Keep Calm UT Tyler. It's Almost Summer

   Finals week are at full swing this week at UT Tyler ! Even though it's not quite summer yet, I wanted to share some of the things I am excited about for the summer!

1. NO SCHOOL! This is actually the first summer since Sophomore year of High School that I will NOT have summer school .

2. Florida: My family and I are going on vacation to Florida, Universal Studies to be exact! I haven't been to

Florida since high school. It wasn't a great experience for me at all! Unfortunately, there was a storm that came a day before we flew in. As you can guess, it wasn't a pretty site at all. There we're sea weeds everywhere that the storm brought in! It also became a little bit chilly.

 3. Diagon Alley :  For all my fellow Harry Potter fans, Diagon Alley opens at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! AGHHHHH!!!:)

4. Transformers: The Ride 3D and Despicable Me Minion Mayhem are other attractions I am excited about! Oh yeah, back to being a kid again!

5. Lounging: After a semester of constant studying and stress for the nursing program, I am ready to just lounge and not do anything for once! Catching up on shows, sleeping in late, tanning by the pool... oh yes, I. AM. READY!

    These things are what's keeping me going and pushing through finals week. Just a couple of days guys and WE WILL BE FREE!!!! 

Good Luck on Finals!

         

    Another semester is closing to an end. I feel torn about this. Of course I am looking forward to summer without class, sleeping in late, lounging by the pool, and not waking up to that pesky alarm clock. However, I am not looking forward to finals week ....


            So this is a quick blog to tell all my fellow Patriots LOTS AND LOTS of luck as we embark on yet another finals week here at UT Tyler . Remember to do your course evaluations as well on myUTTylers , so you can check your grades earlier!

          It's a bitter sweet moment for me as well, having to say good bye to friends here at Tyler as I go back home to Allen next weekend. For all of those who are moving out for the summer and moving back home, I wish all of you a safe travel!

   

 Just remember that the end is almost near! Do not give up! Always remember that pain is temporary, so stay up late night, chug those coffee, and get those bags under your eyes, because we have less than two weeks of school left! After these last few days pass, it's going to be worth it and to be able to say that you got through another semester. So finish strong! See you guys next semester! 

Even Dragons Have Their Endings

'So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their endings' - J.R.R. Tolkien

Boba Loompia!

Adobo: meat marinated in spices and soysauce

          Finally, a Filipino restaurant will open right across the street from UT Tyler's campus! Personally, I can't wait till this restaurant opens! As a fellow Filipino that lives a couple of hours from home for school, I really have learned to appreciate my mother's cooking. That is one of the things I miss about being home...THE FOOD

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day fellow UT Tyler Patriots! 

        What is Earth Day you say? Earth Day is an annual event that is celebrated on April 22nd to demonstrate support for Mother Earth and her protection! The very first Earth Day occured on April 22 1970. The Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental laws soon followed.  

More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world" according to Earth Day Network. 


This day was created by senator Gaylord Nelson  to make people aware of the importance of keeping our planet healthy and clean. On that day,people made promises to help the environment and make positive changes in the community. And you can do it too! 

So go out there and help plant trees, 

                                     cut back on shower time

                                                                                                                                                       Ride a bike instead! 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       and don't litter!

The Truth About College

        It's been a year and a half since I was a mere freshman at UT Tyler, "moving out" from home and experiencing a whole lot of independance. I remember how excited I was. No curfews, you get to eat whatever and whenever you want, and no one telling you to do chores?! Oh yeah, I remember the feeling. It was quite nice wasnt' it? But then the reality of college than the media doesn't emphasize creeps in before you know it...



   

UT Tyler's Pollen Storm

              It's that time of year again, water eyes, snotty noses, and heaps of used kleenex !
Here are some home remedies you can try for those pesky allergy symptoms!

Amelia's Farewell

   This past Friday, I had to say, "See you later" to someone very close to the Student Call Center . After 5 years at UT Tyler , Amelia Harrell sets of on a new adventure! Amelia (or Amy) established the Call Center here at UT Tyler. She was actually the one who hired me for this job almost two years ago when I applied on Patriot Jobs !

     This woman is such an amazing person. It's still a bit emotional for me to write about her leaving so i'll keep it brief. Amelia will truly be missed in The Office of Admissions, especially here at the Call Center. She put so much effort and dedication towards the success of our office here. She invested so much time and energy to train each of us, write manuals, and about one hundred other things to make the Call Center,  Preview Day and other Admission events so successful.

Cowan Center Presents: The Addams Family

              Gomez.....Morticia.....Uncle Fester.... Wednesday...... Pugsley.....Lurch... Thing..... Do these names sound familiar to you? Well, if you are a 90's child like myself, you probably grew up watching The Addams Family! 

     One of the most well-known family, The Addams , was aired from 1964-1966. It was first seen as a cartoon created by an American catoonist, Charles Addams. The Addams family is a satirical inversion of the ideal American family. The Addams family are eccentric, a grim atmosphere, and are unaware that people find them frightening and bizarre. Gomez Addams is a wealthy man who is madly in love with his wife Morticia. They have a daughter Wednesday as well as a son,Pugsley. The Addams live on 0001 Cemetery Lane with Grandmama, Lurch, the butler, and Thing, a disembodied hand that appears out of wooden box. 

Spring Break Blues

   Back to reality..   UT Tyler's Spring Break is over, and eveyone is either still in Spring break mode, still dreaming about Spring Break, or college student like me, who wished their Spring Break was a lot more eventful.


      I spent a majority of my Spring Break, unfortunately cooped up in a library since I had a test the Monday morning after Spring Break... That's nursing school for ya! I did however went to Marble Falls, Tx to go zip lining! Marble Falls is about 30 minutes outside of Austin. Speaking of Austin, I just want to express my condolances to the vicitms of the SXSW car aaccident.

UT Tyler Gate goes to Meiji Jingu Shrine and Imperial Palace

      Meiji Jingu Shrine is a Shintu Shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. After the Emperor and Emperess passed away, people commerate their virtues by donating 100,000 tress throughout Japan and overseas and worked voluntary to create the forest around the Meiji Jungu Shrine.

We had the opportunity to witness a traditional Japanese wedding! 

    Shintu does not have a founder, a holy book, as well as the concept of religious conversation. Shintu values for example harmony with nature and virtues such as "sincere heart" or Magokoro. Shinto believes in Kami, divine spirit, that is seen in mythology, nature, as well as human beings. In Shintu, it is believe that there is an unlimited number of Kami.

You can also purchase Ema, a wooden tablet which wishes can be written down and hung around the camphor tree.

Isn't it beautiful? 

UT Tyler's GATE student's also toured the Emperial Palace! This is a brief description from the Japan National Tourism Organization, which I could not have put any better " The Imperial Palaces, where their Majesties the Emperor and Empress reside, is situated in the center of Tokyo. The palace is surrounded by a water-filled moat and tree-covered grounds - a precious taste of nature within the bustling metropolitan city" 

Imperial Palace

Crazy Weather at The University of Texas at Tyler

    The winter of 2014 has brought some crazy weather. The student's at UT Tyler even had TWO days of bad weather this week! Due to this weather,  this is a compilation of things you might want to keep in your car just in case:)

jumper cables: When the weather is really cold and it's perilous to drive, remember to at least start your car and let it run for 5 min. Doing so recharges your battery especially in the low temperature when the cold decreases the power of the battery available  to start the car. Find a more detailed explanation here! Need help figuring out how to use jumper cables? Click here!

UT Tyler Resident Assistant positions available!

     Have you ever thought about impacting students living on campus in a different way? Would you like to live on campus and take on a leadership role? Try becoming a Resident Assistant! The University of Texas at Tyler Department of Residence Life is now hiring for RA positions!

Navigating myUTTyler

    myUTTyler is a great tool for both prospective and admitted UT Tyler students! I know it can be hard for students who have never navigated through myUTTyler to find the student center, which basically where you will spend a majority of your time when using myUTTyler.

1. Go to the UT Tyler website and hover over UT Tyler log in. Click on myUTTyler.

*If you do not remember your credentials, you can contact IT Support at 903-565-555 or IT@uttyler.edu.

2. Click on Student Home Page on the left hand side
3. Click on student center and that's where all the magic happens.

Click image to enlarge

click image to enlarge 

I HOPE THIS HELPS! Also, check out Keerin's blog on enrollment "to do list"

UT Tyler reschedules College Showcase: Education and Psychology!

     The College Showcase event for the College of Education and Psychology is rescheduled to occur on Monday, March 3 at The University of Texas at Tyler. Due to the icy conditions on its original day on February 12, the event could not take place. This time around should be beneficial for students who are looking at majoring in education or psychology!

Spring Break Destination

Destination for Springs Break 2014!

UT Tyler's Spring Break is coming up in just two weeks! Can you believe it? The semester is going by so fast and on the week of March 10-14, UT Tyler Patriots will be enjoying their much anticipated Spring break vacation! I have compiled the most visited college student's vacation spots for spring break.


1.

South Padre, Texas

South Padre, Texas: Everyone and their grandmothers have heard of South Padre. This beach is one of the most visited during Spring Break. South Padre is located on the coastal tip of Texas... at the very very VERY bottom tip of Texas. Sand dunes and empty beaches north of the city limit are perfect for camping, four wheeling as well as stunning view of the bay and Gulf of Mexico. It's the perfect getaway if you are looking for your very own private stretch of beach. Other attraction aside from  beach activities  includes Sea Turtle Inc, Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site,South Padre Island Dolphin Research and Sealife Center !

How to Apply for the UT Tyler Nursing Program

  As another round of nursing application deadline comes to an end, I thought it would be beneficial to all  potential nursing students to explain how to apply to the UT Tyler's Nursing program. I know this process is very stressful and sometime confusing on what you needed to have completed and turned in by the deadline. I know, it's a crazy time! I was there not too long ago! So I hope this post will help clarify the application process and criteria for prospective nursing students!

Deadlines to apply to nursing program: Fall –February 15th / Spring – September 15th

1. You must apply and be admitted to the University of Texas at Tyler. Admission to UT Tyler does not mean you are accepted into the nursing program. Applying to the nursing program is a completely different application process. Upon being accepted to UT Tyler, you will be in the "pre-nursing" program. This means that you are taking the prerequisite courses needed to be completed prior to applying to the program.

My Most Anticipated Album List for 2014- Music that all UT Tyler Students Can Enjoy

In my day-to-day lifestyle, I’m rarely not listening to music. Most of the time it’s either via Pandora or Spotify, and lately, it has consisted of nothing but fantastic music released in 2013. Most notably, albums such as ...Like Clockwork from Queens of the Stone Age, Yeezus from Kanye West, and Random Access Memories from Daft Punk. As great as these albums are, I am really excited for the music expected to release in 2014, as it will add some really great variance to my current playlists.  Here’s a few of my most anticipated albums for 2014:

Note: keep in mind that some of these are speculative, but most likely will be released

Beck- Morning Phase due February 25^th

My favorite episode of Futurama is where Bender meets Beck’s head (it’s not grotesque, I swear), and he tells him “I always dreamed of being a musician-poet who transcends genres even as he re-invents them, just like you.”  This is an apt description of Beck, one of my all-time favorite musicians. If you don’t know Beck by name, you probably know his most famous song Loser. If you do know Beck and have listened to a large portion of his music, you would understand why I am eager to hear Morning Phase. Beck is returning to the musical style he used in his critically acclaimed album Sea Change (2002), though it is also inspired by 1960s California folk-rock. He has already released a single from the album, Blue Moon, and trust me, it is wonderful. As Bender says at the end of the Futurama episode “Well, everyone, prepare to have your guts kicked out by folk singers.” That’s what this album will most likely do to me.

Note- while in the process of writing this blog, Beck released his album a week early to stream on NPR. Stop everything you are doing and listen.

Foo Fighters- TBD

The Foo Fighters are in the process of recording their
eighth studio album, as teased on their Instagram account.

The Foo Fighters are a rock band prolific in both talent and worldwide appeal. They hardly release any material that is not renown by both critic and popular opinion, which is why the talk for their new 2014 album has me ecstatic. Front-man Dave Grohl has hinted at this release since late 2013, saying its production will be similar to that of their latest album Wasting Light: recorded in singer Dave Grohl's garage and was recorded on tape to give the clean and raw sound of the band.  Expect this album to be released between the summer and fall of 2014.

Kendrick Lamar- TBD

Whether you think the Grammy awards are important or not, the ceremony held at the end of January proved that Kendrick Lamar has a strong future with rap music. His last album, good kid, m.A.A.d. city, sold well over a million records, was nominated for seven Grammy Awards, and is considered to be a universally acclaimed rap classic. The snippet of his new work featured in a recent Beats By Dre ad sounded incredible. Let's hope the rest of the album can match what he has previewed to this point.

Johnny Cash- Out Among the Stars due March 25th

Whether you are a fan of country and rock and roll or not, a new Johnny Cash album should always be worth your attention. Despite passing away in 2003, Cash's music is still making an impact on the world in a tremendous way. The singer's son, John Carter Cash, discovered the master tapes for this album in 2012, and since then they have developed into what will be known as Out Among the Stars. Never-before-heard, the album was recorded during the early 1980s, but it was shelved when Cash was dropped by his then-label Columbia. The album contains 12 songs, with duets with June Carter  and Waylon Jennings. 

Frank Ocean- TBD, due Summer

Following his debut album channel ORANGE from 2012, which some claim to be one of the strongest debut albums in recent memory, R&B singer Frank Ocean will most likely be releasing his follow-up in the Summer of 2014. It is rumored that contributing to the album will be Tyler the Creator, Danger Mouse, Pharrell, and Tame Impala (all awesome, by the way), hinting at how strong the follow-up can be.  In my opinion, if it is even remotely as good as channel ORANGE, it will be nothing short of amazing.

Kanye West- TBD, due summer 

The album cover for Yeezus, arguably the best album from Kanye West.

This one will be a quick follow-up from the artist's last album, Yeezus, which topped more critic top 10 lists than any other album in 2013.  And it was well deserving of that recognition.  Kanye West proves time and time again to be one of the most consistent and powerful rap artists in the industry, and his new album this summer will most likely live up to that reputation.  As outspoken and downright belligerent he can be in the public eye, his music makes up for the bad press.  Assume this album will only bolster his reputation for being an outstanding artist and performer.
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These are only a portion of the great music that will be released over the next 10 months, but this alone has me quite excited.  Whatever your music genre preference is, 2014 will have something for you to truly enjoy.

UT Tyler offers student volunteering opportunities

     Students can volunteer through the University of Texas at Tyler Office of Leadership and Service, as they are provided with resources to different opportunities in town. Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community as a student. You get to help organizations in need and it just feels like the right thing to do! 

UT Tyler Gate at Sensoji Temple

UT Tyler GATE students and professors with Dr. Kagawa from
 Shimane University

 Sensoji is a Buddhist Temple built completed in 645, making it the oldest temple in Tokyo. Japanese legends says that two brothers in 628 fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River. The two brothers returned the statue in the river but it keeps returning to them. The temple was built nearby for the goddess Kanon.