Freshman Review!

Since our  last project was due on finals week, I thought that the best topic for my project would be a review of someones freshman experience. So I called up my old buddy Dwoo and set up an interview! Although, his freshman experience is much more tamer than others you will hear, I think it’s a great way to learn that your freshman year in college isn’t just about social life, it’s about so much more. Through these projects, I have learned so much more about myself and about Western Kentucky University. I hope you have the perfect experience as well. Enjoy the podcast!

Quick Tips for Studying!

Study Skills!

Over the past semester, I have had to opportunity to write a blog each week and complete various projects about tips and tricks to surviving the freshman experience. Not only have I been able to share advice with new students, I have also learned more about college myself. Western Kentucky University is a huge campus; there are so many things that happen each week. Make sure to go out and enjoy the different activities that are held on campus. It will help you meet new people and become more involved. But, let’s get to the real point of the blog. Hello Finals Week!

As the end of the school year is coming up and finals week is bestowing upon us, I sit here and think: Do I know how to study yet? The answer is yes and no.  I do know how to study, but sometimes I question my ability of studying effectively.

In high school, I never had to study because I knew how to get by with good grades, but not having to try. Let me go ahead and tell you know, that is not a smart decision. College is hard. You are expected to study and no one is going to force you to do it. A test date with creep up on you and you will find yourself cramming the night before to study for a test. Cramming isn’t an effective study habit.

I’ve done some research and found some great tips to learn how to study. I hope that these help you as you make your way into the studying world at college.

1. Find a study place. If you can find a study place that doesn’t have any distractions, you will be able to study more effectively there. Get together with a study group if your learning style involves interacting with other people.
2. Take good notes and be involved in class. Use abbreviations in your notes if it helps increase the speed that you take notes. If you have any questions, make sure to ask your professor about it. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to information on an exam. It’s also better to be an active learner rather than a passive learner.
3. Review your notes. Don’t wait until the last minute to study for an exam. If you can look at your notes every night the week before an exam, you will be able to remember the notes better. While reviewing your notes, you should write notes beside them to help you remember certain points. Remember though while studying, it is better to study starting with the concept, then learning the detail.
4. Use your textbook. You should keep up with your weekly readings and read the chapter before the class lecture. Highlight information that you should remember or put a question mark beside information if you have a question about it.
5. Set deadlines for yourself and try to stay ahead of the game. Sometimes, you will have class assignments that just pop up. Instead of stressing out because you have four things due in the same week, start working on things now. Get rid of the procrastination in your life! Just remember, it is better be ahead then be behind.

My advice to you this week is to try to form your study habits early on in college and not to pull an all-nighter. If you can form your study habits early, then you will be able to create a routine for yourself. If you can set aside a certain amount of time each night to study, then you will be able to remember the information better.  I suggest not pulling an all-nighter because that is considered cramming. If you have a test the next day, you will need to have a good nights rest. The best advice I can give you though is to not procrastinate. I hope this helps!

From the Hill,

Samara

Vidcast: Confessions of a College Student

Isn't this the truth?

Last week as I was avoiding studying for upcoming finals, I started trying to brainstorm about what my vidcast would consist of that was due this week. Then it hit me: Studying. Once I got my idea on track, I immediately started coming up with ideas on how to share how college students study.

Over the past week, I have created a “confession booth” for a few of my friends. They were asked to answer three simple questions and be completely honest. I hope you enjoy listening to the confessions! You can click here to view.

From the Hill,

Samara

Rise and Shine, Baby!

Got your coffee ready?

One of the best parts about college is scheduling classes. Let’s just look at the great goal for that day: you wake up before 5 a.m. on a school day and try to beat the rest of Western’s students to the classes that you need. Doesn’t that sound like fun? Now, there is more bad news to this day; if the classes that you need are full, you might as well pick another class or prepare a sweet e-mail to the teacher asking if you can get into the class. The good news about registering for classes though is that it means you are one more semester closer to graduating! Now, if any of this is confusing to you so far, let me break it down a bit.

1. Each student registers (schedules) classes on TOPNET, which is a server for students here at WKU. TOPNET opens up at 5 a.m. on the morning of the student’s registration.
2. You may be wondering when a student registers right about now. Registration is split up in a number ways. First, there is priority registration for Honor Students and Athletes. (This group is the very first to register.) Next, it is divided up by the number of credit hours you will have at the end of the semester. Then, it’s separated by last name.  This semester, I got lucky and get to register the very last day of the registration period, April 28. (SARCASM!)
3. I would recommend going on to TOPNET the week before and making sure the classes that you picked out with your advisor are still available. It would be wise to go ahead and make a few schedules for yourself just in case a class you want is filled up. It is always a wonderful idea to have a back-up plan when it comes to picking your classes.
4. A mass e-mail will be sent out a few weeks before registration begins to let you know when you can meet with your advisor and pick out classes. All students must meet with their advisor before scheduling classes!

My advice to you this week is to set two or three alarms to make sure that you wake up before 5 a.m. on the day that you register for classes. That day would definitely not be the day to wake up late! Also, I would make a note card that has all of your course numbers on it so you can look up your class and immediately sign up for it on your designated registration day. This is just one more way to make sure you get the right class! I wish you the best of luck!

From the Hill,

Samara

How to Survive a Storm

Storms Ahead!

With the severe weather heading this way I figured this would be the perfect time to write a blog on how to survive bad weather. This will be short and simple but I hope that it’s helpful!

-Find great friends to hang out with top help pass the time until the storm comes. If you are scared of storms like I am, then find little ways to keep busy. You can sit around and talk or play games.

-Make sure to have your cell phone charged just in case the weather did get really bad. You would at least of your phone charged if someone needed to get a hold of you or vice versa. Make sure to also have a flashlight on hand just in case the electricity were to go out.

-Watch the weather channel and be very aware of what is going on around you. You should know the weather that is coming and be prepared to seek shelter if needed.

-If you need to go outside for any reason, make sure to have the rain gear I’ve warned you about before. (Umbrella, rain coat, etc.)

My advice for this week is to always be prepared for anything coming your way. It is better to be safe than sorry. 🙂

From the Hill,

Samara

Laundry by the Load

Hope you have your quarters ready!

It’s never to soon to start preparing for college. Have you ever heard the old saying, “Practice makes perfect!”  Although I’m not sure if you can perfect your laundry skills, you can at least learn how to wash your own clothes if you haven’t yet. Even if you plan on taking your laundry home each weekend, there may be one weekend where you can’t go home and you have to do your laundry at school. If this is the case, feel free to refer back to this article to help you get through your first experience!

What you’ll need:

-Dirty Clothes

-Laundry Basket or Hamper

-Money (Quarters or Big Red Dollars)

-Detergent (Liquid Tide)

-Fabric Softener (Downy)

-Dryer Sheets (Bounce)

Five Steps To Do Laundry:

1. Separate Laundry. Laundry should be divided into piles before you even head down to the laundry room. Before leaving for college, I recommend asking your parents how they do laundry but here are my laundry piles: whites, darks, lights, towels, reds, and jeans/sweatshirts. Sometimes if there are small loads, they can be combined with similar colors. For instance, you could combine the jeans and dark colors together. Just in case though, I would purchase color catcher washing sheets for the first few times you do laundry. Use your hamper or laundry basket to transport clothes to and from your dorm room.
2. Load the Washer. After treating the stains on your clothes, you are ready to put the load of laundry into the washer.
3. Pour in the detergent. At the top of the washing machine, there will be a detergent tray you pull out to insert your detergents into. I use liquid Tide as my detergent and Downy as my fabric softener. After putting in the detergent you prefer, you will insert your money. You can either pay using Big Red Dollars or quarters. Don’t forget that each load of laundry costs $1 and the machines only take quarters, not dollar bills. After inserting your payment, you will choose the temperature you want to wash your clothes in. I recommend using cold water unless you’re washing towels; then use warm water. If you use cold water, you are more likely to NOT shrink your clothes. It is always a good idea to look at the washing instructions inside your clothes before washing. Then, press start!
4. Move Laundry. Put your load from the washer into the dryer, inset your money, choose the temperature and press start! The temperature is completely up to you!  I generally use warm.
5. Fold. Once your laundry in completely dry, you should fold immediately to prevent wrinkles from settling in.

Advice that I’ve learned:

1. Set a timer and make sure to go get your laundry as soon as it is complete. There’s nothing worse than finding your laundry on the folding table or having to wait hours for someone to get his or her clothes out of the washer.
2. Stay with your laundry if you are concerned about it getting stolen. Although I’ve never had anything stolen, you never know what could happen. Always be on your toes!
3. Bring some form of entertainment to keep you busy; Pack along homework or a magazine. If you’re going to have to sit downstairs and do laundry anyway, you might as well kill two birds with one stone and do something productive. You can study for your next test coming up or work on that assignment that’s due tomorrow!
4. Get your quarters before you go to the laundry room. The change machine doesn’t work all of the time. There are places on campus but they won’t break dollar bills either. Sometimes if you are lucky, you can put your dollar bill into the vending machine and push the change back button and get out four quarters. I would recommend bring a roll of quarters from home so you won’t have to worry about getting change at school.

Washing your own laundry will help you learn about yourself as well, it will show you how many outfit changes you go through in a week. I have a feeling you will really be surprised; I know I was! I hope these steps were helpful and that you enjoyed the four bits of advice I gave you this week. Good Luck if it’s your first time washing laundry! Have no fear; it does get easier.

From the Hill,

Samara

Hello Freedom!

Are you ready for it?

Hello Responsibility. Hello Choices. Hello Opportunity. Hello Real World… almost!

The definition of freedom according to my research is: the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints.

The first thing that I automatically thought of when I read that last line was parents; although they are generally wonderful people, they are the people that mold you whether you like it or not. (Unless you were a rebel child of course.) One of the best things for college students are to get out on their own and discover who they truly are with receiving the gift of freedom.

Freedom can mean many different things, but the biggest lesson you must learn first is that more freedom means more responsibility. Let’s take a look at a few:

• Social Freedom or Partying 101: Welcome to the life of partying and staying out however late that you want. Western was rated as a top party school decades ago, but partying isn’t a major here, unfortunately.  It’s your choice and responsibility if you stay out late and sleep through your exam the next morning. You are going to have to pay the consequences. Here’s a tid-bit of information though, in college, you don’t receive any fluff grades. Generally your grades will be composed four exams and a few assignments if you’re lucky. You can’t retake an exam easily either, so I wouldn’t count on asking your teacher to take it another day. I know I’ve talked about this before, but prioritizing what you WANT to do and NEED to do are very important. Here’s another thought to put in your head: Academic Probation and Attendance Policy. If you don’t take the time to study and make a decent GPA and go to classes, you can say Adios Freedom! College is a privilege, not a right. One of my teachers from high school used to say this… now I understand what it means.
• Self-Freedom: College gives you the opportunity to believe what you want or to be yourself. Whether you want to admit it or not, there is someone in your life that will judge you for what you believe or who you are. When you’re in college, you don’t have to worry about that. People will always be judgmental no matter where you are, but I’d rather have a stranger that I will never speak to judge me than my parents. If you want to be catholic and you were raised atheist, do it! It’s your life. Just don’t go against your personal morals you have set for yourself.
• Intellectual Freedom: You can learn absolutely anything you want in college! You are surrounded with professors and students that most likely share some of your same interests. Find those people and embrace knowledge. You can learn so much more than the normal student if you just participate.

My only advice to you this week isn’t a tip necessarily, but something you probably won’t hear from many other people: Be yourself. College is the best time to discover who you truly are.

From the Hill,

Samara

What time is it?

“Your greatest resource is your time” –Brian Tracy

According to the dictionary, time management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools, and systems that work together to help you get more value out of your time with the aim of improving the quality of your life.

One of the struggles many college students face is time management. It is very difficult to find enough time in the day to do everything you want. Sometimes, you will have to learn to say no to some situations, such as going out every night or staying up late on facebook.

To keep you on track with your time management skills, I am going to give you a few tips that I have found to help me!

1. Purchase a calendar… and USE it! If you take the time and money to go buy a calendar, make sure to use it by putting down dates of EVERYTHING. Write down when sporting events are happening that you want to go to, when papers are due, important dates of class events, etc. You’ll never realize how useful a calendar is until you actually open it.  If a paper calendar isn’t working for you though, try using a PDA or cell phone to keep up with dates.
2. Schedule time to relax. Don’t pack your schedule so full that you can’t find the time to breathe or sleep. Even though you want to keep a good GPA in college, you also need to keep a social life. It’s the only thing that will keep you sane the next four years.
3. Plan Ahead. If you have a project due in two weeks, instead of waiting until the night before to start, break down the parts of the project and set a specific day to a specific part. Write it down in your calendar!
4. Allow for flexibility and plan for the unexpected. Things WILL come up unexpectedly that you won’t want to miss out on. Make sure to leave time for activities like that. Also, instead of waiting a week before a paper is due that was assigned at the beginning of the semester, work on the paper ahead of time. You never know when you could break an arm or get sick.
5. Schedule rewards in. Set a night to go out and have some fun to give your brain a rest from all the studying and homework you’ve been focusing on. Don’t forget, you are now in college!
6. Extra Tips!
   1. Create good study habits and plan properly for peak performance.
   2. Follow your plan.
   3. Set priorities: Always more to do then what you have time for.
   4. Look back from the future. Live in the present.
   5. Overcome Procrastination.
   6. Make to-do lists.

This week, I have two different sets of advice. My first advice for this week is to make sure you plan enough time into your day that you get enough sleep at night. I have discovered so far that getting a full eight hours of sleep during the week in college is VERY tough to do, but if you plan ahead wisely and use good time management skills, I believe there is a way to achieve this. Staying up late is fun until you have to wake up early for that 8 a.m. class; Trust me. My second advice for this week is to make to-do lists. Use post-it notes, a journal, a marker board, or anything else that helps. I have found that using post-it notes help me remember everything that I have to do for the week. I put the post-it note on my bookcase and whenever I get a task done, I throw the note away and feel a sense of accomplishment.

From the Hill,

Samara

Hello! My name is…

Study Group Anyone?

“How much does a polar bear weigh?”
“Enough to break the ice!”

If you haven’t heard this one before, I’m actually kind of surprised. In my opinion, I believe that this icebreaker is one of the most classic ones to use. It’s funny and it makes a good conversation starter.

Meeting new people can be one of the most difficult things to do for some people. I’m the type of person that didn’t just introduce myself to someone so when I came to college; I started having to “come out of my shell” and become more social.

While facing the challenge of meeting new people though, I did notice something else; WKU is diverse. According to the dictionary, diversity is the state or fact of being different. I completely agree, to me, diversity isn’t ethnicity or culture, it’s the just the differences in people. How do you meet diverse people you may be thinking… well here are a few tips to help!

–Join Clubs and Groups and Participate in Sports and Activities: Getting involved on campus will make it a lot easier to meet people. It’s a little harder just having to walk up to someone on the sidewalk and introduce yourself. Meeting people that share similar interests is also a great thing! That way, you will always have a conversation subject to fall back on if conversation is lacking.

–Go to events and parties: I wouldn’t recommend going to find a boyfriend or girlfriend at a party, but it is a chance to meet new people! Going to basketball games and campus events is also a great way to not only meet new people but also get involved. You’d be surprised how many activities go on around campus!

–Don’t do your homework in your dorm room: This is a great time to invite that cute person in your class to study with you at the library or outside on a pretty day! When you stay in your dorm room all the time, it makes you antisocial and homesick. Get outside and meet new people! Friendships from college are supposed to last a lifetime.

–Hang out with your hometown: Even though some people would believe that you should completely ignore people that you graduated with when you go to the same college, it is completely okay to still be friends with them. I believe that it is more comforting to have a friend from home beside you along the huge transition to college.

–Talk to people and don’t give up: When you are walking to classes or standing in line to get your lunch or dinner, don’t be afraid to smile or say speak to the person standing beside you. Maybe you could compliment their shoes or their outfit. It’s a conversation starter and it could lead to having a new friend at WKU! Always remember, when times get rough, keep on, keeping on. Friends will help you be less homesick those first few weeks at college.

My weekly advice to you this week is to not be scared to talk to new people. While working on my photo project this week, I have had to step out of my comfort zone and actually ask people if I could take a picture of them. After stepping out of my comfort zone though, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I hope you take these few tips and decide to meet a few new people!

From the Hill,
Samara

Fifteen

Welcome to the Preston Center!

“Have you seen her lately?”
“She has gained so much weight!”
“I heard that he has gained at least fifteen pounds.”

We have all heard and said these comments when a freshman from college comes back home after a couple of months of being away. The freshman fifteen is a sneak attack waiting to happen to those unsuspecting freshman. Below are some tips and tricks that can help you be prepared and stay away from the extra pounds.

Getting Involved on Campus

Instead of using exercise videos online in your dorm room, get out and explore all the options that WKU offers for exercising.

•Raymond B. Preston Health and Activities Center: Welcome to the gym, it is better known as the Preston Center to most students around campus. This is the best place to get involved with sports and exercising. There are countless activities offered here each and every day.
•WellU: According to the website, it is an online student wellness program designed to promote health and wellness related programs and services available at WKU.
•Intramural Sports are recreational sports that are played with other college students. A few of the intramural sports offered here are basketball, volleyball, racquetball, and soccer.
•ORAC: (Outdoor Recreation Adventure Center) This place offers a variety of outdoor programs for students and faculty at WKU for a great price.

Check out more information about getting involved physically at Western Kentucky University under the “Fitness@WKU” tab at the top menu.

Healthy Eating Habits

After looking up some research on my own, I found some great tips to start eating healthier! For more information, check out the latest website I added to the links list.

1. Make time for meals. Eat three meals a day, plus pack a healthy snack such as fruit or a granola bar for on the go. Try to eat your meals on a consistent schedule throughout the week if you can. Make sure to avoid eating food late at night. You’ll end up regretting your decision next time you work out.
2. Balance your meals. Eat at least three different food groups during each meal. Don’t forget to try to include eating healthier foods instead of eating unhealthy cafeteria food. Chick-fil-a may sound appetizing to eat every day, but try to limit yourself on those fattening foods!
3. Don’t forget dairy. Your bones will need calcium with all the extra working out and exercising you will be doing!
4. Stay hydrated. Pack a bottle of water or Gatorade in your backpack or gym tote. You should replenish yourself every time you get the chance. You will be surprised how tough walking up the hill is. Just in case you haven’t heard of Thirsty Thursday, you shouldn’t drink excessive amounts of alcohol constantly; beer has calories in case you didn’t know!
5. Choose the appropriate portions. When given the choice, take the smaller portion and don’t eat more than you can handle. Even though Fresh Foods Co is a “buffet”, you must remember that you can’t eat everything.
6. Don’t keep unhealthy snack in your dorm room. These types of snacks are instant weight gainers. Instead of Twinkie’s and cupcakes, try storing some of these items in your food bin:
•Animal Crackers
•Fresh Fruit
•Granola Bars
•Single-Serving popcorn bags
•Soup
•Wheat thins
•Trail Mix
•Water
•Yogurt
•Energy (Protein) Bars
•String Cheese
•Crackers

Top 5 Ways to Introduce Fitness in Your Life

1. Walk or bike to class: Instead of taking Topper Transit (WKU Shuttle System) up the hill or across campus, take a nice stroll or a bike ride to wherever you are going.
2. Join an intramural sport: There are so many different sports teams that you can join! Check out the list of sports offered under the “Fitness@WKU” tab.
3. Go for a walk with friends: People are always trying to find something to do it seems like. Next time you and your friends want to hang out or talk, why don’t you insist adding a walk! If the weather is warm and sunny out, take a walk around campus and explore the area. If the weather is cold and rainy, walk on the indoor track at the Preston Center or run on the treadmills inside the gym.
4. Take a fitness class as a course: Three hours of fitness/health is a General Education requirement at WKU. You might as well kill two birds with one stone and take an exercise class; you’ll be exercising and learning more about a new sport or playing a sport you love. Sounds like a great deal to me!
5. Check out the Preston Center and find the perfect exercising ritual for you. You will be surprised at everything that is offered.

My only hope right now is that you are not attacked by the freshman fifteen when you come to college. I have a personal belief that it is incredibly hard to gain that extra weight here though. Everyone gets a daily workout by just having to walk up the hill to class. If you’re wearing a backpack full of books, I would just consider that extra weight you’re working out with!

My tip for this week is to always keep some extra snacks in your backpack. As I mentioned before, you should keep little snacks with you when you are on the go. It’s a great way to stay energized and a great way to make sure you don’t starve until the next you get the chance to eat. Personally, I enjoy nilla wafers and vanilla pudding as a snack. You should try it sometime if you haven’t yet!

From the Hill,
Samara