How To Help Others

As I have brought up in a few of the blogs, I am not exactly the ‘normal person’ where it comes to the ‘traditional family background issues.’ I was raised by my mother and by my grandmother. I lived in a rather well-off portion of Houston and other times, when I stayed with my father, I lived in areas other people might defined as ‘urban ghettos.’ I was never friends with many boys and the females I was friends with did not particularly take to me since I was not masculine. I grew up being viewed as homosexual because my voice did not crack until I was older than most kids and, as the female friends I had did not hang out with me besides where school was involved, I was not considered normal. I have always fit into self-made friend groups; I am not, nor have I ever considered myself, popular or influential among my peers. Because of the notion that I was thought of a homosexual as a kid I was lobbed with rocks and spit on, sometimes in the same day. It was not rampant but it did happen. I have lived then in both the rich and poor upbringing circles as well as the prejudiced and the privileged social groups.

My Graduate Message To You, Dear Reader

Almost one year ago I enrolled for the University of Texas at Tyler’s Masters Degree program so I could pursue my MA in English. I was enrolled under what is called “Provisional Acceptance,” this meaning that, while I had not graduated, I was within a few hours of my goal. The semester before had been genuinely awful: I had failed two courses, two courses I did not feel I was particularly good at, and I was also worried about re-taking these courses and doing Provisional Acceptance courses too. I was so worried about how I was going to succeed at these two undergrad courses. One of was Biology and I have never found the subject easy because of the tension the tests gave me. 

The Writing Center & You!

   As an avid English Major, let me be the first to tell you - my field is not for everyone. Sure, understanding the concepts and practices of what goes into making a good paper is important, but this doesn't imply that you are needing a die-hard fan of Chaucer, Hemingway, or Peter Elbow. Far from it. Most people will fully understand that a Nursing, Business, Engineering, or Math student might not be too keen about the symbolism in a Keats poem. That is not only fine, it's understandable - many, many English majors dislike calculus, data analysis, and courses that have words like "thermodynamics" in them.

   The issue exists that we all, as college students, must complete a broad spectrum of courses as determined by the state in which we live. This is one aspect of how college preps you for ( what some might call with a tone of disdain ) "the Real World." I've always disliked people who and separate the College World from the non-College World primarily because a challenge is still a challenge in both: having to tackle a tough analysis paper in English can be just as ( if not, not ) vexing than having to work on a presentation for a business meeting that includes departments you don't know: both of these force you to think and plan outside your comfort zone. Passing the paper or passing the presentation both hinge on your ability to handle the situation before you.

   Well, while the "Real World" has a bevy of resources for you to call upon, so does the the College World. Few departments believe in tossing their students to the wolves, alone, thus they provide you with resources that you can make use of to tackle hurdles that come your way. In the case of handling English and Writing assignments the first resource I want to tell you about is the Writing Center.

   For those who might not be fully aware, the Writing Center is a special space on the second floor of the Business Building in room #202. The Center is staffed by numerous, well prepared Gradate Students. These students sometimes from from diverse Majors, not just English. Some of them are TA Instructors here and might even be teaching one of your courses, or they might have a unique background that will prove especially useful for your needs.

   The most important thing in my experience ( having worked in the Center myself for almost two years ) is to tell you this: the tutors genuinely want you to succeed and will never help you less than you want to be helped. They have worked hard to handle all variety of comers, from freshmen, to students working on doctoral papers, or veterans. I've never personally seen such a great group of people try to help people who are great writers, they just don't quite know it themselves yet.

   If you ever have questions about a course, or a writing style, or how to handle your analysis approach ( or even understanding what an analytically devised approach IS ) - anything is OK to talk about. You don't even have to have a paper, you can simply come in, schedule an appointment, and then you can brainstorm.

   Here is the link to our UTT Writing Center's website --- http://www.uttyler.edu/writingcenter/

   One of the next resources ( one I've mentioned here before ) is our Library. Just like the workers who are in the Writing Center, the Library staffers are specially trained to help you succeed in your research. If you come in with ( for example ) a paper assignment on "Chaucer and Why Chaucer is Awesome," they can help you locate not only physical books of our man Chaucer, but also e-books, journals, and what we have on our J-STOR databases.

 
 

Hannibal, TV drama, and worrying about stress at UT Tyler

   So, this might totally be weird thing to tie in with a serious subject like making sure you’re aware of clinical services on campus … but is anybody else following NBC’s Hannibal?! Is it just me? I've fallen head over heels for this series and it’s amazing cinematography/art direction, but I also think it brings up a serious subject that I’d like to make sure students are aware of.

F.A.Q: How to See Your Enrollment To-Do List

New students and applicants, this one is for you. I’ve explained many, many times on calls to my perspective student friends how you can check if you still owe the University of Texas at Tyler any of your paperwork or items so that we can finish processing your application and you can get a quick response from the university about whether you have been granted acceptance.

While I still have no problem explaining how to access this fabled to-do list, I thought it might help if I could give you a visual step-by-step instruction post on how to find it!

Step 1: Locate your email you should have received with your login information and open it so you have the information ready.

Step 2: Go to the My Uttyler webpage pictured below and enter your information OR set up your account if you haven’t done so.

Step 3: On the next page once you have entered your info, click on the “Student Home Page” tab

Step 4: When the sections have loaded, click on the “Student Center” link under the System Access box at the top right.

Step 5: Congrats! You’re on the right page. Now look on the right side and see if it says “No To Do’s.” If not, we still need whatever’s listed there!

Tips:

• ! If you get an “error has occurred” screen, refresh your page and try your information one more time. If that doesn't work, send an Email to itsupport@uttyler.edu  or call them at (903)565-5555
• And remember you should never send your password.
• ! Email any other technical issues you may send them into to the same email.
• ! If you need help with any of your To Do list items, call the One Stop Enrollment Shop at (903) 566-7180
• ! If you need any advice or suggestions, comment below or call us any time at the Admissions Call Center.

Choosing a Major at UT Tyler: EEEK!!!

So maybe you’re a freshman, just out of high school and you aren’t sure what direction you want to go with your college career. Or, maybe you’re an upperclassman who has discovered your dream to be a physics expert just isn’t working out. Whatever the case may be, whenever you find yourself floundering for a college major, it can be really scary.

To be honest with you guys, I came with a major in mind and scrapped it almost immediately, and remained undecided until last semester. Finally, I decided to major in Political Science here at The University of Texas at Tyler, only to hit another wall, and I’m considering changing my major again. I can tell you, finding your niche is not easy!

Luckily, I learned about this neat service our campus provides. If you’ve never seen it, we have a Student Counseling Center (Check out Michael's blog on getting support you need, here) up on the third floor of the University Center, and they offer a service called CareerCounseling, where you can walk in, make an appointment, and have several sessions in which you speak to a counselor and take a couple of assessments to determine some of your interests and personal strengths. 

The assessments I took were the STRONG interest inventory, and the Meyers-Brigg personality test. 

Once you take the tests, you can discuss your results and bounce some ideas with your counselor, and by the end, I know I felt like I was one step closer to finding my ideal career. The best part is, the service is completely free to students. 

The Headaches are Common

I’m still having a large amount to reconsider, though. I guess what you need to know is that it’s not terribly important to have a major especially for your first years. Taking your basic classes will be more than enough to keep most students busy! 

So, moral of the story, don’t freak out if you don’t know what to do with yourself. You’ll figure it out, and there are so many people in your boat, and many more who want to help. Don’t give up, and look at coming to college as an adventure! 

My Experience Becoming a Freshman at UT Tyler prt. 1: Housing

Coming to a new place is always terrifying, obviously.
I had no idea what to expect moving hours away from my home and family to Tyler. I tried to do a lot of research and see where I was going to live, what there was to do, what the people might be like, everything.

Every time I come to work I feel awesome that I can help someone with making their college experience by sharing mine. However, some people don't know to call or what to ask when we're on the phone with them.

So here are some things I had questions about when it came to  making decisions about financial aid to housing to just where to hang out.

If I tried to stuff all of that information into one blog, it would be way too long, so here is the topic for today: 

HOUSING

Housing was one of the things I was most excited about getting done. I was so ready and so excited to get out of my house and be on my own (no offense Mommy). 
There are a lot of options when it comes to living on or off campus.
It's required here at UT Tyler that freshman live on-campus if they live more than 50 miles away.
I know it's a good money saver to live at home and commute if you live close enough, but your freshman year I definitely feel like you should live on campus. 
That's not to say that you won't have a good experience living off-campus at all, because I have a lot of friends that commute here. (You'll be the one everyone calls for their kitchen and when people want to go out on weekends)

But when you take into account convenience and parking and just the freshman college experience, I'm so thankful I live on-campus.

You Shall Not Pass (Math)!!

Today I took my very first college math test EVER! I really didn’t know what to expect from it, mostly because in high school, I found the majority of my tests to be very easy to pass. I was friends with a lot of seniors when I was a junior, and when they went to college, they told me about how the tests in college are very different than in high school! So in remembering that, I was very nervous when I realized that a test worth a lot of my final grade was coming up. Luckily, I wasn’t the only one in my class that felt that way. In fact, most of the class was dreading the test.

                Another thing that I was worried about was how to study, because I’ve never really had to study for anything before. Since I don’t exactly have perfect study habits, it’s very beneficial that I go to the math lab.
                What’s a “math lab” you may ask? Well, the math lab is a magical place where you go on campus that has a bunch of resources and tutors to help you with any math homework, or to help you study before a test! If you don’t know how to do a problem, they sit there and help you figure out and learn what to do!

Break Ups and Other Tragic Things

Even attending college with professors that are understanding (every one of them that I have encountered at The University of Texas at Tyler), they still can't shelter you from personal drama.

I fell in and out (arguable) of love with a writer this year, lost another friend to suicide, and found out an awful lot about myself in the process. Painful, but necessary to grow from, and not linger in.

I also learned that heart-ache is not conducive to learning. I made an incomplete in my summer class.
My professor is working with me.
I get to make it all up.
It won't be a big fat negative on my record.
They didn't even ask for details.

It is moments like this that we could worry, but it helps to seek out help if you have a need.
I can't help but feel lucky.

Sounding Off - Love & Support on UT Tyler's Campus

                          Sounding Off – Finding Love & Support on UT Tyler's Campus

   As I write this I am currently in a strange state on the topic as it (currently) exists in my mind and as a draft in front of me. I’d love to share all the details about this subject, however as this is a student blog there are obviously many, MANY things to consider about the nature of the topic, where the conversation can lead, etc…

SAD

               Winter makes me sad. It has nothing to do with the infinite layers of clothing we have to wear and even less to do with the ice (because it is Texas, and we don't really get any). I have recently discovered from personal experience that there is something to the idea of the wintertime blues, or Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder (SAD). My wintertime depression is obvious, because as springtime approaches, and I become more active. I'm feeling better already.

The Symptoms may include:

• Depression: misery, guilt, loss of self-esteem, hopelessness, despair, and apathy 
• Anxiety: tension and inability to tolerate stress 
• Mood changes: extremes of mood and, in some, periods of mania in spring and summer 
• Sleep problems: desire to oversleep and difficulty staying awake or, sometimes, disturbed sleep and early morning waking 
• Lethargy: feeling of fatigue and inability to carry out normal routine 
• Overeating: craving for starchy and sweet foods resulting in weight gain 
• Social problems: irritability and desire to avoid social contact 
• Sexual problems: loss of libido and decreased interest in physical contact

Mental health professionals are not completely sure where this phenomena comes from, but they compare our internal clocks to animals, focusing on reproductive cycles and hibernation.

SAD may be an effect of this seasonal light variation in humans. As seasons change, there is a shift in our “biological internal clocks” or circadian rhythm, due partly to these changes in sunlight patterns. This can cause our biological clocks to be out of “step” with our daily schedules. Melatonin, a sleep-related hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, has been linked to SAD. This hormone, which may cause symptoms of depression, is produced at increased levels in the dark. Therefore, when the days are shorter and darker the production of this hormone increases.