Hi Everyone!
So this will officially by my last day of blogging for UT. I had a great experience being able to share my opinions this semester and I hope that there is someone else out there who would like to continue to write! I have been writing this blog as part of my internship with the admissions department at UT and I hope that my insight has brought something to prospective students!
With that said, I'd like to leave everyone with a few tips for finals week as we are swiftly approaching it! This time of year around campus seems to be a bit hostile since there is no way kids want to be inside studying when the weather is finally nice again and the pool is only a steps away. It is definitely hard to focus on such a beautiful campus, but it must be done (we are here for an education first, right?) Many students find themselves in the library for hours trying to prepare for their exams. Here are some suggestions I'd like to make from my personal experiences about finals week:
-Don't Freak Out!: Just remember that every other student at UT is basically in the same boat you are. Everyone has to study for finals and cram everything from the second half of the semester into a few days of review. I promise that you will be okay as long as you stay calm and realize that you have most likely learned alot more than you think you have this semester
-Stay Hydrated and Fed: I know this sounds silly, but some students go to the library and don't come out for 8 hours and forget to eat or drink anything. Your brain and body needs food to focus and water to stay alert. Taking breaks periodically to walk around and grab a bite to eat is a good idea and will also help you focus by breaking the study time up
-Don't stay up all night: People hear about students who stay up for days studying and then don't pass their finals. This is not because the student didn't study enough, it was because he or she was exhausted! Staying up all night and then going to take a test in the morning is basically like going to class with scrambled eggs for brains. Your body and mind need rest in order to function, so try and get as much sleep as possible!
-Start studying early!: Students should NOT wait til the night before a final to start studying. It doesn't matter if your final is on 2 chapters or the entire semester, studying should not start 24 hours beforehand. Your brain will not retain all the information it can unless you give it time to soak everything in. If you have a final on Tuesday, I suggest starting to study today!
Hopefully all students to amazing on their finals and finish off the year on an excellent note. For everyone who is an underclassmen, congratulations on a wonderful year and for seniors, welcome to the real world! CONGRATULATIONS!
Thank you to everyone for allowing me the opportunity to write this semester! It has been an amazing experience!
Happy Thursday :)
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Happy Earth Day!
Hello Everyone!!
HAPPY EARTH DAY! Today is a day to go green! Keeping the environment clean is a way to keep all citizens healthy and promote a happy community! University of Tampa is a university that regularly recycles. Recycling bins in all computer labs for extra papers and scrapes that can be reused. UT also has 2 single stream recycling bins around campus for cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans. There are a total of 30 different places on campus where you can dispose of recyclable materials. It's great to see UT trying to Go Green with the help of all the students! The IT department has come up with some helpful tips for students on how to conserve paper! Here is the link: http://www.ut.edu/technology/labs/printing/
All around the Tampa Bay area, going green has become a big thing! Keeping the area nice and clean will hopefully attract more people to our beautiful city! Every Friday, there is a Farmer's Market in Downtown Tampa from 10am til 2pm. Local growers come with their fresh produce as well as other unique, organic items such as homemade treats and jewelry. Here is a link to check out all the cool vendors! http://www.tampadowntownmarket.com/index.html
Citizens of St. Petersburg are also into the environment! This weekend is the 24th annual Green Thumb Festival at Walter Fuller Park in St. Petersburg. With tons of exhibits and environmental programs, the festival is aimed to please people from ages 9 to 99. Here is the link to check it out! http://www.stpete.org/parks/greenthumb.asp
Other Earth Day events around the Tampa Bay area are highlighted here: http://www.tampabay.com/features/events/earth-day-events-around-tampa-bay/1088562
I hope that everyone enjoys their day and does something "green" today! :)
HAPPY EARTH DAY! Today is a day to go green! Keeping the environment clean is a way to keep all citizens healthy and promote a happy community! University of Tampa is a university that regularly recycles. Recycling bins in all computer labs for extra papers and scrapes that can be reused. UT also has 2 single stream recycling bins around campus for cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans. There are a total of 30 different places on campus where you can dispose of recyclable materials. It's great to see UT trying to Go Green with the help of all the students! The IT department has come up with some helpful tips for students on how to conserve paper! Here is the link: http://www.ut.edu/technology/labs/printing/
All around the Tampa Bay area, going green has become a big thing! Keeping the area nice and clean will hopefully attract more people to our beautiful city! Every Friday, there is a Farmer's Market in Downtown Tampa from 10am til 2pm. Local growers come with their fresh produce as well as other unique, organic items such as homemade treats and jewelry. Here is a link to check out all the cool vendors! http://www.tampadowntownmarket.com/index.html
Citizens of St. Petersburg are also into the environment! This weekend is the 24th annual Green Thumb Festival at Walter Fuller Park in St. Petersburg. With tons of exhibits and environmental programs, the festival is aimed to please people from ages 9 to 99. Here is the link to check it out! http://www.stpete.org/parks/greenthumb.asp
Other Earth Day events around the Tampa Bay area are highlighted here: http://www.tampabay.com/features/events/earth-day-events-around-tampa-bay/1088562
I hope that everyone enjoys their day and does something "green" today! :)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Tips for Packing Smart!
Hi everyone,
So I am SO excited that there is only 2 weeks of school left before graduation week! I seriously can't believe how fast the past 4 years have gone by! It seems like only yesterday my parents and I pulled up to UT in August to move me in to McKay for my first semester of college. Move in day is such an exciting time on campus because everything is new to you and there is so much going on around you. Although it was always fun to move into a new dorm each year so you could experience new people and atmospheres, moving in was not very fun in the blazing heat of Tampa summers. As my father would say, it is hotter than fire down here in August! UT does provide a Move-In Team at each dorm comprised of student volunteers who will help you and your family move into your dorm.
With that said, I have come up with a list of essentials that you should pack when coming to UT in the fall! You don't want to bring too much but you also don't want to forget the important things! Aside from all your clothes, here is a list of some things that are vital to living in a college dorm!
-Sheets for your bed: Make sure when you are buying sheets and a comforter for your dorm that you buy XL sheets because the mattresses at UT are longer than a normal twin sized bed.
-Laundry detergent & basket: Each dorm has a laundry facility but they do not provide detergent or fabric softener. Good idea to buy a big basket for your clothes as well because your laundry facility could be a little bit of a walk from your room.
-Utensils/plates/cups for your room: It's always nice to have some plates and cups around your room in case you order pizza with your friends or want to eat dinner in your room. Plastic everything is the way to go so you can just throw them away after your are done!
-Shower Stuff: Shampoo, conditioner, razors, soap, shaving cream, etc. are all things that you will definitely need. I suggest getting a shower cady to hold everything in so you can bring it in when you need it and then remove it so that there aren't 5 shampoo bottles and 5 razors cluttering the one shower you will typically share with 4 other people.
-Hangers for your closet: Hangers are something that a lot of people don't think about, but are essential in the dorms. You only have a limited amount of space in the set of drawers that is provided for you, so hanging clothing is a good option to save space instead of buying another dresser.
-Umbrella - I know this sounds dorky and you don't want to be walking around campus with an umbrella, but in Tampa there is a time period when it rains EVERYDAY in the afternoon. It will come in handy, I promise!
-Decorations for your room: Posters and pictures of friends from home will bring your room to life and make it your own. Many student make collages or bring memorablia from home and put them on their walls. You are allowed to stick things to the wall with tape and whatnot as long as it does not take the paint off the walls or leave any kind of mark when it is removed.
-Beach wear and suntan lotion: UT is in Florida! We are about 30 minutes from the beach but only footsteps away from the pool on campus where students go to hang out and get some sun.
-Small tool set: This will come in handy if something breaks in your dorm, say a closet rack, and will also be something that others will seek out when they have issues in their rooms.
-Small Refridgerator & Microwave: UT has a service that you can rent both of these for the year and then not have to deal with them at the end of the year, but it is nice to have your own mini fridge for sodas or gatorade as well as a microwave to heat up leftovers or make raman noodles.
Although this is not a complete list, UT provides a packing list that has more suggestions for dorm packing!
One big suggestion I make is for those of you who are coming to Tampa from out of state, I urge you to wait until you get down here to buy everything. Bring what you have from home, but DO NOT buy all your dorm supplies at home because it will be a huge pain to transport everything. There are SO many places just a few miles away from UT that you can get dorm stuff (Wal-Mart, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.) as well as two big malls in the area as well.
So I am SO excited that there is only 2 weeks of school left before graduation week! I seriously can't believe how fast the past 4 years have gone by! It seems like only yesterday my parents and I pulled up to UT in August to move me in to McKay for my first semester of college. Move in day is such an exciting time on campus because everything is new to you and there is so much going on around you. Although it was always fun to move into a new dorm each year so you could experience new people and atmospheres, moving in was not very fun in the blazing heat of Tampa summers. As my father would say, it is hotter than fire down here in August! UT does provide a Move-In Team at each dorm comprised of student volunteers who will help you and your family move into your dorm.
With that said, I have come up with a list of essentials that you should pack when coming to UT in the fall! You don't want to bring too much but you also don't want to forget the important things! Aside from all your clothes, here is a list of some things that are vital to living in a college dorm!
-Sheets for your bed: Make sure when you are buying sheets and a comforter for your dorm that you buy XL sheets because the mattresses at UT are longer than a normal twin sized bed.
-Laundry detergent & basket: Each dorm has a laundry facility but they do not provide detergent or fabric softener. Good idea to buy a big basket for your clothes as well because your laundry facility could be a little bit of a walk from your room.
-Utensils/plates/cups for your room: It's always nice to have some plates and cups around your room in case you order pizza with your friends or want to eat dinner in your room. Plastic everything is the way to go so you can just throw them away after your are done!
-Shower Stuff: Shampoo, conditioner, razors, soap, shaving cream, etc. are all things that you will definitely need. I suggest getting a shower cady to hold everything in so you can bring it in when you need it and then remove it so that there aren't 5 shampoo bottles and 5 razors cluttering the one shower you will typically share with 4 other people.
-Hangers for your closet: Hangers are something that a lot of people don't think about, but are essential in the dorms. You only have a limited amount of space in the set of drawers that is provided for you, so hanging clothing is a good option to save space instead of buying another dresser.
-Umbrella - I know this sounds dorky and you don't want to be walking around campus with an umbrella, but in Tampa there is a time period when it rains EVERYDAY in the afternoon. It will come in handy, I promise!
-Decorations for your room: Posters and pictures of friends from home will bring your room to life and make it your own. Many student make collages or bring memorablia from home and put them on their walls. You are allowed to stick things to the wall with tape and whatnot as long as it does not take the paint off the walls or leave any kind of mark when it is removed.
-Beach wear and suntan lotion: UT is in Florida! We are about 30 minutes from the beach but only footsteps away from the pool on campus where students go to hang out and get some sun.
-Small tool set: This will come in handy if something breaks in your dorm, say a closet rack, and will also be something that others will seek out when they have issues in their rooms.
-Small Refridgerator & Microwave: UT has a service that you can rent both of these for the year and then not have to deal with them at the end of the year, but it is nice to have your own mini fridge for sodas or gatorade as well as a microwave to heat up leftovers or make raman noodles.
Although this is not a complete list, UT provides a packing list that has more suggestions for dorm packing!
One big suggestion I make is for those of you who are coming to Tampa from out of state, I urge you to wait until you get down here to buy everything. Bring what you have from home, but DO NOT buy all your dorm supplies at home because it will be a huge pain to transport everything. There are SO many places just a few miles away from UT that you can get dorm stuff (Wal-Mart, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.) as well as two big malls in the area as well.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The Registrations Woes
It's that time of year again! All students who will be returning to UT in the fall have started to register for fall classes. Some students find this to be the most aggravating process and do not want to deal with scheduling. I, on the other hand, always found this time of year to be exciting! I used to love looking through the course catalog and finding out what classes I needed to take, who was teaching them that semester, and how I could figure out a way to not have Friday classes. This may sound completely ludicrous and you may think I'm a total nerd for enjoying this process, but I will tell you that my enjoyment for scheduling has helped out a number of my friends when it has come to picking classes.
Just a couple years ago, University of Tampa introduced an electronic process for registering for classes. Traditionally, everyone would have to stand in line and wait their turn to pick classes in one of the big venues, such as the Music Room in Plant Hall, and fill out mindless paperwork that you were sure would be lost the next day. An annoying day filled with lines and last minute choices of electives because the class you had planned on already filled out was what was in store for students at UT and most other campuses for years. Luckily, UT has become technologically savvy and upgraded the system so that students could register from any computer.
Picking classes can be exciting but also a little nerve racking. Trying to figure out what classes you need to take so that you will be on time to graduate is a little overwhelming, especially if you do not like scheduling things to begin with. UT has provided an awesome tool on SpartanWeb, our student access website, that allows for an easier selection process for classes each semester. The Degree Guide portion of SpartanWed has an in-depth look into what courses are required for specific majors and what electives have been taken or still need to be taken to fulfill the Baccalaureate Experiences portion of UT's liberal arts curriculum.
Although you can't see too clearly, this is what the Degree Guide looks like. You can see how it has my name and major listed with all the classes that I need to take. They are listed at "Complete" once you have taken the courses and been given credit towards graduation.
Even though this tool is great to help students figure out what they need to take, many students still do not want to deal with it. I, for example, helped tons of my friends figure out their schedules. I went through their degree guide, foudn the classes they still needed for graduation, and then asked them what days and times they would like to have their classes. I would take their requests and look through all the available class times and arranges schedules for them. It was kind of funny how I was so into making schedules that the word leaked throughout all of my friends and I ended up scheduling times for my friends to come and meet with me to figure it out. I felt like a counselor! I enjoyed it, however, and would help anyone who needed it!
Hopefully everyone gets to register for the classes they want and are happy with their schedules for the fall! I was disappointed when I realized I wouldn't be scheduling classes for myself this semester...but then realized I was graduating and wasn't too sad anymore!
Just a couple years ago, University of Tampa introduced an electronic process for registering for classes. Traditionally, everyone would have to stand in line and wait their turn to pick classes in one of the big venues, such as the Music Room in Plant Hall, and fill out mindless paperwork that you were sure would be lost the next day. An annoying day filled with lines and last minute choices of electives because the class you had planned on already filled out was what was in store for students at UT and most other campuses for years. Luckily, UT has become technologically savvy and upgraded the system so that students could register from any computer.
Picking classes can be exciting but also a little nerve racking. Trying to figure out what classes you need to take so that you will be on time to graduate is a little overwhelming, especially if you do not like scheduling things to begin with. UT has provided an awesome tool on SpartanWeb, our student access website, that allows for an easier selection process for classes each semester. The Degree Guide portion of SpartanWed has an in-depth look into what courses are required for specific majors and what electives have been taken or still need to be taken to fulfill the Baccalaureate Experiences portion of UT's liberal arts curriculum.
Although you can't see too clearly, this is what the Degree Guide looks like. You can see how it has my name and major listed with all the classes that I need to take. They are listed at "Complete" once you have taken the courses and been given credit towards graduation.
Even though this tool is great to help students figure out what they need to take, many students still do not want to deal with it. I, for example, helped tons of my friends figure out their schedules. I went through their degree guide, foudn the classes they still needed for graduation, and then asked them what days and times they would like to have their classes. I would take their requests and look through all the available class times and arranges schedules for them. It was kind of funny how I was so into making schedules that the word leaked throughout all of my friends and I ended up scheduling times for my friends to come and meet with me to figure it out. I felt like a counselor! I enjoyed it, however, and would help anyone who needed it!
Hopefully everyone gets to register for the classes they want and are happy with their schedules for the fall! I was disappointed when I realized I wouldn't be scheduling classes for myself this semester...but then realized I was graduating and wasn't too sad anymore!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Welcome Back, Baseball!
Happy Tuesday Everyone!
So it's already April, which means I have a little over a month before graduation! WOW! where has the time gone? I seriously feel like it was yesterday that I arrived in Tampa for the first time and moved into McKay Hall. I've been so busy recently trying to get all the work done in my classes, working as much as possible so I can save money for Europe, and trying to figure out where I'm going to live once May rolls around. I need a break!! I'm so relieved that the weather is starting to be consistently nice and enjoyable!
So today is not only a gorgeous day, it is also a very exciting day for baseball fans in Tampa Bay! It's the Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day! The Bay area is filled with Rays fans and they all flock to St. Petersburg for games at Tropicana Field. There have been talks recently about moving the Rays stadium into the Downtown Tampa area. Hopefully this happens so that everyone who lives Downtown, especially UT students, could walk to the games and attend more often! If the stadium were to move Downtown, I believe it would cause the city to blow up. All of the trendy bars and unique restaurants would get the recognition they deserve and locals would start venturing down there more often, creating a buzz. Bringing baseball fans to downtown will also help to promote the other events that take place down there, such as games and concerts that take place at the St. Pete Times Forum.
There is so much to do downtown that adding the Rays stadium would only help the area! I hope that future UT students will get to enjoy a baseball stadium as well as a hockey arena in the same area!
So it's already April, which means I have a little over a month before graduation! WOW! where has the time gone? I seriously feel like it was yesterday that I arrived in Tampa for the first time and moved into McKay Hall. I've been so busy recently trying to get all the work done in my classes, working as much as possible so I can save money for Europe, and trying to figure out where I'm going to live once May rolls around. I need a break!! I'm so relieved that the weather is starting to be consistently nice and enjoyable!
So today is not only a gorgeous day, it is also a very exciting day for baseball fans in Tampa Bay! It's the Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day! The Bay area is filled with Rays fans and they all flock to St. Petersburg for games at Tropicana Field. There have been talks recently about moving the Rays stadium into the Downtown Tampa area. Hopefully this happens so that everyone who lives Downtown, especially UT students, could walk to the games and attend more often! If the stadium were to move Downtown, I believe it would cause the city to blow up. All of the trendy bars and unique restaurants would get the recognition they deserve and locals would start venturing down there more often, creating a buzz. Bringing baseball fans to downtown will also help to promote the other events that take place down there, such as games and concerts that take place at the St. Pete Times Forum.
There is so much to do downtown that adding the Rays stadium would only help the area! I hope that future UT students will get to enjoy a baseball stadium as well as a hockey arena in the same area!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Food For Everyone!
Hello everyone! This week has gone by SOO fast! I can't believe it is already Thursday! Thursdays are my favorite day because it is my night off from work and I usually get to go out to dinner! Tonight I will be going to Mitchell's Fish Market on Westshore for some yummy scallops!!
For those of you who don't have a car or like most college kids, don't have too much money, there are a bunch of places off campus within walking distance you should try!
Frankie's - Barely off campus located on the corner of North Blvd and Kennedy is Frankie's. Amazing hot dogs are their specialty. Frankie's also offers college favorites such as hamburgers and wings. I love going there during football season because they have the NFL package and will always show my favorite PATRIOTS! Prices are very reasonable and they usually have different food specials on cetains days, like 50 cent wings on wednesdays! http://www.frankieshotdogs.com/index.htm
Algusto's Mexican Restaurant - With everything from fajitas to enchiladas and even chimmichangas, Algusto's has all of your favorite mexican cuisine just steps off campus. Located on Kennedy Blvd across the street from Frankie's, Algusto's serves authentic mexican food for a low price. Student walk across the street from campus all the time to enjoy everything Algusto's has to offer! http://www.algustomexicanrestaurant.com/
NOLA Cafe - Although a little further away from UT, NOLA cafe is worth the walk. Located next to Walgreens just 2 blocks south of campus on W Platt Street, NOLA cafe has amazing New Orleans food. Jambalaya and Seafood Gumbo are just 2 of their amazing dishes that taste like they came straight from New Orleans. NOLA also boasts the "World's Best Beignets". Take a little stroll off campus and check out the authentic NOLA cafe! http://www.nolacafe.com/index.html
There are SO many places to check out around campus, but those are just a few to get you started! I hope everyone steps outside of their comfort zone in the Caf or Spartan Club and enjoys a little something different!
For those of you who don't have a car or like most college kids, don't have too much money, there are a bunch of places off campus within walking distance you should try!
Frankie's - Barely off campus located on the corner of North Blvd and Kennedy is Frankie's. Amazing hot dogs are their specialty. Frankie's also offers college favorites such as hamburgers and wings. I love going there during football season because they have the NFL package and will always show my favorite PATRIOTS! Prices are very reasonable and they usually have different food specials on cetains days, like 50 cent wings on wednesdays! http://www.frankieshotdogs.com/index.htm
Algusto's Mexican Restaurant - With everything from fajitas to enchiladas and even chimmichangas, Algusto's has all of your favorite mexican cuisine just steps off campus. Located on Kennedy Blvd across the street from Frankie's, Algusto's serves authentic mexican food for a low price. Student walk across the street from campus all the time to enjoy everything Algusto's has to offer! http://www.algustomexicanrestaurant.com/
NOLA Cafe - Although a little further away from UT, NOLA cafe is worth the walk. Located next to Walgreens just 2 blocks south of campus on W Platt Street, NOLA cafe has amazing New Orleans food. Jambalaya and Seafood Gumbo are just 2 of their amazing dishes that taste like they came straight from New Orleans. NOLA also boasts the "World's Best Beignets". Take a little stroll off campus and check out the authentic NOLA cafe! http://www.nolacafe.com/index.html
There are SO many places to check out around campus, but those are just a few to get you started! I hope everyone steps outside of their comfort zone in the Caf or Spartan Club and enjoys a little something different!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
UT Library is the new hot spot!
Hello out there!
With only a few weeks left in the semester, most students are finding that they are having A LOT more work pushed on them than in previous weeks, me included! Soo many papers and projects come around this time and it is pretty overwhelming. Even though the weather is starting to get warmer and mor enjoyable, it seems as though more students can be found in the UT Library than at the pool. Some kids have even said that they should pay their housing deposits to the Library since they are there so often (not a bad thing, right parents?)
UT's Library, known as the Macdonald-Kelce Library, is an amazing resouce for students to take advantage of while on campus. With more than 275,000 books and 1,600 periodicals in the library, students can go to do research for papers or just check out a good read to bring to the pool. There are two designated computer labs in the library for students to utilize from research or simply printing materials for class (ps, printing is free! some schools charge students per sheet for printing, but not here!) Each computer lab has at least 1 lab assistant available to help you if you need anything!
Many students find it helpful to form study groups for classes to review for tests or do projects. UT's library has special rooms that students can reserve for up to 2 hours that are seculded from the rest of the library. Groups of students can meet there and no worry about being too loud for other students in the library trying to study. These rooms are great around midterms and finals when you have 2 or 3 students all gathering together.
Although the Library is not meant to be a social hot spot, you will see many different people all throughout the library. Meeting new people should be one of your goals when coming to college, and the library is one great place to do it!
With only a few weeks left in the semester, most students are finding that they are having A LOT more work pushed on them than in previous weeks, me included! Soo many papers and projects come around this time and it is pretty overwhelming. Even though the weather is starting to get warmer and mor enjoyable, it seems as though more students can be found in the UT Library than at the pool. Some kids have even said that they should pay their housing deposits to the Library since they are there so often (not a bad thing, right parents?)
UT's Library, known as the Macdonald-Kelce Library, is an amazing resouce for students to take advantage of while on campus. With more than 275,000 books and 1,600 periodicals in the library, students can go to do research for papers or just check out a good read to bring to the pool. There are two designated computer labs in the library for students to utilize from research or simply printing materials for class (ps, printing is free! some schools charge students per sheet for printing, but not here!) Each computer lab has at least 1 lab assistant available to help you if you need anything!
Many students find it helpful to form study groups for classes to review for tests or do projects. UT's library has special rooms that students can reserve for up to 2 hours that are seculded from the rest of the library. Groups of students can meet there and no worry about being too loud for other students in the library trying to study. These rooms are great around midterms and finals when you have 2 or 3 students all gathering together.
Although the Library is not meant to be a social hot spot, you will see many different people all throughout the library. Meeting new people should be one of your goals when coming to college, and the library is one great place to do it!
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