Willyard, Samantha D: December 2009 Archives

Hey everyone,

Let me start off by saying I am one overwhelmed college senior. Classes, working and grad school stuff is really bogging me down. I wish that I could just add a few hours to every day. Or have a snow day, but mother nature isn't feeling that one right now.

So what does one do when one is stressed out beyond reason? One MAKES A PLAN! I have outlined my life over the next two weeks. I have when I am going to write my papers, continue studying for the GRE's, memorize my acting final script, mail grad school stuff AND sleep (maybe).

Time management has become a huge part of my life in college. Before college, I was fortunate to be one of those people that didn't have to study to get good grades. I was involved but no where near as involved as I am now. Basically I never had to juggle anything, it all got done and I was always in bed by 11pm (to be fair, I used to wake up at 5am).When I started working in the Honors Office when I was a freshmen, I was required to read these packets on  Time Management, Study Skills and Note Taking to become a peer advisor and to hold workshops. When I read the Time Management one, I scoffed and said that I wouldn't need to do that. Basically, finals approached and I learned I was very, very, very wrong. So I re-read the time management packet, photo copied a few the sheets and organized my life a little better. I learned that time management took a lot of work, but it was worth it when I finished work and was in bed by 1am (to be fair, I didn't have to wake up until 9).

I think that if you're one of those people coming out of high school and you coasted through senior year, hold on, because you're in for a bumpy ride. Do yourself a favor, and google time management strategies or go to the Centers for Learning and sit in on a workshop. They really are helpful.

Tonight though, I am treating myself to one last night out before I really crack down. I am going to see Brothers in the movies. Luckily for me, I bought discounted tickets at the Student Information Center ($7 tickets for the Showcase Cinemas). I don't know how I'm going to function when I'm not a UMass Lowell student. I'm definitely going to have to budget my money a little bit better without all these discounts and student prices.

Well I'm off to make a list or six... Thanks for reading!

Sam :)

Hey Everyone,

How are you? I hope that you and your families had a great Thanksgiving! (And a GREAT Black-Friday & Cyber-Monday!)

So the other day I almost did something that I've taught almost every freshman and transfer that came through Orientation NOT to do. I almost dropped a class because I wanted to add a different one in the Spring. So I logged onto ISIS and I had all the numbers ready to go and I clicked the "Drop Classes" link. Then I highlighted the right class.. THEN I realized that I was commiting an ISIS no-no (not really, it will let you do it, it just isn't smart). So then I quickly quicked the "Swap Classes" link and entered in the class number I wanted to add next to the one I wanted to switch it with. THIS is a much smarter idea. If you change classes under the "Swap" function, you won't get dropped from your first class until you get into the second. It is always a safer thing to do. What if you dropped one class and your new class was full?! And then someone took your spot in your first class?!? Now you're doomed (well kind of). So basically, on ISIS, you never want to DROP a class if you have intentions of adding another one. Got it?! Don't forget it! It's handy information.

On another note, I delivered all of my Letters of Recommendation packets to people that agreed to write them. I provided them with tons of information (probably too much) including my resume and personal statement draft. I never understood why people asked for so much, but I realized that they need all of that information to write about you in a more well-rounded way. If my supervisor didn't know that I had a 3.59 GPA, she couldn't write how I balance my academics and my job. Same if my professors know that I do well in class, but don't know how much work I do around campus. It helps them fill in the gaps about what they don't know.

I'm also almost done filling out the applications themselves, which means this process is almost done.

WOOOOHOOOO!

On the note, Thank you for reading...

Sam :)