¾ done with my first year as a college student. I’m not really ready to reflect on the end right now because I am having way to much fun meeting new people and getting involved with activities on campus, and I know there is much more school work to be done, but looking back on my first 23 weeks as a college student is really fun.

I remember showing up at the end of August to move into my dorm room in Middlebrook Hall on the West Bank. The University was so big back then. Honestly, I was so nervous, but who wasn’t? The first night I spent in my dorm was weird, but I realized so many people were in the same position as me, and we quickly forged bonds by planning Apples to Apples until 5 AM together and laughing together over random knock-knock jokes.

I realized early on that it was a bond that could not be broken. I don’t want to get all sappy because the year is not yet over, but I have realized within these last 23 weeks I have made friendships that will last a lifetime. The really amazing thing is that I am continuing to build friendships through classes and student groups too. This campus gets smaller by the day to me because I am meeting new people and getting more involved with student groups. It really is the key to being successful in college.

Considering I don’t really have much to do tonight, I think I’m going to start packing for break. Unlike most of my other friends, I don’t get to quite get out my flip flops and shorts yet…maybe next year.

I was definitely thrown into the bus system when I got an internship downtown during the summer between my junior and senior year. Parking downtown during a workday, your typical 9-5, is easily about $18 a day. I tried to convince my dad this was a worthy expense he could subsidize. No luck. So instead I got a U pass.

The first time I took the bus it was the 6E that runs right down Hennepin Avenue through downtown Minneapolis. It was easy enough to get off and find my building. Finding my way back was a whole new story. I was unsure of where to wait for the 6U to take me back to campus. I walked up and down Nicollet Mall- a street three blocks away from Hennepin Ave. Since I had never taken a bus, I didn't realize that a bus normally picks you up on the other side of the street from where you were dropped off...Anyway, I stopped at every bus stop I saw, trying to find a stop that said "6�?. I walked for about thirty minutes in my heels looking for the stop.

In the meantime, I had spent that time calling my mom, my boyfriend, my roommate- anyone who might know. Finally I stumbled back upon Hennepin and ran after a 6U I saw one block down. I still have blister scars, but I will never forget where the 6 picks up. Ever.

If I had done my bus-riding right, I would have checked out www.metrotransit.com. You can plan your personal route, figure out bus transfers and find schedules and stops on the website. Looking back, I wish I hadn't been so intimidated to ride the bus. It took me a few years to start exploring the Cities and getting off campus! While campus is great and there is so much more Minneapolis and St. Paul have to offer- but you might have to take a bus!

The class is set up very well. We attend a 50min lecture 3 times a week where we are encouraged to sit with the same twelve students who are in our lab and discussion sections. It is with these students that we conduct the lab experiments and solve the discussion problems. In lab/discussion section we are divided into groups of 3 to solve the weekly problems. This small group atmosphere leads to the automatic formation of study groups which I find very beneficial. However, despite the support we feel in lecture, lab and discussion sections from our peers, LA’s (Learning Assistants), TA’s (teaching assistants) and professor, the course is still challenging and it demands a lot of my time and energy.

It is especially tough to prepare for exams when the physics midterm bumps up next to organic chemistry, intro to mass communications and medical terminology midterms. I am quickly realizing how critical time management skills are for success. I am also realizing how thankful I am for spring break to start next week. A chance to step back, unwind, catch up and recharge seems like a magnificent miracle right now. However, spring break is not yet upon me, so off I go to spend more time with my good friend Sir Isaac Newton!

On to more recent matters. I FEEL like a veteran after two days of school. I am recognizing people in all of my classes. I find myself helping people navigate the most confusing building, which in my opinion were designed to give students headaches ( Vincent Hall!) I am being asked by students about classes and how to get into The School of Journalism and I can help. I am in great classes for my major and I am so excited about being a verteran. However I am not nor will I ever be excited about this cold, cold cold weather.

During finals week the library remains open 24 hours so students are able to come and go as they please. I take full advantage of this opportunity since I tend to study late into the night and usually end up procrastinating if I stay in my apartment.

Overall, college finals are somewhat similar to high school finals in the fact that usually encompass everything you have learned in the past semester. The main differences are that college finals are usually spread out over the course of an entire week and tend to be a bit more difficult than high school finals. However, if you stay on top of things and study ahead of time, you should be able to leave for Winter Break feeling good about what you have accomplished.

It is currently midnight and I am debating whether to head back to the library to study for another few hours or stay in my apartment and risk becoming distracted (my pillow and the TV are very appealing late at night). I just finished eating a bowl of Mac & Cheese and drinking a 16 oz. Passion Fruit energy drink (delicious I know…), so my body is ready to study well into the night.

On this note, I feel it is time to stop procrastinating and get back to my studying,

Happy Holidays!

~Mike

I am going to San Francisco for two-weeks with Y-Immersions and learning about food injustices suffered by the lower class. I am excited to be able to go to Sunny San Francisco for two weeks and not have to wear a coat. Thank God, Allah , Yaweh, Buddah... Whoever is up there, because for three weeks I will be free from Minnesota cold. Unfortunately, right now I am still here.... still cold and still with my friends who warm me up with there smiles everyday. I will miss them sooo much, however not enough to want to stay here an additional 3 weeks. LOL I'm a horrible friend. I guess I'll just have to make it up with Christmas presents.

Happy Holidaze All

Most of what has kept me busy has been papers for my classes. I am in the school of journalism and so most of what I do is write. This year, I have noticed that almost every class I have has a class blog.

In four classes I have to make at least weekly posts ranging from 200-500 words. While these all seem to be short entries, they take a surprising amount of time. These weekly posts count as participation points and come on top of usual papers and responses due in class.

In the last four years I have noticed that so many more professors are utilizing the University's online offerings. All of my grades, assignments, blogs and class information are posted on the University's WebVista program- which is so convenient. It will be interesting to see how many more facets of traditional classes get an online presence.

I also decided to reserve my Saturday night for studying purposes because I am going paintballing tomorrow afternoon. I am slightly concerned about the notion of getting shot with paintballs when it is freezing outside, but it should be fun.

I will be sharing this paintball experience with other members of the CLA Student Board. This is a student group that I am involved in that represents the entire CLA student body. We hold weekly meetings for about an hour every Wednesday and go on a retreat every fall and spring semester. The fall retreat usually consists of some fun activity (if you consider getting hit by paintballs fun... hmm), while the spring retreat is an overnight team building experience at a local campground. It is a good idea to get involved in a student group while you’re in college. The University of Minnesota has hundreds of student groups to choose from. It is a good way to explore your interests and discover friends who share similar interests.

With tomorrow quickly approaching I feel I should say adieu,
=]

While I "roughed it" by walking over the Washington Avenue Bridge today, there was a lot more elbow room than usual. When the temperatures go down it seems like every student finds ways to stay inside so I end up running into more friends than normal because we are all using the same tunnels in the Gopher Way!

Second, with the colder weather comes mid-terms. I have been lucky this year because half of my classes involve performance work, so they don't have mid-terms. And I have been able to arrange study sessions around campus (usually Coffman or the Rarig Center) with other students in my class. We usually go over review sheets together and then go to the Professor or the Teaching Assistant during their office hours for clarification.

Hopefully, this system will work once again and I will be able to celebrate Thanksgiving knowing that I've got the first half of the semester in the bag!

I was cast in the School of Music's University Opera performance of the Seven Deadly Sins as a dancer though my part involves some acting as well. Though I have performed and danced in front of audiences many, many times throughout my life, I've never had to play a man before.

How do you perform "a man?" How do I portray masculinity through my female body? How is masculinity portrayed through a feminine man? Is it still masculinity? or does it become femininity? What is masculinity if not defined by the stereotypes through which I view it? These are questions we are frequently faced with and theorize about in my academic dance and cultural studies courses.

Though I may spend class periods theorizing the cultural representation of manliness, having to enact that which seems undefinable is proving rather difficult. Perhaps that is why I love to perform and learn about performance. The preparation for the stage and the performing itself requires an understanding, albeit one that is hard to come by.

Wish me luck as I attempt to define this role and perform it in front of a very large audience!

I wanted to keep my options open. Finally in October, I started visiting campuses out-of-state.

I know everyone always says that “you’ll just know�? when you find your campus, and that may or may not be entirely true, however, stepping foot on the campus can give you a better taste of what college there may be like.

I remember coming to visit the University of Minnesota in the fall; just when the leaves were turning maroon and gold, and I thought, even the seasons here have school spirit! The campus felt warm and inviting, and it felt like there were a lot of different opportunities to get involved with.

I got the sense that the U was a friendly school with lots to offer, and I haven’t been disappointed. My classes are interesting and challenging and I still am reminded of our school pride when I look around and see everyone in their Gopher gear!

Being from Nebraska, I knew that I wanted to go out-of-state, but didn’t necessarily know where. As a senior looking through all the brochures and mail and college books, it was hard to see myself at each college without visiting it. I made the trip to visit my top 5 college choices, and it really was a key deciding factor for me in coming to Minnesota.

The College of Liberal Arts reaches out to its students and really does care. I saw that when I learned more about the college on my visit, and I have seen it carry through as I continue in my college career. Making personal connections throughout CLA and the University has enhanced my growth as a student and a person, and reminds me that I made the best choice for myself by choosing CLA!

I have been scouted as a Program Assistant for Welcome Week, which entails a lot of extra work. I have also become the events coordinator for a public relations group called PRISM and I am organizing events so that they may have exposure that they so desperately need. I think that PRISM is a great group, with a lot of promise.

Meanwhile, I am struggling in BIOLOGY, which I am convinced was created for the sole purpose of making me depressed. I am also taking Italian. Though I am almost fluent in Spanish which means I have become fluent in the made up language of SPITALIAN which my instructor does not speak. In addition to this I have two jobs and school has only been in session for 7 weeks.

I want to have less on my plate but everything seems so important right now and I do not know what I would be willing to give up in order to maintain my sanity. It's really sad that I am looking forward to midterms. God help me! However on the brighter side, I'm still breathing and the fact that too many people are trusting me to do great things cannot be the worst thing in the world.

Right??? Right.

As a rule of thumb, every semester I try to get involved in something new and interesting. I like the change in pace, and trying something new allows me to experience lots more things on campus to see what I like. This semester, as I take more classes for my Public Relations major, I’m excited to get involved in the PRSSA club (Public Relations Student Society of America) on campus. I also want to take advantage of more volunteer opportunities around campus. These experiences help me grow as I continue through college, and I am continually meeting new people around campus.

Long story short--get involved. The campus becomes so much smaller when you take the time to try something new. Nothing says that you have to like it or continue it, but you might just find a group that you really like and click with, and it can be an integral part of your college experience. Even though schedules can be stressful, and the adjustment back to college can be rough, taking some extra time for an activity can be really beneficial in the long-run. Check out the clubs and groups on campus, go with a friend to an event, and look for ads in the Minnesota Daily and in your classes for upcoming opportunities. It’s so much easier to get involved early, so take advantage or it!

I just looked at my class schedule for the first time since May and am excited to have morning classes only on Tuesday and Thursday. Selecting classes is somewhat tedious for me because I attempt to keep my mornings open. I personally prefer to stay up incredibly late studying and not have to worry about getting up for an obscenely early class. Having class registration online allows for the flexibility to create the ‘perfect’ schedule. If the class time you want is full, you can ‘stalk’ the class online and when a seat opens up (which actually happens quicker than you think) you can snatch it with the simple click of a button.

As of right now, I have yet to start packing up my things for school. I may start tonight or simply enjoy procrastinating until the last minute. Every year I forget something at home. My freshman year I left my tooth brush at home and last year my mom mailed me my cell phone charger. What will it be this year? I’ll just have to wait and see…

I am petitioning the UN-ETHICAL decision of the school board to get rid of the MCAE Kickoff. The Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE) provides all students with academic and culturally sensitive services that promote student success. The MCAE Kickoff is a day and a half program for incoming multicultural students at the Univ. of Minnesota. The MCAE Kickoff provides multicultural students the opportunity to interact with other multicultural students which is a rarity at the U. The MCAE Kickoff is one of the only programs the that allow multicultural students to make a successful transition to college by buliding a community and identifying academic and cultural supports on campus. Sources say that the decision to take away the MCAE Kiickoff because it coincides with New Student Weekend, another University sposored program for first year students which is considerably more expensive and it promotes segragation. To prevent this the "powers that be" announced a Welcome Weekend that would combine both New Student Weekend and the MCAE Kickioff. This may seem like a great idea but former MCAE students were not alerted of the decision to remove. The MCAE Kickoff would be condensed to a two hour program. The Welcome Week seems to be a bonified Oriientation. And if you know any students of color, you know that Orientation is the one of the worst experiences that we have at the U, because trying to find other students of color to relate in orientation is virtualliy impossible. Therefore many studet groups aswell myself are petitioning for the actual day and a half MCAE Kickoff and not the two hour generic version
It is soo difficult to find diversity at this school. It is really hard to connect with other people who deal with the same things that I deal with on a daily basis and the MCAE Kickoff allowed multi-cultural students like myself to connect and relate without lame activities that all of us as freshmen remember like.. the hunts for University buildings or "Who knows the most about the University" games. It didn't bring me closer to anybody. BUt MCAE did. It was an experience that I won't forget and it is certaintly an injustice that other multi-cultural students won't get afforded the same opportunity that I was blessed with. If you want to help contact me at bradf049@umn.edu.

-Ciao Revolutionaries

I'm a big believer in "just in case�?. I'm going to keep those 3 year old leg warmers "just in case�? my legs get cold in August or "just in case�? they come back into style. Neither of those is very likely to happen.
So I've decided to par down the number of things I will move into my house this year. I'll cut down on the photo albums I don't look at, the piles of notebooks I never use, and the desk knick-knacks I always knock over. Especially when moving into a res-hall, you definitely won't need as many 'things' as you would think. That one small room will house both of you and whatever chotchkis you both deemed important enough to trek to college. After three years I've learned that it's better to start off the year with a sparse room because I always end up filling it with excess junk by May!

I think there is always a rush to fit in everything I wanted to do in the summer as soon as I realize that it's almost over. Next week I am hoping to get to New York- a quick last minute trip but I feel like it could make my summer feel a little more worthwhile. Not that it hasn't been so far, I've gotten invaluable experience with my internship this year. But other than that, vacation time has been short.

I think that while I'm getting older (and accruing more responsibilities) I tend to gravitate to home where I can fall back into my high school leisure-mode. While I was in high school, I completely took my freedom for granted. I didn't really have stresses in my life. Now I'm looking at insurance packages because I'll be on my own in some odd 268 days if I'm doing my math correctly. Scary thought. This year I'm really going to have to jam-pack everything in. Wish me luck!

It is pretty neat to meet alums, especially when I’m out of the state. It’s exciting for me to talk with alumni who are still using their degrees and are enthusiastic about their work. It just reminds me that I can stay connected wherever I go and that a whole other world waits for us after college. It’s comforting to meet Minnesota alumni in my internship as well as getting a taste of what it’s like in the “real world�?. Even away from campus I can see myself continually benefiting from my College of Liberal Arts experience.

10. Get free stuff. The U offers so many free things to students; counseling, career advice, a writing center. Take advantage of it! Go to convocation on the first day of school and get a free burger and XXL t-shirt. Who can turn down a free tee?

9. Apply. I don't like all the work that goes into applications. Interviews make me really nervous, but the more you do it the better you become. Even if it's a job you know you won't get, interview for it for the practice. Now I sound like my dad...

8. See your advisor every semester. My advisor's schedule fills up more quickly than mine! Make an appointment every semester to avoid one of those nasty "will I graduate on time�? scares. (Based on personal experience, that was really not a good time).

7. Office hours- just go. I know that they can seem pointless, but office hours are a great way to not only get help from your professor but score extra brownie points. If you show initiative by bringing in questions about a paper/test/assignment they will see the effort you've put in. I've had quite a few grades bumped up and papers rewritten by happy profs.

6. Try not to procrastinate. Note: I said try. I am a pro at putting things off. I claim that I work better under pressure. (Don't believe it). You'll get a paper assigned the first day of class that's due on the last day. Set yourself a roomy time table to work in- totally worth it- I promise.

5. Explore the Cities. It took me two years to step outside of campus. Jump on a bus and see where it takes you- just make sure to take a map.

4. Don't be shy. Still working on this one. But don't be afraid to go to a meeting or find new friends in class- everyone is in the same position that you are. Be the one to take the initiative.

3. Surround yourself with good people. This isn't high school. Don't rediscover your clique, or shut new people out. This is your chance to figure out who you want to be and find great friends who will support you unconditionally.

2. Get involved! Find one group you want to join and do it! It'll make your college experience!

1. Learn those life skills. This is like sky diving with a net or driving 200 mph on a raceway with bumpers. College is your chance to test the waters of the real world. Half of what you learn will be outside of class. Learn how to be professional, to work with people, and how to be self-sufficient. That's more valuable than any degree.

I have a new apartment and no time to buy necessities like furiniture and dishes and... well... whatever else comes along with having an apartment and I am soo scared that I will end up having textbooks as pillows and be living off of 100 calorie bars (like during finals), but permanently. Four weeks, an internship, a job and no time to do anything. But on the brighter side I can't wait to go back to school and spend time with all of my friends. I miss them like crazy.

p.s. The new Harry Potter comes out tonight at midnight and i am soooo STOKED!!!

Besides working forty hours a week, my summer has been relaxing. Last semester I was debating whether to take classes this summer, but the break from my school work has been nice. My class schedule for fall semester is currently complete after adding a final class to my schedule last night. The ability to register for classes online is very convenient, especially for students waiting for someone to drop a seat in a full class.

After hearing the lovely sound of birds chirping (unless you’re about to go to sleep like me) I feel that I should conclude this blog.

Goodnight

With hardwork comes great reward also. Next week I am going off to the Taste of Chicago fair. Hardwork and all play makes an intern's summer day! The heat is making me a little woozy but Im sure some Chipotle will fix it.
Adios

Besides working and watching movies, my summer revolves around multiple games of basketball and soccer with friends, spending the hot summer days water skiing and wakeboarding and occasionally driving up to the Cities to finish moving stuff into my new apartment on the West Bank. Even though the West Bank is not known to be as ‘active’ as the East Bank, I am looking forward to the short walk between my apartment and my business & social science classes.

Around this time two years ago, I made my first campus visit to the U of M. I remember piling into Northrup Auditorium early in the morning and being welcomed (& woken up) by the University of Minnesota marching band. The most memorable part of my visit was the campus tour, where a bus took us through the entire East Bank and St. Paul Campus. It was at this moment that I realized the enormous size of the University of Minnesota. However, after visiting the dorms and learning how to create my own niche in this new environment, the excitement outweighed any apprehension. Everyone in the dorms had their doors open and seemed very friendly, which was a comforting feeling. Overall, the urban setting to such a lively campus was very appealing.

Hopefully your campus visit will leave a memorable impression as well!

On days when the sun is too hot to toss a Frisbee around, I find myself inclined to curl up and read. I’ve been rereading old favorites and discovering new ones. I have also been getting a head start on reading the novels required for the Women’s Contemporary Fiction course I’ll be taking in July. I am really looking forward to this course and to discussing the contents of the novels with the other 22 people in the class. Plus the class meets at a time that works perfectly with my job so I can still earn money to pay rent on my new apartment! Ahhh, life is good.

The summer isn't that much boring. Actually, there are many things to do especialy the NBA playoff whch is one of the topics I always enjoy to chat with my friends.

The weather is so great. I like it. I call it the perfect season. Yesterday was a nice day to go out and play soccer, run, or ride a bike--even walk by the lake. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to enjoy it ; I was at work untill 10 pm. Still I was able to manage to sneak out from the lab for a break and walked to the coffee shop to get a tea. While I was sipping my tea and walking back to the lab, I was enjoying the beautiful weather, the aroma from the plants on the sidewalk, and the stinky gas from the cars...

This time last year I was at Orientation wondering if I had just dug myself the biggest whole by going to a school 12 hours away where I did not know anyone. Now I am in Saint Louis and I feel naked without my Gopher attire. Lately with all of the responsibility that I have been endowed with, I feel a little overwhelmed, but I guess that is all apart of getting older. But it's not all bad, working in radio does get me a lot o free concert tickets. Beyonce, here I come!

Adios

(Always, check with your parents if you have an unpaid internship and no job, or else you could be in a sticky situation.) Now for the first time I am living in a house and am responsible for stocking my own fridge. In the past few weeks I have quickly earned to become less of a picky eater- my mom will be proud.

Now when I go to the grocery store I look for generic brands and buy one get one free deals. (I bought two angel food cakes on that deal, but I found that I don't eat that much angel food cake- you live and learn). I'm not saying I've been great at saving money (I still am a really bad impulsive buyer) but I have learned to pack my own lunch for work and take advantage of free meals.

My Starbucks addiction is slowly releasing its hold. I can't stand spending $4 for a frappacino more than once a week. In college you will find a few cheap meals that you can live on for a while. For me it's black bean burritos: one can of black beans at about $.97 can last me through three meals, a 6 pack of tortillas at $3 and a little bit of cheese and I've got a few dinners for a little more than a dollar.

When I go grocery shopping I have to avoid the more upscale grocery stores, its amazing how a few more cents on every purchase adds up on your receipts. But the upside of shopping at those stores are the free samples- yesterday I had a couple fresh cherries and cheese and crackers. It was a delicious afternoon snack! They also had corn on sale 6 for $2- a great addition to my dinner burritos- you can find deals everywhere.

The play is Sherlock's Last Case and rehearsals are going very well. We open in about two weeks and perform all summer until August 25th. There is a lot more information about the show on the Showboat website: www.showboat.umn.edu.

I've been able to walk around campus once in a while and it is such a different experience than during the school year. There are not nearly as many people as usual and it's very quiet. I spent the other afternoon sitting on the mall reading and almost falling asleep. Last summer I took summer classes and it was nice to be on campus in between my classes because it felt a lot more laid back. Although, I did miss the groups of people playing frisbee.

I decided to take the internship as a distance learning class at the University of Minnesota. This will be a great way to get credit for my internship and learn from my professor’s reading assignments as well as the job itself. I had a professor this semester who said to go out into the field and find a mentor in order to really learn how to apply your skills. Anyway, it should be a great experience, and I’m happy to take summer school from the comfort of my home in Nebraska.

Nevertheless, I love this time of year. The world seems to be smiling and I am happy. The sun is shinning, my apartment is clean (after a two day spring cleaning marathon) and the flowers on campus are blooming. I have intentionally watched the campus come to life with flowers this spring because I remember how gorgeous it was last year. I’ve been keeping on eye on a patch of flowers in the West Bank Arts Quarter that I pass daily. What is a seemingly non-descript spot in the winter becomes a beautiful luxury once the snow melts. The patch is composed of purple tulips and radiant, delicate yellow flowers.

I envy a person who can make flowers grow because I have the least green thumb of anyone I know. Since I am going home soon and will miss enjoying these flowers on a regular basis, I just might have to try and grow a few on my own. Wish me luck; hopefully I can make the flowers live for at least a week!

I suggest setting the parties and other events aside until the conclusion of your tests, so you can truly celebrate a successful year. Whether you are heading into finals with an A or a C, they always have a significant impact on your final grades. Finals will present the capability to significantly improve your letter grade, as well as determine whether you hold onto an A. Putting all of my motivation toward my school work is tedious, but I feel that I have put forth my best effort when my last final test is complete.

After taking two finals yesterday and pulling an all-nighter in Wilson Library to prepare for my final this morning at 8:00am, all the studying feels worth it. The conclusion of writing this blog entry will be followed by a very long nap and a state of utter relaxation!

With this official start to my summer I plan to continue my search for an on campus job, while also considering various job opportunities back in my hometown. Besides working, I am also looking forward to hanging out with friends at the U and taking road trips to neighboring campuses to visit other friends. More than anything, the summer means insane amounts of water skiing and wakeboarding to come!

Enjoy your summer!

It's beautiful here, by the way. Even though the U is so big, there are so many trees and grassy areas- so perfect for lying outside with a book. One of my favorite times of year is when you first notice the explosion of green in the spring. I'll sit just sit outside and enjoy it. This proves problematic if I want to get any work done. Nice weather makes me procrastinate like nothing else!

It will be nice to have a break from school. I don't start my internship until June, so I have a whole month to decompress before my life gets hectic again. I'm going to be living in a house off campus for the summer. It's going to be a blast, but this is the first summer where I won't be living at home at all. I suppose it's about time (it's my junior year!) but I'm bummed that I won't be around to see my little brother and sister. Now, I'm going to have to cook for myself, keep an entire house clean, and pay utilities. This is going to be a whole new experience!

Minneapolis in the summer is so much fun! There is always something unique to do. Last year, one of the best events I attended was the Stone Arch Festival of Arts. It was an eclectic art fair by the stone arch bridge around St. Anthony Main. A group of my friends and I walked around with kettle corn and chocolate fondue kebobs (delicious)! We won free tickets to the Walker Art Museum there too, so we were able to go there a different weekend. The Cities has so many distinctive events and places to visit. I can't wait to explore even more places when I live here over the summer!

I always enjoyed going to the class. I liked the in-class events: the guest speakers and the topics they were discussing. We also had tours. One of my best experiences was our vist to the State Office Building to speak to Rep. Carlos Mariani and lobbyist Julian Loscalzo. It was an opportunity to be there. If I wasn't able to do it in this class, I might not have done it at all.

For the last day of the class, we decided to meet at a local restaurant, El Norteno, on 40th. and E. Lake St. When I got there I found everyone enjoying the corn chips and the salsa, while they were discussing their experience in class and at their sevice sites. I took a look at everyone's face. I said to myself "Martha, this might be the last day you see these faces."

Anyways, I had a good time. The food was so delicious. I ordered a vegetarian burrito with no cheese. It tested like home-made... I liked its taste better than Chipotle. I usually said, "No one makes burritos like Chipotle". Now, I changed my mind... "El Norteno" is the best.

I remember the first day of school coming from Saint Louis and watching the Step Shows at Convocation like yesterday. Now the same people who I looked up to me now look at me like peers. All the parties, all the study sessions and all the things that made Freshmen year so much fun are coming to an end.

Tonight is the final night of Voices Merging, the Spoken Word organization that introduced me to most of friends. I will be writing a new poem, my last poem before I am a Voices Merging veteran. In two weeks I will be back in Saint Louis. I have no idea what to expect. I just wonder how Saint Louis will be still be home after be at the University of Minnesota for a year.
-Krystal Bradford

Next fall will be the start of my junior year, meaning that I’ll be able to take a lot of classes in both my majors. I will be taking many upper level political science and school of journalism classes, but I am most excited to take Public Affairs 1490, “Topics in Social Policy: America's Constitutional Crisis�? which will be taught by former Vice President Walter Mondale. I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to take a class with such a well respected leader. As an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota I am always amazed at the possibilities of the programs that they can offer here. Hearing prominent leaders in any field is always gratifying, but being able to engage in an ongoing discussion with people who have first-hand knowledge will be so much more enlightening. All in all, I am looking forward to my challenging, yet rewarding semester ahead!

Since at the U of M I have wanted to be a lawyer, a pediatrician, a school social worker, a dentist, a high school teacher, and a psychologist. Just yesterday I attended the School of Dentistry's Open House and I am now considering becoming a dentist again even though I had previously ruled dentistry out!

How can I incorporate my love of dance into a financially secure and stable career? Why is it that expressing myself through movement is when I feel most alive but I shy away from making a career out of that life? Fortunately, I have the opportunity to dabble in the sciences while exploring my love of dance. Hopefully the coming year will lead me to a decision on what to do after graduation whether it be law school, medical school, dental school, or performing.

The weather is getting nicer everyday which makes me want to have class outside so I have to try to convince my professors to teach on the mall. I know its summer when I walk through campus and see a ton of people playing frisbee or sitting out by Coffman Union.

Now, as a junior, I take on so much more than I would have thought feasible two years ago. Even small things add up that make me realize I am still working my way towards total independence. How about this example-the timing is quite apropos- filing my taxes. In my usual style of procrastination, here it is, the Sunday night before taxes are due, wading through pages of websites through which I can file online. In all honesty, I do not think that the state of Minnesota is too concerned with my meager student-worker wages.

Where did all of that money go anyway?

I don't even want to know what percentage went to late-night pizza deliveries or Target runs. But I digress...

In my first year at the U, I felt that I was confident enough (and obviously knowledgeable enough) to conquer the world. But after each year, I still find myself working my way through challenges I have never faced before, like filing my own taxes! Now, I am so much more cognizant of all of the roadblocks that might be waiting for me after graduation.

To shake things up a little bit I like to study in a lot of different locations. During the day I really like studying at Magrath Library on the St. Paul campus or in one of the study lounge areas on the West Bank. At night time I like to go either to Walter Library in the Mall area of the Minneapolis campus for the silent study rooms where I can do some intense studying, or local coffee shops for my reading or lighter studying.

It may sound a little corny, but I’ve found that the places I study really makes a difference in my mood and enthusiasm about actually getting my work done, therefore I like to have a variety of places to study. Last year I studied a lot at the library still, but I also really enjoyed studying in the lounges in my residence hall. Living off campus this year, I do miss the residence halls because if I couldn’t study in my room, at least I had somewhere else to go to get it done without leaving the building.

Another thing that I have taken advantage of this year is studying with other people. It’s really helped me to go on ‘study dates’ with friends, even if we aren’t studying the same subject, it’s still nice to get out of the house and still feel like I’m doing something kind of fun while managing my time well. Finding the balance between your academic and social life is important, and that’s why I’ve tried to find places that encourage me to get my work done efficiently, but also keep my interest by changing the scenery a little bit.

I'm driving back tomorrow morning and it's crazy to think that the next time I'll be in Madison to visit is after the school year is finished. There's only a month left of school and I don't even want to think about how many things I need to do before it's over. Two of my four classes have projects instead of final exams. It seems great to not have those tests but I haven't even started my projects and it's kinda freaking me out. I also need to make sure that I do really well on the final exams for my other two classes. I didn't do so hot on my midterms, so I have a lot riding on the finals. Hopefully this last month isn't as hard as I think it will be. I just gotta make it through!

I am currently planning on majoring in Industrial and Organizational Psychology with a minor in Business Management and Spanish. I feel that this major/minor combination fits perfectly with my present interests. After taking Spanish classes throughout high school and my first year in college, I decided to continue developing my language skills and complete the minor.

I am also planning on taking two of my upper level classes by studying abroad in Spain next summer. I feel that being immersed in the culture that I am studying is a great opportunity and will help me to excel in my learning. Overall, I would not be surprised if I decided to change my Psychology major in the future, since I am still developing exactly what subject I want to focus on and I am only a sophomore.

I’m also excited for the Spring Jam events that are coming this next month. We are just starting to make plans for the different competitions that Spring Jam offers. Spring Jam is like Homecoming in the spring and it’s a fun way to get involved with something on-campus that isn’t academically related. Some of the events are philanthropy, band, and ballyhoo (dance) competitions. I am starting to work with the band competition and it’s a fun addition to my regular classes and activities where I can meet new people and enjoy the endeavor. At least with the weather warming up it will be nicer out while I’m busy with school work and play. The rest of the year will fly by with the bustle of events, but this semester is definitely enjoyable.

Blog managers note: Anne wrote this blog. It was originally posted on March 18, 2007.