The Simple Things

Nowadays a lot of people always thinks bigger is better, but most times it's just the simple things that matter. An example of this takes me back a couple years ago when i received the nicest thing anyone has ever given to me. It wasn't a car, a TV, or even laptop, but a simple wallet. Having a conversation with a really good friend and mentor of mine, he sees me pull out my torn, outdated, cluttered and packed wallet. He sees the condition of my wallet and tells me I need to lessen the load and carry only the essentials. He then shows me how his wallet looks (nice, thin and new) and tells me to make it like his. I proceed to get rid of the unnecessary cards and junk in it and make it resemble his. When I am done, he nods in agreement and remarks that the wallet is already old. He then takes everything out of his wallet and gives it to me asking only that I make sure to keep it the way he showed me. I, in shock, say no that's his wallet but he of course refuses. He says he has another at home and goes to put all his stuff in his wife's bag for her to hold. I was still surprised and appreciative of the genuine gesture. It wasn't even that he gave me a gift but that he was willing to give his own personal wallet. Two years later, I am still the proud owner of the surprisingly mint condition leather wallet in my back pocket. His advice was as nice as the wallet.

$$$$

It's that time of the year again for college students to start filing taxes and thinking about how they are going to pay for school for the following school year. Most college students will apply for FREE Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is the application that allows students to get government funding and scholarships to pay for their education. Every time you file your FAFSA it is good for one year starting July 1 until June 30 of the following year. The funds you receive based off your FAFSA are need based. You can't file your FAFSA until you have filed your taxes because it all runs together! The FAFSA is the application that 99% of the universitys and colleges accept. There are a few that do not accept it but those schools are very rare!
The FAFSA is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.(NOT .com, NOT .org, NOT .anything else!) There are several documents you will need to have avaliable during your filing time. You will need to have your parents information as well if they are the ones who support you.

The documents are:
1. Social Security card
2. Driver’s license (if any)
3. Permanent Resident Receipt Card (if applicable)
4. 2011 W-2 forms (if available) and other 2011 records of money earned from jobs and other sources
5. Income tax returns – use 2010 tax returns to help with estimating income earned in 2011 or use 2011 income tax returns, if available
6. Records of child support paid (if applicable)
7. Current stock, bond, and other investment records (if applicable)
8. Records of benefit information (including Social Security, veterans’ and welfare benefits).(if applicable)
9. Current business and farm records (if applicable)
10. Current bank statements (if applicable)

I know it's a lot but it is all neccesary to be able to successfully complete the process.

The priority deadline for filing your FAFSA to attend the University of Texas at Tyler is April 1. For UT-Tyler the average financial aid package is $9,062 which covers almost all of your schooling because to attend UT-Tyler and live on campus it costs about $9,927.

For any questions you may have about financial aid at UT-Tyler you can visit the Financial Aid homepage! For any FAQs about the FAFSA you can click here!

GOOD LUCK with your filings!

Stressed out?

I am a person who stresses about every little detail and how everything has to go right.

Not the best way to think but it hasn't failed me yet.

I calm my stress by doing a number of things:

1. be 30-15 minutes early to everything (I was 30 minutes early for class today and I tend to be an average of 5 minutes early for work)

2. find an outlet. sometimes zoning out watching hours of television works. I play Call of Duty MW2 to take out my extra stress. make sure the outlet is safe and not harmful.

Those are what help me. Here is a website with some more tips.

the top five are:

1. Exercise. “Run, do some yoga, punch a bag at the gym,” advises Charles Goodstein, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine in New York City and president of the Psychoanalytic Association of New York. Exercise is a way to manage stress that doesn’t have to add to your financial woes. For example, a 20-minute walk or jog around your block can yield up to 12 hours of improved mood. The main thing is to find a physical activity that you enjoy, whether it’s dancing or fly fishing.(My best friend plays her Wii)
2. Laugh. Laughter really is the best medicine. It is proven to lower tension, and at the same time, improves blood flow and the health of your heart. Rent a funny movie or hang out with that wannabe-comedian pal, and forget about your worries for a while.
3. Write. Dedicating a period of time every day to write about a situation that is bothering you may reduce tension and give you stress relief for the rest of the day. Keeping a journal can also help you solve problems or find positive angles amongst the stressors.
4. Socialize. Spending time with friends and family who give you a sense of belonging, purpose, and fun may provide all the stress relief you need.
5. Take care of yourself. When tension spikes, it can be tempting to put yourself last — but prioritizing healthy eating, physical activity, relationships, and sleep is necessary if you want to avoid making your stress worse.

So readers, next time you're stressed out and need to de-stress use your own methods of de-stress or try using one of this tips!

Peace out homeskillets!

Megan's College Vlog About Visiting Professors

I gave tours of the University of Texas at Tyler for almost two years, and countless students would ask me if professors would really be available. So, I dropped in on a few at four o'clock on a Thursday. Too easy.

Getting Stuff Done

This weekend was another busy one. I didn't spend as much time reading, so that was a relief. I did spend a good deal of time recording, most of which was of the Housing blog we've been doing (click this link for the latest one). my vlog's still in the process of being edited, but it'll be out later this week and it will be awesome. I'll be profiling Patriot Village for all of you, so be sure to watch!

On another note, there's something I've noticed about my study habits. First off, it gets really frustrating trying to remember everything you have to do for the next couple days. From papers to journal entries to recordings, hectic doesn't even begin to describe my assignment agenda. Not to mention the extra field work that comes with earning a teaching certification. Mind you, none of this work is really difficult; it's just a matter of putting the pieces where they fit when it comes to time. It seems that my work, no matter how much I have, can be easily managed so long as I make a chart of everything I have to do. I kind of came up with the system myself. Seeing as I'm too absentminded to use a planner, I decided to make a list. Not just any old list, though. It's got to be specific for me. Just for visual effect, here's what I do:

Class 1	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1.       Assignment	1.       Assignment	1.       Assignment	1.       Assignment	1.       Assignment
2.	2.	2.	2.	2.
3.	3.	3.	3.	3.
4.	4.	4.	4.	4.
5.	5.	5.	5.	5.
6.	6.	6.	6.	6.
7.	7.	7.	7.	7.

First, I put down a column for all of the classes I have. Then, I take my syllabus for each class and write down what's due in the columns. This next part is a little tricky. This is where I take each assignment and assign a day to it. The longer assignments would get more than one day. For example, write a paragraph for History would be under the History class column and would only be for Monday. Write 5 pages for General Biology would be under the Biology column and would probably take up Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Hopefully, this can be a way for you to organize if you're not so great with actual planners like I am. For more tips on time management and sorting, see Courtney's blog post.

Collegiate Athletes Honored

As we all know, it is difficult and sometimes overwhelming to be a college student. From reading blog’s below, “Don’t Let Your Time Manage You” by Courtney Sheets, “Maturing in College” by T.J. Sokale, and “College Life” by yours truly, it is apparent that many obstacles and complications may cause roadblocks and even hinder ones’ success while being in college. Daily homework assignments, quizzes, tests, practicals, internships, clinicals, and working is just some of the hurdles that many have to face and overcome on the day to day basis. In addition to these challenges, how about waking up at 5 in the morning to practice? Watching film hours during the day that are usually used to study and do homework? Having to leave and go on road trips that may last up to a week and finding yourself a week behind whenever you return? It is often over-looked at how extreme a collegiate athlete life might be. With this said, it is essential to recognize and give a “pat on the back” to those athletes who play sports and still manage to be recognized by the American Southwest Conference and to be on the 2011 Fall All-Academic honor roll. To be eligible for ASC All-Academic honors, student-athletes must be classified academically as a sophomore, junior, senior or graduate student during the competition season and have been in attendance and completed at least one academic year (two consecutive semesters) at their institution. They must also have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) as certified at the conclusion of the academic semester in which the ASC sport championship is held. Below are the 41 Patriots that are honored by the ACS for Academics:

 http://www.uttylerpatriots.com/home/default/     

Don't Let Your Time Manage You!

Time management. These are two relatively small words yet something which is so hard to accomplish for college students. I am not sure how every other student functions, but I am always very busy and it always feels like I never have time for anything. Recently, this has affected my relationships both friendships and romantically. I want to say that my life is truly SO busy that I honestly don’t have time to fit EVERYONE into my schedule, but the truth of the matter is that I am terrible at time management. I have improved since I entered college, but I am still lacking at effectively managing my social and academic life while still fitting in a run here and there so I can stay active. (click here for more on staying healthy in college) I want to do everything and still spend time with everyone, but I have to choose. Because I am paying for my education anything associated with school usually wins over my social life. Honestly, this just kind of sucks. I don’t have time to invest in my relationships like I want to because I am trying to get an education to be successful. Does success really mean that I can’t have friends? I think for some people this is true. I mean there are plenty of movies about people who are too successful to actually have a social life, but those people are just bad at time management. There are people who go through their entire life being socially disconnected from their world, but I am determined this will not be me! How am I going to do this? Through constant persistence to not let my schedule rule me, but instead I will rule my schedule. There are a few helpful tips

Maturing in College?/1000th Blog!!!

Thinking back, I realize my room has gotten cleaner and more organized every year since I started college. Needless to say freshman year wasn't my most efficient year. Coming in as an unorganized and sporadic freshman my room was usually messy. Clothes were all over the place along with books and shoes. Somehow clothes managed  to hang from the laundry bin, sit around the laundry bin, and even under the laundry bin but never actually make it inside. The change finally came when i woke up late one morning and had to sift through my clothes to find the new ones making me late for class. Sad I know. The next day I angrily organized my room and gave everything a proper place. Out of spite since then I've managed to keep my room in good condition and most importantly, efficient for those late mornings. In fact, having my room a bit messy starts to bother me now. Maturing in college. Not just a myth after all.

It has been brought to my attention that this blog is our 1000th blog of the students communications team. Congratulations everybody!

Everything is awesome

Courtney's College Vlog: Ornelas Hall dorm Tour 1

So for those of you wondering to your self "self... I wonder what  it looks like to actually live in a college dorm?" I hope you find this video helpful! These are two students currently attending UT Tyler who were gracious enough to share their rooms with us! If you have any questions feel free to ask.
P.s.This is the first video I have ever edited!!!

Clearly, I'm reading too many books~

Another snippet from one of my professors:
“You should either love it, hate it, or feel nothing for it at all.”

Now in the context of writing, why settle for something mediocre? I understand this. If it isn’t moving you forward and informing you, why do it?

Yes, I understand that life itself is not a zero sum game. That does not change that you have to take the risk. You will be good for nothing if you are too afraid to tune in and stop living in the past, doubting yourself, or visiting your ex’s social networking sites. It is not about losing, but you are never giving yourself the ability to win. Things have changed, and yes, it is frightening, but accept it is happening. This leaves room for those dreams you secretly never thought you would quite make it to. Now is the time to read that book, learn that language, and start telling the truth. Start telling the real true truths that we are afraid of telling ourselves.
I need help sometimes, and that is okay.
I can do this.
I appreciate individuals that put in quality time with me.

A full life will not just fall into our laps. Sometimes “good enough” isn’t “good enough” and we know we can do better. Be real.

“This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time.”
-Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk


Man alive, I guess I should push forward with it instead of blogging about all the work in my lap.

Morning Walk!

(Forgive me for the quality of the picture, I took it using my frustrating blackberry)
Walking past the baseball fields at about 8 o' clock this morning. I looked at the "lake" not the research lake. The ducks were away from the fog just minding their own business. I frequently take early morning walks from Patriot Village to Ornelas Hall. I'm usually coming from one of my friend's houses.This was the first time I have this seen this happen on our campus. It was a bit of wake up from the routine walk. Plus it was pretty cold this morning.

This is just an example of how pretty our campus is. We've got nature/bike trails when you get tired of using the gym and want to change it up. The Herrington Patriot Center (HPC) hosts Slackline clinics (Slacklining is pretty awesome, this coming from someone with absolutely no balance)and other fun trips. The HPC holds bike clinics for those many students who ride there bikes to class and those who don't can use community bikes. I went on a paintball trip to Seven Points Texas the end last semester. It was pretty awesome. I still may have at least one bruise from that trip.

YHere's the link for the HPC page if you want to do something or just explore it. http://www2.uttyler.edu/hpc/ is the main page. this is the page I visit most is http://www2.uttyler.edu/recsports/outdooradventures/

I'm totally considering playing $35 dollars to zip line with anyone else who signs up.

Food Vlog!

I've been hungry all day. Starving. Ravenous. This is appalling, seeing as I love food. And I know I'm not alone, either. So many of the underclassmen here have fallen victim to the "boxed" diet. You know the four basic food groups of the "boxed" diet: cheesy, salty, starchy, and fat-tastic. Then, I thought back to my dinner last night. Oven baked salmon, hot brown rice, and crispy asparagus spears. So I figured, in t he wake of my everlasting hunger, I would impart a special skill to all of you young people. As some of you are in apartments or even dorms for the first time this semester, and you're going to need to know how to feed yourselves. No, I don't mean sticking some mac and cheese in the microwave. No, the peas and carrots in the Ramen cup don't count as vegetables. No, that doesn't count McDonald's at two a.m. I don't care how awesome the fries are. It's time to grow up and eat like big boys and girls! By the time you get to college, you should be able to eat well. I'll be doing a food vlog every week to give all of you darlings and hand in your food endeavors this semester. Don't worry, you won't be blowing your budgets on my recipes. And it will be good for you, I promise! It just won't taste like it. Watch, won't you?

Beating the Freshman 15... So Worth it!

When we enter college for the first time we are given many types of new freedom. We no longer have our parents telling us what to do, when to do it, and how we should do it. In many ways this is AMAZING, that is until you miss your first homework assignment, or you realize just how tired you really are after only three hours of sleep, or you gain your freshman fifteen. For those of you are currently thinking to yourself, “self, what is the freshman fifteen?” let me enlighten you. The freshman fifteen is a wonderful little thing which many freshman in college fall victim to. After high school many people are, for the first time in 6 plus years, no longer participating in competitive sports nor eating meals with their parents. This means that many freshmen no longer work out and begin eating more of what they want, which in some cases is that person’s favorite food repetitiously until they become sick or fat. The fat part is what is known as the infamous “freshman fifteen”. This extra weight comes from eating unhealthy food and failing to live an active lifestyle. Unhealthy food includes all that stuff that your mom always avoided cooking because it was ‘bad for you’, so foods which are fried, high in sugar, greasy, and or covered in cheese. An active lifestyle does not include your walk across campus to your class either (although sometimes the hills at UT Tyler make me feel like it should). Instead an active lifestyle includes actively choosing to participate in physical activity. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of those wonderful foods and sometimes I would much rather sit at home than go to the gym. But, once I started realizing my own weight gain in my freshman year I decided I should probably put down the microwavable brownie and take a step back to look at what kind of decisions I was making in regards to food and exercise

College Life!?!?!?!

Personally, I believe college is an experience that everyone should go through. Making friends that will last a lifetime, understanding how to engage respectfully and successfully with people that may have different viewpoints about issues that are near and dear to you, learning how to cope with failures and disappointments which gives you the ability to persever, and basically transform from an individual that is very much dependent into a self-governing and self-sufficient person. In the process of maturing through different stages while in college, there are obstacles that you may come to that may prove to be difficult to overcome. Below is some questions that students that are in college may have to overcome and personal advice on how I would deal with those specific situations.

“I am hungry, what should I do? Burger King? McDonalds? Whataburger?”
No, no, no!!! You are going about this the wrong way. Keep your money in your pocket and get the bread out of the pantry and make you a PB&Jelly sandwhich or take a trip to the “MET” to eat. Remember, the object is to just get something in your stomach, not to get full.

“Awwww man, I am getting low on gas. Should I fill up or just put $15 in the tank?”
Once again, what are you thinking??? Wait to the gas light come on and then and ONLY then, stop to get some gas. In the meantime, take that 15 dollars and put it on your chemistry book.

“My girlfriend broke up with me for the 6th time and I have a broken heart. I do not feel like going to class today, so should I take the day off?”
Awwww, boooo who. GET OVER IT!!! She will come back to you just like she did the first five times and besides, the main reason of going to school is????? You guessed it, to actually go to school.

“I have a bad cough and it is causing my eyes to be watery. I might be getting sick, think I will call off from work.”Call off from work?
Listen, in college sick is defined as not being able to move effectively, vomiting, having a high fever WITH chills, or catching the swine. If you do not have those symptoms, go to work. You need the money and I promise, it will come in hand.

“I did not do as well as I thought I would on my physics test. I guess I will relieve some stress by going shopping.”
Uhhhh, what???? The way to relieve stress is go to the gym. You don’t go shopping every time something goes wrong. Get you a good workout in and “TADOWWW,” there you go. The stress is relieved, you get a good night’s sleep, and most important, YOU KEPT YOUR MONEY!!!!



P.S. We are not responsible for you getting salmonella from the peanut butter, running out of gas in the middle of nowhere, being single the rest of your life, getting everyone sick at your job (no worker’s comp for that), or pulling a muscle while working out. Good Day!!!

Snooze Please!

Waking up this morning, I realized how glad I was to live right across the street from campus. I woke up still sleepy as ever, looked at my time, and hit the snooze button to get 5 more minutes of sleep. The problem? I hit it three times. If I lived a bit father from school, I could not afford to do that. From the time it would take the get the car and drive here and also find a parking spot and park, I would be late. I simply had to rush a bit on the rest of my morning activities, cross the street, and walk quickly to class. In-fact, I was still a couple minutes early.

Megan's College Vlog About Quitting Soda Like TJ

How to survive without a support system part 2

Now I'm not going to say "everything's going to be okay" because I don't know if they will or not. Every person is different, everybody has extenuating circumstances. All I can talk about is what I've been through and what I felt/thought at the time. I hope everything does go okay for you, I truly do, and I hope you feel the same for me. After high school has got to be one of the toughest times for teenagers, all of a sudden the life you've grown accustomed to is completely gone, and now you either have to adapt and evolve, or be lost to the wayside.

College GSA Meeting

My first vlog. :)
http://www.facebook.com/groups/gsa.uttyler/
http://gsanetwork.org/

Study Spot.

My co-worker Megan Allen posted about her favorite study spot here: http://go2uttyler.blogspot.com/2012/01/inspired-by-school-please-hold-your.html

I've decided to join on this as the time I spend not at work or class is mostly spent studying. I often have dates with my history and accounting textbooks till very late at night. I like being in high populated areas when I study which I think is because I get tired of being cooped up alone in my double with no roommate at Ornelas Hall.

My study spot here on campus is also my favorite people watching spot on campus which is on the Harvey decks. I'd really like to study leaning on the trees near the University Center but that didn't work out to well. The pain of getting up after some odd number hours studying the wonderful aspects of the Native Indians before the Europeans was not worth it. So I settle with oddly sitting(body half out of my seat and legs setting on chair across from me)at one tables of Harvey Deck.

The people watching aspect is the added plus for me about this spot because it's actually not that of a populated area but it gets quite a bite of foot traffic. I like studying at the University Second floor also because it is also a good people watching area but the smell of the food and coffee just makes me hungry and too unfocused to do homework.

:)

I Want to Talk to Everyone

I was in an independent study course last semester for French; I wanted to take a realllllyyy cool American novel class and they were in the same time slot. No big deal. Other students prefer class on their own, and I thought I would be no different.

I hated every moment of not being in an actual classroom setting.

It was a difficult way to figure out that I am an "auditory learner", which means listening and speaking are my most efficient methods of study. After being exposed to German in high school, I had two semesters of French in college. Through my various jobs, I have learned some Spanish.  I got a kick out of picking up all of the meanings of Aloha in Hawaii and I have dabbled in a West Ghanan language called Twi. With all of these languages, I had the opportunity to practice with native speakers and push myself. Studying alone is no fun and far less productive than having a speaking partner. I want to talk to everyone. That is why I love languages.

Now that we have that settled, the time I have back in class with my professor and peer interaction is fully utilized. The exchange in teaching was something I greatly missed, even though she and I had frequent meetings when I was studying  independently. 

I am back in class for my third semester of French this spring, and I am able to attend every class. I have a friend that is dedicated to learn French and German, so I am studying regularly. I would say my French is getting much mieux (better)!

If you are interested in learning a foreign language, think about this:
1) You learn more talking to a buddy… in that language!
2) Listen to and read things in the language you are focusing on. It helps to become accustomed to the general speech sounds and patterns.
3) Practice, practice, practice! You were not under the impression that I would leave the most difficult and important one out, did you? ;)

http://go2uttyler.blogspot.com/2012/01/face-to-face-interaction-or-computer.html Ashlea brings up many good points in this blog about different classroom settings.

The Exciting End

I managed to catch the last few minutes of the UT Tyler basketball game this past Saturday and wow was it an exciting finish! With us down 82-75 with less than 30-seconds remaining, we nailed a three-pointer to bring the score to 82-78. After a turnover by the other team, we hit another three to narrow the score to 82-81 with 9-seconds left. After a foul and 2 successful free throws by the other team, the fans were wild with anticipation as we had a chance to tie the game and force overtime. Sadly, the ball was stripped on the 3 point attempt essentially bringing the game to an end and silencing the fans. This 30 second span on the game clock had literally taken about 10 minutes. Although what others will see is another loss. The work and effort is not forgotten by the patriot fans.

Breaking the College Poverty Cycle

Let’s face it; we live in a technology driven world. Even in the past few years we have moved from flip-phones (I know you had one too) to IPhones and from laptops to IPads. This is something that I feel as a college student you are more aware of than any other portion of the population. Why you ask? This is because we are being educated on the most new and upcoming technologies and gadgets that we are assured will one day “transform the way we live our lives!” Also, I believe that you never want something more than when you can’t have it. College students are told about all of the amazing gadgets that are transforming our world, yet VERY few of us can ever actually afford the latest gadget. Even if we save up enough or make really smart investments so we can afford these things they soon become obsolete and once again we are informed of how our once cool “latest edition” whatever is now actually obsolete. This is what I like to call the college poverty cycle, since even if you have saved up money in approximately one month you will have spent it ALL on food and or bills and once again be a poor college student eating Ramen for the third time this week.  So that being said, I say we do something to stop this vicious cycle! If our future employers really want us to learn the latest applications and technologies then they should provide us with the tools to do so. I mean I know my life could really benefit from having an IPhone or IPad, I am not even picky I’ll take either.  

Since this is most likely not going to happen, we must survive on the basic necessities that are college. After shelter (which includes rent and utilities), comes food, school, books, clothes, then good food, school supplies, and finally fun with friends. This is the actual hierarchy of necessities in my life; books come before clothes and food comes before school, well most of the time. If saving up for the newest gadgets is something that is important to you, then I suggest a budget of some kind. There are a ton of web-based worksheets that you can fill out to find the budget that best fits you, but what I have found works amazing for me is a website called Mint.com. This website puts all of your accounts in one place, so its manageable and you can actually see what your spending and set monthly goals for yourself! Plus it has an app for your phone! Seriously, check it out I just got an account and the idea of a budget is already becoming less and less scary. Who knows, maybe it will help you save up for that newest latest thing your professor keeps telling you about. We can break the college poverty cycle! Lets make a budget and stick to it! (I'll let you know how long this lasts)

Rehabilitating Cancer Survivors!!!!! (Intro)

I have to admit that I am a pretty mellow, “laid-back” person for the most part. With that said, something really has to grasp and take a hold of my attention for me to visibly show any true excitement and enthusiasm towards it. The most recent example of this is having the opportunity and pleasure to rehabilitate cancer survivors. This rare opportunity was brought to me by the Chair of the Kinesiology Department, T. Scott Marzilli, Ph.D. The thought of being able to make a difference for the better has always intrigued and fascinated me in a world that is sometimes inconsiderate, self-centered, and even egocentric. The first step to this once in a lifetime opportunity was overcame this past Saturday. It was mandatory for everyone involved with the rehabilitation of the survivors to be certified in CPR. Now that that long and grueling 5 hours is completed, the only thing standing in my way is passing a test that will include precautionary for the survivors while rehabilitating, hazards of the medicines that they are prescribed and how those effect the body while heart rates alter, and other “do’s and don’ts” when working with cancer survivors. The training for that will start this week and if all goes well, I will be doing my part in the next month to help better someone’s life. But no worries people, I will be sure to include you on the journey with me ;). TTYS….

http://www.uttyler.edu/hkdept/

Face-to -face interaction or computer screen learning?

Here at The University of Texas at Tyler you can get your education in many ways. Whether it be through  through lecture in an actual classroom setting, a strictly online course,or even a hybrid course which is part online part in the classroom, you can get the required course credits you need. Some students learn better while sitting in a classroom listening to the teacher lecture while some students do prefer the freedom of taking an online course.

So what are the pros to taking an online course versus a classroom lecture?
1) Convenience - you have the freedom to study and do the course work when you choose as long as you get it done before the due date. You also get to stay in your own house and get your work done instead of having to take the time to come to the campus and sit through a class. These classes are very nice for those students who have a family or a full time job because when they have free time they can work on their assignments. However,  the convenience of online courses can quickly turn into a disadvantage; if you're not good at organizing and managing your time.
2) Control - While taking an online course you can learn at your own pace. You can also just skim over the materials you already know or are good at.
3) Connection - Although you are in an online course you still have a professor who expects you to interact with them and with your peers through group discussions.
4) Cost - At a tradition institution online courses are more times than not less expensive. Along with the school not charging as much you will save on transportation and parking because you have the convenience of the class right at your fingertips.

While those are just a few of the pros that I could come up with for taking an online course, there are also pros to taking classroom lecture courses rather than an online course.
1) Interaction - Although it may be a hassle to come to class, while you are in a classroom setting you get to interact with other students and meet new people. Many times you make friends or join study groups while in the classroom which always helps.
2) Face to Face - Some students do require to see a professor for their learning's because it helps them learn better and it requires immediate feedback and answers to their question. When you do see your professor all the time they get to know your name and face which helps with your learning and needs.
3) Structure - There is no need to worry about forgetting to submit an assignment or read a lecture because you already have that time set aside for the class and studies.
4) Technology Issues - While taking an online course you have to make sure you have Internet connection and worry about technical issues happening, but when you are in the actual classroom environment there will be no need to worry because if something happens to your computer in the room the teacher can see what happened and be more willing to help.

No I am not saying one way of learning is better than the other. It all depends on you as a student and how you learn better. I am currently enrolled in 2 online courses and 4 classroom courses. I enjoy all of my classes this semester, but I feel that the ones that are offered online would be boring if they were in an actual classroom, and the ones that are offered in the classroom would be too hard if I had to take them without being able to see my teacher!

You want to take a walk?

Preparing to dive in head first

It took me a while to realize, but this coming week will be the last 'calm' week that will be available to me for quite some time. You know how you'll be sitting still for a bit and you just know things are about to speed up for you? That's how I'm feeling right now. I know it'll sneak up on me a bit, but I'm still anticipating it. I think it's going to be like this for just about everyone, seeing as we're approaching the 12th full class day, the census date, this Thursday. After that, we're all in it for the long haul. Many of us will be awarded our first class papers, projects, and group work of the semester. While we're scrambling for repeat instructions, Facebook friend requests, cell phone numbers, and possible extensions (yeah, already), we'll know that now begins the time skip to the end of the year. In a week we'll be wishing it were May. In a month we'll have gotten the hang of things again. After that, we'll be wondering where the time went. When you think about it, it's a pretty exciting time. I, for one, am going to try to enjoy the calm before the storm.

Friday Classes on the Balcony

Friday, after a four hour marathon of classes, I was outside collecting myself. Another lady had some territory out there with me, at her own table by the wall. I could faintly hear the murmur of canned laughter coming from her laptop, but I was deep in my own head.

One of my professors from earlier in the day joined me out there on the balcony.
He said something cheesy, like "Hey, I remember you."
He asked how I liked the class.
He made me feel comfortable to answer honestly.
He asked me what he should change.
He read more of my creative work.
He constructively commented on it.

This scene happens frequently with all of them. 

I have been very fortunate to be at a medium sized school (6700 students) that enables one-on-one learning with any professor. Every professor has office hours and remains accessible all over campus.  They promptly and thoughtfully answer emails. Many of them give out their personal phone numbers to call or even text them.
Mostly, the thing that really moves me is that they expect me to learn it. That level of confidence they have in me is sometimes the push I need to keep learning, writing, and just doing. I need it. 

http://www2.uttyler.edu/litlang/
This is my department. :)

How to survive without a support system part 1

For as long as I can remember I've sort of been on my own, and its as true today as it was at 18. That isn't to say that I don't have awesome people in my world and that my parents aren't amazing, because I do know awesome people and my parents are wonderful, I just seem to always have to be the one to be my own support system. College can be a scary thing for a lot of young people, you've been with the same people in school your whole life, and been with your parents through a large percentage of that time. Now all of a sudden you're out of highschool, everybody's moving away, and now you're expected to as well, so what do you do?

Accounting.. no longer the bane of my existence

In my introduction blog post I mentioned that I was thinking about double majoring if I like my accounting course.

My mindset when I walked into the first class was "you're horrible at math. accounting is math. you will fail" this played in as a medley in my mind over and over. Turns out the professor son's had a medical emergency and we got out of class. The second day went much better with the professor there. The professor managed to soothe the medley from the first day out of my head.

I'm always doing things way ahead before there done because i'm worried if I don't do it then I won't do it at all. So I went home and set on starting the online homework assigned. Much to my surprise I only needed a little help from a friend to complete the assignment. I received a 100! and now sadly i'm excitedly waiting (did I just say that? and about accounting? what?) for the professor to upload the next chapter of the homework. So I can complete it.

The rest of my week was pretty great too. Lots of homework that was completed in the four day week. I wrote a business letter to the owner of Borden Dairy complaining that when the milk companies make marketing towards eating gingerbread men and milk during the holiday season it is killing innocent cookies. The person I based my complaint off of was Gingerbread Man from the movie Shrek. I went a little out there for that assignment but the professor likes creativity so.

Dabbling in radio....

Now that the first (nearly) full week of school has concluded, I finally feel like I’m gaining some kind of momentum towards this school year. January is almost over with, if anyone can believe it, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way with the bipolar Texas weather doing what it does best. Of course, this means we’ll all be turning our attention to Spring Break, but I’m guessing we’ll all need a chance to digest our new classes before we jump to all that. I know I will.

Never before today have I ever considered a career in radio. Today in Multimedia Production, we began working with soundboards and audio editing software. Saying I was excited is an understatement; I wanted to stay in the sound room for hours figuring out how to work the pots (sliding levers) and (noise) leveling knobs. The microphones were so cool. I totally wanted to practice my radio voice (but alone so I don’t look and sound like a crazy person.) It’s funny because my major is News/Editorial writing, but I’ve always been fascinated by radio. I mean, how cool would it be to spend a few hours on the air every day, playing music and talking with wide varieties of people? Maybe that’s where I start everything off. I could always indulge this guilty pleasure of radio.

Actually Inspired by School?

Having the entire afternoon to read and write on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons allows me to get in some quality homework time. I know, I know. Studying isn't supposed to be fun, but now that I am in classes that pertain more to my future, I have been really inspired. I even opened my wallet for good pens and new notebooks to take notes. Wait, I'm actually taking notes.
I love my major. 

My favorite place to study is the third floor of our new University Center. The area has big chairs and tables to set up to pour over a book or write a paper. I never have to decide between my netbook and my phone, because I have access to as many plugs as I need.  The upstairs area of the UC is like sitting outside, but with a bit more protection from the elements. The warm sunlight shines down on me from the ceiling wide skylight. I believe it energizes me, as well as the caffeine from a Starbucks mocha. Life is good.  It makes me forget Washington Irving is not me favorite American writer, and gives me the opportunity to practice the rhetorical possibilities of understatements.  

My favorite part of college, officially, is the ability to have a choice my classes and times. I have had 8am classes, night classes, and independent study classes. I am so thankful college has taught me about my own learning habits and what works well for me. It certainly helps that I've become "liberated" by my communications class, and have a hand in making the syllabus (which is going on quite well, I should add).

When did I become responsible?
Did I mention I love my classes?

ROOMMATES = BEST FRIENDS FOREVER... kind of

One of the things that I was the most excited about for college was roommates! I don’t know why, but I thought having roommates would be so much fun. I mean who wouldn’t want to live with their friends and just hang out all the time together. In my mind roommates were going to be like siblings on steroids. I would be around them all the time just like siblings but I would enjoy spending time around them which was going to be AWESOME! My freshman year I went completely pot luck for roommates in one of the on-campus housing apartments. I would live with three other girls and we would be best friends for the rest of our lives! This, unfortunately, was not how it turned out.

            I am not saying that the girls I did live with were terrible (I still actually live with one of them) but rather that our living arrangements were… interesting. We were four very different girls living in one very small space. I am not sure what happened at the housing office, but two of us were night owls and the other two were morning people. We all had weird food allergies, we were all from different cities, we all had different majors; it was like we were the products of a social experiment. Once we noticed how different we all were and how humorous the whole thing had become we bonded over that and started to get along better. By the second semester we would actually eat meals together and in a way became a sort of dysfunctional family. It wasn’t what I had originally imagined but we all learned from one another and now that I am no longer in that situation I can look back and say I am glad that I had that experience.  One of the girls I actually still live with, we have become best friends and will probably stay that way the rest of our lives. But I am sure I will share more about her later. Until next time.

New Year's Resolutions!

It's that time of year again and we all have our New Year's Resolution that we set for ourselves. Whether it be to lose weight, get fit, eat healthy, or even save money it is a goal we set for ourselves to help us be a better person. This year, like all other years, my New Year's Resolution was to eat healthier and to work out more often. One of the main reasons I gave myself these goals is because I know I can achieve them and they are not too extreme. As a student here at UT Tyler, I have access to our wonderful Herrington Patriot Center and all of the classes that it offers to students for free. I normally do attend all of the ones that interest me and that is at least 4 or 5 of the different classes offered. Some of my favorite classes that the gym offers are core crunch, yoga, and zumba! Last night, I attended the yoga class at 6:15, and I must say it was PACKED! I know that many students like myself are trying to maintain and keep their resolutions going, but as the semester goes on there will be fewer and fewer students in the gym like always. Students get busy studying for test, finals, midterms, and working on the other assignments they have and many just give up on their resolutions.

The New Patriot Nation Reward Program

The UT Tyler Athletics Department has developed a creative, inventive, and fun program to reward students for their support at the Patriots' home events in all sports. The program, The Patriot Nation Student Reward program, gives UT Tyler students points for every event they attend. These points obtained by the student can earn prizes such as concessions coupons, pint glasses, dri-fit t-shirts, and a hoodie. The program officially kicked off on Tuesday, January 17, 2012.
"Support from our students give us a huge boost at home games," said Jameson Adams, coordinator of athletic marketing. "This is going to be a great program to both encourage attendance and to reward our students who attend games. We're going to have some great prizes."
How to Join: Students are able to join the program by visiting the Patriot Nation booth at any UT Tyler home event. We'll be set-up near the ticket booths in all sports. $5 will be the cost of signing up and receive your official membership card, a key tag, and the BioLife Plasma Patriot Nation t-shirt.
To Earn Points: To earn points, members have to show their membership card or key tag that will be scanned at the “Patriot Nation” booth when arriving to the game. You get an extra point if you're wearing your official Patriot Nation t-shirt and we'll also have the occasional double or triple point days.
The Point System:
1 point - Men's Basketball, Baseball
2 points - Women's Basketball, Softball, Men's & Women's Soccer
3 points - Volleyball, Men's & Women's Tennis, Golf, Cross Country and Track/Field.
What are the Rewards?
P...5 Points
$5 Gift Certificate at Concession Stand.
A...20 Points
Patriot Nation pint glass.
T...35 Points
Patriot Nation dri-fit t-shirt.
S...50 Points
Patriot Nation hoodie.

Other Rewards consist of monthly raffles and grand prize drawings for an iPad for “S” member.
If lost? No problem, a replacement card is only $2. If you have any more questions feel free to contact us at the Patriot Nation booth at every game or e-mail us at patriotnation@uttyler.edu.
COME SUPPORT YOUR PATRIOTS!!!

The School Gym

I have been fortunate enough to schedule classes that grant me a little downtime before I go to work, so what better way to pass the time than to get myself back into shape? So that's what I've been trying to do, after my classes tues/thurs I head over to the HPC and do my little workouts, then head over to my second home (work.) Our gym is really awesome basically. Two floors, lots of equipment to use, places to play different sports like racquetball, which I still haven't had a chance to play. But yeah, it's something I really needed, for I have slipped into the warm fuzzy embrace of laziness so I'm really lucky the school offers me something to combat the menace!

Fun Facts of the HPC from the UT Tyler website:

At 127,000 square feet, the Herrington Patriot Center is the largest building on campus.

$6.4 million gift from Joseph and Louise Ornelas made the building possible. The center’s name honors the family of Louise Herrington Ornelas

The Jean Lancaster Academic wing is named to honor the sister of Louise Ornelas.

UT Regents appropriated $9.7 million from the Permanent University Fund to construct the academic portions of the center.

Over 500,000 bricks were used in the facility construction.

Construction time – 19 months

The maple gymnasium floor in the Fisch Convocation Center features a unique maple floor designed to be easier on the knees of student athletes.

Six athletic team locker rooms are included in the building.

The athletic trainer’s office includes a hydrotherapy room.

The Patriot baseball team will utilize an indoor batting cage within the facility.

The Vaughn Pool holds 100,000 gallons of water.

The HPC typically offers over 45 fitness classes per week.

Reading? Again? Yea

After the third day of classes today I'm getting the vibe I will be doing a lot of reading this semester. I’m taking the most hours I’ve ever taken at eighteen and all my classes involve rather large textbooks, and/or outside reading material. In fact one of my classes has two rather large textbooks. Since this is my junior year, I’m actually not stressed at the thought of this. Although I’m sure I will find reading all those books rather annoying, I know it’s necessary and pays off in the end. The biggest problem incoming college students have, speaking from my experience, is managing their reading time. I assure you doing a lot of reading for more than one class at the last minute is asking for trouble. You will simply overwhelm your brain with loads of information that you will soon forget rather than actually learning the material. While this might work for quickly cramming for a test, in the long run it won’t help. Comprehensive final exams do their best to make sure of that. In the process of writing this blog, I think I found a new years resolution, to stay on top of reading. Care to join? I encourage you to.

New Faces!?!?!?!

New Year, new semester,….new co-workers? After working with the “original call center workers” for a couple of years, even though they are great in their own special way, I have to admit that I am pretty excited to see new faces at work. It’s always good to have an injection of “new blood” to keep the energy flowing and energy at its maximum level while working on exciting new projects and developing new and great ideas. My impression of the new co-workers so far has been a very positive one. They all seem to be likeable and bring a great amount of energy to work when present. I have actually played intramurals co-ed football with one of the new employees, Courtney Sheets, so I have a comfortable relationship with her. From what I have come to know, she is an amazing person so I am sure she will excel here. I also knew of Megan Allen before she was hired, being that she worked for admissions and from seeing her around the campus. She brings a lot of knowledge and experience to the group which is never to be overlooked. Emmy Conn seemingly brings a great deal of perseverance, persistence, and fortitude to the job while getting along with everyone. And last but not least, Ashlea Smyers, is the only student worker that we have in a sorority which not only shows a great deal of social skills but I think is also essential because she will be able to converse with other prospective students that are acquiring about on-campus Greek Life, which is something that we previously did not have available to us. On top of that, she seem like a great fit that is needed to help balance the group. With all these wonderful additions, I am truly looking forward to a wonderful year with my new and “original” co-workers. New Year, new semester, and new co-workers…CHEERS!!!!!

Sleepy Tuesday

So, the first week of school was... different. Not in a bad way, just in a different way, if that makes any real sense. I’ve got Newswriting and Reporting, Media Law and Ethics, Multimedia Production, Secondary Classroom Management, and Instruction of Diverse learners. I'm only carrying 15 hours, but the nature of the classes I'm taking makes it feel like I’m carrying little more. I don't have a real problem with it; I like a challenge.

My education classes are fine. We do most of our work in class and at the schools we observe. The other classes, like Multimedia Production and Media Law and Ethics, are a little heavier in busywork. I spent a great deal of last weekend reading and doing bookwork. That part was not so great. On the bright side, most of what I'm reading is pretty interesting. I think I've got a taste for media law and ethics. The law part is what interests me the most. As far as Multimedia Production goes, we’ll be learning all the ins and outs of filming, video editing, sound mixing, and all of that. Producing was always fascinating to me, so once all of the reading is out of the way, I think it’ll easily be one of my favorite classes.

Hello World!

Hello, my name is Courtney Renee’ Sheets and I am excited! This year had better get ready because I have some pretty big expectations and will not settle for anything less than absolutely amazing! Honestly, I would probably settle for slightly amazing or even relatively fantastic. Don’t get me wrong 2011 was wonderful in its unique special way, but I think we are all happy to see it leave. Am I right?

This New Year brings many new expectations and exciting new opportunities that I am sure will change my perspective on the way I live my life in the thriving metropolis we all know as Tyler, Texas. If you think I am being sarcastic I would like to inform you of where I came from. In comparison to my hometown of Magnolia, Texas (population 1,111) Tyler (population 96,900) is in fact a large town. I know this may come as a shock to some of you, who are from downtown Dallas, and after living here for two years my opinion has changed on the real size of this city, but I was so excited to get out from my small town and begin my life. UT Tyler was not the college I originally planned on attending. Like most of us, I had always thought of myself as going to rather large school with a rather long history, but that’s not how it played out. I had decided to visit UT Tyler when my senior year I made the decision to go to a smaller school and once I got here I loved it! The campus was beautiful and the people were so friendly, I knew I wanted to spend at least a little time here. That little time turned into the entirety of my undergraduate career.

Now, I am a Junior Speech Communications major with a Journalism (PR) minor. It has taken me a while to decide what it is I want to do with my life and most of the time I still don’t know, but I have settled with my fourth major and I love it. Like every other college student I struggle to balance school life, social life, family life, professional life (if I even have one of those) but it’s all part of my life and I’m figuring it out. Don’t worry I’ll be filling you in along the way!