My Experience at UW-L

We've reached the end...

2009-05-15T14:44:00.002-05:00

I just had my last final exam for the semester today! It feels really good to be done with school considering I had 5 cumulative finals this time around. However, it is really sad to say goodbye to everyone for the summer. I am going to miss everyone so much, especially all the girls who lived in my cube and all the students who lived in Coate Hall in general. I am also going to miss tremendously the staff that I had the honor and privilege of working with this year.

I cannot believe how fast this year flew by! It seems like just yesterday, everyone was moving their stuff in to Coate Hall to start their college experience. Now, the hallways are once again filled with boxes but this time they are going to be leaving the building. Oh how the end of the year is always bittersweet (even more so this year for me). It is great to sit and ponder all the wonderful times we had this year, but it is also sad that things will never be the same again. I guess that's all part of this thing called life.

Signing off...
Sabrina :)

COATE BASH!

2009-05-06T16:33:00.003-05:00

This Saturday Coate Hall is putting on an event called Coate Bash! It will be held on Coate Field (the field right next to Coate Hall) as well as in the volleyball sand pit next to the building. The theme for the event is Miami Night Life. It will kick off at 7:30pm with the band "Que Flavor" playing live music including latin music and reggae! There will also be salsa dance lessons as well as games such as the limbo and of course free food! After the band is done playing, we will be having a dance in the sand pit until midnight with music from an ipod. Who wouldn't want to come to this fantastic program?!

The event is being held in celebration of the spring semester classes being over and to have one last hurrah before finals week begins. It is sure to be great time and is always a fun event each year!

Augustana Concert!

2009-04-23T14:14:00.003-05:00

Augustana is going to be performing a concert right here at UW-La Crosse!! It is going to be on Saturday, April 25th at 7:00pm in Valhalla in the Cartwright Center on campus. The price for a ticket is only $15.00 when you show your student ID. How cool is that?!?! A couple of their hit songs are "Boston" and "Sweet 'n' Low." It is sure to be a grand show that will be very exciting!!

There will also be karaoke in the basement of Coate Hall at 8:30pm on Saturday night as well. The students that live in Coate Hall this year are very talented singers and dancers so it will definitely be a very fun time!

Personally, I am also really excited for Friday because a bunch of my friends that live off campus are all getting together and we are going to have a picnic down by the river and then have a bonfire at someone's house. It is kind of like an end of the year party since people in our group of friends are going other places to do internships, graduate school, or transferring schools. It will be really nice to have one more get together before we all go our separate ways for a while. My weekend is going to be so much fun!! :)

National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)

2009-04-16T10:29:00.010-05:00

This Thursday through Saturday, UW-La Crosse is hosting the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). This is quite an honor and the UW-L community feels privileged to have the opportunity to host such a prestigious event. The conference is bringing over 2,500 people to La Crosse with over 2,600 presentations and presenters from 298 universities and colleges from 34 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and three Canadian Provinces.

Personally, I attended four presentations today and am going to three more tomorrow. The presentations are on just about every topic from English to Mathematics to Astronomy and more. It is a great opportunity to see what other fellow undergraduate students from across North America are discovering.

CUBE WARS!!!

2009-04-10T01:09:00.000-05:00

Cube Wars is going on right now and it is very exciting and intense!! It is a competition between the different cubes in Coate Hall. (Since the building is a made of three square towers and four floors high, Coate Hall is divided into 12 different cubes.) There are a bunch of different activities that are included in the competition. Some examples include: a cube cheer competition, trivia contest, picture scavenger hunt, iron chef for best dessert, water pong, egg hunt, a sports day, as well as penny wars throughout the entire competition with all proceeds going to the on-campus food pantry. This is something the students living in Coate Hall take very seriously. (Other halls have competitions like this as well, so don’t be worried if you aren’t going to live in Coate Hall…) We’ll just have to wait and see who wins these Cube Wars and is given the title of best cube in Coate Hall. I may be biased, but I think my cube is going to win! :)

St. Baldrick's!

2009-04-02T12:56:00.003-05:00

This Saturday, April 4th, Coate Hall is putting on an event called St. Baldrick's with the theme "Shave to Save." The event is being held at the Recreational Eagle Center on campus from noon to 4pm and is open to the whole campus as well as the surrounding communities. St. Baldrick's is a worldwide organization where people can shave their heads or cut their hair to raise money for childhood cancer research. If someone's hair is long enough they can donate it to make wigs, but shorter hair can also be donated. Short hair is used to make mats to help clean up oil spills in the environment. In addition to the shaving and cutting, we will be having games, a raffle with really nice prizes, music, and of course fun! If you are interested in more information about this organization and/or our event, you can visit www.stbaldricks.org.

Other events going on this weekend are a Treasure Hunt sponsored by Reuter Hall and La Crosse's Largest Lightning Game. The Treasure Hunt will be all across campus and La Crosse's Largest Lightning Game is basically a series of lightning games where the winners of each game move on to the championship game for a chance to win sweet prizes. Again, there is always something fun to do at UW-L!!

Inner Beauty Pageant and 24 hour Video Games

2009-03-26T14:13:00.002-05:00

This Saturday we are having an Inner Beauty Pageant in Coate Hall. It is starting at 1:00pm in the basement. We are having a speaker and a student who lives in Coate Hall is also performing a skit about her own inner beauty pride. All who attend will be able to make ribbons for themselves that describe what they are proud of as their inner beauty and then walk down the runway declaring their inner beauty to all. The whole program is designed to promote self expression, self awareness, and self confidence.

This weekend also includes a 24 hour Video Game Tournament. It starts at 1:00pm Friday and goes until 1:00pm on Saturday. It costs $3 to enter and all the proceeds are going to an organization that buys video games for children who are staying in hospitals. This weekend is going to be really fun and lots of people are already hyped up about the Inner Beauty Pageant and the 24 hour Video Game Tournament!

Spring Break!!!

2009-03-12T12:32:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow is the official start of Spring Break for UW-L students!! I am excited to relax and take a break from school and all the stresses it brings. I am looking forward to catching up on some much needed sleep. This week has been pretty stressful for a lot of folks with midterms, projects, etc. all needing to be finished before break.

In the meantime, some people are scrambling to finish up their murals. A nice thing about living in the residence halls at UW-L is that you have the opportunity to paint murals on the walls in your living area. We had 6 murals that were painted in our area and they all look absolutely wonderful!! It is a really nice and unique way to leave your mark on one part of UW-L!

Vietnamese Night

2009-03-06T11:21:00.002-06:00

Last night in Coate Hall, the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) hosted a "Vietnamese Night" from 5-7pm. There were several displays with tons of information about Vietnam, its people, and their culture. It was a great opportunity to learn about a different culture and actually get to talk and interact with students from Vietnam that attend UW-L. I was very pleased with the large number of students that attended!

The night included traditional Vietnamese food that the VSA students prepared themselves as well as games. There was also a demonstration of the Vietnam Bamboo Dance that we all got to participate in as well! It was tons of fun! A trivia game took place and the prizes that were given out were actually items from Vietnam---this was extremely awesome! I was able to win a set of a little Vietnamese man and woman that were intricately painted magnets. Overall, the night was a great learning experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think everyone else did too! :)

Fun-filled Weekend

2009-02-26T21:54:00.003-06:00

This is sure to be a fun-filled weekend! Tonight, White Hall put on a version of "The Price is Right" for the whole campus. It was structured just like the real show and there were tons of sweet prizes. Over half of the people who attended were able to walk away with a prize!

Tomorrow night, Coate Hall is holding a "Connect 4" Tournament in the basement. There will be a normal game bracket as well as a trivia style version of the game. There are sure to be snacks and prizes to go around. Then on Saturday night, Coate Hall will be having a showing of the movie "Wall-E" followed by a discussion about the social and political underlying themes that the movie presents. There will also be organic snacks and 'regular-ganic' drinks provided.

Also on Saturday, a Dodgeball Tournament is being put on by UW-L's Habitat for Humanity chapter on Saturday in Mitchell Hall. The money raised from the event will go towards the chapter's spring break service trip to Alabama. Again, always something fun to do at UW-L! :)

Spring Leadership Conference

2009-02-20T12:20:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow is the annual Spring Leadership Conference at UW-L. It is hosted by the Office of Residence Life and is sure to be a great time! The conference is from 9:00am to 4:00pm at the Cartwright Center on campus. There will be student and staff presenters for different sessions as well as a professional keynote speaker. It will be a great learning opportunity for all who attend.

Also, last night was a program called Rock, Paper, Scissors Shenanigans put on by the Leadership Team of Trowbridge Hall. The event included a rock, paper, scissors tournament as well as various activities with rocks, paper, and scissors. Some of the activities that went on included pet rock making, oragami, paper airplanes, and much more. As usual, there is always something to do on the UW-L campus!

First Round of Tests

2009-02-12T20:22:00.001-06:00

Well, the first round of tests is coming up next week so that means I have a lot of studying to do this weekend (and next week). Keeping things in perspective and time management are important in order to survive the stress in college. I am also on duty this weekend as part of being a Resident Assistant (RA) so that means I go around the residence hall with two other RAs and make sure that everything is safe and secure. Nevertheless, it will involve late nights.

Another interesting thing that I wanted to tell you all about has to do with my U.S. Healthcare class. We are actually creating a blog for our group/team as part of the class. We have to post different proposals for improvement/reform in certain healthcare aspects and topics. So this class is a bit of a "blended learning" class. We are incorporating technology as well as face-to-face interactions. Sometimes we have class online and other times we have class in the classroom. It's actually quite interesting to mix it up a little. :)

Relay For Life!!!

2009-02-05T16:44:00.004-06:00

This weekend is Relay For Life of La Crosse Colleges! The event starts tonight at 6pm and goes until tomorrow morning at 6am. It is being held in the Recreational Eagle Center (REC) on the UW-L campus. We have a team of ladies from our cube that will be taking part in this wonderful event.

Relay For Life is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and helps raise money for the fight against cancer. Participants on each team take turns walking around the indoor track for the 12 hours that the event is going on. There are tons of other activities to take advantage of when you are not walking around the track. There will be live music and a radio broadcast, a photo booth, haircuts, massages, rock wall climbing, dance and aerobic classes, sports tournaments, and much more! It is sure to be a night filled with lots of fun and memories! :)

Welcome Back!

2009-01-30T15:39:00.002-06:00

Welcome back everyone! The first week of classes for the spring semester is officially finished! The winter break was nice and relaxing for me. I came back a week before classes started for RA training which was fun! It's nice to see everyone again after the long break. This should be a busy semester for me as always, but I like the way my class schedule is set up. I have started out this week fairly productive and managing my time well which is a very nice feeling. Hopefully, I'll be able to carry it through the rest of the semester.

Another piece of exciting news for today is that Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle visited the UW-L campus. He came and gave a speech about the current budget deficit and how it will impact the state and UW-L. A bunch of students got to stand behind the Governor while he addressed the audience and I was one of them! I will probably be on the local news tonight! I also got a picture with him and was able to talk with him a little bit. It was very exciting!!

Anyway, I am also excited for all that this semester holds!! I hope you are too! :)

Rotary Lights

2008-12-13T16:29:00.002-06:00

Well, final exams are in full swing here at UW-L. I had my genetics final yesterday and my radiation physics final today. In addition, I had an eportfolio for one of my radiation therapy classes due today. Then I have my pathophysiology final on Monday, but that one is not cumulative so that helps.

To take a little break from studying and celebrate the completion of two finals, I am going to the Rotary Lights tonight with some of my friends. This is a HUGE holiday light display at Riverside Park in downtown La Crosse. There are over a million lights in different designs all throughout the park. It is something that is done every year and they collect money and food items to donate to the local food pantry, which really helps during the holiday season. I am really excited to relax and have a little fun with my friends while getting to see all the wonderful lights. I hear they even have real reindeer there! I'll let you know if I see Rudolph... :)

RHAC Winter Formal

2008-12-05T15:39:00.002-06:00

The Residence Hall Association Council (RHAC) is hosting their annual Winter Formal tonight. It is being held downtown at the La Crosse Center from 9:30pm to 1:30am. It is sure to be a wonderful time! Unfortunately, I will not be attending because I am "on duty" this weekend as part of being a Resident Assistant. This involves making sure the building is secure and that everyone is behaving themselves. Hopefully, I'll be able to see everyone in their formal attire before they leave to go to the Formal.

Also, today was the end of the last full week of classes before finals begin. So as you might guess, things are getting a little tense around campus with the end of the semester approaching so fast and final exams just around the corner. Oh well, one thing's for sure--we all want winter break to come as soon as possible. It will be here soon enough, we just have to jump through a few hoops to get the end reward of relaxation and a break from school for a few weeks! :)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

2008-11-26T17:28:00.002-06:00

Well, as of 5:30p.m. tonight, Coate Hall is officially closed for the Thanksgiving holiday! As a RA, I had to help "close" the building which means I had to clean up the hallways, vacuum, etc. to make sure that Coate Hall was in tip top condition. Now that all is said and done, I am headed home to spend Thanksgiving with my family! I'm excited to have a little break from school. Once we come back, there is only a week and a half left of classes before finals start! Yikes, then before you know it, the semester will be over. For right now, I'll just concentrate on enjoying the break and having a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! :)

Movie Night!

2008-11-21T15:30:00.002-06:00

Well, we've made it through yet another week of this fall semester and I am sure glad it's Friday! Today I turned in my big research paper on my fruit fly experiment that I have been doing this whole semester for my genetics class. The first week of classes, we were given fruit flies with a certain mutation and then we had to cross them with normal flies for a couple generations. After doing so, then we had to look at the fruit flies under a microscope and identify if they had mutations or not and record that in our data, which is the basis for the whole research paper. It is a huge relief to have that off of my to do list!

Tonight, Angell Hall is putting on an all-campus program based on the TV show "Whose Line is it Anyway?" in Graff Main Hall at 7pm. Groups from all of the residence halls on campus signed up to participate in the show itself, while others can still go just to be a part of the audience. Afterwards, I am also hosting a Movie Night for my residents in Coate Hall's Big TV Room in the basement. I'm sure it will be a good time to get to know one another and relax after working hard all week. :)

Wagner Wedding Weekend

2008-11-14T16:10:00.003-06:00

This weekend Coate Hall is hosting an all-hall event called the Wagner Wedding Weekend! We've literally been planning this for about two months and we've put a lot of hard work into it. Basically, we're holding a mock wedding celebration as the culmination of our "Girl Talk" and "Man-a-thon" events that have been taking place throughout the semester.

This Wagner Wedding Weekend celebration is a pretty much full-out mock wedding with two of the Resident Assistants from Coate Hall getting fake married. We are having bachelor/bachelorette parties tonight. Then on Saturday, the actual wedding ceremony is at 5pm with the dinner part of the reception to follow at 6:30pm. Then the dance will start at 8pm followed by an all-night wedding movie marathon. It is sure to be tons of fun and a lot of the students living in Coate sure are excited just like I am! We even have a wedding cake!!

Also, tonight there is a concert being held in Cartwright Center featuring the band "Nine Days" at 7pm. The cost for UW-L students is only $5. What a deal!! The Campus Activities Board brings a famous band or musical act to UW-L every semester. It is always a good time and they do a nice job of selecting performers! :)

First SNOW

2008-11-07T15:22:00.002-06:00

Today the first official snow of this school year fell. There wasn't really any accumulation, so I'm not sure if you can really count it, but there were indeed snowflakes falling. Since the temperature was right around freezing, the flakes were big and wet. This made for an interesting experience riding my bike to class.

The seat of my bike was wet so I put a plastic grocery bag over it like I normally do after it is wet from being rained on. The handlebars were also wet so it was a little tricky to hang on and use my brakes. The biggest challenge (if that's what you could call it) was watching where I was going with all the snowflakes pelting my face and flying into my eyes. Oh well, I made it to class and back safely and I guess that's all that really matters. :)

Now, I just have a ton of studying to do this weekend. I have two tests to prepare for, a project paper to write, and a group research proposal to work on. So I have my work cut out for me!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2008-10-31T16:02:00.002-05:00

Happy Halloween everyone! There are a lot of fun things planned on campus this weekend. Yesterday and today were Campus Close Up days for perspective students to come and check out UW-L. This is a great way to get a feel for campus when classes are in session and determine whether you think you would fit well here. There are more of these Campus Close Ups scheduled throughout the year and if you'd like more information, you can contact UW-L's admissions office at (608) 785-8939.

Tonight, there is a Halloween Dance Party going on in Coate Hall's basement from 8pm to midnight. Tomorrow night, White Hall is hosting an all-campus event called "The Haunted Reception." It will involve a costume contest along with various wedding traditions from different cultures. It should be very fun and interesting. :)

Also, this weekend the time changes and we "fall back." I don't know about you, but I am excited for the extra hour of sleep! :)

COATE HAUNTED HOUSE

2008-10-23T16:08:00.003-05:00

Coate Hall is putting on a Haunted House as an all-campus program this Friday night! It is going to be a ton of fun! We are converting most of Coate Hall's basement into the Haunted House itself. Each room is going to have a different theme, but of course all will be extremely scary and frightening!! :D

There will also be things to do for people who may not like getting scared. We will be having night games outside which I'm sure will go over well. There will be mini-pumpkin painting and caramel apples inside as well as scary movies playing. In addition, there is going to be a bonfire outside in the volleyball pit area where people can roast s'mores or just relax and hangout. Overall, I think the night should be full of fun and it will be nice to see everyone's hard work come together to create a great program. :)

This Sunday night, there is going to be a debate on campus called "The Bible: Fact of Fiction?" and it is sure to draw a crowd. It will feature a nationally known debator arguing against The Bible and a UW-L history professor arguing in favor of The Bible. I hope a lot of people come because college is usually a time when people have questions and are searching for answers in this area. I hope the debate will be very informative and lots of people will come.

Family, Friends, & Alumni Weekend

2008-10-17T15:56:00.002-05:00

This weekend at UW-L is a special one that happens every year. It is the Family, Friends, & Alumni weekend celebration with tons of activities going on throughout the entire weekend. There is the homecoming football game of course. There is also going to be a ceremonial lighting of the new "L" logo for the university along with a concert outside on the lawn tonight. The whole weekend should be filled with lots of fun and fellowship!

As for me, I just got done with two tests. I had a radiation physics test and a genetics test back to back this afternoon. Right now, my brain is fried and I have a neck ache from being hunched over a desk for two straight hours. Oh well, it feels good now that they are both over. It is a nice weight off of my chest. The only thing is that I have a pathophysiology test this coming Tuesday...it never ends, but that's college (and life in general I guess). It's ok though because I'm surviving it and having lots of fun along the way!! :)

Bucks Game in La Crosse!!!

2008-10-10T16:11:00.003-05:00

Tonight there is a pre-season game for the Milwaukee Bucks vs. the Dallas Mavericks being held at the La Crosse Center!! How sweet is that?!?! I am so pumped to go see the game!! :D One of the RAs (Resident Assistants) in Coate Hall organized it so that over 80 people from our residence hall are going to the game tonight. It was really an awesome deal because the tickets were only $7.00 and the La Crosse Center is within walking distance from campus!!

On Saturday, there is a wheelchair basketball tournament going on at the Recreational Eagle Center on campus sponsored by the Students Advocating Potential Ability (SAPA) club on campus. There is also a Strongman competition going on at the REC as well. One of the RAs in Coate Hall will supposedly be pulling a truck as part of the competition!!

On an academic note, I have a lot of studying to do before next week. I have a test in radiation physics and genetics both next Friday and I have a genetics lab that morning as well. Just taking things one at a time and knowing that it will all be ok in the end helps me keep things in perspective.

FALL RETREAT

2008-10-03T15:49:00.002-05:00

This weekend I am going on "Fall Retreat" as part of Campus Crusade for Christ. We are going to a camp in Iowa for the weekend. I am really excited for all the opportunities I am going to have to get to know other people from around campus. It is going to be a sweet time! :D

Some of the residents (students) in my cube and within Coate Hall are going as well so I will get the chance to get to know them a little better on another level. Things in Coate Hall are going amazingly well and I am having a blast!! The other night myself and another RA dressed up as people from The Matrix and had some fun while we did our duty round (making sure the hall is safe and secure). It was a lot of fun for us and the people we encountered!

So now that the first round of tests is over for me, I am really looking forward to a nice weekend of fun and relaxation...until Sunday night when I will be forced to do my homework. But for the moment, I'm off to FALL RETREAT! :)

First Round of Exams

2008-09-25T16:05:00.002-05:00

This week was the first round of exams this semester for everyone here at UW-L. It was pretty stressful--I had a genetics test on Monday, a radiation physics test on Wednesday, and I have a genetics lab quiz tomorrow. Then next week I have a pathophysiology test and also a test in my readings, writings, and research in radiation therapy class. So I am studying like crazy...

This weekend there is an all campus event called RECtoberfest that is an alcohol-alternative to Oktoberfest. It is going to be held at the RECreational Eagle Center here on campus on Friday night from 9pm to midnight. There are going to be tons of games, a wii set up, inflatable games, trike races, and all sorts of things. It is sure to be a great time and with the chance to win a free bike, why wouldn't you want to go?

Then on Saturday night, Coate Hall is putting on a house party. There is going to be tons of food, fun, and music!! Plus, the chance to meet new people that live in Coate Hall is a great reason to check it out! :)

Fruit Flies...

2008-09-19T16:19:00.004-05:00

It's finally Friday! I got done with classes at 3:10pm today and then I had to go check on my fruit flies. Yes, that's right, I said I had to go check on my fruit flies. As part of the genetics course that I am in, each student is given a vial of fruit flies with a specific gene mutation. Then it is your job to monitor their life cycle and set up another vial with the new flies that hatch and continue this for a couple months. This way we will learn about the heredity patterns of the gene we are studying in our fruit flies. It's pretty interesting.

As for RA (Resident Assistant) life, things are going pretty well. It is definitely a challenge at times to balance everything you have to do as an RA with school and having a life in general. Even though being an RA is a ton of work, it is soooo much fun! I've already met so many new people in Coate Hall and around campus. Meeting new people and forming those meaningful relationships with them is so worthwhile and rewarding. I've learned so much about others and myself so far this semester that I can't wait to see what the rest of the year holds! :)

Welcome to Another Year!!

2008-09-09T18:38:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone and welcome to yet another fun-filled year here at UW-La Crosse! I am excited for all the amazing things that are going to happen on the campus this year. First, I'll give you a little insight into my life at this point.

I am beginning my junior year here at UW-L and couldn't love it more! :) I am also starting my classes for UW-L's Radiation Therapy program (after being accepted into the program last spring) so it's nice to be getting into the more specific courses of my major. In addition, this is my first year as a Resident Assistant (RA). I am in Coate Hall which is the first year experience hall on our campus. I lived in Coate Hall my freshman year and it's a great place to be again. It is really nice that all the people living around you are all freshmen and going through the same things that you are as a freshman.

Now that I am an RA, I have a different perspective on things. I can remember what it was like to be a freshman and now I can try to help the freshmen with the things they are going through. I am really excited to be a great resource for some of the students at UW-L. I can't wait to make even more friends and amazing memories throughout the year!! :)

FINALLY DONE!!!

2008-05-16T18:25:00.002-05:00

I'm finally done with finals for the spring 2008 semester!! What a great feeling it is! I had the absolute last final exam time slot today from 4:45-6:45pm. I finished the final early and now I am completely done!! It is a bittersweet day as I am happy that the classes for the semester are over, but I am sad because I will really miss all of my college friends a lot while I am at home over the summer. A lot of students go through this, but then most of us meet up again in the fall for another great year. I guess that's all I've got for tonight, so have a great summer everyone!! :)

LAST Day of Classes!!!!!

2008-05-09T11:58:00.003-05:00

Today is the last day of classes here at UW-L!! I am officially done with my spring 2008 semester classes! It is also the loft return day. Students can rent bed lofts to use during the year in their residence hall rooms to create more space. They are a really nice way to make your room feel a little bigger. You pick the bedloft up on campus when you move in and then return it at the end of the year. National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) is the organization that helps coordinate this. I recently became a part of this organization so I am going to be helping out with loft return today.

Now that classes are done, that means finals are next. I have 4 finals next week. One on Tuesday and one on Wednesday both at 7:45am. Then on Thursday I have a final at 2:30pm and a final at 4:45pm on Friday. Then I will be leaving campus on Saturday.

Tomorrow there is an event called Coate Bash going on. It is an annual event hosted by Coate Hall that is meant to help everyone relax a little and celebrate the end of the semester before finals begin. It should be a lot of music, food, and fun!! :)

Colbie Caillat!!

2008-05-01T14:03:00.002-05:00

Colblie Caillat is performing for a concert here on the UW-L campus tonight!! The concert begins at 7pm and will be in the Recreational Eagle Center. UW-L student tickets were only $15--what a deal! I went to the Taylor Swift concert at UW-L last year and that was a ton of fun! I'm sure tonight's show will be a great one too!!

Saturday is also the Voices In Praise Choir Concert. Voices In Praise is the non-audition UW-L Gospel Choir that I am a member of. We have practice tonight and tomorrow night with a professional gospel artist that we flew in to be a part of the concert. It is going to be a blast!

This weekend will also be filled with lots of studying and homework because next week is the last week of classes before finals. I just had a physics test this morning. This weekend I have to write a 5-page paper for my English class. I have a physics lab final on Monday and an anatomy and physiology lab practical Tuesday with my paper due Wednesday. So things will be pretty hectic and busy, but summer will be here before we know it!! :)

It's the Weekend!!

2008-04-25T13:48:00.002-05:00

It's finally the weekend! There are several things happening on the UW-L campus this weekend and it is sure going to be a lot of fun!

Tonight is the opening night performance of the theatre production of "The Diary of Anne Frank" in the Center for the Arts. The entire production is put on by UW-L students and is sure to be a great show. Each year the theatre department puts on at least 6-8 productions that are always entertaining to watch.

Saturday at the Recreational Eagle Center on campus an event called "St. Baldrick's" is going on. Numerous UW-L students, faculty, and staff members are either cutting their hair or shaving their heads to raise money for organizations such as Locks of Love. All the money will go to these organizations to help make wigs, especially for children with cancer. What a great cause!

Then on Saturday night, Sanford Hall is hosting the "Sanford Block Party." There are going to be live bands, games, food, and of course lots of fun!! It should be a real good time!

On Sunday, all the future staff members for Coate Hall next year are having a cookout to spend time getting to know each other. I am really excited for this and can't wait to get to know my fellow staff members better! Also on Sunday, Baird Hall is hosting the annual "Baird World Cup" soccer tournament which will be an interesting time. So as you can see, this weekend is very packed here at UW-L but I'm sure it will be a good one! Let's just hope it doesn't rain too much anymore... :)

U-LEAD

2008-04-17T16:20:00.002-05:00

U-LEAD is a self-guided university leadership program here at UW-L that I took part in this year. There was a Celebration of Involvement and Leadership ceremony this past Tuesday where all the participants who had successfully completed the program received their certificates. U-LEAD is a great way to get involved and develop leadership skills in your own way and at your own pace.

There are four major components of the U-LEAD program including involvement, volunteerism, cultural awareness, and workshops. The involvement category mainly entails getting involved on campus with clubs, government, and athletics either by becoming a member or simply attending a meeting/event. The volunteer component requires that you complete 10 hours of community service which can be done through a campus organization or something else in the city of La Crosse. The cultural awareness category is pretty self-explanatory in that you attend different events on campus to enhance your cultural awareness. The category of workshops involves attending 4 workshops sponsored by the U-LEAD program centered on different aspects of leadership.

Overall, I found my experience with the U-LEAD program to be very worthwhile and beneficial for me. I feel like I really did develop leadership skills in my own way and definitely had fun along the way. I believe the four categories of requirements that are designed to help you develop your leadership skills in a variety of areas did just that for me! So when you come to campus, you should consider taking part in the U-LEAD program. You can talk to your RA or simply stop by the Involvement Center in room 222 Cartwright Center for more information about U-LEAD and tons of other opportunities to get involved!

Refugee Awareness Program

2008-04-11T16:04:00.003-05:00

So this week one of the RAs in our residence hall put on a Refugee Awareness Program. I went to the program to learn more about refugees because I really didn't know that much. I learned SOOO much at this program!! It blew me away!

The RA presented information about three refugee camps---one in Uganda, one in Israel/Palestine and then just Africa as a whole. These were just three examples of what is happening in refugee camps all across the world everyday that most of us never even think about. There are so many things that go on in the world that some of us can be so uninformed about---including myself at times. Before attending this program, I didn't know much at all about refugee camps.

The refugee camp in particular that really caught my attention was the one in Uganda. Three men started this army to rebel against the government and they had a lot of followers that were a part of their army. Later, some of their followers left and in order to maintain the large numbers of soldiers in their army, they started taking the children of refugees who had come to their country seeking a safe place. These children were torn away from their parents and families at the tender ages of 9 or 10 to be forced to serve in this army and eventually turn into killers. The children were subjected to horrible forms of torture in order to desensitize them so that they would be able to treat other people in a similar way while they served in this army.

As I was hearing all this information, I couldn't believe it. I was stunned. This is just one example of all the horrible things going on in the world every single day. I feel like we all need to do our part in becoming aware of these issues and then hopefully try to bring an end to all the terrible things going on. I plan on watching the movie "Invisible Children" because it is about the refugee camps in Uganda and the children who were forced to be in that army. I want to become more informed and then hopefully use that new knowledge to do something about these events.

"Fine Dine"

2008-04-04T13:41:00.003-05:00

Last night, the ladies of our fourth floor wing of Wentz Hall had a "Fine Dine" with some gentlemen from White Hall. I had went to a "Fine Dine" last year as a freshman, but I liked it so much that I wanted to go to another one this year.

A "Fine Dine" is a dinner where two wings/cubes of opposite genders from different residence halls get together for a nice dinner and some good company! There is a nice little place in the basement of Coate Hall (UW-L's all freshmen residence hall) called Koehler's where all the "Fine Dines" are held. It is a unique and interesting room that can be used for nice dinners or just a cool place to hang out. When you go to a "Fine Dine," you are served very good food comparable to what you would get at a restaurant! (You just use one of the meals from your meal plan.) The meal starts with a salad and biscuit for everyone. Then you are served the main course with a side and finally the meal ends with a tasty dessert! Yum! :)

Usually every wing/cube of each residence hall is able to take part in a "Fine Dine" sometime throughout the year. It is a really nice experience and a great opportunity to dress up and meet other people from across campus all while sharing a nice meal!

On a side note, if any of you have any questions or comments about anything I write, please feel free to post them in response to my blogs. I will do my best to answer any questions you may have. Don't be shy. :)

Welcome Back

2008-03-28T14:02:00.002-05:00

Welcome back for the last half of the second semester! Things this week are crazy for a lot of the students here at UW-L. Some people are having midterms if they didn't have them before spring break while others have another round of tests and projects, so either way school is keeping everyone pretty busy! I had a lot of stuff going on this week and next week is also jam packed for me, but I'm just taking it one day at a time. Atleast I'll be able to relax a little bit this weekend (even though I will have to do some homework).

This morning after I got done with class, I went over to Reuter Hall, which is our newest residence hall on campus (it's only a few years old). I have a friend who lives there and I needed to give something to her. For those of you who don't know, Reuter Hall is an apartment style living environment on the UW-L campus. Its rooms are similar to suites and there are four people with their own separate rooms in each suite. There is a kitchen area, living room, and bathroom all within the suite. Anyway, as I was on my way to my friend's room, I saw someone who I sit next to in one of my classes. She lives in Reuter too and she ended up giving me a tour of her suite because I had never actually seen a suite in Reuter. I was very impressed with how nice the suites in Reuter actually were! However, the living environment is very different than the other residence halls on campus which is most likely part of the reason why Reuter Hall is only available for students of sophomore status or higher to live in. It's just one more of the many options that UW-L offers to its students!

SPRING BREAK!!!

2008-03-14T14:12:00.002-05:00

Spring break has finally arrived for the students at UW-La Crosse!! This week was pretty hectic for lots of people, but that's the life of a college student. I had a physics lab midterm on Monday which I think went pretty well for me. Then on Wednesday, I had a midterm exam in my literature class and it was not as hard as I thought it would be so that's always a nice surprise. This morning I had a group presentation in my sociology class. Our group had met a couple times outside of class to put the presentation together. It was tough to find times when everyone could meet since so many people had tons of exams this week, but we managed. The presentation itself went really well this morning and our professor was pleased with our work.

I think that's all I've got for this week. I am so excited for a week off of school!! It's going to be so nice and relaxing! Aaaahhhhh!

Another Great Reason to Love UW-L!

2008-03-07T12:54:00.004-06:00

As a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society UW-La Crosse Chapter, we have regular monthly meetings like any other organization. Last night we had our March meeting and there was a guest speaker from the Career Services department on campus. I learned so many things that I didn't even know UW-L offered!!

The speaker talked about all the things UW-L offers career-wise. It blew me away! There is something called Eagle Opportunity that every student enrolled at UW-L has access to. It is an online list of all kinds of job and internship opportunites in virtually all fields that businesses, companies, etc. have to offer all around the world. You can obviously narrow your search with specific information you are looking for; history-related jobs in Atlanta, GA was the example she used. The staff at Career Services compiles this listing and updates it monthly by going to all the major job websites plus more and putting all the internship and employment opportunities into one convenient place for UW-L students!

With Eagle Opportunity, UW-L students can also upload their resumes into the program. Then they can instantly use it to apply for jobs by clicking a button that says submit resume. It's as easy as that to apply for some jobs and internships. Others obviously require a little more than just submitting your resume, but nevertheless, Eagle Opportunity is a great tool for UW-L students to take advantage of! So that's just another great reason to love UW-L!!

Being Productive Feels Good!

2008-03-01T16:40:00.002-06:00

I've been very productive the past few days and it feels really good! On Thursday, I finished up my applications for scholarships through the UW-L Foundation and turned them in---that was a big weight lifted off of my chest! Then on Friday, I worked on filling out Financial Aid Forms both for UW-L and the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). That is always such a time consuming process but it didn't take too long for me this year. So today I called home and got a few of my questions answered and I was able to fill out the FAFSA online and submit it. What a great feeling!!

Tonight, I am going to the 5pm Mass at the Newman Center (the Catholic church right across the street from Cartwright Center on campus). Then I am meeting some friends at The Cellar for supper. From there, we are all going to The Price is Right event that is being held on campus! There was an event like this last year and it was really fun. Hopefully one of us will get to "come on down" and win some cool prizes!!! :)

Woohoo!!!

2008-02-22T13:33:00.002-06:00

So, I have an interesting story to tell today. Yesterday afternoon I got a call from my roommate who was working at the front desk in our residence hall. She said, "Sabrina, you should probably come down here." Then I asked if I could just come down as I was dressed because I was wearing mismatched clothes and sweatpants since I was doing laundry (haha). Then she shouted at me, "It doesn't matter what you're wearing--just get down here!" A complete panic came over me and I raced down the stairs to the lobby with the worst possible scenarios going through my mind. When I got down there, my roommate told me I had mail in my mailbox. Then when I looked at the letter, it was from the Office of Residence Life on campus. I knew it was about whether or not I had recieved the RA position for next year. We weren't supposed to get the letters until today, so it was completely unexpected.

Anyway, then she made me open the letter in front of her of course. I was shaking so much that I could barely open the letter as my heart beat raced faster and faster....I was losing control of myself. I finally inched the letter out of the envelope still shaking and unfolded it just barely enough to read the first few lines of the letter. It said that I had been accepted to the position of Resident Assistant!!!! I started jumping up and down and bouncing off the walls all in silence because I couldn't even scream because I was so overcome with joy. At the same time, I also wanted to cry because I was so happy, but I couldn't do that either. I was so excited that I could not do much of anything except be in awe of the whole situation. Then I started hugging my roommate and all the other people in the lobby. It still hasn't even completely set in today that I am going to be an RA next year, but I am sooooo excited for it!!!!

Also yesterday, I had my interview for acceptance into the Radiation Therapy Program. I think it went pretty well but you always second guess everything after the fact. Anyway, I will hear about the results of that in a couple weeks. Hopefully, the news will be as exciting as yesterday was!! :)

Politics Galore!

2008-02-15T13:52:00.002-06:00

Things on campus sure have been very busy lately! Several political figures have come to campus and the La Crosse community within the past few weeks.

Current Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle visited campus last week in support of Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Chelsea Clinton also came to campus and spoke on behalf of Hillary Clinton's campaign this past Tuesday in the Cartwright Center. It was really packed and the room could not accomodate all the people who wanted to attend. This shows the high level of involvement and political interest of the students on this campus and it's really great to see! Then yesterday when former President Bill Clinton visited campus, the university made larger accomodations. He was scheduled to speak in the Recreational Eagle Center, which is our gym/exercise center on campus. Over 2,000 people attended the event last night! The former president talked for about an hour and a half in support of his wife's campaign for the presidency.

Also yesterday, Governor Mike Huckabee came to La Crosse. He spoke at the La Crosse Center at 2pm. Then today, Senator John McCain is speaking at the Radisson Hotel in La Crosse at 2:45pm. There is also rumor that Senator Barack Obama might be making a visit to the UW-L campus on this coming Monday. It is very exciting that there is so much political action taking place on the UW-L campus! It really makes me feel like I chose the right university to attend!!

All of these events and visits to campus are of course in preparation for the Wisconsin Primary which will be taking place next Tuesday, February 19, 2008! The Recreational Eagle Center on campus will be turned into an election poll place for the primary. This makes it really convenient for students at UW-L to take advantage of their privilege to vote. I know I found it to be a great experience last year when I voted! This is just one more thing that makes UW-L a great place to be!! :)

p.s. Oh, and by the way, I have an interview for acceptance into the UW-L Radiation Therapy program next Thursday!!!! I'll let you know how it goes!

RA Interview and Relay For Life

2008-02-08T12:05:00.000-06:00

The two major highlights of my week were my interview to be a Resident Assistant for next year and the fact that Relay For Life is tonight!!

My interview for the RA position took place on Tuesday. I felt like it went pretty well, but sometimes it's just hard to think of answers to some of the more difficult questions, especially when you are put on the spot like that. In general, I felt like I did the best I could and I just acted like myself so I am happy with that. February 22nd is the magic day when we will find out if we were hired as an RA for next year or not. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed!

Also, I turned in my application to be in the Radiation Therapy program here at UW-L over winter break and I am supposed to be hearing soon to find out whether or not I get to have an interview for that, which would probably take place sometime in late February. I'll keep you posted on the results of this as well!

Tonight is the Relay For Life event which is being held at the REC center on the UW-L campus. It is from 6pm to 6am and serves as an event to celebrate those who have won their battle with cancer, remember those who are currently battling cancer or have lost their battle, and fight back against these cancers that take so much. The event consists of people walking around the track all night long and there are also tons of activities to do when you take a break from walking in the relay.

Since the beginning of the school year, teams have been fundraising money to support the American Cancer Society which Relay For Life is associated with. I have been working hard since the start of the fall semester as part of the student planning committee for this huge event and it is a great feeling to finally see everyone's hard work coming together on this wonderful night! I was the Co-Chair of the Luminaria subcommittee for the event this year. Luminaria are bags that can be purchased in memory or in honor of someone you know that has battled/is battling cancer. They are a great way to honor your loved ones and all they have been through. During the Luminaria Ceremony, the lights are turned off and all the Luminaria bags are lit up. Let me tell you, it is a very emotional time with a powerful slideshow and inspirational music, poetry, etc. It brings me to tears.

Tonight is going to be crazy and chaotic but tons of fun at the same time! I can't wait to be a part of this amazing experience once again!!

Welcome Back!

2008-02-01T13:15:00.000-06:00

Well, we've made it through the first week of the second semester! It was busier than I thought. Professors don't waste any time jumping right into the material, but college coursework in general is usually pretty fast-paced.

I have 17 credits this semester (just one credit shy of the maximum credit load for undergraduate students) so I'll be staying very busy. I am taking anatomy and physiology II, sociology, physics, an honors literature class, and I'm also doing my senior project for the honors program. I'm only a sophomore but I have to do it now because it doesn't fit into my schedule anywhere else. This is mainly because I am applying to the Radiation Therapy program this year and if I get in, my schedule will be pretty well laid out with very little wiggle room for the rest of my college career.

Last night, I had a mock interview to practice for my real interview to get into the Radiation Therapy program here at UW-L. It went pretty well and was helpful with becoming familiar with the process. The people who interviewed me were students who are already in the program and they asked me questions they were asked when they had their interview. I felt it was very beneficial to me. Now, I have suggestions for improvement and tips from them that I will be able to use in my interview.

Tonight, I am going to the gymnastics meet at 6pm. Afterwards, there is a program going on in Cartwright Center. There will be the option of making your own ice cream sundae at 7pm followed by the movie "Heavyweights" at 8pm. It should definitely be a fun-filled night!! :)

I'm "Finally" Done!

2007-12-18T20:38:00.000-06:00

Well, now I can officially say that "I'm 'finally' done" with final exams for this semester! I got up at 6am this morning because I wanted to have some extra time to study before my anatomy and physiology final exam at 7:45am. I am just glad that the exam was not cumulative. Instead, it just covered the last unit of material we learned in lecture which was muscle physiology. I felt like the test itself went alright. It would've gone better if I had just spent a little bit more time studying, but that can usually be said for most tests.

Then after I got done with the anatomy and physiology test, I came back to the dorm. I gathered my chemistry stuff together and went down to the basement to study. It is really nice that there is a separate study room with a door that closes in almost every residence hall. It makes it easier to concentrate when you are really trying to study. Anyway, I spent the next four hours or so straight studying chemistry. Then at 2:15pm, I took a break and went to the sub shop to get something to eat for a late lunch. After that, I came back and studied chemistry some more up until the final at 4:45pm. I ended up taking the entire 2 hour alloted time limit to finish the test. I felt alright about the test in general. I don't think any more studying would have helped me in this case. It just comes down to knowing what to do with each individual problem. I knew all of the processes and everything else pretty well, it's just a matter of knowing what to do when and connecting different things which can be very frustrating. I guess that's kind of how life is. You have all the tools you need to succeed, but it's up to you to take advantage and use the correct tools in the correct combinations at the correct time. It's amazing what college is teaching me...

Happy Holidays everyone! :)

No More Classes!

2007-12-12T16:27:00.000-06:00

Today was the official last day of classes for students here at UW-L! It feels like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just have to get through final exams first...

I had a chemistry test this morning on the last unit of material we covered in class. I stayed up really late studying because yesterday I had to spend quite a bit of time working on my online application to be a Resident Assistant for next year. I finished it and submitted it, so that was a really good feeling in itself. (So now I just need to keep my fingers crossed and wait until the interviews in February.) It wasn't until later in the night that I was able to start studying for my chem test. The time that I did spend studying was very productive though which was definitely a good thing. Then I also got up early this morning to study a little bit before my test at 9:55. I think my studying paid off because I feel like the test went really well. It was such a good feeling!!

Now I have to concentrate on studying for finals. I have my economics final this Friday. Then on Tuesday, I have my anatomy and physiology final at 7:45AM and then my chemistry final at 4:45PM the same day. Let's just say I will feel a total sense of relief when Tuesday is over! Until then, I will be burying my head in the books!

1 Week Left!

2007-12-05T12:39:00.000-06:00

Time is winding down in the semester and there is only 1 full week of classes left! Then the final exam week starts. Next Wednesday is the official last day of classes here at UW-L. Then Thursday, December 13th is the "study day." This is a day between the end of classes and the beginning of final exams where all the students in the entire university have the whole day to study (if they so choose). There are no classes or final exams on this day for anyone. The study day is something that I personally really appreciate. It is nice to have that little bit of extra time to prepare for finals after classes have ended. One reason this is especially helpful is because a lot of classes have exams on the last day of classes and then there is also a final for the class during finals week. An example of this for me is my chemistry class. We have a unit exam on Wednesday (the last day of classes) and then we also have a cumulative final exam the following Tuesday during finals week.

With the semester drawing to a close, things can get pretty hectic! There are usually lots of exams, projects, papers, etc. that everyone is trying to finish up before the end of the semester. My schedule isn't too bad compared to those of some other people. I don't have anything big for the rest of this week. However, Monday is going to be a stressful day for me. I have a homework packet in chemistry due, an anatomy and physiology lab practical, a computer science test, and also a short paper due in anatomy and physiology all topped off with a meeting for the planning committee for Relay For Life! It will definitely be a good feeling when Monday is over!

SNOW

2007-11-30T12:28:00.000-06:00

Last night was the first snowfall at UW-L this year!! It started at about 9pm or so yesterday and lasted through the night. When I woke up this morning, the ground was covered with a sparkling blanket of snow glistening in the sunlight! The nice part of living on campus is that the sidewalks get plowed and shoveled very frequently so you can always get where you need to go without having to trudge through too much snow. This first snowfall puts me in more of a holiday mood and now I am getting more excited for Christmas and winter break at the end of the semester!

According to the weather forecast, we are supposed to get a big storm tomorrow with more snow if the temperature stays cold enough, otherwise it will turn into freezing rain. Tomorrow I have a packed schedule for most of the day. I am performing in a concert for the UW-L Gospel Choir called Voices in Praise that I am a member of so I'm really excited for that. We have a rehearsal from 10am to noon tomorrow and then we have to be back by 3pm because the concert starts at 4pm. In between the rehearsal and the concert, I will be attending a Leadership Conference in the basement of my residence hall from noon to 2:30pm. I guess you could say my day is pretty jammed pack, but it will be a lot of FUN!!! I only have one class left for the day and then my weekend begins! I hope wherever you are that you can enjoy the snow if you have some! :)

Staff Preview Night

2007-11-28T15:08:00.000-06:00

Last night, I went to an event called Staff Preview Night. It was basically an informational meeting about the student staff positions of Resident Assistant and Desk Coordinator. The event consisted of hall directors and assistant hall directors as well as current Resident Assistants and Desk Coordinators from all of the residence halls on campus talking about the RA and DC positions. In addition, they also discussed the eligibility requirements and responsibilities of each position. Overall, I felt the event was very informative and helpful because I am applying to be a Resident Assistant for next year! I am really excited and I hope I get to be an RA!!

In order to apply for either the Resident Assistant or Desk Coordinator position, you need to fill out an application online and also have two letters of recommendation written for you. These are usually written by people who currently hold the position you are applying for (or have in the past) or someone who is very familiar with the position and the responsibilities that come with it. Obviously the people writing the letters of recommendation for you also have to be knowledgeable of your talents and ability to meet the requirements of the student staff position. I am having both my RA from last year and my RA from this year each write me a letter of recommendation. I have also started filling out the remainder of the online application. Then later there will be interviews in February. I am just really excited for the position and I really hope that I get it! I know it would be a wonderful experience and I would absolutely love it! :)

"Awareness Through Performance"

2007-11-13T11:54:00.000-06:00

Last night I went to a campus program called "Awareness Through Performance" in Graff Main Hall at 7pm. It was the same presentation that the group of performers did at the beginning of the semester during Welcome Week, but nevertheless it was still an amazing performance with a great message.

"Awareness Through Performance" is a group of students that get together and plan a presentation involving skits and videos that represent real-life situations. (If you are interested in this group, the office for it is in 227 Graff Main Hall.) The whole goal of the performers in their presentation is to promote awareness about the differences between cultures and how wrong it is that they can sometimes be used as reasons to target people with hate crimes and abuse. The group portrays some of the stereotypes and assumptions people sometimes make about people of a different culture other than their own without actually knowing who they are as a human being first. Sometimes people can be viewed and/or labeled because of one thing that sets them apart from others. When in reality, the thing that they are targeted for is just one part of who they are as a person. One example being that someone's race does not define who he/she is as a person. Sadly, people sometimes let one thing about someone else be a negative label for that person when it shouldn't be that way. The goal of this group is to break down these barriers and create an environment where people are viewed for who they are as an entire person and not just one thing about them that makes them different from others.

Even though I saw this performance at the beginning of the semester, I decided to go again and watch it this time too. I am SO GLAD I did!! It is a reminder of the hateful things that sometimes go on and it really makes you more aware of the prejudices that some people have and how wrong they are. I have a great amount of respect for the group of students that create the "Awareness Through Performance" presentations. They are truly making a difference and I think they should be acknowledged as great leaders for all they are doing.

Chem Lab

2007-11-08T18:31:00.000-06:00

Ok, so today I had my usual 3 hour chemistry lab because it's Thursday. The experiment we were doing related directly to the material that we had been covering in lecture. It really wasn't that hard of an experiment, but for some reason, it took us quite a bit of time and we had some difficulties. My lab partner was confused about what we were supposed to be doing and then what she was saying started confusing me. AH! It was so frustrating!! Finally, we went to the professor because we were so confused about the calculations we were supposed to be doing and the numbers we were supposed to be using in those calculations. He was so so so helpful!! He explained what we needed to be doing and which numbers to use in the calculations and then helped us again when things took another wrong turn. Also, on a side note, I should mention that this was very close to the end of the class period and by the time we finished calculating everything correctly with the help of our professor, it was 15 minutes past the end of class. This was so very kind of the professor to do. He helped us even though class had ended and did it with tons of patience while explaining things a second time when we didn't understand them right away. He is such a great guy! This really made me appreciate the great professors here at UW-L that are willing to take that extra step and go that extra mile to help their students out because they really care about them. The students are more than just names on a class list to the professors. They treat you with respect like real people and have a genuine interest in your success. This is another reason that UW-L is such a great school!! :)

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T15:49:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween everyone! Today I wore a costume to my chemistry class this morning. We had an exam and the teacher offered each student up to 5 points extra credit for taking the exam in costume. Everybody can use extra credit, so I dressed up! Hopefully I'll get some extra credit to boost my grade in that class.

This week was and still is very crazy and stressful for me, but that's because it's midterms and lots of other people are going through the exact same thing. I had a lab practical (like an exam in the laboratory except it's more of identification of anatomical parts on models, specimens, cadavers, etc.) for anatomy and physiology on Monday that went pretty well for me. Then I had a paper due in economics on Tuesday at 7:45AM. I also had the chemistry test today in addition to an economics assignment due tomorrow. Let me state the obvious: Lots of stuff to do also equals little sleep. Needless to say, I am looking forward to the weekend!

This weekend I am going to be inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society chapter here on the UW-L campus. My family is coming for the Induction ceremony so I am excited for that. Chancellor Joe Gow is going to be the keynote speaker at the Ceremony and he is also being inducted as one of four honorary members of Golden Key this year. I feel very honored to have achieved this distinguished accomplishment.

Get Involved!

2007-10-23T13:10:00.000-05:00

There are so many organizations and clubs to become involved in on campus as well as in the greater La Crosse area. No matter what your major is, there is a club for you that relates to your major; not to mention, it's also good to get involved outside your field of study.

In the community, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Coulee Region is a great way to get involved and make a difference in a child's life (and of course your own life too). The Salvation Army is always looking for volunteers to help out with various things. I plan on being a bell ringer for the holiday season this year and I am excited for it! The Recreational Eagle Center on campus also has several intramural sports and clubs to join including almost everything from basketball to rock climbing to badminton and kayaking. For your spiritual side, there are organizations for numerous religions on and off campus. As you can see, there is definitely a plethra of involvement opportunities in and around the UW-L community!

I am in the Radiation Therapy Club here on campus because that's what I'm majoring in. I am also on the planning committee for Relay For Life. We actually hold the event on our campus in the Recreational Eagle Center and it is a really amazing experience to be a part of. These are just a couple of things that I am involved with. I've found that the more you get involved, the more it adds to your overall experience in college (and enjoyment in life in general) and let's just say, I am loving every minute of it!!

"Celebrate UW-L!"

2007-10-16T11:14:00.000-05:00

This weekend is "Celebrate UW-La Crosse: Family, Friends, & Alumni Weekend!" There are tons of activities and events happening throughout the weekend. The entire week leading up to this weekend there is a medallion hunt going on. Clues are given each day to help find the medallion. It is hidden somewhere on the UW-L campus and whoever finds it recieves a $200 gift certificate to Valley View Mall in Onalaska!

There are also several music performances this weekend including concert choir, orchestra and wind ensemble among others. Various athletic events are also going on this weekend including the Homecoming Football Game against UW-Oshkosh. I have some friends in the marching band and they will be performing at the football game like they usually do so I am excited to see them!

Chancellor Joe Gow is participating in a 5K and 10K "Run with Chancellor" on Friday morning. I think it's really cool how Chancellor Gow gets so involved with campus and the student population. Joe Gow is the 10th Chancellor of UW-L and he will actually be inaugurated this weekend. I will be attending this special event on Friday. :)

UW-L also has a planetarium in Cowley Hall that will be holding presentations throughout this weekend. All in all, I will be extremely busy this weekend, but I am very excited about celebrating how great UW-L really is!!!

"Prep for Success"

2007-10-09T20:46:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I went to a program called "Prep for Success" that was sponsored by Career Services and Delta Sigma Pi (a business fraternity on campus). This program was very very very beneficial to me and everyone else that attended! There were actual employers that came and addressed questions and issues regarding several relevant topics to future careers.

The first topic discussed was interviews---phone interviews vs. face-to-face interviews---and how to prepare for each. The next topic related to conducting yourself at social gatherings outside the workplace once you actually get the job. Then they explained how important it is to network with other people---build and maintain meaningful relationships----before and after you get the job. Another topic of the night was business etiquette and what is and is not appropriate/acceptable. The employers also talked about what they look for in a resume and guidelines to follow when creating your resume.

This program and the information I gained from it is SO incredibly valuable to me! This is the kind of information I always wanted to know. There is a program like this held every year in the fall. I am REALLY glad that I went to this program and I can assure you that I will be attending again next year so I can "prep" myself "for success!" :)

Here Comes the SUN!

2007-10-04T21:36:00.001-05:00

Finally the sun has made an appearance in what has been a very gloomy and rainy week. The weather today was absolutely gorgeous!! It was sunny and the temperature rose above the 80 degree mark. It felt a little like summer. :)

The majority of the hard part of my week is over. I had a lab practical for anatomy and physiology on Monday night that went pretty well. I also had an economics test this morning at 7:45 and I have to say that it didn't go too bad. I really didn't get a chance to study as much as I would have liked to for the test, but all things considered, I was pleased with how it went. I have so many meetings and other events and things to go to during the week that I don't always get time to study all that I would like to. I have found that a good way to work with this is by attending class everyday. A lot of times professors mention things in class that are not in the textbook and they usually put these things on the test. This is why I would recommend going to your classes all the time. It really helps with understanding the material and better prepares you for the test. I honestly think that going to economics class all the time is what saved me some time studying because I was learning quite a bit during the actual class period.

The weekend is almost here and I am excited! A little break from school including some rest and relaxation will be nice!! :)

Whew!

2007-09-27T21:52:00.000-05:00

Whew! I finally made it through most of this week! It was so busy and stressful!! I'll tell you a FEW of the things I had to do this week...I had a test in anatomy and physiology on Monday and a paper also due for the same class on Monday. Then I had a paper due for Economics on Tuesday and a Chemistry test on Wednesday. Yeah, what a load! Let me tell you, I am glad to have all that done and over, but now I have to study more just to keep up with things for the next round of tests. That's just the way college is. I also have a lab practical on this coming Monday. I have to take all these classes before I can apply to the Radiation Therapy program, which I plan on doing this January! I am really nervous and excited at the same time...I am really passionate about radiation therapy as a career, but I am also nervous because the program is very competitive. Only about 20-25 students are accepted each year!

As for this weekend, there is an event called RECtoberfest going on tomorrow night at the Recreational Eagle Center (REC) on campus. This is an alcohol alternative event to Oktoberfest, which is going on in La Crosse starting this weekend. There are going to be tons of fun activities to do and there are all alcohol-free. They are also going to be giving prizes away! It's going to be so much fun!!! :)

Homework Galore

2007-09-19T14:29:00.000-05:00

Homework has really been piling up lately. I have so much to do and it seems as though there aren't enough hours in a day to do everything that needs to be done. Ah, the mystery of effective time management. Time management is really the trick to accomplishing things in college and life in general. You have to set priorities and do the most important things first. Taking one thing at a time seems to help make things go a little easier...

I am done with class for the day. Now, I am going to go back to my dorm room and do chemistry homework until dinner. Then I will take a break from studying and socialize with my friends as we eat together. This works as motivation for me to get my homework done; I just remind myself that I need to get my homework done before I can go and have fun with my friends. This seems to help with keeping me focused. After supper, I will probably work on anatomy and physiology. I have so much extra homework taking two science classes (and labs) at the same time this semester. Oh well, it will be worth it so when I apply to the Radiation Therapy program at UW-L this coming January, hopefully I will get in! That is one of my main goals I am working on at the moment.

Wait, I can't get too caught up in the big picture....I have homework to do right now! Alright, I should probably head back to my dorm room and get started on that chemistry...

It's the Weekend!!!

2007-09-14T12:24:00.000-05:00

YAY! The weekend is finally here! This week seemed to drag out and take forever. I had a lot of homework this week and still have a lot to do this weekend. Ugh. I've realized that I have more homework this year than I did last year which is probably due to the fact that I have harder classes, but I guess that's just how it goes. No one ever said college was going to be easy.

This afternoon I plan on going to the women's volleyball game. There is a new thing that was started this year called "Maroon Platoon." This involves UW-L students getting a maroon t-shirt (La Crosse's school color) that says "Maroon Platoon" and then wearing that shirt to all the sporting events they go to throughout the year. I think this is a great idea and a good way to show school spirit while supporting our talented athletes! I am excited to become a part of the "Maroon Platoon!"

A group of my friends and I are also having a movie night tonight! We've decided to stay in tonight after a long week of studying. So we are just going to hang out and watch movies in one of our friend's dorm rooms. It will be a nice way to relax and celebrate the end of a long hard week!!

Welcome Back!!!

2007-09-04T19:13:00.000-05:00

Ahh, the new school year has begun! Today was the first day of classes. I only had two---Economics at 7:45AM and Computer Science at 3:20PM. I had quite a big break between them! I plan to use that time to do laundry and other things when I get busier. It will be good because the laundry room gets really busy on the weekends, so I'm hoping it won't be as busy on Tuesdays.

I have quite a few books for all my classes. UW-L has a textbook rental where students can rent the textbooks they need for their classes. Some materials need to be purchased such as lab manuals. I have to buy two lab manuals this semester---one for anatomy and physiology and one for chemistry.

There have been so many activities going on this past weekend as well as this week! A few of the events that I have gone to so far are a carnival on campus, all-night movies under the stars, and a tour of my residence hall. Every residence hall has activities planned specifically for the students in that hall and there are also activities for the whole campus! For example in the residence hall where I live, we are having a Sundae hunt tonight! We get ice cream in the lobby and have to make our way around the hall to find the toppings that we want. I'm gettin hungry just thinking about it!

There is a student committee that plans these activities as part of Welcome Week each year. All the activities are a lot of fun! I know I really enjoyed it last year as a freshman because going to several different activities at the beginning of the year allowed me to meet a lot of new people and make great friends! When you get involved and meet new people, it really makes La Crosse and UW-L feel almost like a second home. That's why I love it here so much!

I'm Done!!!

2007-05-11T22:49:00.000-05:00

I am officially done with my freshman year of college!!! What a great feeling! I took my last final today, and it was a Spanish one. It went alright. After that, I came back and finished cleaning my room and packing things up. I can't believe how much stuff I made fit into my dorm room---it's unbelievable! Most of the people from the cube where I live in Coate Hall have already gone home for the summer, but there are a few of us who are still left and we are hanging out tonight. Tomorrow I am going home for the summer! It was a little sad saying goodbye to all the wonderful people I have met this year. Then again, most of us will all be back together again in three months. The hard part is that some of my friends are transfering schools and will not be back for the fall semester. We have already planned to meet up later on. That's something to look forward to. But for now, I will just concentrate on enjoying my summer! Until the fall...

~Sabrina

One down, One to go

2007-05-09T20:52:00.000-05:00

I took my math final this afternoon and it went extremely well!! I was soo happy! I spent A LOT of time studying for it considering I had the weekend, Monday, Tuesday, and most of today to prepare for it. All my hard work definitely paid off!! I felt like I confidently knew how to answer every single problem on the test, which was such a great feeling considering I had struggled in the class for a good part of the semester. I can't even put into words how good it feels!!!!!!!!! :)
Now, I am going to take the night off tonight and relax---maybe watch a movie or something. I need a break from studying. I do have a Spanish final that I have to take on Friday afternoon. I think I will pack up most of my stuff and clean the room tomorrow and squeeze some studying in too. Also, I think I might hike the bluffs tomorrow evening since it is so beautiful out now. I will have to study for Spanish tomorrow and probably again on Friday before the test. I am not as worried about the Spanish final as I was about the precalculus final, mostly because I have been doing pretty well in Spanish class all semester. I must say that it is definitely a good feeling to have my hardest final done!! (I do have to mention that it is not typical to have only 2 finals, most people have 3 or 4 depending on their course schedule.)

Winding Down...

2007-05-06T15:47:00.000-05:00

The year is winding down, but there is still a lot to do. Classes officially ended for the spring semester on Friday. Friday was also loft return day. We had to take down our bed lofts and return them. It was a job in itself carrying the pieces down the stairs and half-way across campus. Oddly enough, it was kind of funny because all of our friends were doing it together.
On Saturday, I worked on a paper for my honors class called Gender, Power, and Privilege. The class was really interesting and it opened my eyes to a lot of things that I had not considered before. It was a very good experience overall and it really made me think about things. After finishing my paper, I went to a concert for the UW-L Gospel Choir in Valhalla in Cartwright Center. It was sooo GOOD!!! One of my friends who is graduating is in the choir and I went to watch her. Then, I came back to Coate Hall for Coate Bash. It was like an end of the year celebration before everyone gets too overwhelmed with finals. There was live music, inflatable games, sand volleyball (each hall has a sand volleyball court for students to use!), a grill out, raffles, and prizes. It was a really FUN time!!
Today, I am going to enjoy which is probably going to be my last day of semi-relaxation before I start getting consumed in studying for finals. Only a week left and then I will be going home!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2007-04-27T11:18:00.000-05:00

I have so much to do before the end of the semester. AHH!! This morning I went to speech class and ate breakfast at Whitney afterwards. Then I gathered some of the stuff in my room together and put it into a box. My mom came down this morning and I sent the box of stuff I don't need anymore home with her---that way, when it comes time to move out, I won't have as much stuff.
Next, I am going to go to the language listening lab in Graff Main Hall. I have to do some listening activities on the computer for my Spanish class. It is a pretty interesting program that I use and it really helps me learn Spanish. The same program is available in different languages including French and German.
Then after that, I am going to work on writing my speech that I have to give on Monday. That way, I can practice it a lot over the weekend. My professor is very helpful because she said that I could email her my outline and she would look over it giving me suggestions about things I should change. I really appreciate when professors take the extra time to help students because they actually care about their success.
Tonight, I am going to the bonfire at Coate Hall. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun! There is going to be food, music, games, and smores of course!
Well, I better get going so I get everything done before the bonfire!!

~Sabrina

What a Weekend!!

2007-04-22T22:22:00.000-05:00

This weekend was so busy and totally AWESOME!! I did so many fun things.
To start off, Friday night there was supposed to be a bonfire by Coate Hall, but unfortunately, that got postponed until next weekend. So my friends and I decided that we would make cupcakes and puppy chow in the kitchen in the basement (every residence hall has at least one kitchen). We ended up having a great time despite the bonfire being postponed. It was soo much fun! It is amazing how much fun you can have just doing something as simple as cooking with your friends. Then we rented a DVD from the front desk and watched a movie while we enjoyed our treats! : )

On Saturday, I got up and ate breakfast at Whitney. Then the girls from our cube went to the Ropes Course that UW-L has down by Myrick Park. It was sooo cool! There were a few different activities that we could do. My personal favorite was the giant swing. It involves you getting hooked up to a cable and hoisted into the air. Once, you are hoisted all the way up, you have to pull a certain string, and when you do it, you just go flying down the cable and scream your head off---it was such a rush!
Then, later that night, we went to the Sanford Block Party (Sanford is another residence hall). They had live music by five different bands, which were pretty good I might add. There was also a variety of games and free food. It was a pretty good time.
After the Sanford Block Party, we went to the Concordia Ballroom which is just a few blocks from Coate Hall on La Crosse Street. One of my friends was co-hosting a salsa fiesta there. It involved salsa dancing as well as other dances including the tango. It was a lot of fun considering I like ballroom dancing and hanging out with my friends at the same time.

Today, I went to Myrick Park again for a picnic that the Roncalli Catholic Newman Center was hosting. There was free food as well as fun activities to do. Then I came back and did math homework for 3 hours! Afterwards, I relaxed for a while until two of my friends from Platteville got here. They had went home for the weekend and were stopping by on their way back. We went out to dinner at Fayze's downtown. It was really nice just to be able to chat and enjoy the good times with friends over dinner. But needless to say, I didn't get much homework done this weekend. I guess I will just have to make up for it by working extra hard tomorrow.

~Sabrina

CLASSES!!! AHHH!!

2007-04-18T16:58:00.000-05:00

I just finished registering for classes online. It was very stressful!! I was trying to plan out my schedule and take the classes that I need to have completed before I can apply to the Radiation Therapy program. You see the way it works is that there is an order that students have to follow when they register for classes. Basically, the people with the most credits get to register first and so on. Currently, I have 40 credits so I got to register at 3:40pm today. I took 15 credits last semester and 16 credits this semester. I also had 9 credits that transfered from AP tests and other college courses I had taken in high school. It really helps to have credits coming in before you even start your freshman year because then you are farther ahead in the line to register for classes. This is pretty important since general education courses fill up fast, especially those taught by popular professors. I am satisfied with the schedule I have for next fall, even though I didn't get everything that I had planned on. I'll just have to keep checking the classes online to see if anyone drops the courses I want and then there will be an opening. Hopefully everything will work out...it just takes time and patience (like a lot of other things)!

~Sabrina

What!?!?....SNOW!?!?

2007-04-12T15:21:00.000-05:00

Being April, you would think that you would be getting the expected "April showers," referring to rain showers, but in Wisconsin, we still get snow showers! Yesterday and last night, it was snowing here in La Crosse and the campus looked like it did in January....well, I guess there wasn't 3 feet of snow, but the point is that it shouldn't be snowing at all in April! What happened to that summer-like weather we had a couple weeks ago?

Anyway, my week has gone pretty well so far. I haven't had as many things due compared to last week. Right now, I just have ongoing things I need to finish before the end of the semester. I am hoping to be able to do a little bit each night to spread out the amount of work that I have to do at one time. The past couple of days I have been having difficulty in my math class, precalculus. So I decided to go to the math tutoring center. (There is a math and chemistry tutoring center located in the Whitney center on campus where students can go to get help with math and chemistry, and the best part is that it is FREE!) The tutors were very helpful and explained the material to me in a way that was different than the teacher had in class. I understand the material a lot better now and found the tutoring center to be very beneficial seeing as I did very well on the quiz we had yesterday. :)

Tonight, I have to go to a presentation for the Radiation Therapy Club at 5:30pm. Then hopefully I'll be able to grab a quick supper before Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU for short) at 7pm. These are just two of the many organizations and clubs that students can get involved in on campus. I really enjoy both of them!

Tomorrow, I have my speech class and then I also have Spanish. I usually don't have Spanish on Friday, but we have to make up a class in order to cover all the necessary material before the end of the semester. Oh well, being done with class in the early afternoon on Friday is still nice! Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up on some sleep this weekend...

~Sabrina

Hi Everybody!! : )

2007-04-05T16:36:00.000-05:00

Hi everbody!! This week was extremely busy for me! I finally got the time to sit down and post on here to get things started. Let's just say this week consisted of way too much to do.

On Monday, I had to give my speech in speech class. On Tuesday, I had a test in dance appreciation, an Honors program meeting to attend that night, and our Bible study too. Not to mention, I had to find time in between classes and everything else to go online and sign up for campus housing next year. It was very hectic and stressful, but fortunately everything worked out, and my friends and I are signed up to live in Wentz Hall next year. I am happy about that because it is sort of centrally located on campus. It's not too far from the academic buildings, the REC center (the gym and workout place on campus), the library, or Whitney Center (where we eat most of the time). I am looking forward to having even more fun next year when all of my friends and I are living in rooms right next to each other! :)

Today was the peak of my week with too many things to do. I had a math test today along with a paper due in dance appreciation and another paper due in my honors class. Needless to say, I feel very relieved now that I am done with classes for the day. I also signed up for a couple summer courses today online. One of the courses is actually done online and I don't even have to come to the UW-L campus. I thought this would be a good way to get some of my general education credits out of the way and concentrate on the harder classes in the fall semester. I have to start deciding on my classes because I register for the fall semester in a couple of weeks. Yikes!

The good thing is that I only have one class tomorrow and then I am heading home for Easter. I am really excited to have a relaxing weekend after this stressful week! Happy Easter!! : )

~Sabrina

My Experience at UW-L

We've reached the end...

COATE BASH!

Augustana Concert!

National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)

CUBE WARS!!!

St. Baldrick's!

Inner Beauty Pageant and 24 hour Video Games

Spring Break!!!

Vietnamese Night

Fun-filled Weekend

Spring Leadership Conference

First Round of Tests

Relay For Life!!!

Welcome Back!

Rotary Lights

RHAC Winter Formal

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Movie Night!

Wagner Wedding Weekend

*First SNOW*

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

COATE HAUNTED HOUSE

Family, Friends, & Alumni Weekend

Bucks Game in La Crosse!!!

FALL RETREAT

First Round of Exams

Fruit Flies...

Welcome to Another Year!!

FINALLY DONE!!!

LAST Day of Classes!!!!!

Colbie Caillat!!

It's the Weekend!!

U-LEAD

Refugee Awareness Program

"Fine Dine"

Welcome Back

SPRING BREAK!!!

Another Great Reason to Love UW-L!

Being Productive Feels Good!

Woohoo!!!

Politics Galore!

RA Interview and Relay For Life

Welcome Back!

I'm "Finally" Done!

No More Classes!

1 Week Left!

**SNOW**

Staff Preview Night

"Awareness Through Performance"

Chem Lab

Happy Halloween!

Get Involved!

"Celebrate UW-L!"

"Prep for Success"

Here Comes the SUN!

Whew!

Homework Galore

It's the Weekend!!!

Welcome Back!!!

I'm Done!!!

One down, One to go

Winding Down...

Busy, Busy, Busy

What a Weekend!!

CLASSES!!! AHHH!!

What!?!?....SNOW!?!?

Hi Everybody!! : )

First SNOW

SNOW