Random update

I didn't get the TA position I applied for because there were so many returning TAs. Apparently I had a strong application though and they'd like to keep it on file for the winter semester. Oh well, I'm not heartbroken over this. I don't know where I would have found the time anyway.

Also, I bought a four month, erasable calendar (finally). I've already started to fill it up with the dates I know for next semester (like exams) and I'm looking forward to being able to use it for real once the semester begins. :D I'm such a dork. XD

Year 1 Repost: April

Wednesday April 1, 2009

Countdown: 17 days until SUMMER

This Thursday is my last day of classes and I'm finding it a little hard to believe that classes are almost over. I just have to survive 17 more days, a little more than two weeks, and I'll be free for a couple of weeks before my practicum. Then after my practicum I get three full months of nothing. I'm so excited for nothing, and, you guessed it, I'll spend a large portion of time doing nothing.

I figure I'll last about a week before I go insane from the lack of due dates.

Anyway, just wanted to give a quick update, nothing major going on in my life except for studying. My first two exams are far too close for comfort. They are probably my two most important exams since they are a part of my major. I'm starting to get really nervous about whether or not I'll be able to keep my scholarships, especially since I'll be cutting my needed major average of 10.5 really close. I guess all I can really do is work hard and hope for the best.

Saturday April 4, 2009

Countdown: 14 days until SUMMER

Classes are complete and exam stress has begun to set in. I spent six hours studying today, and when I say six hours I mean six hours of writing notes and typing up essays. The most amusing part of my day was when I took a lunch break and read a couple of chapters of Jane Austen's Persuasion. That's right, the highlight of my day consisted of a peanut butter and honey sandwich and a literary classic. Wow, my life is pathetic during exams.

Luckily only two more weeks until it's all over.

Sorry I'm not more entertaining at the moment (as if I was entertaining at any point...), like I said exam time = pathetic life. So yes...back to the books.

Wednesday April 8, 2009

Countdown: 10 days until SUMMER

Surprise, surprise, I'm still studying. Handed in my take home exam yesterday and it was such a relief. I handed it in on time this semester which was nice. I need to get a 91% on it if I hope to get an 80% in the class (which is what I'm aiming for in all my classes). Unfortunately, this is not going to happen, which makes my exam tomorrow all the more important as it is the only other one that affects my major average.

My current major average is 10.5 which is exactly what it needs to be at the end of this semester if I want to keep my Outstanding Scholars Award. So, basically, about $3,000 worth of scholarship money (next year alone) is riding on how I do on my exam tomorrow. I've studied about eleven hours for this exam since Saturday. I'm going to try and cram another three hours of studying for it before the exam tomorrow afternoon...which means I really should get back to it. Wish me luck! I'm going to need it.

Sunday April 12, 2009

Countdown: 6 days until SUMMER

I still don't have much to say; exams tend to do that to me. I've spent so much time studying I haven't left my house since the last time I wrote an exam. It's kind of pathetic. I also really miss being around people that I would see every day or so on campus. I can't wait for exams to be over so I can hang out with people without feeling guilty.

I also really miss the gym, especially since I just inhaled like two dozen chocolates... Oh well, I'll start working out again as soon as exams are over. >_<

I think I did pretty well on the exam I wrote on Thursday and I'm anxious to get marks back. I have another exam tomorrow which I feel both really prepared for and as if I know absolutely nothing of importance about the topic. I guess I'll find out which it is tomorrow. Considering I've studied over 13 hours for it...I'm really hoping it's the first one.

Sunday April 19, 2009
The End?

My exams are complete. My books are stored away (okay, really they're scattered across my room...but in my mind they're stored away). Looking back, University feels like one really long dream... Or nightmare, depending on which part I'm recalling. Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration. University might have been tough at times, but not once did I wish I had decided not to go to university.

There were many ups and downs to the year, but when I look back I know I'm definitely going to remember more of the ups. I'm going to remember falling in love with an amazing guy (sorry I didn't mention that earlier, but figured I should keep some things private). I'll remember the great people I met, especially those I met through the Concurrent Club. I'll remember days spent in the classroom listening to professors teach something that, for once, truly interested me. I'll remember lunches with friends. I'll remember afternoons at the gym. I'll remember formals and bake sales and movies. I'll remember the feeling of meeting my University goals and the relief of walking out of that last exam.

This year I feel like I've grown so much as a person. I've pushed myself further than I thought I could ever go and then kept going. This year has been one of the most challenging of my life but, at the same time, one of the most fun. I think I discovered a little piece of me through the experience and have taken another step towards the person I want to be. I still have four years to go and I can't help think none of them could possibly match this one, but I can't wait to find out.

If you're not sick of me yet and want to hear more about my University experience I've started my own blog that I'll (hopefully!) be using over the summer as well. You can find it at http://megtao-onedayatatime.blogspot.com/. Thank you so much for taking this journey with me and good luck on whatever you decide to do.

Year 1 Repost: March

Monday March 2, 2009

And so a new month begins...

The map quiz was so easy. If I don't get perfect I will be severely disappointed with myself. My FAW midterm on the other hand...I'm not so sure about. I definitely did not do as well as I could have. Problem with that midterm was I did not understand what I was supposed to be studying, so I didn't study nearly as much as I should have.

I think one of the major downsides of an online class is the lack of face to face communication. In class, if you have a question you simply raise your hand and everyone in the class hears the answer. In an online course it's likely every student has the same question, but the ones who are brave enough to ask are informed individually, and the not so brave (or lazy) ones do not get the information. In this case, I may not have gotten as much information as I could have if I had been more proactive, but I wasn't, so I'll have to deal with the consequences. I just hope the consequences aren't too high.

Next Monday the Concurrent Club is hosting a Bake Sale in the Neale Education building. If you're in the area come check it out, especially if you're a concurrent education student. :)

Wednesday March 4, 2009

Status = Busy

The class I would normally have during this time was canceled, so I have a bit of extra time to write my blog. I'm a little upset that my class was canceled, it is probably my favourite class of the day and I was looking forward to the day's lesson which was basically just watching the end of a documentary about when "Jane Doe" sued the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force in 1987. It was really interesting, and now I probably won't get the chance to see the rest.

My graded tests are slowly trickling back to me. So far I've managed to keep my grades up to where I need them to be, but they're right on the borderline. I'm not leaving myself much breathing room; one bad test could be a disaster. On a brighter note, it turns out I did get perfect on my map quiz, unfortunately it was only worth 10% of my grade. I won't complain though, ten percent is ten percent.

I have two midterms this Monday. It feels like there is always something to study for, which is because there always is something to study for. If it's not midterms I'm studying for, it's class preparation, or advance exam preparation...there's always something and the moment I don't have a list of ten things I should be doing, I know I'm not doing everything I should be. Speaking of which, I really need to get back to studying now.

April seems so far away right now.

Monday March 9, 2009

"It's Monday!" She squealed with excitement.

My weekend was completely absorbed by studying, but Friday night I found the time to see Watchmen. I was slightly disappointed with it, mostly because I had huge expectations for the movie. Everyone else I've spoken to about the movie absolutely loved it. I do recommend it, except if you have a thing against gore, because there is an awful lot of that.

My weekend began with my mother waking me up to let me know that my aunt had called her the previous night and said that she had seen me in Toronto. I'll admit, I panicked a little bit even though I had no reason to. I knew there was absolutely no way I had been in Toronto the night before but my still sleepy mind immediately came up with cover up stories even as I blurted out that I had NOT been in Toronto last night. My mother found my reaction funny, and after letting me squirm for a few more seconds let me know that my aunt had actually seen a billboard of me in Toronto advertising the University of Windsor.

In freaking Toronto! As in the capital city of our province. Can you say surreal? Before anyone freaks out, no your picture is not going to end up posted around random cities. I volunteered to pose for the University welcome week advertisements when I was asked to by the manager of the first year blog. So yeah, it was a little weird but also pretty cool... No one can say that my first year of University has not been memorable. Makes me wonder how my second year could ever compare. In all honesty, this first year of University has been the most challenging, most exciting, most fun and absolute best year of my life...but I'll leave all that mushy stuff for my last blog of the year. :D Until then, I still have a good chunk of the school year to survive...

Friday March 13, 2009

Sometimes Life is just Boring

This week went by very, very slowly, but I still feel as if I got nothing done. I have a lot of work to do, and because of that I haven't had much time to do anything exciting.

I have been going to the gym a couple times a week which I highly recommend. As a girl, it can be a little bit intimidating, so you may want to go with a friend. Seeing as the gym membership is part of your tuition anyway, you might as well get good use out of it, right? Once you get used to it, it has a great atmosphere, and if nothing else it will let you get away from your books for a couple of hours.

That's really all I have to say, sadly. Hopefully next week I'll have something more useful to talk about. :)

Tuesday March 17, 2009

Happy St. Patties Day!!

I just woke up, so I'm pretty much still feeling sleepy. Normally, it takes me an hour or two of waking up before I feel I can get something accomplished. It's taken me almost a full year to realize that this is a large amount of wasted time. One to two hours a day could allow me to critically read an extra hundred pages of one of my school books. One to two hours a day could allow me to write an extra thousand words of an essay. One to two hours a day could let me surf the net mindlessly and gain absolutely nothing from it except sore eyes. Wait...scratch that last one.

The point is, every hour that you are awake is time that should be spent towards something. It doesn't necessarily have to be school related, but if you're spending a couple hours on youtube re-watching your favourite videos (guilty as charged) then you're not spending your time wisely. I find eating and sleeping are also good activities in which you can spend your time.

As for me, writing this out has actually woken me up. I think I'll go have some breakfast and get started on the mountain load of work that piled up this Monday. Hurray for lack of procrastination!

Saturday March 21, 2009

Is it too early to start an end of the semester countdown?

Next week is going to be a busy one containing two midterms, an essay and group project. If I were to look at it all together I’m pretty sure I would become overwhelmed, so I’ve been looking at things in small pieces. On a completely unrelated note, I’ve pretty much wasted my entire day doing nothing. I worked for maybe four hours and the rest of the day went...somewhere. I really need to get back to the whole productive thing, but I think me not getting to bed until 1:30 AM may have hindered my productivity. It’s really difficult to get stuff done when your head feels like it’s stuffed with cotton.

Which leads to my advice for the day: SLEEP. It’s important. So do it.

As for me, I’m off to chug a can of coca-cola and hope the caffeine gives my brain a jumpstart. Fingers crossed...

Tuesday March 24, 2009

50th Blog Anniversary!

Remember that busy week I mentioned in my last post? Yeah, it's here now. Tomorrow I have a midterm and a group project, the day after I have another midterm, and Friday through Sunday I get to spend writing a history essay. Joy. Somewhere in there I also have to do a peer review and write my final paper for FAW. And then exams start.

On the bright side...um...well...it's not snowing anymore? Also, I did not get hit by a car today on Sunset, which is always a means for celebration. Seriously, that street is crazy; they need some sort of student cross walk, or just stop letting vehicles down that street at all. Someone is going to get hit one of these times...fingers crossed it's not me.

Saturday March 28, 2009

Countdown: 21 Days until SUMMER

I'm slowly making progress through my to do list. Exams are looming ever closer and I'm anxious to begin studying, but first I have two essays I need to tackle. I can hardly believe that in three weeks I will be finishing my first year of university. I don't know where the year went; it's all a big blur of friends and work and happiness and frustration.

But before I allow myself to slip into a sappy post, I should get back to work. No time for excitement in my life right now thanks to the piles of homework. Thankfully my family has been extremely understanding during this stressful time (all year long, actually), so they haven't been pressuring me to do anything around the house and just letting me work. My mom even just brought me some grapes so I don't starve. Aw, she's so sweet. :)

Year 1 Repost: February

Monday February 2, 2009

F to the E to the B, R, U, A, R, Y!

I had a very busy weekend. I would wake up, study for about four hours and then get ready to go out and not come home until late. It was fun, but probably not the best plan seeing as I have my first midterm in an hour and a half, and I'm definitely not as prepared as I would like to be. Actually, I think I'm going to stop writing this and study some more even though I'm sure last minute cramming will do little good.

******

Well, it might have done some good, or I'm just really amazing at picking out exactly what I need to study. The midterm was a lot easier than I expected. It only took me about a half hour to write and I really feel like I did well on it. That does not happen very often.

The lab drama I mentioned a couple posts ago has been resolved. I emailed my professor and he said that I didn't need to be registered for the lab as it did not count towards my grade and I could go to whichever section I wished. That was really convenient, but I'm sure it wouldn't be the same case for most classes.

Speaking of that class, I have to write a seven page essay for it. I've never written a history essay before and I'm seriously not looking forward to it. It's due the eleventh and I haven't started writing it yet! I really need to start that this week because one day this weekend the volleyball team I help coach has a tournament and I'll be out of the house all day. Apparently history essays involve a lot of referencing and the thesis is extremely hard to write. Those are my two least favourite parts of essay writing and they just got harder?! Ugh. I'm in so much trouble...

Tuesday February 10, 2009

Midterms... enough said

As I'm sure many of you are aware, midterm season has begun, which means that anyone who says they have spare time is lying to you. Outside of the insane amount of studying that needs to be done, my least favourite part of midterms time is how busy everywhere is. The CAW is constantly full, the library is always packed, and everyone is continuously stressed out.

It's good in a way. Misery loves company, I suppose, but it's also pretty nerve-racking when you're typing up a blog and everyone else around you is cramming. It makes me feel like I should be cramming as well...only I don't really need to thanks to my beginning to study early.

I've been doing pretty good thus far. My weekend got completely eaten by school work, but otherwise I feel like I'm getting better at staying on top of my schoolwork. My history paper is almost completely done. It would have been done already, but I went to see my GA during her office hours yesterday and she gave me some ideas on how I could improve my essay. Obviously I'm going to listen to her, even if it means completely re-writing the first three pages, seeing as she's the one grading the paper.

Well, I'm going back to work now...

Friday February 13, 2009

Reading Week...emphasis on the Reading

Even though Reading Week doesn't officially begin until this Monday, my last class of the week was yesterday, so for me it is like Reading Week has already started. I already have a pretty good idea on what I'm going to be doing. I have a lot of school work that I plan on completing including reading a 300 and something page French novel, a 300 and something page History novel, and re-reading two other French novels. In other words, my Reading Week will be a real Reading Week.

Despite the approximately thousand pages I have to read this week, I'm really excited for it. My friends who go to other universities are coming back home for the week, so I plan to see them as well, though not as much I would like, but I guess that's what summer is for. I'm especially looking forward to my Valentine's Day (cryptic, non?), and a certain name-twin who will be returning from McMaster.

I also have another tidbit of advice; this one is specifically for future education students, but can probably apply to other students as well. As a concurrent-education student I get to participate in a teaching practicum the first two weeks of May. To prepare for this practicum we were sent an e-mail that stated all students participating in a placement needed to get 1) a TB test and 2) a police check, and that form were available for both. Here's my advice, always read the forms fully! I did not read the police check form fully and ended up getting a regular police check with my local police forking out thirty or forty dollars in the process. Recently I discovered this is not what I was supposed to do. Now I have to re-fill out the form I did not read properly in the first place and send it off (with even more money) so that I can get a special card that is what the e-mail was originally referring to when it said "Police Check". Ugh.

Friday February 20, 2009

Still Alive, Still Reading

Reading week has been a combination of me being extremely busy and being extremely lazy. As much as I’ve managed to complete a nice chunk of work, I definitely have not gotten as much done as I would have liked, and I know I have no one to blame but myself. It’s difficult, sometimes, to stay motivated on your own. Something I find really helpful in staying motivated is giving yourself a reward for completing a task. I usually bribe myself with getting to see people. So, say if I finish an hour of reading my French novel, then I’ll let myself go out to the movies later that day with a friend. Other bribes to use could be computer time (be careful with this one, you need to be strict with yourself), junk food (again, be careful you don’t eat too much), or your favourite television show.

This week I’ve also (finally) filled in and put up the four month calendar I got for free during Welcome Week. Unfortunately the one they were giving out is a little too small for my taste. Also, it is non-reusable because the marker doesn’t wash off (or maybe I just used the wrong kind of marker...). I plan to buy a proper four month calendar next semester. I’ve been told by various university staff and professors that they are extremely useful. One of my professors admitted that she still uses the one she bought during her university days.

Tomorrow I’m going to see RENT with some friends. I’m seriously excited. I haven’t seen a live musical in so long! I haven’t seen the movie RENT and I really don’t know anything about it other than the basic premise, so I’m really looking forward to seeing something so completely new to me. The only down side to the trip is the cost...I’m thinking about getting a part time job of some sort because money would be really nice to have, but it would be really difficult to get and keep with school. Not to mention my two week teaching placement in May and my three week trip to Greece in the summer...

Tuesday February 24, 2009

Exhaustion, and it's not even March

I am very, very tired. I almost fell asleep in my only class today I was so exhausted. It's not because I've been pulling all-nighters or anything, but I did have to wake up pretty early this morning and it has just completely drained my brain power. Not a good thing to happen in the middle of a midterm week.

I have two more midterms this week, one of which is extremely important because it is a French class, my major. I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but because I only have two French classes this semester I need to do very well in both of them in order to keep a 10.5 major average, which is necessary for me to stay in the Outstanding Scholars program. Since I'm taking so few French classes, if I do poorly in just one of them it's likely I will lose my scholarship because I would have to do amazingly well in the other to even the mark out. And as much as I'm good at French if I get lower than a 10 in one of them, I doubt I'll be able to get my necessary average. I'm definitely worried about this midterm...so I think I'm going to get back to studying for it now. Hopefully some of the information will absorb despite me being so tired.

Friday February 27, 2009

It's Raining

Not much to update on. I'm still studying for midterms. I have one tomorrow evening and a "map quiz" Monday afternoon. I'm more worried about the map quiz, even though it's worth a smaller portion of my mark, because I have not started to prepare for it and it's going to be very different from any university graded assignment I've done.

Tonight Megan, my friend who attends university outside of Windsor, is coming home for the weekend. I'm really looking forward to seeing her, but at the same time it adds one more thing to my growing to-do list.

And since I'm already in a complaining mood I might as well keep up the trend: the rain soaked the front of my jeans and now my legs are cold.

I hate midterms.

Year 1 Repost: January

Saturday January 3, 2009

Let's Make Another Year to Remember

Trying new things is always a scary thing for me. Ever since I was little any change in my normal schedule was nerve wracking. The first day of high school and the first day of university my stomach was twisted into so many knots I'm not sure how I managed to get my breakfast down. Of course, new things always carry a bit of excitement as well.

This year seemed like the year for trying new things. For the first time in eighteen years I spent New Years away from my family and with my friends instead. I traveled by myself from the Ottawa area and into Windsor (another first ). As I mentioned in my last blog, I took the train. The trip was not too bad. Even though we were delayed departing, I arrived in Windsor early. I got to spend quite a bit of time with my best friend Megan, and she and her boyfriend helped a lot with getting ready for the New Year's Eve party I was hosting. I doubt I would have been able to do it without their help.

I consider the party a success; I enjoyed myself, and I believe everyone else did as well. It was really nice welcoming in the New Year with all my friends. I think it had to be one of my favourite New Years ever. I just know 2009 is going to be excellent with such a great start off. ^_^

Second semester begins this Monday. I am not looking forward to going back because I've really enjoyed relaxing, but at the same time I miss the university atmosphere. I really want to do well this semester and I'm looking forward to being able to apply the study habits I learned in the fall semester to make this semester that much more successful.

I still have only received one grade, and I have not made it into the class I was on a waiting list for. My schedule is not looking appealing to me at all, but I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually.

Happy 2009 everyone!

Monday January 5, 2009

Winter Semester: Day 1

Yesterday I spent a good hour coming up with this week's schedule. I included class times, review times, homework time, study times as well as all the other non-school related things that take up time in my day. The hours filled up pretty quickly. It was more than a little disheartening to watch all my free time disappear, but hopefully a more detailed schedule will help me keep better study habits.

Today is the first day of classes. I bought my books this morning expecting a long wait in line but the bookstore was practically empty. I recommend buying your books earlier in the morning, even if it means waking up earlier. Twenty four hours may seem like a lot of time, but those hours can easily be wasted. Save time whenever you can.

This semester's schedule contains courses from various fields. Last semester I had two French courses, three English courses and an education course. This semester I have two French courses, a woman studies course, a history course and an English course. It should be interesting taking courses that aren't necessarily my favourite area of study.

Thursday January 8, 2008

Witty Title Related to Blog Subject Goes Here

I guess it's good that all these incidents keep happening to me because I can share it with anyone who reads this. Not handing my final essay in on time really sucked, but it was a learning process for me, and hopefully for some of you. Now I've just begun to receive my final grades and one of them was highly unexpected.

And when I say unexpected, I mean lower than I originally believed it would be.

And when I say lower than I originally believed it would be I mean a B.

When you're trying to maintain an A average a B is kind of low blow, especially when you got an A on the first paper and a B on the second assignment and realize that you must have done poorly on your final paper to have received that mark. So, I did the thing that I had been told to do since the beginning, I emailed my professor. I was polite and sincere and simply asked to go over the final paper with her so I could improve for future classes. My professor was extremely helpful; she contacted me promptly, asked for some information (like the grades as I knew them) and then got back to me with interesting news: my grade had been a mistake. It is now an A-, a large improvement and relief.

So, the lesson is don't be afraid to talk to your professors. They are human beings just like everyone else and can make mistakes. They are here to help you and as long as you approach them in a pleasant, polite manner they are sure to help you however they can. Also, it can and will happen to you. ALWAYS check your marks because it's up to you to make sure they are correct. If they're not and you don't do anything about it you have nobody to blame but yourself.

Monday January 12, 2008

Road Rage

Have you ever noticed that when someone gets behind the wheel of a car they suddenly think they are invincible? Many also seem to lose the common courtesy they would have if they were, say, walking down the street. You don't cut people off when you are walking. You don't shout rude things or blare a horn when you get angry at someone you're walking beside. Or maybe you do, but I certainly don't.

So why is it when they are in that metallic encasement suddenly all these normal ways of acting disappear?

I'll be the first to admit I'm not a fan of driving, likely because I'm not all that great at it. I've never killed anyone or anything, but I've had an accident or two in my time on the road. Today I was involved in another one. I wasn't driving, and it was nothing but a fender bender, but it just really brought to my attention how careless other drivers can be when it comes to the laws of the road.

Basically, I place the blame of this small accident on two things: the icy road and the fact that a driver decided to ignore the law that you cannot change lanes in the middle of an intersection, not to mention the unwritten rule that you should not cut people off. Now, you may think that this driver is an idiot for breaking a driving law...but really, people do it every day.

How many of you drivers can say that you've never sped, even a little over the speed limit? Or made a right turn when the left turn signal was on? (That's how I failed on my first driving test, by the way.) How about making a turn or a lane change without turning on your signal?

The truth is some people are just lazy when it comes to driving. Or they're in a rush. Or they just forget that there is anyone else on the road. Or they just plain don't care. There are so many reasons why people do stupid things when they drive, and not all of them end in accidents or a ticket. So many get away with breaking the law, so why worry about following it at all? If you knew you had an 90% chance that your exam worth more than half of your grade was going to be canceled, would you study for it? If you knew you had a 90% chance that you speeding was not going to end with any consequence, would you speed? Those percentages are obviously completely made up, but the point is people will play the chances. They don't care about the small percent that they'll end up with a ticket or dead...because they're in their safe vehicle and it will never happen to them.

Problem is, I'm sure most people who have been in a car accident never believed it would happen to them either.

Saturday January 17, 2009

The Road goes on...ever, ever on...

My first test of the semester is this Wednesday and I am definitely not prepared for it. Hopefully I'll get some major studying time in this weekend. Seeing as this is a continuation of the class I got my worst grade of last semester in, I think I'm going to need it.

Speaking of grades, all of mine are in. I've managed to pull off the necessary grade point average to keep both my Entrance and Outstanding Scholars Scholarships. Barely. The pressure is really on this semester because, I believe, the scholarships are renewed yearly. So, if my average drops below what it needs to be at the end of the Winter semester, the scholarships are gone until Fall semester of my third year (if I manage to bring my average up by then). Really, it's not even an option for me to lose these scholarships. They're comparing our current economy to the Great Depression. My father works in the car industry. You do the math.

On a lighter note, I saw Grand Torino last night. It was the first Clint Eastwood movie I've ever seen, and I'll admit I was pretty impressed. I won't say anything else about the movie because I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

I also bought Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll and Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen as they were "buy two get one free" at Chapters. I'm really looking forward to reading them. Actually, my "to read" bookshelf is overflowing with books I'm looking forward to reading. I don't think I'm going to get the chance to read many of them until summer...

Wednesday January 21, 2009

Sick...and I don't mean awesome

It's Wednesday, the half-way point of my week, and I'm exhausted and sick. I don't get sick all the often, so when I do get sick it sucks a lot. I got sick about halfway through Saturday and I feel like my energy has been constantly draining ever since. It makes it really difficult to focus on studying when you just want to pass out.

Today was my first test of the semester and I finished it in a half hour. I'm not sure if that's good or bad...but I felt like I knew the majority of the material. I really hope I did well. I probably could have used a bit more healthy studying time, but at the same time, I'm just really glad it's over as it's one less thing I have to worry about.

I got an essay question in my history class today and I do not understand it at all. I think that it's going to be my main focus of the next few days. I have a history lab this week (my first lab ever) in which we are supposed to learn how to write a proper history essay. Hopefully it will give me some insight into how I should prepare for this essay because I'm really at a loss.

Despite being sick and unable to focus on schoolwork, I somehow managed to read my newly purchased Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. I realize that this was a poor academic decision...but I've missed reading for pleasure so much that I had devoured the book before I even realized it. I know I'll pay for it later, but it was so good while it lasted.

Sunday January 25, 2008

What are the chances...

Well, I've done it again. Something incredibly stupid that you can all learn from.

Friday I had my first lab ever. I had specifically chosen a lab at a certain time as it was the same time as a friend of mine who is taking the same class. However, when we met up we discovered that despite our labs being at the same time, they were in different rooms (this was after I had already convinced my friend that our class was indeed in my room). Seeing as she was already in the room, she decided to stay and she planned to change lab sections after the class.

The lab passed with no difficulty. We exit class, head to the CAW centre and decide to have her change labs. Only problem is the lab section we both just sat through is full, so I decide to change my section. Of course, to do this I must first drop the section I am currently in. I do so and then try and register for the new section. It will not let me. Apparently, you can only register for classes before a certain time. So now I have to get an add/drop form and get it signed by...someone, probably my professor. It's just a big hassle that could have been easily avoided if I had known about the 'no registering after this point' thing.

Oh well, you live, you learn...

Thursday January 29, 2009

Pokey Pokey

I got the mumps vaccine. I really hate needles, I don’t enjoy standing in line and I especially do not like having to stand in line to get a needle. I could not convince any of my friends to go with me, either because they were in class whenever I wanted to go, or decided that they were not getting the vaccine, so I was all by myself. It was a very lonely, long wait.

Personally, I don’t understand why some of my friends wouldn’t get the free vaccine. It’s been proven to work, the side effects are rare, and it protects you from a horrible virus. I seriously hate needles, but I got the injection because I know it’s the healthy choice. If you didn’t get the free shot on campus, then make an appointment to do so at a clinic. Protecting yourself from the mumps, measles and rubella is worth the few seconds of pain.

Year 1 Repost: December

Wednesday December 3, 2008

Countdown to Freedom: 19 Days

I have made no progress in studying for any of my exams. You'd think that after midterms I would have learned to study in advance, but no. My ability to procrastinate continues to astound me. Though, to be fair, I did manage to complete a fair amount of work today, so maybe there is hope for me yet.

Also, some time when I wasn't looking, it suddenly became December. It's really hard to believe that I've been attending the University of Windsor for pretty much three full months now. I am 19 days away from the holidays and freedom. Strangely, I'm not looking forward to holidays. Well, not as much as usual, anyway. I can't wait for the time off, but I know I will miss the campus and my friends. I may even miss a few of my classes, subject matter wise that is. Next semester is still giving me some problems, but I am now 105 on the waiting list, so I guess it's slowly improving.

I have no helpful hints for anyone at the moment, except maybe that talking to older students in the same program as you can sometimes be a good idea. In the end, you should always get major problems addressed by a faculty member, but you would be surprised by how much the third, fourth, and even second years know. Sometimes they know things you don't even know you don't know, you know? And one of the great things about university is since what year you are in suddenly does not matter they are really easy to find. A 'first year' course could very well be full of older years, in fact I rarely sit beside first years in my classes. So, short form, talk to people, ask the question you're afraid to ask the higher up people. You may be surprised by what you learn.

Saturday December 6, 2008

Countdown to Freedom: 16 Days

I've been extremely productive today. I woke up at 10 AM and have been studying for half an hour periods, taking ten minute breaks in between. I switch up subjects every hour, and after three hours I take a longer break. The system has been working really well. I've done about six hours of pure studying, but I feel like I should be able to get a couple more hours in before I fall asleep. My only complaint is even though I'm getting a lot of work done nothing is getting crossed off of my to-do list. It's a little disheartening to have worked all day and not see any tangible progress. I guess I can't have it all though.

My first exam isn't until the eighteenth, and this is probably the earliest I've ever began studying for anything in my life. It feels kind of good, and if I can keep it up I should be more than prepared for my exams. Doing all this work is taking (and will continue to take) a huge bite out of my social life, but if I get the grades I need to keep my scholarships it will all be very worth it. If I don't get the grades...well, let's just hope it does not come to that.

I'm off to do some more work. One more set of three hours and I will be going to sleep. ^_^

Wednesday December 10, 2008

Countdown to Freedom: 12 Days

Since my last post I managed to fall back into my procrastinating ways:

-Sunday, I got about three hours of work done, but when it came time to start up my next three hours of work it just did not happen.

-Monday I spent the day in the library using the Course Reserves my professor has set up at Leddy Library to research for the essay the class is doing in place of an in-class exam. I was surprised to find you could only take two books from the Course Reserves at a time and only for two hours at a time. It was kind of tiring having to walk up and down the stairs multiple times to retrieve and return books, but I suppose it is a good system since so many students probably need the same books. Plus, it was extremely helpful not having to look up a bunch of books on my own.

-Tuesday I had classes, like usual.

Today, I've managed to pull a repeat performance of Saturday. I'm starting feel slightly more confident about finishing in time, but at the same time this confident attitude worries me because if I get too confident it is so much easier to procrastinate. Hopefully I'll be able to find a balance.

That's about all I have to say, so I'll leave you all with a reminder that your tuition is due December 15th and to check SIS for your account balance. :)

P.S. I'm now 95 on the waiting list for a course I want to get into. Hurray for double digits!

Saturday December 13, 2008

Countdown to Freedom: 9 Days (single digits!!!)

I have three essays to type up, so, of course, my laptop chooses NOW to make the 'a' key sticky. It still works, obviously, but it's annoying when I'm trying to type quickly and I have to stop and hold the 'a' key whenever I need to use that letter. It couldn't have been the 'z' key or something that got stuck. No, it had to be a commonly used vowel. It's a good thing I started writing these essays early, if this had been a last minute issue that came up I would have been in some serious trouble. Just goes to show you never know what will happen and you have to prepare for the worst.

Just one more thing to add to exam stress.

I'd also like to say it sucks when a bunch of your friends come home from university because they're done their exams at their regular time, but you can't go hang out with them because you still have to study. I just want it to be December 22 already.

Monday December 22, 2008

Countdown to Freedom: 0 Days

It feels kind of anti-climatic. I feel like there should be balloons and streamers and confetti, lots and lots of confetti. Instead I was awarded with a six hour drive to visit family. At least it gave me plenty of time to catch up on my sleep.

I haven't received marks from any of my classes yet, but a few of my friends have already received their marks on SIS under the "Grades and Schedule" link. I'm anxious to receive my marks because they'll let me know whether or not I've kept my oh-so-important scholarships. I really want to keep my scholarships.

One thing students (first year and up) should always be aware of is there exam times and dates. I know it seems obvious; it seemed obvious to me too, and yet I still missed the hand-in time for one of my essays. Thankfully, my professor gave me a break due to the strike so I will not be receiving a zero, but I will be getting marks off. Seriously, check and double check times and dates, and make sure you are looking at the right class for your exams...some of those course codes are similar and easy to confuse. And it will save you so much stress.

P.S I am now 88 on the waiting list...I'm beginning to doubt that I'll make it into the class...

Saturday December 27, 2008

Countdown to 2009: Four Days

Well, it's the middle of the winter break. It's really strange not having fifty things that I need to do. This is the first time I haven't been studying for well over a month. I think it's going to be difficult to begin working again; I've really enjoyed having a break from it all.

Yesterday I went to see the a World Juniors hockey game, Canada versus the Czech Republic. Since the tournament is taking place in Ottawa this year, the crowd was obviously full of Canadians and fully supportive of the home team. By the time we had scored our fifth goal I was beginning to feel pretty bad for the Czech Republic team. The final score was eight to one for the Canadians.

Today I'm taking it easy...on the family time front at least. I plan to get some reading done from some of my French books from the fall semester that were never assigned just so I keep in touch with the language. I may even read ahead in my grammar book because in the winter semester I have a part two of a course I had this semester and it uses the same textbook.

I haven't slept in my own bed for the past five days. After practically living in my room for the the last half of the semester, seeing as that was my study space, I really, really miss it. I'm going home in three days, just in time for New Year's. It's going to be my first time taking a train anywhere. I'm not sure if I'm more nervous or excited.

Year 1 Repost: November

Sunday November 2, 2008

Yum...Writing

Well, it's officially November and I've completed another month of University, two more to go before this semester is up! And I only have nine more days to figure out my schedule for next semester, where does all the time go?!

I hope everyone had a safe and candy-filled Halloween, I know mine was awesome. How can you not love a holiday devoted to dressing up? If it ever gets to the point when I don't want to dress up, I'll know I've grown up, don't think I'm quite ready for that yet. :)

Anyway, November, for me, means something very special. Every year for the past three years I've been taking part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in which I write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Pretty much, this means I need to write 1667 words a day for a month. When you think about it that way, it's not all that difficult. I haven't written my required word count for the day, so I'm only a little over 1700, but I'll be doing that next before I hit the books for a couple more hours and then go to bed. But back on my original topic, I really recommend NaNoWriMo for those who enjoy writing. It's relaxing, though can be kind of stressful at the same time. There's still time to register on nanowrimo.org.

I'll likely talk about my word count for the rest of the month, you will get to hear about all my stressing out. It will be fun. :D (I will try and remember this excitement come November 30th when I have 25,000 words to write in one night...)

Also, I'll talk about STEPS another time...I know I've said that once but...I will. There's not enough hours in a day! Speaking of which, I love Daylight Savings...seriously. I needed that extra hour.

Wednesday November 12, 2008

Update, Update, who has the update?

Okay, I fail at updating. I can't even give the excuse of being too busy with schoolwork because I'll admit I wasted my entire Saturday on youtube when I could have been writing this at the very least. Better late than never?

Well, I've given up on Nanowrimo. I made it to a little over 5000 words before I realized it was eating into my study time. This is one of the first times that I really had to make a sacrifice for University, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Maybe next year I'll be a little better prepared, I doubt it though.

I have to register for classes tomorrow. I've got most of my courses picked out, I'm just finalizing a few of them. I'm not looking forward to my next semester, as much as I hate my two day a week of classes, I loved my five days off. It's going to be difficult switching the two.

I'm going to delay talking about STEPS...again. I'll definitely talk about it next update though...promise.

Well, that will have to do for now, I'm off to do some more school work. I can't wait for Christmas...

Saturday November 15th

Ups and Downs

Have you ever had a day where everything seemed to go right? A wonderfully, perfect day that you look back at and say, "Wow, did that just really happen?" That was my yesterday. I was productive in my school work, my brother won his championships, and I got to hang out with one of my favourite people in the world. Even the rain can not dampen my mood, or the long list of school work left to do...

Okay, maybe the to-do list is a bit of a mood dampener, but that's not any different than any other day. So, I'm still happier than I would usually be on a Saturday that I expect to spend stuck at home doing school stuff.

Anyway, I've been saying I would tell you all about STEPS for awhile now, so here I go. STEPS is a group of workshops that help you prepare for different aspects of university. I've found a lot of it is common sense, but hey, not everyone has that, so if you're one of those people, go check it out at uwindsor.ca/steps. Even if you do have common sense, there are a few things that I found surprisingly helpful, especially with the way I manage my study time.

Finally, I'm going to briefly mention registration. As a lowly first year I got to register at one of the last possible times. I was excited and absolutely prepared. A half hour before me and my friends met up in Vanier and got a table. We all pulled out our laptops and schedules we had laboured over the past week. I was nervous. I decided to check up on the courses I wanted, see if any of them had filled up. My friends thought I was being foolish. I wish they had been right.

One of my main courses, a French literature course, was already full, and another was by waiting list only. I had to quickly find another two courses to fit my requirements. There was only one course that fit the French literature requirements, unfortunately it was a the exact same time as another one of my originally decided courses. Then, it hit noon and I began to register for classes and sign up on waiting lists. Of the original courses I had chosen I only got into two of them. One of them was Foundations of Academic Writing II which I couldn't get out of if I tried, and believe me, I have tried...

I also found out I couldn't register for one course because I wasn't majoring in the subject (history) and it was only open to majors at the time, even though the course details did not say that. AND I discovered I could only register for five courses, even though I had originally been told by my academic advisor to register for six because the online course puts me behind a credit.

So, my current schedule pretty much sucks. Since registration I made it through one of my waiting lists of one of my second options courses (that's right, my schedule consists of third options). I've spoken with the history professor and he says he'll sign me into the course on Monday. I've also spoken with my academic advisor, she now says six courses is an overload for concurrent students and we can only do that with special permission, which I'm hoping to get. I had seven courses last semester (okay...one of them is a teaching practicum that doesn't start until May...but it's still a course!) and I've managed to survive thus far. I really think I can handle it.

Now I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping my two remaining lists pull through (I'm only 3rd on one of them!) so that I'll no longer have a five hour break in between my courses... Sadly, this is not an exaggeration. Wish me luck!

And for those of you who know who Edward Cullen is... Twilight countdown: five days

Wednesday November 19, 2008

The (Not So) Secret Rooms of Leddy

The first time I walked into the Leddy Library, a few days after the semester started, I was completely overwhelmed. There were rows upon rows of books with obscure titles like "Contemporary Policy Issues" and little cubicle-like seats. Worst of all, it was absolutely silent.

I fled the Library and did not return...until now.

Did you know there are sections of the library where you're actually allowed to talk? I know I didn't, but believe me, they exist. I think they're for working in groups because the tables are pretty big. So, if you don't want the extreme noise of the CAW, or the extreme silence of the library, do a search of Leddy and with luck you'll find a happy ! medium.

That's really all the time I have for right now, I'm in the middle of my second set of midterms.

Twilight countdown: 1 day.

Saturday November 22nd, 2008

“Better hang on spider-monkey”

Quick update because midterms are pretty much kicking my butt at the moment.

My waiting list status has not yet changed as of yet, but I did get signed into one of the classes I had originally wanted. I have to go to school five days a week, and the times are not the greatest, but at least everything matches up with my Degree Audit now.

I saw Twilight and it was so much less disappointing than I was expecting. I saw the 10 p.m. advance viewing along with all the other Twilght-aholics and it was so great hearing the reactions of the rest of the crowd. The first time Edward came on screen I'm sure they could hear the squealing from outside the theatre. I'm going to see it again today along with my friends, including one who is down visiting from University for the weekend (yes, the one from my introductory post). I haven’t had a chance to hang out with my core group of high school friends at the same time in awhile, so I’m really looking forward to it.

Speaking of Twilight, after the show I got to have a bit of an adventure. I was getting a ride home with a friend, so we went outside into the freezing night, still squealing over the different aspects of the movie. We got into the car, put on our seatbelts (safety first!) and she went to start the car. The car went chuga-chug-chug-chug...but that was about it. Ah, the joys of student cars... we ended up calling one of the girl's parents to pick us up. Let's just say it was a late night.

Also, I got all my Christmas/birthday shopping done last night (three of my best-friends have December birthdays because they enjoy draining my bank account ^_^). I'm not a big fan of shopping, and I hate crowds, but it really helps when you're shopping with someone you love being around. So tip of the day, when you have to do something you probably won't enjoy, combine it with something you do enjoy. This can be applied to studying as well. Don't really want to read that chapter of Biology 101? Why not head to the gym and take a seat on the bikes while you go over the chapter? Not only are you exercising your body, you'll be exercising your mind (sorry for the bad comparison there...I really couldn't resist).

Anyway, I'm off to work on some more school stuff before I have to get ready for the movies. Anyone else missing the lazy days of the strike? I know my brain is...

Monday November 24th, 2008

Sleeping Patterns

I've discovered that I do my best work after I've been awake for at least three hours, but I've only got about ten hours of work in me before my brain turns to complete mush. Staying up late never helps anything. It's really important to know when your peak studying hours are. Some people are able to pull all-nighters, write a midterm the next day and perform perfectly. I can not. I need sleep, at least eight hours of it.

And as much as I hate waking up early, it's probably the best thing for me to do. You know what they say "early to bed and early to rise makes a (wo)man healthy, wealthy, and wise". Not sure how true it is, but early to bed and early to rise makes Meghan's to-do list shrink considerably more than when she stays up to the wee hours of the morning. ^_^ As long as I don't do anything that involves too much brain power when I first wake up...that always turns out badly.

Saturday November 29, 2008

"When you think Tim McGraw I hope you think of me E=mc²"

I've managed to (somehow) survive my second set of midterms and already my professors are talking about exams. My first (and second) exam is on the eighteenth of December, so about three and a half weeks, practically a full month, away. I have another month of constant studying to make it through. That's too long! And at the same time, not even close to enough time to properly prepare, especially since I have a couple of hand-in exams to complete. I can feel the head ache coming on already.

Outside of my work load things have been pretty great. I got into another one of my classes, which freed up a course choice for me. I still haven't decided between two courses, but the way my schedule is currently set up I will have only one class on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Fridays, and three on Mondays and Wednesdays which seems more than a little uneven to me. I'm still holding out hope that I'll manage to get into the course that I'm currently 116th on the waiting list...

Last night was the Concurrent Education Fall Formal that I helped to organize as I am first year French representative in the Concurrent Club (not sure if I've mentioned that before...oh well...). It turned out really well despite a few bumps along the way. The theme was candy land, and the decorations were not only adorable but edible. The candy buffet was really yummy, but my favourite treat had to be the chocolate fountain. Strawberries dipped in chocolate are so good they should be illegal. Overall I had a really good time, and I'm looking forward to next year's.

Thanks to a late night at the formal, my mind is pretty mushy at the moment. As a result I've spent a day relaxing, reading through some of books I need to finish for my literature classes, and listening to Taylor Swift. I'm not a big country fan, in fact after rap it is probably my least favourite genre of music, but Taylor Swift's songs always relax me and make me so happy, even though half of them have such sad undertones to them. I think it's because I've always been able to relate to the lyrics; it makes me feel good to know that someone else has gone through the same sort of things. Plus, the boy in the "Love Song" music video is just too cute. :D Anyway, before I get off on a fangirl tangent, I thought I'd point out that music is a great way to relax; I personally can't study without some sort of music in the background. Finding quick ways to relax is important, especially around exam season. Stressing out does not help anyone absorb information better, so it's best to be calm when studying.