When I came to college I was already classified as a sophomore. Why is that? For those of you that are still in high school ask about dual credit courses! Most high schools offer them now and it’s a chance for you to get a head start on your education and also a cheaper way to get some of the basic courses you need out of the way. At my high school, we were able to receive 34 credit hours. It was a great way to get through some classes before i even started college. So again ask about DUAL CREDIT classes! 
Archive for February, 2012
So, I’m willing to be many of you have gone to Varsity for Free Movie Night at least once. But have you ever gone and actually paid for a ticket there? If not, WHY not? And if you haven’t ever been to Free Movie Night, why is that? I think I know that answer to that. It’s the fact that it’s old, run down, and shabby looking. Now, I know this may not be true for some of you. They do indeed have a limited amount of movies that show, considering they only have one screen. But I’m here to tell you all the amazing things that Varsity has to offer you! First off, yes, they have free movie night every other Sunday. Awesome! I was told my first week at WT, “If it’s free, it’s for me!” Second, the owners are SUPER nice. One time, I ordered a pickle, and the one he got out of the jar was small, so he only charged me half of the price! You won’t get that at a bigger theater. Third, their prices are WAYY better than any place in Amarillo! $5.00 a ticket. Even with a student discount or ticket voucher from C.O.R.E. at another theater, it’s still cheaper. It’s never TOO crowded. Yes, sometimes there is a crowd, but many times, it’s actually pretty empty. If you don’t like previews, this is the place for you. They only show one or two previews before the movie. Also, midnight premieres… many people get so excited for midnight premieres. They buy their tickets as soon as they are available, and stand in line for hours at a large theater only to trampled by more “hardcore” fans when they are let into the theater. Varsity does many midnight premieres. They don’t really advertise, you have to call and ask, so not many people go. They sell the tickets the night it comes out (and remember they are way cheap) and you can enjoy a midnight premiere in a half full theater! I may be a little biased… but I do believe that Varsity is great for WT and Canyon! There are some drawbacks… the snacks or overpriced (but whose aren’t'?), some seats are broken, and it’s not the cleanest. But if you can get past these things, you will have a great experience.
Hey y’all!
So in one of my last posts I mentioned S.I.F.E., the group on campus that I joined, but I realized that I didn’t really say what the group is. On oversight on my part, but soon to be addressed.
Students In Free Enterprise, or SIFE, is the largest campus organization here at WTAMU. They work in the community doing community service projects as well as some business consulting. Some of the projects in the works right now are Beyond Green, which is a research/consulting job for a company who wants to build an ecofriendly kitchen, Achieve the Dream, where a group of members tutors English to refugees living in Amarillo, and Fill the Field, which is a food drive of epic proportions. So lots of different ways to get involved and find a niche in the group. I am part of the Kids Cafe project which is where I literally spend an hour every Friday and Monday afternoon dishing out trays of food at one of the elementary schools in Amarillo. Basically I get to see what it’s like to be a lunch lady and the kids get a free dinner when they may not have eaten at all otherwise.
Apart from the projects there are one time events that people sign up for just to rack up hours, which we need in order to go to the Regional Competition (I’ll explain that in a bit). For example, a group of about 13 of us spent 3 hours volunteering at the High Plains Food Bank Garden this past Saturday. We cleaned up the garden and spent lots of time flipping compost piles. I have to say that after shifting 10,000 pounds of rotting bananas, I’m not as much of a fan of that particular yellow fruit anymore. 
Regardless we had fun and helped get some work done in a much shorter time period than it would’ve taken the pair who run the Food Bank. Plus afterwards we went to check out Cadillac Ranch and then had lunch together, so it’s not all work and no play.
Now the reason for wanting to put in so many hours is so that each person is eligible to go to Regional Competition. This is a 2 day/1 night road trip to Dallas in April where all the SIFE groups in the area gather. Each group has an 8 person team give a presentation which includes a video and speeches telling the judges exactly what we’ve been doing to better our community. I’ve been told that the WT SIFE team has won Regionals consecutively for quite some time (the figure escapes me at present), so it’s something worth going to. Also, there is a HUGE career fair where all the companies who sponsor SIFE (mostly Fortune 500 companies) will have booths up and will be looking to hire us. A big plus for college kids!
So a worthwhile endeavor to say the least. Check it out http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Texas-AM-University-SIFE/149299728425775
SIFE – “A head for business, a heart for the world.”
GREENLIGHTING has started. Meet with your advisor as soon as you are able to. The sooner the better.
If you are a future student and don’t know what it is, don’t worry! Greenlighting is where you meet with your advisor to make sure you are on track, talk with them about any concerns, change majors (which then you might be given a new advisor), and make a plan for your schedule for the next semester. It’s really helpful and it’s a way that you can make sure you are taking the appropriate classes. You also get to talk about either future schools that you might be interested in for a masters, or doctorate degree and what prerequistes those schools need. The sooner you get greenlighted, the easier registration is.
Get greenlighted today!
Going to college isn’t cheap for anyone especially with tuition, textbooks, and other expenses, but learning the little tips and tricks to save money can go a long way.
1. Tuition: Look for scholarships. There’s a ton of scholarships available. Apply for the WT scholarship, search the internet for scholarships, and local scholarships. There is scholarships available everywhere, but you have to look for them. Financial aid is another option. If you receive grants that’s awesome, but if you don’t, see if you’re eligible for loans. Some of the loans are interest free and don’t have to be paid back to after you finish school.
2. Textbooks: USED textbooks is one of the easiest way to save money. The bookstore has used textbooks for first come first serve. Looking online is an easy way too. International editions also work just as well and they are usually cheaper. Borrow from friends.
3. Save on food: Cook at home. Buying lunch/dinner everyday can really add up. Eat at the cafeteria if you live on campus, but if you don’t the easiest way to save money is to cook at home.
4. Transportation: Carpool, or ride the bus. It’s really easy to find friends who are going to school at the same time you are.
There are a lot of ways to save money while in college so look for the little things. Every bit of money you save is a good thing.
It’s February 26th. Usually, around this time of year, I am wishing that it was summer already. It’s usually cold, blustery, and miserable. However, this year, it’s like it’s already spring. We have a few cold spells every now and then, but most of the time its 50 degrees and up. I can walk places without a jacket, and people are already spending time in the courtyard of Shirley Hall. Any other year, I would be ecstatic about this weather. The grass is turning green, the birds are singing, and the sun is almost always shining. But after this summer, I have to say, I’m a little worried. We had a record-breaking drought this summer, that scared many people. With hardly any rain and record highs, many farmers suffered great losses. My mother works for the United States Department of Agriculture, and she has told me that this drought is only supposed to continue. We have had some good snows this winter, but it hasn’t been enough to cancel out the damage from this summer.
My thinking is this, if it is this warm in February, how hot is it going to be in July? It’s never too early to start thinking about conserving water. If we all do our part, we can make this tough time for West Texas a little easier.
At the beginning of the semester, it’s easy to do just enough to get by. But when grades come back and they aren’t what you expected or want it’s easier to change towards the beginning. Working hard throughout the entire semester will get you the grades you want and deserve. Waiting until mid-semester to realize that you’ve been slacking off or not trying hard enough can get you into some serious trouble with your grades. Some classes you may be able to come back from that, but for a lot of classes mid-semester or late into the semester it’s too late to change. So work hard every step of the way for the grades you want. If you’re having trouble with a class, use the MANY resources located across campus. Don’t wait to change! WT wants you to succeed, but you have to want it for yourself! I hope everyone is having a great semester!
Of course a good GPA is not the only thing you need to be successful. Being involved and volunteering and being really apart of a true college experience helps too. I know we are all busy. Tests pile up and homework piles up, but it’s all about time management. Even if it’s little things every little thing counts for a well rounded college experience. Don’t know where to start? Stop by the C.O.R.E office in the JBK and ask for information. Stop by any bulletin board. There’s tons of information out there. Be the driving force in your life. Push hard for what you want and dream. Don’t stop pushing and trying until you reach your goals.
I went to New York a few years ago, and the day we went to Central Park just happened to be the day of the Nautica New York City Triathlon. It was…. AMAZING. They had streets blocked off and thousands of people lined them, holding up signs and screaming words of encouragement not only to the ones they personally knew, but to every other triathlon participant as well. My family and I joined in with the cheering. It was the last leg of the race, the 13.2 mile long run. These people swim 1.2 miles, bike 55 miles, and then complete the last leg. These people were literally on their last mile…. maybe 800 meters from the finish line, and we were there to cheer them on! The crowd was amazing, but what was more amazing were the competitors. Can you imagine the look of determination in these runners eyes. They have gone all that way and are less than a mile from the finish line. It was sooo inspirational. But I haven’t EVEN got to the best part. We saw at least 20 runners with one or no legs at all. THAT is determination. Ever since then, I am bound and determined to run a race in New York. Google ”race in New York” and you will see pictures of thousands upon thousands of people running in the streets. It’s an amazing sight.
Now, the point of all this, is to tell you that you don’t have to go all the way to New York City to participate in something like this. Amarillo has many races of its own. March of Dimes is coming up soon. It is a 5k run that is accompanied by a 5k march of awareness. I participated in this last year, and I literally had to look straight at the ground the whole time. You see, they had signs up along the path that had statistics about infant deaths. I had tears streaming down my face within the first 800 meters. But that last mile, they had signs… and each sign had a baby’s name with the day they were born, and the day they died. They called it the Memory Mile. It just broke my heart. It was an amazing feeling to know that I was helping raise awareness about premature births and that I was helping the babies. I crossed the finish line with tears streaming down my face, and I wasn’t the only one.
There are so many opportunities to be apart of something like this in our area. Some coming up are the CASA SuperHero 5k – April 14th (this one is actually on campus), March of Dimes – April 28th, Light up the Night 5k – May 5th, and the Hope and Healing place 1/2 Marathon – May 13th.
I encourage you to consider participating in one of these events. You can help make a difference in the world and get in shape at the same time! If you think you’ll have trouble getting started, Couch To 5k is a great help. You can get it as an app on many phones, and if you don’t have a phone that is compatible with the app you can just search it. The workout plan is online! Also there is a Couch to 1/2 marathon as well!
Good luck!
Hey guys!
A few weeks back I encouraged y’all to go out on campus and get signed up for clubs, organizations, and do everything you could. After taking my own advice, I realize that was a little crazy. So I thought I’d revise my previous statements and say that getting involved is definitely a good thing, but give your schedule a look first.
So that this makes a little bit more sense, here’s why I’m recanting my earlier enthusiasm. The week that I told everyone to go join a club, I did just that. I’ve been a member of S.I.F.E. (Students in Free Enterprise) for about 3 weeks now. Don’t get me wrong, I love it :) It’s a great group that does lots of cool projects that help out the campus and the community. Whether you do the same or find something else, regardless of what you sign up to do, you’re going to get really busy, really fast. For example, I need to earn 20 hours by working on projects in time to go to the Regional Competition in April, so of course I jumped in head first and signed up for just about everything available. DON’T DO THIS!!! Unless you have absolutely nothing else on your calendar, give yourself a little breathing room and adjust.
I only say this because 1) There will be days when you get homeworked in the face and need to not have 5 billion things to do 2) You won’t always have the willpower to keep imitating the energizer bunny and 3) You will not have any time or energy left to spend with your friends. I’m speaking from experience. My friends/dormmates had no idea where I was or what I was doing for most of the past week and a half. When I finally emerged on Saturday it was like they were surprised to find me still alive.
Anyways, so the point I’m going for here is yes you should find a group/club/organization that you enjoy! I just caution you to keep your datebook close to hand so you know what else you have on your plate before taking on any large number of commitments. You will be happy you did in the future I’m not trying to scare anyone out of joining clubs or anything, just advising you to be smarter about it than I was. Hahaha
GO SIFE!!!
