Domestic Violence Awareness on Campus

 Last October was Domestic Violence Awareness month.
This is a serious topic because thousands of people live with abuse everyday. According to Domestic Violence Resource Center, one in every four women has experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
It is important to raise awareness in order to prevent and help those who are victims to Domestic Violence.
Love should never hurt.
There's always help out there.

On the last day of October, Alpha Chi Omega, The East Texas Crisis Center and The Office of Leadership and Service held candle light vigil in memory of the victims of domestic violence.
(They used glow sticks instead of candles because flames could be a trigger for some people)

Handing out purple ribbons

* These figures have stories of victims on them

* The picture above said: "Martha "Marie" Amie-Roy. Age 37. D/O/D October 6, 1987. Marie was shot to death by her husband, David Roy, in the parking lot of the Tyler Police Department while attempting to get to safety. David Roy's only statement to the interviewing detective was "This was not a sudden thing, it had been years in coming." "

Martha is just one of many, many fatal victims of Domestic Violence. It is important to let their stories be heard in order for people to know the importance of awareness. There are always ways to help, even if it's in the smallest things. East Texas Crisis Center is an organization here in Tyler that helps those victims.

Student Bloggers Go Longboarding

So I recently got a new longboard! It's a Rayne Killswitch and I bought it mainly to do technical downhill races and slides. I love my old board but it's only amazing for beginners to do basic things and  stable cruising.
So the other day my co-bloggers decided to test out my new longboard and I happily agreed to teach them and let them try it out! This was the result.

Remember to gear up and wear your helmets! (And yes, I am aware that we weren't wearing any, but that's because at the speed we were all going in, we could've raced turtles and the shelled creatures would've won)

Patriot Madness

One of the many events lined up this week for Homecoming was Patriot Madness. It was a basketball exhibition held at the HPC. It was pretty entertaining! A lot of Patriots and family of Patriots came out to watch. 
The side they opened as bleachers were packed, and everyone was so pumped up the whole time!

Between competitions and exhibits, they had contests and prizes for the audiences (who can out-dance swoop, who can shout the loudest etc.) and everyone really enjoyed themselves. I know I did!

Girls team vs Boys team, 3 Point-line Shoot Out

UT Tyler School Mascot Entertaining Everyone

UT Tyler Cheerleaders

Half court shots!

Yes, he DUNKED BLINDFOLDED!

Flu Season, Patriots… Stay Healthy!

My state as I write this blog: blocked nose, sore throat, voice like that of a man, nauseated.

 I always get sick at this time of the year, when the weather is in the process of changing. And so is everyone around me!

As the weather continues to power on to Fall Season, we experience a fluctuation of cold and hot weather. I think that confuses my body and eventually, my immune system fails me.

I cannot believe my luck that I would get sick this week; a week full of exams and quizzes. I’ve already missed three classes because my fever reached 103°F yesterday. And now I’m in a state of worry on how I’m going to catch up on missed school work. I blame Murphy’s Law.

I went to the University Health Clinic yesterday and got a note. They also prescribed me some medicine that helped break my fever. But I’m still pretty sick and I’m still very behind on work.

So if you’re one of those that’s already infected, here’s are some things that’s helping me get better:

•  Go to the clinic. That’s the first step because they will know what’s going on in your body and prescribe you some medicine. (Also, there’s the chance that it’s not flu, so it’s better safe than sorry)
•  If you don’t have the time or energy to go to the clinic, over the counter medication could be your best bet.
•  VITAMIN C. Cannot express how much Vitamin C will help. It boosts your immune system and helps you get better faster and prevents any other sickness. Oranges/Vitamin C supplements are good.
•  Fluids. Being sick gets you dehydrated and your body will always need more fluids than normal.
•  Lots of rest, staying warm (but not too warm, because that elevates your body temperature if you have a fever) and avoiding extra physical work.

Also, if you’re not sick yet (lucky you), here are some preventative measures you might want to take:

• Again, VITAMIC C. A strong immune system is key.
• Get your flu shot :) The University Health Clinic provides this shot and you can set up an appointment and get one.
• Stay away from sick people (for obvious reasons)
• Keep pocket hand sanitizer with you at all times, and use it as necessary. Kill ‘em germs.
• Keep your apartment/living space clean. Bacteria and germs LOVE mess and dirty places and you wouldn’t want your space to be a breeding ground for that.

You should also read my co-blogger Gabby’s blog on more tips about staying healthy and germ-free. 
I hope everyone else is had a great week and looking forward to Homecoming! :)

Homecoming!!!

                So far, college is a lot like I expected it to be, but very different at the same time! So next week is officially homecoming week here at UT Tyler , and I’m, simply put, ecstatic. I haven’t yet experienced what a college homecoming is like, but I’ve heard stories about it.

                Some people say that homecoming week is the most exciting and fun week of the entire fall semester, which is believable. My high school homecoming was almost always the most anticipated week of the semester for me. I’m hoping homecoming is as exciting as people say that it is, and I’m pretty sure it will be.

                Since we don’t have a real football team here at UT Tyler, our homecoming game is a soccer game, which is good. Soccer is one of my all-time favorite sports, mainly because it’s so easy for me to understand. The game is on the Saturday of homecoming week, so we’re ending the week with a bang (or hopefully a goal !)

                If you want to know some more about what all is going on next week, you can read my Katrina's blog friend about homecoming, or you can also check it all out here . Happy homecoming, patriots!

The Power of Supplemental Instruction

I owe a lot of my A's on exams to S.I. sessions. I don't know about anyone else but S.I. is seriously my academic hero.

Supplemental Instruction is basically a study session lead by fellow UT Tyler students (most of them upperclassmen). The best part? You don't have to pay for it directly, because it's already including in our tuition! Even more reasons to take advantage of it.

S.I. sessions are held twice a week for every class that has S.I. Unfortunately, not every class at UT Tyler come with S.I. but that would be really really great! Go here for a list of classes that have S.I. sessions.

Personally, S.I. sessions help me a lot because the S.I. leaders would go through anything that you might need help in. Also, we go over a lot of problems that we don't normally have time for in class, because lectures mostly focus on theory and concept. This way, I am pretty much prepared for the exam because I not only understand the material, I also know how to answer exam questions.

I remember freshman year, for my first ever Calculus exam, I was very distraught because I got a D. I decided to get some help and attended all of the S.I. session and believe it or not, my next Calculus exam was an A! 

So even though I am pretty swamped and busy this semester, I always, always find time to go to at least one S.I. session a week.

There's no harm in trying, so if you find yourself struggling with a class, plan to attend an S.I. session (if it has one). It may or may not be for everyone but you don't really lose anything by giving it a shot! :)

The SI website has a daily calendar that's very useful with planning your time, if you ever want to go. They also update it everyday, in case any sessions get cancelled!

Mark Your Calendars, Homecoming is... coming

Patriot Palooza and Homecoming are my favorite weeks in the fall semester (okay, also Thanksgiving week because I get to sleep and eat and go into a food coma and not worry about classes).

And next week is UT Tyler's Homecoming Week!

The committee that plans Homecoming has a lot lined up for next week and you can see a full list of events when you click this link

The week kicks off with a tailgate party Oct 22, Monday evening, which includes a lot of fun stuff. Last year included a mechanical bull (I watched our school mascot, Swoop, ride it and fall! It was hilarious), cotton candy (who doesn't love cotton candy), a lot of free food, the opportunity to completely destroy a car with a sledgehammer and a lot of other fun stuff! I cannot wait to see what they have in store for us this year.

The rest of the week will be equally as fun so be sure to attend as much as you can! But don't miss class for anything because nothing is worth getting behind in classes. Grab some friends and plan to go together whenever everyone has free time and go! And even better, make new friends in those events!

Last year, Homecoming week was the time I met a lot of my friends. It's such a great opportunity to do so!

I will be there for sure, taking a million pictures as always, so I hope to see you guys there :)

Home Across the Ocean in Dubai

Last August marks one year since I stood in the airport back home hugging all my friends and family, got on a plane, left home and flew here to pursue higher education.

I get this question A MILLION TIMES: "Why did you come to Texas to study?"

ANSWER: I'm from Dubai and as awesome as Dubai is, the city has more of a business and tourist demographic. High schools are great in Dubai but there aren't a lot of great university established there yet. This is because the UAE (the United Arab Emirates) is still a fairly young country; it's only been around for about 40 years. I guess that makes Dubai as old as UT Tyler! :)

Things I miss most about home:

- My dogs. This is the one thing I miss the most about home. I have 2 pekingese back home that live with my cousins now. I really really miss them!

- My friends and family. I cannot express how much I miss them. All of them.

- The beach. I want to live on a beach one day. The beach is basically my number one most favorite place in the world. And Dubai is pretty much a city on the coast. Wherever you are in Dubai, you are never more than 10 minutes away from the sea. And to be honest? Dubai has some awesome beaches.

Labor Day Weekend

I love being in new places. I feel like travelling is second nature to me since I've been doing it a lot since I was little. Travelling is one of my passions. The feeling of being in a completely unfamiliar surroundings, and so many things to explore at your finger tips. Even if it's just a new town or city close by.

Labor Day weekend my friends and I drove to the capital of Texas. Going to Austin is probably not a big deal to most people but it's my first time in that city and my first time in any place is always a big deal for me!

We stayed at my friend Mackenzie's family's home in Georgetown, which was 30 minutes away from Austin.

I had a blast exploring the city. I even went to my first American Football game and even though I didn't understand 90% of what was going on, I had fun screaming when everyone else did. And also... shopping! And finding a great new places to eat; I love me some good food!

It's Like The University Came Back To Life

After spending the whole summer living on campus, when it was all quiet, empty and extremely rare to see more than 4 people in a group around campus... the past week had been very odd; school has started again and there are suddenly people EVERYWHERE.

Gone are the days I rode my longboard freely on the empty roads, empty parking lots and unoccupied campus walkways. It has only been 3 days and there is already a campus-wide uproar about the lack of parking spaces. I now have to dodge frustrated students that can't find a parking spot. (But I guess they have it worse)

On another note, it is so great to see my friends again! As well as all the excited freshmen I met during orientation this summer. To think that I was them just a year ago!

So much catching up to do with my friends and so many new friends to make!

The last week of summer has been the most busy for me. It included transfer orientation, the final orientation session, move-in day, freshmen day of service and casino night. It was all great fun, of course, and to depict it better, here's a photoblog!

For The Next Batch Of International Students

First of all, Welcome to Tyler!

Second, I know exactly how you feel.

The week before and the week of move-in day was very stressful and scary and exciting all at the same time. Especially flying from Dubai to LA to Tyler. I don't know where you'd be flying in from but still, I know how you feel. The rush of knowing everything is new and you have a completely new slate.

Here are a few pointers that I could gather from my experience last year:

The Olympians make me feel...

... like a total loser.
They are so talented, accomplished and so... world-renowned.

16-year-old athletes competing against the best of the other countries' and winning medals? I guess I'll just sit on my couch and eat ice cream while I watch them amaze the world.

You know that saying  "It's never too late"? Maybe it's not too late for me to train to become an olympian! (When I told my best friend this, she started laughing and her drink came out of her nose)

Okay, so maybe my college life and long-term goals won't allow me to train to perfect a sport or become a world-class contender. But I do believe that it's never too late to start something that's always interested you and become good at it.
Even after getting into college.

If you're going to be a student athelete... that's great! Going for your passion while getting an education.

And if you're not... that's fine too! Take it up as a hobby or join a club! UT Tyler has a vast number of student organizations that students can join.

When I was in high school, I was in a dance crew, a band, freelanced as a photographer, played in an Under-21 field hockey team and played basketball.

Although I can't be that active now (you know what I mean, fellow Engineering majors), I make sure that I still make time to continue doing some of the things I love doing; I still take lots of pictures and book shoots, I'm looking to buy a guitar soon so I can start playing again for fun, and I have a friend in Dallas who plays in a field hockey club and invites me to play sometimes! :)

I admire all Olympians competing at the games right now. They dedicate their every waking moment to something they love doing.

But again, as college students, even if we can't dedicate 24/7 into something we're passionate about, we can always use free time and weekends to still do what we love and get better at it.

Oh and do you know my co-blogger Patrick? When he's not too busy being a History major... he plays in a band. And they're awesome. 

Longboarding Will Save Me From Super Summer

I began longboarding back home about 2 years ago but stopped as soon as I started. I picked it up again in California (where I go to visit my mom every now and then).
And now, being car-less in Tyler, I have discovered how great it is in terms of transportation. 

So, this weekend I went ahead and got myself a 46" pintail longboard. 

Morning Classes, Alarm Clocks and Caffeine Overdose

Summer II classes begin tomorrow, July 9th and I'm signed up for Gen Chem II and its lab component. And guess what? It starts at 9am! 
And guess what else? Summer I classes were supposed to finish last week but for Calculus II, it didn't- it's extended for 3 more weeks because of the heavy course! Which means... my Summer I and II classes will clash for 3 weeks. That's 3 hectic, sleepless weeks for me. (Both classes are held Monday through Friday).

The biggest challenge for me is waking up so early in the morning. I don't know how morning people do it. I just don't. Before 11am or before I've had my dose of caffeine, my brain is still usually asleep and I'm usually this cranky monster. I had a 7:30am class last spring and I had to bring two thermoses of coffee to class just to get through it. My classmates joked that one day I would just drop, overdosed on caffeine.

If you're like me and have difficulty getting up in the morning, here are a few pointers that helped me:

New Patriot Orientation in Pictures

This was the first New Patriot Orientation session of the summer held in last June 14-15.
Click here for my blog post on the two days.

Student check-in desks

Freshmen's Bag O' Stuff (filled with information, brochures etc.) and their Official Patriot T-shirt

UT Tyler Student Vlog: Tour of the Third Floor of the University Center

             Katrina were chilling on the third floor of the UC and it was quiet (SERIOUSLY?!?! probably just summer) so we decided to show y'all the offices that are located up there. Among them, we mention the SI Office, Disability Services, the Student Counseling Center, Academic Advising, Student Life and Leadership. The book store and coffee shops got an honorable mention. ;) You think we'd leave out the coffee?

New Patriot Orientation- session 1

The first New Patriot Orientation session of the summer was held June 14-15. It was my first time being an Orientation Leader and I have to say, it’s a really great college experience to have and I’m so thrilled to be part of such an exciting team of people and contribute to an important campus-wide event.

If I accounted every single detail on every single event, this blog would go on and on and on… so instead, I’ll just mention the highlights and tidbits that stuck to me.

Day 1

The Orientation Leaders and Orientation Planning Committee had to meet by 8am Thursday morning to get ready and help with last minute preparations. Even though most of us were still groggy and half-asleep (as most college students are at 8am), there was an underlying excitement and anticipation in the air. 

UT Tyler Student Bloggers Vlog: Disregard My Dirty Car

           The summer evenings at UT Tyler can be kind of quiet, so we decided to do a little coffee run to play and stay awake. Michael, Katrina, and I saw Amelia on the way, and passed by some new sidewalks and lights they are putting in by the BSM and student clinic! :)

Now, I'm caffeinated enough to do things. :) 

Summer Reading List

• The Perks of Being a Wallflower* by Stephen Chbosky
• Dreaming in Chinese** by Deborah Fallows
• The Hobbit*** by J.R.R. Tolkien
• World War Z by Max Brooks
• Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
• The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer
• Mission to Paris by Alan Furst

As a self-proclaimed bibliophile, I honestly wish I had more time to read these books. But with college life, I'm lucky if I get enough time to sleep in a night and a weekend not dumped with homework.
With balancing time for classes, homework/study time, work, social life, sleep... I can only hope that I can squeeze in time to just sit, relax and enjoy a good read.

*Re-read. I’ve read it before but since the movie adaptation starring Emma Watson is coming out soon, I just want to read it again. Highly recommended, it’s a great read.

**Incoming freshmen were given this book for their summer read, so Orientation Leaders are also required to read it.

***Re-read but you have to agree... It's a classic and definitely one of my all-time favorites.

3 Pictures On Campus Per Week Project: Week 2

Week 2 (June 3-June 9)

Click pictures to view bigger resolutions.