March 2008 Archives

Hey everyone,

Sorry this is going to be a really short entry! We have our second and final dress rehearsal for the Vagina Monologues at 6pm tonight. This week has been so crazy! Time management has come into play A LOT. I had 2 projects, a board, a program proposal and our show all due this week.

Basically, I wouldn't have lived this week without my planner. For incoming students, here's some advice: GET A PLANNER! For parents and family of incoming students, here's a great gift idea: A PLANNER!

See, I write everything down. Due dates, duties and securities and then on the morning of my days, I write out everything I have to do, basically hour by hour. Some days I'll even write down when to shower. It really helps to see your day spaced out and then you'll realize that you even have some free time in between everything you have to do. Like now for example, I had 45 minutes unaccounted for before dinner.

Well, I know I mentioned it before, but if you're interested, you should really attend The Vagina Monologues. The shows are Friday and Saturday at 7pm. A lot of hard work has went into this show and a lot of great benefits are coming out of it. It's only $10 for non-students and $5 for students! We'll have snacks and raffles for people that attend to!

Well, I hate to cut this short, but I have to fuel up with dinner before a 4 hour rehearsal. I'll let you know how the show went in my next blog.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Sam :) 

Hey everyone!

 

 

So Spring Break was awesome! I had a great time. Now it’s time to get back into the swing of things and finish the semester.

 

Yesterday, I got my RA Acceptance letter for next year! I was very pleased to see the Congratulations when I first opened the envelope. Then of course, the next thing I did was skim the letter to see where I am going to be an RA next year. You’re now reading the blog of a Bourgeois RA for the 2008-2009 school year. I’m very excited. Bourgeois is a freshman dorm on east campus. I have never lived on East Campus before so it’s going to be interesting!

 

This morning, I woke up early to watch the Red Sox. If I haven’t mentioned it before, I LOVE the Red Sox! It was a really good game (6-5 Red Sox!). During the last inning, I couldn’t really pay attention because I had my online class.

 

Online classes are another wonder that UML offers. My Research I class is a blended course. That means that we meet one day online and one day in person. On Tuesdays, we meet online and we review the material that is on the quizzes in class on Thursdays. I find it really beneficial and it’s definitely helping my grade. Plus, I get to stay in my pajamas and have breakfast during class. I definitely recommend taking a blended course while you’re at UML. It is unlike anything you will have ever done before!

 

For the rest of the day I’m working on my bulletin board for my floor. I’m focusing on Stress Relief Tips because April is Stress Awareness Month! It is very easy to get stressed out in college if you aren’t prepared with a few stress relief tips. My favorite stress reliever is playing with play-doh. I just make shapes and play around and it definitely relieves stress. My friend Jenna colors to relieve stress. Both activities can get your mind off of your stress and help you to relax.

 

Another Stress Reliever is the Visualization Line that Health Services & Counseling Services offer. If you’re calling from a campus phone it is extension 6865. If you’re calling from a cell phone or home phone, the number is 978-934-6865. I definitely recommend calling it once in a while. Last time I called, I was on a hot-air balloon ride.

 

Well, today is the beginning of my very busy week (I have dress rehearsals and The Vagina Monologues this week) so I’m going to get some work done.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Sam

Hey everyone!!!
 

Spring Break is here!!! I love it! It is the perfect break right in the middle of a busy semester, it’s great to just relax and reset. Last year I worked over Spring Break at home. This year I did the typical college thing and went to Florida with some friends.

Welcome to “The Most Responsible Spring Break Ever!”

 

On this trip is myself, John (a fellow RA), Tammy (a fellow RA), Lindsey (a fellow RA) and Jana (an ex-RA). So, four of us (John, Jana, Tammy and I) drove down here on Saturday into Sunday. The car ride wasn’t too bad. We did a lot of stopping on the way down at random rest stops. Billboard signs are also a good thing for amusement.

 

Fast forward to today, Monday, St. Patrick’s Day. Today we woke up and had every intention of lounging by the pool at our hotel. At 10am, Tammy got a phone call from a friend who could get us the Red Sox vs. Yankee tickets we’ve been trying to get for months now. So of course we say “YES!” and change and get on the road as quickly as we could because we had 3 hours before the game started to get the tickets and drive the two and a half hour drive to Tampa. So we saw the Red Sox play (and lose…BOO!) to the Yankees today. It was a great game. We even made friends with Yankees fans.

(And at the game, John was wearing a UML t-shirt and TWO people stopped him and said it was their Alma Mater! You never know where you’ll see UML people!)

So here's a picture of the game. I have a lot more if you want to see them, you can comment here, and I'll post them.

So after the game, we decided we wanted Hard Rock Café for dinner. So we put “Hard Rock Café” in the GPS and it said there was one in Lakeland, FL. So we click “GO!” and it starts to direct us there. OKAY, so the GPS lied, and brought us to some residential neighborhood. (John is describing it as “sketchy Florida sticks.”) It was creepy! So we just re-entered Hard Rock and went to Orlando.

 

So we got to Universal and the City Walk and walked around and took lots of pictures. Then we went into Hard Rock Cafe, and right before we went in and took our pictures, some guy stopped us, and asked if we went to UMass Lowell, and we said “yeah!” and he goes “I do too!!!!” It was really cool. Again, you never know where you’ll see UML people! So we sat down to eat, and we had the coolest waiter ever! He was so friendly! Definitely southern hospitality at its best!

Here's me outside the Hard Rock Cafe

Then we walked around the City Walk and took more pictures and stopped at Starbucks.

 

So the rest of our break is booked day-by-day. Tomorrow we’re going to Daytona Beach for the day and making ourselves dinner in our hotel room. Then Wednesday, Tammy, Lindsey and I are going to Magic Kingdom! Thursday we’re going to Cocoa Beach for the day and then at night I’m making Tacos in the hotel room. Then Friday morning, we’re leaving to drive back to UML.

 

After Spring Break, school is going to be really great. Midterms are over (for the most part) and everyone is recharged from their breaks. Spring Break is one of the best things that college has.

 

Well, it’s getting late and we have an early start tomorrow.

 

Thanks for reading,
Sam 

Hey everyone!

Happy almost-end-of-the week!

So I'm in this class, it's called "Community Service Learning: The V-Day Project" The goal of the class is to put on the play "The Vagina Monologues" written by Eve Ensler and all the proceeds we raise goes to local and international foundations to stop violence against women. Our three foundations are The Rape Crisis Center in Lowell, The Alternative House in Lowell and The Polaris Project, which is an international foundation. The Rape Crisis Center is a place where women can go to feel safe and talk to someone if they have been raped or abused. The Alternative House "offer[s] shelter, support, options, counseling and advocacy for all battered women (and their children) who seek [their] help". And the Polaris Project is an organization that is raising money to combat human trafficking and stop modern-day slavery.

If you've never heard of The Vagina Monologues, it is a collection of interviews and monologues from women of all ages and backgrounds. It is funny at times, and serious at times. It is an excellent show that reaches out to its audience.

The class is amazing. It gives us students a chance to give back to the community we are growing up in and one day our families will grow up in.

Today we had our first run through. Everyone did their monologues and we did our dialogues, it was great! It was really cool to finally see everything tied together. I can't wait to perform this at the university. Below is the advertisement copied from the school website if you're interested in coming.

"'The Vagina Monologues' - 03/28 & 3/29 - Pre-show events (raffle, art, resource tables) 6 p.m. Performance 7 p.m. -

Hey everyone!

 

Hope your week hasn’t been too crazy. Mine has been relatively quiet… so far.

 

So I joined a dance class at the Rec Center a few weeks ago. It is SOOO much fun! I haven’t really danced since my senior year in high school so I’m a little rusty. The teacher is a student and she makes it a lot of fun. It is the perfect stress reliever and it’s a great break from work.

 

The choreography last night was really creative. It worked with the music and with the words. It was a lot of fun to do. There is such a mix of people in the class… guys, girls, dancers, people that have never danced before. It was really fun at the end! Usually we split in two and got to watch the other group do the dance.

 

Last night after my dance class, I got the best night sleep ever. It’s a great workout, but I’m always EXHAUSTED afterwards!

 

So I was thinking that next semester I want to take a different type of dance, something I’ve never done before. I was thinking something like Salsa??  Maybe Ballroom dancing? Maybe something new? What do you think? What dance classes would you take?

 

Well, the hustle and bustle of college life is picking up, and I got to do some homework.

 

Samantha

Hey everyone!

 

How are you? The semester is starting to pick up and things are starting to get crazy around UML.

So today, I went home for the day to do some laundry and talk to my mom about studying abroad.

 

Last week I went to the Study Abroad Fair put on by Centers for Learning. I worked at the fair last year and I’ve always thought about studying abroad. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of research on my own and I’ve narrowed it down to three countries - Spain, Argentina and Costa Rica. My goal is to be bilingual before I graduate!

 

So I walked in and filled out a raffle (C.L.A.S.S. always has the best prizes) then I picked a table and started from there.

 

At first I talked to someone from CIS – Center for International Studies. They were really nice. They told me about their program in Spain. They also showed me some pictures; Spain has to be one of the most beautiful countries.

 

Then I went to the CEA (Cultural Experiences Abroad) table. They were really helpful. They have the biggest information book ever. They have programs in Argentina, Costa Rica and Spain. I talked to the rep for a bit and found a crane to carry the giant book they gave me.

 

Next, I talked to the Semester at Sea people. (I know they weren’t on my list, but the thought of spending 68 days around the world fascinates me) He told me the very top secret destinations of the Summer 09 voyage. (No I can’t tell you, it’s a secret!)

 

Then I talked to the gentleman from ISA (International Studies Abroad). He was the most sociable person I’ve ever met. He was just telling me about all his experiences in Spain and “BA” (Buenos Aires) and how much fun he had. He asked me questions that I never thought about in regards to study abroad. Did I want to be in a small city or large city? Did I want to learn the language really fast or be in a more English-immersed location? He picked out the *perfect* place for me to consider. Santander, Spain. It’s little, it’s on the beach, and I’d learn the language fast because it isn’t a very “Tourist-y” place.

 

Finally, I talked to the woman from API (Academic Programs International). She told me about their Summer Program in Costa Rica (because the book had turtles on the cover and caught my attention). The program in Costa Rica is in a small city with a small university. But the part that I REALLY like is that after your 5 weeks of classes, you can choose to go on a 2-week volunteer Sea Turtle Conservation Program. They also have lots of scholarship options.

 

So I’ve basically narrowed it down to two options- Santander, Spain and Costa Rica. My mom is really cool with me going. She’s going to miss me though *tear*. Now all I have to do is call Centers for Learning and make an appointment to see which option is best for me.

 

See ya!!

 

- Sam

Hey everyone!

 

My name is Samantha and I’m new to the UML Blogging Community, so I guess I should tell you a bit about myself.

 

Like I said, my name is Samantha, but everyone just calls me Sam. I’m in my second year at UML. I’m a psychology major and I’m aiming to have a specialization in Developmental Disabilities. I’m a Resident Advisor (RA) on North Campus. It’s pretty much the most amazing job ever. I’m in the Student Leadership Network. The Student Leadership Network is a group of leaders on campus (anyone in any kind of leadership position on campus). Basically, we have dinners once a month and people from different parts of the university (Network Services, Maintenance, and Student Govt. etc.) talk to us and see what we want from each of their services and we give a feedback. We’re changing the University every month just by having dinner and talking. It’s a great experience. I’m also involved in a newer club on campus called “Active Minds.” We’re promoting mental health awareness on campus by programming with health services and the counseling center on campus. Our first event is going to be a campus wide backpack drive. In exchange for donating a backpack, the students can receive a few stress relievers. All of the backpacks we collect are going to be donated to local schools for children without backpacks.

 

I absolutely love to read. I can read any book you give to me. Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors right now. My favorite books of all time are ALL of the Harry Potter books.

 

I also love to dance. I’ve danced since I was 3 years old. When I was 8, I started taking Hip Hop classes and I fell in love with them. I danced on my dance team in high school and I currently take Hip-Hop classes at the Campus Rec Center.

 

My other passion is cheerleading. I’ve been a cheerleader since I was 7 years old. I cheered for Pop Warner, then I coached Pop Warner and I cheered on the UML’s cheerleading squad last year. I’m taking a break from cheerleading this year though; I’m focusing on my RA job and my education.

 

My favorite sports are hockey and baseball. One of my favorite things about the university are the hockey games. Even if you aren’t a crazy hockey fanatic (like myself) the atmosphere at the games are a lot of fun. Students all come together, regardless to what major, what age, what their hobbies are, and support our hockey team. Plus, you can almost always get free stuff and enter to win tons of prizes. I have 5 UML shirts just from Hockey games. I’m also a baseball fanatic (Go Red Sox!)

 

My favorite thing about this university is probably the people. The faculty, staff and even the students make this university feel like home. I know that if I ever need to talk to someone about grades, or if I’m starting to feel sick, or if I want someone to go to lunch with, I can always find someone.

 

Well, now I have to clean up my room (I’m also a messy person) and head to class!

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Sam