Emily | Student Blogs

About Emily

Hometown/state: Decatur, IL Major: Spanish, minor in Latino and Latin American Studies Fun Fact (about you): I have no fears....except for time passing too quickly.

Up Til Dawn

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Emily

I really am not going to say much about this. But what I will tell is that Up Til Dawn is a campus wide fundraiser that raises money for St. Jude’s. They raise money through a letter writing campaign that takes place during a night filled with fun, food, and music. I highly encourage everyone to attend. Jessica Stout, the leader of the group, is absolutely amazing. She and her team always put on a fantastic event. In case you need some encouraging, go ahead and take a look at this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TNysyYazh8

It takes place on November 19, 2011 at the Rec Center from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. There is a registration form, so be sure to fill that out.

Flu Shots

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Emily

If you are like me, your mom nags you about getting the flu shot. She doesn’t want you sick and missing class. I always used to tell my mom that I would be fine and didn’t need one. And I always have been. Until this year. I have been sick twice since August. The kids I work with are always sick and I always get it from them. So, I decided that I should get one.

So I asked my mom about the flu shots at Walgreens. Did you know it would cost $31.99 to walk in and get one there? Now I think that is a little ridiculous! But when I got the email from the Health Center about their walk in flu clinics, I decided I would go. I went this morning, filled out a paper with 4 questions, wrote a check for $20 (but you can put it on your Bursar bill), and got the shot. And that was that.

I recommend you all get one. As finals get closer, your stress level rises, making you more susceptible to getting sick. You just never know if you are going to get sick, and once you do, you will wish you got a flu shot.

Reality Check

Posted on August 28, 2011 by Emily

I’m a senior, and I’m proud of that. Being a senior, I kind of feel like I’m on top of the world, and that things will be easy for me during my last semester. However, on Friday, I received a huge reality check during one of my classes.

Being a Spanish major and having already passed the departmental exams that are required to be able to be awarded my degree in Spanish, I felt like I was home free and kind of like I knew everything. So, this semester I am taking a Business Spanish class, Spanish 335. I thought it would be no problem for me. It was just going to be one of those classes where hopefully I got a little out of it but could still sail through it.

However, on class on Friday, we really started in on the material. I had read a little of what we were supposed to, and by that I mean a paragraph. Once I got to class, however, my professor started to ask us what certain terms meant in Spanish, and we were expected to give our own definitions in Spanish. But here is where I ran into a problem. I didn’t even know what the words meant in English. I have never taken an economics or business class. I realized that I would not be able to do well in this class if I didn’t actually prepare and work hard over the material.

I’m not going to lie; it was really frustrating. But as I was thinking about it, I am never going to know every single thing about Spanish. I am never going to know every word. We never stop learning. It’s foolish to assume that we are going to know every single thing a teacher is going to talk about when we sign up for a class. It’s foolish to assume that a class will be a blow off class.

Keep an open mind and don’t let your ego get in way of learning.

Your Resident Assistants

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Emily

So whether this is your first year living on campus or not, let’s talk about your RAs.

Being an RA once, I know all the ins and outs of it. So let me give you a few short tips and advice.

1. Listen to your RA. If you show your RA that you will cooperate, the year will be smooth sailing.

2. Use your RA as a huge source of information. They know so much about campus and about the community. If they don’t know the answer, they will certainly find it for you.

3. Don’t view your RA as a tyrannical beast. Whether you understand or not, they honestly do have your best interests in mind. They are there to keep the peace, be a mentor, and help you adjust to campus life. If you find yourself in trouble for something that you did in the residence hall, just remember that just because you are away from home, doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. You are one step closer to be in the real world, and that is how the RA is going to treat you. You are now responsible for your actions.

4. Attend your RA’s programs. They put a lot of work into them. And if you would just attend, you may learn something or have fun.

5. Finally, the RAs are NOT your parents. They won’t hold your hand, give you money, or bail you out when you find yourself in a lot of hot water. But they will give you the guidance and advice you will need to get yourself out of the situations or to help you along. They will show you the way, but won’t do it for you.

Finally, just remember that RAs are students as well. They have homework, projects, RSO obligations, on top of being your RA. They may not always be around, so talk to another RA if it is an emergency. Otherwise, leave a note under the door, and your RA will ALWAYS get back with you. They won’t forget.

Saluki Start Up 2011

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Emily

Hey everyone!

It’s been a while since I have been able to post. I have been moving into my new apartment and do not have internet yet.

Anyway, I just got back from a meeting for the Saluki Start Up. When I first entered SIUC, we had a program for incoming students called SOAR. This is the new version. Through Saluki Start Up, all of you new students will have a chance to become acclimated to the University and everything it has to offer. It is a really fun time for everyone involved.

Saluki Start Up goes hand-in-hand with another University event called Week of Welcome. I have attached a link at the end of this for the Saluki Start Up webpage.

During the Inside Scoop, which is a Saluki Start Up event that takes place on Saturday, August 20 from 1:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m., I will be participating in a Leadership and Involvement Panel. The goal of this panel is to introduce new students to various RSOs and organizations to participate in. The panel is comprised of upper classmen that are highly involved in the University. So come out and here what we have to say!

My most favorite event during the Saluki Start Up/Week of Welcome is the WelcomeFest. This is on Thursday, August 18th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Rec Center. If you are a new student moving into a Residence Hall, as you can move in either Wednesday the 17th or Thursday the 18th, your RA will more than likely take you to this event. And I highly encourage you to go. The WelcomeFest is a big fest (as the name suggests) in which a lot of RSOs and local businesses come to get their name out there to the new students. Each table gives away so many free things that it isn’t even funny. I like free stuff.

So, please please please go to these events. So many people have worked so hard to get them organized and off the ground. And they are honestly so much fun, and I am not just saying that because I am involved with them. I am saying that because I had so much fun when I participated in them as a Freshman.

The link as promised: http://salukistartup.siuc.edu/

University Honors Program

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Emily

I think that this is one of the greatest hidden gems of the University. The University Honors Program attracts new and current SIUC students to participate and involve themselves with a program that allows them take more challenging classes with other students who are on the same level. I think it’s both a blessing and a curse that it is sort of like that hidden gem. It’s good because only the highly motivated students will seek it out and find out that it exists. But also, it’s a curse because not everyone that could benefit from the program and be a benefit to the program will know it is there. The advisers for the college don’t really introduce new and current students to the program.

So, according the University Honors Program website, “The University Honors Program (UHP) is a university-wide undergraduate program intended to reward SIUC’s best students for their high academic achievements”. And I honestly believe that they achieve this goal. To be admitted into the University Honors Program, you first have to apply to the program. This application is separate from the one you fill out to be admitted into SIUC. However, if you were awarded a scholarship from SIUC, you will receive automatic acceptance into the Honors Program. So, the academic requirements for admittance for new students are to have a composite ACT score in the 90th percentile for your high school and/or a high school GPA of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale. For current SIUC students, admittance requirements are a completion of 12 hours with a 3.4 GPA or higher.

So, once you have applied and been accepted into the Honors Program, it’s time to decide and declare if you want to do an Honors Certificate or Honors Degree. For the Degree route, you have to complete 24 credit hours (8 classes) of UHP courses. 9 of these hours may be AP credit or Honors class credit from other institutions. Then, during your final year at SIUC, you will have to do a senior project or thesis under the direction of a faculty member. This project or thesis will then need to be approved by the direct of the Honors Program. However, for the Certificate route, you will only be required to complete 15 credit hours (5 classes) of UHP courses, and you will not have to do the senior project/thesis.

I went the Certificate route and loved it. I don’t regret not doing a degree because I know I won’t have time to do a senior project/thesis. But whatever route you take will be absolutely worth it and so fantastic.

So, as for the courses themselves, they are so fun and some of the greatest classes I have ever taken! I have taken English 12oH; A Clockwork Nightmare: Everyday Life in the Third Reich; Emperors, Assassins, and the Fool; Masked Avengers, Costumed Crimefighters and Superheroes, and UHON 111.

So, let me break these down. English 120H (which I highly recommend!) takes the place of English 101 and 102. This course is essentially both of those courses packed into one semester with higher requirements and expectations. We read more challenging books and write a lot more in depth. I had Professor Roy Bearden-White for this class. If you can, get in his class! He is an amazing professor! We read books like The Mismeasure of Man, The Communist Manifesto, The Palm-Wine Drinkard, and 20 Years at Hull House. I know there was one more book we read, but I can’t remember it. I remember that this was my very first class of the semester of my very first year at SIUC. At the beginning, I was so intimidated by him, but once I got over that, I learned so much. He really taught us how to write at a college level. And that’s a good thing because writing at the college level is so different from the high school level, and it is very hard to make that leap by yourself.

A Clockwork Nightmare: Everyday Life in the Third Reich is probably the most amazing class I have ever taken at SIUC. This is the most popular Honors Class and has been around a long time. This class is taught by Dr. Thom Thibeault. He talks about how the Nazis essentially infiltrated everyday life in Nazi Germany to gain followers. We also talked about propaganda, the concentration camps, and the Hitler Youth. All of his lectures were enhanced with media resources like movies. We also read some books, all of which I still own because they were so great. There are no tests in this class. All there is is one paper and that is the final. It is a research paper that was about 10-12 pages. At the end of the year, we have two presentation days where everyone in the class presents their paper and their findings. He even lets one of the presentation days be at his house and him and his wife feed us. It’s definitely awesome. But, right before finals, he plans a field trip. We went to Terra Haute, IN to the C.A.N.D.L.E.S museum. It is run by Eva Kor. The museum is dedicated to those to were oppressed by the Nazis. But more specifically, it is dedicated to those who were called the Mengele Twins. Eva had a twin sister in Nazi Germany, and they were Mengele Twins. Eva is such an amazing lady with such courage. I recommend this class so much.

I also took Emperors, Assassins, and the Fool. This is also a wildly popular Honors class. Dr. Rick Williams teaches this class. It was my second class with him, and he was a great professor each time. This class is about the ancient Roman emperors. Each week of class, we watch one episode of I, Claudius and then go through our assigned reading for that class period. I have always had troubling getting motivated to read sections of a book for a class, but I never had trouble doing that for this class. The books were always so interesting. This class only had three grades I believe. We did a short writing, a midterm, and a final. The midterm was essay based, and it was really easy. The final was probably the best one I ever took. He handed us a sheet a paper with 3 or 5 true/false questions. We were to answer the questions, then check our grade, which was posted on the door. If we were satisfied with our grades, we handed in our questions (which were so easy) and we could go. The writing was a creative writing, and it didn’t have to be long. I don’t really remember what I wrote about. But I do remember that we worked with him one-on-one to edit and enhance our writing. I do know that I loved what I wrote. Then what he did was bundle all of our pieces into a little book and we each got a copy. It was so great.

Then there was Masked Avengers, Costumed Crimefighters and Superheroes. I took this class the very first semester it was offered. Dr. Ed Brunner taught this class. This class was actually really fun. We read comic books and graphic novels for the entire semester. We also watched some movies that had been based off of those that we read. We talked about the role and representation of women in older comic books versus new comic books and graphic novels. We also talked about how the political climate of the era was represented in comic books, as well as social changes and expectations. It was just really cool to see how many hidden messages there were/are. This class only had 2 papers if I can remember correctly.

Finally, the most lucrative Honors class: UHON 111. This class is truly unique. First of all, you have to apply to be in the class. Only 10 students are selected, and usually about 250-400 students apply. I was lucky enough to be selected to be in the class. This class was aimed around major scholarships. These chose the top students who showed the most potential of applying and winning major scholarships like the Fulbright. Part of the application process was that we had to write an essay saying what we wanted to do with our education from SIUC. What were our dreams and goals for the future? I thought my essay was really, really good. This class was taught by Laurie Bell, who is no longer with SIUC and that makes me really sad, and Rick Williams, who taught Emperors, Assassins, and the Fool. This class met twice a week. Each week, one of the students in the class leads a discussion. The discussion is centered around a magazine such as Newsweek or the Economist. The facilitating student would pick out 3-4 articles to discuss. The rest of the class would have read each article and come prepared to talk about it. This was always really hard for me because I was shy and didn’t really jump in to share my opinion. That was out of my comfort zone. But going back to the essays, the very first day of class, Dr. Williams comes in and we each have a copy of everyone’s essay. He starts going through the essays one by one just absolutely destroying them and tearing them apart (grammatically and stylistically, of course). Mine was the last one he went through. He tore mine up worse then everyone else’s. I was so mortified and so upset. By the time class was out, I had to leave quickly because I was on the verge of tears. It may seem really harsh, but it actually really helped that he was so harsh. It really made everyone in the class stop and think about what they were writing and what kind of message they were projecting. There were another 2 sessions of essay carnage after that one, each one pretty rough, but not as bad as the first. For this class, there were no grades at all. It was like a pass/fail type of thing. Our “final” was us having a mock interview with several important campus faculty and community members. The interviews were taped. The interviewers were given our essays and then asked us really tough questions. We had to be absolutely prepared. That was probably the hardest interview I have ever done, and it was a mock interview! The next class period, we watched everyone’s interviews and Dr. Williams and Laurie gave us advice. It was really embarassing having to watch your own interview with everyone else seeing it too! But it was good because I saw some really stupid things I said. The class overall was really intimidating, but I learned so much! And I may not be going for major scholarships, but I am using the skills from that class to be a community leader. Not everything works out the way we originally think it will, but that’s ok. I know Laurie would be proud of me!

The Honors classes are very small classes. They focus on one-on-one learning, which is very hard to come by in a big university. The classes have a max number of 15 students. No more is allowed. The subjects are so diverse and so fun. They aren’t the regular classes. They are so much more in depth.

If you are thinking about the Honors Program, please please please contact me or go to their office, which is room 110 in Morris Library. The office is located right by the Library entrance doors located on the backside closest to Faner.

I cannot stress just how amazing the Honors Program is. It is such a great experience and such a great little gem of the University. The website is: http://honors.siuc.edu/.

Where do I fit in?

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Emily

So, whether you are a returning SIUC student or a new student in the Fall, you may be wondering where you are going to fit in at the University. It can seem like a daunting thought. I remember coming into the school thinking that I had no one and nothing. But that changed for me really quickly. And it only changed because I did something to change that.

I am part of SIUC’s AmeriCorps team. I think I will save describing what AmeriCorps a little later, but if you want to get a head start, here is the website: http://www.americorps.gov/.

When I first got here, I got involved with the Leadership Council. That was a great opportunity because we really got to network, meet a lot of University faculty, and learn a lot about the campus. I was also involved in the Honor’s Program. I also recommend getting into the program. It was so great!

But the one activity that I remember the most is being an English Conversation Partner. This is a University developed program. Through this program, a native English speaker is paired with an international student. About once a week, the pair meets up and just talks. It helps the international student work on their English skills without a lot of pressure and also gets them more acclimated to American customs. I absolutely loved this. Not because I could just sit and talk with someone and get hours for it. I loved it because it played into my passion for language and working with those international students who are trying to learn English. By participating in this program, I realized that finding my fit in the huge university is just to find and participate in activities that I am genuinely interested in.

Then my next year, I was an RA and on the board for the first year of Up Til Dawn, which has been wildly successful on our campus since 2009! Both of those were really challenging for me. Being an RA, which is a Resident Assistant, was a really good experience. It was my first job during college. By being an RA, I learned really how to be a leader. And that was really difficult for me. It is really hard to have to learn how to be a strong leader quickly when you have to develop all of that for your peers. I was in charge of a floor in a residence hall in Thompson Point. That means that I was in charge of my peers. I was their mentor, advice giver, and “wrangler”. I had to enforce the rules and document those that broke the rules. And learning how to be a leader in the face of your peers is really difficult. I really learned to be patient and how to talk to people.

And now I am part of SIUC’s AmeriCorps team. My service site is the Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale, where I am the leader for the K-1. My primary focus and goal is to work on and improve the literacy levels of the kids. This is my second year with the program, and I absolutely love it. I have had to sacrifice a lot to continue with AmeriCorps, but once you find something that you really love and is very important to you, it stops being a sacrifice. It becomes a compromise. It’s not giving things up; it’s about trading something old for something better.

I think I got a little off track. I guess I am trying to tell you to keep your options open. Don’t judge something until you have tried it. Because let me be the first to tell you, you may learn more by what you involve yourself with and experience than by sitting in some of your classes. Your involvement will come to define you and shape you as a person. It may even present a new life path that you never thought about before. Being involved and being a leader is powerful. Experience all that you can. You don’t know what is waiting for you.

A few textbook tips

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Emily

Hey everyone!

If you are reading this, first of thank you. Second of all, I really hope you think and try out what I have to share.

So, textbooks, right? We know they are so expensive, and it can be really hard to afford them and come to terms with how much you may have just thrown down. My very first semester here, which was Fall 2008 (man, that makes me feel old!), my parents and I decided that we would pre-order my books through the University Bookstore. This did have some books. It took out a lot of the hassle and stress of having to compare prices, searching everywhere, and waiting and hoping that they get shipped and arrive on time for the first class. And they gave us the option of wanting used instead of new if they had it in store. Both of those reasons were absolutely fantastic.

But, then as my classes progressed, the price of books grew higher. And I just couldn’t afford, and neither could my parents. So, I began to shop online. Everyone seemed to be doing it, so I wanted to try. And let me tell you, I did save a lot of money. Granted my books always didn’t arrive on time, but the professors always understood why I didn’t have the book. As long as I could give them a date on when I would have the book (if it was a small class), they would be completely fine, and some would even lend me a copy.

So, that being said, I want to walk you through the steps on how to figure out what books you need:

1. Log onto https://salukinet.siu.edu/cp/home/displaylogin.
2. On the home screen, you will see in the upper left hand corner the “Register for Classes” link. Click on that.
3. On the page that opens, click on “Student”
4. From there, click on “Registration”
5. Click on “Look up classes”. Don’t worry, even if you have your classes already picked, it won’t change your schedule. I promise.
6. After you click on that, a Payment Agreement will come up. Don’t freak out. Click “Agree”. It won’t change anything. On my honor.
7. Select your term
8. Then look for one of your classes.
9. So, say I am looking up my Spanish 335, I will enter in that information and press enter.
10. It will immediately come up, and click on the CRN
11. Once you click on that, a description of the class will come up. At the end of that, you will see a link called “Textbook”. Click on that. It will show you what books you need and what is recommended. You can even see prices and the ISBN number.

So, now that you have the books, complete with authors, edition number, university prices, and ISBN number, it’s time to search the web for the cheapest prices!

The best websites are those that follow:

http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.ebay.com/
http://www.half.ebay.com/
http://www.chegg.com/
http://www.abebooks.com/

I really love Half.com because it is run through ebay, so you know you can trust it. But also, I have always found the best textbook prices through this site. Abebooks.com is best if you need books that are literature-type books. Not all classes use the traditional textbooks; a lot use literature-type ones, like fiction, non-fiction, etc. Abebooks.com offers free shipping on some books, so that is pretty good. The reason why that is good is because books ordered online are considered Media Mail, which means that shipping is usually $3.99. However, sometimes, you only pay $1.89 for shipping….if you are lucky.

Another tip would be to buy books that are in neighboring states if you need it quickly. However, if those options aren’t available and you are buying used, BetterWorldBooks, which runs through many of the sites above, is a great place to buy from. I use them a lot and trust them so much.

However, if you are needing a book ASAP, try several smaller textbook stores in town. That would be 7-10 Bookstore and Saluki Bookstore. I really like Saluki Bookstore. But 7-10 has a cool basement with the textbooks.

Now, one last tip. If you have a Gen-Ed class where the books are bundled, buy them from the bookstore. Don’t buy them separately. More often than not, they are bundled because they come with an internet access code, workbook, or both. And buying them all separately will cost more. For example: I am taking Physics 103 (Astronomy) this upcoming semester. The books are sold in a bundle because it comes with an online access code that I am going to need. That way is much easier and can save money.

This may be a lot take in a once, but once you get going and do it a few times, you will get the hang of it! Just remember, sometimes the University is the better route to take. Just make sure you check the prices online compared to the Bookstore prices to make sure it’s a good deal and worth it including the shipping.

Happy hunting and good luck!

Hi, I’m just me….

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Emily

So, I guess if you are going to read my blog, which I hope you do, you are going to need to know about me. But I can’t tell you everything at once, because that just wouldn’t be as fun.

Well, my name is Emily. I think you already figured that out though. I’m currently a Senior at SIUC studying Spanish, with a minor in Latino and Latin American Studies. It too quite some time for to finally settle on that degree and minor. It probably caused my parents a lot of confusion and headaches, but that’s ok, because it kept them on their toes. I graduate in December, but I don’t know if I am quite ready to say good-bye to college life.

My favorite color is yellow. It’s just so bright and cheery. Besides, not many people choose yellow as their favorite color, so that makes it rare and interesting. I think.

My favorite tv show is M*A*S*H. A lot of people tell me that only older people watch that show; however, I don’t totally agree with that because I watch it. Those doctors and nurses are just so darn funny and crazy. My favorite movie is My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I can probably quote every line in that movie. Windex cures everything.

My mom lives in Decatur, my hometown. My dad died at the beginning of July, 2011. That was, and still is, really hard for me. But what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. My brother lives down here in Carbondale as well. I have a doig back in Decatur. Her name is Daisy Duke and she is a dachshund. I miss and love her to pieces.

I think that about covers the bases. Maybe.