Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences

We're Baaaaaaaaaaaack!

2012-01-25T10:38:00.000-08:00

Imagine that title being said in the singing type voice that we're all familiar with. It'll make more sense if you do that.

HELLLOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so excited to be writing in this blog again! If we're being honest with each other, and I firmly believe in the "honesty is the best policy" cliche, I thought about writing over Christmas break. I really did...and if that makes me a Fulbright nerd, then I'll be that nerd. I've discovered that I enjoy blogging. It may be because I'm funny, or because I give the best advice, or just because I'm funny. Regardless of the reason, I enjoy this. So shall we get started?

Time for a little, yes, you guessed it, AWA!!!!!!! Here it is:

The beginning of the semester is here. Literally it has just started. It's only been one week. So I'll still say we're in the early stages of learning. Please, please, please don't start off already in a hole with your classwork. We all know it's hard to catch up when you're a million miles behind. You can quote me on that. Get on top of your homework and don't let it get away from you. Your first tests are going to be here before you know it, so start reading and studying today. If you do it today, then you won't have to look at as much. You can take it in small chunks. START NOW. Deal? Deal.

So let's talk about the break. I know you're dying to here what I got for Christmas. So I'm going to do the chivalrous thing and tell you. I don't even know if that counts as chivalry...oh well. It counts today. Being in my old age (I turn 21 real soon) I don't need such things as Transformers or Buzz Lightyear anymore. Althought those things would be AWESOME, like really awesome...now I'm a little upset I didn't get any. Thanks Santa. I didn't leave him cookies, so I guess we're even. Back to the point...I don't really need those things now, so instead I asked for nice clothes so I can treat the ladies to nice dinners and look good for them. And that's what I got. I also received a radar detector from my grandparents. I don't know what they're trying to say, but I'm pretty sure I only drive 15 over. That's a joke. It's only 10. Money is also a good gift to receive. It's the ultimate "one size fits all" gift. But I have to say, even thought he didn't give me toys, and I didn't leave him any cookies, Santa did well this year. I got a Barnes & Noble Nook! It's like a Kindle. I can buy books and read them on it. I read 2, yes...2 books over break. Can you guess which ones? No you can't because this is a cyber blog. So I'll just tell you. I read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. I need to read Mockingjay real soon. What are you? Team Peeta? Or Team Gale? The world may never know...unless you comment on this blog.

So that's how Christmas was. I had a lot of time to relax and enjoy my time off. Then I went to the Cotton Bowl which was SICK! King Petrino is doing very well. So is Coach Anderson who led the basketball team to TWO victories over top 20 teams. Razorback Athletics is looking real good in the eyes of the world. Jeff Long is a BEAST. We love him.

I'll leave you with a fun quote:

"There once was a man from Peru,
Who dreamed he was eating his shoe.
He awoke with a fright in the middle of the night
To find that his dream had come true!" - Gary, from Spongebob Squarepants

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor,
Adam

What's Left to Write About?

2011-12-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

Well Readers, it seems that that familiar time of year is upon us again. That time of year when everyone starts studying for finals and asking what you'll be doing over the break. Yes, it's almost the end of the semester!
So, I ask you and my fellow Ambassadors: What will you be doing over the break? I will be relaxing, splitting my time between Fayetteville and Farmington, where my parents (and my dog) live. Speaking of my dog, here's a video (that's my mother speaking, not me).

Cute, right!?

Anyways, another thing I'll be doing in the next couple of weeks is the Salvation Army Angel Tree. Just Google it. The tree is up at the NWA Mall and you have until December 9th to get your presents back there. Do it!

So there ya go, if you didn't have plans for the break, now you do. Have a great month off and see y'all in January!

Steven (I'll be 22 in 30 days) Doss

Peace out Fall Semester

2011-12-01T12:34:00.000-08:00

I have been counting down the days until this semester is over. It has been hard and at times I have wanted to give up. Alas, I decided that dropping out wasnt a good idea after a short phone call home in which I was informed it was not an option. I respect my parents. I guess Ill stick with it all just for them. This is a joke, but I have felt like giving up at least 6 times this semester and have cried twice while on campus. Yeah, cool. Not.
Sometimes life gets real and then people tell you to bail. But dont. Stick it out see what comes of the effort you have continually put in. It will all add up and you will be fine. You are brilliant and finals arent even going to phase you. There will be harder semesters and there will be easier ones. Remember that all of them contribute to your personal growth and development as a kickbutt educated young adult!
Disclaimer: That little speech was as much for me as it was for all of you who read this blog.

Now here is the cutest thing I could find:

Baby Platypus are amazing and somewhat bizarre looking animals. The are classified as mammals, have a duck bill, lay eggs, have a beavers tail, are otter footed, and are one of the only venomous mammals. Baby platypus are multi-faceted and really talented! JUST LIKE ALL OF YOU! Those finals dont stand a chance! Youre brilliant!

-Margaret

Tim Tebow

2011-12-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

Hello fellow students,

It's been a while since I have blogged. Things have been super busy lately and by the time I finish a post my computer dies on me. Hopefully today will be successful!

Earlier this morning my friend tweeted an incredible article "Why the heck do we hate Tim Tebow?" It talks about how others have been influenced to create "Tebowing" and how some of his own teammates mock his beliefs. It saddens me to know people will sink so low as to ridicule him for his relationship with Christ.

"Should you only tell your wife you love her on your wedding day, or everyday when you get up? That's how I feel about my relationship with Jesus." -Tim Tebow

He is a stud and I have officially jumped on the Tebow band wagon. After reading this article maybe you will too!!

Have a blessed day,
Morgan Newton

Time to get Serious.

2011-11-30T09:25:00.000-08:00

Yeah...I really am going to be serious. And this is the last blog?!

It is...and I am so so sad. Also, I don't know why I put a question mark because I knew this was my last blog this semester. I guess I just wanted to provide a small bit of hope to you readers. Sorry for crushing it...I really am a nice person.

Hey Amy, I like what you did with the colors.

Hey Tyler, you said "kiss" in your post and I giggled like a little girl. Respect, brother.

What will my topic be this time? Honestly, like I said, I think I will keep it serious. No AWA, no funny business, nothing. Just me being me. I hope you like it.

It's the holiday season (holiday season) and a whoopty-do. Those are song lyrics. I know I said no humor...just wait for it.

But seriously, the holidays are right around the corner. Most people have already put up decorations and are still trying to work off that Thanksgiving feast that they partook in this past week. We have spent some quality time with our families and are finishing up with some of the toughest weeks of the semester. We are all focusing on finals and are stressing out about them, we are so looking forward to another month or so off from school, and we are getting things together to be ready for break. In all the stress and anxiety that comes with finals and projects, please don't forget the reason why we celebrate the holidays. No matter your race, background, social standing, or religious affiliation, the holidays are a time for us to be thankful and joyful for the things we have. It's a time for us to put the outside world on hold, if only for a few days, and live a life full of love, smiles, and joy. I look forward to this time every year. I couldn't care less about presents, or what Santa is going to bring me. For me, it's about celebrating the birth of Christ, and spending time with my family. The highlights of my years have been the memories that I have made with my family. I love them very much and wouldn't want any other family in this world. Mine is the best. And yes, I'm a little biased, and all of us are, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that we have people who love us and would do anything for us. There aren't many people we can count on in this world, but our family is not that. They are there always and will never be anything except for our family. I thank my God every day for that. So just remember that this season. Don't take this time for granted because one day some of those people will be gone. Love all, always. Make this a holiday season that you and your family will never forget. Thank you guys.

Happy holidays.

See you next semester,

Adam

Holiday Tips from Tyler

2011-11-30T08:32:00.000-08:00

Well here it is the end of the semester! Crunch time! After getting on here to blog I went to see what everyone else wrote about so that I didn't write about the same thing as them and well......everyone already did.....*sigh......let's see......what can I write about......hmmm.....ummmm........GOT IT!!! (That was about 5 minutes of thinking) :D

Tips from Tyler: Holidays

Couples: Alright if you didn't already know I have a girlfriend and so I am going to give a few tips about the dating during the holidays. So if you live close to Fayetteville or are staying the the Fayetteville area during the holiday break one of the first things I would suggest is for guys to take your girlfriend down to the Fayetteville Square to see the lights and take pictures. You will definitely need to just need to pay the money and take her on a carriage ride at the square. (By the way she will love it and if you have something special to give her this is a good time!) If you don't live around Fayetteville then take your girlfriend out to see Christmas lights. I haven't done this one yet, but I think I will do it sometime soon (sorry not this year Ginny since I know you read my blog), and that is along with the gifts that you buy your significant other you should also make a gift for them. Hand-made gifts are more special most of the time and will make your significant other feel good that you care enough for them to take time to make something for them. For New Year's Eve make sure you spend time with your significant other if you all live close enough to do that. You can spend time with family or go to a party but just make sure that the two of you are together and that at midnight you get your New Year's kiss.

Families: I am one of the fortunate ones here at the U of A that my family lives close enough to campus for me to see them quite a bit, but if you aren't then Christmas Break is one of the few times a year that everyone can go home and see there family for a while. Cherish your time with your family, especially during this holiday season. Try to spend a lot of time with them and do all of the fun holiday activities with them. I know that in our family we love to put up our Christmas tree and decorations together. My tip for families though would be to buy your presents (or make them) early so that you don't have to spend Christmas Eve scouring the empty shelves of the stores to find a present for all of your family.

Good luck on your finals everyone!!! Have a great and relaxing break!!! Have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!!!

Last Blog of the Semester :(

2011-11-30T07:06:00.001-08:00

So I was going to write about things to do during your study break, but apparently Kaylan already did... Study tips was written about too... I'm writing about them anyway.

If you haven't read the other blogs these will be new:
Don't Procrastinate.
Organize all your study materials and make a study schedule.
Study. (I still recommend flashcards)
Sleep. It will help.
Take study breaks so that you don't burn yourself out.

Things to Do During your Study Break:
Learn how to play the cello.
Sail a boat to China.
Go to the beach.
Build a snowman. (If it isn't snowing where you are, go somewhere where it is)
Go to the moon.
Make an interpretive dance video and post it to YouTube.
Travel back in Time.

Or you know, things more easily done, like hanging out with friends or watching a movie or baking cookies... Don't make your break TOO long.

A lot people hear the word "final" and cringe. But a lot of classes will just treat them like any other test, and sometimes you have them on the last day of class instead of during finals week. I actually only have one final during finals week :) yay!

Winter Break is almost here! I'd tell you I was doing something fun... but I'm not. So I won't lie to you. Because you are a good person. I know you are because you're actually reading this.

I wish I was going somewhere cool over winter break. I tried convincing my parents that I should go to Paris, France for New Year's, but they said no. Oh well. It was long shot anyway...

Today in History:
1982: Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album is released
1835: Mark Twain is born
1803: The Spanish transfer the Louisiana Territory to the French (It will transfered to the US 20 days later)
1874: Winston Churchill is born
1965: Ben Stiller is born
1900: Oscar Wilde dies
If any of these are wrong, take it up with my iPhone app.

I can't believe the semester is almost over... didn't feel very long.

I want to go on Jeopardy.

I also want to be one of Jeopardy's "Clue Crew"

Lots of fun games on Sporcle for you to play during your study breaks too.

Good place to buy stuff online: Zappos. I've bought shoes from them several times and they have other stuff too. Shipping is free, and super fast, and they have a great return policy, which includes free return shipping.

One reason I'm looking forward to Winter Break: I get to read more of the books on my to-read list. There are a lot. I'll let you know how it goes in January.

Do not put marshmellows in the microwave.

I'm so glad it's hot chocolate season! yum!

Do put marshmellows in hot chocolate.

Hammontrees has really good grilled cheese sandwiches.

This is the last blog of the semester :( Until next semester! Happy Studying and Holidays!

-Amy

YAY!

2011-11-29T11:59:00.001-08:00

I know all of my fellow students and faculty can feel the excitement when we look in our calendars and notice that ONLY 7 days of school are left (not including Finals week, which every student pretends as long as possible is not there)!!

Can you believe the semester has gone by so quickly? Although today it seems as if the semester just started, if you had asked me on a test day I would have said the semester feels like it will never end.

Now, I know that Yasmeen commented on how to NOT procrastinate. Therefore, (*insert disclaimer here about how you should only do this occasionally) I am going to give you some suggestions on where to go or what to do when you need a "study break"

Lights of the Ozarks on the Fayetteville Square. This is a great place to go walk around in the crisp air. Don't forget your sunglasses or your coat! Also, for those of you with a cheesy side, they occasionally offer carriage rides.

Decorate for the Holidays. Now is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with your BFF that you will not see for a month! My roommates and I donned tacky Christmas sweaters and decorated our Barbie Tree (Yes, it was pink. Yes, it had real and ornament Barbies. Yes, we are too old for this probably)

Surf the web. You can discover new and creative ideas for further procrastination. One of my favorite sites is Pintrest. Do not get the phone app if you want to have a life or pass finals. It is too addicting. Resist.

Stop by the Fulbright Advising Center to chat or make life decisions. Either way, we can help! Take ownership of your life. Be intentional about your decisions. Go confidently into you future!

Watch your favorite movie. Therefore, you can stop it whenever to go back to studying and not be distracted by what is going to happen next!

Spend time with your family. This goes through Finals week and into the break! Your family and you will most likely be spending more time than usual together during the holidays. It is usually a good idea to be on good terms! If you have received a text asking if "you are still alive", you may want to make a few phone calls.

Overall, remember to create strategies for your procrastination. Although this seems too ironic to make sense, spending too little or too much time studying may hurt you in the end. If you don't plan, you will be planning to fail :)

Best of luck during finals week to everyone!

Hope you all have a safe and joyous break!

Kaylan

And... We are in the single digits!

2011-11-28T08:42:00.000-08:00

Finally! The countdown has started! There are only 9 days of classes left this semester!! Where has the fall semester gone? With dead day quickly approaching comes stress, anticipation, and excitement! Here are a few tips to keep you from getting overly stressed during finals week.

1. Get organized now! Get organized by gathering all your old homework, quizzes, tests, whatever it is that is going to help you study. Check out that syllabus you've probably not even seen since the first day of class and find out what chapters are going to be on your test so you know what to study. Make sure you know if it's comprehensive or just material since the last test!

2. Don't procrastinate. As tempting as it is to relax for an entire week and study all day the day before a test, don't do it! You'll be more likely to remember all that information if you take breaks between studying and you are less likely to feel stressed and pressured to stay up all night before.

3. Prepare. Talk to your professors and see if they can give you some insight on how to study for the test. Obviously it's unlikely they will tell you everything that is on the test, but they are pretty helpful when it comes to guiding you in the right direction so you don't feel like you're going into it blindly!

4. Get plenty of rest. It's my personal goal not to pull a single all nighter this year. Sleeping is when your brain is finally able to rest and recover. Think about it like exercising. If you work out hard every single day of the week and don't take a rest or recovery day, your muscles get fatigued and you won't have as much strength. Think of your brain the same way, if your brain doesn't get to rest, you won't perform as well on the test.

5. Relax. One of my Psychology professors last semester told me about this study that was done on college students who suffered from test anxiety. The experimenters told one group of students to continue to do as most of us do and keep studying until the test began. The other group (in a different room of course) was asked to take the 10 minutes before the test began to write a short paragraph about why they felt nervous or anxious about the test (making them not think about the particular material on the test). After that, the students took the test and were scored. The experimenters found that the students who weren't trying to cram last minute information the 10 minutes before the test actually did better as a whole than the students who were told they could keep studying. Looking through material that quickly and frantically may confuse what you already learned, so it may cause you to second guess yourself and not do as well. So take those last 10 minutes before the test and just relax!

Good luck with finals & happy studying! :)

Yasmeen

WOW!!!!!

2011-11-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

I haven't been on here in forever!!! When we have walk-in appointments we help out at the door and so I haven't had a chance to get on and blog lately. The sad thing is I don't even know what in the world I want to talk about in this blog even though I should have tons to say since I haven't been on in two weeks. Let's see..............

Tips From Tyler

Ways to meet people in your dorm: This year has been great and my roommate and I have met tons of people in our dorm. For the most part all it took for us to do this was just to be friendly and talk to people and to leave our door open when we were in there. If you do these two things then you will meet quite a few people. When someone walks by when the door is open say hi and maybe try to start a conversation. This same thing works when you are out in the hall way. One great thing that has worked for us also is to have little events. We have a movie night every Friday and the past few weeks we have had anywhere from 12-15 people crammed into our little dorm room in Gregson. We also play video games and invite people to play with us even if they have never played it before. We also have a TV show, Terra Nova, that a few of us started watching and have started inviting people to watch it with us and then catch up on it. Most of us are busy on Monday so one of the guys on our floor has Hulu Plus and so we watch it on Tuesday. At the last Terra Nova Tuesday that we had there were 18 people there. Lastly, every evening we have a floor pow-wow and anyone who comes out of their room just comes and joins in talking about anything and everything. Gregson 3rd floor is were it is and it's all just from being friendly and talking to people.

Thanksgiving: Go home! Have fun! Eat lots of food! Watch football! Go Black Friday shopping! Just enjoy your little break from school before coming back for the last two weeks that are left after Thanksgiving!

I am going to keep it short this week! I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving Break! WPS!

What do George Clooney and Michael McDonald Have in Common?

2011-11-16T10:33:00.000-08:00

They both have grey hair.

Guys! Girls! Animals! Plants! I think I've covered all my bases there...

Words can NOT express how much I've missed this blog. I feel like my jokes are more appreciated here than in the real life...so maybe I'm not as funny as I once thought. Hmm...sad realization.

So with all that being said, I would just like to reiterate how crazy these past two weeks have been. I definitely underestimated the hectic culture that is walk-in advising. All of these youngsters come here without a clue. This is fine because they, in fact, don't have a clue. Who could have a clue as a freshmna? I'm a junior and I still find myself being an idiot. But I think that's a personality thing. And I like to ramble. Can you tell? But in all seriousness, I've had a lot of fun just hanging out in the good ole FCAC. These people are wonderful. The students provided me with some entertainment, and I think they liked me overall. I gave them candy and told them jokes...so of course they like me.

Time for a little AWA. I still will not tell you what that is because I think you should know. Call me a dreamer. I like to dream:

IT'S BASKETBALL SEASON!!! That has nothing to do with this.

Okay, so AWA. Finals are coming up real fast-like. And that word "finals" could be considered a curse word around this time. I'm here to offer you some encouragement. Don't freak out booboo. Finals are no worse than any regular test. They just (sometimes) cover a lot more material. But this is material that you've already studied and learned! Test material is usually very basic and curveballs aren't typical. With all that being said, start studying now. A little bit at a time goes a LONG WAY when it comes to finals. Take it a chapter at a time, or even half of a chapter at a time. Basically all I'm saying is don't freak out because that's when you start to second-guess yourself, and that is never a good thing. Another good thing about finals is that they cancel class for a whole week. So instead of playing MW3...study. Please. I'll give you a cookie if you do it.

Where is the comedy? I don't know. It's a weird day.

Hey. You. Student. Check out our new Perspectives article at fcac.uark.edu because it's awesome. I don't think it's up yet...but it will be soon. So don't go today. Go on another day. But check it out. You'll become president one day if you read it. Obama read it. Look at him. Yeah. Success. Woo Pig.

So what have we learned today?

1) I'm not that funny.
2) Study for finals.
3) Basketball is here. Coach Anderson wants you there.
4) Comedy is missing.
5) Perspectives will change your life.
6) I've missed you.
7) I have nothing to say here.
8) <-- comes after 7...
9) Rhymes with fine.
10) I just think a list of 10 looks better than a list of 5.

Shout out to all my ambassadors out there! WHA WHAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE ARE FULBRIGHT.

"Althought we've come to the end of the road, still I can't let you go. It's unnatural. You belong to me. I belong to you."

Written by: L.A. Reid
Performed by: Boyz II Men

Hasta luego mis amigos,
Adam

Long Time No Blog!

2011-11-16T07:04:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone... it's been awhile... and by awhile I mean like two weeks...

Like Yasmeen and Kaylan said, the advising center has been crazy with walk-in advising so we've been helping instead of blogging.
Thanksgiving break is almost here! Yay!!! I'm going to have homework over break though, I have a paper due the day we get back... I was going to write it before, but that didn't happen. I also have a test I need to study for that's on Friday. I have less than 100 flashcards left!! I'm finally going to have to buy more.

I can't believe the semester is already almost over! It went by so fast!

On This Day in History:
2001: The first Harry Potter movie opens! (I was at the midnight showing, for every one, just saying. Harry Potter 7.2 came out on dvd last Friday, my roommate bought it, I've watched it twice already. I'm a HUGE Harry Potter fan.)
1907: Oklahoma becomes the 46th State.
1965: The Soviet Union launches the Venera 3 space probe toward Venus, it will become the first spacecraft to reach the surface of another planet.
1959: The Sound Of Music opens on Broadway for the first time.

I can't think of book to recommend today. I'll try to think of two for next week. The only book I can think of right now is the book I have to write a paper over. That book is Seamus Heaney's Death of a Naturalist which is actually a book of poetry, not a novel. It's good though, if you feel like giving it a try, my favorite poem in it is possibly his most famous- "Digging".

Hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving break!!!
-Amy

Off The Hook!

2011-11-15T12:04:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

As Yasmeen said, the advising center has been CRAZY these past few weeks and still continues to be. The phones have been ringing off the hook, and it seems like the advisers constantly see student after student. Speaking of advising, I'm sure many of you at some point have felt like I do now. Lost. Confused. Stressed. In need of advise. Life advise. If you feel the same, come with me to the career center. Don't worry, we can figure out our lives together! I never thought I would run into a problem of being too ahead in school...I was wrong. Thankfully, my parents and my scholarships are fully supportive of my studies and to continue them. Which means I am desperately trying to figure out another major to add in the Fulbright College. There are so many and each one offers a new edge to my degree--any suggestions?

Now, the time has come. November means one thing: eating. Lots of eating. Too much eating, in fact. In my family alone, I will be attending 4 Thanksgiving dinners. I feel the weight gain already. For those of you with a family tree as large as mine, I sympathise. For those of you without a family tree as large as my'n, I sympathize even more. You're missing out!

All of this eating means two things:

1. HPER, which I will be frequenting.
2. Life Plan. My goal is to catch up and figure out my life after Thanksgiving. Good luck with that, right?

Now, my stomach says it is lunch time. I am trying to ignore it so I can eat all 5 types of pie and still be able to make it up the Fayetteville hills.

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

Kaylan

Happy November!

2011-11-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

It seems as though I am officially the first ambassador to blog this month. It has been a hectic past few weeks since there was walk-in advising in the office. I can't believe it is already time for everyone to sign up for classes for next semester! What happened to this semester? Sure I've had PLENTY of tests, quizzes, and papers but it still seems like the semester just begun and now it's almost over! I will say that I am quite ready for Thanksgiving break to get here. After this week I have ahead of me, I will be ready to be home for a few days to enjoy some nice home cooked meals by my mother and see my sister who is currently in Washington D.C.

In celebration of this wonderful holiday that allows us to enjoy a two day week, I looked up a few fun facts about Thanksgiving to share with you all. Hope you enjoy! :)

Male turkeys are called Toms. (Now the Turkey Tom at Jimmy John's makes sense :) )

There are some Native Americans who are anti-pilgrim and actually protest Thanksgiving. The United American Indians of New England (UAINE) actually call Thanksgiving the "National Day of Mourning."

Now for some questions! Answers are below, but try to guess first! :)

1. What is the significance of a turkey dinner?

2. According to the Butterball Company how much turkey is consumed on Thanksgiving day?

3. How fast can a turkey trot?

4. How fast can a turkey fly?

Answers:
1. To symbolize the four turkeys that were served at the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving feast.

2. 675 Million lbs!

3. Turkeys can trot up to 25mph!

4. Though domestic turkeys are earth-bound, wild turkeys can fly and reach speeds up to 55mph!

Hope you all have a great week and Thanksgiving! :)
Yasmeen

CDC+Fulbright

2011-10-27T12:36:00.001-07:00

I have been using the CDC, career development center, since I was a freshman. It is the only other thing I feel has been just as indispensable throughout my college stint as Fulbright Advising.

The advising office is abuzz today as walk-in appointments started this week. How fun is that?! You can just walk into the advising center, be prepared to wait a bit, and see an awesome advisor. Advisers will walk you through decisions that you need to make. Advising allows you to get that hold off your account and enables you to enroll in a timely manner. The beauty of walk-ins, so you didn't proactively sign up for an advising time earlier and now you're scrambling trying to get yourself ready. Ta-Da. Walk-ins are the answer. Be patient. Bring a book. And hopefully only after a minimal wit you will be advised and ready to enroll.

All of this to say, the career development center is fantastic. I have used their services SO much since I began school here. The center is free and offers a multitude of resources to students: resume building, mock interviews, career counseling. Yes, you can do it all on your own but don't be vain. Give a professional the chance to give you some outside advise. There are times when we cannot even see the flaws in our decisions because we are the ones who made them or perhaps decisions seem insurmountable and you need to voice that stress to someone. That is what these people live for. This year, my senior year, had been the most usage Ive gotten out of the center. I have seen my career counselor many times to talk about grad school and life choices that are coming up for me. While I was in my previous years I talked about improving my resume to help me get part-time job and discussing my options for career goals after college. I would encourage you to try out the CDC and try to NOT feel like you gained insight afterwards. The CDC plus Fulbright advising center is a super combination!!!!!!

These ducks are cool and so are you!

Batter Up!

2011-10-27T09:36:00.001-07:00

Happy Game Day Everybody!!!

For those of you who live in a hole...yes literally live in a hole, you might be wondering what game I'm talking about. No the Hogs didn't decide to demolish Vanderbilt early. And the Mike Anderson era isn't starting tonight either.

The game I am talking about is the Baseball WORLD SERIES!!!!
If you don't know a single thing about me...there is only one thing that I wish for you to remember...I. Love. Baseball. I love everything about it. The fans, the stadiums, the food, the players, the coaches, the programs, the field, singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." I might have a minor obsession. For those of you who think it is nothing more than a slow and painfully boring game to watch, shame on you. There is so much more to it that only a few can understand and appreciate. It's called America's favorite past time for a reason.

So yea.. tonight is game 6 of a 7 game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. I'm rooting for the Cardinals. Duhh. I am so proud of my Cards for making it through the entire post season after being down 10.5 games. Talk about having faith! They believed in themselves so incredibly much and played with such heart in their last few games and this is why they are still playing ball today. The Rangers are currently ahead 3-2. They have an incredible team this year which makes me even more nervous for the Cards!

Here is the lineup for the rest of the series. Whoever reaches 4 wins first will be the 2011 World Series Champs.

Thursday, Oct 27, 7:05pm--Rangers at Cardinals
Friday, Oct 28, 7:05pm--Rangers at Cardinals (if necessary)

Wanna hear the best news yet......
I went to GAME 5 on Monday!!! Y'all this is huge. Bucket list material right here. I have never been so incredibly shocked, blessed, and excited about anything in my life. One of my friends gave me a ticket so I, along with 2 other Kappas, skipped class on Monday and drove to Dallas. It was the coolest thing I have experienced and I can only wish to attend more World Series games in the future. Hope you guys are able to catch the last game(s)!!

"Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?"-Jim Bouton

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."-Rogers Hornsby

"The trouble with baseball is that it's not played year round."-Gaylord Perry

"Baseball is dull only to dull minds."-Red Barber

Have a blessed day,
Morgan Newton

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

This is my Blog Title

2011-10-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

How good is that title?! It's sooo good. You know it and I know it. Even Einstein knows it.

The deal for today is this: I love Halloween.

That's it.

See ya later,
Adam

KIDDING. Time to get serious.

Today's AWA:

It is Halloween related. You're never too old to go get free candy from strangers. I know how creepy/awful that may sound, but it's the truth. Free candy is my favorite candy. So get a costume, get some friends, get a bucket, get a jar, get a funnel, pack your smiles, and go out and have a ball. I mean that sincerely. What's your favorite candy? Mine has to be either Reese's or SweetTarts. I get that from my dad. He absolutely LOVES SweetTarts. I know you're thinking it may be lame to go knocking door-to-door, but it really isn't. If we're being completely honest, it builds character. It improves your social skills by about 38%. I made that statistic up, but it looks nice. So please go out and have some fun. Grab a boombox and play "Monster Mash" on repeat. Now if I hear "Monster Mash," I'll know it's you. And for that, I thank you.

Make sure you watch ESPN tonight at 6. The "Depth Chart" series is featuring Tyler Wilson and it looks good. I'll be watching it. That'll be my study break for my test tomorrow. Speaking of tests, I got a 90 on my Microeconomic Theory test. Talk about baller status.

Michael Buble's new Christmas album is out...and it is wonderful. I know there is an accent over the "E" but I don't know how to do that on this computer. I hope that doesn't offend you Buble fans. It's the best I can do.

So to recap: Dress up. Watch the tv. Buy Buble. And tell your family you love them.

"Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy baby! I wanna know if you'd be my girl! Da da da da!"

Go Rangers,
Adam

Study Break

2011-10-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

Study Tip: reward yourself for studying with a study break and/or with a cookie. Don't take too long a break, but breaks are good because they help break up a long study session so that you don't burn out. This is my study break. I have another test later. Study breaks make studying better.

I got back one of my tests yesterday. I've found that a lot of the time when I take a test I'll think it was really hard and that I did badly on it after, but when I get the test back it turns out I did really well on it. Apparently that's what happened with that test :)

Homecoming is next week!

Book Recommendation: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. You might have heard about it already since it was a movie. I didn't see the movie but I heard it was a bit different from the book. The book is very good. And sad. But I really like how it's told in so many different point of views.

That's all I have this week!
-Amy

Weather

2011-10-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all!

So I know Tyler wrote about this earlier in the week, but it's a pretty big deal:

Weather

In case you didn't notice, we had our first ever Fall Break this past weekend. Also, and you may have missed this, it got ree-diculously cold on Monday night and it hasn't changed since then. Now, if you're a freshman from anywhere south of Fayetteville, this may be the coldest you've ever been. "Wow," you're thinking, "I've never been this cold before! I guess winter comes early in the Ozarks. Oh, well, I'll take my summer stuff home and start bundling up!"

Wrong-o!

Like Tyler, I've lived up here for all of my 21 years, 9 months, and 20 days. This is not winter....I repeat....this is not winter. This is just Ozark weather. It will warm back up, promise. You'll be back in shorts before Thanksgiving, trust me.

"Okay," you're telling yourself, "it will get warm again, but then it'll be cold for some of November and December and then it's the spring semester and it'll be back to wonderful warmth again! Woo-hoo!!!"

Sorry, wrong again.

For some reason, the Ozarks don't really even start winter until January. So when you get back from Winter Break it will be colder than when you left. Then it will get colder in February and start snowing. Then in March it will get even colder and the snow will just say, "Forget being snow, I'm gonna be ice!" This is when winter gets fun. And by fun I mean dangerous. When it ices (yes, WHEN) and we get out of class next March, don't leave your dorm/apartment/house. It's not worth it.

So, long story short: don't count summer out yet, don't think December is the coldest month, and bring your winter clothes back here from break!

Thanks for reading!

Now watch this:

Bearable, Just dont procrastinate.

2011-10-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

Write papers early. No, it probably wont make much difference your first 2 years of school. You will probably be in classes those years where the writing assignments are bearable. Once you hit senior year it becomes a little less bearable. Take me for example: I started a paper early but put off the last pieces of it until last night. As I grew progressivley more tired my workmanship diminished. Needless to say, the last paragraphs of the research manuscript I was working on could have been better. Brighter. If I had not been tired (sleepwise and material-wise). I guess the round-about idea here is if you try and embrace some good habits this first year, maybe you'll still have those habits senior year when you have daunting, unbearbale paper you need to accomplish. And procrastination will be an unheard of principle.

All this talk of bears, heres a baby bear.

Peacoats

2011-10-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

Get one. It's cold outside. Really cold.

I feel like everyone could talk about the weather all day. The leaves are changing, temperature is dropping, and the frost is a-coming. I love the cold weather. It means it's time to snuggle. Uh...I mean play man sports in the cold. Yeah, that's what I meant.

I however am not going to spend my time on the weather because you're probably hearing about it from your friends, family, professors, Walmart greeters, President Obama, Jill, Shane, my fellow ambassadors, and Santa.

Time for a little AWA:

Today's topic, and this is me being sincere, was very hard to think about. As I type this sentence I am still trying to finalize it. I have a general idea, but I want it to be perfect. Can you tell I'm stalling right now? You probably can. Okay, I've got. Advising. Yep. Advising is required for all freshman and sophomore students in the Fulbright College. Make an appointment in the FCAC. That's Fulbright College Advising Center. If you don't know what advising is, let me give you the quick run-down. You set up an appointment here in the FCAC (like I said before...sorry for repeating myself. I just really like typing). You can make a phone call. I'll give you the number. This isn't my number...sorry ladies. (479) 575-3307. That's a good-looking phone number. Seriously. I want to call that phone number right now because it looks so good. Another thing you can do is use Advisortrac. I would put in the link to go to it...but as you know, I'm not the biggest fan of technology. So I just don't know how. It's on the FCAC website. I know that one. It's fcac.uark.edu and it is a good website. Moving on...after you set up the appointment, you then show up at said appointment time. Don't be more than 10 minutes late because then your appointment is cancelled and you are forced to start over. It's kind of like losing all of your lives on Super Mario. Don't do that. DON'T LET BOWSER WIN!!!!!!!!!!! And that's really all you have to do! How simple is that? These advisors know their stuff. They know it well. They know it so well. Grammar is fun. They know what classes are required and when the best time to take them is. They will outline your classes for you and all you're required to do is get on ISIS and choose them. It is so simple. Why wouldn't anyone do this? Everyone will do this...because they have to. Yes, you. I'm talking to you. You have to do this. And you want to do this. So get advised.

IT'S MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I should call my mother. I haven't because of class. I can call her now though.

Well since AWA was so long today, I'll just go ahead and end the blog here. Not after that sentence...I meant I don't really have anything funny to say. I'm sorry. Sincerely sorry. Truly sorry. For real. No sarcasm here. Maybe a little bit. But not enough to worry about. Okay. See ya later.

"Many a young lady does not realize just how strong her love for a young man is...until he fails to pass the approval test with her parents." - Author Unknown

Good luck. And goodnight.
-Adam

BRRRRRRR..............

2011-10-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

Alright get out your coats and sweaters U of A!!! It's cold again!!! I hope everyone enjoyed the sweet Fall Break that we just came back from!!!

Tips from Tyler on this cold morning:

Crazy Weather: Being a life-long resident of Northwest Arkansas I know and must share with all of you that the weather here is CRAZY! Just because it is cold today does not mean that in a blink of an eye or in a week it won't be shorts weather again. Then the next time you blink we will have freezing rain. Really as we get into the end of October and start November even though we are having cool weather doesn't mean that we won't have some amazing weather for a day or two later on. So the tip is to not rule out warm weather and don't pack up your summer clothes because really you just never know around here.

Dating Tip: Go shopping! Girls love it! My girlfriend and I are going shopping today to find something for her mother's birthday. We will probably go to the mall and we will be going to Joann's, but my tip is to go to off the beaten path places. We will be going to a small antique shop today which isn't too far from campus during her little two hour break today. Little antique shops and shops on the Square can be tons of fun and you can find all kinds of interesting things! So surprise your girlfriend and take her on a little date and go shopping and grab some dinner afterwards (getting a little ice cream or hot chocolate doesn't hurt either) ;)

Advising: I don't know if I have said this one yet or not, but a really good idea would be to have your check sheet printed off before you come to your advising session. You can go through the check sheet and check off all of the things that you have taken/are taking so you will have a better idea of what you have left. When you get to the advising session with this already done not only will it speed up the process, but you will really impress your advisor as well.

Well everyone have a great week!!!

Funny Story...

2011-10-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday I flew back to Fayetteville because it was the last day of Fall Break. One of my roommates said she would pick me up from the airport even though she'd never been. If you've never been to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA), getting there involves a long winding and hilly road. My roommate got lost twice trying to find the airport. The first time she ended up at the Fayetteville airport which is just for private planes or something, the second time she ended up in Bethel Heights (I don't know where this is). I ended up just taking a cab (Jim's Express Shuttle). The people at the cab place pretty much know me now because I've used them almost every break since the beginning of Freshman year. They're very nice.
I spent most of my day in airports yesterday though.

Also, just now I couldn't get what I call the ambassador computer to turn on. I spent awhile making sure everything was plugged in, but it still wouldn't work. With some help I found out the computer was turned off... oops...
I'm really not that technologically challenged though. I've fixed a bunch of things before, like printers and internet connections. Really.

Anyway, my little sister applied to colleges last week (one of them was Arkansas). She's a senior in high school. And it's really cold here today, coldest it's been all semeseter I think. The combination of these two things made me think about how I applied to colleges.

One of the first things I did when starting to look at colleges was not look at colleges in places that were super cold or had a history of a lot of natural disasters. That didn't work too well though, because it can get pretty cold here... but not as cold as places farther North.
I also thought I wanted a small school. I obviously changed my mind there too. Mainly, I looked at schools that had the major I wanted. Cost was a factor too.

Book Recommendation:
"A Vintage Affair" by: Isabel Wolff. It's about a woman that open's a vintage clothing store and about the stories behind some of the clothes in the store, the people that buy them, and the people that the clothes belonged too. It mainly centers around a small childs coat that an elderly woman refuses to part with and the story behind it and how that story relates to the main character. And I think it's a really great story.

Don't procrastinate. I did. And I have a test tomorrow... So I'll be studying most of the day now.

Keep warm!
-Amy

Watch This!

2011-10-14T10:48:00.001-07:00

So I was lame and was very late getting my Perspectives article written. My b, Jill, my b.

So, in lieu of my usual rambling post about serious subjects, I present this. Just watch it.

Inta Juice

2011-10-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hello errrrbody

I read Adams post about the Caramel Apple Spice Starbucks drink and it made me think of my go to drink....Caribbean Blend smoothie from Inta Juice!!! Heaven. On. Earth.

How many of you have been to Inta Juice? I hope everyone reading this raised their hand. Inta Juice is a little smoothie cafe on 6th street (I guess it's MLK BLVD now but I prefer 6th street.) It's a little bit east of Chick-Fil-A and right beside Subway. You can't miss it. Inta Juice reminds me a lot of Tropical Smoothie, except in my humble opinion, it's better. They don't serve the vast amount of foods that TS serves, but their smoothies are deeeeeelicious!

Really though, I probably spend more money on a smoothie than I do on regular food. It's bad. They have 3 different sizes. I always get the 24 oz drink which comes with 2 FREE supplements. It costs $5.00 but go get a coupon book and you get a dollar off. Savin big bucks there. I really is worth it to me. Sometimes I substitute my meals with a smoothie. Probably not the healthiest thing, but I like to think it is.

My Fav Flavors:
1-Caribbean Blend
2-Fruit Fusion
3-Tahiti Delight

Do yourself a favor and head to Inta Juice sometime soon. You won't regret it...and if you do, then go back and pick a different flavor. I've tried several and finally found the ones I absolutely can't live without. Okay that's extreme, I could definitely live without it, but it does make my life more enjoyable. :)

Have a blessed day,
Morgan Newton

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

CLICK FOR A MILLION DOLLARS!!!

2011-10-12T10:35:00.000-07:00

Mmmm... Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks. Nothing better.

But seriously, other than a cool Dr. Pepper on a hot summer day, nothing can beat the smooth, warm taste of a Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks. I'm literally drinking one right now and let me tell you...you should be so jealous. It's so good! You can go buy one and end your rage of jealousy. I don't think you want to share with me. My mouth has been all over it.

So here's the dealio with this week's AWA. When you arrive on campus please go buy a parking permit. I haven't had one for the last two years and it has been a STRUGGLE. I walk to class every day, I can't park anywhere until after 5, and it costs me monies to park in the Harmon. It's not good. Today, I didn't have a ride to my first class so instead of walking (because it is in the Quads) I decided to drive. I was just going to pay the fee today. Or so I thought. I gave my roommate a ride to his class first (in Kimpel, mind you). As I was dropping him off I realized that I was on campus during a transition time...WHY?!?!?! All of these students were walking around in front of my car and I didn't like that. At least one of them waived (is that the right spelling?). That guy didn't upset me, but his girlfriend did. She didn't waive. Rude. But yes get a parking sticker. It saves you so much time and frustration, and frustration leads to upset stomachs and hairy armpits. My stomach hurts and my pits are sweaty. So I must be real frustrated right now. All because I don't have a parking sticker. SO GET ONE.

Go to Primetime at the Palace this Friday! It's the start of Coach Anderson's era as men's basketball coach. The football team has a bye this weekend. It's nice to have a bit of a break. I don't play football, but you thought I did for like two seconds. I'll take that. Two seconds of glory is better than none. Speaking of glory (SEGWAY), if the Bible is your thing, and it is most definitely my thing, then you'd be pleased to know that because Herod didn't give God the glory when he was being glorified as a lord (which Herod most certainly wasn't), God sent an angel to kill him. Then worms ate him. Moral of the story? Give God all glory or you'll be killed and eaten by worms. Gross.

New additions to my iTunes: James Taylor- "Sweet Baby James," Lionel Richie- "The Millenium Collection," and Boyz II Men- "The Millenium Collection." My music taste is both random and beautiful. So so good.

Right now I'm listening to the advisors' TV show selections. I'm a little shocked, but I love it. You go guys. You go.

Well to recap this post: Caramel Apple Spice, stickers, worms, delicious music, TV, love, hate, dirt, butter, wood, hummus, beaches, salt, cars, poetry, and lanterns. Well, some of those are in there somewhere.

Why was half of that recap about food...? BECAUSE I'M HUNGRY.

Another quote to ease your mind:

"When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. When life hands you limes, make limeade. When life makes you kool, drink that koolaid. But if life puts you in a band, you're gonna need a bandaid." - Adam Waddell

Yeah. I just made that up.

Until next Wednesday at 12:30,
Adam K. Waddell

(the "K" is a mystery)

Helen Keller, Abandoned Theme Parks, and Who Knows What Else...

2011-10-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!!!! I am sitting here in the amazing Fulbright Advising Office and have waisted a lot of time today talking about Dollywood, Dolly Splash, Dogpatch USA, and many other things. Also I have been playing with the Gumby thing at the top of the Google homepage. I only have ten minutes so I'm sorry if my blog isn't great this week, but here I go:

Tips From Tyler (yes I am still doing them!):

Working: I am one of the many of students here at the U of A that works part-time while going to school full-time. I work for Bank of America about 20 hours a week as a teller. I love it! Working while going to school does have some drawbacks and challenges. The drawback is that you aren't on campus as much and miss out on somethings sometimes. The major challenges that there is though is that you miss out on study time and you have to plan your classes accordingly. The tip: get a job BUT get a job that will be flexible and that you enjoy! If you enjoy your job life will be a lot easier!

Going to class: SERIOUSLY what is wrong with people right now!!!! I have been going to class and it seems like only half (if that sometimes) is still showing up to class!!! Life and school will be soooooooooooooo much easier if you actually go to the class. Professors are not stupid nor blind they know that students aren't there and lots of them are giving extra credit "quizzes" to those who actually show up. Better grades=going to class!!!

Here is a quote I liked from Helen Keller: "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do."

Have a great day everyone!!!

It's Raining, It's Pouring...

2011-10-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

That's right, it's raining today. It rained yesterday too, which I wasn't prepared for, but lucky me- it stopped rainning just in time for me to walk back home from class! (Check out Kaylan's blog for rain stuff)

Adam- this is your shout out. Also, does the tiger know what cotton candy is while hanging out in the jungle? Because how can a tiger that has never seen cotton candy, dream of it?

That's right, I'm taking Philosophy this semester.

My goal for today: to get a free yearbook. They should be giving them out in the unoin and by Brough today. And I want one. And this year I'm going to try to remember to actually take my yearbook picture...

Today is crosswalk safety awareness day. Do not run over the people walking across the street.

I've decided that since I love books you should love books too. So everyweek I am going to recommend a book that I have read and enjoyed in hopes that maybe you'll like it too. This week's book recommendation: The Hunger Games. This is actually a trilogy, not just one book. But that's okay, because it's my recommendation. The Hunger Games is usually classified as "young adult" (a lot of the books I read are actually) but I think they are a bit more on the adult side than the young side, because it has a lot blood and death and stuff. It's set in a futuristic distopian setting. It's also full of action. If you don't like that stuff, still look it up and read the actual desciption. You might be surprised. I mean, my mom liked it...
Also, because these books have become extremely popular, they are making the first one into a movie that comes out in late March. I have high hopes and expectations for this movie. I think they could do a lot with what they are given and hope they utilize it. I think casting was done well too.
Secret: when I first started reading The Hunger Games (as in the first book titled The Hunger Games) I pretended to be sick so that I could stay home from school and keep reading/finish reading it. (This was in high school, senior year).

I want to see the Footloose remake this weekend. I think it looks good. I'm going to see it with my sister, we like dance movies.

I'll be able to see it with my sister this weekend because we have Fall Break on Monday and Tuesday so I get to fly home on Saturday! The UofA has never had a Fall Break before. I'm excited. Breaks are needed.

I still don't know what to be for Halloween. I like costumes that you can mostly put together from stuff you already have. But I can't think of anything.

Did you know that there are newspapers all over campus you can read for free? There are. You can read the school newspaper, and other newspapers. Also, students get emails from the Arkansas Newswire everyday, which has articles about things going on at the UofA. That's how I found out yearbooks were going to be given out today.

You can get free flu shots at Pat Walker.

You should check out our super awesome new ambassador pictures on the fcac website. We practiced our poses for hours... not really.

Until next week!
-Amy

(Maybe I'll figure out how to post pictures next time)

Random Tuesday

2011-10-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Today's blog will be full of fun and interesting facts about daily life here at the UofA. Some tips we all know (and some I may make up...just kidding...maybe)

Rain Gear: this is very important. I know that Morgan talked about this earlier in the North Face post, but you really need to go get a jacket or shoes or even just a Razorback poncho. Don't be that student who everyone deathglares because they walk into class and drip all over your scantron and make it impossible to use for the test. Speaking of rain, the University has a spot on campus that you should be extra cautious about when traveling between classes. There is a small slope (or hill if you are from west Texas) by the Music building that becomes very slick when it even sprinkles. Be careful. People will laugh (hopefully on the inside).

Sign Up Early: this applies for everything. From advising to extra credit in class, never wait until the last minute--all of the spots will be taken. Espeically when it comes to advising, make sure you know when you appointment is and don't miss it. If you can't schedule an appointment (because we are full here in Fulbright), they are doing walk-ins October 17th & 18th! Also, just a reminder that offical walk-ins start on the 24th!

When in Doubt, Ask. Nicely: Try not to be the shy kid in the back of class. If you have a question, go see your professor during their office hours or in the very least see a tutor! It does you no good to sit there confused all semester until the final comes and you realize maybe talking to someone about those first few questions would have been helpful. Trust me. I was a shy person once. The more you try and get involved and ask questions, the more successful you will be!

There you go. I have done my offical tips and tricks of the day. Perhaps they didn't really pertain to the university as much as just life in general.

Finally, I hope you all have a great Fall Break. I am very excited about going home to see my family (who I usually only see twice a semester: Thanksgiving and when I come hope for Christmas!)

Be safe and remember: Only you can prevent wild fires.

Kaylan

Schedule Planner

2011-10-07T09:42:00.000-07:00

Howdy y'all!

So to follow up on last week's post, I checked out the new schedule planner that is available on ISIS. I spent some time just trying to figure out how to use the planner.

After using the scheduler I have to highly recommend it! Within the scheduler you can see every available section, time, and instructor for every course the university offers. This is very useful and is a easier to read version than that which ISIS offers. You choose your possible classes and tell the scheduler which sections you prefer. You can even specify breaks you want to keep between classes and tell the scheduler to generate a schedule. It then creates a list of schedules for every possible variation of class times.

Once you find a schedule you like, you can import it directly into ISIS. Once its there, you go to Enroll, and ISIS will ask you to Import the schedule again, then individually enroll in the classes. It's super easy.

The scheduler is a great tool to help get your schedule for this upcoming semester down! I highly recommend using it.

Steven

Go Hogs! Beat Auburn!!!! #WPS

Some Real Cute Stuff

2011-10-06T11:53:00.001-07:00

I always start by reading everyone else's blogs. Its food for thought. Tyler, excellent choice to use the forever FREE PWHC. I too used their services this week. I had been experiencing a new pain while I was on my daily runs and decided it needed to be checked out by a physician. FYI: The Pat is not only for colds it is for everything. There are counseling services, if you are ever feeling blue. There is a women's clinic, just for the ladies. There are nutritionists and dietitians, if you want to make an eating plan or are struggling with food. It is a great place to utilize. And as a paying university student, its fees are built in so you really might as well.

Yasmeen, happy belated birthday. Steven, I heard there is this new thing were you can pick your classes and tell this program what times you want and don't want and what classes you need and it will configure options for you! Its genius, people! I haven't tried it out myself yet but it could be quite beneficial. Kaylan, I am so ready for the holidays now. Amy, yes, loved your topic! Adam, I hate the bottom of icee and smoothies, so frustrating...icees more so however getting to the bottom of either means its over and thats sad all on its own!

So since its almost the weekend and there is a home game I thought that I would leave you with pictures of really cute stuff, it has no ties to the fact that there is a home game or Fulbright but...I know that it will increase the peace as well as leave you with a smile!

Margaret

The Butterfly Circus

2011-10-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday! It's almost the weekend :)

I have a blog of my own and this week I posted about a really great sermon from church on September 11th. I know that's almost a month ago but it was too great not to share with everyone what all I learned! Pastor Josh Foliart at The Link talked about how God takes our ashes and turns them into beauty.

Check out this video: The Butterfly Circus

Wow. It's pretty stinkin cool how Mr. Mendez shows the love of Jesus to the people in his circus. Sometimes we get so caught up in how bad our circumstances are, that we can't see the beauty in them. A sense of self pity comes over us and we feel as if our problem is definitely the worst!

"You do have an advantage. The greater the struggle, the more glorious the triumph."

Looking back on the events that occurred on that tragic day 10 years ago, you can't help but wonder where the people are today and how they are dealing with the pain from the void in their hearts. I know my God is healing them from the heartache they face daily. He is taking the ashes left over from the plan crash and turning them into a beautiful story used for His glory. He is a provider, a healer, and a merciful God.

He doesn't stop with that day though. My God is constantly at work mending our hearts to become more like His in every aspect of our lives. It doesn't matter if you are dealing with selfishness, idolatry, cancer, a failed test, or even a little breakup. God ALWAYS intends to turn your ashes into beauty. All we have to do is give them to Him! My God is such a stud.

Have a blessed day,
Morgan Newton

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

Yep...That Just Happened

2011-10-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

What do tigers dream of when they take a little tiger snooze?

Okay. Time to get started. What are your best guesses to the question I asked above? If I had to guess I would say they dream of cotton candy. Because who doesn't love cotton candy? And tigers NEVER get to have it...so naturally it would be something they would dream about.

Time for a little AWA. (I told you I wasn't going to remind you what that stands for...and I'm not) So here's the deal. What's the deal you ask? I'm going to tell you right now. GET OUT AND HAVE FUN! I love Fayetteville, you love Fayetteville, Tyler loves Fayetteville, and I'm pretty sure Morgan, Kaylan, Steven, Amy, Margaret, and Yasmeen also love Fayetteville. I didn't have to include them in my blog, but I did because I'm just super nice and I want to be in theirs. But back to what we were actually talking about. Fayetteville is a wonderful place and I don't know why anyone would ever want to go to school anywhere else, but just like every other city...you can wear yourself out from time to time. Once you've been here for 2, 3, 4 years you learn where everything is and you've been there. Take road trips, go home (if you're not from here), go places. Even heading to Bentonville can be a nice trip. But if you want to stay in love with Fayetteville then you have to get out sometimes. St. Louis isn't too far away. Go catch a weekend Cardinals game. Go to Dallas for shopping extravaganzas. Go to Little Rock and....well just go to Little Rock. My point is, GO. Those are the times where memories are made and stories are shaped. Those are the times where you can look back and tell your grandkids about. In my tenure I've gone to Tulsa, Dallas, St. Louis, Memphis, Little Rock, Stillwater, I've been everywhere man (that's a song reference. Props to you if you caught it).

How 'bout them Hogs?! If you didn't watch the game this weekend, you should be ashamed and you should clip one of your fingernails just a little short so it takes longer to grow back. Gosh that's so annoying to me. I hate having a short fingernails. I don't like them to be long, but I don't like clipping one too short. I take care of myself. The Hogs had a HUGE comeback to stun TAMU 42-38. I was there and it was awesome. You should have been there. I don't know why you weren't. Maybe you were. In that case, you're wonderful.

Pet peeve: when you are drinking an Icee and all is well until you are towards the end. Then for some reason it doesn't like to come up. So frustrating. And then it makes that loud sipping noise and you become self-concious so you just quit altogether. Icees are like Mexican food. It's all good in the beginning, but then it turns on you and you are left hopeless. That may be a little too much for an Icee. I'm just being dramatic.

Well I've been listening to a lot of music lately and one lyric has really spoken to me. And you know how I love to share these things with you readers. So here it is:

"Can you feel the love tonight?" - Sir Elton John

Goodnight. And much love. Or much like. I don't know you like that.

Adam

So I finally took my own advise.......

2011-10-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

So after like two or possible going on three weeks of being sick I took my own advice and went to Pat Walker today to finally figure out what I have. Turns out that I have bronchitis and I am on the verge of possibly having pneumonia. So now I am really sad because I can't go camping out for the Auburn game this weekend :(

........Adam is sitting next to me trying to figure out what his blog is going to be about and eating a Reese's Fast Break and a Coke Icee.....I'm hungry now.........

Tips from Tyler (that's right they are still coming!):

Camping for the game: AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH I really wanted to camp this weekend for the game. I have been wanting to do it since freshman year, but I finally have someone who wants to camp with me... my awesome roommate....Last year Coach Petrino and some of the players would come by and visit with the campers and bring them food and I heard it is just so much fun! Just in case you didn't read the email from the university about the rules for camping you should probably do that before going camping (that is the tip part just in case you didn't think I was going to throw one in there). Another tip about camping: do it if you can! Have fun! Same Camping to all and look out for the tigers running around out there!

Pat Walker: Seriously I have been hearing coughing everywhere I go...GO TO PAT WALKER!!!! I finally went and they were very nice, pretty quick, and now I have been diagnosed. Also, after I get over the bronchitis and/or pneumonia I am going to go and see them about getting a flu shot. I personally would recommend doing this! Save the trouble of being sick forever with the flu. You can either get the shot or if you are a little nervous about needles then you can get the mist. I opted for the flu mist last year just to try it out and that is what the nurse urged me to do and I liked it. For those of you who don't know what the flu mist is it is a little thing they stick up your nose and spray kind of like Nasonex. It feels a little funny at first, but it isn't too bad. At Pat Walker it is only $10 for students and $20 for faculty to get your flu shot/mist. So go and do it!!!!!

Books on Tape: The nerdy/lazy side is coming out of me here, but I love books on tape or audio books. I listened to two over the summer. I did Bill Clinton's autobiography that I bought off of iTunes on our family vacation while we were driving. I also listened to a John Grisham book as I drove back and forth between Siloam and Fayetteville for work everyday this summer. If you do a lot of driving they are perfect!!! Also I do like to read sometimes, but I'm not the biggest read and so I think audio books are amazing. Jill, our advisor, told me about this great website that I am going to check out after I leave here today for audio books called audible.com. So if you aren't the worlds biggest reader or are just looking for something to do on those long road trips by yourself consider listening to an audio book off of iTunes or borrow a book on tape from someone.

By the way Sporcale is AMAZING!!! Also I really hate the other ambassadors and their amazing ideas about what to write about! GO HOGS!!!! BEAT AUBURN!!!! WOO PIG SOOIE!!!!

Sporcle: Mentally Stimulating Diversions

2011-10-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

We're nearly halfway through the semester! You know what that means... Midterms and early progress grades!

Midterms can get pretty stressful for some. Especially if you're like some people I know that have them all in one week and multiple ones on the same day. That's why it's important to break up your study time. Cramming doesn't tend to actually help. What I usually do is make my study materials (aka: Flashcards) ahead of time, take a break, then start studying them. I like trying to start studying the weekend before a test, because then I have a lot of time to study and to take breaks.

One thing I don't think helps your grades is all-nighters or near all-nighters. I've never studied past 12am, maybe even 11pm. I'm a big fan of a good nights sleep. And if you stay up super late studying, you'll probably be thinking more about how tired you are than the information you're trying to learn.

Early-Progress grades can be really helpful. Only 1000 and 2000 level classes do them, but knowing your grade half way through the semester can let you know if you need to work harder or keep doing what your doing.

Less serious stuff:

I read online that 3D movies give people headaches because it's harder for the brain to process the 3D image. We already see things in 3D, so making 3D movies is like extra (unneeded) 3D. I don't like 3D movies... most of the time it really adds nothing to the movie except a higher ticket price. They also give me headaches...

Looking for a fun new thing to do during your study break? Try Sporcle (sporcle.com)! It is a website with timed triva quizzes about everything you can imagine, or "mentally stimulating diversions." It also has an iPhone app. You take quizzes like:
name all the countries in Europe
name all the countries in the world
most common English words
book title by author
movie by main character
fill in the blanks for song lyrics, movie quotes, and book quotes
advirtising slogans
and SO many more! There are quizzes on geography, entertainment, history, science, literature, sports, movies, TV, music, and "just for fun."
My highest score for countries of the world is 54.1%, in novel by opening line I have 68.8%, in naming the movie by a plot haiku I have 60%, and in 2,000 most common English words I have 38%.
There is most definitely a quiz about something that interests you, or that you want to test your knowlege. Did I mention they are timed? You may know the answers, but if you don't type them in before the time limit, you don't get the points. You can spend a good amount of time doing this. And if you feel bad for wasting time having fun, a lot of the quizzes are educational, you can test your knowledge on geography, history, science, etc. Try it out!

My roommates and I are trying to find someone who will let us make rice crispie treats in their apartment. I'll let you know how that goes.

We had a fire drill this morning.

I had Fruit Loops for breakfast (before the fire drill).

I've already planned what classes I want to take next semester with several back up choices. I love looking at classes and trying to schedule them. What I don't like is that there are 4 different classes I want to take that are all at the same time, and then a couple others that over lap with other classes I want to take. So then I had to decide what I wanted to take more. Which was difficult. I sign up for classes Nov. 4... so I did all this a month early...

Freerice.com: work on your vocabulary and help end world hunger at the same time. Every answer you get right, more rice gets donated. Helpful for the SAT and ACT.

Until next week!
-Amy

Seasonal Decorations

2011-10-04T12:16:00.001-07:00

Hello!

As usual, I have no idea what I am suppose to blog about this beautiful Tuesday afternoon. It seems like my fellow ambassadors are hard to match with their wit and useful post! I will, however, do my best.

Now, we should talk about something near and dear to my heart--Seasonal Decorations. They are everywhere...and it's kind of taking me off guard. Every year I just want to call up all major retails and remind them that

Columbus Day should be remembered too (also happens to be National Cake Decorating Day: so turn on your oven and show off your skills!)

Halloween decorations are starting to overwhelm me and also creep me out (then again, this is a holiday that allows people to dress like they want to every day and it be socially acceptable. Why yes, I do want to be a paleontologist this year and my date be a dinosaur. Glad you asked)

Thanksgiving does not fit well into my healthy lifestyle, nor do I particularly want cartoon turkeys staring at me every time I enter Walmart. (my family has 4 different "family dinner". Participating in a Turkey Trot doesn't even cover the first slice of pie)

and

Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa have already been put out in most stores. Which is very scary since this makes me imagine that Dead Day is coming up soon and that I need to start buckling down hard-core. Then I remember I have a long time and have only taken one test in each class thus so far.

So, there you go. I just did my seasonal "decorations rant". Don't get me wrong, I love all of these holidays. Most of them allow me to spend time with my family and forget about my email for about a day. On the other hand, this whole "decorate your actual home like a gingerbread house" thing is just a step too far...actually, that would be really cool.

Oh! Walmart is selling three items you MUST try: jumbo pumpkin marshmallows, pumpkin spice marshmallows, M&Ms flavored like candy corn! Ahh! So excited!

Lastly, I always forget to add a tip or something you can actually use in life (I mean, besides the awesome marshmallows). Here we go: do not get overwhelmed. Even though it seems like time is flying, I want to remind you that even though all of these stores make it seem like Dead Day is around the corner, it is not. You still have time to study and do well on your next test, talk to your professors, meet with our amazing advisers to figure out next semester, and attend football games. All hope is not lost. When is a good time to start panicking, you ask? When you start seeing red and pink hearts everywhere for Valentine's Day--then you know Winter Holidays are coming soon!

Until next week,

Kaylan

Finals week!

2011-10-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

Before I explain my extremely futuristic title, I just want to say thanks to Adam for my birthday shout out last week! When he said it was short, I didn't realize how short but nonetheless, thank you! :)

Now, most of you may wonder why on earth I would be talking about finals this first week of October when Dead Day isn't even until December 9th. Well, wonder no more! The reason is, you don't want finals to sneak up on you! I mean really, I feel like classes JUST started and we really did just have our first (some second), round of tests! Already I am starting to wonder how my test grades from this first round are going to effect my final grade. With that being said, here are a few things to think about this semester, so finals don't stress you out like they do most everyone else! :)

1. Borderline grades. Going into a final with a borderline grade is what I would consider to be the most stressful situation. You could either study realllyyyyy hard for 2 weeks and then come out with a. the same letter grade as before the final or b. you might actually improve your grade. Either way, it's too stressful. Try to make sure you have the grade you want before finals come around so that way you aren't relying on the comprehensive last test to get the grade you want. Procrastination is not the answer here!

2. Keep up with your grades and homework! This seems pretty obvious, but most people generally don't keep up with what grades they have in the class. Yes, your professors may document what you made on your tests/quizzes, but as we all know computers fail, papers get lost, etc. So take it upon yourself to keep all your homework and tests/quizzes (if they give them back) just in case they lose something. That way, there's no question about that A you have :)

3. Extra credit. If there's ANY opportunity to do extra credit, always do it! You never know if you'll need it or if it's going to be the difference between an A or a B, or even passing or failing the class (which I know none of you are failing classes right now :) ). Even if it's not that much extra credit, professors are more likely to work with you if they see you're at least putting in the effort to do better. Simply put: ALWAYS do the extra credit. It usually doesn't take that much time or effort, so just get it over with and reap the benefits when you check your grade on ISIS this December. :)

4. Comprehensive or not comprehensive? Find out if your final is comprehensive or not. If you know beforehand, then you'll know whether you need to be routinely looking over your old notes and tests for the final. Let's be honest here because I'm guilty of it too, most people study the material for the test, take the test, and forget everything you "learned." However, if your test is comprehensive, you should probably work on keeping that information in your long-term memory vs short term, that way you aren't up the entire night before the final trying to cram an entire semester's worth of material.

Hope that helps! Happy Monday! :)

Yasmeen

Classes!

2011-09-30T09:29:00.001-07:00

Sup, sup!? It's Steven again, don't call it a comeback, cause I've been here for years!

So if you've ever taken a personality test, you've probably heard of Type A and Type B people. Type A's are the assertive, outgoing, people who love to plan things and make checklists and whatnot. Type B's are pretty much the opposite of that. They're more laid-back, go-with-the-flow kind of folks. I...am a Type B. I don't stress about much and I don't plan much....except for one thing.

Classes!!! I cannot help figuring out my next semester waaaaay ahead of time! As soon as classes are posted, I get on ISIS and plan my next 5 classes, and I love it.

That being said.......Classes have been posted on ISIS!!! So log-in and get going! Now, you'll probably want to get advised by a professional before you actually enroll, but if you check out what's available now, you'll be doing both yourself and your advisor a huge favor. Don't just walk in to Old Main 518 on Halloween and ask your advisor to make you a schedule from scratch. You'll have a much better spring if you take some initiative and figure out what classes sound interesting to you.

So, go on over to ISIS and search for classes. Make sure you change the term to Spring 2012 and find some awesome classes. Make a list of which ones you like and are interested in and bring it to your advising appointment or walk-in visit. You'll be happy you did!

Have a great weekend!

Woo Pig Sooie and TUSK'EM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why Do Cows Moo?

2011-09-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

I don't know the answer to that question.

It's time once again...the time you've all been waiting for...or not...maybe...this strand has gone on too long...I like building the suspense...is there really suspense...okay I'm done...it's Adam. Yes. Adam. That's my name. But you know that. Some people don't, but you do. Because I've literally said it twice today and probably three times on this blog before that. Okay. On to actual information that may be somewhat kind of relevant.

I lost fantasy this weekend.

So I worked out yesterday for the first time in like 2 months. Talk about sore. And the workout I did was insane. It's something new that I wanted to try. It's called German Volume Training. GVT. I personally like to call it "Death in the Weightroom." Here's what it basically boils down to. It's a little different. Basically you don't have a whole lot to do. Yesterday I did 4 excersises, but you do 10 sets of 10 reps. THAT'S 100 REPS!!! It's insane. I recommend it though. Because it'll make you feel like you can beat Mike Tyson. Even though you cannot.

I'm wearing a Mr. Pibb shirt.

Time for AWA! (Adam's Weekly Advice. That's the last time I'm going to remind you. The ball is in your court now.) So this week I thought I'd go with something that is extremely relevant to all of us. It's the seasonal change that we are about to experience. I know Morgan blogged about The North Face already, but this is going to be more general. And maybe funny, so don't skip over this. I know the weather is near perfect most days now, but the cold will be here before you know it and it will slap you harder than your mother can. And I know that my mother can slap hard. So you should be worried. Because if you aren't afraid of your mother, then I'll send mine after you. So if you haven't already, GO GET YOUR WINTER CLOTHES ASAP. You don't want to be that person stuck in shorts and a light jacket come November. I laugh at those people and think weird things about them. Don't let me think weird things about you. It will be 20 degrees here and will snow for 9 days straight. Ask anyone. You don't want to be cold. It's not a good feeling.

Yesterday was Yasmeen's birthday.

I'm so ready for the A&M game this weekend. We are the underdogs again, but I think we'll win. I know we will. As good as TAMU is...we're still the Hogs. And that's all we need to be. It may not be a blow out, but we will still win. I am going to predict the score right now, and if I'm wrong...then I'm wrong. But if I'm right, then you owe me a cake.

Arkansas-27
Texas A&M-20

You like how I color coordinated that? Well...it's color coordinated right now as I type it. It may not be when I post it. So if it isn't then you can forget I said that. But don't forget this thought that I have spent countless hours trying to think for you:

If Harry Potter is so magical, why doesn't he fix his own eyesight?

I know that struck some of y'all the wrong way, and for that I sincerely apologize.

I haven't eaten lunch. My tummy is hungry.

Bye-bye.

-Adam

ANOTHER EXCITING WEEK!!!

2011-09-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! It's me Tyler again! I have decided to just keep continuing with the "Tips from Tyler" for a few reasons. One I am not as creative as some of these people and two I kind of like it. I hope you all don't mind! So here are your Tips from Tyler for this week:

Roommates: So roommates......if you live on campus then you all know that roommate situations can either be amazing or make your year miserable. Fortunately this year I have an AMAZING roommate!!! No seriously my roommate situation is pretty amazing this year....and no I'm not living alone ;) We both have girlfriends so it makes the whole having your girlfriend over to hangout less awkward and actually the four of us have all became pretty good friends. I'm not going to go into much detail right now because I will be talking about roommates and living on campus in the upcoming edition of "Perspectives" which should be out in November. One tip though (since this is suppose to be a "Tip from Tyler") is try to make the best of everything and try to understand that both of you may have to give in a little in some situations for the betterment of the group.

Bikes, Blues, and BBQ: Well if you haven't figured out by the rumbling of the motorcycles up and down Dickson yet you will come tomorrow and Friday that Bikes, Blues, and BBQ starts today. BBB is a lot of fun and they have activities going starting today and going through Saturday. If you have never been, are curious, or just want to have some fun this weekend then check out some of the many events that they have going on. This is their website so you can figure out what you may want to go see www.bikesbluesandbbq.org

Last tip of the day...start planning for next semester soon! I know I may sound crazy when I say that because we aren't even halfway through this semester but I think it is that time of year. I have already been on ISIS to look at the classes that I want to take next semester and have been checking an advising sheet, that you can pull off of our website, to make sure that I am on track to graduate on time. Walk-in appointments here at the Advising Office start on October 31st (Halloween!!!) but I would advise you to make an appointment before then and beat the crowd. Another thing to do is come prepared to your advising session. Get on ISIS and look at your advising worksheet to figure out what you think you want to take next semester. Jennifer, one of the amazing advisers here in the office, and I were talking and said that you should take charge of your own education! Not only does it make things easier on them, but it also shows that you are a great student who truly cares about your own education and time here at the U of A. Now I am not saying that you don't need advising, that if you have questions that you shouldn't bring them in, or that you should know everything, or have everything figured out but you should have a good idea of where you are heading.

Well everyone have a great week!!! Don't forget to cheer for the Hogs this weekend as they take on the newest members of the SEC in Dallas!!! WPS!!!

Happy New Year!

2011-09-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

So last night just as I was about to fall asleep I dream that I trip and as I start to fall I jerk awake. Has this ever happened to you? It happens to me every once and a while. I looked it up and they are called "sleep starts" or "hypnic jerks" amoung other names. According to the internet it is some sort of involuntary muscle spasm. I don't like these muscle spasms, I was almost asleep and they woke me up. But apparently no one knows exactly why they happen or what causes them.

I get to watch last week's episode of Glee tonight!! I don't have a TV and I missed it last week and this year Hulu (one of my favorite websites) doesn't post episodes until 8 days after they air! I've been waiting to watch the first episode and I can't wait. I love Glee. We actually just got a campus "Glee Club" here at the U of A. I'm not in it though, because I can't sing. I wish I could sing like they do on Glee. If I could sing like that I would totally be in a musical on Broadway. I love Broadway musicals too. I do enjoy singing along to music, a lot. Especially in the car (which I don't have right now).

That's right, I don't have a car. It's not so bad really. Basically all my friends have cars and we often go places together so I ride with them. Sometimes I do wish I had a car, but then I remember I don't have to worry about parking or paying for gas.
Last fall I missed the step down going out the front door on my way to class and fell and broke my foot (great story, I know). It didn't really start hurting a lot until I got all the way back up to my room. Then it started hurting quite a bit. Since I didn't have a car I couldn't drive to the doctor, and I definitely wasn't going to be able to walk to the Health Center. One of my sisters was walking by my room, asked if I was okay, and said she'd take me to the Health Center (use them, they help). Then I had to walk around with a walking-boot brace thing on my foot for 6 weeks. Making my total number of bones broken 3- I've broken my ankle twice and my foot once. All three involved going down stairs. If you're ever on campus and see someone going down stairs very cautiously, that's me.
The first time I broke my ankle I was in New York City (there was a step down after coming up from the subway that I didn't know about, the next day there was a big snow storm and our flight was canceled, long story) and the second time I was working as a counselor at a summer camp (the summer before my freshman year, got the cast off the week before Recruitment started).

I did well on all my tests last week. I got a B+ on my paper though, the teacher wrote that it was an excellent paper, but I had a few big punctuation errors that lowered my grade. I'm still kind of mad at myself for not catching those when I was editing. Don't know what I was thinking. I hope this has no errors...

By the way, my dog is better!!!!!! I'm soooo happy!!! She's even feeling good enough to chase squirrel's. Because my parents gave her people food in order to try to get her to eat, now that's all she'll eat. I know I wouldn't want to go back to that icky dog food after having a hamburger.

I guess that's all for now! Shana Tova! That means Happy New Year in Hebrew. Tomorrow is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. In Judaism, we eat apples with honey for a sweet and healthy new year, feel free to participate on your own! A little more good luck can't hurt whether you're Jewish or not :)

-Amy

TED

2011-09-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

As most of you know around Fayetteville, today is one of the most beautiful days we have had in a while! The sun is out but not too hot, the trees have their leaves and a light wind in blowing. When I learn how, I will attach the picture I took of Old Main to this post!

Today also turned out to be really cool because we participated in a fair held for Hispanic high school students from around Fayetteville. It was really fun--was asked excellent questions and we all had the chance to showcase our high advanced knowledge of college...or something like that.

And now, the point of my blog. I have a obsession that I recently re-discovered in class today. In one of my classes, we are studying what influences a customers willingness to buy a product if there are too many or too few options. Needless to say, we watched a TED talk by Malcolm Gladwell about spaghetti sauce (here's the link http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/malcolm_gladwell_on_spaghetti_sauce.html). It is amazing. So, if you are bored or need a study break or just want to learn something really interesting in under 20 minutes, go check out TED. Your mind will be blown.

Kaylan

To go to class, or not to go to class...

2011-09-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, everyone!

As you all may know, or should know, even though you make plans to do something, you generally will run into problems. Luckily, these problems have solutions as you will see through my demonstration.

Now let me preface the following with these words: Don't judge me. The following movie is one of my favorites of all time and I AM NOT condoning skipping class as you will see with the following story.

My genius plan came about when I decided that I should not go to class tomorrow, so that I can go watch The Lion King 3d for my birthday. That's all, innocent and harmless. Granted it's never a good idea to skip class, but tomorrow is my birthday!! I had already finished ALL my homework for the week, finished everything that I would need to do for the classes I would miss so that I wouldn't turn in any late homework and then this happened....

Problem: I went to class this morning and a very bad thing happened. I found out that I have a TEST at 9:30am on Wednesday!! This means, not only can I not miss class to watch my favorite movie ever and spend my birthday in a happy, relaxing way, I HAVE TO STUDY FOR A TEST ON MY BIRTHDAY!!!! That is not my ideal birthday celebration idea, so naturally I am quite upset about this ordeal.

Solution: I have decided that, like I always suspected, skipping class is not a good idea. And making plans to skip is clearly not a good idea because something will happen to stop you from doing it. So instead of missing class for an enjoyable theatrical production, I am going to study TODAY (in advance) so that I can enjoy my birthday dinner, studying/note free.

As for The Lion King 3d, I WILL see it at some point this week. Even if it means I have to go to another city to watch it at 12am. :)

Lesson learned: Just don't even plan on missing class because the birthday sabotaging forces will stop you. On a brighter note, at least I won't be stressed about missing class.

Hope you all learned a valuable lesson! :)

Yasmeen

Late Start!

2011-09-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hey-o, everybody out there!

So I'm sure you're all wondering where the funniest ambassador from last year is! "Why haven't I heard from Steven yet?" you're thinking....well wonder no more!

But for serious now....sorry I'm getting off to a late start with the updates, but now I'm here to stay.

For all you new readers out there, incoming freshmen, prospective UofA students, and even upperclassmen who just figured out that Fulbright Ambassadors exist, I'll introduce myself:

My name is Steven Doss. I'm a senior at the University of Arkansas and I'll be graduating in May 2012. I'll be receiving a B.A. in International Relations, a B.A. in Political Science, and minors in French Business and Economics. Yeah, thats quite a mouthful...I have a lot of fun at family reunions when long-lost relatives ask me what I'm studying.

I grew up in beautiful Fayetteville, Arkansas, and I absolutely love this city. There's a great mix of college town atmosphere, modern urban groove, and old-fashioned down south...everything else! I went to school (Kindergarten up through graduation) at Farmington High School, a town of about seven thousand five minutes from Fayetteville. Going to high school so close to a college town meant taking lots of field trips to the UofA campus. This had the odd effect of making me want to leave town for college once I graduated, but after a lot of thought I decided that staying here would be the best decision for me. Since I grew up in this town, I was able to have a great freshman year meeting people, doing new things, and doing well in class, but without the stress of being thrust into a completely new environment.

In short, the University of Arkansas was a great choice for my college experience. For all you freshmen readers, I'm sure you're finding Fayetteville to be a great town with great people. You upperclassmen already know what I'm talking about...you've found Slim Chicken's and some of the other fantastic local restaurants in town.

And prospective students!!! If you haven't visited campus yet, do so soon! The sooner you come here and see just how great a town and beautiful a campus we have, the sooner you can just go ahead an enroll!

Thanks for stopping by!

Steven

Calm

2011-09-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

I hope that my puppy pictures did the trick last post! I am not really obsessed or anything just really into/inundated with their cuteness? Ok so...maybe I am. There are more embarassing things to be obsessed over.

I love going back and reading everyone's blogs from the week before I begin mine... and maybe I'll make it a habit of commenting but I LOVED ALL OF THEM. I hope that all other people reading this blog dig it as much as me. If not, thats crazy, you must not like fun stuff like Fulbright Ambassadors.

Today, as Morgan mentioned, it is raining. During my third class of the day I started to get a headache...it progressed into a full blown problem by the time class let out and all I could think to do was to go get liquids and, if I could, scrounge up some pain killers. For all of you who are new to campus (if new is still the right word after 4-5wks, idk) you can find advil, excedrin, allergy meds, etc at Club Red. Im sure you all know what these are: basically convenience stores on campus with various items including headache remedies. Next, I visited Starbucks. Ok, listen up, I've been here for 3+yrs now. The best place to get a cup of coffee/coffee drink is Arsagas (located in the LAW Building just passed the Union... if you are headed west, ahem...towards maple...yeah yeah directional words are for the birds). The entrance you want is facing south (ahem...towards the union lawn). Arsagas is on the second floor. Go there. Drink up. Maybe eat some of the delish, GOOD food they offer that is NOT Chartwells. Next the best place for tea is Starbucks. They carry Full-Leaf Tazo tea. Try the Calm (my choice today while soothing a headache and cold from the rain).

Starbucks is usually packed. Put on your patient pants when entering, there is always a line especially when its a "passing period" (highschool much?). Those are my opinions. Take them or leave them. But I've done the research and feel as though you should try out my recommendations. Needless to say I took an Excedrin and drank my tea while listening to my Social Psyc lecture and began to progressively feel better.

RECAP: Go to Arsagas for coffee/coffee inspired items and simple snacks
Go to Starbucks for awesome hot tea
Go to Club Red if you are suffering from an intense headache and are stuck on campus
all day and need some help. Its there!

WPS!

MARGARET

Lastly,

The North Face

2011-09-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody,

I hope you all are staying dry out there! I don't know about you but I am soo ready for this weekend...and the Bama game! I had 4 tests before Wednesday, so needless to say my days have been very long and full of acquiring lots and lots of knowledge. I was finally looking forward to enjoying some good weather outside instead of being cooped up in the library and low and behold it starts pouring down raining. This wouldn't be an issue if my roommate hadn't asked to borrow my umbrella while she was in Dallas this week for a school trip. I have other umbrellas but they are in my car, which is out in the rain. To be honest I don't really like having to hold an umbrella and dodge people's heads on the sidewalk, but sometimes they are necessary, like today! For those of you who feel the same thing about carrying an umbrella let me show you what I do bring with me everywhere that I have fallen in love with.

Last year for my birthday my mom bought me this green rain jacket. Never would I have guessed it would become a part of my everyday wardrobe. Not only do I wear this jacket when it's raining but I also wear it when it's a bit windy and I need something light to carry. It folds up really well, fits into any piece of luggage so very easy to take on trips. And you can wash it without having to be cautious of the fabric.
I sent my mom a text this summer thanking her for buying it for me because I had gotten so much use out of it. It was more expensive than my previous $10 rain jacket from Wal-Mart, but I can honestly say I have gotten every penny out of it and I've only owned it for a year. Go to Pak Rat and try on a few to see if you like it. I promise you will be so pleased with your purchase!

The next item I'm about to endorse is this lovely North Face backpack!! Like I said earlier, I had no umbrella today. I was trekking to class in the rain thinking about my laptop being in my backpack and hoping it wouldn't be soaked by the time I made it to class.
I sat down in the classroom, unzipped my backpack, and walahhh. Not a single drop of rain had entered this puppy. How legit. Again you might be thinking this is a bit pricey, but I am not lying when I say you WILL get your moneys worth. I have carried mine for 3 years now and don't plan on retiring it anytime soon. (Side note: The light color surprisingly doesn't collect as much dirt as you would think!)

Go check out these items at www.thenorthface.com. No I do not work for them. Although maybe I should, free products? :) I have just realized how durable and essential their products have been in my life and I wanted to share them with you!

Have a delightfully dry day!
Morgan Newton

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

Tests and Justin Bieber

2011-09-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

What an enticing title! Now you have to read. Muahahahaha! (evil laugh... I coughed afterwards)

WE PLAY BAMA THIS WEEKEND! It's a HUGE conference clash between two powerhouses in the West. Alabama is currently ranked No. 3 and we are ranked No. 14. Those rankings don't mean anything. I'm a little biased obviously... but who cares? Go Hogs.

I'm not worried about this weekend for a few reasons. Wingo is coming off a pretty good game so he is going to be hungry and pumped. Alabama's defense is incredible. There is no getting around that, but they lost a few key players and our offense is still poised to put up huge numbers. Tyler Wilson can throw just fine AND he's mobile. We haven't had that in a while and I think it is going to benefit us. Also, our defense returns most starters and Alabama's offense isn't as explosive as years past. It should be a great game and an instant classic.

So tests. The dreaded word. No one likes them. Most are hard and require a ton of studying to do well. Time for "Adam's Weekly Advice" or "AWA" for you acronym-minded readers. STUDY STUDY STUDY STUDY. I know that's not what you wanted to hear, but it's the truth. Procrastination will get you absolutely nowhere. This is stern Adam. I know... shocking. Make notecards, rewrite your notes over and over and over, get a study group together; there are literally a million things you can do to help yourself succeed. Okay, maybe not a million... but there are a lot. I have a huge test tomorrow that I haven't spent enough time studying for, so guess what I'll be doing for the rest of the day? Don't be like me. Being like me will get you nothing except maybe a cool job like being a Fulbright Ambassador.

My snack right now consists of Skittles (crazy cores) and a cherry Dr. Pepper. My stomach will reap the consequences later. That's not funny. So if you're laughing, stop it. I don't laugh at you.

Who wants a Fantasy update?! I won my second game. Consider yourself updated. I'm still waiting on some advice from you fantasy lovers though. I'll take anything you have!

So I hope this blog leaves you with feelings of warmth and appreciation. And maybe a little bit of confusion. As always, I have enjoyed telling you guys a little bit about what's going on in my life and a little bit of advice on how to succeed in college. Another quote:

"I'm gonna put you first. I'll show you what you're worth. Just let me inside your world. There's gonna be one less lonely girl." - The Biebs

Until next time,
Adam

(I don't know how to post a picture... oh well)

Randomness From Tyler

2011-09-21T08:29:00.000-07:00

So I am sitting here in the Advising Office and reading through everyone's blogs and trying to figure out what I would like to talk about today. After some careful consideration I have decided to just throw a bunch of random things at everyone today.

First, I am feeling a little under the weather today and have been for the past few days. I have had a bad cough for a few days and was told I may have bronchitis since that is what my nephew had last week when I saw him. Since I am feeling a little under the weather it made me think that I may need to go see the amazing people over at the Pat Walker Health Center to get some antibiotics. So while I am on the topic about PWHC I wanted everyone to know, if you didn't already, that going to the Health Center is free if you are just going to talk to a doctor and get checked out. Now if you get x-rays, tests, or things like that then you have to pay a small fee. They are really nice so if you aren't feeling good don't hesitate going and seeing them!

Next, DON'T BE A PROCRASTINATOR LIKE ME!!!! Getting up at 4:45 to finish a 7 page paper that is due that same day really sucks! Stay on top of things! A great way to stay on top of things is to get a little calender or white board to make sure you know when things are due. I'm not the best to give advice on not being a procrastinator since I am one of the world's worst, but throughout the semester I think I will try to work on it and give you advice on what is actually working for me.

Lastly, date night ideas....My girlfriend and I love going to different restaurants here in Fayetteville. Two of our favorites are Damgoode Pies and Slim's Chicken. Our date nights are your big romantic nights out they are more of just getting away from campus and having some fun together. Damgoode Pies is one of the best pizza places around (our favorite pizza is the club). They are right off the Fayetteville Square. Slim's is a great chicken place that is cheap and delicious. They are on College Ave. and on Joyce Street across from the NWA Mall. Another thing we do sometimes is go on bike rides through the amazing and wonderful Fayetteville bike trails. Also, don't forget to top off a great date night by stopping by Rick's Bakery for some cupcakes!

-Tyler

My Dog and Wasabi (unrelated)

2011-09-21T07:20:00.000-07:00

Hello again!
So last week Morgan blogged about Pinterest and I thought it sounded cool so I got one, and it's so much fun! Lots of really cool stuff to look at and try.
In other news, what's mainly on my mind right now is that my dog is sick. The vet says it's her liver, which is unusual in young dogs like her. She wasn't eating but my parents finally got her to eat some. Which I hope means she's getting better. But she's still very sick. I'm worried about her, and since I live far away I can't go see her. Her name is Maggie, she's a rescue dog. We have had her since early May but we already love her. We think she's some sort of Greyhound, German Shepard, something with a curly tail mix. She likes to go on walks and take up the whole couch. And once we went through a fast food drive through with her in the car and she almost jumped over the driver while following her nose through the window. She's pretty funny. I hope you keep her in your thoughts because I really really want her to get better.
There are a few recipe's on Pinterest that I really want to try so I need to go to one of my friends apartments and try them out (I live in the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority house so I can't cook there).
I have a bunch of tests and a paper due this week and next week. So I've been busy studying and doing homework.
My food obsession: Sushi. Specifically from Wasabi, which is a restaurant near campus on Dickson St. It's my favorite place to eat at. My friends and I have Wasabi Wednesday's, and sometimes Wasabi Thursday's. If you're not a sushi person, they also have non-sushi meals too. They have a bunch of really good sushi rolls that I've never seen at other sushi places. Whatever roll I decide to get I always get a side of spicy mayo, it's spicy but it's a really good spicy. I really want to learn how to make sushi. I prefer my sushi cooked by the way, I can't do raw, it's too slimy and mushy for me.
Maybe next week I'll come up with a plan for what to blog about. Right now I'm just writing what pops into my head.
Other than Maggie, I have two cats at home. First is Oreo, I've had him forever. He is a very sweet and fat cat that loves to cuddle and sleep. He has a beanie baby cat that he likes to carry around the house. Then there is Lulu. She's kind of like a little trouble making toddler. She also really likes attention. A lot. And she has bad table manners. But she's adorable. I really love my pets. I'm a big animal person. For a long time I wanted to be a whale trainer at Sea World. Or and astronaut. Or Indiana Jones.
I guess that's all I have right now! Now it's time for class!
-Amy

First Test...

2011-09-20T12:00:00.001-07:00

As we all know from past experience, the first test in a class can be daunting. No matter what age, whether in high school or a senior in college, I have a minor panic attack the five minutes before the professor places the sheet in front of me. What if I studied all the wrong things? Will the professor ask too specific questions? Or will he/she be too vague? Needless to say, all of these thoughts (plus a million more) zoom through my head as a desperately try to call forth that random definition that might be useful on page 54...
Now, the test is in front of me. Oh, great. There are things I know for sure, but there are also things on it I have to do the classic "educated guess" on. After going 4 months without a test, sitting still for an hour and concentrating on one subject becomes almost impossible. It seems as if the test will never end.
And then, magically, I'm on the last question. Panic sets in again. What if I answered them all wrong? So, I go back and check (and usually make a few minor changes). Finally, the long walk to turn it in...and a sigh of relief.
After all of this, I have a few tips that I have a hard time following myself. The first, relax. This is the first test. You have the rest of the semester (or maybe the year) to improve your grade if it goes horribly. This is also an introductory to his/her test style. The test will get harder throughout the semester, but you will at least know what the professor will be looking for next time. And, reiterating what Yasmeen said, do all the extra credit you can! You never know when that will bump you from a C to a B or a B to an A!

Now, only 4 more first test to go. Good luck this week and don't forget about the ELC!

Kaylan

And the word of the day is...

2011-09-19T08:46:00.001-07:00

Struggle: (strug-gle) n. : to contend with an adversary or opposing force; to contend resolutely with a task, problem, etc.

Now this may seem like a strange word of the day, but if I had cameras following me and you could have watched my morning, there would be no better word of the day. Let's begin with an explanation followed by a life lesson.

This morning (day of struggling) began last night around 8:30pm when I discovered to my shock and horror that I had a quiz in my class this morning to add on top of the huge test I had been studying for all day. Now the actual day of September 19th, 2011 began with me waking up to the alarm that I had set for 5:15am and then continuing to snooze until 5:51am. Nice.

So I studied all morning, literally until I came to class at 9:30am. Quiz is over, could have/should have done better had I been more prepared. Lesson learned: check your homework assignments before the day before class if it's a weekend.

So I leave class, ready to go print the study guide that me and my friends compiled so I can spend my two hour break studying only to remember as I'm sitting in the union waiting for my thing to print....I'm supposed to be doing Fulbright Ambassador office hours, aka blogging like I'm doing right now. So I'm here. Yes, I was about 5min late...but I made it. SORRY JILL! :( I'll be super early next time. :(

As I'm sitting here now, I dropped my cell phone on the ground. Thank goodness for Otter Box. Also, I am reminded that I have a meeting immediately after this, which will end at the same time my test starts. Of course I have to leave the meeting a tad early everytime to get to class anyway, but I'm still stressing because this leaves NO time to review before my test. Bring on the stress. And normally, studying for a few days would be fine for any normal test, but this one is going to be hard. Really hard. As in one of my classmates fathers who is an optometrist said he didn't learn half this stuff until his 3rd year of optometry school. Awesome. Now I'm freaking out and so grateful that I did that extra credit that is going to add on 5% points to my first exam.

Lesson learned: ALWAYS do the extra credit, especially before classes start, even if you think it's not going to help.

Lesson learned: Don't forget about things like office hours and meetings and rely on reviewing between classes. Not good.

Any all all good thoughts, well wishes, prayers are appreciated and certainly encouraged at this time!

-Yasmeen

2011-09-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

I love reading everyone's posts! I hope that everyone else that is reading this blog that is not an ambassador is reaping its benefits and maybe a few laughs (see Kaylans cupcake fiasco and Adam's Fantasy league sidenote...). Morgan: I'm on the edge of starting Pinterest...one more way to waste my time instead of doing homework. Yes! Tyler you're going to melt too many hearts if you keep it up with the cute stuff you and your girlfriend do (lightbulb/idea for your next edition: date spots!!). Too cute.

Speaking of too cute...I want one of these. I have wanted one of these for a very long time but sadly I'm in college and dont have the time or the yard or the desire to spend money on their food/shots/etc. So I'll wait but one day... (sidenote: they have been very popular recently in magazines/photoshoots/under Olsen twins arms...Im not purely following the trend, I feel as though I was destined for this specific type of dog-cuteness since birth)

Click this to see one more really cute thing:
http://youtu.be/NMimsLfhPRY

Hope that video makes your day, too!
And have a great weekend everyone!

Margaret

2011-09-15T09:24:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure if you're familiar with Pinterest, if you're not I suggest you read this to it's entirety and soak in the goodness I'm going to tell you about. Pinterest is an application connected to facebook and twitter. How it works is you log in with your account information and begin to look through a mass amount of pictures. These pictures can range from DIY projects, to a good recipe, or even photography of different places in the world. You create boards on your profile and pin the pictures you like to your board. It's the same thing as bookmarking a page from the internet. This enables you to go back and look at all those neat ideas anytime you'd like! It's your own personal scrapbook of fun places, people and things!

If you like to cook you can make a 'Recipes' board and pin pictures of food or recipes of delicious dishes. Two bundt cakes stacked on top of each other plus some orange frosting makes for a great Pumpkin Cake!!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi rolls!

Perhaps you are always wanting to travel to different parts of the globe. There are breathtaking photos of different hidden treasures in the world. I'd loveee to be able to float on this river in Indonesia.

Maybe you just got engaged and you need some creative wedding ideas. Look no more! You can plan your entire wedding just by pinning pictures.

Maybe you're a new parent (Jill and Trevor). There are endless ideas of fun things to do with your kids. Put food coloring in water bottles and you have a fun and safe game of bowling. If you put glow sticks in it you will have glow in the dark blowing for night!

As you can see, the list goes on and on. You should definitely check it out and find things that you love!!

Have a blessed day,

Morgan Newton

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

Lunch

2011-09-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hey again!

Adam here bringing you the latest news on life. Okay... so maybe I don't know all there is to know about life, but I do know all there is to know about myself. So I'll give y'all a refresher (is that a word?) on all things Adam.

Basically it all goes like this:

This is a story all about how my life got flip-turned upside down, and I'd like to take a minute so just sit right there. And let me tell you how I became the price of a town called Bel-Air. Wait, that's just an old theme song to a TV show. I'll start over.

I'm Adam. Born and raised in Rowlett, TX. I'm a junior Economics major (I like to capitalize "Economics" because it looks more official). I want to teach high school and be a football coach. Typical? Maybe. But will I love it? ABSOLUTELY!

That leads into my advice column. For those of you readers who want to attend the University of Arkansas, and for even those who don't, pick something that you know you'll enjoy doing. Don't major in something because it will get you a job easier or it'll make you a lot of money. Money will never be an issue if you can say that you thoroughly enjoy going in to work every day of your career. That is something that I want and I encourage you to think about this yourself. I know that money makes things easier. It absolutely does. But money can't buy happiness. That's a true statement! Pure joy trumps any monetary value every day of the week and twice on Sunday. I heard that in a Matthew McConaughey movie. And I liked it... so I just used it.

In other news, I am currently 0-1 in my fantasy league. Who knew LaGarrette Blount would only rush for 15 yards? Not me. So he's getting replaced along with Ronnie Brown, Derrick Mason, and Marcedes Lewis. Those guys are all tremendous athletes, but I want to win. So they have to go. Any suggestions from you fantasy fanatics out there? I would greatly appreciate them. Tom Brady was my money man. Setting records does wonders for a fantasy team. But it still wasn't enough. I will win though. You better believe it.

Why is this blog entitled "Lunch" you may ask? Because I haven't eaten today, so I thought it would be a prevalent and fitting title for such an occasion. Well I'm going to leave you guys on that note. But before I do, I have a wonderful quote for you.

"It is no exaggeration to say that the undecided can go one way or another." - Unknown

You guys are great! Keep reading! Woo Pig. Go Hogs.

-Adam

Wednesday is here!

2011-09-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

Well Wednesday is finally here! Wednesdays are one of my favorite days of the week because I know that we are just in the downhill slide for rest of the week. Also, Wednesday is my day off from my job at Bank of America and the day that I get to come into the Fulbright Advising office for my office hours.

Hi I'm Tyler Garrett and I am a new ambassador this year. I am a junior political science major who is contemplating whether or not to add a double major in economics. As mentioned I work for Bank of America as a teller and Thursday I will have been there for one year. A little more about me:

I think that I may go to law school, but if not then grad school

I am one of the few juniors still living on campus (and loving it!)

I have an amazing girlfriend who goes to school here and is studying earth science

I love talking and being around people. I even took one of those personality quizzes lately and it told me that I am an 100% extrovert

I started out here at the U of A as a business management major

And my favorite color is orange

A few tips from Tyler before I go:

• Go to class!!!!!!!!!!! I can't stress that enough. I know you hear that from everyone, but really you will see a major difference in your academic performance if you actually go to class!!!!!!
• Find something to take your mind off of school for a few hours a week, but don't skip class to do it though. If you are constantly in school and study mode you will wear yourself out. One thing my girlfriend and I do is go on a date night every Wednesday. (That's the real reason I love Wednesdays) We go out to dinner and either go shopping, walking around down by the square, get ice cream, or if I am lucky then we will go to the movies. Just do something to get away for a little while and not have to think about school. You will find that you will not be as stressed out.
• Talk to your professors. They can sometimes be really cool people! If you get to know them now then you will also find it easier to go them and get help later when you need it. Also forming a relationship with a professor is a great thing because you may need them as a reference one day and if they only remember you as the person that sat in the back row half asleep then you may not get the best reference.
• Finally, get involved on campus! There are so many things to do on campus from clubs and organizations, to sports, to ASG. Don't miss out on a great opportunity to meet new people and have a great time

Well everyone have a great week! Go to class and study hard! Go Hogs!!!!

Good Morning

2011-09-14T06:55:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I'm currently sitting in the advising office on this rather cloudy morning wondering what to blog about today for my office hour. There are so many things I could say, I'm just going to write as I think of stuff.
Yesterday I helped out at the Washington County College Fair. I had a lot fun answering questions in my official looking Fulbright polo.

As the firsts tests of the year start to roll around here is how I like to study, maybe it will help you too-
Study Tip: I love making flashcards. I truly think that making and studying with flashcards has been the reason I've made A's in several classes. I wouldn't have done as well on the tests without them. They are really easy to make, and making them is even part of the studying. Rewriting the information helps you remember it. So does going over it a few times without the answer right in front of you.
I bought a pack of 500 note cards end of freshman year so that I wouldn't have to worry about running out any time soon. Now I think have about 250 left. We'll see how many I have at the end of the semester...

Here is another tip: Go talk to your professors! If you don't understand something they can help, it's what they are there for. Also, if you get a bad grade on something, go talk to them to see what you did wrong and what you need to do to make a better grade next time. Sometimes, if it's a paper or essay based test, the professor might even decide they graded to harshly the first time and raise it (no guarantees though!). Getting to know your professors also means that they could be a good source for a letter of recommendation in the future.

We have chances of rain for the rest of the week here. Including Saturday, hopefully it doesn't rain during the game. I really like watching football, the student section is a lot of fun! Though I usually prefer watching it on the TV. That way the commentators can tell me what's going on. Because, while I like football, I don't always completely understand it. Another sport I like watching is gymnastics, the gymbacks are really good! Their meets are fun, and they play a lot of music. You should try it!

Don't let the cloudy (possibly rainy, I don't know, I'm not near a window) day get you down!
-Amy

Washington County College Fair

2011-09-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

So, today was our first official time to represent how awesome Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is to students in high school! There was a fair in Bud Walton Arena for students in Washington County to come and check out not only the UofA but also other schools and colleges. Tyler, Steven and I answered questions about Fulbright College or university life in general--well, at least until all of us had to make the mad dash up the Hill (aka "Terminator") to class! Some of the students asked questions that may be useful, so I am wanting to include them. One of the main questions we had was about which college you would enter into if you had no idea what you wanted to do. Since Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences offers the most majors and minors out of any college here at the UofA, I would encourage students to look at Fulbright and see if it offers areas that interest you. There are so many different majors that the opportunities are endless. Also, you can check out the core requirements online for any student entering Fulbright (which would be the classes you take roughly your first year). We also had a great deal of questions about which major someone should choose for either a "pre-law" or "pre-med" emphasis. For the most part, law schools and medical schools do not require a specific major, which means choose something you love! Trust me, college will be much more fun and easier if you actually enjoy the topics you are being lectured over and reading about! It is also important to chat with your advisor about what classes you need to best prepare you for any continuation of your education past undergraduate.

Now for the tragic story of the day. Last night, my roommates and I decided we would make "s'more" cupcakes, which consisted of a graham cracker bottom with chocolate cupcake in between and marshmallow icing. It was all going according to plan--the cupcakes turned out beautifully. Until (uh-oh) the icing wouldn't thicken. Therefore, being bored and wanting a study break, we decided to just coat the cupcakes with the marshmallow topping and pop them in the oven on broil. Turns out that remembering those items is a key step also. Small fire and cupcakes thrown on our porch later, I leave you with this: "Money can't buy happiness. But it can buy marshmallows, which are kinda the same thing"

Kaylan

Welcome Back!

2011-09-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hello! !مَرحبا (Marhaba<--That's hello in arabic!)

My name is Yasmeen Abdelaal and just like Morgan, I am also a returning ambassador! For those of you just now starting to read our blog, I am a Senior this year (so weird to say) and I'm majoring in Psychology and minoring in Spanish. The plan for now is to go to graduate school and get my Masters, maybe even my PhD eventually. I'm a little nervous about balancing grad school apps, the GRE, and school this semester since I am taking mostly upper level psyc classes and Arabic!

I am so excited to be back at the UofA for my last fall semester (if all goes as planned! :)). This is such an exciting time! The weather is finally starting to cool down just in time for Football season. Yay! I hope that everyone is having a good first few weeks of school! Good luck on your first tests of the semester and don't ever hesitate to ask any of us questions if you have any! :) That's what we're here for :)

Happy Monday!

Yasmeen

2011-09-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

Just sitting here doing official ambassador stuff (i.e. office hours).

I hope that everyone had an AWESOME Labor Day! I love 4 day weeks! Its already almost Friday. I am craving going back to the beach that I vacationed at just one month ago, thanks for asking. I am also looking forward to spending a low-key weekend here in Fayetteville...can't I do it all? Both?

The Farmer's Market is this weekend and every weekend until, I believe, November. If you are new in Fayetteville as a transfer student or a freshman: GO CHECK IT OUT! It is a good way to fund local farmers (blah blah blah) but more than that it is a good way to become familiarized with downtown and the OTHER people that reside in Fayetteville... they actually exist. I'm fully aware its easy to forget that non-students live here especially if youre living on campus. I also am fully aware the amount/kind of food most freshman keep in their dorms is nonparishable/nonexistant so you might not even care to buy fresh fruits and veggies (which are predominantly offered). However, it is such a fun time! Swing by Arsaga's tent and get some fresh sqeeezed lemonade or hot cocoa...or coffee (my personal choice) and take a walk around the square... people watch...pet some of the puppies from the Animal Shelter... eat a fresh baked cinnamon roll from one of the many bakeries that have spots there! Everyone always says that Fayetteville stole there heart due to the scenary/trees/sunsets (see my last post... shameless self-promotion, one of my specialties) but the people of this town are RAD! And there is seriously no better place to familiarize yourself with them. than at the Farmer's Market. Lastly, for some reason people think that Farmer's Markets are just "sooooooooo expensive" however it really isnt that much more (money) than anything you'd find at a MEGA supermarket (and it didnt take a semi-driving from Seattle to get you those strawberries).

Link: Fayettevillefarmersmarket.org

Can't wait to see you there!

Margaret

Small Town Girl

2011-09-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hola! Como Estas?
My name is Morgan Elizabeth Newton and I am a returning ambassador. I am so excited you chose to be a part of the Fulbright family! Fulbright is full of so many wonderful personalities, you can't help but want to be around them. The advisors here really do strive to help make your academic life run smoothly.

A little bit more about me, I am a senior Biology major hoping to get into Pharmacy School next fall. I am from the small town of Russellville, AR and grew up with one brother and both my parents. That deserves a praise! My family is super close and I would be lost without their guidance.
I pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma in 2008 and consider myself the luckiest person to be a part of such a respected group of girls. I served as Assistant Recruitment this past year and LOVED it!
I strive to live out my faith every single day but continually fall short. I love my Savior and the way He shows me grace in every situation. The friendships I have made in Kappa are so uplifting and the girls keep me accountable in this area.

In my spare time I love to hammock! I go to Wilson Park and hammock over the creek. It's the greatest and everyone who tries it thinks the same. I also love to volunteer my time mentoring girls in a bible study, helping out at different service organizations in NWA, watching ESPN, tweeting, and crafting. Pinterest is my new obsession. If you have it let me know and I'll start following you!

Please introduce yourself to me! Talking is my favorite thing to do so I hardly ever meet a stranger. I would love to be your friend!! Hope you have a wonderful year!!

This is me at a cardinals game on opening weekend back in April. I love me some Pujols!

Have a blessed day,

Morgan Newton

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

2011-09-06T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll,

Now that school has officially gotten into the swing of things I thought it would be appropriate to inundate you with a little more information! Hopefully this stuff will be more interesting and insightful than what your chemistry teacher had to say this morning.

My name is Margaret Black and I'm a senior! I am so excited to be serving as a Fulbright Ambassador! I am looking forward to my last year and if I could I'd go another year... hm... a victory lap... if only my conscious would allow me to fail miserably my final year ... kidding... man would I love to have a bit more time in Fayetteville.

My suggestion this time of year for anyone who is unfamiliar with the town/campus or has just forgotten the good stuff: around 7:30pm-ish head up to the top of Dickson Street (home of Gregson and Humphreys Hall) and watch the sunset between the rolling hills to the west. This will remind you of how brilliant you were for choosing the U of A, take your mind off of the paper you need to write and submit to Blackboard before midnight and calm you with it's absolute beauty! Fall is a fantastic time here on campus!

Wishing only but the best... and a little more!

Margaret Black

What's Up?!

2011-09-06T17:35:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all!

I'm Adam Waddell and I'm a new Fulbright Ambassador for this year! I'm so glad to be a part of this and it's going to make my junior year that much more fun! I'm an Economics major and I'll probably minor in history. I say probably because I am just not sure if I want to do it yet. Which is normal... well that's what I keep telling myself.

To all you freshmen out there, DON'T FREAK OUT!!!! College will literally be the best 4 years of your life! Take it in stride and make the most of it. You can do that by getting involved in various clubs around campus, going to ALL of your classes, going to sporting events, etc. College is more fun and easier when you are submersed in all that it has for you. Just love it. Because it most certainly loves you!

Thanks for reading y'all. This is actually my first blog and I have to say that I enjoyed typing this fun (and hopefully helpful) message for y'all. I'll try and bring some comedy in future posts. We'll see how that goes...

WOO PIG!!!!!!!!!

Hi Everyone!

2011-09-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

My name is Amy Worob and I’m one of the new Fulbright Ambassadors this year! I just started my junior year and am a Creative Writing major with minors in Anthropology and Medieval and Renaissance Studies. And no, I don’t really know exactly what I want to do with that... I’d like to write novels and work in publishing, but we’ll see.

Over the summer I studied abroad in Florence, Italy. It was awesome. I definitely recommend studying abroad during college. While there I took an art history class (we had lots of field trips all over the city) and a cooking class (if you ever have the chance to try fried or stuffed zucchini flowers, do it).

To those of you that are freshmen at the UofA or are thinking about coming here, I hope you make the most of your college years by getting involved, going to class, and having fun!

--Amy

PS: If you are having trouble keeping track of things you need to do and that are coming up like I am, get a calendar! I just got a big colorful one for my wall; I’m really excited about it! I even used colorful pens to make it even more fun!

2011-09-06T12:11:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

I'm Kaylan Hagan, one of the new Fulbirght Ambassadors this year!

I am studying Journalism Ad/PR with a minor in Marketing. I cannot believe that it is already my Junior year--it is as if time has flown by in a flurry of red and white! To everyone who is just now starting your UofA experience, cherish your time here. Join the clubs that you are interested in, go to class (your professors know what they are taking about), and make sure to call the Hogs at every home game!

Speaking of flurry, there have what seems like a million people on campus with all our new Freshman! I love seeing them finally become adjusted to college life and becoming comfortable with the huge change of pace. Anyways, I am so excited to start working with the Fulbright Advising Staff--they are awesome (no, seriously, you have to stop by and get to know them). I am looking forward to all the fun and exciting things that are in store for all of us--Go Hogs!

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

2011-05-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I was gone last week so I decided to come in now and write to y'all! I just got through taking a final so I feel a little drained. I have one more on Thursday so I will be studying hard for that one too. I want to encourage everyone to stay calm and persevere through these last few days. Summer is almost here!

If you're like me and find too many things too distract you then I suggest you get rid of them. I have tried to do away with anything that can hinder my studying performance. In fact I had my brother change my password to Facebook so I wouldn't be tempted to log on any this week! Come Thursday he will be able to tell me what it is and I can talk to my friends all I want. But until then I know I need to focus. Maybe that's something you should think about doing. Or perhaps hiding the remote so you aren't tempted to watch all the NBA games or latest episode of Criminal Minds. Whatever is keeping you from doing you best set it aside until you're through with tests. You'll be amazed at how much you can learn when you allow yourself to be productive.

Goodluck!

Morgan Newton

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

2011-05-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

I write this, my very last post as both a Fulbright Ambassador and as a University of Arkansas student, with a very heavy heart. College is all I've known for the past four years: wake up, go to classes, come home, study for classes, sleep and repeat. Every day for the last four years has been planned down to the tee. Now, I look ahead to an unknown journey in an unknown destination. All I can really count on in these last ten days before graduation is that the University of Arkansas, it's professors, advisors and fellow students have prepared me for what I will face in this "real world" I am about to join. I'll be honest, I've never been so scared or nervous in my life. I don't particularly like change, but I am usually able to manage it in small doses, but this is the biggest change of my life. I know this may sound corny and sappy to most of you, who think you are so far away from this day that this can't possibly apply to you, but let's face it--it felt like just yesterday that I was going through freshman orientation, moving into my first residence hall, and meeting with my wonderful advisor for the first time, Teresa. I have honestly never known people as wonderful as those in the Fulbright Advising Center. They aren't paying me to say this, I assure you. I have never meant anything more. Teresa especially has always had my back when I wanted to add another minor or just talk about my career aspirations. I would give anything to be back there right now, but as we all know, you can't go back--only forward. I hope the next steps I take in life let me do the things that I have always wanted, no matter how many times I may have lost sight of those dreams along the way. I hope that we, as ambassadors and your peers, help you realize your full potential and that college is the best four, five or six years of your life. It's like a roller coaster, it's over before you know it and all you want is to ride again. Believe me, I think we all wish we could stay in college forever, but someday we have to leave and grow into the potential we wish for ourselves. Challenge yourself, live every day like it's your last, take part in as many activities as you can handle, and continue the relationships you have formed with the people who have helped you along your journey--they really are the people that will be there to support you for the rest of your life. Never take anything for granted and go after the dreams you have for yourself no matter what.

Thank you to my fellow ambassadors and advisors for making me feel like a part of the advising center family for two years. I will miss every single one of you!

Good luck in everything you do,

Ashley

Yayyyyy!

2011-05-04T08:45:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry,

I've seriously let this blog get away from me. New things that are happening in life right now...

Graduation is in a week

2 classes done today

2 done tomorrow

3 finished by Tuesday May 10th 8 AM

#winning

All of these things mean that my sleep-o-meter is officially meaningless and no longer functioning. HOWEVER, exciting things that have also happened...

I signed a lease to my very own apartment!!! -- like by myself. as in one bedroom. as in I will be in a one bedroom apartment by myself. Now, if you know me pretty well you'll know that I have a huge fear of being alone and not like just a fear that may or may not come up... but I mean a legitimate fear of being by myself... This is going to be a life challenge for me, but I'm kind of excited about it.

Yesterday I had an interview with my professor for my Business Spanish class. Talk about intimidating! A. You have to speak completely in Spanish about trade balance, import, export, Gross Domestic Product, etc., B. It's one on one with the professor so there's no way you can fake your way out of it. Thought I was going to have a heart attack when I walked in but it was super easy!!! woooooo hoooooo -(Maybe I can actually use Espanol in the future??)

Just presented oral arguments for Constitution I today, also very intense but it was a good learning experience! I'm just excited that I've gotten a taste of what I hope to do with my career someday. :)

The fact that graduation is in 10 days. 10 days and counting, I couldn't be more excited but I couldn't be more nervous for what I want to do/should do next!!!!

Work hard, study hard... You can do it!

Good luck!,

Heba

P.S. This post is in green because green is my favorite color. Ha :)

Graduation is Near!

2011-05-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

For some of our readers, graduation may seem forever away, but for some of my fellow Fulbright Ambassadors, it is only a week and a half out!

This year the University Commencement Ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 14. All-University Commencement will start at 8.45 am. Fulbright College's specific ceremony will begin at 1.00 pm. All of these events will be located in Bud Walton Arena.

Congratulations to all graduates, especially you Ambassadors!

Steven

Please Dont Forget

2011-04-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

A visit by the Dalai Lama on May 11 is prompting changes to the University of Arkansas final exam schedule. Provost Sharon Gaber said that 11,200 students were scheduled to take final exams during the three time periods that conflict with both Dalai Lama events.

Now, the 8-10 a.m. exam on Wednesday, May 11, has been moved earlier to 7-9 a.m. the same day. The 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. exam on May 11 has been moved up to the same time on Saturday, May 7, while the 1-3 p.m. exam on May 11 has been moved up to the same time on Saturday, May 7.

This is just a reminder so we don't have students missing exams.

I haven't been sending many post on blogs but I thought I might make this one count, so I am going to explain how I have enjoyed being an Ambassador for the Fulbright college of Arts and Sciences. It is like having a family that welcomes you with warm arms. I have spent two semesters as an Ambassador and I can say that no other organization has made me fell more at home than this. All the members and also the advisor's are the type of friends that you can have for a lifetime. The Freshmen Perspective classes were not only a way for me to show future premedical students how to excel on their journey but it also helped me get a better perspective on my journey. It helped me strengthen my sense of responsibility, I was not only telling them good things to do as a premed student but also reminding myself of what I should be doing. At events, when we informed prospective students of the opportunities available in Fulbright it was a joy to help the prospective students. Some of them may not have had a clue as to what they wanted to do but that fact that we helped them get a better understanding for what they could do and accomplish in Fulbright made me feel apart of something very significant.
I know this sounds like an after school special and it may appear as if I am faking it but the truth is that being an ambassador for the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences has really improved me as a student and help me better understand my journey into med-school and my goal of becoming a pediatrician. Thank you. Ill be back sooner than later.

~Emmanuel~

The end.

2011-04-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

Well, that time has come. We only have four more days of class before the semester is over. This year it is especially exciting for me because I am graduating! Only two weeks left as an undergraduate, and four weeks left to live in Fayetteville which I have called my home for 4 years now. It is unbelievable how fast the time has flown by but I am more than ready to start the next chapter of my life. I have four more years of school ahead of me until my career can officially begin. It will be filled with many more days and nights of constant studying but the end result will be worth it. I am also getting married in 43 days. There are about to be several BIG changes happening in my life and I couldn't be happier! It has been so much fun working as an ambassador for the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, and I have met so many really wonderful people. If you get the opportunity to become an ambassador then I would highly recommend it. Take advantage of all that is offered to you as a college student and remember to get involved and have fun. Good luck in the years to come in whatever you choose to do with your life!

That's all!
~Jules

PS How about that Royal wedding? I was up at 4 am with a billion other people across the world watching the wedding. Just thought I would mention it sense it was kind of a big deal ;)

Awkward Family Photos

2011-04-26T11:00:00.001-07:00

They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words. Let's see what all these pictures have to say...

Jill we all know this is really you! Haha

If you want to see more of these check out awkwardfamilyphotos.com

Have a blessed day,
Morgan Newton

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Rain! And Rain!

2011-04-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

If you were in Fayetteville, or NWA this weekend, you might've noticed we got a little rain over the past few days. The rains and flooding in NWA and tornados in the central part of the state were so severe that Governor Beebe has declared Arkansas to be in a state of emergency.

Flood waters can be much more damaging than anyone could imagine, so if you know anyone who has been affected by the waters, I encourage you to offer them any help you can, whether thats helping dry floors, move furniture, or loan them some towels.

Stay Dry!

Steven

It's that time of year again!

2011-04-25T08:42:00.001-07:00

So it's that time of year again where the semester is starting to wind down and the finals are coming up! The last day of classes is next Thursday May 5th and Dead Day is Friday May 6th, meaning there isn't much more time left for students to step up and start preparing! Here are a few tips to get ready for finals week, so you aren't crashing mid-test from all the all-nighters you've "had" to pull. :)

1. Prepare!
Nothing is worse than getting to days before the test (or the day before for some) and realizing that you're missing notes, old exams, a study guide, etc. Start gathering your old materials (especially for those comprehensive finals) so you aren't fumbling around the night before the test trying to find someone who has those notes you missed.

2. Know your grade!
If you know your current grade going into the final, it's a lot less stressful than trying to guess. After you gather up your old homework, quizzes, and tests check out http://www.conquercollege.com/gradecalc/ and enter in your grades and their weight toward your final grade and that way you can see what you need to make on your final to get/keep whatever grade you desire. :)

3. Talk to your professor!
It's likely that you will do better on your exam if you know what to expect, so ask your professor. Obviously they can't tell you the questions and answers, but you can ask them if there's multiple choice, short answer, essays, etc.

4. Start studying!
Even if it's only a few hours each day, starting earlier will help you retain more information and keep you from being overly stressed (and tired!) from studying for a straight 24hrs or longer!

Hope this helps! Good luck with finals & Happy studying! :)
-Yasmeen

Fun fact of the day: Did you know that it is actually impossible to remove all the air from your lungs? The air left in your lungs that is does not take part in gas exchange (breathing) is called "dead space."

Easter traditions

2011-04-22T09:46:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I hope everyone is enjoying the WARM weather! I could do without the huge gusts of wind that could practically knock you down but as long as there isn't rain then I'm happy! Today is Good Friday which means in three days it will be Easter. What kind of plans do you have for Easter? Do you have any Easter traditions that you do every year no matter what? I'm headed home for the weekend to spend time with my family and attend my hometown church for the Easter Sunday service. After that it is time for the big Easter lunch complete with ham, homemade mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, etc. One of my most favorite Easter traditions is what we have for breakfast though, not necessarily what we have for lunch. My grandmother is from England so every Easter morning we have hot cross buns. They are sweet, spiced buns made with currants or raisins marked with a cross on top made of icing. They are traditionally eaten on Easter in the UK, but they can often be found all year round these days. Another favorite tradition of mine is coloring Easter eggs! I may be 22 years old but I have colored Easter eggs every year since I was born! I don't even like to eat hard boiled eggs but my family does so I get to color them, and they get to eat them. It's a win-win situation. That's it for me. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! ~Jules

Always wear sunscreen

2011-04-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of year again! No, it's not quite summer yet, but finals are coming up. I'm very torn on how I feel about that because on one hand, I can't wait for this semester to be over, but on the other hand, I am graduating in May. Scary thought, huh? I don't have any tips or tricks for y'all today...just a sentiment I've been thinking about for the last few weeks. You know when you first enter high school or move into your dorm before your first year of college and you think about how far away graduation is? I remember that feeling like it was yesterday and now I'm pretty much there and can't believe it's already happening. I guess I will go back on my word and give you one piece of advice today. Here it is...are you listening? Don't let your life slip by you..enjoy every day of it, because one day you'll look around and realize everything you thought you would do has already happened. Enjoy every single second! I hope my fellow ambassadors are listening! :)

Here is something a few of you might be familiar with...I remember hearing it for the first time when I was graduating from high school. How long ago that seems!

http://www.scrapbook.com/poems/doc/4017/199.html

Have a wonderful week!

Ashley

VOTE for the Madden '12 Cover!

2011-04-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

Hello sports fans!

I'm not sure if you knew this but PEYTON HILLIS is one of the finalists for the Madden '12 cover! Hillis is a former Razorback Football Running Back. Being an Arkansas native from Conway, he has been loyal to his roots, always making an appearance at sporting events despite his busy NFL schedule. He DESERVES your vote! He had a total of 1,654 yards in the 2010 season with 13 touchdowns. Just watch this video and you'll see he's a beast...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsZFS6Adz1s&feature=related

All you have to do is click on this link to Vote!!

Peyton Hillis is up against Michael Vick. While Vick is a heck of an athlete as well, Hillis has displayed more character and class. The only animals he has hurt are Falcons and Jaguars (more videos), not poor innocent puppies like Vick.

Have a blessed day,
Morgan Newton

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Informed Citizenship

2011-04-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

"An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will."
-Thomas Jefferson

As a citizen of a town or city, one of the most important responsibilities we have is to be informed of what is going on in our towns. The local government is responsible for providing public goods, such as roads, schools, and infrastructure, but unless we know what is happening around us and speak up about what we need, the government has no way of knowing what to provide.

While you may not be planning on living the rest of your life in Fayetteville, there are some easy ways to be informed of what's going on here....sorta like practice for when you do settle down.

1. Watch the news: There are 3 local stations with news programs at least 4 times daily.

2. Read the newspaper: You can find paper stands with local newspapers in almost every building on campus.

3. Go to a city council meeting: You can find a complete schedule of all City meetings at Access Fayetteville.

There ya have it, 3 easy ways to get informed while you're still a student!

Superfoods: Every college student's hero :)

2011-04-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

As the semester is winding down to the final weeks of tests, papers, and assignments, I see that a lot of students are finding it difficult to find the time to take care of themselves both physically and mentally. Did you know? The foods we eat directly affect our brain function, and eating the right foods has been proven to sharpen your memory, boost intelligence, improve your mood, and emotional stablity and keep your mind young. :) So what are these so called superfoods? Complex carbohydrates-- Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates are not all that bad for you. In fact, some (including glucose) are the most important of all nutrients for the brain and nervous system. The brain consumes more glucose than any other organ. This doesn't mean you should pig out on candy and sugar, but do eat slow-releasing carbohydrates like whole grains or vegetables and simpler carbs like fruit. They take longer to digest than refined carbs and therefore release a steady even supply of energy. Essential Fats-- Some fats(such as Omega-3 and Omega-6) are essential for mental health, and to stay free from diseases like depression, dyslexia, Alxheimer's, and schizophrenia. The best source of omega-3 fats are colwater fish like herring, mackerel, salmon, and tuna. Flax seeds are also a good source. Omega-6 can be found in some nuts and seeds such as sunflowers, safflower, sesame, hemp, and pumpkin. Phospholipids-- Phospholipids are referred to as the "intelligent" fats in your brain because they help in the production of a substance called myelin, which insulates all nerves so it promtoes a smooth running for the signals to your brain. Although the body can make phospholipids on its own, getting some extra from your diet is even more beneficial. You can find a good source of phospholipids in egg yolks, organ meats, sardines, or even in the form of nutritional supplements. Amino Acids-- We all know amino acids as "the building blocks of proteins." Because neurotransmitters are built from amino acids, deficiencies in these powerful molecules can cause depression, apathy, and poor memory & concentration. Good sources of amino acids include tuna, cod, salmon, sardines, chicken, beans, lentils, quinoa and "seed" vegetables such as peas or corn. Happy Concentrating! :) -Yasmeen

Botany.

2011-04-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

Botany: [bot-n-ee] –noun, plural -nies. 1. the science of plants; the branch of biology that deals with plant life. 2. the plant life of a region 3. the biology of a plant or plant group 4. the hardest subject I've had since I've been at school at the U of A. That's right, I said it. A course about flowering plants (Taxonomy of Flowering Plants, to be exact) is by far the hardest and most frustrating class I've ever taken. Forget Organic Chemistry and Evolutionary Biology... it's flower, plants, trees, grass, and weeds that have my mind in a bind. I'm a biology major going to pharmacy school in the fall so you may be wondering why I am in a botany class in the first place. Well, I'm getting a Bachelor's of Arts degrees as opposed to a Bachelor's of Science degree, and one silly little requirement is to have an upper level botany class. I don't even have one of the pre-reqs for this class but I was able to get an override to get in. Big mistake. Having ZERO amount of plant knowledge has really hindered my ability to excel in this class. I'm hanging in there, but I sure wasn't prepared for the difficulty. I guess the moral of this story is to do some research before you decide to get into a 4000 biology (or any subject) class without prior knowledge of the subject. Side note: We are going on a field trip with this class this weekend. Fun, right? I mean, who would have though you would go on a field trip in college!? Well, we are missing the Farmer's Market and Razorfest and nice weather to go out in a field for 7 hours to collect plants while also being required to take two quizzes... no bathrooms or access to water either. Now how fun does it sound? I am not going to be a Negative Nancy though. I love my teacher and the graduate assistant, and I really like the people in my class. It will be an interesting, if not fun, experience! That's it for me today. Time to scan all of those adivising forms. Have a great week! ~Jules

Study, study, study!

2011-04-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone and happy Wednesday! I have what could be my very last college exam EVER (depending on how well I know the material) at 2:30 pm today. With that in mind, I decided to help myself and you to learn some memorization techniques that might help us all study a little better.

Visual learners make up 65% of the world's population, so mnemonic devices usually work the best. These devices utilize visual images that aid your memory. For example, ROY G. BIV, which most of you might know means: Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo and Violet (the colors of the rainbow/light spectrum!) See how much easier it is to remember?!

Things to keep in mind: use positive, pleasant images. Vivid, colorful images are easier to remember and write/copy down every note, map or diagram presented by your instructor.

For auditory learners (which make up about 30% of the population), you relate most effectively on the spoken word. These are the type of people who listen intently to the instructor and rely on printed notes or their own notes to study the material.

Tips for auditory learners:rewrite and organize your notes after class, make flash cards on key terms or definitions and review and recite frequently.

Memory tips for everyone:Memory is like a muscle, the more it is used, the better it is. The less you use it, the worse it is.

Hopefully this helped y'all out a little bit with your studying! Hopefully it works for me too! I'll know soon enough! ;)

Have a great Wednesday/week!

Ashley

.......

2011-04-13T08:34:00.001-07:00

Hiiiiii!!! Much like Steven I am having serious writing issues this week. I keep thinking about a million different things to write and I just CANNOT FOCUS. We could talk about signing up for classes and getting overrides, how wonderful the weather is, or the ridiculous construction that has now added another 5 minutes to the already 12 minute walk across campus. But for some reason I feel like those things aren't really that interesting right? And the news is in a serious state of depression talking about Middle Eastern countries who are still trying to undermine a regime (Libya) and countries which are trying to ensure some sort of accountability on behalf of a transitional government (Egypt). Not to mention the NFL lockout, almost government shutdown... and finals are in 23 days. On positive notes: 1. It's sunny!!!!!!!!! YES! 2. The Dalai Lama is coming in 28 days :) 3. Only 31 days until graduation.... 4. And of course, 80 days until my 22nd birthday! Sorry for ranting this week, my mind for some reason is just running a mile a minute and that is NOT good for trying to be productive now is it?! Have a great week everyone! Heba

"I once was lost, but now I'm found"

2011-04-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I usually blog about fun things like dancing, baseball or hammocking (Sidenote: I went camping Friday night and slept in my hammock under the trees the ENTIRE night. It was awesome!!).
While I love talking about those things, today my topic of conversation is a little heavier.

One of my dear friends was adopted at birth. She was raised with a younger sister, who is actually a biological child to the parents, and together these girls have lived a very blessed life. This girl who I will name Rachel just for her sake, has always struggled with her identity. On the outside her family has been the perfect family of four. On the inside it looked a bit different. The fact that her younger sister is the biological child, Rachel felt like the black sheep of the family. Feelings of being unwanted by her real mom have consumed her thoughts since I have known her. Over the past few years Rachel's birth mother has been trying to find her. She couldn't do this through the adoption agency so she hired a private investigator. Yesterday Rachel announced her real mom had found her through facebook. She seems really excited about this which is so great and I'm very happy for her. My thoughts also go out to the mom who raised her. The mom who wanted her from the beginning, who CHOSE to keep her. How does this affect Lynn (again changed name for her sake)? After 21 years of not knowing the lady who birthed her this is going to change Rachel's life and her family's life quite drastically.
Could this be the very thing to provide Rachel the answers she's been searching for her whole life? Could she finally feel accepted and figure out who she is as a person? Will this allow her to heal and bring her the comfort she needs?

Here are a few lines from the movie "What a Girl Wants" dealing with the identity of one with a missing parent.

Daphne-(talking about her unknown father) "I feel like half of me is missing. Without the other half, how am I supposed to know who I really am?"
Mom-"Getting to know someone because they share the same DNA isn't the answer. It's about getting to know yourself."

What if everything she's ever needed she has right now from her adopted family? How do they deal with the possibility of losing their daughter to this other mom? Rachel has been running for a long time from everyone. Now that she has a reason to, it makes me wonder if her family will be left behind after raising and loving her all those years.

If you have any thoughts on this topic please feel free to comment. Please be praying for healing with Rachel as she sorts through these emotions, and also guidance for her adopted family to come together during this time of change and stay strong and connected so they won't become more distant with the daughter they love.

Have a blessed day,
Morgan Newton

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Writer's Block

2011-04-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Alrighty, so I'm having a serious case of writer's block. I'm sitting here in the FCAC with the blog open and I'm thinking 'I have nothing to say.' Sooo what do I do but look up some cures to Writer's Block? Here goes! 1. Freewriting: Write anything for about 10 minutes. This should free up your brain. 2. Take a walk: Do some sort of physical activity. 3. Add physical structure to writing: Eat a piece of candy every paragraph, do pushups, something to break up the writing. 4. Get rid of the Internet: Eliminate your distractions. 5. Take a shower: .......well there ya go. Maybe I'll try some of these next time I have a big paper to write. Happy Tuesday! 3 weeks and 3 days of classes til summer! Steven

Scheduling Classes

2011-04-11T06:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday!

Well, it's back to the real world after such a pretty weekend, the Hogs sweeping LSU in baseball, and Row week. And it's that time for scheduling classes!

I scheduled mine last Thursday and it is SUCH a relief to have that out of the way. A few words of advice:

1) For juniors and seniors, it still helps to talk to your advisor about scheduling - you still want to make sure you're getting all of your credits needed to graduate. That 24-hour rule really confused me, and I talked to a Fulbright advisor (Trevor!) and he helped me out tremendously.

2) Pick out your classes and back-ups a day before you actually register for them on ISIS. The worst feeling is logging on and realizing your first picks are already full and you don't have a back-up plan.

3) As Steven said, if you're confused about something or you need help in registering - just ask! I was worried about getting into 2 classes for next fall and I went to the two departments for help. They were ready and willing to help me get an override. It was so easy!

Good luck! Have a great week.
Juliana Griffin

"Don't worry. Don't hurry. You're only here for a short visit, so don't forget to stop and smell the roses." -Walter Hagen

Festivals, festivals, festivals!

2011-04-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

If y'all were unaware, we are blessed to live in such a diverse and interesting state. Why, you might ask? That's an easy (and fun!) question to answer...because of all the outrageous and fun festivals Arkansas has every year. Since it is finally spring (at least I hope it stays this warm), it is the time of year that festivals begin to pop up. Here are a few fun and interesting festivals I have researched:

The Alma Spinach festival- April 16th, 2011 (In case you wanted a little history lesson, Alma is the "Spinach Capital of the World" because of the Allen Canning plant located there.) During this festival there is even a look-alike contest to see who resembles the main characters of "Popeye".

Toad Suck Daze-Conway, AR-May 1st, 2011 This is a three day festival (free admission!) for everyone in the family. There are plenty of kid-friendly zones, a carnival, food, entertainment, a 5/10k, a golf tournament and "World Championship Toad Races"...don't you want to find out what that entails?!

German Heritage Festival- Stuttgart, AR-May 7th, 2011 (Another history lesson for you...Did you know that there is a Stuttgart, Germany? Although Arkansans probably pronounce it differently, it was named by the original settler of the land in honor of his home in Germany. Pretty cool, huh?) Also, this is the self-proclaimed rice and duck capital of the world. Riceland Foods has it's headquarters there. Another festival that would be sure to entertain is the duck calling contest, held every year on Thanksgiving week. You're just full of knowledge now, aren't you?!

Atkins Picklefest-Atkins, AR-May 13th &14th Now, I don't know too much about Atkins or pickle fests, but it promises to be pretty entertaining. Plus, how many people can say that they have been to a pickle festival? Not too many, my friends. Not too many.

Riverfest-Little Rock, AR-May 27th-29th, 2011 For $15 you can purchase a 3-day ticket for all of the fun and entertainment. As of right now some of the major musical acts are: REO Speedwagon, Papa Roach, Barenaked Ladies, Nelly, Widespread Panic, Pat Green, Poison, David Nail and the Charlie Daniels Band. More information will be available closer to the event. Check back to see if your favorite musician will be performing!

After reading about all of these festivals, I'm pretty excited about discovering more about our beautiful and interesting state! Hope you found something that seems interesting to you!

Have a great weekend!

Ashley

Today... Yesterday.

2011-04-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

Have you guys ever seen the news posts that tell you what happened today in history? I may just be a huge nerd but I seriously think it's the coolest thing ever. I mean think about it... years ago today, something HUGE probably happened! *Speaking of history... Monday April 4th was the 43rd anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr. Most of the time you'll find that something really interesting, and that you've probably studied before, actually happened on that very day. Gets me every time. Speaking of today and history, want to know some key events that happened on April 6th?

First Modern Olympic Games, 1896

Emil- Jellinek Mercedes born, 1853

America enters World War I, 1917

John Tyler inaugurated as 10th president, 1841

That's pretty cool right?!?! And even better... there's a video at http://history.com under the tab "This Day in History" showing the first modern Olympic games underway!

Have a great week! I love history. :)

Heba

Questions? Just ask!

2011-04-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been really confused about some of my credits and exemptions and whatnot and no body has been able to give me a really straight answer. So last week and today I got up my nerve and just asked someone. It really helped and now I'm not as confused as before. So, just a little piece of advice for anyone who doesn't know whats going on....Just Ask!! If you need to know something about your major, go to the department and ask! They're more than willing to help you get everything ironed out and you'll feel tons better. Don't be embarrassed, just ask! Steven

March Madness

2011-04-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure who else around this area is a big Kentucky fan like I am, but I must say that watching that UK vs Uconn game this Saturday was quite upsetting, but definitely exciting. After a quite close game, Uconn finally came out on top beating the big blue nation 56-55. Now even I will admit that was a good game to watch even though the team I had picked to win the Championship didn't make it to The National Championship. Nevertheless, Uconn will be playing Butler tonight. With the way this tournament has been happening thus far, who knows who will be the National Champion. Interesting fact: This past weekend was Kentucky's first trip to the final four since they won the National Championship in 1998. Happy Basketball watching! :)

Elections!

2011-04-04T06:36:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! Well it's safe to say I wasn't prepared for the weather this morning. Cold and rainy? What happened to the 75 degrees and sunny weather we had yesterday? I guess that's Arkansas for you...

The ASG (Associated Student Government) elections are in full force this week! Last week, the candidates campaigned and a debate was held. Both parties are working hard to get their voices out and eager to serve the student body.

Kayln Williams, Afshar Sanati, Austin Reid, and Sydney Dunn's involvement, information, and platform can be found at yourvisionourmission.us.

Michael Dodd, Lauren Waldrip, Matthew Bakke, and Emily Fitzgerald's can be found at vote4campus.com.

BE AN INFORMED VOTER! It's not a popularity contest. Read their platforms, look at their Facebook groups, and you can follow both parties on Twitter: @Our_Mission and @vote4campus. The debate will be posted online soon -- check out uatvonline.net.

Have a great day!

Juliana Griffin

"Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work."

-William Arthur Ward

Weekend whereabouts...

2011-04-01T09:39:00.001-07:00

Hey guys! It's great to be back from spring break. Okay, maybe it isn't that great but knowning that school will be over in just a little over a month is SO exciting. I found out over spring break that I have been accepted at the UAMS College of Pharmacy so my Summer/Fall plans have officially begun! It's nice to know that my past four years of hard work has paid off. I hope everyone else enjoyed their week off from school. Now it is time to focus and charge full steam ahead in getting those assignments, papers, and projects finished on time. I've lived in Fayetteville going on 4 years now and just last summer I discovered what I now consider to be my favorite restaurant so I thought today I'd share some of my favorite places in town with you so you don't miss out on them while you are still here! Free weekend ahead? Stop by one of these places for a night out with friends, and don't forget the Farmer's Market starts back up tomorrow! 1. Hammontrees. It is literally my FAVORITE place in Fayetteville. They make all sorts of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and they have delicious salads. Try this: 1/2 Brie's Company with 1/2 side salad... it's the perfect combo. 2. Burger Life. If you've been to Market Place it is really similar to that, and it is even located in the same building and managed by the same people as Market Place was. You can create your own burger with all sorts of toppings, buns, fillings... you name it. They have really unique creations and you will definitely leave with a full belly. Check this out: http://www.burgerlife.com/menu/ 3. AQ Chickenhouse. I have passed this place literally hundreds of times but I have only been once and it was AWESOME. I plan to make many more trips there before I move. If you like chicken, it's the place to go. Try this: Chicken Sampler Platter (for those that can't easily make up their minds!) 4. A Taste of Thai. You can find it by the Fayetteville Town Square. It's a cute little restaurant with great food and an awesome atmosphere. More info: http://tasteofthaifayetteville.com/index.html So, there you go. 4 great places to try! Time for a physics test... have a great weekend! ~Jules

Opportunities for growth...

2011-03-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

I've decided to tag on to what Heba wrote about earlier and talk to you about two remarkable opportunities for growth U of A students and the general public have coming up in the next month.

The first big event is the Distinguished Lecturer Series spring speaker, former NYC mayor, Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani will be speaking at 8 pm Sunday, April 3 at Barnhill Arena to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. This event is free to students and open to the public. This lecture is entitled, "Principled Leadership: In the Face of Change and Crisis." Not only was Giuliani the mayor of NYC before and after September 11th, but he is also rumored to be a potential candidate in the 2012 presidential campaign.

Another major guest being featured by the Distinguished Lecturers Series is the Dalai Llama, who will be participating in a panel forum on the morning of May 11 (9:30 am-11am) and will be delivering his keynote address from 1:30-3:00 pm in Bud Walton Arena. Tickets were made available by the Walton Arts Center for students, faculty, staff and the general public.

I encourage you to check these opportunities out and learn things outside of the classroom! Have a great week!

Ashley

Distinguished Lecture Series

2011-03-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

The University of Arkansas never ceases to surprise me. Everytime I begin researching the website or I'm in class I learn something about the course topic, my professors, and this great university. For example, how many students can say they've written numerous research papers using books that were written and edited by their very own professors? I certainly can. The first time I ever realized it I was reading a bibliography in the back of one of my sources and found my professor's name... right there... in black ink... on white paper. And it was the most amazing sense of pride for the education I was receiving. ** One of our very own art professors, Professor Lynn F. Jacobs has written a book called "The Secrets of College Success" and this book just recently won the USA Book News Best Books 2010 http://fulbright.uark.edu/fulbrightreview/Winter2010/exclusive.html The book talks about things like...

How to e-mail your professors

Taking notes in class

How your professors expect you to prepare

How professors ask you to participate in class

Working in groups

and, everything else you wish you knew as a freshman.

So take a look around and take the time to meet up with some of your professors. You never know what they may have done or are currently workin on in their career!

Have a great week!

Heba

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

2011-03-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

Batter Up!

Welcome back from spring break! How is everyone? I have been looking forward to this weekend since November 1, 2010 (The very last World Series game). For those of you not in the know about sports, this weekend is the opening weekend for Major League BASEBALL Season!
What's even better news than this is that I get to watch a game AT Busch Stadium. Oh my heart is full of joy right now. I have a ticket to Saturday's game featuring the Saint Louis Cardinals against the San Diego Padres. I have my Cardinals jersey ironed and ready to wear to the game.
I'll be sure to post pictures next week when I return.

Here is a picture of me from my first and only time at Busch Stadium. This was the inaugural season for the stadium and my family took me up there for my 16th birthday.

For a full schedule of every team playing this weekend go to... http://mlb.mlb.com and click on the 'Schedule' tab at the top of the page.

Go Cards!

Morgan Newton

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Net Neutrality

2011-03-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

Net Neutrality is an issue that not many people outside of the tech community have heard about, but is an important point of conflict in this day. Basically, net neutrality is the principle that states that the internet is a resource that should not be censored or edited by the government or corporations. If I am paying an internet service provider for access the the web, I should have access to the entire web, even if the sites I go to are competitors of my ISP. Say I have Cox internet. In order to get me to buy a cable package from them, they could just block my computer from going to Hulu, Netflix, or even Youtube if not for the idea of net neutrality. Many ISPs are interested in offering tiered service packages such as those currently offered by cable companies. Websites that demand more bandwidth, such as Netflix, would be on the highest tier of services offered, costing more than basic access to Wikipedia. They could also block me from visiting competing ISPs websites to compare prices and services. This ability to censor my internet would drastically reduce the competitive nature of the telecom business, therefore hurting me as a consumer. This is an important issue and I encourage all of you readers to do some research on your own too. Steven

Welcome Back! :)

2011-03-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, friends!

I hope everyone's spring break went well. Coming back from 80 degree weather in Destin to freeze warnings near Fayetteville lets me know that I'm definitely back to school. (No worries, it will be 77 degrees on Sunday!)

First off, congrats to Jill and her husband for the lovely new Emma Jean! I can't WAIT to meet this gorgeous girl. ;)

Thanks to Ashley for her last post - I'm not a senior yet, but I'm definitely saving that for when I'm freaking out about jobs and growing up next year.

I don't know about y'all, but I've been coughing and sneezing for a while now. I've never had allergies, but now that spring is here, I'm thinking it could be a possibility.

There are no cures for allergies. Allergies can be managed with proper prevention and treatment.
Allergies have a genetic component. If only one parent has allergies of any type, chances are 1 in 3 that each child will have an allergy. If both parents have allergies, it is much more likely (7 in 10) that their children will have allergies.
More Americans than ever before say they are suffering from allergies. It is among the country's most common, yet often overlooked, diseases.

Stay warm!
Juliana

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily."
-Zig Ziglar

Two Months!

2011-03-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

My friend recently told me something very interesting. As of Monday, I am exactly two months away from graduating. I wrote about this interesting fact on Facebook and I immediately got a couple of "likes", but at the same time I had a hard time deciding if I was excited or truly frightened about the idea of leaving school and making a real life for myself. As of now I have no job or definite plans which in itself is a scary, scary thing. This post isn't meant to frighten or discourage anyone, but it's probably very similar to the way most seniors feel right about now.

This same wise friend also gave me some awesome advice. I feel it is my duty to pass that along to you, in the hopes that it might make you feel better too.

Don't stress about job hunting. Go on a few job search engines every day and apply for some that seem to fit your personality and deal with your particular major. The ones I have used the most lately have been indeed.com and monster.com. Some companies even allow you to register your information with them, rather than applying for each particular position. This way, they pick you for the job that you would be the most successful. Do that as often as you can!
Be diligent and go out and get what YOU want. For instance, if there is a particular company that you would die to work for, yet they don't have any open positions or postings, you should definitely still email them your information. You never know what might happen, they may remember that and give you a call as soon as a position opens up.
Be confident. Don't ever sell yourself short or minimize your self-worth. You are a well-educated person and any company would be lucky to have you. Don't settle for a job that you don't have any interest or love for. (If you couldn't tell, I've been saying this mantra to myself all the time recently...it works!)
Give yourself free time. Every second of every day does not have to be spent scouring web pages looking for jobs. As a senior, I got so caught up in what would happen after I graduate that I forgot to have fun and be a college student. I don't have much more time here, so I might as well make it memorable, right?
Believe in yourself. You WILL find something that makes you happy in the long run, even if it wasn't the vision you had for yourself. Smile and remember that somewhere out there is the perfect spot for you. Just like any fairytale, you have to go through a lot of trials and tribulations to get to the happy ending.

I hope this helps y'all...I know it calmed me down quite a bit. You'd be surprised, the friends that you least expect are there to pick you up when you fall. It's a wonderful thing to have that kind of support system when your life is going through such major changes!

Have a wonderful week,

Ashley

"The challenges of change are always hard. It is important that we begin to unpack those challenges that confront this nation and realize that we each have a role that requires us to change and become more responsible for shaping our own future." Hillary Rodham Clinton

日本 (JAPAN)

2011-03-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone!

If you've seen Yasmeen's blog and watched any of the news this past week you'll notice that Japan is still plastered across the TV screens of America. The devastation is beyond great and there are still tens of thousands of people missing. But why else would we as Americans still be preoccupied with the status of Japan and its people?

There are so many different factors we have to consider when it comes to natural disaster not just within the U.S. but internationally.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and their list of the 2010 countries ranked by their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the "market value of all final goods and services from a nation in a given year".... Japan ranked #3 falling short only to the United States (1) and China (2).

On the heels of the 8.9 magnitude quake, Japan suffered an immediate tsunami which washed out entire regions along the Pacific Coast of the island... leveling homes, buildings, schools, vehicles, 18 wheelers, boats... anything and everything that crossed its path. This quake has been labeled the "Tohoku region Pacific Ocean offshore quake" and now belongs to one of the top 5 most destructive earthquakes since modern bookkeeping began in 1900.

Economy: The Bank of Japan has pumped $183 billion USD (the equivalent to the 15 trillion Japanese Yen) essentially trying to ensure that the national and international markets do not bottom out during the rebuilding of their infrastructure. International estimates of the restructuring have ranged from $14.5 billion USD to $34.6 billion USD. Regardless, any of these amounts could be paralyzing even to a thriving economy like Japan's.

Environment: Because of the quake, Japan's nuclear reactors were immediately shutdown. As ocean water toppled the coast, it made its way over the sea wall partitions and destroyed the diesel backup power systems ultimately leading to several explosions within the reactors. These explosions cause what we know as a "meltdown". Japanese officials worked tirelessly to cool down the reactors using sea water but found it difficult to get them to cool at a consistent and efficient rate. As a result of the explosions there was a significant amount of radiation release into the air. We are exposed to minimal amounts of radiation through X-rays, CT scans, and even those fun little metal detectors we walk through in the airport :)

There are short term and long term effects to radiation exposure... however, extreme exposure all at one time could very likely be fatal.

The people of Japan are in our hearts and prayers as they experience these trying times, and we can only hope that the global search and rescue efforts taking place there will help unite and give care to those families and citizens affected by this terrible natural disaster.

"Your gift to the American Red Cross will support our disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami in the Pacific."- American Red Cross
-- http://american.redcross.org/

-heba

Career Development Center

2011-03-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

Its almost spring break, and while next fall's classes are looming, the summer is even closer. My plan for this summer includes an internship of some sort, but I'm not 100% sure where to start. So, I went to the CDC website. I found lots of helpful things.

1. Making an appointment is easy. Just find the appointment button on the right side and fill out the form.

2. Professional Development Institute: A program designed to teach students skills needed to make informed career decisions.

3. Optimal Resume: A great free website full of information on how to build your resume.

Thats just a few. Go to the CDC site and check it out for yourself!

Steven

Disaster in Japan

2011-03-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

For those of you who aren't aware of how bad the situation in Japan has become, check out this website with interactive before/after pictures. If you don't want to look at them side-by-side and want to see the full picture, just click on "see before" and "see after." Truly astounding.

And even more scary, here's a list of the top 10 deadliest quakes ever recorded in history. (Excluding the quake in Japan on March 11th which was a magnitude of 8.9, death toll over 10,000 and counting).

1. Shenshi, China January 23rd, 1556.Magnitude: about an 8. Death toll: 830,000

2. Tangshan, China July 27th, 1976. Magnitude: 7.5. Estimated Death toll: 655,000.

3. Aleppo, Syria August 9th 1138. Magnitude: Unkown. Death toll: 230,000.

4. Sumatra, Indonesia December 4th, 2004. Magnitude: 9.1. Death toll: 227,898.

5. Haiti January 12th, 2010. Magnitude: 7.0. Estimated Death toll: 222, 570.

6. Damghan, Iran December 22, 856. Magnitude: Unknown. Death toll: about 200,000.

7. Haiyuan, Ningxia, China December 16th, 1920. Magnitude: 7.8. Death toll: about 200,000.

8. Ardabil, Iran March 23, 893. Magnitude: Unkown. Death toll: about 150,000.

9. Kanto, Japan September 1st, 1923. Magnitude: 7.9. Death toll: 142,800.

10. Ashgabat, Turmenistan October 5th, 1948. Magnitude: 7.3. Death toll: about 110,000.

- Yasmeen

Hello, Spring!

2011-03-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

While it may not 'officially' be Spring just yet, the weather would suggest otherwise! Highs in the 60's (sometimes even reaching 70!) are within our reach. I couldn't be more excited. I love Springtime and going camping and fishing. Don't miss out on the beautiful weather this weekend. Northwest Arkansas has a lot of fun outdoor activites to enjoy!

Change of subject... When I woke up this morning, I went about my daily routine of getting ready for class and checking my email. The first thing I saw when I brought up aol.com was the devastating pictures of the tsunami damage in Japan. It seems like lately I have been hearing non-stop about earthquakes that are happening around the world. Earthquakes really scare me. There is no way to prevent them, and no way to prepare for them. It's just important that we remember during these times the things that are really important, and that we are sensitive to what other people are going through.

Make sure you pay attention to the news to follow what is going in other countries, whether it is riots and rebellions or a natural disaster. There are always ways we can help, and there will no doubt be students on campus who will throw something together to aid in relief.

Random post, but I thought it was worth noting. Be safe, and have a great weekend!

~Jules