Students@UM-Flint

It’s been a busy couple of weeks and time is not waiting for any man. Sometimes I look at the week and ask myself where it’s gone! Twenty-four hours are not enough for me anymore. Exams, papers, research, classes, assignments, and study sessions need to be concluded, but somehow I still manage to function. I have no complaints because I’m honestly thankful to be in this position, to be busy and not be idle, to have the opportunity to be a better person and a better student.

This semester has taught me the importance of planning. I say “planning” because until recently when someone asked me what I was doing at 7pm I would have to let them know I would get back to them. I would think I could store things in my brain, make schedules in my brain, and store 1,001 more things in that same brain as well. Most of the time, being human, you tend to forget.

I have a very good friend called Stephanie K. She’s studying business and finance here at the university, and one thing I really admire about Steph is that she is very organized. She knows what she is doing, what time she is doing it, and where she is doing it, and all this works through her planner. Stephanie is someone a Fortune-500 company would love to hire because she is very skilled at planning a variety of conferences, meetings, and events. She can give you a business plan and tell you how to go around and what to do right from the top of her head.

I really admire this skill set in Steph and I wanted to take heed to that, so I had to learn about organization all over again. I felt like I could not progress or move forward without being organized or having things laid out in front of me. My parents always used to tell me, “If you fail to plan then plan to fail.” Believe it or not, that turned out to be true! Some lessons in my life I have learned the hard way, but if I can help keep one person from making those mistakes I will.

All that said, I think a PLANNER is one of  the top five things that a college student should have. Freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior, we all need it. It’s essential because you are able to prioritize (and don’t use your phone; trust me it does not work). A paperback one from the bookstore would do the deal. It gives you a mindset that separates the important things from the non-important, which comes in handy in our college career. It allows you to also group classes, homework, and study sessions in an effective manner. A paperback planner has made my semester  much easier, and I love the effective result I am getting.

I wish you a very stress-free and productive week!

Go Blue!! ( Oh, and by the way, we beat State!!!!!!!)

I hope everyone is studying hard and using some of the steps Sam mentioned in her last post if you’ve got any midterms coming up; I know I have.  The library has been my second home for the last few days as I get ready for a group presentation, application paper, and a unit exam – all for Tuesday!

Spreading out my things in the library before I tackle all of my assignments due this week

Study hard and don’t give up – only 7 more weeks this semester!

It’s midterm week and you can feel that “no sleep/study all night” vibe all over campus! As I make my way through this stressful time, I thought I’d share my organization strategies that keep me sane (and ensure that all my assignments are turned in on time).

First up is my “syllabus calendar.” At the beginning of each semester, I make an Excel spreadsheet and start combining all of those syllabi into one document. I have three columns: the class, when it’s due, and what exactly is due. Then I organize it by date so I know exactly what is due in my upcoming classes just by looking at the list, instead of perusing several 7-page syllabi and trying to remember it all on my own. As I complete things, I highlight them and move on! 🙂 This is probably the most useful thing I’ve come up with to keep organized in college.

Doesn’t it look pretty? I just finished the first page of it a week ago!

The second thing I do is plan out when I want to study and get work done. My first year I did what lots of students do, where I would just wait until the night before it was due and stay up all night running off energy drinks to try and finish assignments on time. As I went on through the next semesters, trying to balance extra-curriculars and maintaining two jobs, that method just wasn’t cutting it. I like sleep! It’s still difficult for me to WANT to get things done, especially with the wonderful internet just sitting there waiting to distract me. Instead of planning huge homework sessions, I find small parts in my day where I can take some time and work on my syllabus list. Like this semester, I have a 50-minute break between some of my classes, so I use that to get things done. Or if a class gets out early/gets canceled one day, I use that time to be productive. By doing it in little 0ne-hour or shorter chunks of time, I don’t get burnt out (like I would in an all-night study session) and I can actually manage to get a TON more done!

Best of luck to everyone suffering through midterm exams, essays and projects like me. We can do it!

On Friday October 14th, 2012 the University of Michigan-Flint lost a gem. A student who had a beautiful smile, lit up the room with her presence, and was kind to all. A wonderful Resident Advisor to her residents and a caring and thoughtful person in all. A member of Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority and a strong sister who represented sisterhood to the best of her abilities, and always put other people first before herself.

Many students took to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to bid farewell to Ariel, and you could feel the vibe on campus on Friday that the campus and the residence hall had lost a great soul. It’s so sad to see students who make a difference and an impact on their campus community, living community, and residence hall die at such a young and tender age when their journey in life is just beginning. A candlelight vigil was also held for Ariel. Many students on campus and in the residence hall attended and were there to say good-bye to their  class-mate, colleague,  co-worker, mentor, sister, and friend.

The hearts of the Greek community were heavy. Greek students were devastated by the loss of this caring, intelligent, thoughtful, smart, and beautiful young woman. Greek alumni reached out, also expressing their condolences via Facebook and email. There’s no question that Ariel touched the hearts of many.

Ariel was laid to rest today. We will all miss you. My heart goes out to all her family, sisters, residents, and friends. I pray that God grants us all the fortitude to bear this unfortunate loss.

Her Mentor Meghan Roger Simms said this: “Ariel lived her life by this verse: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,’ Phillipians 4:13.

We are all better people because of you, Ariel. You taught us so many things about life!

Once a Phi Sigma Sigma, always a Phi Sigma Sigma. ❤ LITP

I also want to use this medium to say that life is too short and we should never ever take anyone or anything for granted. No one knows tomorrow. Don’t live life with regrets, make a difference, touch someone’s heart either with a smile, compliment, etc., and be the change you want to see in the world.

Peace & Love.

Tolani

On behalf of Student Government and Greek Life, Amir Baz and Nichole Josey also took their time out to pay homage to Ariel and spray-paint the pole.

Would you like to explore awesome art and see great movies for FREE? Then you need a College Town membership to the Flint Institute of Arts!

By signing up for a College Town membership, you get a handful of benefits:

• Free admission every day to exhibitions and lectures
• Discounts to weekend feature films
• Discounts in The Café and Museum Shop
• Free Wi-Fi throughout FIA
• Free admission to Thursday night College Town films

All screenings of the College Town Movie Series are at 9PM each Thursday in the FIA Theater, unless otherwise noted, and you get in for FREE with your College Town membership.

Coming up on the College Town calendar:
October 18, Undefeated
October 25, Cyrus
November 1, Election
November 8, Pariah

If you’d like to sign up for membership (or rejoin for the 2012-2013 year), email Valarie Shook at [email protected] and be sure not to miss out on any of these great films or art exhibitions!

Hey, everyone!

I hope we’re all set and ready to give these midterms coming up all the potential we’ve got! I’ve have been so busy trying to get back into my routine and making sure I do things the right way. I wrote in my first blog that I love math no matter how hard or challenging it is. I love every bit of it. My favorite class that I have taken on the university campus happens to be Math 120. I took this class my freshman year with Professor John Moliassa, who is a mentor to me now.

Professor Moliassa was one of the best math professors I had ever seen because he challenged you, related math to your daily life and college activities you partook in, and he even ensured you participated so you got the gist of how each topic was connected. You understood what he thought in class. It was in Math 120 that I realized there is a difference between doing what you love and doing what you are paid to do.

I liked the class because with the way Professor Moliassa taught you could see his passion and love for mathematics, and he made sure each student felt that anytime they walked into his class. His class made me love math even more. In class he would also emphasize the importance of office hours, and made sure he gave all students the attention they needed so they understood the topic presented. He always said that you would know what you gained from the class, not by the grade you earned, but by how you could apply the things you learned to other classes and life.

That class also taught me the importance of office hours, responsibility, and accountability. A lot of times I would go to his office hours because I had tried the hardest problems and wouldn’t be able to get an answer. I would be frustrated, but after I left his office I would understand a different method of solving that problem and other math problems. Most students at times would come in saying, “I used to get an A+ in Math in high school.” I even came in saying that, but he would challenge us and say, “I want to see you put all the potential you gave in your high school math class also put into Math 120.”

Oddly enough, I like to take classes that push me to my limit, that challenge me more than I have ever been challenged, that give me a run for my money, and that also allow me to discover a potential in me that I never knew existed. Math 120 did just that—which is why it’s one of my favorite classes I have ever taken on the University of Michigan-Flint.

It’s another busy week here at UM-Flint. Today I want to share with you guys some events happening on and around campus in the next week that you’re not going to want to miss!

Tuesday, October 9 (PS. That’s TODAY!)
Bio-Banking: Uses and Dilemmas, 4-5:30PM, French Hall 111
Did you know that some of your cells might have been stored to use for future research? I know that I didn’t! Join the discussion with three panelists from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor as they talk about “bio-banking” and the ethical and policy debates surrounding it. You can find more information about the event and the panelists on the UM-Flint News site.

PS. Be sure to read this year’s Common Read book written by Rebecca Skloot, who’ll be on campus next month. The book is titled “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.”

Speed Dating, 8-10PM, Happenings Room
Are you looking for love as Sweetest Day draws near? Do you just want to meet some really cool people on campus? If so, the Campus Activities Board is bringing you Speed Dating tonight!

Thursday, October 11
#UMFLINT24, 12AM-11:59PM, Everywhere
I’m sure you know just how addicted most college students have become to social media (guilty!). Well, this event is perfect for my fellow junkies. This Thursday marks 10.11.12 and we’re being asked to document the day-in-the-life of the University of Michigan-Flint. So, grab your camera and start shooting!

Be sure to use the hashtag when posting!
Twitter: Hashtag #umflint24
Instagram: Hashtag #umflint24
Flickr: Tag your photos “umflint24”

You’ll be able to check out what your fellow wolverines have posted at throughout the day. For more information, head to the #UMFLINT24 website.

Volunteer Expo, 3-7PM, Michigan Rooms
Don’t miss HandsOn Genesee’s annual volunteer expo! Dozens of organizations from Genesee County will gather together to let you know how you can get involved with their organizations and the difference you can make through volunteering. Stop by the Michigan Rooms to learn about some local causes that need your help, and score some awesome door prizes!

If you want to get involved but you’re not able to attend, check out some of these websites or this map of volunteer locations right in our own backyard.
Helpful Websites:
HandsOn Genesee
Resource Genesee
Volunteer Match

Map of Locations
Volunteer in Flint!

IT CAME FROM THE LOCAL, 7-11PM, Flint Local 432
The Flint Horror Convention is invading the Flint Local 432 for a night of free independent horror films. They’ll be showing you all kinds of films, anywhere from zombies to flesh-eating fog to timeless killers – and it’s all free!

Flint Local 432
124 W. First St., Flint, MI, 48502

For more information, shoot an email to [email protected].

PS. Don’t miss the Flint Horror Convention on October 20, back for its second year in Flint! Tickets are only $10. Check out the Flint Horror Convention website for more information.

Debate Watch, 8:30-11:30PM, Riverfront Residence Hall
Join the American Democracy Project and fellow students during the screening of the vice-presidential debate. This is a great opportunity to get informed, express your opinions, and hear what fellow students and community members have to say about the upcoming election. If you’d like to join the American Democracy Project for the last two presidential debate watches, check out the calendar.

Friday, October 12
INspire Conference on Social Entrepreneurship, 9AM-4PM, University Center
Check out this FREE conference and learn how to make a difference in your community and ways that you can better market your creations. You’ll also have the chance to speak with several entrepreneurs, including many of our very own School of Management faculty. For more information and registration, check out their website and the program brochure.

Amazing Race, 4-6:30PM, Flint Cultural Center
Head out to see your fellow wolverines and students from Kettering University, Baker College of Flint, and Mott Community College in Flint’s own Amazing Race! Students will be competing for iPad 2s, tickets to Flint Cultural Center events, and more. Unfortunately, registration is closed, but attending would be a great way to support your classmates!

Club Hockey Game, 9PM, Flint Iceland Arena
The UM-Flint Hockey Club is taking on Northwestern University at the Flint Iceland Arena.  Show up to support our team as they continue their winning streak! They’ll also compete against Northwestern University again on Sunday, October 14 at 11AM at the Perani Arena and Event Center. For more information about the team and to view the 2012-2013 game schedule, head to their website.

Be sure to check out some of these events this week and stay tuned for more!

With the general election coming up in a little over a month, I’m sure you’ve seen your share of campaign commercials, flyers, and buttons. While the barrage of political campaigning may seem like a lot, it’s important that we take the time to educate ourselves so that we can be informed voters.

Do you know who you’re voting for this November? What are the issues that are important to you? For me, each candidate’s stance on things like health care and financial aid are important points to consider, as these are just a couple of the things that impact us as college students. Do your research this month and really learn what each candidate stands for.

To help keep you informed, the American Democracy Project will be hosting four debate watches.
Wed, October 3, Riverfront Residence Hall, Presidential
Thur, October 11, Riverfront Residence Hall, Vice-Presidential
Tues, October 16, Kiva Auditorium, Presidential
Mon, October 22, Beecher Community Schools, Presidential

Each of the debate watches will begin at 8:30PM and, following small group discussion, end by 11:30PM. These are great opportunities to get out there, learn what the candidates stand for, and hear what your classmates and community members have to say about the upcoming election. Be sure to check one (or more!) out, and maybe you’ll see Sam, Tolani, Chad, or me. You can also share your reaction during the event on Twitter by hashtagging #NCADebates12.

In the meantime, make sure you register to vote before it’s too late! The deadline to register for the November 6 general election is October 9.  If you’re not going to be in your home town to vote, the deadline to submit your absent voter ballot application is by 2PM on November 3.  You can visit  the Michigan Secretary of State for an easy step-by-step guide to register to vote and check out Project Vote Smart for more information about the candidates and the upcoming election.

Make sure your vote is counted this November, because you never know the difference that just one vote can make.

This re-purposed piece of scrap paper can be my best friend and my worst enemy as an online student at UM-Flint. I am currently enrolled in five different classes worth 15 credits. That’s up to 5 different sets of readings, 5 discussion posts, 5 replies, 5 quizzes, 5 occasional extra assignments, 5 exams… and most importantly, 5 different set of due dates. Life is hard enough without having to juggle 5 classes with different week start points, different expectations and different organizational methods. I find it very, very useful to make a small schedule every week.

These are never super fancy for me, as you can see. I take a portion of an extra piece of paper or a small index card – whatever is available, really – and use the course information section or the syllabus for each to outline each class’s expectations for the week. There’s nothing more annoying than being a usually good student but losing out on points simply because a due date got lost in the shuffle. I sort it out by class, listing the absolute last day I have to turn something in.

I used to scoff at the idea of mapping out a schedule each week, since I am a fairly present-minded person. But then I started taking online courses where everything happens fairly quickly compared to an in-person class. I love it because it forces me to get things done because I know when they’re due. But I also hate it because… it forces me to get things done because I know when they’re due. Love/hate relationship be darned, if you find yourself struggling to make connections with all of your classes flying at once, give this a try. It’s as simple as you want to make it and it can save you a lot of unnecessarily lost points.

With nearly a month under our belts, the fall welcome events are unfortunately coming to a close (luckily there are just as many events happening throughout the rest of the semester). One of the last events of September is this weekend.

Have you ever wanted to ride around in a helicopter just because? Ever wondered just how big a military tank is? Well, the UM-Flint Department of Public Safety and Student Government have partnered up to bring you an event called Touch-a-Truck.

You’ll get an up-close and personal look at a lot of different trucks, learn just how they work, and even sit in the driver’s seat. There will be fire engines, police cars, buses, ambulances, US Army vehicles, and much more.

Designed to build positive relationships between the police, students, and Flint’s youth, this is a great event where you’ll get the chance to meet some of the people helping keep Flint safe and put some faces behind the names. I hear they’re having face painting, balloons, and free hot dogs and popcorn, too!

Head over to the William S. White building parking lot this Saturday, September 29 from 11A-3P this weekend and check out this spectacular FREE event!