UT Tyler Student Communications Team

Upcoming Events

Jan. 31, 2011
Census Date (12th class day)

Second Drop Date                                                   

Rec Sports Wallyball League Begins

Feb. 1 – 4, 2011
2011 Model UN Conference 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. OAC

Feb. 1, 2011
Online registration for Long Summer, Summer I and Summer II 2011 Classes Begins

Register Now

Feb. 2, 2011
Outdoor Adventures Caving at Natural Bridge Caverns
Mandatory Pre-trip Meeting 6:30 p.m. HPC Lobby

Register Now

Feb. 3, 2011
W Basketball vs. Louisiana College
5:30 p.m. Pineville, La.

Cowan Center presents The Color Purple 7:30 p.m. Cowan Center

Open Mic Night featuring Bo Carter
7:30 p.m. Sports Café
 
M Basketball vs. Louisiana College
7:30 p.m. Pineville, La.

Register Now

Feb. 4 – 5, 2011
Caving at Natural Bridge Caverns
New Braunfels, Tx

Register Now

Morale Named UT Tyler Registrar...

A personal Congrads to you Sonja Morale keep working hard ... we are so proud of you!!

         Sonja Morale has been named The University of Texas at Tyler registrar, Charlie Hutchins, assistant vice president for enrollment management, marketing and customer service, announced.
She has served as interim since November 2010.

         Morale will oversee all activities related to student academic records and registration, publish class schedules and coordinate commencement activities.
“Sonja is a wonderful addition to the enrollment services management team. She has proven during her interim position that she is capable and innovative as a registrar. During her brief job as interim registrar, she has developed and implemented business process that improved customer service, both internally and externally. I’m looking forward to her leadership to make great things happen at UT-Tyler,” said Hutchins.

          Morale has served at UT Tyler since 2006. She previously served as the associate registrar and as an assistant registrar and recorder at the university.
“I am pleased with this opportunity to serve the students, faculty and staff of UT Tyler and will continue to work every day to improve the quality of that service,” she said.
         Morale holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Houston and is a current student in the UT-Tyler master of science in human resource development program.
Her professional memberships include the American and Texas Associations of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

          One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler offers excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT-Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 6,400 high-ability students at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine.

Basketball Intramurals!!!!

Basketball intramurals has gotten under away with great success. Many game has already passed, with many more left on the schedule. Intramurals are a great way!

Bachelor of Business Administration in Management

           For those who are interested in pursuing an educational path towards business and would like to be managers someday Management might be the major for you. I know about the management program at UT Tyler first hand being in my last semester before graduating.
            Once your core curriculum is complete you will get into more detailed management classes like Managing Modern Organizations or Management Information Systems. One of the top 3 management programs can be located here along with a great staff. Professors like Dr. Tarter, Dr. Fagan, etc. can equip you with the tools you need to leave post bachelor degree and succeed in management.

The Strong Survive

My best friend was heading home from student teaching on Tuesday January 24, 2011. On her way home she came to the top of the hill where an 18 wheeler was sitting in the left turn lane, but still over lapping into the fast lane. With a car in the slow lane and a car behind her my friend was unable to stop. She tried to swerve her car and miss the 18 wheel, but unfortunately did not. Her injuries include a shattered feamer and cuts and bruises all over her body. She had a rod placed in her leg to repair the feamer and has a total of 41 staples from that surgery. She also has 8 staples in the back of her head and 16 stitches in her arms. She was really lucky to sruvive, but it will also take her a long time to heal. She may be released from the hospital today and then taken to a rehab center for a couple of days. She will need at least 3 months of physical therapy and will have to move since her apartment is located on the third floor of her complex.

Throughout the last few days her main concern has been getting better so she can go back to student teaching. Student teaching ends some time in April and graduation isn't until May. Her grandmother has talked to the person who is in charge of the student teachers and she said that my friend may be able to make up the 8 days that she is going to miss between the end of student teaching and graduation. We are just waiting on the final approval from the dean before we can start making plans and finding a new place for her to live. She is extremely lucky to be alive, but also lucky that the university is trying to work with her to help her graduate on time. It is a very stressful time, but we are lucky that the university understands that accidents happen.

On a positive note...it was good to see that my friend has such a good support system. On Saturday  she had 9 visitors in her hopsital room at one time. Five of us were her sorority sisters, 2 of the guys were friends that I introduced her to, and 2 of the people she met through student teaching. She really has made a lot of friends in college that have been stopping by during her stay at the hospital. The hopsital was really good about letting her have as many visitors as she wanted and not putting a block on the visiting hours. I stayed at the hospital with her on Saturday night so her family could actually get a good night of much needed sleep. It is crazy to see how much someone's life can change in just one instance, but it is also nice to know that she has friends, family, and a university that will help work her through it.

Got myself a pup

          Hello there, the weekend is coming to a close and the school week will soon be upon us once more. The most interesting thing about this weekend was that I got myself a dog named pearl, and she's awesome. She's a family dog, we've had her for about 10 years or so, not too bad for a Yorkie. I had a choice between her and a puppy she had a year or two ago, but I think I chose well. She's a lot smarter and there's a lot less risk of apartment damage, which is what is most important to me. Anywho, school is going a little rough right now, there are things I have to buy for a couple of classes and I'm just waiting for sweet lady grant refund to come in so I can buy them.
          I really need to get the name of the foundations that gave me the extra grants. They definitely deserve a thank you card/speech/video/hug they really really saved my skin. The University just had a thank you ceremony where people go and thank the people that gave them their scholarships, but it didn't extend to grants unfortunately. I wish it had. I would have thanked them enough for 10 people!

2 Big To Lose

         The UT Tyler Men's Basketball team went 2 and 0 this past week, therefore they are "2 Big To Lose". On Thursday night they beat Louisiana College 76 to 63. UT Tyler showed up to play this game getting up early, at half time the score was 40 to 29. They also hit 25% of their 3-point attempts. With an attendance of around 612 people, this game was a fun one to watch! On Saturday afternoon UT Tyler beat Mississippi College 62 to 51. This game was back and forth for awhile, but at half time UT Tyler was up by 7 points with a score of 32 to 25. UT Tyler stayed ahead of Mississippi College by at least six points the whole second half. With UT Tyler hitting 47.1% of their 3-pointers and with eight out of the twelve players scoring points it was a sure win for us!

      Now, the best thing about UT Tyler is that students get in FREE to all athletic events as long as they have their ID, so I hope to see you all at the next home basketball game at 7:30pm on February 10th versus East Texas Baptist University!

UT Tyler Hosts Region Model UN Conference

UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

NEWS TIP: UT-Tyler to Host Region VII 2011 Model UN Conference

January 27, 2011
Media Contact: Hannah Buchanan
Public Affairs Specialist
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.565.5769

The 2011 Model United Nations Conference for area middle and high school students will be held at The University of Texas at Tyler Ornelas Activity Center, Dr. Robert Stevens, UT-Tyler professor of education and Model UN Conference coordinator, announced.
Sessions are Jan. 27 – 28, Feb. 1 – 2, and Feb. 3 – 4.

This year, there are three sessions to accommodate the growing number of participants. About 450 students
representing 13 school districts in Region VII will participate, Stevens said.

Student groups will make presentations representing a pre-selected country. They also will propose solutions to global problems within their respected countries and debate.

For additional information or interviews, call Hannah Buchanan, 903.565.5769.

Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference..... What A Trip!!!!

I had a great opportunity to attend the SBSLC this year for the very first time at Texas A&M University. The conference was January 20-23 and I had an awesome time meeting so many educated students. Several guests were also keynote speakers that weekend consisting of Dominique Dawes (Olympic Gold Medalist), Richard T. Jones(Actor in Why Did I Get Married? and The Wood) and several others. There were several workshops to attend pertaining to leadership, how to prepare for a Master's Degree or Law Degree, relationships, how to deal with drama within an organization or group, and many more. There was a career fair as well as Entrepreneur Vending Fair. I was not sure what to expect, but I am glad that I had the chance to experience this conference because I am now more motivated, excited, and educated in networking than I have ever been. If you would like to know more about SBSLC here is the website where all the fun begins. http://sbslc.org/.

Level 1 Nursing

So I am going to post a little bit about my experience through level 1 of the nursing program.

Books

The books for nursing school are very expensive. I did quite a bit of research on prices before I decided who I would buy them from. There are ways to get cheaper books, usually used is a better way to go. Renting books is also possible, but supposedly we'll be using our books throughout the program so sending them back to a rental store each semester is not really an option.

Studying

Studying for nursing tests is pretty rough. I used a book called Successful Problem-Solving & Test-Taking for Beginning Nursing Students to help me get used to the style of questions that are on the tests.

Clinicals

During level 1 clinicals don't start immediately. The semester is divided up where you are in the lab learning all the different procedures that nurses do on a regular basis and the rest of the semester you're at the hospital. The lab days and the hospital days are pretty long. I typically went to sleep immediately after I got home if I didn't have to work. There is also quite a bit of preclinical work that is done before you show up to a clinical session. This work takes a lot of time especially if the patient has a lot of medications.

Working

I typically work around 15-22 hours a week while doing nursing full time. I feel like 20 hours is pretty difficult to work and keep up with school work. This is especially true for me since I try to put in about 10-12 hours of exercise a week as well. Having a job where you can request off when you need is also a good idea. I also never work the day before a test.

UT Tyler Website

Yesterday we participated in a focus group to help improve the UT Tyler's web page, to make it more accessible and to make it overall just a more enjoyable experience. We discussed the school a great deal and when the answer came of "What could we do to make the school better?" I honestly didn't have an answer for that. I know most students would mention the parking, but honestly I never have a problem with parking, but I also dont mind walking a little bit. But honestly, I love this school. I have yet to have a negative experience with it. The thing that came to my mind first when she asked "What is one thing that stands out" I immediately started to talk about how absolutely gorgeous the campus is. Right now it's so cold and dreary out, but on the summer days when there's not a cloud in sight and you have that big gorgeous blue sky, this campus shines like a diamond. It's one of the things that convinced me to move to Tyler. It was just how beautiful not only the campus is, but the city itself. It's so breathtaking that I hope I never get used to it or forget what it was like. I really care about this University and the people that run it, they gave me this amazing job and for that I cannot thank them enough.

Student-Faculty Ratio

One of my favorite qualities of The University of Texas at Tyler is the small student to faculty ratio. At UT Tyler for every 16 students you have one instructor. That is great in comparison to other higher education institutions in Texas and across the nation. With smaller classes it allows for students to have one on one time with the instructor and not just be an ID number to them. I can say that I have built quite a repoire with some faculty here due to their candidness in approaching the subject matter. I think this great ratio ties in with our 66% graduation rate. Our university has shot up from last year by 16 points in the standings and 13.1%. These figures are compiled entitled Overall Score done by http://www.stateuniversity.com/ which derive from attributes like total cost, admissions rate, enrollment, and retention.

Thank-A-Thon

I had received an e-mail earlier last week about today's Thank-A-Thon, which was held in the UC Ballroom. This e-mail was inviting me to type up a formal letter for a scholarship I had received last summer and present or hand it in. Sadly I did not attend this event. I had a play this morning at the Civic Theater and had to rush quickly to class afterward and then to work. But I have until February to hand in my letter, which is great.

The scholarship was a $1,000 Ambassador's Scholarship for my study abroad trip to Japan last summer. Now, months later, I think that aiding scholarship had more life impact than I ever thought....I hope my thank you letter won't be too long when it is completed.

Studying.

         These are the note cards I made for my Physiology of Psychology class. I'm not looking forward to memorizing all of these but that's why I have broken them up into groups of 20 so the task is not as daunting. My goal is to make all A's again this semester so I have already started making study guides for all my tests and reading all the chapters.
         So far I think Physiology of Psychology is going to be my hardest class just because there is so much information. My Sense and Perception class could be hard as well though because the professor that is teaching that also taught the Psychopharmacology class that I took which was extremely hard. I'm also taking an online class which I don't think I will have to study much for, just read and and making sure I stay on schedule with everything.

I hope everyones semester has started off good!

Down at the PV Clubhouse...

            I just witnessed one of the most entertaining football games I think I've ever seen. I meant to see the Chicago Bears go against the Green Bay Packers, but I'm glad I went to see the Steelers (Pitsburgh) and the Jets (New York). Truly, I could've just watched the game from home, but I decided it would be fun to go down to the Patriot Villiage Clubhouse, eat some pizza, and watch the game with my fellow apartment dwellers. On top of the fact that the game was great (a 24-19 score, going to the Steelers), it was nice to sit and chat with my roommate and some of the other people that live in my building.
            One guy I talked to was the roommate of my roommate's boyfriend. Yeah, I know, but it was still cool to talk to him. The free food was just the cherry on top of the end of my quiet Sunday. It was nice to be around people you live with and just talk over some football. Who knows, if PV decides to have a Super Bowl viewing, I definately plan on going.

First week of school Vlog

Thoughts on my Teachers so far

Well I've had each teacher twice now, so I can give my thoughts on them! This is mainly for other business students and marketing majors that are thinking about what to take and aren't sure. Hope this helps!

Krist Swimberghe: This is my teacher for Marketing Research, the class seems okay so far. He seems to be really passionate about the subject and he's been all over the world. His name is a little tough to pronounce but I think I have it down. He picks his voice up a lot when he talks so it really gets your attention. But overall I think he's really nice, he's trying to memorize all of our names and faces and I always like when that happens. It makes you not want to miss class more, because they'll notice.

Barbara Wooldridge: I've had her in my Principles of Marketing class, and I'm in her Service Marketing class now. She's a really nice but also very difficult teacher. She's one of those teachers that makes sure that you earn your grade and that you get your moneys worth out of your degree. I know her class is going to be really difficult but I also know that that's important. You have to have difficult classes so your degree means something.

Jana Rutherford: I had her last semester in my Consumer Behavior class and I have her for Integrated Marketing Communications class. Again, she's one of those teachers that makes you earn your grade and expects you to show up for every class to put in the effort. Very nice teacher, tries to get you involved into the lectures, very professional professor, makes your degree mean something.

G. Hwan Shin: This is my Finance teacher, an Asian fellow. His class is really interesting, he seems to know a lot about finance and it shows whenever he speaks about it. He is of Chinese origin, I have to warn you, if you have to take him it might be just a little bit difficult to understand him, but as of the 2nd class I can understand him pretty well. At first I thought the language barrier would be an issue, but once you pick up on the speech pattern it's not a problem. There were a lot of drops after the first class, that's understandable, but he's a really nice, really funny teacher.

How To Apply For Financial Aid

The first step for any student to possibly receive any financial aid is to fill out the FASFA. Applications are available on the Internet at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov or get an application mailed to you by calling 1-800-433-3243. UT Tyler's school code when filling out the FASFA is 011163. The FASFA is processed through the system, a report is made accessible to the student at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. You have to be admitted to UT-Tyler before your FAFSA is processed by the Financial Aid Office. The schools listed on the FAFSA will be given the processed information electronically. The report provides the student's Expected Family Contribution, which the school will use to decide the student's eligibility.

Types of Financial Aid:

Grants

Loans

Scholarships

Work Study Programs

Financial Aid Contact Information:

The University of Texas at Tyler
Office of Financial Aid
3900 University Blvd.
Tyler, Tx 75799
1-800-UT TYLER

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday

8 a.m - 5 p.m.

Ph: 903.566.7180
Fx: 903.566.7183

financialaid@uttyler.edu

Upcoming Events.

Jan. 9 – 21, 2011
Intramurals M, W 5v5 Basketball
League Registration

Jan. 10 – 24, 2011
Intramurals M, W Air Hockey
Tournament Registration

Intramurals M, W Billiards
Tournament Registration
26th Annual International Exhibition Opening Gallery Talk by Juror, Cotter Luppi 6-7:30 p.m. Meadows Gallery

Jan. 20, 2011
W Basketball vs. ETBU
5:30 p.m. Marshall, Tx

CAB Comedy Night
Featuring Ronnie Jordan
7:30 p.m. Sports Café

M Basketball vs. ETBU
7:30 p.m. Marshall, Tx

Jan. 22, 2011
UT Tyler CFSF Forum
All day, Longview, Tx

Jan. 23, 2011
Intramurals M, W 5v5 Basketball
League Begins On campus

Jan. 24, 2011
Intramurals
M, W Air Hockey
Tournament Begins
On campus

Intramurals
M, W Billiards
Tournament Begins
On campus

Guest Speaker
J.B. Smith, Smith County sheriff
6 – 7 p.m. UC Ballroom
Open to all Students

UT Tyler's Basketball Team

The much improved UT Tyler basketball team pulled out a close win on Tuesday night, outlasting LeTourneau Yellow Jackets. The 65 to 60 win helped improve the Patriots to 5-6, just one game under .500. The game entitled competitive, back and forth action between the two schools. With clutch shooting and good defense, the Patriots pulled out the all important win against a conference opponent. Head coach, Kenny Bizot, stated that this "was a must win" for the Patriots to climb back up in the conference standings.
            Key shots by Michael Johnson and a heads up transition lay up by Lance Murphy that left 17 seconds in the game, helped put the game out of reach. Bizot said that he liked that "so many people stepped up" in pulling out the win for the Patriots. While saying this he also acknowledged that the team has "some things to work on and they have to get better in certain areas." After this win the Patriots improved to 5-6 in the American Southwest Conference. The Patriots will next travel to play east to Marshall, TX to play East Texas Baptist University.

GO PATRIOTS!!!!

These numbers don't lie

These are the numbers of students attending UT Tyler in the Spring of 2010 and Spring of 2011.

These numbers are great! It looks like UT- yler is getting it's name out there to potential students. This past year UT Tyler started many new marketing programs like the Student Communications Team and the official UT Tyler on Facebook App. If you are not using the Facebook App well what are you waiting for then! Here is the link http://www.uttyler.edu/facebookapp

I am proud to be a part of both of these programs and look forward to helping my beloved school more in the near future! I look forward to seeing you on campus soon!

Back from break

        It's great to be back from break, mainly because it means less work hours, but it feels good to be back and in the swing of things. Right away we have some exciting events coming up at UT Tyler. If you hurry, you can still make it to the first SGA general assembly meeting in RBS 2024! Coming up on January 29th is the Winter Masquerade at 8pm in the UC ballroom. The formal is Mardi Gras themed, but it's formal, so no painted on Saints logos. 



        Plenty more is coming this semester from UT Tyler CAB, Greek Life, and others (including an exciting Cowan Center line up). The best way to get notifications is to become friends with each of these groups respective Facebook profiles, as 99% of on campus happenings get sent out as events to all those who are friended.

Welcome back!

Class Review

     I've attended all my classes and have gotten a feel of how my final semester should go with each of my classes based on the syllabus lecture. I think it is going to be a pretty alright semester. :] I think it will definitely be a semester to remember.

      My Drawing II class over at the junior college will kick off my week. When I attended yesterday's (Wednesday) syllabus day, my teacher came into the room & I immediately liked her. She has a gray pixie cut, but appears far from seasoned because her manner, voice, & expressions are quite youthful. And one of the first things she said to my small class of 7 students was that we would have models come into our class-nude models-& we would be drawing them. o.O Wow. We would create our own portfolio, & draw on expensive paper. We are going to draw our hands & feet & by the semester's end, we should be able to draw our self portraits.

First Graduate Class

       It has been a year since I've taken classes. I've been excited and also dreading going back to school. Mostly because I've had that year off to forget everything that I learned. My Master's will be in Human Resource Development (HRD). I'm taking 2 classes this semester.
       One class is online and it just so happens that I have a co-worker in it which I think will be very helpful. The other class is the main one that I was dreading. It is from 6-8:40 on my day off during the week. I didn't think I would be able to sit through a 2 hour and 40 minutes long class each week. The professor e-mailed out the syllabus and I learned that my department actually has hybrid classes.
         The hybrid classes meet once every other week. I only have to go to this class a total of 8 times this semester and have 2 weeks to do any homework. The class seems like it is going to be fun as well. The professor said that as long as we share our life experiences with him then we will do excellent in the class.      
           Going to class last night took a lot of the pressure off. We only have to read 5 chapters in the next 2 weeks and come up with 3 questions to discuss in the class. I've already ready the 5 chapters so I'm hoping this class will be a breeze. Now I just have to figure out how the online class is going to work. If you are looking for a graduate program I would definitely suggest HRD. The program is designed with a lot of online classes. If you have a face-to-face class it would be once every 2 weeks. It is definitely a good option for people who are trying to work and go to school at the same time.

You can click the following link for more information about UT Tyler graduate programs.
http://www.uttyler.edu/graduate/

First day of Spring 2011

               With the Christmas break over and a new start to the year, it was fairly easy slipping back into the school routine again... Well, I say that, but the hardest part was getting up this morning. But then again, it always is.
              When I finally did get started (2 hours earlier than my 11 o'clock class), the rest just fell into place. I only had two classes today, so I wasn't too worried about having to much to carry or too much homework afterwards.

First day back and feeling good!

     Well, today was the first day back at the school and it felt pretty good to wake up with a purpose. Of course it was a little shaky getting up, I went from waking up around 11 to waking up at 8, so it was sort of like that scene where Bambi first learned to walk, I was stumbling around the apartment looking for cereal. I don't drink coffee or energy drinks, so I basically just have to make my own energy to pick me up and get me through the day.
      Found all my classes even though one of them was in a building I had never been in before. Two of my teachers I have had before and the new one seemed really nice. It's going to be a little rough having such a long block of classes so early on Tuesday and Thursday, but this is my second to last semester so I'll live.
       A lot of people kept recognizing me and it took me an awkward amount of time to recognize them, for the past few weeks the only people I've seen are my coworkers so I'll have to get used to seeing other people again. Speaking of Coworkers, I'm thrilled to see them all back in the office, they bring that energy to the workplace that you just can't substitute and it's great to have them back!

UT-Tyler Men's Basketball

I recently went to the UT Tyler vs. UT Dallas men's basketball game and what a game it was. The atmosphere was great and the fans packed the house! UT Dallas is UT Tyler's main rival in the American Southwest Conference (ASC) and the winner of this game would be solely in second place in the ASC East. The first half went pretty well with UT Tyler hitting three three-pointers in a matter of 45 seconds and a few two-pointers to create a nice lead, but after some dismal rebounding UT Tyler ended the half tied. The second half UT Tyler still could not get any rebounds and stayed behind UT Dallas all half. With two minutes left, UT Tyler finally woke up and started doing work, but it just wasn't enough. UT Tyler ended up losing 71 to 62.

Back to the Books!!!!

         After a well-needed break, today officially marks the first day of school for the 2010 spring semester. The break was a refreshing one. Its always good to go home and spend some time with your loved ones (some more than others lol) and your friends.
        Today I only had one class, Tests and Measurements, that entitled the usual first day protocol of handing out the syllabus and going over it. The class ended early as most classes do on the first day, allowing me an ample amount of time to go around and hang out with some friends I have not seen since last semester before heading to work.
        Tomorrow I have three classes which should be an ultimate indicator on how my semester should go. I will check back in with you all tomorrow for further updates on the new semester and goals that I shall keep unlike last semester. TTYL!!!!

Upcoming Events....

If you are unaware of the events that are going this week check out this website for more information and updates!!!

http://www.uttyler.edu/news/index.php

Jan. 9 – 21, 2011
Intramurals M, W 5v5 Basketball
League Registration

Jan. 10 – 24, 2011
Intramurals M, W Air Hockey
Tournament Registration

Intramurals M, W Billiards
Tournament Registration

Jan. 18, 2011

Spring 2011 Semester Classes Begin

UT Tyler CAB Custom Leather ID Bracelets 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sports Café

W Basketball vs. LeTourneau University 5:30 p.m. Home

M Basketball vs. LeTourneau University 7:30 p.m. Home

Register Now

26th Annual International Exhibition Begins Meadows Gallery

26th Annual International Exhibition Opening Gallery Talk by Juror, Cotter Luppi 6-7:30 p.m. Meadows Gallery

Jan. 19, 2011
Lecture and Demonstration by Cotter Luppi TBA Fine Arts Complex

Jan. 20, 2011
CAB Comedy Night Featuring Ronnie Jordan 7:30 p.m. Sports Café

Jan. 23, 2011
Intramurals M, W 5v5 Basketball
League Begins On campus

Spring Semester Starts

         Today was the first day of the spring semester and I have to say that it went pretty well. I had two classes and actually started lectures in the second one. It seems that I will have to get accustomed to listening to people talking early in the morning.
         On a brighter note, it helps to get your stuff done early as the financial aid lines, cashier lines, and pretty much every other line were absolutely ridiculous. I was very glad I did not have to be going through that.

And the studying begins..

            Started classes today, which I wasn't too excited about but in the end it ended up being a good day! I had Intro to Clinical and Counseling Psychology at 9:30 which I think will end up being my favorite class because counseling is what I want to do. At 2:00 I had Physiological Psychology which is probably going to be my hardest class, but really interesting at the same time.
           On Monday,Wednesdays and Fridays I have Developmental Psychology which I think will be my least favorite class because I have heard some pretty bad things about this class. I don't have a choice though because this class is required and there is only one professor that teaches it. I also have two online classes, Multi-Cultural Studies and Sex Roles and the Life Cycle which I'm a little nervous about because I'm hoping I don't end up forgetting about them, they're are really interesting though so I don't think I will.
          Also I'm a little nervous because I have taken online classes in the past and they have been really easy but I've heard here at UT Tyler they're a lot harder. Hope everyone else has had a good first day back!

The First Day of School

         Well, I don't know about you, but I am excited about starting this semester! I am in my final semester here at the University and only need to take 9 hours.
I've never felt more motivated to finish. I am taking my last few upper division courses for my major, plus a senior seminar.
       I'm supposedly taking a class with this hard core professor, so I'm a bit uneasy about that. But hey, I'm a senior!
       I've only gone to one class thus far, so I'm not exactly sure what all I can really say about my classes. The one I attended only lasted about 15 minutes! Syllabus days...
      I am also enrolled in a drawing class at the junior college that should be a great outlet for some creativity. Also, in March I am taking a belly dancing class. ^_^

The King's Speech.

Went and saw this today and it was amazing! Everyone should check it out while it's still in Tyler!

Spring Cleaning

            Ahhhh..... So today (Sunday) my best friend convinced me to actually clean my room this afternoon. Weird; why is my friend suggesting "we" clean my room??? o.O But we get started and it was just the kind of friendly support I've been needing to clear up this mess that is my living space.
            First we started with all the Christmas present build up I had acquired over the last few weeks. That was a nice breather to sort through. Basically my friend held up random items and asked me where I want to put it or what can the item be used for. If I didn't come up with an answer, into the trash bag it went. (Now, I'm not saying we threw away my Christmas presents, we just sorted them from their boxes and found a proper place for the gift).

Dress Rehearsal

      I am so excited about my upcoming play! My best friend & I are in the Tyler Civic Theatre Center's "Alice in Wonderland" play that opens next Friday night (21st). She & I are playing the Tweedle Dee & Dum. Our costumes are so awkwardly gold & emerald. We are still waiting for our black & yellow striped tights to come in.

         This is cool because I am a girl with very short hair & am playing the brother to my best friend, Michelle. She is playing my twin sister, Tweedle Dee. We are both wearing a pair of navy & white oxford shoes. Hers has a small heel & mine are massively large! ^_^ Very awkward to walk in, but it totally pulls together the ridiculous personalities we've given to the characters.

            Tonight is our first dress rehearsal, so we are really going to kill the director when Tweedle Dee & I come out on stage for our big scene dresses as school kids with unmatched socks & shoes. I hope I can do a better job at keeping a strait face!

What do you do on a cold winter day......?????

When its cold outside all you want to do is stay warm and have a cup of coffee or hot coco... but check out what they do on a cold winter day.

Snow Day
© Sam D

Snow is falling to the ground
Piling up in enormous mounds
School is cancelled for the day
Children run outside to play

Snowballs are thrown in the air
No one has any care
About school-only fun
Because the day is a snowy one

Snowmen are stacked very high
Their top hats almost skim the sky
To make them round they must pat
Then finish off with mittens and hat

As the weather gets cold
The children are told
To come inside and eat
Hot chocolate with a couple treats

Once the kids are done
They put on their gear for some more fun
Some of them play around
While other kids just lay on the ground

Another kid makes snow angels
Until the dog named Bojangles
Ran through his masterpiece
But then the owner yelled cease

After Bojangles
Ruined all the snow angels
Kids slid down the hill
‘Til they were bitten by a chill

Almost over is the day
The children start to walk away
As snow falls, so does the sun
Time to go in, the day is done

White Lies.

Can't wait for their new CD to come out on Tuesday! Here is a sample of their new CD, everyone should check them out and get their CD! Enjoy!

Work...

Whew! Busy Busy Busy.

With all the cold weather, and snow, and working & nighttime play practice, blogging just keeps getting pushed aside. & there doesn't seem to be time for anything else.

Here in the call center things are busy with phone call after phone call from students & parents seeing information. Do not panic!

2011 Competition Schedule

Well, as an endurance athlete I always love finishing the season off safe and sound. Today I have officially finalized my 2011 Competition Schedule featuring 5 triathlons and a unique "end of the world" 3.5 mile run.

* Athens Triathlon on March 5
* Caveman Triathlon on April 10
* WWIII.5 run on May 1
* Heart of Texas Triathlon #1 June 12
* Y Freedom Triathlon June 26
* Texas Star Triathlon July 9

It should be a great season, just have to finish working on the 'ol bicycle and then I'll be training hard core till the last race. If you are interested in competing in any of these races let me know and maybe we can car pool there to save on gas. Also, if you are interested in maybe doing a triathlon someday leave a comment and I will give you some tips! Have a great day and safe competing!

Chuy's

Chuy's is opening up in Tyler sometime in Spring or early summer and I'm extremely excited about this! I have never eaten there but have heard people talk about how good it is. Tyler needs a good mexican place because to me Mercados and Posados are overrated.

Upcoming Events on Campus.

Jan. 9 – 21, 2011
Intramurals M, W 5v5 Basketball
League Registration

Jan. 10 – 24, 2011
Intramurals M, W Air Hockey
Tournament Registration

Intramurals M, W Billiards
Tournament Registration

Jan. 13, 2011
W Basketball vs. Texas-Dallas
5:30 p.m. Home

Cowan Center presents An Evening with Jon Landau 7:30 PM Cowan Center

M Basketball vs. Texas-Dallas
7:30 p.m. Home

Jan. 14, 2011
Registration and Schedule changes
9 p.m. – 5 p.m. On campus

Transfer Orientation TBA UC

Bills Due, 5 p.m. (In person or online)

First Drop Date

Jan. 17, 2011
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
All offices closed

Jan. 18, 2011
Spring 2011 Semester Classes Begin

Late registration, Schedule changes
9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

26th Annual International Exhibition Begins Meadows Gallery

26th Annual International Exhibition Opening Gallery Talk by Juror, Cotter Luppi 6-7:30 p.m. Meadows Gallery

The Game New Season...!!!

I had another plan to upload a video but for some reason the video wont upload today. So I decided to talk about one of my favorite TV show's. I know that the new season from BET TV show "The Game" airs tonight at 9pm. BET has shown a marathon today for all the past shows up until tonight's season premiere.If you never seen this show before then you don't want to miss the beginning of a new season tonight. I am attaching a YouTube video of the opening song for the show as well as the website to research more information about the show.. I hope you watch... it is amazing!!

http://www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows/thegame/

Whats going on ....???

It is definitely winter time... the snow, the gloomy sky, and wind . It is so cold that all I want to do is stay in bed and drink hot chocolate. I received my financial aid today and I was not very happy with the results. The school decided that I was receiving too much aid and decided to lower my grant money. I feel that that should not be their decision because I still have housing and other fees to pay for with the money that is not used for tuition and fees. I guess that's what happens when it boils down to your last semester and you are about to graduate. But that's OK I will make it through this last semester regardless. I have 8 more days before I get back into the the swing of things at school... long hours studying, projects, groups, and dealing with organization projects. Man the break went by SO fast. But I am so ready for it to all be over... at least for a few months until grad school starts!!!

Have any questions about Spring registration?

The Financial Aid, Admissions, Cashier, and Registrar offices are all currently experiencing high call volume. If the representatives from the offices are busy the calls are rolling over to a call center. The best way to contact one of these departments is by going to http://www.uttyler.edu/helpme/ and filling out the form with your student information. Another way to get to this form is by going to the main UT Tyler web page at http://www.uttyler.edu/ and scroll down to the bottom. On the right there will be a box that says "Help Me". You will need to select that box to get to the page. This is the best way to get your questions answered.

How do Financial Aid & Scholarship awards work?

Disbursements of Grants, loans, and scholarship funds that are accepted on UTTyler, in your Student Center (and are completed with any additional requirements such as entrance loan counseling or master promissory notes) will BEGIN on January 10 and will be applied to your student account in myUTTyler, provided you are meeting the enrollment requirements for the awards at that time.  The funds will not reflect any payment to your tuition & fee charges for the semester until they are DISBURSED.

Most financial aid award offers are based on projected full-time enrollment for each semester.  If your enrollment is less than full-time each semester, your award amounts may be reduced to reflect the differences in the cost of attendance for a lesser enrollment level.  Enrollment changes prior to the census date for the semester (January 31) will impact awards and may require repayment of monies already refunded to you.

Why do disbursements begin so close to the payment due date?

We schedule disbursements to begin each semester at the earliest possible date in accordance with Federal law (not more than 10 days prior to the first day of class).  The first payment due date is January 14.  All of our policies regarding payment are built to insure our compliance with state and/or federal regulatory requirements.

When can books be purchased with remaining aid and/or scholarship funds?

Books & supplies can be purchased from the UT Tyler Bookstore on-campus using the P2 card from January 12 through January 28 with remaining grant and/or scholarship funds. Remaining funds from student loans cannot be used for bookstore charges because the monies are refunded to the student within days of their disbursement.  Students may use their loan refund for book purchases or other educational expenses.

When will remaining Grants and/or Scholarship funds not used to pay tuition, fees or other expenses be refunded?

Refunds of grants and scholarships begin on February 9th.  Information of this nature is always available on our web site calendar.

Do I need to do a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note and Entrance Loan Counseling every year?

If you received Direct Loans (Stafford or Unsubsidized) from UT Tyler during Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Summer 2010, or Fall 2010 you do not need to do another MPN or Loan Counseling to receive loans for Spring 2011.  You do, however, have to complete a FAFSA each year and accept loans on your myUTTyler account when they get awarded.

Parent PLUS Loans

If you accepted a PLUS Loan, your parent must complete and submit a PLUS Application and PLUS Authorization form to the Financial Aid Office AND they must do a Master Promissory Note for PLUS online. The same parent must complete all of the processes PLUS Loans require a credit check on the borrower.  If the borrower's credit is denied, the student may request additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan funding by submitting a request form (available in our Forms Library on the website).  Parent borrowers do not have to do a new Master Promissory Note after the first year of borrowing at UT Tyler, but they must complete the PLUS Application and PLUS Authorization forms for the Financial Aid Office each year.

How do I request changes to my financial aid award package?

Changes, reinstatements, or cancellations to accepted or declined financial aid award packages requires a written request, and will be processed AFTER February 9th.  Forms for making such requests can be found at our Forms Library.

If I withdraw from my classes after aid has been disbursed or refunded, do I have to pay it back?

If you withdraw prior to attending any classes, all funding that you received must be repaid immediately.  Federal Student Aid (Title IV funding) is subject to repayment if you withdraw from all classes prior March 30.  More information about returning Title IV funds can be found.

What does it mean to be on Financial Aid Suspension?

If you are on Financial Aid Suspension, you cannot receive any grants, loans, or work-study funding until you attend UT Tyler for a semester without financial aid resources and meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.  Please be aware of the obligations that come with receiving financial aid.  Schools are required to have a Satisfactory Academic Progress policy that has both qualitative and quantitative measures.  Failure to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements will cause you to lose your eligibility for all future funding. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy is for most aid programs, however, some aid programs have their own unique progress requirements that are listed with the program description.  TEXAS Grant is an example of such a program.  Please review the progress requirements for any and all funding you receive.  If you have any questions regarding any of the requirements, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

This information is current as of January 10, 2011. For future information go to the Financial Aid's site at http://www.uttyler.edu/financialaid/.

Snowing in Texas?

For 22 years I had never seen any snow, I move to Tyler and it's snowed and has been all snowy grounded at least 3 times and for like a week. And it's awesome, it's so bright and beautiful outside when it snows that I just loooove it! I shot a video for it, but I need a little more supplemental footage to pad it out a little bit, plus Cameron already beat me to it! I'm still trying to get into the swing of waking up early, and getting back to eating right. Those two things are very difficult for some reason, but I'll get there, dont you worry your pretty head about it. Hope the snow will still be on the ground tomorrow so I can look at it, with my eyes.

NFL PLAYOFFS: "Ravens Roll Over Chiefs, Packers soar over Eagles" (Ravens vs. Chiefs; Packers vs. Eagles)

Today's football was not as exciting and competitive as yesterdays but overall it was still a good day to be a football fan. The game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens proved to be a descent game throughout the first half but the Ravens' experience allowed them to pull away from the Chiefs in the second half, picking up a win and advancing to the next round. The Packers and the Eagles was a much better game as the talent was more evenly distributed on both teams. The game came down to a fourth quarter interception made by the Packers which sealed their advancement in the next round. This weekend of games should prove to be a showcase of the rest of the playoffs as the games become better and better. Come back next week for more conversation about the games as each team inch closer and closer to becoming 2010 Super Bowl Champions!!!!!


Schedule for next week games:

Saturday:
Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers- 4:30 ET (3:30 CT)
Atlanta Falcons vs. Green Bay Packers- 8 ET (7 CT)

Sunday:
Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears- 1:00 ET (Noon CT)
New York Jets vs. New England Patriots- 4:30 ET (3:30 CT)

Come to Tyler

NFL PLAYOFFS: "Jets Win" (Jets vs. Colts)

The New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts proved to be one of the more exciting and competitive football games I have seen in a long time. One of the best offenses versus one of the best defenses did not disappoint the football fans across the world. But in the end the old saying that offense win games and defense win championships, proved to be right. The game ended on a field goal from the New York Jets' Nick Folk, clinching a one point lead and proving to be the game winner. The Jets will play the New England Patriots which should be another great game. Check back in tomorrow for more playoff action. Should be another day of great football. The schedule for tomorrow is listed below:

Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs 1:00 P.M. Eastern (Noon central time)

Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles 4:30 P.M. Eastern (3:30 central time)

NFL PLAYOFFS: "And the Saints go marching....Home?!?!?" (Saints vs. Seahawks)

Any giving Sunday (well Saturday). The game between the Saints and Seahawks proved just while the NFL playoffs can be exciting. The Seahawks was a huge underdog in this playoff match-up and end up beating the 2009 world champion Saints. The Saints lack of a running game in the match-up proved to be costly as the could not control the clock or the tempo of the game. The Saehawks will now travel to either Chicago or Atlanta next weekend to attempt to continue their momentum and pull out another upset....

NFL PLAYOFFS!!!!

The NFL Playoffs start today!!!! The next three weeks of playoff football will determine who will meet February 6th, in the Super Bowl, to ultimately be called NFL Champions. Today mark the opportunity for teams to take that step closer in order to achieve the single goal of becoming Super Bowl Champions. Games will be held on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the playoff run. Today games are listed below and updates with thoughtful insight will be provided after every playoff game. Feel free to comment on the games, teams, or anything that you might want to talk about leading up to the games or after the game. Nothing like good ole' sports talk. So lets get started with today's action!!!!!

New Orleans Saints vs. Seattle Seahawks @ 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. Central Time)

New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts @ 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. Central Time)


P.S. scores will be updated with insight from the game every night after the games become final. Tune in later today!!!!

The Tree of Life.

I am beyond excited about this movie!!!!! It looks absolutely amazing and I don't think I can wait until May for it to be released. I think the older Brad Pitt gets the better actor he becomes and Sean Penn is always really good. It's suppose to be released in IMAX which I think will be amazing! What else is everyone looking forward to seeing?

Catfish.

I watched this today and it was amazing, sad and scary all at the same time. It's about a young New York photographer Nev Schulman lives with his brother Ariel and friend Henry Joost in New York. Abby Pierce, an eight-year-old artist in rural Michigan, sends him a painting of one of his photographs. They become Facebook friends in a network that broadens to Abby's family, including her mother, Angela; Angela's husband; and Abby's attractive older half-sister Megan, a songwriter. For a documentary, Ariel and Henry film Nev as he begins a long distance relationship with Megan, conducted over the internet and phone calls, and they discuss meeting in person. She sends him MP3's of her songs, but Nev discovers that they are all taken from performances by other people on YouTube. He later finds evidence that Megan and Abby have made other false claims. Ariel urges his upset brother to continue the relationship for the documentary. The siblings and Henry eventually travel to Michigan to make an impromptu appearance at the Pierces' house and confront Megan. They discover that the person behind all these Facebook personae is Angela, in reality a housewife who cares for two disabled stepsons in addition to Abby. Although Angela's husband Vince exists, the real life Megan has no contact with the family and was not the person talking to Nev. The trio also finds out that Abby is not a child prodigy, and she cares little for painting or drawing altogether. Angela is the artist behind the paintings. Angela also used fake photographs for herself, Vince and Megan and her fake friends.
It is explained that Angela seems to have fabricated these fictional people on Facebook as a way to escape the regrets that came with sacrifices she had to make in order to have a family and a stable life. As the film progresses towards the end, Angela's life around the house and interactions with her family are shown.

The reason I said this was scary was because I'm sure this happens all the time or at least there are people out there trying to make this happen, it's also sad because while watching it you can tell this lady is probably lonely or isn't happy with her life. So she gets online to make up a new life. I definitely suggest everyone watch this because it's really eye opening.

catfish.

I watch this today and it was amazing, scary and kinda sad all at the same time.

Black Swan.

Family... What Would I Do Without You?

Funny Inventions!

The snuggie! The shake weight! and now pajama jeans!? Its interesting how these inventions (that I couldn't even imagine owning) come out and people buy them. Even my family members and friends have snuggies. It only makes me wonder the crazy inventions that are going to come out this year. 

The Coolest, Free-ist Game Ever!

Get a group of people. You give each person small stack of paper pieces. The number you give should be the same number as people you have playing. (EX: 5 players, give each player 5 strips of paper.)

Each person will right out a word, or phrase, or idea, or sentence on the first (top) strip of paper, without showing anyone. When everyone is finished, each person is to pass their stack of paper to the person beside them on the Right. (Pass the paper either counter-clock wise, or clockwise). Read the person's sentence or word & then move their piece of paper to the very back of the stack with the blank side facing outward. On the new paper, each of you are to draw a picture of the word, or sentence you just received,(From the person on your Left). Finish your picture, then pass the stack to same person on the right.

You all will look at the picture & try to figure out what it is a picture of, or take a guess. Write your answer on the next piece of paper, which by then will be the 3rd piece of paper and continue to pass the stack to the person on your Right.

So you go back and forth: You write, draw, write, draw, write. At the end of the round, you should end up with your original stack of paper. Now you can individually share your results.

(Ex:I wrote on my piece of paper, "Hello Kitty," and passed my stake of paper to my friend. She drew a picture of a person's hand floating beside a cat. The next person interpreted the picture and wrote on the 3rd piece of paper, "Hitting a cat." The next person drew a picture of a person holding a baseball bat over their head and a cat standing at their feet. The last person wrote on the final piece of paper: "Beating the cat," and I was passed my original stack of papers.)
Try it. Have fun. ^_^

Bills Bills Bills

No, this blog is not about the Destiny's Child song. This blog is about my resolutionf or the new year. You really don't realize how expensive being a grown up is until you actually have to pay all of your bills. My rent is $525 a month for a one bedroom apartment, my cell phone bill is $75 per month since I have an iPhone, my electricity is around $45-$50 per month, my car & renter's insurance is about $76 a month, and my Internet bill is around $48 a month since I have the fastest package. When you total it all up my bills are close to $800 a month. I definitely miss the days when my parents used to pay for everything. My resolution for the new year is to budget my money better. I used to go out and buy anything I wanted, but now since I'm starting graduate school this month I'm realizing that My bills are about to increase even more with books. You don't realize how much you spend each month until it is the end and you see your bank account balance. With Christmas and my sister getting married I definitely had to figure out a budget for those presents as well. You never know what will come up that you need to buy something for. I'm starting to pay all of my bills at the beginning of the month so I can exactly how much money I have left for gas, groceries, and other necessary things. Being a grown up sucks so live it up while you can.

The Break...

The break is going by extremely fast. It seemed like we just got out of school a couple of days ago, but in reality Christmas and New Years have flown by without any hesitation. Before you know it it will be January 18th and we will be back in school filling our brains with SOME useful information and other information that just filtters through our brain causing plenty of frustration. Our schedules will soon be filled up with working at different jobs,classes, and different clubs and organizations that some of us participate in. The grueling and freezing weather does not aid in comforting our extraneous and rugged schedules. On a positive note my "vacation" was filled with a lot of fun with friends and family. And I expect the following two weeks to continue with this pattern. I hope everyone has a great break and a Happy New Year!!!! Until next time....

Wii Fit Plus Is Amazing!!!

I decided that since I received the Wii Fit Plus and the Wii this Christmas that I will post a blog showing what it can do. I personally love it and enjoy using it every day. I am unable to work out today due to an injury over the break, but I can show you a few things about what it does and how it works. Maybe one day this week I can actually show you how it's done! Take a look at this video and tell me what you think!

True Grit

I saw True Grit

MOVIES I HAVE TO WATCH OR HAVE WATCHED OVER THE BREAK

TRUE GRIT
THE FIGHTER
SOMEWHERE
WINNEBAGO MAN
RABBIT HOLE
LITTLE FOCKERS
TRON: LEGACY
HOWL
ALL GOOD THINGS
CATFISH
I'M STILL HERE
THE WINNING SEASON
NEVER LET ME GO
BARRY MUNDAY
THE DILEMMA
THE KING'S SPEECH
BLACK SWAN

Wii Fit Plus.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years! Mine was great. My family came down and it was great spending time with them. For Christmas I got a Wii along with Wii Fit Plus and let me tell you it's probably the best thing that has ever been invented! I love it! It keeps up with how many calories you have burned along with how much time you have worked out during that day. All your information is stored and each week you can look to see how much progress you have made. There is so much you can do as well, you can do yoga, aerobics, strength training, along with activities to help your balance and fun activities to do to burn even more calories. Also if there is a certain area of your body you are wanting to work on you can go in and select that, for example if you wanted to work on your stomach you would go in and select that and it would give you an exercise routine that will help that area. I love it because it's very interactive which makes it fun so you won't get bored with it like other exercise equipment. I hope everyone is having a great day!

What's your resolution?

Hello there my lovelies! How did you welcome in the new year? I did it by dancing in my apartment, because I'm awesome like that! What are your resolutions for this year? I think mine will be to get back to my nutrition plan, picking my workout schedule back up, and just getting everything going again. This vacation was really nice, but Monday work starts back up so it's time to get back to the real world. It'll be great to see all my buddies at work again! I think I'd also like to be less of an introvert, ya know, get out more and just try to live life a little more. I'm 23 going on 24 this year and I'm graduating this December if everything goes right, so it's time to start thinking a little more long term. Maybe see about setting up a more permanent job at the university once I get my degree or start looking into internships of some sort. I want to hit the ground running and do the right things in life.

2011

Happy New Year everyone! It's good to start off another year happy, healthy, and 10 pounds heavier than before. May the rest of your holiday be filled with leftover food and 12 hour naps. :D