March Madness at UT Tyler!

So this is the end of sweater weather! As of March 22, 2014, it will be the first of spring. With Spring Break a mere few weeks away (it starts on March 8!) and the weather warming up, I think it is safe to say that the cold weather is a thing of the past. Long live the days of rolling the windows down and cruising down the highway to your favorite jams on the radio! Okay, maybe that is just me.

Let's just take a deep breath and say it with me!

Navigating myUTTyler

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

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

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

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

Click image to enlarge

click image to enlarge 

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

Unrest, Politics, and the Importance of Critical Thinking

 [NOTE - As always my intent is never to expressly disregard the beliefs of a particular group or to seem like I am championing one side in a conflict over the other. It is more like the opposite. Consider the whole article here and, as always, feel free to talk about this in the Comments Section or on FB]

Quick! turn on the TV and see what kind of things are currently listed as 'big news' as of today, 2/26/2014. You are likely to come across three things:

Civil Unrest in Ukraine

Civil Unrest in Venezuela

Texas Federal Judge Challenges gay Marriage-Ban

UT Tyler reschedules College Showcase: Education and Psychology!

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

Spring Cleaning 101

The birds are chirping outside and one doesn’t have to scrape ice off of their car anymore. What kind of sorcery is this? It feels like spring is in the air! Finally, after a much awaited break from the hot and cold temperature pattern worthy of a Katy Perry song, it feels like spring is here. While for some this may mean “Brace yourself, exams are coming!” and to the others it is more like, “spring BREAK is finally here!” For me, it is a blend of the two. However, the best way to prepare oneself for the fun and excitement that is spring break (or exams…) is to get organized from spring cleaning. While that doesn't sound like a lot of fun, there’s just a certain excitement in being able to decorate your own space however you want it and know where everything is. Time to put those apple cinnamon air fresheners away and pull open your blinds because here comes the sunshine!

Use your mop as a microphone :)

Quick Tips On What To Do When Work Gets Intense

  The are always going to be situations where your workload suddenly decides to switch from "This is rather stressful but I can make it" to "oh god, oh god, oh god why?" When work decides to ratchet up the intensity and make your life painful, here are some tips to keep your brain from leaking out your nose and trying to escape ...

Spring Break Destination

Destination for Springs Break 2014!

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


1.

South Padre, Texas

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

New shopping location for UT Tyler students!

     Tyler,Texas is a small city that with every new establishment there is always guaranteed buzz. Everyone likes to experience new things and get a feel of something different. Whenever a new restaurant opens, the establishment is always full of people waiting to try food from a different place they haven't before. This is why it is very exciting to see that Tyler is getting a new shopping square called The Village at Cumberland Park!

UT Tyler FAFSA workshop!

Have you been making sure you turn in a FAFSA every year? If not, you may be losing valuable financial aid from the University of Texas at Tyler! Not sure how to fill one out? No problem! UT Tyler is holding a workshop to help you out!

How to Apply for the UT Tyler Nursing Program

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beck- Morning Phase due February 25^th

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

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

Foo Fighters- TBD

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

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

Kendrick Lamar- TBD

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

Johnny Cash- Out Among the Stars due March 25th

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

Frank Ocean- TBD, due Summer

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

Kanye West- TBD, due summer 

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

This one will be a quick follow-up from the artist's last album, Yeezus, which topped more critic top 10 lists than any other album in 2013.  And it was well deserving of that recognition.  Kanye West proves time and time again to be one of the most consistent and powerful rap artists in the industry, and his new album this summer will most likely live up to that reputation.  As outspoken and downright belligerent he can be in the public eye, his music makes up for the bad press.  Assume this album will only bolster his reputation for being an outstanding artist and performer.
.

These are only a portion of the great music that will be released over the next 10 months, but this alone has me quite excited.  Whatever your music genre preference is, 2014 will have something for you to truly enjoy.

Literature on TV

So, for those who might have previously been unable to find a way to watch the hit TV show, True Detective is one of the most fascinating shows to pop onto many people's TV radars in some time. While the quality of the acting and the story is unbelievably good, one of the most interesting elements of the story is that it is playing rather broadly with literature. What kind of literature? Weird Literature, the kind that created the foundation for some of the best American horror stories of their time.

Creative Writing Through UT Tyler #3

   This blog (previously entitled 'Adventures Through Creative Writing') is being changed up a little but to better apply to broader variety of creative writing projects. While I will still finish my next two World Building entries, the next entries will focus on blogging, poetry, Twitter, Tumblr, using other content forums (like Medium for example) and such things ....

Happy Single's Awareness Day! (For Real!)

You see it everywhere. The hand holding, red roses and pink carnations, ‘just girly things’ referencing The Notebook: Valentine’s Day is about as inescapable as Justin Bieber’s fate as being Lindsay Lohan’s roommate in rehab. Too soon?

You tell them, Christina!

UT Tyler offers student volunteering opportunities

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

UT Tyler School of Performing Arts Accredited for Excellence!

Being a music major here at The University of Texas at Tyler is not always easy. But if you work hard, your hard work will always pay off! The School of Performing arts here at the university was very recently accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, otherwise known as NASM.

How I reacted to being accredited!

This is something that we have been trying to do for a while now. This just goes to prove that if you put your best work into something, it will always turn into something beautiful, whether that be school, art, or just living out your everyday life in general.

With that being said, I must inform you all that I will no longer be working here in the call center any longer. No worries though! It's for the best. Now I will have more time to put in my whole effort into my music! Time to make progress, not excuses!

We will keep putting on concerts for all of you guys, and I hope that you guys make it to a few! Here's a list of what's coming up soon!

Patriot Singers/University Chorale 

Saturday, March 1st @ 7:30 pm

First Presbyterian Church

Saturday, May 3 @ 6:00 pm

First Presbyterian Church

UT Tyler Wind  Ensemble

Thursday, March 6th @ 7:30 pm

Vaughn Auditorium

Thursday, May 1st @ 7:30 pm

Vaughn Auditorium

Jazz Ensembles

Thursday, February 27th @ 7:30 pm

UC Theatre

Thursday, April 17th @ 7:30 pm

UC Theatre

You can check out and see what's going on at the Cowan Center here!

I'm really going to miss writing for you guys! I'm actually thinking about starting a YouTube comedy blog sometime in the future, so be sure to keep an eye out on it! Remember, as long as you strive for the highest, you will earn excellence. AEA.

 If any of you guys are interested in performing with the UT Tyler Wind Ensemble, or any ensemble for that matter, contact the Performing Arts office at 903.566.7450! Come audition and join us! WE WANT YOU!

Braithwaite Recital Hall

For more information about the UT Tyler music program, visit http://www.uttyler.edu/academics/undergraduate-majors/music-bm-degree.php..

"I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul."

UT Tyler Gate at Sensoji Temple

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

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

UT Tyler Student Money Management: Valentine Edition

     Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! This is the time of the year where you and your significant other celebrate your relationship. The harsh reality though, is that as a college student, you may not have the funds to treat your loved ones with the right date or gifts. Don’t fret though! The Student Money Management program here at The University of Texas at Tyler has all the resources you need to get you financially prepared!

     The Student Money Management will host an event on campus called “Date Night on a Dime.”

The Adventure of World Building Part #2

In the previous blog I spoke about one of the foundational elements of world building - weather! Weather is more than just set dressing, it allows us to explain food and crops, religion, and it can also impact the mood. This next blog will deal with another foundational element - money! While you don't need to completely grasp economics, the following thoughts might help you along ...

So, this one might seem a little weird, but bear with me. In settings that rely on a re-creation of the modern world economy, the US dollar or other forms of currency might be used. This is only logical. Still, other kinds of settings might not only require different fashions of currency, they might also not even use money at all (ala Star Trek) or they use things we might not consider 'money' at all.

The larger point here is that you need to understand what it is your characters do, how they justify their living, and (if you are doing a non-typical setting) you need to account for what/how things get done. Does your awesome photo-journalist investigator drive a Focus or a Jaguar? Do we actually see your main character, the free-lance captain of a space-ship ever get paid when we keep hearing he is debt? For all its faults, Star Wars at least showed what happens when you default on your loans to criminal space slugs.

EXAMPLE: Seeing as how I mentioned I was basing some of my own novel's ideas/plots on a setting very
much like ancient china, I had to be aware of how people paid for ... anything at all! I found out (very interestingly) that silk was so prevalent at a certain point in the history of the Han Dynasty that people actually used it as payment. Sheets of silks were historically a kind of "bond" people paid to other people for goods. I decided an interesting plot point was two different kingdoms use different dyes for their silks (red and blue) to distinguish one kingdoms "money" from another. Each kingdom guards its silk production facilities and the trees that feed the silkworms. This sets up awareness of where/how money is set up. It's not meant to be the biggest point but it is meant to afford the setting some kind of verisimilitude.

In the end, focus on knowing how your characters and how money works. I can't work for free and unless your character happened to inherit a staggering fortune which is held in a goblin bank, know how he/she gets paid. Work from there to see how your character acts when he/she looses his or her job, or when their globe trotting adventure to save the world from space ants has them return to an eviction notice.

Celebrating the Super Bowl at UT Tyler

Every year near the beginning of February, near 80,000 football fans crowd into a stadium in which the national championship game of the National Football League, or the Super Bowl, will be played.  In addition to those fans, over 100 million viewers will sit at a television and view the game.  However, not everyone watches the super bowl for the love of football.  Almost 23% of those who "watch" are only viewing the channel for the commercials shown during the game.

The Adventure of World Building Part #1

As an English Major one of the things I am confronted with is the dreaded question - what do you want to do with your life? I long ago decided on Academia as my passion, but I have other passions to vent desires and needs that grading papers and academic level writing cannot fill. What might that be? Writing books!

Putting a Spring into Your Step at UT Tyler!

Now that we have been in school for a few weeks and we students are getting back into our normal, “oh good God, this paper is due! We have a quiz!” routine, it’s time to find a way to cope with this transient, fleeting time of the year. In the past few posts of mine, we’ve discussed how to handle not always excelling at things the first time around and the complications of Texas weather on fashion. However, this semester is going to fly by! I know it seems like it just started, but it is already February: the shortest month of the year with only 28 days. At the risk of sounding like that obstreperous Rebecca Black song, March comes after that! That means if you start now, that only leaves about a little over a month to plan the perfect spring break! It sounds like a really long time, but we all know how time flies when you’re taking quizzes, having perfect attendance in that 8 am class (am I right?), and studying late into the night for all those exams.

This bunny is in your home, studying your notes!

Here is a spring board of fun ideas to do over Spring Break and why they’re awesome! Check it out:

-We Will Rock You the Musical: this musical based on the works of Queen will be happening in scenic Dallas, Texas! They will be doing theatrical renditions of Queen’s biggest hits. This ‘killer queen’ is super excited and looking at ticket prices right now. Ticket prices start at $32! Come see We Will Rock You the Musical in Fair Park!

Hockey: Only thing manly when put on ice

-Ottawa Senators vs. Dallas Stars- come get your cheer on and watch a really great hockey game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas! :D Okay, so truth be told: I love hockey and really get into it, so bring earplugs because there are others like this. But seriously! Ticket prices start at $28. Face off, March 22 at 2 p.m.!

-Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center- Okay, anything that promises both liquid nitrogen ice cream and an IMAX theatre sounds really awesome in my book! For non-members, the combo fee to enjoy both the exhibits and the IMAX theatre is only $18! It’s fun, educational, there’s ice cream, there’s science… what more could you want?

I want all the brightly colored things!

-Jasper Azalea Festival- this sounds like a blast. On March 15, 2014, there’s going to be arts and crafts and a butterfly release, garden tours, live music, and vendors! When I checked the website, they said there was going to be a petting zoo. I know where I am going to be! Seriously, I am hoping there’s an alpaca. They are such mysterious creatures! The fun starts at the Jasper County Courthouse Square at 9 a.m. sharp! Be there or be square J

So, I know there’s quite a bit of time between now and spring break, but you don’t want to be stuck buying tickets at the last minute! (These can get expensive!) Happy planning and may the odds forever be in your favor.

Arriving In Tokyo with UT Tyler Gate

      As promised, I am so incredibly excited to share my experience with The University of Texas at Tyler's Gate Program trip to Japan! I am posting different blogs for each major place I visited. This will definitely be an on going project for the rest of the semester cause I just HAVE to share with y'all five weeks worth of such an amazing experience.

Freebirds is flying into town!

      Have you had cravings for Mexican food lately? Look no further. A new restaurant is rolling into town. Tyler seems to gain a new restaurant edition every year now, allowing new tastes for the locals to try. Freebirds is coming to town!

Being Critical vs Critical Thinking

Everybody knows somebody in a group who, the moment a commercial starts or a celebrity says something, calls out this moment with some kind of statement, mainly that he/she "cannot believe this." They then go on some kind of a rant against said celebrity/product/etc...

Patrick Mureithi visits UT Tyler

On Wednesday, January 29^th, the UT Tyler Honors and GATE programs were pleased to welcome filmmaker and documentarian Patrick Mureithi to present his documentary “ICYIZERE:hope.” 

Mureithi is a Kenyan documentary filmmaker who has worked to educate the world about atrocities such as the Rwandan Genocide, and the reconciliation process that thousands still go through to this very day.  He began his presentation by discussing his teenage life while living in Kenya, a country very close to Rwanda. He remembers when he was 17 hearing about the OJ Simpson Trial, Kurt Cobain’s suicide, and the success of Snoop Dogg in 1994, yet he heard nothing of the beginning of the Rwandan Genocide.  He uses this story to highlight the ignorance the world had regarding this tragedy.  Mureithi’s work is to increase the awareness of the events, along with the current day healing process.

ICYIZERE (pronounced ee-cheez-eh-reh) is a documentary that shows the reconciliation process of both survivors and perpetrators of the Rwandan Genocide.  It centers on the reconciliation workshops from the African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams, a group that holds three day workshops which include 10 people from one side of a conflict together with 10 people from the other side to restore normal relationships between the two sides. Through addressing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and conducting a series of group exercises that help to build trust, the workshops bring participants to the realization that:

·  “They are more similar than different”

·  “They are all, victim and aggressor, suffering from trauma.”

·  “The most effective way to overcome their trauma is by making an effort to forgive each other     and work toward rebuilding trust within their communities”

Mureithi’s film has been shown in Brazil, the United Kingdom, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and on college campuses all over the United States.  For more information on the reconciliation workshop, visit the African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams website.  To learn more about Mureithi and his upcoming work and projects, visit the Josiah Films website. 

UT Tyler Debate Competes at the Mile High Swing

The University of Utah at
Salt Lake City, Utah

Last weekend, on January 18-20, the UT Tyler Parliamentary Debate team traveled to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah to compete at the Mile High Swing, a two-tournament weekend hosted by the University of Utah and Texas Tech University.  With over 90 teams in attendance, the tournament is considered to be the most challenging invitational of the competition season, and is a strong predictor for how individual teams perform at the national tournaments in March.

The tournament is called the “Mile High Swing” because it was originally hosted at the University of Denver for a number of years, but then became a traveling tournament. It was been hosted at venues such as Texas Tech University, Western Washington University, Colorado College, and most recently, the University of Utah.

The first tournament in the swing, hosted by Texas Tech University, was a topic area tournament.  Like the tournament held at Washburn University in November, controversy areas were previously announced for competitors to base their arguments around.  These were the areas debated in eleven rounds of competition over a day and a half:

The United States federal government should substantially reduce limitations on civil torts in the United States in one or more of the following areas: statute of limitations on filings, availability of class action lawsuits, caps on damages.

The United States federal government should substantially improve their relationship with the Republic of India in one or more of the following areas: immigration, trade, military sales, and/or minority relations.


The United States should adopt one or more of Robert McChesney’s proposals for mass media reform.


The United States federal government should substantially increase its oversight and/or restrictions on the National Security Administration and/or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.


The United States federal government should significantly increase regulations on securities and trades in the United States.

UT Tyler entered three teams in this tournament: UT Tyler FH (Dallas Flick and Carver Hodgkiss), UT Tyler DH (Kaleb Drake and Steven Hullum), and UT Tyler BC (Caitlun Bull and Sam Cook).  In the first half of the tournament, BC and DH broke to elimination rounds, both losing in the double octofinal round to Texas Tech University and Northern Arizona University, respectively.  In this tournament, the UT Tyler teams were able to best teams from notable universities such as UC Berkeley, Air Force Academy and the University of the Pacific.

The second half of the tournament was held in the conventional tournament format, with topics that are not previously disclosed, but instead based solely on current issues and events.  The same three teams entered, and all three broke to elimination rounds on the final day of competition.  DH and BC both were bested in the triple octofinal round by McKendree University and Point Loma University, respectively, on a topic regarding ownership recognition of the Senkaku Islands.  FH won that round against the University of Utah, and lost in the double octofinal round to William Jewell College on a topic regarding removing the tax exemption of religious institutions in the United States.  In this half of the tournament, UT Tyler conquered over teams from schools such as the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Puget Sound, and the University of Nevada at Reno.

Northern Arizona University at Flagstaff, Arizona

The next tournament for the entire team will be our national tournament at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona- the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence.  Tournament preparation will begin in late February, and the tournament begins on the last weekend of Spring Break.  Keep up with results at parlitournament.com, and check out npte.debateaddict.com to see who will be competing in the tournament.

UT Tyler Spring Recruitment is here!

                It’s that time of the year again! Spring rush week is occurring this week and next week. The spring semester differs from fall recruitment as this is informal rush week. It is informal because there is no set schedule of when each fraternity will host events.  Each of the three chapters has activities on different days of the week, instead of the extensive process in the fall formal recruitment. This will be my first recruitment week since I got initiated into Sigma Alpha Epsilon this past fall semester. So I will just tell you a little about my personal experience going through this process. I speak only for myself when I say that this has been a great opportunity.