Uncertain Goals

Normally I post about what my semester goals are and why I want to achieve them, but this time I can’t really think of any. I’m not really sure what I want out of this semester because I achieved pretty much all of my academic goals I set for myself last year. Maybe after I get back in the groove and feel this semester out a bit it will come to me. For now I have a blank canvas.

After a Stressful Week…Finally Moved Back Into College

I moved back to Pittsburgh this past Monday and it’s taken me forever to write a post about it! My dorm (which is a school apartment) is really freakin nice. It’s probably going to be nicer than my first apartment ha. The kitchen has black appliances and even a dishwasher. Living room is kind of small, but it has decent furniture. All the rooms have floor to ceiling windows with a beautiful view of the river and Station Square. I accidentally moved into the wrong bedroom at first (Point Park assigns bedrooms and I moved into bedroom C instead of B). So I had to move all of my stuff into the right room. I feel incredibly stupid for doing that, but all is well now. On top of moving into the wrong bedroom, I dropped my phone and now it’s not working, so I’m getting a new one sent to me.

Since I’m an Honors Program mentor I got to move in before my other roomies and practically more than half of the school. Everyone is moving in today so there are boxes and crap all through the kitchen and living room. Not really excited, just apprehensive about new roommates since I’ve had so many bad situations in the best. Who knows, this year could go smoothly in that area.

On top of moving in, I’ve spent the past four days cramming in Honors Program events. They lasted pretty much all day. Tuesday we had all day orientation where we had a trainer from The Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania come and do a presentation for us. We learned about what role a mentor plays and how a mentor relationship is different from natural relationships (friends, parents, etc). It was really interested and a good learning experience.

After the presentation we had a free lunch…WOOT. The Honors Program is well-known for providing free food during their events so I devoured some delicious R&B’s Pizza (best pizza in downtown and my personal favorite). When we were done chowing down, we learned how to make towels animals for our resident mentees. I made two towel dogs and one towel elephant. They were kinda cool but kinda cheesy…meh oh well. We also put together some goodies bags for all of the new Honors students.

While delivering the goodies to their rooms I met one of my mentees on the elevator so that was cool.

On Wednesday we had the new Honors students move in so we helped them out with that and set up a move in table where we gave them their room keys and all that fun moving in stuff. Later that night we had an orientation dinner in the park. They served sandwiches and salads. A bit informal, but the food was good. We were supposed to play a group game but most of the kids bailed so it never happened. This is where everyone got to meet their mentees, but a lot of them didn’t show up. I only met one of mentees there and the mentee I met on Tuesday was there as well.

After the dinner another mentor and I took some of the mentees on a walk all around downtown which was a lot of fun. I was able to get to know some of the new students and they were able to learn about the city so it was a win/win situation.

Thursday we did a City As text activity which is where all the mentee groups paired up and toured different sections of Pittsburgh. After touring around the groups came back to school and put a presentation together to give the next morning to fellow Honors students. My group got downtown so again I walked all over downtown and North Shore showing kids around. It was a beautiful day and I had a pretty good time, plus we had some bangin grub at Mullen’s.

Friday morning we had the City As Text presentations and then we did a community service activity with the Animal Rescue League. Near the school we had cuddle a kitty for a dollar and in Market Square we had pet a puppy for a dollar. We also had a pet gift basket raffle for $1. It went really really well and I think we made a lot of money for ARL. People in the city really responded to seeing cute little kitties and puppies in the middle of downtown ha.

That was the last long day of Honors Program activities and events so now I have all weekend to chill out and the first day of class on Monday to look forward too. I’m not completely done with my room, but when I am, I will defiantly post pictures.

Toodles for now!

PS. I almost forgot to mention that in September I’m having a back to school giveaway in honor of the blogs belated one year anniversary. I know I’m way late on the giveaway considering the anniversary date was August 8, but hey, its free stuff. Keep checking back to hear more.

Back in the Burgh

Been in the Pitts for the past five days and have been so busy doing fun, stressful, and interesting things. Tomorrow all of my roommates move in and Monday classes officially start. I have errands to run and faculty to see so it seems I’ll continue to have another busy week. I’ll post more details later. Good luck to everyone who starts classes and is moving in!

7 Things To Do Before Summer Break Is Over

1. Spend time with your family
2. Hang out with friends
3. Start packing for college
4. Enjoy having free time
5. Take advantage of summer weather
6. Go on one last summer trip
7. Mentally prepare yourself for working up early and doing school work all the time

 

 

Ultimate College Packing List

Students will be starting college in just a few weeks from now. It’s a good time to get started on college shopping for your dorm or apartment. This list contains everything you will need to bring. Some things may not apply to certain colleges and universities.

Bedding

• Pillows
• Pillow Cases
• Mattress Cover
• Egg Crate Mattress Pad
• Extra Long/Twin Sheets
• Extra Long/Twin Comforter
• Under the Bed Storage Containers

Toiletries/Bathroom Supplies

•  Comb/Brush
• Hairdryer/Straightener/Curling Iron
• Shampoo/Conditioner
• Deodorant
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Face Wash
• Razors
• Shaving Cream
• Hair Gels/Mousse
• Barrettes/Hair Tyes
• Nail Clippers/Nail File/ Manicure Set
• Q-Tips/Cotton Balls
• Shower Tote/Caddy
• Body Wash
• Medicine/First Aid
• Lotions
• Towels
• Toilet Paper/Tissues
• Shower Flip Flops
• Tweezers
• Mouthwash
• Chap Stick
• Mirror
• Bath Robe
• Perfume/Cologne
• Dental Floss/Brush Ups
• Make-Up/Cosmetics
• Shower Curtain

Computer Related

•  Cables
• Computer
• Headphones
• Mouse
• Keyboard
• Printer
• Printer Ink
• Printer Paper
• Surge Protector
• Digital Camera/Memory Card/Camera Accessories
• USB Flash Drive
• External Hard Drive
• Microsoft Office

Desk Area

•  Calendar
• Desk Chair
• Desk Lamp
• Envelopes
• Stamps
• Stationary
• Glue
• Paper Clips
• Scissors
• Pencil Sharpener
• Pens/Pencils
• Stapler
• Stapler Remover
• Ruler
• Rubber Bands
• Three-Hole Punch
• Waste Basket
• White-Out
• Blank CDs/DVDs
• Extension Cords
• Bulletin Board
• Highlighters
• Index Cards
• Assignment Book/Planner
• Binders
• Tape
• Post-Its

Room

• Full-Length Mirror
• Alarm Clock
• MP3 Player/Stereo
• Television
• DVD Collection
• Video Game Console
• Posters/Pictures
• Laundry Basket
• Storage Bins
• Decorations
• Over the Door Hooks/Adhesive Hooks
• Area Rugs
• Floor Lamp
• Beanbag/Chairs

 Kitchen Supplies

•  Can/Bottle Opener
• Chip Clips
• Cups
• Coffee Maker
• Dish Detergent
• Oven Mitts
• Dish Towels
• Silverware
• Microwave
• Mini-fridge
• Mugs
• Paper Plates
• Paper Towels
• Napkins
• Pizza Cutter
• Plastic Food Containers
• Ziploc Bags
• Water Filter
• Plates
• Pots/Pans
• Cooking Sheets
• Spatulas/Cooking Utensils
• Measuring Cups (Liquid and Dry)
• Coffee Filters
• Aluminum Foil
• Saran Wrap
• Trash Can

 School Supplies

•  Backpack/Messenger Bag
• Calculator
• Dictionary
• Notebooks
• Folders

 Laundry Supplies

•  Clothes Hangers
• Laundry Detergent
• Fabric Softener
• Laundry Bag
• Stain Remover
• Iron/Ironing Board
• Lint Roller

 Cleaning Supplies

•  Window Cleaner
• Rags/Scrubbers
• Dust Wipes
• Bleach/All Purpose Cleaner
• Vacuum
• Air Fresheners
• Toilet Bowel Cleaners

 Miscellaneous

•  Bank Info/Checks
• Debit/Credit Cards
• Medical Insurance Card
• Photo I.D.
• Social Security Card
• Batteries
• Flashlight
• Light Bulbs
• Fan
• Sewing Kit
• Safety Pins
• Duct Tape
• Tool Kit
• Umbrella
• Rain Boots
• Febreeze
• Sunscreen
• Bug Spray

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Year of College is Quickly Approaching

I can’t believe its almost here…my senior year of college (plus a summer semester, but hey I’m still a senior). So far it seems like it’s going to be a very busy year or at least a busy fall semester. If everything goes right I will have an internship, an undergrad apprenticeship and be an honors program mentor. I’m really looking forward to school and all the opportunities that lay ahead of me. Below is a brief description of everything I have going on for this school year.

• Honors Program Mentor – I applied to be a mentor at the end of spring 2012 semester and was accepted for this position. Every year the Honors Program accepts incoming freshmen students into the program and invites them to move into Point Park a week early to do activities and events with the programs mentors that consist of upper class man. Each Mentor gets a group of mentee’s that they will meet with during the school year. After moving in early, the freshmen and mentors attend an orientation dinner where they will finally meet each other. The next few days are full of activities and events that help the students get familiar with the school, the Honors Program, the city and give them an opportunity to meet people and make friends. So far I have been able to get a hold of a few of my mentee’s via Facebook and have talked to them a little. I’m really excited to meet them all and help them with whatever they need.
• Internship – Last school I worked with a non-profit group called Lending Hearts that works with children who have cancer. Lending Hearts hosts events and activities to provide cancer patients with recreational activities while being around peers who are going through the same thing. I developed a fundraiser for this group with the Honors Program for Valentine’s Day where we were able to raise $107 for Lending Hearts. Since then the president of Lending Hearts has become interested in working more with Point Park and plans on offering an internship for broadcasting, journalism and public relations students. I was notified right away about the internship and if all the paperwork goes through I should have landed the internship. I would be creating PSA’s about the program. I really hope that everything works out so I can get the spot. I have never had an internship before and it would greatly help me out.
• Apprenticeship – The School of Communications offers apprenticeships to students. I’m hoping to get accepted as a U-View apprentice so I could work with the TV station doing all sorts of video production work. The apprenticeship requires a minimum of 10 hours per week and you get paid $2000 for the year which can either go towards your tuition or be split up into paychecks. All I have to do is turn in my cover letter, resume, and a DVD with some of my work and wait to hear back from the school.

On top of those three things, I have to keep my GPA up, remain on deans list and I have to keep my job at Dunkin Donuts because I can’t afford not to work. I also have to apply to Point Park for my masters degree and work on getting a graduate apprenticeship. My hands are defiantly going to be full if I acquire the internship and apprenticeship, but I’m up for the challenge.

Spring Semester Goals Recap

It’s that time again to evaluate how well I did with the spring semester goals I set down for myself. Here they are…

Spring Semester Goals

1. Bring Up My GPA – I would like to get a higher GPA for this semester. Looks like I have a lot of hard work ahead of me. FAILED! I had a 3.55 GPA for fall 2011 but a 3.50 GPA for spring. I didn’t make my goal, but I cant really complain with making Deans list again.
2. Publish At Least Five Articles – I hope to have at least five articles published in the school newspaper by the end of the semester. FAILED! I only had two articles published during spring semester.
3. Make a Friend – I have acquaintances here, but no one I hang out with regularly or are on a personal level with. Now that I have met people I hope I can increase relationships and begin a good friendship. COMPLETED! I met a lot of really great people this past semester and started going out and doing things with people. This led me to having a great roommates next year that I can get along with.
4. Make Exercise Apart of Daily Life – I never considered exercising a daily task ever in my entire life. But to lose the weight I have gained and become a healthier person overall, I would like to see myself go to the gym at least three times a week and not see it as a chore, but as something I can enjoy. FAILED! This was defiantly the hardest goal to complete seeing how I view going to the gym as a chore. I only went to the gym maybe five times last semester. I really suck at trying to like working out. Better luck next time!
5. Be More Involved – College offers a lot of great events and opportunities for students. Taking advantage of that while I can will be time well spent. COMPLETED! I used the Honors Program at Point Park to my advantage and organized a fundraiser for Lending Hearts, an organization that provides children with cancer recreational and peer building activities. Next semester I am going to be an honors mentor which means I move into school early and mentor a group of freshmen honors students.
6. Make Blogging a Habit – Last semester this blog kind of went downhill and I didn’t keep up with it. I plan on blogging at least twice a week to keep readers informed and interested. FAILED! I didn’t blog nearly as much as I did in spring semester as I did in fall, but my views went up a lot and I got more followers so it wasn’t a complete loss.
7. Revamp My Personal Style – Something I have been working on and thinking on for awhile now. I want to get rid of the high school look and create a new mature and fashionable look for myself. I will post more on this later. WORK IN PROGRESS! I was able to go through most of my winter clothes and get rid of old ones and buy new ones, but now I’m doing the same thing for my summer clothes. I still need to stock up on more jewelery and accessories. I did buy a lot of new shows though!

I did a pretty terrible job at my goals this semester. It was a rough semester for me with everything that was going on in my life and going back to working full-time and trying to manage being in school full-time on top of that. But for having limited time and still making it on Deans list, I didn’t do too bad. Hopefully next semester will be even more of an improvement!

Summer Is So Close!

18 Days 11 hours 53 Minutes
2 Research Papers
1 Power Point Project
1 Book Critique
1 Musical Theater Performance Critique
1 Dance Performance Critique
1 Musical Movie Critique
1 Take Home Exam
1 News Package Script
1 Newscast to Produce

…..UNTIL SUMMER! That list seems so big. How is everyone’s finals going? More importantly, how is everyone celebrating the end of the school year and ringing in summer 2012? I’m having a big luau about two weeks after I get home and taking five days off work.

This is how finals and school make me feel.

Ditto

Living With Your Parents After College?

After reading the Cosmopolitan magazine article on research that shows that many college students move back in with their parents after graduation I wasn’t entirely shocked by the large number. What I did find shocking was how many people who could afford to live on their own, still chose to stay in their parents house. To me this seems absolutely insane. I can’t imagine moving in with my mom or dads house when I graduate. Its not because I don’t get along with my parents or they treat me like I am still in middle school, but because after college is when real life starts and you need to start taking care of yourself.

Most bachelor degree graduates are 22 or 23 by the time graduation rolls around. These graduates are well into young adulthood and are totally capable of living on their own and being their own person. Sure the economy sucks but if proper planning was done prior to college graduation, money could have been saved up to help purchase your own place and pay bills. Smart budgeting, even if you have a part-time job during college and/or high school, could have paid for the first few months rent. Obviously, holding a job after graduation is required to have your own place but even then with planning and thinking ahead that could be accomplished.

As for the people who have moved in with their parents after college and have the money and capabilities to live on their own but still choose not to … this seems like a lack of responsibility and maturity. Why would anyone not want to advance their life and have something of their own and move further along into adulthood?! I can’t even begin to contemplate an answer to that. If I was living off my parents when I was 23 plus years old, I would feel so ashamed of myself for the lack of respect towards the two people who have already given me more than I could ask for since I was born. These are the future leaders of the world we’re talking about here, but they live at home with mommy and daddy?!

Of course there are some expectations to some people if their is medical reasons or the like, but that is such a high percentage.

As for myself, I will do whatever I have to, to be able to live on my own and support myself. I work long hours at work to save money for my future and in the future if I need to get a second job to pay my rent then so be it. I cannot wait to be able to have a place to call my own and be proud of myself for accomplishing that!

I Got Spring Fever

Only eight days left until spring break and I am defiantly ready for it to be here! The only things standing in my way of going home is two exams, one test, one quiz, two  presentations,  one video package, six classes, 24 hours of work and a three hour car drive home. It’s mid term week here at Point Park and a lot is going on this week but with lots of coffee and keeping calm I can get through it. I hope spring break gives me a chance to relax and refuel myself to finish out the semester. I have become really burnt out with school, my job in Pitt and my living arrangements here. I’m not really enjoying any of my classes this semester. I don’t find them engaging or really interesting to me. This makes it really hard to get up in the morning and want to be in class. Work is more drama filled than ever and well, I live in a dorm, nuff said.  I want summer to be here so I can go to the beach and just do whatever I want and finally have some privacy! But for now I must settle for the eight days of spring break I have.

Things I want to do over break …

• Play Sims 3 … a lot
• Make my style board (pictures of fashions I like to help put my style together)
• Catch up on some zzzz’s
• See my family
• Hang out with my friends
• Take a trip to see my bestie
• Cook and bake
• Have a campfire/cook out at my camp
• Work out
• Take pictures of beautiful, pretty things
• Eat good food

Pretty spring flowers make me happy