Welcome back, readers! It's a new semester here at Saint Mike's, and a new year for all. You've all probably had your fill of celebration and Auld Lang Syne, but now the the party is over, how do we keep that excitement and feeling of renewal going strong?
Well, I have a few ways. Now, I'm not one for new year resolutions--I don't have the best track record when it comes to maintaining them. However, I made a personal goal over the winter break that I don't really see as simply a new year resolution, but a daily reminder of the lifestyle that I want for myself. That one goal: "Live well."
I know, I know. What does it mean? It may seem a bit ambiguous to anyone else, but for me it has become a bit of a mantra. I wake up in the morning and think, what can I do to live well today? Because, in fact, it is a daily goal, even though it sounds much bigger. But I do small things that add up to that one big goal: When possible, (which as of right now is looking like two days out of the academic week) I start my morning with exercise. On the days that I can't do that, I don't sweat it (excuse the terrible pun), but if I can I might try to find another time to sneak in a small workout or at least stay conscious of my wellness choices throughout the day. I eat healthy meals, but I don't spare myself the occasional cookie (because who can really deprive themselves of those Alliot butter-scotchies?!). I attend class and make sure that I am also attentive, taking notes and participating in discussions. I do my homework in the library, where I can pay attention. I drink lots of water and tea. I spend meals and downtime with friends. I go to bed at a reasonable hour. And, above all, I keep a positive attitude, come what may.
Sounds like a lot, right? And of course, I'm not perfect. Everyone slips up, and I don't expect my semester to always go well, because that's an unrealistic expectation for life in general. Especially when the workload gets heavier, I know I'll be staying up later and I'll be more drawn to fast food or take-out. It's easy during the first week of classes to load up your plate with a ton of goals, because your classes are only just taking off and the pace is slow at first. However, setting a routine now will help keep some of those principles in place later on. Someone once told me that it takes 21 days to form a habit. I'm not sure if that's true, but if it is, I'm well on my way!
It's also no surprise that many of these actions fuel each other. If I eat well and get enough exercise, I'll also sleep well, and I'll also have enough energy to go about my day. If I have enough energy, I'll be able to focus better in class and get good grades. If I stay on top of my work, I'll be much less stressed later on in the semester. And if I take care of myself and am doing well in school, I'll feel good--which means that I'll naturally have a positive attitude.
So, this is my personal goal for 2013 and beyond.
Come back this weekend for more posts--I can't wait to report back about my first week of classes! Have a great day, everyone. And whatever it means to you, remember to live well!
Cheers,
Lauren
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Monday, December 24, 2012
Why I LOVE my major and minors!
Hey everyone!
I hope you're all enjoying your Holiday break! As I am typing to you, my mother is cooking up a storm for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, my sister just came through the door with an armful of packages, and as for me...well, I'm avoiding the last-minute cleaning and wrapping I have to do with a blog post! So, thanks for fueling my procrastination.
As most of you may know, I'm a Media Studies, Journalism and Digital Arts major at Saint Mike's. I have this belief: the longer the name, the cooler the major! If you're from the same school of thought, then nothing is better than MJD!
When I started the college search, I knew I was mostly interested in schools that offered a Journalism program. The thing about journalism, though, is that it's one of the fastest-growing and most changing fields of study. Modern technology has changed the way the media work. Journalists are no longer just writers; they are photographers, designers, editors, and web creators. What made SMC stand out for me was that our MJD department was taking this into consideration. Before I got to Saint Mike's, the major was known as "Journalism and Mass Communication". Then, the department revised its curriculum in order to allow more focus on much of the emerging technology and new skills that are needed to succeed in today's industry.
One really fascinating aspect of the MJD major is that we are not only learning how to use technology responsibly and effectively, but we are also learning how to analyze the ways in which new media may change the way we receive information and even alter the ways we view the world. There's no doubt that people are spending more time than ever indoors, that we now receive news and information mostly over the internet, and that so much screen time often leads to negative health effects. But, how do computers change the way our brains function? What does the impact of technology have to do with human interaction? With so many opposing views and thousands of outlets to receive news, how do we choose which source to trust? How have social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter changed the ways we interact with each other? These questions, among many others, are ones that all MJD majors will become familiar with and eventually answer in their own terms.
One of the ways we consider these questions is through a week-long "Tech Fast", a time each semester when students are encouraged to completely "unplug." We turn off our cell phones and ipods, write many assignments by hand, and stay away from computers--which, as a school that relies so heavily on email to keep students informed about happenings on campus, is an incredibly difficult task. This is all optional, of course, but most MJD majors take part in it as a way to fully comprehend our reliance on these tools. The tech fast always creates some awesome discussions in class, as all of the students get really pumped to share their experience.
Of course, the curriculum wouldn't be much if the department didn't have an incredible staff of professors to teach it. Well, MJD majors present and future, you're in luck! The Saint Mike's MJD department employs several amazing journalists from various specific areas of interest. They have traveled the world, worked for an array of companies, taught at other prestigious schools across the country, and they've been published in all media forms. These professors are dedicated, too. I've spent a lot of time in Bergeron (the main academic building for MJD students...hopefully you'll like this tight-knit journalism community, because you'll practically live there!) and there are always professors around, in their offices, having meetings with students, and helping out in the classrooms. They work extremely hard to make themselves available for anything the students may need.
Another quick thing to tell you about the MJD major--this group of students and professors is truly a community. It's evident in the impromptu study sessions, the conversations that might last long after a class has ended, and the fact that you'll probably get to know every single person in the major. I remember a conversation I once had with a transfer student who commented on the competitiveness of her old school. She loved that at Saint Mike's, the students were "all in it together"--learning from each other and willing to help other students succeed. I can definitely relate to that. I love that these students are so talented, they're constantly pushing me to do better without even realizing it. But at the end of the day, we're simply trying to better ourselves, not outdo each other--which allows us to realize that we are truly each other's best resources. The camaraderie of the MJD department at Saint Mike's is likely to go unmatched at most other schools.
To see some student-run MJD work in action, check out the Defender, our weekly newspaper that covers all kinds of news and events on campus and around the Burlington area.
So, that was a LOT, and I feel like I've simply skimmed the surface. This is obviously a topic I'll constantly come back to on my blog, so I'll make the appropriate tags for you all to explore as I continue posting throughout my college experience. For now, I'll only say a few things about each of my minors:
The Environmental Studies minor (also offered as a major) at Saint Mike's is by far one of the coolest approaches I've seen to this interesting area of study. This has an interdisciplinary focus, looking at nature and the current issues in our environment from several perspectives. Not only do we study sciences like biology and ecology for a basic understanding of the way our earth functions, but we observe human interaction with nature over time by analyzing art, literature, philosophy, and even music. We look at famous environmental disasters and legal cases as well as modern issues that plague our world, including climate change, food insecurity and the global water crisis. The Intro to Environmental Studies class I took this year was extremely engaging, as four professors from different disciplines came together to teach a course that really opened my eyes to the world around me.
Creative Writing has been an absolute pleasure for me so far. I love to write, which is one of the main reasons I went to school for journalism. However, I often find that there's a lot of structure in journalistic writing, and sometimes it's necessary to stick to a certain format and of course remain objective (depending on who or what you're writing for, you can be more flexible with your writing, but traditional journalism might not always allow this). The Creative Writing minor is the perfect outlet for me--sometimes, I just want to write fiction! I've also found that my CW classes have strengthened me as a writer in general, and they often help me see my MJD major in a different way. CW has allowed me to explore different styles and techniques to find a way of writing that is uniquely me.
If you're interested in Creative Writing but you're not sure if you want it to be your minor, have no fear--there is a solution! You can practice and contribute to the CW community by submitting pieces to the Onion River Review, our campus literature and art publication. I'm an auxiliary editor for the review, which basically means that I get to read the submissions and meet up with the rest of the editors once or twice a year to help decide what to publish (it's so popular that unfortunately, there's not enough room for all of the submissions!) It's a really great way to get involved with people who share similar interests--there's also an open reading for poetry and other work about once a month on campus!
So, there you have it--a little look at why I love learning at Saint Mike's. Stay tuned for more major/minor information as well as the normal shenanigans! For my next few posts, I'm hoping to focus on some projects that I've done or contributed to in some way or another.
Again, Happy Holidays, and thanks for reading!
Lauren
I hope you're all enjoying your Holiday break! As I am typing to you, my mother is cooking up a storm for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, my sister just came through the door with an armful of packages, and as for me...well, I'm avoiding the last-minute cleaning and wrapping I have to do with a blog post! So, thanks for fueling my procrastination.
As most of you may know, I'm a Media Studies, Journalism and Digital Arts major at Saint Mike's. I have this belief: the longer the name, the cooler the major! If you're from the same school of thought, then nothing is better than MJD!
When I started the college search, I knew I was mostly interested in schools that offered a Journalism program. The thing about journalism, though, is that it's one of the fastest-growing and most changing fields of study. Modern technology has changed the way the media work. Journalists are no longer just writers; they are photographers, designers, editors, and web creators. What made SMC stand out for me was that our MJD department was taking this into consideration. Before I got to Saint Mike's, the major was known as "Journalism and Mass Communication". Then, the department revised its curriculum in order to allow more focus on much of the emerging technology and new skills that are needed to succeed in today's industry.
One really fascinating aspect of the MJD major is that we are not only learning how to use technology responsibly and effectively, but we are also learning how to analyze the ways in which new media may change the way we receive information and even alter the ways we view the world. There's no doubt that people are spending more time than ever indoors, that we now receive news and information mostly over the internet, and that so much screen time often leads to negative health effects. But, how do computers change the way our brains function? What does the impact of technology have to do with human interaction? With so many opposing views and thousands of outlets to receive news, how do we choose which source to trust? How have social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter changed the ways we interact with each other? These questions, among many others, are ones that all MJD majors will become familiar with and eventually answer in their own terms.
One of the ways we consider these questions is through a week-long "Tech Fast", a time each semester when students are encouraged to completely "unplug." We turn off our cell phones and ipods, write many assignments by hand, and stay away from computers--which, as a school that relies so heavily on email to keep students informed about happenings on campus, is an incredibly difficult task. This is all optional, of course, but most MJD majors take part in it as a way to fully comprehend our reliance on these tools. The tech fast always creates some awesome discussions in class, as all of the students get really pumped to share their experience.
 |
| An inspirational message to MJD students on the door of a Bergeron computer lab. |
Of course, the curriculum wouldn't be much if the department didn't have an incredible staff of professors to teach it. Well, MJD majors present and future, you're in luck! The Saint Mike's MJD department employs several amazing journalists from various specific areas of interest. They have traveled the world, worked for an array of companies, taught at other prestigious schools across the country, and they've been published in all media forms. These professors are dedicated, too. I've spent a lot of time in Bergeron (the main academic building for MJD students...hopefully you'll like this tight-knit journalism community, because you'll practically live there!) and there are always professors around, in their offices, having meetings with students, and helping out in the classrooms. They work extremely hard to make themselves available for anything the students may need.
Another quick thing to tell you about the MJD major--this group of students and professors is truly a community. It's evident in the impromptu study sessions, the conversations that might last long after a class has ended, and the fact that you'll probably get to know every single person in the major. I remember a conversation I once had with a transfer student who commented on the competitiveness of her old school. She loved that at Saint Mike's, the students were "all in it together"--learning from each other and willing to help other students succeed. I can definitely relate to that. I love that these students are so talented, they're constantly pushing me to do better without even realizing it. But at the end of the day, we're simply trying to better ourselves, not outdo each other--which allows us to realize that we are truly each other's best resources. The camaraderie of the MJD department at Saint Mike's is likely to go unmatched at most other schools.
To see some student-run MJD work in action, check out the Defender, our weekly newspaper that covers all kinds of news and events on campus and around the Burlington area.
So, that was a LOT, and I feel like I've simply skimmed the surface. This is obviously a topic I'll constantly come back to on my blog, so I'll make the appropriate tags for you all to explore as I continue posting throughout my college experience. For now, I'll only say a few things about each of my minors:
The Environmental Studies minor (also offered as a major) at Saint Mike's is by far one of the coolest approaches I've seen to this interesting area of study. This has an interdisciplinary focus, looking at nature and the current issues in our environment from several perspectives. Not only do we study sciences like biology and ecology for a basic understanding of the way our earth functions, but we observe human interaction with nature over time by analyzing art, literature, philosophy, and even music. We look at famous environmental disasters and legal cases as well as modern issues that plague our world, including climate change, food insecurity and the global water crisis. The Intro to Environmental Studies class I took this year was extremely engaging, as four professors from different disciplines came together to teach a course that really opened my eyes to the world around me.
Creative Writing has been an absolute pleasure for me so far. I love to write, which is one of the main reasons I went to school for journalism. However, I often find that there's a lot of structure in journalistic writing, and sometimes it's necessary to stick to a certain format and of course remain objective (depending on who or what you're writing for, you can be more flexible with your writing, but traditional journalism might not always allow this). The Creative Writing minor is the perfect outlet for me--sometimes, I just want to write fiction! I've also found that my CW classes have strengthened me as a writer in general, and they often help me see my MJD major in a different way. CW has allowed me to explore different styles and techniques to find a way of writing that is uniquely me.
If you're interested in Creative Writing but you're not sure if you want it to be your minor, have no fear--there is a solution! You can practice and contribute to the CW community by submitting pieces to the Onion River Review, our campus literature and art publication. I'm an auxiliary editor for the review, which basically means that I get to read the submissions and meet up with the rest of the editors once or twice a year to help decide what to publish (it's so popular that unfortunately, there's not enough room for all of the submissions!) It's a really great way to get involved with people who share similar interests--there's also an open reading for poetry and other work about once a month on campus!
So, there you have it--a little look at why I love learning at Saint Mike's. Stay tuned for more major/minor information as well as the normal shenanigans! For my next few posts, I'm hoping to focus on some projects that I've done or contributed to in some way or another.
Again, Happy Holidays, and thanks for reading!
Lauren
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Catching Up
Hello Readers! I am so sorry that it's been what seems like forever since my last post. As you may know, the last few weeks of the semester are always the busiest as everyone is rushing to wrap up their classes. Since so much has happened in such a small amount of time, I will update you on some of the highlights:
Earlier this month I attended a Christmas party held by Founders Society for alumni, faculty members and their children. It was a lot of fun--Alliot was all decked out for the occasion with a giant Christmas tree and an appearance from Santa, which the kids loved. We also had craft stations set up so that they would have little hand-made gifts to bring home with them.
The Christmas party was a good break from working on projects and studying for finals, and it also got me into a really festive holiday spirit. Though we did not get much snow, and what little we had is already melted and gone, campus looked like a winter wonderland during the first week or so of December.
As the snow melted and the next few weeks carried on, things became a bit more challenging. With deadlines and finals approaching, there was not as much time to relax or get away from work on the weekends. Although many a Saturday afternoon was spent in the library, the stress of the semester closing was accompanied with and balanced out by good friends, late-night runs to the Knightstand, and laughing fests that seem to come out of nowhere simply because we're so tired that everything seems hilarious (come on, you know what I'm talking about!).
There were also some stress-free events held on campus. The comedian, John Hodgman, put on a show that had all of the students laughing. There were a ton of activities for people to relax at the end of a long day, like getting Henna tattoos or "Fun Night" in Alliot when we were given crayons and paper tablecloths at dinner and allowed to let our inner five-year-olds free.
As for finals themselves, I think they went really well. My final assignment for Nature and Outdoor Writing was due on Monday. We had a choice to research an environmental person, organization, or issue, so I wrote about the global water crisis. I also had my Christianity final on Monday, and was actually surprised at how much I wrote for each of the questions we had. Though I had studied hard, I didn't think I had much to say. But, I ended up using almost the whole two-and-a-half hours allotted for the test, and I filled up two essay booklets!
On Tuesday, I had my Environmental Studies exam. We had already presented a group project for this class a week earlier, which was an event that I had seen as so important that until Tuesday I felt as if I was already done with the course. I'll admit that this test threw me off a bit--because I had taken that attitude about it, I wasn't in the best mindset to take an exam. However, once I got into a rhythm, I found it pretty easy to write responses to each of the questions. It was an open-note test, but I only referenced my books when I felt that I needed to. Otherwise, I relied on my brainpower and passion for the subject to take over, and once more I found myself staying the whole time to complete the exam.
My website for Advanced Digital Media was also due on Tuesday. This project was a final portfolio website that had to incorporate all of our past work into one big project. I have to admit, this assignment was certainly the most intimidating for me, as I am not the most technologically-minded person and I often become extremely frustrated with design programs. I poured all of my spare time and tons of effort into the project, and it really paid off. It was definitely the most complex assignment I had completed all semester, and apart from a few extra things I wanted to do but ran out of time for, I had gotten the result I wanted.
The website was due at 5PM on Tuesday, and after making some minor adjustments, I finished just in time. Once I sent it in, I took a big sigh of relief--I was done! This hectic semester was over!
The euphoric feeling lasted about two seconds. My next thought was...now what?
It's funny once you're officially done with a semester. At first, it doesn't feel real. One minute, you're racing against the clock, trying to get everything done. The next minute, there's nothing else to do.
I came up with ideas quickly though. Since I was catching a ride home with Sheila and she was not done until Friday, I spent my next few days of freedom cleaning out my room, which definitely needed a few days' worth of attention, and getting all of my Christmas shopping done on Church Street with local Vermont products. (Okay, and I slept A LOT.)
After Sheila's final presentation on Friday, we piled all of our stuff in her car and got on the road to head home. It was only a few minutes into the ride when I heard the awful news about the tragic elementary school massacre that took place in Newtown, Connecticut. A friend from that area told me, so we turned on the radio and listened to the news most of the way home. I know that during this holiday season, my thoughts will remain on the victims of this event and their families. It is so terrible and unfortunate that nothing will ever be the same for them.
Hearing this news made me hug my family a bit tighter when I got home. I am so lucky and grateful to have them in my life. To all of my readers, I hope that you and your loved ones have a safe, healthy and happy holiday season.
So, that just about wraps up the last few weeks of my blog absence. And quite a few weeks they were! They were difficult, yes, but they were equally productive, interesting, enlightening, and at times even fun. They have caused me to spend a lot of time reflecting about how far I've come since the beginning of the semester and even since I began college. They have taught me lessons about time management, stress, and especially in light of the past few days, love, the true meaning of the holidays and the most important things in life.
I spent my first day home with my family. We put up our tree and Christmas decorations. I also spent some time looking ahead at my plans for the future--so if you'll excuse me, I'm off to go read through all of my study abroad materials!
Stay tuned for more posts--I'm working on a list of everything I want to tell you about my major and minors!
Happy end-of-semester!
Lauren
Earlier this month I attended a Christmas party held by Founders Society for alumni, faculty members and their children. It was a lot of fun--Alliot was all decked out for the occasion with a giant Christmas tree and an appearance from Santa, which the kids loved. We also had craft stations set up so that they would have little hand-made gifts to bring home with them.
 |
| My friend Cara and I had a photo shoot in Santa's chair after he left. |
 |
| Our craft station made candy-cane reindeer! |
The Christmas party was a good break from working on projects and studying for finals, and it also got me into a really festive holiday spirit. Though we did not get much snow, and what little we had is already melted and gone, campus looked like a winter wonderland during the first week or so of December.
 |
| Beautiful! |
There were also some stress-free events held on campus. The comedian, John Hodgman, put on a show that had all of the students laughing. There were a ton of activities for people to relax at the end of a long day, like getting Henna tattoos or "Fun Night" in Alliot when we were given crayons and paper tablecloths at dinner and allowed to let our inner five-year-olds free.
As for finals themselves, I think they went really well. My final assignment for Nature and Outdoor Writing was due on Monday. We had a choice to research an environmental person, organization, or issue, so I wrote about the global water crisis. I also had my Christianity final on Monday, and was actually surprised at how much I wrote for each of the questions we had. Though I had studied hard, I didn't think I had much to say. But, I ended up using almost the whole two-and-a-half hours allotted for the test, and I filled up two essay booklets!
On Tuesday, I had my Environmental Studies exam. We had already presented a group project for this class a week earlier, which was an event that I had seen as so important that until Tuesday I felt as if I was already done with the course. I'll admit that this test threw me off a bit--because I had taken that attitude about it, I wasn't in the best mindset to take an exam. However, once I got into a rhythm, I found it pretty easy to write responses to each of the questions. It was an open-note test, but I only referenced my books when I felt that I needed to. Otherwise, I relied on my brainpower and passion for the subject to take over, and once more I found myself staying the whole time to complete the exam.
My website for Advanced Digital Media was also due on Tuesday. This project was a final portfolio website that had to incorporate all of our past work into one big project. I have to admit, this assignment was certainly the most intimidating for me, as I am not the most technologically-minded person and I often become extremely frustrated with design programs. I poured all of my spare time and tons of effort into the project, and it really paid off. It was definitely the most complex assignment I had completed all semester, and apart from a few extra things I wanted to do but ran out of time for, I had gotten the result I wanted.
 |
| Here is a sample from the home page of my website, which had a slide show of my photography. |
The website was due at 5PM on Tuesday, and after making some minor adjustments, I finished just in time. Once I sent it in, I took a big sigh of relief--I was done! This hectic semester was over!
The euphoric feeling lasted about two seconds. My next thought was...now what?
It's funny once you're officially done with a semester. At first, it doesn't feel real. One minute, you're racing against the clock, trying to get everything done. The next minute, there's nothing else to do.
I came up with ideas quickly though. Since I was catching a ride home with Sheila and she was not done until Friday, I spent my next few days of freedom cleaning out my room, which definitely needed a few days' worth of attention, and getting all of my Christmas shopping done on Church Street with local Vermont products. (Okay, and I slept A LOT.)
After Sheila's final presentation on Friday, we piled all of our stuff in her car and got on the road to head home. It was only a few minutes into the ride when I heard the awful news about the tragic elementary school massacre that took place in Newtown, Connecticut. A friend from that area told me, so we turned on the radio and listened to the news most of the way home. I know that during this holiday season, my thoughts will remain on the victims of this event and their families. It is so terrible and unfortunate that nothing will ever be the same for them.
Hearing this news made me hug my family a bit tighter when I got home. I am so lucky and grateful to have them in my life. To all of my readers, I hope that you and your loved ones have a safe, healthy and happy holiday season.
So, that just about wraps up the last few weeks of my blog absence. And quite a few weeks they were! They were difficult, yes, but they were equally productive, interesting, enlightening, and at times even fun. They have caused me to spend a lot of time reflecting about how far I've come since the beginning of the semester and even since I began college. They have taught me lessons about time management, stress, and especially in light of the past few days, love, the true meaning of the holidays and the most important things in life.
I spent my first day home with my family. We put up our tree and Christmas decorations. I also spent some time looking ahead at my plans for the future--so if you'll excuse me, I'm off to go read through all of my study abroad materials!
 |
| Please excuse my creepy smile--I'm just a bit too enthusiastic for this endeavor. |
Happy end-of-semester!
Lauren
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Well this is awkward...
Oops, looks like I haven't been here in a while. I swear, it's not you, it's me. Really. Sorry to be keeping everyone waiting!
First of all, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know I really enjoyed it, and it came at just the right time too--it was so nice to relax a little bit over break before coming back for the final stretch this semester. I just finished one project last night, which worked out well, but I still have two more to finish as well as a paper that I'm hoping to be done with by the end of next week. Then, I just have to study for exams and before I know it, there will be nothing left! I'm sure it will be relieving, but at the same time, I'm not going to know what to do with myself!
It's a good thing I'll be going home for winter break...there will be no boredom when there are Christmas lights to hang, trees to decorate and cookies to bake! (In case you couldn't tell, I'm a Christmas fanatic. In fact, I'm wearing a shirt right now that's from the boadway musical of Elf that says "Sparkle Jolly Twinkle Jingley." Yeah, I'm one of those...)
So anyway, I just wanted to check in with you all. I'm still kickin' and going strong. Hope you're all doing well!
PS, It's snowing up here in Vermont. LOVE IT!!!! I hope it'll be a white Christmas in New York this year as well.
Wherever you are, stay jolly...and stay warm!
Cheer,
Lauren
First of all, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know I really enjoyed it, and it came at just the right time too--it was so nice to relax a little bit over break before coming back for the final stretch this semester. I just finished one project last night, which worked out well, but I still have two more to finish as well as a paper that I'm hoping to be done with by the end of next week. Then, I just have to study for exams and before I know it, there will be nothing left! I'm sure it will be relieving, but at the same time, I'm not going to know what to do with myself!
It's a good thing I'll be going home for winter break...there will be no boredom when there are Christmas lights to hang, trees to decorate and cookies to bake! (In case you couldn't tell, I'm a Christmas fanatic. In fact, I'm wearing a shirt right now that's from the boadway musical of Elf that says "Sparkle Jolly Twinkle Jingley." Yeah, I'm one of those...)
So anyway, I just wanted to check in with you all. I'm still kickin' and going strong. Hope you're all doing well!
PS, It's snowing up here in Vermont. LOVE IT!!!! I hope it'll be a white Christmas in New York this year as well.
Wherever you are, stay jolly...and stay warm!
Cheer,
Lauren
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Have I told you how much I love my classes?
Well, I'll tell you again!
By now, you probably know that Nature and Outdoor Writing has been my favorite class this semester. One reason for this is simply that the content of the course matches my interests perfectly. It's an MJD (my journalism major) elective, as well as an elective for Environmental Studies and Creative Writing minors. We read works from all kinds of environmental authors, ranging from Leopold to Suburban Safari's Hannah Holmes. We also get to write our own pieces, including memoir-like accounts of our own experiences as well as creative natural history articles that incorporate research.
Basically, it's the perfect class for me because it's a crossroads of my major and minors. I'm always finding connections between my classes (for example, 3 out of my 4 classes this semsester have discussed the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone) but this one takes the cake!
It's also just a really fun course, and Professor Sultze organizes some really cool activities for us. At the beginning of the semester when it was warmer, we had class outside pretty often. This was also the class that had the field trip to Burlington's bike path where I rode a tandem bike for the first time. Yesterday's class was another awesome opportunity--we had a guest speaker from a local bird sanctuary come and show us some of the birds!
I just figured I would share that with you. This was definitely a highlight of my week! But, stay tuned for more MOVE news as well as other fun stuff to come!
Lauren
By now, you probably know that Nature and Outdoor Writing has been my favorite class this semester. One reason for this is simply that the content of the course matches my interests perfectly. It's an MJD (my journalism major) elective, as well as an elective for Environmental Studies and Creative Writing minors. We read works from all kinds of environmental authors, ranging from Leopold to Suburban Safari's Hannah Holmes. We also get to write our own pieces, including memoir-like accounts of our own experiences as well as creative natural history articles that incorporate research.
Basically, it's the perfect class for me because it's a crossroads of my major and minors. I'm always finding connections between my classes (for example, 3 out of my 4 classes this semsester have discussed the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone) but this one takes the cake!
It's also just a really fun course, and Professor Sultze organizes some really cool activities for us. At the beginning of the semester when it was warmer, we had class outside pretty often. This was also the class that had the field trip to Burlington's bike path where I rode a tandem bike for the first time. Yesterday's class was another awesome opportunity--we had a guest speaker from a local bird sanctuary come and show us some of the birds!
 |
| Here is an Eastern Screech Owl named Carson, after famous Environmental author Rachel Carson. She was a very "talkative" bird! |
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| This is a Barred Owl, one of the most popular owls in many areas across the United States. |
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| This is a red-tailed hawk, and the picture doesn't do her justice...her wing span was huge, and when she flapped her wings you could actually feel the wind from it on your face! |
I just figured I would share that with you. This was definitely a highlight of my week! But, stay tuned for more MOVE news as well as other fun stuff to come!
Lauren
Sunday, November 11, 2012
South Dakota, Here I Come!
Hello everyone, and Happy Veterans' Day!
Some of you may know that I have applied for another domestic extended service trip with MOVE. I had such an amazing time in Texas last year that I really wanted to go on another trip--I also love extended service because I take an entire week to devote to helping others, and focus on nothing else. These trips occur during school breaks, so it makes thema lot easier to schedule in.
Well, a few weeks ago I got the results from my application in my mailbox, and this past week we had our first set of meetings with the other MOVE groups.
Ladies and gentleman, *drumroll please...* I am going to the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota from May 18th to the 25th! WHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
You guys, I am SO EXCITED for this trip. My group is going to a Lakota reservation, where we will work with the non-profit group Simply Smiles, which is "dedicated to providing bright futures for impoverished children." While applying for the trip, it was noted that this was an extremely intense and emotional one.
The Cheyenne River Reservation has seen some harsh economic times, which affect the people in tons of ways. Many people don't stay in school, and Simply Smiles tries to keep that from happening as well as work to keep building the community and improve the quality of life. While we are there, we could be working on projects that would help the community in any way possible.
This year will be different because I'll be going with a much smaller group of people and we'll be focusing on working with people directly rather than on environmental issues. It's going to be a totally different experience than I've had on my last trip, and even though I loved Texas, I'm so happy about that because it'll be something completely new. The trips won't even be comparable--that's the awesome thing about extended service trips. You never know exactly what you're getting into!
As much as I just want it to be May, I shouldn't be rushing to get to this trip. It's going to take a lot of preparation, especially mentally and emotionally. I can't wait to have meetings with my group and learn more about what the trip will be like. Our student trip leader, Jenna, a friend of mine who I actually met on my Texas trip last year, sent us some links to the Simply Smiles website and their examples of past work with the reservation:
http://www.simplysmiles.org/whoweare/
http://www.simplysmiles.org/our-projects/crst/
This is just one example of the various opportunities one can have with extended service and MOVE as a whole. Other trips I applied to included an animal sanctuary in Utah, a Habitat for Humanity trip to New Orleans, and one that focuses on helping the migrant worker community in Immokalee, Florida. There are also bus trips that go to homeless shelters or school districts in need in places like Buffalo, NY, Baltimore, Connecticut and New York City.
I really love being involved with MOVE, even though I don't get to do local events as often as I wish I could...but extended service offers the perfect opportunity to make a difference while seeing a new place. I know this trip is going to require a lot of dedication, but I am more excited than ever to take it on and have a brand new experience.
I hope that whatever you do, you remain passionate about it. Here's to MOVE 2013!
Cheers,
Lauren
Some of you may know that I have applied for another domestic extended service trip with MOVE. I had such an amazing time in Texas last year that I really wanted to go on another trip--I also love extended service because I take an entire week to devote to helping others, and focus on nothing else. These trips occur during school breaks, so it makes thema lot easier to schedule in.
Well, a few weeks ago I got the results from my application in my mailbox, and this past week we had our first set of meetings with the other MOVE groups.
Ladies and gentleman, *drumroll please...* I am going to the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota from May 18th to the 25th! WHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
You guys, I am SO EXCITED for this trip. My group is going to a Lakota reservation, where we will work with the non-profit group Simply Smiles, which is "dedicated to providing bright futures for impoverished children." While applying for the trip, it was noted that this was an extremely intense and emotional one.
The Cheyenne River Reservation has seen some harsh economic times, which affect the people in tons of ways. Many people don't stay in school, and Simply Smiles tries to keep that from happening as well as work to keep building the community and improve the quality of life. While we are there, we could be working on projects that would help the community in any way possible.
This year will be different because I'll be going with a much smaller group of people and we'll be focusing on working with people directly rather than on environmental issues. It's going to be a totally different experience than I've had on my last trip, and even though I loved Texas, I'm so happy about that because it'll be something completely new. The trips won't even be comparable--that's the awesome thing about extended service trips. You never know exactly what you're getting into!
As much as I just want it to be May, I shouldn't be rushing to get to this trip. It's going to take a lot of preparation, especially mentally and emotionally. I can't wait to have meetings with my group and learn more about what the trip will be like. Our student trip leader, Jenna, a friend of mine who I actually met on my Texas trip last year, sent us some links to the Simply Smiles website and their examples of past work with the reservation:
http://www.simplysmiles.org/whoweare/
http://www.simplysmiles.org/our-projects/crst/
This is just one example of the various opportunities one can have with extended service and MOVE as a whole. Other trips I applied to included an animal sanctuary in Utah, a Habitat for Humanity trip to New Orleans, and one that focuses on helping the migrant worker community in Immokalee, Florida. There are also bus trips that go to homeless shelters or school districts in need in places like Buffalo, NY, Baltimore, Connecticut and New York City.
I really love being involved with MOVE, even though I don't get to do local events as often as I wish I could...but extended service offers the perfect opportunity to make a difference while seeing a new place. I know this trip is going to require a lot of dedication, but I am more excited than ever to take it on and have a brand new experience.
I hope that whatever you do, you remain passionate about it. Here's to MOVE 2013!
Cheers,
Lauren
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
"Help, I didn't get into all of my classes! What do I do now?"
Class registration is nerve-wracking--all students can agree to that! As much as Knightvision, our online registration program, is efficient, it has its faults. Students often don't get their first-choice classes on the first try...or the second. As a seasoned Knightvision failure, I can tell you that the worst thing to do at this point is panic. It gets you nowhere! Besides, most schedules are not set in stone--sometimes, it can be a really simple fix!
My personal experience with Knightvision has been comical at best. It all started the summer before my freshman year, when I visited Saint Mike's to learn about registration and sign up for classes. I had everything that I wanted to take chosen and ready, and then everyone in the computer lab had to press "submit" at the same time. Mostly everyone waited a few seconds for the program to load and then saw their successful registration pop up on the screen. My computer loaded and then...logged me out of the program.
You can imagine my initial shock! Thankfully, Will Marquess, my temporary advisor for the day, came to the rescue and showed me what to do. He helped me pick out different classes, since some of my first choices were closed. Then, he told me the dates when registration would open back up, and said that I could tweak my schedule as much as I wanted to during that time. I ended up with most of the classes I had wanted the first time around, or ones that would fulfill the same requirement.
Registration for the following semesters did not get any easier. I have been timed out of Knightvision, kicked out of classes that fill up, and computer-crashed. My friends began making jokes about how unlucky I am when it comes to Knightvision, and how I will never get the classes I want on the first try. To be honest, I'm starting to believe it--maybe I will never have an easy registration day! I think that my reaction time is too slow, so when I hit "submit" at 7am, it's not EXACTLY 7am.
Am I making this all sound like a horror story? No fear, people! The good thing about being such a registration day failure is that I've become an expert at getting the classes I want the second, third, or even fourth time around. It just takes some more effort!
Here is some advice for those of you who have experienced Knightvision Failure:
1.) Know your stuff and be prepared. Make sure you know when your assigned registration day is. You'll get a letter in your mailbox and a follow-up email about it, so it should be easy to remember. All of the rules for undergraduate registration can also be found here, on the school website. Prior to registration day, log on to Knightvision and pick out the classes that you want to take. Put them on your "preferred" list. Also, make sure you meet with your academic advisor. This is extremely important because your advisor has to clear you for registration. Failing to set up a meeting will result in no access to registration because you were not given permission.
2.) Always, always, always have a back-up plan. You've picked your top four classes? Great, but you're not done yet. Choose your second top-four classes. And your third. Figure out each possible way you can work your schedule out so that you can pick and choose properly. For example, my priority class for this semester was Global Communications. It's required for my major, and it's only offered in the spring. However, I knew that it would be silly of me not to have a back-up for this class. It's wildly popular, and tons of other people were making it a priority too. When I didn't get into it, I immediately signed up for Media Law instead--it's another class required to complete my major, and one that I'm interested in taking as soon as possible.
3.) No matter what, try to fill your schedule. You only got into one out of your four preferred classes? Well, you can always try to get into the other three again--but before you log off to take the next steps with getting those classes, register for something else. Look at your academic profile and try to take some unfinished LSC requirements or elective courses for your major. You can always drop these if you add a new class. But you don't want to be scrambling around on the last registration day trying to get any old class just to fill up your schedule. That's only setting you up to either take something that you don't necessarily need or something that you're not interested in.
4.) If you don't get into a class, don't give up on it. There are several ways you can try to register again. We can use my experience as an example here. My initial registration date was Monday (Group 1). I got to register for classes with half of my class year. The second half went yesterday (Tuesday, Group 2). On this day, registration is closed to Group 1, just as Monday had been closed to Group 2. However, today was Open Registration for the entire sophomore class. So, I logged onto Knightvision this morning and tried again. There was one spot left for Global Communications, so I dropped Media Law and tried registering for it. When my registration loaded "unsuccessful", I registered back into Media Law and logged out.
But this step doesn't stop here. I immediately logged into my email and sent the professor a message explaining my situation and why I wanted to take the class so badly. A lot of times, professors will be willing to accomodate one or two extra students. This is how students are able to petition into a class. So, I told him that I'd like to take the class and asked when his office hours are so that I could meet him. This is an important thing to do: if a professor is going to let you into a class that is at its capacity, they want to make sure you're going to put in some effort, too.
5.) Petition. Before you meet with the professor, stop by Founders Hall (where the office of the Registrar is located) or go online and print out a petition form. When you meet with the instructor, he or she will sign it, and then you can bring it to the Registrar and they will process it for you. Then, you're in!
6.) Remember about open registration. Once everyone in the school has had their registration day, there are a few weeks of open registration for all classes. This semester, it's November 12th to December 7th. Things change around a lot during this time, so make it a priority to check at least once a day until you get your desired schedule.
7.) Attend a class. Still didn't get what you wanted? Or maybe you've changed your mind and want to take a different course? Try one more time. At the beginning of the next semester, sit in on the first class even though you're not enrolled. Before or after the class, talk to the professor and let him or her know that you're interested. This is especially important if you did not try to petition into the class. Simply e-mailing the professor will not show much dedication, and most likely will not result in their allowing you into the course. Besides, it's important to make sure this really is the class you want to switch into, and only knowing the title and description of the course won't give you a feel for what it's actually like. Visiting the class will give you the experience you need to make this decision.
So, there you have it! You can always try to turn a registration nightmare into a success story--nothing is set in stone. If you don't get the right classes the first time around, don't panic. Just try again! Make sure you've exhausted all of your options before settling with your schedule.
And if you still don't get the class, remember that if it's required it will always be there again. Spend your time getting the most out of the classes you do have rather than worrying about ones you don't have. I was very excited for Global Comm, but if I don't get into it, I'm just as pumped for Media Law. I've heard good things about the class, and the professor is my advisor! So, this would change my plans a little, but one thing that college has taught me is how to be flexible. No matter what, I love journalism courses, and I know it will be a productive and awesome semester.
Good luck registering, everyone!
Lauren
My personal experience with Knightvision has been comical at best. It all started the summer before my freshman year, when I visited Saint Mike's to learn about registration and sign up for classes. I had everything that I wanted to take chosen and ready, and then everyone in the computer lab had to press "submit" at the same time. Mostly everyone waited a few seconds for the program to load and then saw their successful registration pop up on the screen. My computer loaded and then...logged me out of the program.You can imagine my initial shock! Thankfully, Will Marquess, my temporary advisor for the day, came to the rescue and showed me what to do. He helped me pick out different classes, since some of my first choices were closed. Then, he told me the dates when registration would open back up, and said that I could tweak my schedule as much as I wanted to during that time. I ended up with most of the classes I had wanted the first time around, or ones that would fulfill the same requirement.
Registration for the following semesters did not get any easier. I have been timed out of Knightvision, kicked out of classes that fill up, and computer-crashed. My friends began making jokes about how unlucky I am when it comes to Knightvision, and how I will never get the classes I want on the first try. To be honest, I'm starting to believe it--maybe I will never have an easy registration day! I think that my reaction time is too slow, so when I hit "submit" at 7am, it's not EXACTLY 7am.
Am I making this all sound like a horror story? No fear, people! The good thing about being such a registration day failure is that I've become an expert at getting the classes I want the second, third, or even fourth time around. It just takes some more effort!
 |
| Most importantly: BE ON TIME for regisration! |
1.) Know your stuff and be prepared. Make sure you know when your assigned registration day is. You'll get a letter in your mailbox and a follow-up email about it, so it should be easy to remember. All of the rules for undergraduate registration can also be found here, on the school website. Prior to registration day, log on to Knightvision and pick out the classes that you want to take. Put them on your "preferred" list. Also, make sure you meet with your academic advisor. This is extremely important because your advisor has to clear you for registration. Failing to set up a meeting will result in no access to registration because you were not given permission.
2.) Always, always, always have a back-up plan. You've picked your top four classes? Great, but you're not done yet. Choose your second top-four classes. And your third. Figure out each possible way you can work your schedule out so that you can pick and choose properly. For example, my priority class for this semester was Global Communications. It's required for my major, and it's only offered in the spring. However, I knew that it would be silly of me not to have a back-up for this class. It's wildly popular, and tons of other people were making it a priority too. When I didn't get into it, I immediately signed up for Media Law instead--it's another class required to complete my major, and one that I'm interested in taking as soon as possible.
3.) No matter what, try to fill your schedule. You only got into one out of your four preferred classes? Well, you can always try to get into the other three again--but before you log off to take the next steps with getting those classes, register for something else. Look at your academic profile and try to take some unfinished LSC requirements or elective courses for your major. You can always drop these if you add a new class. But you don't want to be scrambling around on the last registration day trying to get any old class just to fill up your schedule. That's only setting you up to either take something that you don't necessarily need or something that you're not interested in.
4.) If you don't get into a class, don't give up on it. There are several ways you can try to register again. We can use my experience as an example here. My initial registration date was Monday (Group 1). I got to register for classes with half of my class year. The second half went yesterday (Tuesday, Group 2). On this day, registration is closed to Group 1, just as Monday had been closed to Group 2. However, today was Open Registration for the entire sophomore class. So, I logged onto Knightvision this morning and tried again. There was one spot left for Global Communications, so I dropped Media Law and tried registering for it. When my registration loaded "unsuccessful", I registered back into Media Law and logged out.
But this step doesn't stop here. I immediately logged into my email and sent the professor a message explaining my situation and why I wanted to take the class so badly. A lot of times, professors will be willing to accomodate one or two extra students. This is how students are able to petition into a class. So, I told him that I'd like to take the class and asked when his office hours are so that I could meet him. This is an important thing to do: if a professor is going to let you into a class that is at its capacity, they want to make sure you're going to put in some effort, too.
5.) Petition. Before you meet with the professor, stop by Founders Hall (where the office of the Registrar is located) or go online and print out a petition form. When you meet with the instructor, he or she will sign it, and then you can bring it to the Registrar and they will process it for you. Then, you're in!
6.) Remember about open registration. Once everyone in the school has had their registration day, there are a few weeks of open registration for all classes. This semester, it's November 12th to December 7th. Things change around a lot during this time, so make it a priority to check at least once a day until you get your desired schedule.
7.) Attend a class. Still didn't get what you wanted? Or maybe you've changed your mind and want to take a different course? Try one more time. At the beginning of the next semester, sit in on the first class even though you're not enrolled. Before or after the class, talk to the professor and let him or her know that you're interested. This is especially important if you did not try to petition into the class. Simply e-mailing the professor will not show much dedication, and most likely will not result in their allowing you into the course. Besides, it's important to make sure this really is the class you want to switch into, and only knowing the title and description of the course won't give you a feel for what it's actually like. Visiting the class will give you the experience you need to make this decision.
So, there you have it! You can always try to turn a registration nightmare into a success story--nothing is set in stone. If you don't get the right classes the first time around, don't panic. Just try again! Make sure you've exhausted all of your options before settling with your schedule.
And if you still don't get the class, remember that if it's required it will always be there again. Spend your time getting the most out of the classes you do have rather than worrying about ones you don't have. I was very excited for Global Comm, but if I don't get into it, I'm just as pumped for Media Law. I've heard good things about the class, and the professor is my advisor! So, this would change my plans a little, but one thing that college has taught me is how to be flexible. No matter what, I love journalism courses, and I know it will be a productive and awesome semester.
Good luck registering, everyone!
Lauren
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