"Awareness Through Performance"

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

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!

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!

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!"

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"

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!

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!! :)