The Writing Center!!

About a week ago I was assigned my first college paper for my english class . At Southern there are many places where you can go to get help you with your academic work. For this assignment I went to the writing center to have my paper edited. I made an appointment on Monday and went there Tuesday morning. Each section is a half hour. You can go there for help on getting your paper started and edited. My english paper was edited by an English professor who teaches English 110. I told her the assignment and she started editing it for errors. Another thing that is great about the writing center is it is always best to have another set of eyes look at your paper. Some parts she was unclear about what I was trying to say so I took her suggest too make the sentence clearer. A lot of times when you are writing you know what you want to say but it is not conveyed that way.

              I think I will bring all of my papers to the writing center because it is a great tool to use to help you with your writing. It definitely paid off to go because I got a 91% on my paper. Also, they give you helpful hints on how to become a better writer and they are very accommodating to fit you in to a tutor’s schedule to have your paper looked at. On the Southern website they have their hours posted and the phone number to call to make an appointment. I would definitely recommend going to the writing center because I believe they will give you an edge to get a better grade and improve your writing skills.  http://www.southernct.edu/writingcenter/ 

As a college student do you feel like you have too much on your plate when it comes to school, work and nightlife activities?

As a college student do you feel like you have too much on your plate when it comes to school, work and nightlife activities?

My answers ranged on the amount of schoolwork my friends have. Some have barely any homework in their classes and others have four to five hours a night. With the people that barely have any homework they have more free time and can go out a lot and not have to worry about their classes. The people that have four to five hours a night said that they have to plan their day very carefully and every chance they get they are working on their studies. Many of the people I interviewed said that if they have an assignment due in a couple of days and don’t have that much homework one night they will start the assignment and get it out of the way. I can say that I do this because some nights I will only have a couple of things to do so I will start something early so I can focus on other assignments. This also allows you to go out more because then you are ahead of your work.

Many of the people I interview don’t have jobs because they worked all summer to have money during school. I think this is a great idea because college itself is a full time job and you don’t want your schoolwork to be affected because you have to go to work. The people that I interviewed that have a job said that they just have to be very organized and finish their work ahead of time because they need to go to work right after they are done with class. They said they like having a job because it makes them get their schoolwork done and during their summer they relaxed and did not have to work a lot so they could enjoy spending time with their friends.

Lastly, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is the night many Southern students go out. Some people thought it is hard to balance nightlife and schoolwork but others thought they did a good job managing their time. Nightlife is fun but if you have homework to do you need to do it. Once you get behind in your classes it is very hard to catch up, you are paying to get an education not to go out and party.      

What I Do During the Week

After recording what I did last week it really helped me understand how I spend my time. After I get out of class I normally will hang out with friends to take a break from schoolwork then I go back to my dorm and do my homework. One of my strategies is I write all my assignments on post-its so I can see what I need to complete for my classes. This helps my stay organized and on top of my work. During a typical week I spend about 25-30 hours on homework. I like to do 2-2.50 hours at one sitting then take a break for a half hour. By doing this it gives me time to recharge and relax.

              During my free time I hangout with friends, go to the gym and watch TV or take a nap. I think by doing this I don’t get stressed out with all the work that I need to complete. As a student it is important to take time out of your day and do something for you, if you don’t do this you become buried in your work and are less likely to have fun.

            My biggest distraction is going out at night. All my friends are going out and having fun and I sometimes have a ton of homework to complete. If I have homework that needs to be done I don’t go out because I don’t want to get behind in my classes. I feel that I have a healthy balance between work and free time. I don’t think I need to change my time management habits because I am spending 30 hours a week on homework and I am understanding the material and in my classes I have been getting A’s on my assignments. 

How to Get Involved? Start off by going to the Club Fair!

Safari #9

On Wednesday September, 21 Southern had there club and organization fair. This is the time where students have the opportunity to get involved and find something they would like to be involved in on campus.

One of the clubs I am joining is Southern’s Future Teachers Organization. This organization is for all education majors. This club works with other Connecticut universities to gain experience in the teaching world. Every semester they have several activities on and off campus to get to know each other and also work with students of all ages to develop skills to be a good educator. “If you join SFTO, you are guaranteed to form great friendships, as well as gain the knowledge you need to help you succeed as a future teacher.” Their meetings are on Wednesdays in the Student Center in room 305 from 1:00-2:00 PM or Tuesdays in the Student Center in room 308 from 6:00-7:00 PM. If you are unable to attend or would like more information email Emily Oaks at eoaks.sfto@gmail.com.

The second club that I am joining is Habitat for Humanity. This organization is for anyone that likes to give a helping hand to people in need. They have built house in the New Haven Area and collaborated with other schools to work on bigger service projects. Their meetings are every other Monday from 1-2 in the Student Center on the third floor. They just had a meeting this week so the next meeting is October 3^rd. If you have any questions you can email Erin Dyer at habitat4humanityscsu@yahoo.com .  

  

Who Would Get my A???

The first Blog that I would give an A to is Adrianna’s Blog. This Blog has an interesting layout and easy to read. All of her posts include examples, pictures and links related to the topic she is writing about. Lastly, with many of her post she applies what we talked about in class but uses critical thinking questions and background knowledge to inform the reader about the post.

http://awetmore.blogspot.com/

The second person I would give an A to is The Blog Starting as an SCSU Freshman. The Blog is both informal and professional at the same time. She includes pictures and links for every blog post. Lastly, I liked the campus safari she did about her RA because I was thinking of being an RA next semester and her blog gives you all the information you need to know to start the process of becoming an RA.

http://spencer-marsella.blogspot.com/

The last person I would give an A to is Louie’s Blog. This blog is very entertaining to read and the pictures are funny to look at but it also has a professional feel. I also like how he gives his opinions on topics but also uses knowledge from the articles we are suppose to read for class. http://louiehappyblogtime.blogspot.com/

Covering College Life Blog

Professional Blogs 

As an incoming freshman it is normal to have concerns about the “College Life”. Some of the questions you may want to know are: is there a lot of homework, how should I spend my time and what do I do if I don’t like my professor? These are all great question and The Covering College Life Blog is a great tool to use during your first year as a college student.

 The Covering College Life Blog is a blog that provides answers to questions that most college students have. For example, how to become a good studier, how not to gain the freshman 15 and how to pick good classes and professors. I know as an incoming freshman these were my concerns. After finding this blog my worries disappeared and I felt more informed about college life.

This blog I would recommend to any college student because it gives you helpful hints on valuable information. The presentation of this blog is kind of plain but it is laid out in an organized manor. This blog interests me because a lot of the topics I talk about in my INQ class are mentioned in this blog. So after class it is nice to see another person perspective on college issues. Lastly, you can ask a question to the creator of the blog and he will post a blog related to your question. I think this is a great thing because college can be a stressful time and it is nice to get feedback from someone that may have experience in that particular area.              

  http://www.rhl.org/blog/ 

Shopping Blog you must checkout!!

Professional Blogs 

In today’s economy every penny you save makes a world of difference. It is very important to be an educated shopper, which means doing your research before buying something. This will ensures you that you got the best deal on the market. That is what The Budget Fashionista Blog is all about.

This Blog has the latest information on store sales and the latest trends that are in style. I would call this Blog Fashion Central. There are many links on this blog that give you steals and deals, advice on fashion and style and a shopping guide. Another thing that is great about this blog is that it has promotion codes to save even more at your favorite stores.

This blog is geared towards people that love to shop and save money. Now a-days I think that is everyone. The visual presentation of the blog looks like a fashion magazine. There are pictures everywhere and the latest promotions going on in stores. I picked this particular blog because I love to shop and read information on the latest trends. It is also great to save money when you are shopping because that means you can buy more! Lastly, it provides reviews on stores so you can see other shopper’s opinion before you take a trip to a new store.     

http://www.thebudgetfashionista.com/category/coupon-deals/ 

SCSU 5th Annual Service Day

Campus Safari #17

On Saturday September 17^th Southern Connecticut State University had their 5^th Annual Service Day. My definition of Service Day is when Southern students give back to the New Haven community.  This is a great opportunity to meet new friends and feel good about helping others. There are many sights that receive community service by students. For example, local parks, on-campus work and work at the Pardee Morris House, which was my sight for the day.

            Some background information on the Pardee Morris House. It is a 6,000 sq. ft. 18^th century farmhouse located on Lighthouse Avenue in New Haven harbor. It was built by Amos Morris around 1750 and was burned by the British during the raid on New Haven in 1779. Then was rebuilt by the Morris Family. In 1915 was bought by William Pardee, a descendent of the Morris family but he died shortly after finishing the house and left a small endowment, to the New Haven Museum. Now it is known as the New Haven Colony Historical Society.

http://newhavenmuseum.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=87 

            The jobs that we did at this sight for Service Day were gardening, cleaning trash around the property and weeding. What I did was weed a walk way to the front of the house. There was a ton of weeds that were overgrown that the walkway was not even visible. After weeding the whole walkway it made the house look more welcoming to tourists coming to the house.

            After a long day of work I felt really good about participating in Service Day. I met some new friends and learned a little bit more about the history that the city of New Haven has to offer. I will definitely be participating in next

Work Smart, Work Hard and Live Strong :)

          When you are stressed as a college student, you may wonder why am I in college and how can I do this anymore? This is completely normal to think. In the article How to Become a Deep Thinker at College they stated may things that happen to college students during their four years. When you start to become stressed out take a break for a little bit and do something else. It can be anything like hanging out with friends, going to the gym or watching TV. By doing something else it helps your mind breath and lets your stress level comedown. I can remember the first weekend of college I was very stressed out because I had a ton of homework for my classes and I didn’t even know where to begin. When this happened to me I just walked away from my books for a minute and relaxed. Then when you get back to your studies you have a clear head and can focus on what you need to get done. I feel this is very common for freshman college students because college is a lot different from high school and the workload is a lot more and it can be challenging at times. Lastly, when planning your schedule try to arrange it so that you don’t have an overload of classes on one day because then your brain will be all over the place and you will be stressed out.

            In the article Work Hard or Work Smart it presented many strategies to help college students with their day-to-day work. For example, everyday you should make a plan then work on the plan and hopefully complete it. I can say after I finished this article I took the information to heart. Now everyday when I get a homework assignment I write it down on a sticky-note and put it on my desk. This technique helps me prioritize what I need to do for my classes and it feels so good when you completed your assignment to throw the sticky-note in the trash. The quote towards the end of the article, “ work smart, work hard and live strong” is very true to college life. What I got out of this quote was that when you are working on homework or studying don’t just do the material to do it, do it to get meaning out of it. Working hard is the only way you will do well in your classes so it is important to always try your best. Lastly, live strong means that you need to take time for yourself and have a healthy balance between work and play

Guide to Getting a Good Teacher and Having Good Textbook Skills

When you are in college there are many things you need to know about your classes. For example, in the article called The Hunt for a Good Teacher they included many valuable pieces of information to look for in a teacher. First, do your research on the teacher by going online and asking around campus. When I got my schedule over the summer I asked some of the upperclassman about my teachers and they told me what their class is like and the teaching style of the professor. I think this is a great thing to do because then you know going into a class what to expect. Also, another great online website to use is www.ratemyprofessor.com. Secondly, you want a professor that knows their material. At Southern all the teachers have a lot of knowledge on their classes and are willing to help you in anyway. With having a good professor, studies have shown that it opens a door to lifelong learning. My English professor this semester has taught me so much valuable information for not only her class but for my other classes as well.

            In the article Get Lost, In Books they gave a lot of helpful tips when reading a college textbook. Are you the type of person that rereads material to understand it better? I know I am. As a college student it is normal to have to read material more than once. In fact that is what your professor expects of you. Another important thing is to take notes as you read. I know personally that when I take notes I understand the material better and better process what I just read. Also, in college it is critical to be an active reader. When I am reading something that is long and hard to process I have a pen in my hand and a dictionary to look up words that I am unsure of. Lastly, I feel that in order to be a good student you need to be on you’re a game all the time because in college everything builds on something else so if you don’t understand something now you will most likely not get it later on. Both of these articles are great to read when you are having trouble in your classes because they give you some helpful hints on how to do better.   

SCSU Fitness Center

The Fitness Center is located on the 2nd Floor of the Michael J. Adanti Student Center.

At Southern there is a great fitness center that is open for student to use at a price. For one semester the charge is $60.00 and you need to make sure that the money is on your Hoot Loot Card. Then you can renew the membership for the next semester at the same price. The hours of operation are Monday thru Thursday 7am to 10pm, Friday 7am to 8pm, Saturday 9:30am to 4:30pm and Sunday 2pm to 7pm. So far this week the classes I have taken are Zumba which is on Tuesday from 5-6, Cardio Kickboxing which is Wednesday from 5-5:45 and Buns, Guns and Abs on Thursday from 4-4:45. The one that I liked the best was Zumba because I love to dance and the teacher was very fun and had a great personality.

            There are many pieces of equipment that the gym has to offer. All the information listed below can be found on the gym website, which is www.southernct.edu/fitnesscenter. 

Cardiovascular- Life Fitness

•               Treadmills - with personal LCD screens and cable channels  

•               Upright and Recumbent Bikes

•               Stair Steppers

Cardiovascular-PRECOR

•               Elliptical Trainers

Weight Training Machines- Life Fitness

•                   Chest Press

•                   Chest Fly/Rear Delt

•                   Shoulder Press 

•                   Lateral Raise

•                   Lat Pulldown

•                   Seated Row

•                   Triceps Press Down 

•                   Biceps Curl

•                   Leg Press

•                   Leg Extension

•                   Leg Curl

•                   Hip Abduction

•                   Hip Adduction

•                   Assisted dip/chin up

Plate Loaded Equipment- Hammer Strength

•                   Iso-Lateral Incline Press

•                   Iso-Lateral Flat Press

•                   Leg Press

•                   Inclined Bench

•                   Flat Bench

•                   Squat Rack

•                   Smith Machine

Free Weights and more

•                   5 lb - 100 lb pairs

•                   Adjustable Benches

•                   Decline Bench *stationary- should not be moved from its location.

•                   Preacher Curl

STRETCHING ROOM

•               Stretching Mat

•               Stability Balls- 55 cm, 65 cm, 75 cm

•               Medicine Balls

Balance discs

This Semester in College!!

College to me is a very exciting time to put your mind to your fullest potential, meet new friends and learn how to be independent. When I was accepted to Southern Connecticut State University I was very excited in starting my new chapter in my education. When I graduate I would like to be an elementary school teacher and I feel that Southern will prepare me very well to enter that profession. There is a club that caught my interest that is called Future Teachers at SCSU, which I plan to join. During orientation my group leader was apart of this club and she said that she loved going to the elementary school to help out in the classroom. This club is very similar to a club that I participated in high school. It was very rewarding to help younger students with their schoolwork and I look forward to helping students that are apart of the New Haven community. Another opportunity that I had was that I was a member of the Freshman Leadership Program, which started a week before school. At the retreat I met many new friends and learned a lot more about becoming a leader. I feel that this retreat will help me become a well-rounded Southern Owl and when I become a teacher after I graduate. As a freshman in college you have a lot more work than in high school and there are a lot more opportunities in choosing classes that interest you. I have to say in college you need to make sure you are focused on your schoolwork. There are a lot more temptations to go out with your friends but if you have homework to do make sure it is completed before going out. College life is also the time where you meet new people and form friendship that can last forever. Being a student at Southern everyone on campus seems very friendly and there are always people willing to help you. My goals for my classes this semester is to be more proactive when I am unsure of something, make sure that my professors know me by name and hopefully make the Dean’s List. I am glad and grateful that I can experience the college life at Southern! 

Getting to Know Hanna :)

                                             Family

Family is important to me because they are always there with unconditional love. Also, when I am having a bad day a phone call with my family makes a world of difference. We may not always agree on everything but I know I can tell them anything.

   Pets  
( Hemi 5 years old and Bentley 8 months old)

My two Golden Retrievers are the first thing my family and I see when we walk in the door of our home.  They are always standing at the top of the stairs waging their tails and talking to us. They both are great swimmers and during the summer I would have to play lifeguard while they were swimming in my pool. They are important to me because they make me feel secure and are very affectionate.

                                                

Friends

In life it is very important to have friends that you can trust and people that always have your back. A good quality in a friend is someone who is not afraid to tell you that you are doing something wrong or disagree with you. Over the course of my four years in high school I grew a closer relationship with my five friends. Even though we did not go to the same colleges we all still talk to one another and make sure that we stay connected. I am looking forward to making new friends at SCSU!

Religion  

My religion is important to me because it is the foundation of my beliefs in God.  It is my compass in moral standards, my self-esteem and my strong character from knowing right from wrong are beliefs in my faith.

                                                 Community

 It is very important for people to be well rounded in both their professional and personal lives. I believe this   can be accomplished by being involved in your community. When you are involved in your community it can be a very rewarding experience. You can deal with people from different cultures and all walks of life. One of my rewarding experiences was helping at a homeless shelter. It was a humble feeling helping the less fortunate.