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

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!

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

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:

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

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

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

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!