First Steps of a Freshman

Tiger Spirit!

2009-07-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know I said my last post was going to be my final post but I wanted to share one final picture!

These are my Mizzou vanity license plates!

Anyway, they were fun so I thought I would post them!

For those who have just recently stumbled upon my blog, my best advice is start reading from the oldest entries to the newest!

Final Farewell

2009-06-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

I'd love to hear your feedback about my blog. Please leave a comment and tell me what you thought. What you liked or didn't like. What you would want to learn more of. You can leave anonymous comments too, so don't feel like you have to leave your name!

Seriously though, this has been a lot of fun! I hope all of you get involved your first year, enjoy college, and do well! If you want advice or someone to talk to (the transition can be stressful) don't hesitate to contact me. I love hearing from all of you.

Packing List

2009-05-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

This is the comprehensive packing list I made before I went off to college. Looking back it was pretty accurate but there are DEFINITELY some things I forgot and some things that were a huge waste of money/space.

Bathroom:
• Flip-flops
• Shower caddy
• Soap case
• Body wash
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Bathrobe
• Electronic toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Hairdryer
• Makeup case
• Razors, nail clippers, tweezers
• Tampons
• Prescription medication
• Nail polish
• Hair ties
• Headbands
• Kleenex
• Cough drops
• Advil
• Midol
• Cotton swabs

Living:
• Wastebasket
• Desk lamp
• Whiteboard
• Bulletin Board
• Pushpins
• Laundry hamper
• Laundry bucket (for supplies)
• Hangers
• Full length mirror
• Iron / Ironing board
• Rug
• Photos

Electronics:
• Alarm clock
• Phone charger
• Surge protector
• Television
• Camera
• Headphones
• DVDs

“Kitchen”:
• Tupperware
• Mini-fridge
• Dishes
• Utensils
• Plastic Wrap
• Microwave
• Paper towels
• Dish towels
• Blender

Clothing:
• Formal Dress
• Swim suit
• Shoe rack
• LOTS of underwear
• Bras
• Shirts
• Dress shirts
• Jeans
• Shorts
• Gym shorts
• Pajama bottoms
• Khakis
• Black pants
• Skirts
• Winter coat
• Spring jacket
• Tights
• Socks
• Shoes
• Sandals
• High heels
• Flats
• Gloves
• Scarves
• Mittens
• Hat

Tools:
• First-aid kit
• Tool kit
• Double sided tape
• Power strip
• Extension cords
• Removable hooks/adhesives
• Sewing kit
• Flashlights

School Supplies:
• Laptop
• Printer
• Planner
• Notebooks
• Binders
• Pens
• Pencils
• Highlighters
• Post its
• Index-cards
• Stapler
• Tape
• Dividers
• Ruler
• Flash drive

Misc:
• Wrapping paper
• Cards
• Ribbon
• Address book
• File cabinet
• Fan
• Electric blanket
• Festive decorations
• Scissors
• Mini-vacuum
• Broom / Dustpan
• Forever stamps
• Envelopes
• Computer paper
• Windex
• Fabreeze
• Other cleaning supplies
• Laundry Soap
• Fabric softener
• Quarters

Guys: Tampons are probably not necessary for your list, same with Midol. You can probably take both of those off. :)

Other things that I NEVER used: a blender (who was I kidding?!), plastic wrap, and a formal dress (some girls might actually use this, but I wasn't one of them).

Some things I couldn't live without: VACUUM! Multiple trash cans (you'll get sick of emptying the one provided one every two days, so make sure you and your roommate each bring your own). Bulk amounts of toothpaste, soap, and shampoo/conditioner (these things are expensive if you buy them on campus, so just come prepared with extra).

Things I wish I had: RAINBOOTS and two umbrellas (one will guarantee to break or be left in someone's car).

Boring? Stressful? Think Again!

2009-05-11T21:59:00.001-07:00

Quick post about how fan-tastic Mizzou is. Finals week may be known as “hell week” at other schools, which is just sad and lame, but at Mizzou it’s filled with energy boosting events that give you the motivation to make it through.

Beetle Bailey showed up to the pancake breakfast during fall finals week in December

Like the pancake breakfast held at the beginning of finals week to kick things off right!

Or, the first annual (hopefully continual) FLASH RAVE. Yeah, that’s right. Flash Rave. I got a few event notifications on facebook, but then all the sudden there were over 2,000 confirmed guests!

This year hundreds of Mizzou students flocked to speakers circle to all simultaneously burst out into dance at 11:00 pm for twenty minutes. Just enough to get all the stress out, get your blood pumping, and then get out. For those of you who haven’t been to the campus, Speakers Circle is also right by the library so a lot of students just dropped their books, busted a move, and then went right back to their flash cards!

Emily, Katie, and Me at the FLASH RAVE

Glow sticks and beach balls scattered the massive crowd that assembled. One thing I love most about Mizzou though, is that it’s big enough for enormous crowds to come out for a single cause, but you can still find your friends amongst them.

That’s all, time to go back to studying for my Spanish final. iMe desea suerte a mi!

Eat Right, Stay Fit

2009-05-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

With the go, go go, lifestyle that college inevitably brings you’ll need to stay energized, and with that comes eating right. The Mizzou Campus Dining is set up to be all-you-can-eat. This means you pay one flat fee, figured into your student bill, and get X amount of meals per week.

You can get 7, 10, 14, 17, or 21 meals per week. Let me just tell you right now: DO NOT GET THE 21 MEAL PLAN. Unless you’re a 300 lb line backer or a wrestler trying to boost your weight up to the next weight class, there is NO way you will eat 21 meals in the dining hall. Not only will you just not have time to get breakfast every day, but there are so many opportunities for free food around campus, you don’t need to eat in the dining hall 21 times a week.

When it comes to the food on campus, there are no mystery-meat Mondays. All the menu’s are published online, which is great. This way you can look ahead and pick where you want to eat based on what is being served. There will always be an open grill for lunch and dinner, so hamburgers and grilled chicken are always an option. It’s the same with the salad bar. Besides those staples though, various main entrees are served, which vary daily. The great thing about Mizzou is you’re never eating the same thing over and over again unless you want to!

If you don’t make it to the dining hall during the normal hours, there are other alternatives. Rollins Pizza To-Go is open 8:00p.m. – 11:00p.m. You can get any toppings you’d like, in various sizes. Recently they just added chicken wings and stuffed nachos to their menu. There is also Eva’s To-Go which offers food fresh from the Grill.

So what do you do with meals you don’t eat? If you have extra meals you can redeem them for points at what is called the Emporium. Basically there are all sorts of snacky-snack foods that are worth X number of points. You get 7 points per meal. Pop-tarts are 2 points, cookies are 1 point, a bag of chips are 2, cinnamon rolls are 3 points, etc. You get the picture. While the emporium is nice if you have a couple meals left over or are leaving early for the weekend, try to pick a meal plan that minimizes the number of meals you’ll have left over each week.

With all this eating though you’re bound to gain a little weight. You’ve probably heard of the freshmen fifteen, right? Well we don’t have that at Mizzou. We have the Mizzou Twenty-Two. Because the dining hall food is so good and all-you-can-eat it’s inevitable that you’re going to put on some poundage. I’ll admit it – I did!

Luckily, there is a solution: the Mizzou Rec. Center! The Rec. Center was ranked the best in the nation by Sports Illustrated magazine in 2005, and for good reason. Here are just some of the best points to highlight about the Rec. Center:

All of the treadmills have T.V.s built into them with cable television. Some even have DVD players!
There is a Juice Bar where you can get energy shakes, Gatorade, and other work out necessities!

There are three weightlifting rooms for various levels. There is a quiet room, which is the unofficial beginner’s room. The normal weightlifting room, which has circuit training. And then the Pump Room. The Pump Room is on the lower level and is designated for the heavy lifters (there are over 14,000 lbs of free-weights). This is where the most macho men on campus go
There is an indoor track that overlooks the basketball and volleyball courts below.

Scroggs Peak is our 42’ climbing wall. A year-long pass is only $30. If you like rock climbing, this is for you!
There are numerous racquetball courts that you can use.

The Tiger Grotto is the indoor pool center, which features a hot tub which fits 20+ people, a lazy river, a whirlpool, a waterfall, a sauna, and a steam room! This is one of my favorite places to go on a Sunday night. One weekend I saw Quarterback Chase Daniel there!
During the beginning and end of the school year you can head out to Truman’s Pond, which is the outdoor pool complete with the big screen television and fireplace.
If you’re into lap swimming Mizzou’s competitive pool area is enormous! The floor depth is adjustable, as is the length. There is also a 16’ diving well with various diving boards and platforms.

And that is just an overview of all the great things the Rec. Center has. If you like taking workout class you can get an all-access pass for $49/semester which allows you to take all the Tiger X classes you want. This includes things like Ab-solution, Tiger Tease, and a multitude of others. If you’re going to take a lot of classes it’s a great deal, otherwise classes are just $7/each.

If you’re into competitive sports I’d suggest looking into Rec. Sports, which are intramurals. They offer fun competition but not cut-throat. Sign up with your floor or with friends. Some examples include soccer, volleyball, and basketball. There are also club teams that you can join like fencing and swimming.

Now if being inside isn’t your style, Mizzou has great outdoor facilities too. Stankowski Field, known as Stank, has a track surrounding inside playing fields. It’s lit up at all times, so if you feel like a midnight game of soccer, you’re able to play there. There are also sand volleyball pits, which always have something going on.

So while you might indulge in the great campus dining food, you definitely have plenty of opportunities to work it off around campus. I highly suggest checking out the Rec. Center website at www.mizzourec.com

Time Flies By - Make it Count

2009-04-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

iCal will save your life: put everything you need to do in there and check it daily so you don't forget!

I’m currently writing this blog at 6:11 a.m. The reason I’m telling you is to let you know that even the early-birds reading this will NEVER be awake this early by choice once you arrive at college. The reason I’m even awake right now is because I zonked out at 8:00 p.m. last night and woke up too early!

As you transition to college a lot of things change: your sleep schedule, your eating habits, and generally all of your daily routine. For the most part high school has had a comfort zone of consistency and regularity. Get up by 6:45, get out of bed by 7:10, shower and breakfast by 7:45, school starts at 8:25, leave school at 2:50, snack at home, dinner at 6:15, bed by 11:00. Because you design your own schedule at Mizzou there is a lot more flexibility. Having the choice in when you want classes is great because you don’t have to take early classes if you like to sleep in or you can chose to just have a full day on Monday Wednesday and Friday, with free days on Tuesday and Thursday.

There is a lot more to time management in college than setting aside an hour for homework every day like you might do now. Here are a few tactics that I’ve found helpful this year:

• Get your sleep!!! My friends make fun of me for being an “old lady”, but I have to be in bed by 10:00 or 11:00 to be functional the next day. While sleeping might not seem beneficial to time management if you don’t get a good nights sleep you won’t use your time awake effectively.

• Mark when exams are on your calendar! This is HUGE. While I personally have never had too many tests to handle at the same time, just last week my roommate had four exams and a paper due over the course of 3 days. She was able to talk to her English teacher and get an extension on her paper, but that shows how you need to be on top of your classes’ syllabi.

• On that note, figure out your final exam schedule too. Those dates are published way in advance as well, and it helps to know when you can go back home!

• If you have breaks in your schedule during the day use them as study breaks! It’s easy to just go back to your residence hall and nap or watch T.V. Instead, go to the library and type your notes or get some reading done! You should study 3-4 hours for each CREDIT taken per week. I’ll admit, it’s entirely unrealistic to study 45 hours per week, but you do need to study a solid amount.

• Plan social events that double as academic events. For my journalism class this semester I have to go to five school events, some of which are movies. Make it fun and bring your friends.

• Start studying for a test a week before hand. You might need more or less time, but that’s the ideal for me. Make sure you do your reading over the course of the semester and not jam packed at the end. Then its just recap for study! Also, don’t be afraid to use past exams if posted!

• College isn’t routine, there is always something fun and spontaneous going on. I encourage adventures by all means, midnight runs to Mizzou Market are the best, but try to keep your life in order! Don’t get wrapped up in one aspect and forget about the rest. It’s all about budgeting your time and leaving room for social life, eating, sleeping, GOING to class, and studying.

You’ll find out once you get to campus what works best for you. Maybe you’re more of a night owl than me and staying up till 4:00 a.m. is when you study best. If that’s the case, ignore most of what I said!

Workin' 9 to 5 (or maybe just 10 - noon)

2009-03-05T09:16:00.000-08:00

I’m willing to bet that you and your parents have had this discussion at some point and it still may be unresolved: to work or not to work. With expensive tuition (especially out-of-state) and high interest rates, working may seem like the right road to take. That way you prevent taking out an extra loan, maybe get some spending money, or just save up. However, on the flip side, you’re in college to learn and typically that’s priority number one. Whether you choose to work or not is definitely a personal decision and dependent on financial need, credit hours, and involvement I’ll give you some possibilities to consider.

Work-Study

This seemingly simple program has so many misconceptions that it’s difficult to get to the truth. While I STRONGLY suggest you consult your financial aid representative, a.k.a. your Best Friend Forever (BFF), I’ll give an overview of how Work-Study actually works.

You must income qualify for Work-Study, which comes from filling out your FAFSA. There is usually a limit to how much you are awarded as well. For some, that is as much as they will work and once they reach that earning potential they stop working. Others will continue to be paid by the university. It depends on the department you select and if paid student workers are a part of their budget.

The name comes from the idea that you can work and study, but not at the same time. Don’t assume that you’ll just being doing some desk job and can have your textbooks out during your shift. Typically, that’s not the case, and usually you won’t want it to be.

Work-Study can be a great way to gain informal experience. There are jobs all over campus that you will be able to select from, but, in my opinion, you should choose something relevant to you. (For example: I am currently working in the Strategic Communications department in the Journalism School. I’m gaining practical skills that I can actually use on a resume. My friend is working in the Journalism Dean’s Office and making good contacts.) This can be an enhancing experience, but it is what you make it. I have other friends who chose jobs that didn’t fit them, and aren’t having as much fun.

While you’ll get a certain amount for Work-Study it will be divided over two semesters. I chose not to work first semester and instead decided to focus on my grades, so I lost half of my Work-Study allotment, but you can still accept a job offer second semester. I had friends who did both work study and school and did great – so it’s possible to manage them both. When it comes to getting paid, you only make what your award grants. You don’t get that award PLUS hourly – that’s what I originally thought and that’s wrong. You get paid hourly, which ADDS UP to the Work-Study money.

Finally, the great thing about Work-Study is that they work around your schedule. This is something you won’t find most other places! This gives you a lot of flexibility and typically shorter shifts.

Other Campus Jobs:

If you don’t qualify for Work-Study, don’t get down and out. I have friends who weren’t qualified, and they still have campus jobs. Campus Dining Services is a great place to work because you also get cheap meals – something that you’ll adore come next year.
I suggest going to the career center and talking to your financial aid advisor again – remember they’ll be your BFF for four years!

Working Off-Campus:

To be blunt and completely biased in my own perspective, as a freshman I would not suggest working off campus for several reasons.

• You have to deal with the whole car situation, which can be more of a hassle than it’s actually worth
• You don’t get to hang out with campus kids as much. Of course you’ll see Tigers all over Columbia, but it does create some distance.
• Typically those jobs are harder to work around your schedule.

My bias being stated though, I do have friends that do it and make it work. Many companies will transfer you if you work at a national chain, which makes the transition easy. It is also nice for waiters and waitresses because those jobs simply aren’t available on campus. (There are nice restaurants downtown though that I’d suggest.)

Hours:

When it comes to figuring out how many hours you want to work I would make a general rule to cap it off at 15. Anything more than that just becomes too much. I work about 7-10, which is just enough to maintain spending money but not overload myself.

Alternative Solutions:

So lets say you want some way to reduce the amount of debt you’ll incur through student loans, but you’re not sure you want to work. A great solution is a job through Residential Life! (Keep in mind you won’t be eligible for these your freshman year, but it’s a great thing to keep in mind)

• Community Advisor (C.A.) – These staff members are in charge of the floor and overseeing resident conduct, floor functions, and other areas of interest. At other schools you’ll hear them referred to as Resident Assistants. C.A.s go on rounds (which mean checking to make sure everything is OK after quiet hours) a few times a month and are the go-to person for residents. These are generally in non-sponsored (FIG-less) areas.
• Peer Advisor (P.A.) – They do the same things as a C.A. but are also responsible for teaching a FIG class one hour, once a week.

These are very brief descriptions and there is a lot more to these jobs than just those paragraphs, but that provides the general idea.

For compensation, staff members receive free room and board (17 meal plan which can convert to EZ-Charge).

These opportunities aren’t for people who just want free room and board. It is a JOB and it is a time commitment. Typically student staff members should be very friendly and personable and engaging in the floor community.

I am currently applying to be a Residential Life staff member and the application process may seem a little intimidating at first. There will be informational meetings around December, which I suggest going to just to get a feel for the position. From there you fill out a simple application with a few essays. You then attend a group candidate class (4 sessions), which also entail homework assignments. The culmination of the process is with an interview with a Hall Coordinator (H.C.). While the spots are very competitive the process is something that you will walk away from with life skills no matter if you get the job or not. During your first year talk to your own P.A. and C.A. to determine if Res. Life staff is actually something for you. I’m mentioning it now so you can go into the school year thinking about it!

Ultimately, working is something that you should figure out with your parents. It’s not for everyone and you come to college for an education. Don’t try to do too much that you can’t handle the most important aspects. Always consider volunteering if working isn’t for you either. That’s a great way to stay involved and make a difference!

Housing Guide from a Student Perspective: LONG!

2009-02-21T17:11:00.000-08:00

Right about now you probably could care less about making your four-year plan or which clubs to join. I know this time last year the only thing I cared about was housing and getting a good roommate. My bet is that most of you readers are probably the same.

First I’ll tell you what I’m sure you’ve probably already read. Look at potential FIGs and Learning Communities you’re interested in, and then base your housing around that. Now that I’ve made that disclaimer, let’s face it, you’ll pick whichever Residence Hall you think will be the best located, have the nicest rooms, and be close to food. Can’t say I blame you.

Mizzou is currently undergoing a huge renovation project of all the residence halls and is even building some new ones. I’ll give you my take on all the various areas you can live on campus and then a few extra things to keep in mind!

Schurz, Hatch, and College Ave. (all part of Bingham Commons) are all very nice. They’re so new and clean you can literally smell it (it’s like new car scent)! College Ave. offers suite style living, so if you prefer that it’s an option. These res halls, while pricey, have trendy interior design and nice flooring. These things may seem frivolous, but they actually are important!

• Pro’s: Baja Mexican Grill is in the lower level of Bingham, which is a great way to use points; they have GREAT study rooms that are a blessing whenever you have an exam; flat screen TVs in the lounges.

• Con’s: You have to cross College Ave to get to campus, the doors don’t stay open on their own making it harder to meet people, you lose that “collegiate” gross residence hall room factor

Gillett, Johnston, and Wolpers are all distinctly different. I am currently living in Gillett and wouldn’t give it up for the world. Inside Rollins (the Gillett/Hudson complex (Hudson is undergoing renovations)) is the Rollins Dining Hall. Johnston Hall also features Eva J’s Dining Hall. Having an in-hall dining facility is probably what I’ve been most grateful for. You can just roll out of bed and wear flip-flops to breakfast.

Personally, and I’m biased, these have a great location: in walking distance of three dining halls, close to classes, a block from the Rec. center. Plus, these halls offer that traditional “charm” that comes with the older residence halls. I always get defensive when people rag on how “old” they are, when really you’re just getting an awesome college experience. I seriously think that kids are closer in the older residence halls because you can commiserate together. I can’t stress it enough that you shouldn’t be scared off by the non-renovated residence halls because they’re so much fun! Plus you get the option paint your rooms.
It’s noteworthy to point out that Johnston’s is an all female residence hall, and Wolpers is all male. Don’t worry though, you just make closer friendships!

• Pro’s: Close food, doors that stay open, awesome location, nice and relatively big rooms, Wolpers/Johnston are both single-sex, balconies in Gileltt

• Con’s: Wolpers/Johnston are both single-sex, Gillett will be closing at the semester break

The “Value” halls as I commonly refer to them, Discovery, Excellence, Respect, and Responsibility, are located to the South of Plaza 900 (the dining facility). These are all suites, which means no communal bathrooms! There are different types of suites, which may include a living area.

If you’re worried about getting a suite because you feel you won’t make as many friends there are two big solutions to that. Join a FIG, this way you’re taking classes and living with the same kids so you’ll definitely get to know them. And second, college life is what you make it; be outgoing and head to your floor lounge and you’ll meet new people. It’s true of suite life or if you’re living in a double that you’re not going to make friends if you don’t make an effort to.

• Pro’s: No communal bathrooms, the residents halls are all new, more “apartmenty” feel, next door to Plaza, elevated hallways which connect the residence halls, next to the Student Health Center, across the street from the Virginia Ave. Parking Garage

• Con’s: Starting to get farther away from campus, all suite style, not as many kids per floor as in other residence halls

The Pershing Area will have undergone a HUGE expansion when you arrive. Right now all that is open is Stafford and Cramer. Next year Graham, Defoe, and all of Mid-Campus (Galena, Dogwood, and Hawthorne) will have opened. Graham and Defoe are renovated and Mid-Campus is currently being built.

What I LOVE about Cramer and Stafford is that they’re old, they give you that college feel, and yet they’re so clean and have enormous rooms. I haven’t been in Cramer, but it’s built just like Stafford and their rooms are gigantic. Tall ceilings, walk in closets, spacious living arrangements – you can’t get better than that! Plus, I feel they just have a lot of storage in Stafford. Under the bed drawers and a hatch to their desk! One other secret about Cramer is that the 4th floor only consists of four double rooms. This is nice because it’s almost like a suite, but not as secluded.

I can’t tell you too much about the rest of the Pershing Area because I haven’t seen it, but based on online reading Graham and Defoe will consist of your traditional doubles and suites. Additionally Mid-Campus will feature an assortment of living arrangements.

Next door to all of these is Pershing Commons. This offers a 24/7 Subway and an all night convenience store called Mizzou Market– all of which you can EZ Charge! I wouldn’t suggest going there too much though, as my Stafford friends said they went through quite a bit of their EZ Charge due to the close proximity of the Subway!

Cramer and Stafford:

• Pro’s: Right next to Pershing and the Student health center, great rooms, clean bathrooms, a central “quad” area between the two

• Con’s: You have to do your laundry is Pershing – so don’t pick a rainy day because you have to go outside, they’re built in one long line so there isn’t a central area to congregate with friends (there is a lounge, but you don’t have to walk past it)

Renovated/New Residence Halls: (Keep in mind I’ve never been!)

• Pro’s: New, great location, close to everything – it’s called Mid-Campus housing for a reason

• Con’s: Will be more expensive because they’re new and there will be a high demand

Now for the housing by the Football Stadium: Laws, Lathrop, Jones, Center, South, and North.

Lathrop and Jones are both all female. These typically have a higher percentage of Greek Life girls in them because of the close proximity to Greek Town. I like the way Jones is set up because they have double balcony sets (something the new residence halls don’t have).

Laws has R.O.T.C. housing and is right across from the R.O.T.C. building.

Center, South, and North are typically where athletes stay because it is close to their training facilities. When I’ve been over to those residence halls I haven’t actually seen any that I recognize, but I’ve heard from friends!

This area has two dining perks: Dobbs and Mizzou Market. Both are nice and I hear, although cannot guarantee this as fact, that Jones and Lathrop are connected to Dobbs via underground tunnels. Don’t pick your housing based on that though, because it could just be urban myth.

One other great thing is being close to the stadium. You get to see the tailgaters, which is fun, and you don’t have to walk forever to get to Farot Field.

• Pro’s: Close to Stankowski Field (the outside multi-purpose fields typically used for soccer, ultimate Frisbee, and football), near Greek Town, near by parking

• Con’s: Far/Uphill walk to campus!

Finally, the Mark Twain and McDavid residence halls. McDavid is typically the fine arts building, and Mark Twain houses both the honors communities and the Walter Williams scholars.

While there is a dining hall in Mark Twain, it’s pretty far from any other dining establishment. They do have three elevators there though, which is a big perk.

• Pro’s: Mark Twain Market means you don’t have to leave the residence hall, close by parking, the few residence halls where Geological Sciences doesn’t entail a 10 minute walk, and Mark Twain also has bathrooms within the rooms

• Con’s: FAR from seemingly everything (OK, it’s not that bad, but people in the Rollins area definitely don’t trek over there very often)

So that is a housing guide in a nutshell from someone who isn’t currently being paid by Residential Life to hype it up. Make sure you do your ROAR (housing selection) as soon as you possibly can. They fill up fast and you don’t want to limit yourself because you slept through the opening. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get the room you want at first, you can keep looking and switching for quite some time.

Pick housing from a holistic perspective. Don’t choose a room just because it’s new, because that might not be the right fit for you. Another important factor is to choose a learning community or FIG tailored to your interests not your housing preference!

Remember: it's what you make of it!

Let's Talk about Money

2009-01-23T21:10:00.000-08:00

Psst… I’ve got a secret. College is expensive. Oh, you already knew that? Good! Now what are you going to do about it?

If there is one thing I’ve learned, despite the current economy, people are giving out money for education. Lots of it. To all different types of people. Make excuses, like your grades weren’t good enough in high school or your ACT score wasn’t that high. You could even pull the “my parent’s make too much” card. And while those are valid and will knock you out of the running for some grants and scholarships, it’s not the end of the world!

I’m writing this very bluntly because I want my readers to take it seriously. And I practice what I preach. I graduated high school with grades that wouldn’t exactly WOW you, finishing with a 2.7 if you round. My ACT score was decent, so that helped a bit. I was also really involved in high school. And you know what I applied for more scholarships than you can count on two hands. It paid off – big time. I didn’t have to pay a cent of my education this year. Through a variety of different sources, the government, private organizations, a few union scholarships, I got my entire tuition and board paid for!

Here’s how I did it:

First, make sure you fill out the Mizzou scholarship form and get it in by the priority deadline. That passed for this year, but you can fill it out every year – so if you missed this year, learn for next.

Next, get your FAFSA in. This is the government financial aid form, and you’ll need it if you apply for other scholarship more than likely. The priority deadline at Missouri is March 1st, so the sooner the better!

Once you’ve got those done start applying for private scholarships; apply for all the ones you even remotely qualify for. Sit down and make a list of attributes you have, associations your parents belong to, etc. If you have parents in a union definitely check into possible scholarships that way. Also with federal employee parents. Are you a minority, woman, tall, of Irish heritage? All of those things are possible scholarship leads. Don’t forget to see if your place of employment offers scholarships!

Then start looking. If your school is organized, check with your guidance counselor to see if they have a scholarship board or listings that are applicable in your area. Listen closely: the narrower the selection criteria the better chance you have at getting the scholarship. A good bet is your local community foundation.

DO NOT USE FASTWEB. That’s right, take it off your bookmarks page. I have not known a single person who has ever gotten a scholarship off that website. Because it’s national the organizations get hundreds of thousands of applicants. It’s hard to stand out from a crowd that big, and your efforts are better focused elsewhere.

Now lets talk about the application. PROOF READ. Nothing detracts more than glaring grammatical and spelling errors. Write from your heart, and while you may be corny, so long as it’s real the readers should be able to tell. Try to incorporate as much of your leadership experience as possible, and tell a story with it. This is your chance to shine, and you want to jump off the page. Be wary of recycling essays. After writing a few you’ll be able to piece together various parts of different ones, but make sure it remains fluid. (Once I copy-pasted and almost forgot to change the name of the organization I was sending it to. Luckily I caught it, but you can bet you’re out of the running if that happens.)

As for reference letters, give your person plenty of time. You don’t want it to be rushed. It also helps if you outline what topics need to be covered in the letter (leadership, involvement, etc.).

Ultimately, it’s a game of numbers. The more you apply the better your chances. APPLY, APPLY, APPLY! It can’t hurt. I’ve applied to scholarship where I’ve stretched the eligibility requirements pretty thin, but if they don’t have enough respondents they’ll consider you! Sometimes you’ll get an award just by default because no one else applied (that happened to me).
Good luck and don’t procrastinate! Student loans pile up and the last thing you want when you graduate is debt!

A Semester’s Worth of Knowledge:

2009-01-14T12:37:00.000-08:00

I didn’t just learn geologic functions or how to conjugate verbs this semester. These last 4 ½ months have flown by, and I can’t believe my fist semester is over. I’ve had so many good experiences at Mizzou, and have grown so much from everything I’ve been a part of. Here are some compiled thoughts on my first semester (things I want to share, things you should know, and other anecdotes).

Football is a BIG deal. Despite the common misconception, you do not have to buy the football/basketball combo to get season football tickets. If you don’t buy the combo however, you will have to wait to the beginning of school. In my opinion, just get the tickets (whether you like football or not). It’s a great bonding experience, and is the ironic activity of college. Go to at least one game, and you can always sell your tickets! I also really suggest joining Tiger’s Lair, the student cheering section. It was the best $10.00 I’ve spent!

Be friendly! Don’t just leave your door open, go introduce yourself. Try to at least say, “Hi,” to everyone on your floor. I’m sad to say that there are still a few people on my floor who I don’t recognize! Get active in your floor. If you see someone being shy invite them to dinner! You never know how cool they could be. I recently found out that this sophomore Greg on my floor, ran a marathon, with pneumonia.

Stock up on expensive nonperishable’s like Kleenex, Shampoo, etc. If you can’t get to Walmart it can be expensive to have to restock every three months or so. Also, get your hair cut the day before you get to college. The longer you can hold off on beauty maintenance, the better. Girls, don’t be shy about dying your hair in the communal bathrooms either – everyone does it.

Buy and sell your books online. The university bookstore has an “early bird” special where they’ll compile all the books you need. It’s convenient, but expensive. You’re not guaranteed used books either. Also, when selling books back online is usually the way to go. I tried to sell a set of books back and they offered me $11 for all four books! I looked up the price online, I could sell one book for $20! Sometimes the bookstore works out, but don’t limit yourself and always look for alternatives. If you’re taking a lab course though, make sure you buy the lab book new because you’ll write in it!

At the PostSecret event they gave away a bunch of free postcards. We didn't write secrets down, but we had a fun time crafting and making postcards to send home! That's another thing, bring craft supplies; you'll use them more than you think!

Stop by the Mizzou box office and see what events are going on. I’ve always wanted to go to a PostSecret event, and this year I got to! So many performers come to campus that you definitely want to get tickets early! Also, take time to explore downtown. There are a lot of cute stores!

Take your keys with you EVERYWHERE. It’s not uncommon for kids to get locked out of their rooms in just a towel and shower caddy because their roommates left. It’s a pain for both of you. In the older halls you only get three “freebies” before they start charging you to open the door. Even if you can just call up your roommate, they’ll get annoyed if they continuously have to come open the door for you.

Take notes by hand. In my case, I’ve found that bringing your computer to class is 9 times out of 10 more distracting than helpful – to everyone. Facebook will always be there, but most profesors don’t publish notes!

After Obama got elected we went on a mini-adventure to go celebrate with our peers!

Be adventurous! Take advantage of silly trips, because they can be really fun. You’ll hear about more fun places when you get here, but you must see the Big Tree. It’s about a 20 minute drive, but the Big Tree is an impressive sight. It has a circumference of NINE people. Also, come Christmas time make sure you go to the Magic Tree. Ask around, someone will give you directions to get to these places.

Form study groups! I made so many friends just getting together to study. And NOT at the library. I hear you have to be quiet there, and where is the fun in that? A lot of halls now have study rooms on each floor and in the downstairs lounges. You can play charades to learn Spanish vocab without having to worry about people Ssshhing you.

People may joke that anytime someone takes out a camera that they must be a freshman, but you’ll want to remember all the good times you’re having. Bring a digital camera and take lots of pictures! My scrapbook is expanding exponentially!

The semester has zoomed by! Mizzou has definitely become home to me! Sure, you’ll get homesick, overwhelmed, and broke, but it’s worth it!

Roomie Do's and Dont's

2008-12-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

As the holiday break is starting to roll around I’m sure many of you are planning all the fun things you are going to do with your friends. As you move on to college, you’ll undoubtedly make many more friends, hopefully including your roommate.

My advice is to keep an open mind!!! While your best friends now might be just like you, as you enter college you’ll learn that many of your friends will have much different interests than you.
Example: my older sister is quiet and crafty. Her freshman year she was roomed with a prom queen (no joke) who when first talking to her asked her what her favorite store is. My sister was totally taken aback, and worried they wouldn’t get along at all. They’re no best friends, and rooming together their senior year! Moral of the story, don’t write someone off before you meet them!

However, I’ll put some restrictions on that advice. I was originally supposed to be paired with a girl who currently lives on my floor. Naturally, the first thing I did was facebook her. It was clearly evident that her lifestyle and mine were polar opposites, to the point that I knew it would cause issues. I’m not talking about different music tastes either. If you can spot glaring points of conflict, I would suggest talking to them about it. Just make sure you’re not making hasty judgments.

If you think it won’t work out, have no fear. I found my current roommate, Mystle, on www.mizzouadmissions.org. She seemed cool, so we worked it out with residential life. Her roommate and my (old) roommate are now together and she and I are roomies. Make sure you’re proactive though, because it took multiple phone calls to residential life before the switch was made.

The final scenario I’ll present is that of getting to college and then deciding you and your roommate are incompatible. This happened with a good friend of mine. I can’t stress this enough, if you are having a problem with them TALK ABOUT IT. Confront them. I don’t care how passive you are, you need to address the issue. If not it becomes this huge elephant in the room, tensions boils, and eventually a big explosion will occur. Roommate move requests can take awhile, and you don’t want to live in an awkward situation for a month.

When it comes to living with someone, remember they’re not your sibling, and they don’t know you. What you and your friends accept, your perfect stranger roommate might not.

There are two major points of conflicts that roommates seem to have: food and boyfriends/girlfriends. Eating each other’s food is usually not a good idea. Unless you’ve established an “open-pantry” relationship, don’t risk it. Invest in easy-charge and head over to Mizzou Market. As for your significant other, set up a system. It varies from person to person, some people don’t mind sharing the room every weekend, but others won’t put up with it. There is a rule that anyone staying over 3 days is considered to be cohabiting and can be kicked out. Just talk to your roommate and establish do’s and don’t ahead of time.

A note on single-gender dorms: Lathrop, Jones and Johnston girls, you can have boy’s over! Wolpers gentlemen, your lady friends can visit too. The rules go that between the hours of 9:00pm and 8:00am members of the opposite sex must have an escort.

Living in the dorms should be one of the best experiences of your life! People cook and clean (common areas) for you, and there will always be someone to hang out with. Make sure you leave your door open! It definitely facilitates friendships. As for those of you living in suites, don’t shut yourself in. Get out and hang out with the rest of your floor. There will be people you don’t like, sure, but you will also make best friends along the way!

FYI: Gillett is closing at semester next year. I live there now, and LOVE IT, but you’ll have to switch dorms at semester. Just a heads up!

Mizzou Tiger: Thru and Thru

2008-11-30T17:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays prospective Mizzou Tigers!

Once you pass through the columns during the Tiger Walk during the first week of classes you have officially been initiated as a University of Missouri Tiger. This status does not change when you go home for break or when you graduate; it is something you carry with you throughout your life.

This Thanksgiving break I was able to bring my Mizzou spirit home with me in two ways: by bringing a fellow Tiger home, an international student named Michelle, and when I went to the University of Kansas vs. University of Missouri game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

I met Michelle my first week of school, when I was waiting for my Geology class to begin. I started chatting her up and quickly learned that she had only been in the United States for two weeks! Since then, I’ve “adopted” her and introduced her to all sorts of “American” activities. My friends and I have taken her out to eat, pumpkin carving, and even out to some parties! While I’ve had the opportunity to expose her to American culture, she’s taught me so much about China. Her first hand experiences really offered an entirely different perspective than what the media presents. The open dialogue we were able to have really enlightened me to how they view their policies and traditions.

Lauren, Michelle, Rachael, and Annica. We ordered Tiger Takeout (a delivery service for restaurants that don't deliver) and had a dance party in our dorm room! Michelle had never gotten to do this back home.

This was Michelle's first pumpkin carving experience! Michelle stole the show when she carved her Chinese name in the pumpkin.

Because Michelle did not have the opportunity to go home for Thanksgiving break, I invited her home with me. We put up Christmas lights, something she had never done before, and I also taught her a lesson in smuggling candy into the movie theaters.

Renowned for its world-class education, Mizzou draws in many international students. I highly recommend getting to know them because of their unique experiences. I have found it fun to share my past-times with her, and equally as enjoyable to hear about her life. Another bonus, Michelle makes great authentic Chinese food; something China Star just can’t compare to!

Now if there is one other thing Mizzou is known for besides its internationally recognized education, is its bitter rivalry with University of Kansas. On campus it is referred to as kU because students at Mizzou do not recognize University of Kansas is not a proper noun and as such it does not need capitalizing. The animosity between KU and Mizzou makes up the second oldest collegiate rivalry in the nation and whether it is football or volleyball, sports are the battleground for this bitter acrimony.

Marching Mizzou at Arrowhead Stadium. If you join the band you get to travel with the football team to big games.

Due to the intense nature of the rivalry, the meeting of the football teams takes place at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Chiefs, in Kansas City. The game was originally called the Border War, but after controversy over the violent nature evoked by ‘war’ it was changed to the Border Showdown.

Despite the name change, fans from both sides come early Saturday morning out for blood. Even though the stadium holds almost 80,000 fans, the stands were packed full. You could see a clear divide between the fierce black and gold Tigers and the unsightly clashing of the red and blue colors of the Jayhawks. Even walking around the stadium, I could feel the looks from the enemy!

Rachael on Color Guard in front of 80,000 adoring fans!

Tiger supporters proved they were anything but fair-weather fans. The forecast was terrible, but even with freezing cold temperatures and sleet raining down Tiger fans stayed on their feet cheering loudly. While victory may have eluded us this year most fans stayed till the end.

The game and having Michelle home for the break made me realize how large my Mizzou family is. We are each part of the Tiger pack, coming together for a collective cause, whether it be sharing pleasant family traditions or cheering against kU.

I hope no kU grads are reading this!

Mizzou: Big Names, Big Fun

2008-11-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

If there are two aspects of the social scene at Mizzou that I value the most it is the diversity of beliefs and the amount of fun things there are to do!

I'm from Illinois and I'll be honest, I experienced a bit of culture shock when I moved down here. In my area you'd be hard pressed to find a conservative, not to say they didn't exist - they just weren't that vocal. Well, when I moved into my Journalism learning community about half of the people on my floor were Republicans! It was a whole other side that I had never seen before.

Don't let that anecdote intimidate you. At first I was a little put off because back home political discussions were everyone agreeing with each other. But after I realized how knowledgeable and eager for open forum everyone was, the difference in perspectives was refreshing! It was like a blind was being lifted off of me, and for once I was being presented with the ability to look at issues and see both sides. The stereotype is that college is where you finally start thinking for yourself, and it's true! In my own experiences, I found that I let my parents and teachers mold my thoughts through high school. Now I could continue with those sentiments or form knew ones. Over the past two months, amplified by the campaigns and election, I've gradually become more confident in what I believe in. I've kept a lot of what I've previously believe, but seen other parts of the spectrum that I agree with as well.

It's not just political views that were different for me. There is a smorgasbord of musical interests, hobbies, and backgrounds. Especially because most of my floor is out-of-state, everyone brings something new to the table. My friends are in love with bands I've never even heard of! (I won't name them because I don't want to appear completely out of the loop.)

Because we're a big school we naturally attract big events. For those of you familiar with PostSecret this Thursday Frank Warren is coming to speak. Motion City Soundtrack and rapper Tech N9ne (Nine) have both been to Columbia as well. In case you haven't heard, Missouri is also a battle ground state, and last week Barack Obama came to campus to speak!

I encouraged all of my friends to go, conservative and liberal alike. It was a great chance to see history in the making, even if Obama doesn't win! He was scheduled to speak at 9:30p.m, but people were already lining up by 2:00p.m. I got in line at 6:00 and was already over ten blocks back. The people behind me had driven 5 hours from Oklahoma just to hear him! This is just an example of what a powerful campus University of Missouri has. The College Democrats orchestrated the event and did a wonderful job. I'm attaching one picture of the McCain supporters just to make sure I present a fair and biased outlook... but really I just thought their sign was pretty funny.

For those of you who don't know. Mizzou and kU have a HUGE rivalry.

Aside from big name people coming to town, Mizzou still offers a fun social scene. You're never to old for Halloween and my entire floor got dressed up to go out! Mizzou After Dark put on a "Spooktacular" which had lots of free goodies. Of course, there were costume parties left and right that you could attend if that's more your scene.

I was Wilma Flintstone! My costume was made by Rachael (middle) who was a genie. Trupti stole the show though with her egyptian costume!

I convinced my floor government to do pumpkin painting so we also did that. It was A LOT of fun! Everyone painting their own and it was really funny to see who did what. My friend Melanie did her sorority letters, Ryan (the business man) painted his pumpkin with a "boss-man" type figure, and my roommate Mystle did the conventional type.

Because Halloween was such a big deal on our floor, we all kind of went all out. Door decorations, costumes on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and carmel apples galore! I mentioned that we all have diverse backgrounds, but we know how to come together and have fun!

If you're from out-of-state don't associate Missouri with being boring. It's anything but!

Strength in Stripes: Mizzou Homecoming

2008-10-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

My friends Maggie and David tailgating outside the stadium!

Homecoming. It's a tradition almost every high school student knows. But the origin? How many of you readers know how it started?

For those of you who don't know, it started right here at Mizzou! In 1911 Athletic Director Chester Brewer invited past alumni to "come home" for the annual Mizzou v. Kansas game. That game is a BIG DEAL. The arch rivalry between the two schools has been present for more than a century, so that really set the tone for how big homecoming would become here at MU. While we don't play University of Kansas for homecoming each year, we still go big for the game!

Homecoming at Mizzou is characterized by several main events. First is the World's Biggest Blood Drive (recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records)! Each year MU holds the blood drive in the Hearnes center, where they collected 4,262 units of blood. This is part of homecoming competition, so each participating Greek house (fraternities and sororities) give blood. Don't be surprised if you have people asking for your blood when you get here, they'll want you to donate for their house! The blood drive is the week before homecoming week, but there are deferral days the next week.

During the actual week of homecoming Residential Life has their own competition. This includes painting banners to be hung from their common areas, a BBQ, and the parade. I worked on the Rollins (Gillett and Hudson) banner - which had a Kung Fu Panda theme. This was part of the larger theme of Blockbuster hits in the last decade. The BBQs were also a lot of fun. I went BBQ hopping, and each one had something different to offer. RGC's had live music, Pershing Commons had a giant blow up slide, and Bingham's featured everything from a Cupcake Walk, Pie a P.A., and face painting! Oh yeah, and there was tons of free food to go around!

The banner I made for RGC! The amount of glitter was atrocious!

Even before all the homecoming festivities begin, Greek life is preparing! For the House Decs, which all of Columbia comes out to see, the sororities and fraternities pair up together to create elaborate backdrops.

Madagascar

These are pomped, which is tissue paper art. Hours upon hours are spent constructing these! During house decs each pair put on their own themed skit! Here are some of the pictures from this years house decorations.

Cars

Then the morning of the game is the parade! Prefaced by a free pancake breakfast, the parade starts the day of homecoming off right! It's perfectly acceptable to roll out of bed and head out there too.

Marching Mizzou, all the Greek and Residential life floats, and other community foundations participate. Be prepared to stock up on candy, because most of the 160+ parade entries have goodies to toss out!

Mizzou homcoming is such big deal that we recruit some pretty impressive floats... if you can call it that...

The Oscar Myer Weinermobile!

And finally - the game! It'll be sold out - that's a guarantee. Buy yours early just to make sure you get one! People are really spirited, so be prepared to arrive early, cheer loud, and stay late! We shut out Colorado with a whopping 58-0 score! Tailgating before is fun, but make sure you make it to the game on time so you can take it all in. This year they had Marching Mizzou Alumni come and play. It was really fun to see 40+ year old people coming back to MU!

My roommate Mystle, Annica, Maggie, and I all face painted for the game.

Homecoming at Mizzou is an event you don't want to miss out on. Even if you're not a football fan, make sure you make it to the game. If only for the atmosphere and environment. Seeya next year! MIZ - ZOU!

Dorm Days!

2008-10-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

Rachel and I ready to dominate!

Think of all the fun you’re having right now during your final year(s) of high school. Got it? Now multiply it by ten, at least. That’s what college is like. While you spend a sizeable amount of time studying, there is ALWAYS something exciting going on.

Take today for instance. Usually Sundays are pretty quiet, reserved for homework, but today was jam-packed with thrill! At the Rec Center you can join or create basketball teams for competition. It’s a great way to hang out with your friends, release some competitive energy, and exercise. Well, today was the final game of G6 – the 6th floor of Gillett’s basketball team. Normally these games don’t really draw a crowd, but this one did.

More than 25 people showed up to support them! I’ll admit – my friend Rachel and I showed up Dressed to Impress! We were ready to hype up the game and get people excited!

Representing G6!

Full on body paint to match their team colors (pink and black), capes with the team ‘slogan’ on them (True Ballers Never Sleep), and matching accessories! We lead that cheering section with pride.

Silly is probably the best word to describe a typical day in the dorms. Once I got on the elevator only to be greeted by a handful of boys and a million balloons! Another time I was walking to the bathroom only to run into a hotdog!

Everyone brings their personality to college, which makes it so fun! This really shines through into the dorm rooms as well. I’ll tell you right now though that some stereotypes are true. Boys’ dorms kind of smell, and girls’ dorms tend to be very color coordinated.

P.A. Shane from the Sixth floor, Rachel and her fort, and Good 'Ole David Dishman (the hotdog)

When I give you this advice remember that this is a girls perspective. I’m just making sure to state my bias!

Bring LOTS of pictures. You might feel like they’re not necessary, but not only will you want them when you miss your family, but they are good conversation starters and decoration pieces!

This is my friend Lauren's room. Her and her roommate didn't even discuss what color scheme they were going for, and they matched so well!

Also stock up on items like Shampoo and toothpaste. They’re expensive anywhere you go, and not something you want to run out of.

Other things: Food. Food. Food. Fill your shelves while your parents are around. An umbrella and RAIN BOOTS. This is Missouri and the weather unpredictable. And last but not least: body paint for dorm basketball games!

Mizzou Myths: Busted

2008-10-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it: there are some pretty firm stereotypes about college that have developed over the years. I might have only been living here for two months, but I can already tell you a lot of my preconceived notions about college life were wrong.

Long-distance relationships don’t last in college:
MYTH! Not only is it possible to stay in a relationship at college, but also it’s commonplace. About 10 people on my floor started the year off with a significant other, including myself. So far, most of us have been able to manage it. While it’s difficult because college is such a huge transition, you can swing it!

Things to keep in mind:

• You have to be open to change. College is the time of your life where you finally get to reassess your identity and discover who you want to be. Adults are right when they say don’t limit yourself. Stay in the relationship if you are still open to growth.

• Communication is important. I have found services like Skype and AIM to be very useful. Also, increase your phone plan. You’ll be using a lot of minutes and texts and the overages aren’t worth it!

You don’t have to go to class to pass:
MYTH! I hate to break it to you, but this is a complete myth. Seldom do professors post notes, and you never want to rely on someone else’s. Even if they take a lot of notes, you can never guarantee the quality. Keep in mind that you have to be in class to know what points the professor is stressing.

Example: In my human development class I overheard some girls chatting on her cell phone. She was telling her friend how she finally made it to class and that she failed the last test. “I read the chapters in the book,” she said, but that just wasn’t enough.

You need to be present to understand the material and what the professor expects from you.

You have to drink to have a good time:

MYTH! Totally not true. I’ve had the most fun just hanging out in the dorm playing Apples to Apples or watching movies. No one cares if you chose not to drink and you shouldn’t feel obligated just to go with the flow.

If you want to have a good time and avoid situations that might pressure you attend Mizzou After Dark events! They do events ranging from Grocery Bag Bingo to Spa Nights to Bollywood Movie Nights! They’re free to students too.

You will gain the Mizzou-22
MYTH! That’s right, it’s not the Freshmen-Fifteen. Here at Mizzou there is all-you-can eat style dining. This has its pros and cons. You won’t ever be left hungry, but you risk over indulging. So long as you are contentious, you’ll avoid the extra poundage!

Tips to avoid the Mizzou-22:
• Limit your meal plan. I’ll tell you right now – 21 meals is excessive and you will not eat them. There is always free food on campus, so you don’t go to the dining hall for each meal. I have also found that I usually eat breakfast either in my room or on the go. I have the 14 meal plan and usually still have points left over.
• Avoid Rollins Pizza To-Go as a daily ritual. Rollins pizza is delicious and addicting, but don’t rely on it as your only dietary sustenance.
• Go to the Rec Center! Mizzou’s rec center was rated the best in the nation by Sports Illustrated! There are televisions in all the work out machines and if you like to lift weights hit up the Pump Room.

Athletes don’t hang out with the rest of us
MYTH! While you probably won’t see Chase Daniel in your freshmen biology class, athletes are just like the rest of us. They go to class and have a social life!

Yes! This is Sean Weatherspoon, who some claim to be the best linebacker in the nation! And That's me!!! He was in Gillett acting in a friend's iLife video!

I will tell you though; the athletes have a special dining hall. I can’t report on this because it’s a pretty exclusive place, so if you ever get the chance try to get in!

The Art of the Free T-Shirt

2008-09-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

Ryan Cornell, a certified Freebie Fanatic, has gotten 14

free t-shirts so far to date! Anything is possible if you put your mind to it!

So you could get a job in college. Or you could plead with your parents for spending money each month. Or you could even pick up street performing. All just to make a few bucks for clothes.

Or, might I offer this viable solution: stocking your wardrobe full of free t-shirts. For the fashion frenzied this might not be the most ideal suggestions, but it is college and sometimes you have to make sacrifices.

Now this is a serious matter: that of freebies. They range from the pen escalating to the Frisbee or lunchbox and then culminating in the free t-shirt. The basic items can be found at most organization displays, but it takes a true knack for finding the t-shirt. First you must start out with a location. This is harder said than done. Often times organizations give no previous warning of their arrival, so you must keep your eyes peeled. You occasionally will get a flyer or email, which is imperative that you scan for any indication of free items. Finally, listen up! Word of mouth may be the most effective way to scout out the goods.

Free T-Shirt of the day: Seatbelt Safety!

Once you’ve determined the location you must focus on timing. This is critical, because if you aren’t strategic you may be shut out. Try to go during a class period that you have free. If you wait till the ten minute transit time the group will likely be flooded with similar freebie fanatics. Also, you want to make sure you have time in case they require any participation or elaborate sign ups. If you’re on the go though, still stop by because it may just be a quick give-a-way.

Next, you must practice proper etiquette in receiving your t-shirt. Listen to what they are speaking about and garner an actual interest in the organization. They’re giving you free clothes, they at least deserve that!

Finally, you must abide by the collegiate code, which is to pass on knowledge of any (good) freebies. Call, text, holler from the rooftops. It’s only fair that everyone know about the opportunity once you’ve gotten yours. This is only necessary after you get your free t-shirt. If you tell others before hand, they may get theirs before yours and they might run out.

I hope these tips have proven helpful. May you have much success on your future quest for the free t-shirt.

Let's Hit the Books

2008-09-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Ellis Library

Class (n): An event to be both enjoyed and fulfilling.

Alright, so that isn't always the case. Not to burst your bubble, but for the last month I have not gotten up each day eager to rise for my 9 a.m. class. 75% of the time I do, but it would just be implausible for anyone to enjoy each and every day of school.

That being said, I really do love my classes this semester! I'm taking 16 credit hours, which is the average recommended in order to graduate in four years. It may seem like a lot, but so far I've found it to be very manageable. Because I'm not in a FIG (freshmen interest group) the classes I have are all ones I selected. If you're on the fence about joining a FIG take into consideration that you have more flexibility if you opt out. However, there are some classes you may not be able to get into because they are reserved for certain FIGs.

FIGs are set up so that freshmen of similar interests (professional, social, or undecided) can live together, while taking classes together. Students are required to take at least three classes together that are usually general education courses. What's nice about this is that you always have a study buddy close by, which is especially helpful when an exam comes around. I often see my dorm-mates heading out to class together, and they often grab meals afterwards. It's a guaranteed group of friends to sit with in large lectures! The FIG also includes a weekly proseminar, which basically entails getting to know your peers and participating in life planning activities.

Personally, I decided against a FIG because I wanted the freedom to take other classes. While my friends are sharing notes on political science and biology, I've been studying up on my human development course, as well as environmental geology. I am in a Learning Community however. Much like a FIG, learning communities place you in residence halls that are filled with people also in your major. While you don't necessarily take the same courses, you still have the same career goals.

Some students also came in with pre-earned credit. This can be from dual credit courses through your local community college, Advanced Placement Scores, and IB program tests. There are also foreign language and math placement exams which may earn you back credit. For students who exempted out of certain classes they have been able to take a lighter schedule.

No matter how many credits you come in with though, you're still going to have to go to class! Studies show that attendance alone is one of the biggest factors of success for students. I refute this claim though. I've seen students show up to class, but sit like a bump on a log. Here's my friendly, but firm, advice: if you've made the effort to show up for class, make a little extra effort to jot down a few notes!

If you're worried about the difference between high school and college don't be too afraid. Yes - there is more reading. Yes - lectures can be large and intimidating. But Yes - there are many outlets to help you succeed! It's all about time management. Budgeting the social and the academic. Once you master that, you're on your way to a good G.P.A!

If you're still struggling though the student success center offers free tutoring in a variety of subjects. This can save hundreds of dollars, so don't overlook it. Also, if you have any type of disability - be it physical or developmental - don't be afraid to speak up! I'm a volunteer note taker in my 20th Century American History class. This means I give my notes to one of my fellow peers, who remains anonymous! Mizzou wants you to succeed and they will support you anyway they can.

School is supposed to be fun, and for the large part, it is! Pick classes you're genuinely interested in, and in most cases they fill your requirements. You're paying for an education, and University of Missouri definitely makes sure you get a good one!

Here are a few helpful links:

FIG Info

Accepted AP Scores

Disability Services

Game Day!

2008-09-13T05:52:00.000-07:00

My high school was notoriously the worst in athletics for our entire district. We had seasons with 0-9 records and games that garnered just as few points. So when I came to Mizzou seeing more than one touchdown (from our team) per game was exciting!! To see them obliterate SEMO 52-3 was unbelievable.

Tiger's Lair at Mizzou is the student cheering section. We all get shirts and become this united mass of enthusiastic gold. Because Tiger's Lair is such a spirited group it's a fact that we get more T.V. time than regular fans! I was so committed to getting into this section that I waited three long hours to get tickets, but let me tell you, it was well worth it!

If you get there early, and I had friends who did, you can get front row seats. Not only do you get a great view, but you get to have your stomachs painted to spell out various words. Don't worry, if you're a girl you can still participate! The girls who live next to me showed up early and said they had a blast - they plan to keep doing it each week. (We'll see how long it lasts for this next game when kick off is at 11:30 a.m. opposed to 5:30 p.m!)

Throughout the game though all 1,500 members of Tiger's Lair participate in chants, cheers, and songs! You get to know so many people this way, especially because everyone is having a good time. If you're forgetful, like myself, they do put the words on the screen - so fear not! I knew I was a part of the Mizzou Community when we sang our song, united.

But lets say standing on your feet for hours on end in the student cheering section isn't your style. Might I offer the solution of Marching Mizzou or the Color Guard. More of a dancer? Try Golden Girls or the cheerleading squad. These are all opportunities to actually get involved with the game day festivities. With all of these activities you will get to go to away games as well. My friend Caitlin is in Marching Mizzou and loves it! She says that the daily practices are worth every minute because you're surrounded by fun people. Rachel, across the hall from me, does color guard and help choreograph their next routine - as a freshmen!

But lets say those four options just aren't doing it for you. You're more of a quirky person who has great bodily expression. My suggestion: Truman the Tiger! That's right, the mascot. It's a chance to be loved by tens of thousands of people each weekend! I'll confess: it's my goal to be in the Truman the Tiger suit at least once before I graduate Mizzou. But it's not all fun and games (well for the most part it is). Truman has to hold his own weight, doing lots of push ups and each game. But if you've got the strength for 30 or so push ups in a giant tiger suit - that's your best bet!

Buy the season tickets, join Tiger's Lair, and invest in gaudy spirit wear - it's worth it!

See you at the game!

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Oh, one final word of wisdom. Farot Field, our football stadium, is pronounced Fa-Row field - not Farrot field. If you were thinking it was Farrot Field, don't worry, you weren't alone; I made that mistake once before too!

Sisterhood & Sororities

2008-09-04T15:21:00.002-07:00

It has begun: the whirlwind known as college life. Two weeks ago I was procrastinating packing up my final belongings, buying extra sheets, and saying goodbye to friends. I had no idea then that MU would be such an exhilarating experience. These last few weeks have been jam-packed with move in, sorority rushing, welcome activities, and, of course, hanging out with all my new friends. Oh, and there may have been some school work in there too!

Because I was participating in sorority rush week (the largest ever at Mizzou with over 1,000 girls) I was able to move in a few days earlier than others. Quick word of advice on move in: come early and be prepared for the long haul. My family and I arrived right on time, 10:00 sharp. Already though, people’s belongings were piled high waiting to be transported to their new home. Overall though, the experience wasn’t as bad as I feared it would be. We got a cart right away, and only had to make a few trips. In a matter of hours my dorm went from drab to fab!

Sorority rushing began the next day with a bang! There were about 70 girls in my rush group and we all had to line up alphabetically. Anxiously we waited for the blowhorn to sound, at which point the sorority house doors would swing open to chanting girls. The first two days progress with excited singing and lots of socials. You spend 25 minutes talking to several girls from each chapter, as you get to know them and vise versa.

Rush week progressed with more socials. Eventually though the preferencing process had to begin – after all, you can’t join 14 sororities. After the first two days you would start to narrow down your choices for which houses you would like to visit. After the open house round there was Skit Day. This was where you could get a sense of each house’s sense of humor. Next up was philanthropy day, which showcased each sorority’s individual charity. The conclusion of rush week ended with preference day, where you get all dressed up. It’s a serious day, filled with stories from girls in the chapter. By this point most girls have made up their mind and proceed to make their final selections.

My friend Lauren and I on Preference Day!

The night before bid day some characterize by restlessness, but is definitely worth the anticipation. On Saturday morning, after a week filled with sisterhood, all the girls gather on the quads. In unison, everyone opens their bid day cards. After the grand reveal the chapters take you back to the house.

Throughout the week I got to meet so many cool girls. My opinion of the week was that of even if you have NO intention of joining a sorority you should go through rush week. It is such a fun experience and opens you up to so many different girls you probably wouldn’t have met anyway. Even if you’re not feeling like a social butterfly, it’s still worth it so you can move in early and beat the rush!

Oh! In case you’re wondering… I pledged Phi Mu!

Quick Facts about Greek Life at Mizzou:
• Students in Greek Life are more involved on campus than non-greek students
• There are 14 Panhallenic sororities here at Mizzou (with the recent addition of Tri-Sig)
• The average G.P.A. of Greek students is higher than that of non-greek students
• All Greek Life members are required to take Greek2Greek, which is a class that encourages responsible living

For more information visit: www.mugreeklife.com

Already Making Friends

2008-08-07T18:22:00.001-07:00

Throughout this past year I've been pretty grateful for social networking sites, like Facebook, that have kept me in contact with my friends. However, at times, I've been even more grateful for UPeers - a Mizzou sponsored networking site.

Once you've been accepted to MU you're encouraged to register on the site. You can make friends, start and participate in discussions, and write on each other's "walls". Because choosing schools can be very overwhelming I found this site was very helpful in asking questions and hearing the responses of my peers. There are a few upperclassmen on UPeers who are also available to answers questions about Sorority/Fraternity rushing, residence hall choice, and other common areas of interest.

As more and more students joined UPeers the discussion topics became broader and broader. As I mentioned in my previous post, I am going to Mizzou not knowing many people. As I suspected there were many others who would be flying solo next year. Eventually a boy named David came up with the great idea to have a Chicago Area Meet-Up for all the kids from the Chicago area that were headed to Mizzou. This was a great experience, and while there were only six of us we really got to know each other. I took the train in with Maggie and Caitlin, my two Rockford peers, and we met up with everyone else at Millennium Park. After enjoying lunch at Bennigans we walked to Grant Park, and from there to Navy Pier.

Since it was such a close-knit group we were really able to get to know each other. I met Pelumi who was rooming a floor below me, as well as David, who was hilarious. It turned out that Lisa, from Elgin, knew some people us Rockfordians knew so we chatted about that. I walked away from the experience feeling like I already had made friends and would recognize some faces this coming fall!

Let me catch you up to speed...

2008-08-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

11 Days. That's how many days until I move into my dorm (7th floor Gillett a.k.a The Penthouse). As you might be able to imagine, I am feeling both excited and a little bit nervous at this point. My schedule has been finalized, my books are bought, and I even have a really cute comforter set picked out! In terms of preparation I couldn't be more ready.

I'm coming from Rockford, IL (90 minutes west of Chicago) and that means I know exactly 2 other people going to Mizzou. While this is somewhat intimidating, it's thrilling at the same time. Because we have the largest class in MU history I know there will be many other students in the same boat as myself. Luckily, my roommate is one of them. This year Mizzou allowed students to do their entire roommate selection process online. Once I selected my Learning Community and Residence Hall choice I was immediately given my roommates name. That instant gratification was extremely helpful, because we've been planning for next year since March. Unlike other schools, where you may have to wait until a month before school starts, Mizzou gives you the information needed so you can figure out who will buy the mini-fridge and who's going to bring the microwave.

I'm also feeling pretty confident because of the great time I had at Summer Welcome. This is when you spend two days on campus (overnight in the dorms) and you meet peers who will be living by you. I spent some time in small groups, which helped get to know kids in my dorm, but there were also large group activities. Parents had their own seminars, while students watched hilarious skits that helped explain what to expect in college. The first day you are with the group almost all day, but day 2 you pick your classes and do other individualized work. My best advice is that you plan ahead! Know what class you're going to need to fulfill requirements, and have any anticipated transfer credits (A.P., I.B., dual credit, etc.) organized. Even if you're unsure of a major you can still be prepared.

My hope for this blog is to share my experience as I go through my freshman year at Mizzou. If you know MU is the place for you, or you're still debating between schools this blog will hopefully help you get a feel of what Mizzou has to offer.