BUFFOLOGY

So I have been trying out a new system this semester, taking online classes. The whole idea behind this is my curiosity of how I would feel about getting my Masters online. Anyway, I am taking 10 hours worth of online classes and this is what I have learned so far.

Online vs. In Class (The 2 biggest factors)

You read the chapters vs. The professor tells you what the chapter says

You go to class on your own time vs. There is a scheduled class time

I have learned that these are the two most important things to consider before you take an online class. I recommend online classes to a person that is going to read the book anyway, and knows how to read and comprehend material on their own.

I am not really an auditory learner, so this style does help me quite a bit. But at the same time I have to read a lot of material to know all of the information, when on the other hand the professor would have just told me the key points that I would need to do fine on the Test.

For those who take online classes, these are a few tips.

1. Read the book for the class

2. Check WT Class everyday

3. Get a planner and write down all the due date (p.s. All college students should have a planner)

4. Make up your own due date BEFORE the actual due date (just in case of technical difficulties)

5. Save all of your assignments to your own computer and maybe even on a jump drive

Feel free to ask any questions you might have about online classes.

-Jasinia

So… tomorrow is the big day.  FINALLY.  Fourteen other WT students, faculty members, and I are flying to New Delhi, India!  I’ve never taken a sixteen-hour plane ride — I plan on sleeping a lot. :)  After spending the past semester reading about India, it will be amazing to actually experience everything first-hand.  We’ll travel around northern India for two weeks, riding elephants, boating down the Ganges, visiting major temples, mosques, and historical sites, interacting with the people, and side-stepping cows. (ha.) 

I must admit, I’m a little nervous… okay, I’m scared to death.  Even after reading all about India, I still don’t know what to expect — how will people interact with me?  will I be safe?  what is the food like?  and are the monkeys really that dangerous?  Nevertheless, I simply can’t wait to get on that plane tomorrow.  I love new experiences, and I know this trip will blow me away — besides, the suspense is killing me!  If you’d like to keep up with our escapades, see our online journal here.  It will be updated daily by all of us students, relating the day’s events and our reactions to our foreign (perhaps bizarre?) surroundings. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year; in a couple of weeks, I’ll post again with an overview of the trip (and pictures!).  Namaste!

winter is HERE!  I woke up this morning to a world slathered in ice.  church was canceled, and I’m all comfy by my computer, finishing up some studying for my last final tomorrow.  yay neuroscience…  maybe it will be too icy to go to school and the professor will give us ALL automatic A’s.  haha.

last weekend was amazing…  we had the Renaissance Festival on campus, and all of us chamber singers put on our furry, lacy, poufy medieval costumes and performed at the feast.  the guys’ costumes were the funniest — they had to wear tights (after they figured out how to put them on!) and knee-pants.  anyway, we sang songs about boar’s heads, wassail, geese, and all sorts of other foods that we never eat any more, and we got to eat that food, too.  my favorite was the figgy pudding and the wassail.  That weekend we also had the annual Carol of the Lights — WT students, faculty, and people from the Canyon community gathered around the new buffalo statue to sing Christmas carols and see Dr. O’Brien turn on all the Christmas lights — and our huge Christmas concert, where there was standing room only.  man, it was a great weekend; I’m telling you, if I wasn’t studying biology, I’d be a music major.

gotta go finish studying, and then do some work for my India class.  I leave for New Delhi in 24 days!

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Wow…only three more class days.  This is a bittersweet time of the semester.  Yeah…we’re done with classes.  {thank goodness} However, it is crunch time to finish all the papers, assignments, and to study for the finals that are quickly approaching.      My advice,  don’t stress too much.  Sure, it’s hard not to when it seems you are quickly getting buried in schoolwork.  Just keep in mind that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that these last few assignments and test will not make or break your grade; there have been other assignments and test all year that will be calculated into your final grade.  So really, though it may be a stressful time, it’s not as bad as it seems.   ….OK, now that I have psyched myself for this week, I hope you have a great one and try to listen to my advice.  Don’t get too caught up in it all.  It’s almost over! -wes p.s. - Notice the maroon wall?  I have recently moved into new digs.  Student Affairs and the Student Government offices have moved into a pretty rockin’ new suite.  I lost a window, but I gained a maroon wall.   

Overall, great weekend. GRE wasn’t too terrible and the rest of the weekend was spent hanging out with great friends and reading a good book.

Saturday night I went to a couple of haunted houses in Amarillo. Not gonna lie, one of them scared the pee out of me. The other house…not so scary; a lot of hype for little fright. :-/ No worries, a lot of fun was had that night.

Sunday, I became enthralled with, “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini. It’s not too often that you read a book for class that you actually enjoy. I’m going to write a book report about it for International Law. If you haven’t heard of the book, it’s written by the same guy who wrote, “The Kite Runner”. The words are beautiful. It’s graphic, it’s heart-breaking, it’s captivating. It’s amazingly beautiful. I highly suggest going out and getting a copy….or go download it on iTunes.

Alright boys and girls…I must go get ready for Student Senate.

G’afternoon.

-Wes

What a busy week!!!

I’m going to Poland with 20 freshmen, two other peer leaders and my bosses for Spring Break as part of the Readership WT Program. We’re going to retrace Elie Wiesel’s footsteps from his home to the concentration camp. As one student said during her interview, we will be, “shell-shocked”. I’m excited. The whole trip will put life into perspective and bring out in all of us so many emotions.

Yesterday, we announced to the 20 freshmen that they were the winners of the essay contest. Such a great experience that was. Seeing the smiles on their faces, them interacting with each other, really made me happy. Stuff like this makes me feel good about my future career choice, working at a University in First-Year Experience Programs.

Speaking of future careers…GRE tomorrow morning.

Honestly though, I’m not too worried about it.

Alrighty…class calls my name. More than likely going to a Haunted House this weekend. Expect stories/pictures.

Until then…
-Wes

I never thought I’d be doing this all over again.

When I was a freshman here at WT, I sat down in my first class on the first day of school and subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.  Applications were done, scholarship forms completed, what seemed like mountains of paperwork were turned in, never to bother me again.  Or so I thought…

Now it’s my senior year, and when I come home from class, I meet a sneakily familiar mound of papers on my desk.  Application packets, scholarship forms, personal essays, reference letters…  It feels somewhat like a flashback to a more nightmarish era of my past; it so turns out that doctoral programs require even more paperwork than undergraduate applications.  Imagine that.

On a more positive note, I was very encouraged and excited by the WT Career Expo last week.  There were special sessions on interview skills, networking, business etiquette — did you know you’re supposed to wear your nametag on the right side of your shirt? — and the chance to talk with over 100 prospective employers from the surrounding area.  I made some wonderful contacts and met some great people; I even got a couple of interview offers!  Several of my friends have interviews this week with businesses that were at the Expo.  Now I’m pumped about job-hunting once I finish my doctorate.

I guess all this paperwork will be worth it after all.

~Kelsi May

It is always funny to watch the faces of your fellow students when they wake up from that awesome nap…in the middle of class.

 Today, during my 11:00 o’clock, a few guys totally passed out on their desks asleep. I noticed this and kept my eye on them while I took notes.  One even began to snore.  So crazy. 

Continue reading ’someone didn’t get their full 8 hours of sleep…’

Namaste!

That’s the most important word I learned this past week.  You see, I’m going to India for two weeks this coming January, and “Namaste,” the standard greeting there, is something I’ll be saying a lot.  I’m so excited!  I’ll see the Taj Mahal, boat down the River Ganges in the holy city of Varanasi, ride an elephant up to the Amber Fort…  Continue reading ‘Elephants?’