May 5th, 2009 by Jessica
On this cold, dreary, rainy day in Huntington, finals week is underway. I had my first final yesterday at 12:45 in my integrated science course. I believe that I did pretty well on it; thankfully it wasn’t a comprehensive exam and that it just covered what we had discussed in lecture and lab since our midterms in March.
Finals week isn’t too terrible for me. I have my big media law final today at 4:00 p.m. and I won’t lie; I’m nervous. While I have secured a passing grade (for the first time in my college career I am more than happy with accepting a ‘C’ and being pleased with that) it’s still nerve-wracking to into a final, even if you know the outcome won’t affect your overall grade. This final is comprehensive, fill-in-the-blank and essay. Since this pertains to my major, I want to do well on the exam since the information that I have gathered from the class will important for when I head out into the real working world. While media law has been my most difficult course this semester, it’s also been my favorite to participate in. I have learned so much from my professor, Dan Hollis, and he has been completely supportive of me this semester and has been so helpful in covering material that I’ve been having trouble grasping.
Wednesday I have my final in my Film and Fiction course, where I will write essays based on the past movies we’ve watched. I’m not too terribly nervous about that exam. Friday I have a pretty big final in Political Science that I’ve been preparing for at 8:00 a.m. Yuck. I’ve been thankful that my other three finals are later in the day and I have just the one final at 8:00 a.m.
Of course, everyone is on a different finals schedule. If you’re interested, you can take a look at our finals schedule for this semester here. I have a couple of friends who have more than two finals scheduled for today, but they were able to make arrangements with their professors so they wouldn’t have more than three finals in a single day. I did have one friend who opted to take three of her finals today so she would be completely finished for the week. Students have a lot of freedom has far as making arrangements ahead of time when it comes to exam taking, which really works out well for those who have tough schedules or have special circumstances.
Tomorrow is the annual School of Journalism and Mass Communications Awards. I may be up for an award for my work in The Parthenon last semester. It’s a time where the college has the opportunity to award students for their hard work and dedication by presenting awards and scholarships. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that I get an award.
Other than that, the big finale is Saturday when Marshall will have its 172nd Commencement. This will be my second year attending graduation, and it may be my hardest. I have a lot of dear, close friends that are walking across that stage to shake hands with our president, Stephen Kopp, and that means a lot of them will be leaving Marshall and Huntington to pursue law school, graduate school or to head out into the workforce. While it’ll be a sad time, I am also happy and proud of my friends for their accomplishments and know that I will be walking across that stage to receive my diploma this time next year.
May 4th, 2009 by Arianna
There are certain things you never want to happen. Ever.
My weekend started normally enough. My two best friends and I went to the Green and White game Saturday afternoon, and despite my preparation to my already sunburned skin, the sun and heat of the 90 plus degree day got the better of me. Originally, I was going to dedicate this entire blog to that game and the inspirational words spoken by Chad Pennington and the rest of the 1999 undefeated team. I was going to talk about how cool it was to feel like I have come cirlce. (My first Marshall experience was watching this team play at The Joan from the student section with my sister and future brother in law.)
But, then the rest of the week happened and that feels as if it was ten years ago. The events that unfolded on Sunday evening are probably some of every parent’s biggest worries, and are definitely something I never thought would happen.
On Sunday evening, my best friend stumbled into my room exepectedly, crying. It is not uncommon for this particular friend to show up unannounced, or crying for that matter, but my friend is a resident advisor and has a meeting in about 10 minutes. Under normal circumstances, she would never have come to my room with that little amount of time if something was not really wrong.
As she was curled up on my bed, she began telling me what was wrong. “Ari, it hurts here. What’s right here?” she asked while motioning to the lower rightside of her abdomen. At that moment, I knew we were in for a long night, but I wanted to double-check before I told her what it was.
After using WebMD and my parents to check her syptoms and our plan of action, I knew that she needed to go to the ER, but I also knew that my friend was one of the most stubborn people that I have ever met. As I told her that I thought it was appendicitis, she told me I was crazy. After a while of arguing, she told me that she had to go to her meeting and agreed that if she was still feeling bad afterwards that she would go.
Much to her dismay she was still in pain, and walking was becoming more difficult. So, after talking to the Resident Director, my friend’s mother, and making a few other phone calls, we were finally off to the ER about an hour later. At about midnight, after two hours of waiting, my friend was finally called into a room ans was told she was going to be having a CAT scan. So, we waited again. By 3 AM, my friend’s mother and step-father had made it from her hometown just minutes before her CAT scan.
I cannot imagine the fear that her parents were feeling after hearing that their daughter was sitting in the emergency with something that was most likely going to cause her surgery. At 4 AM, just after her stepfather drove me back to my Residence Hall, I got a phone call from her mother telling me that the Doctor had confirmed it as appendicitis.
My best friend had surgery just over two hours later, and is doing fine now, but the fear that comes with seeing you friend have something that wrong is overwhelming. All she really wanted in that moment was for her mother to be there with her, but her mother was 3 hours away and I was the only confort she had in that emergency room.
But, I tell this story not to make people fear for their own lives, or their child’s lives, but to talk of the extreme kindness with which my friend was treated. Everyone that she came into contact with was extremely kind and friendly, and most were even considerate of the fact that she was hours away from home. I know that this is a college town, but I did not expect the people to be so concerned that she was not at home. It was very comforting.
My friend has ben out of class for the entire week, and came back to her room on campus today. She cannot carry more than 5 pounds and it takes her about 30 minutes to walk accross campus. But, when she arrived back, she was greeted with several bouquets of flowers as well as tons of friends who were eager to help. It is comforting to know that even in the most frightening of times people will step up and take care of those they know. It definitely makes me feel so much better about living six hours from home.
April 28th, 2009 by Danielle
<!–[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]–><!–[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]–>
College is so much more dynamic than high school. Not only are there classes and organizations, but also friendships from across the nation and opportunities that you never could have imagined in high school. I have spoken about undergraduate research several times in my blogs. This week is when all of my hard work gives something back to me.
I am currently working on a project about the protein albumin. This week I have to put together two posters to present at research conferences. The first is to present at a national conference in Chicago, IL. What is awesome is the fact that Marshall takes care of the bill. The second will be a combined poster with another student to present at a statewide undergraduate conference.
So why go to these geek conferences? Because it’s cool! I have the opportunity to see the newest innovations in the fields of analytical instruments. I get to meet professionals in my field and get the chance to meet graduate programs that I can apply to attend next year.
Putting together a poster can be very stressful. You have to have all your data from your work and know both the theory and your applications. Then you have to present your work in a manner that is understandable and be prepared for any question under the sun.
April 28th, 2009 by Jessica
In the past four years that I have been here at Marshall, I’ve often wondered why the week before finals is called Dead Week. Some of my friends think that it’s called Dead Week because everyone feels so dead just the week before finals. Some think it’s because you’ll be lucky to be alive by the end of the week because you’ve spent the week working to get everything accomplished before finals. Professors will tell you that this is the week they can’t assign students any additional work that wasn’t already included on their syllabus.
Typically, this week does signal that I’ll be extraordinarly busy with finishing last minute papers and projects. But, for the first time in my undergraduate career, I do not have anything due this Dead Week. Nothing. Not a paper. Not a presentation. Not a random quiz or exam. I am officially three finals away from my summer break which will begin on May 8. For graduating seniors, they are just a little over a week away from graduation which is May 9.
So, what am I doing while all of my friends rush around finishing last minute assignments? I’m laying on my couch and preparing hundreds of note cards for my huge Media Law final next Wednesday. Not to mention that as I lay on my couch, I am also reviewing and revising my notes for my ISC 280 class. And this weekend’s agenda? Reviewing and revising my PSC 105 notes. While I might not be writing papers or giving presentations, I’m still in the middle of trying to make it to May 8.
While I’m blogging, for anyone college student or graduating senior who may be reading this, I want to point out the importantance of not getting stressed out. Being stressed out can leave you feeling sick, something I know quite well. Last week, I began experiencing pain in the center of my spine, followed by a rash. The pain became so severe that I had to stop at Student Health, which is just minutes from our campus, to see a doctor. Her diagnosis? Shingles. Shingles at the age of 22. Thankfully, she prescribed me some antiviral medication that I picked up at a pharmacy nearby and my back is feeling tons better than it was this time last week. She said my shingles outbreak could have been caused by high levels of stress; so, take note: don’t stress out. It’s not worth it.
April 20th, 2009 by Arianna
Part of the college experience is embracing opportunities as they come to you and making the best of every situation. Throughout the years here, I have had my fair share of “situations” to face; the good, the bad, and the ugly. (You know ugly, like when you wake up on the day before your trip to DC with a giant zit the size of Texas on the very tip of your nose. Yeah, I’ve been there.)
But, today I the opportunity to embrace a very good situation. Last semester, I took a political science class in which I was required to write a HUGE quantitative research paper. Shortly after I turned in this 34-page paper, my professor told the class about the College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference. She suggested that those of us who were ambitious enough should turn in an abstract to the committee. I wasn’t sure what the whole thing was about, and I have to admit, I knew it would look good on a resume.
So, fast forward about three months, and I recieve an e-mail from the head of the committee congratulating me and saying that my research would be included in the conference. Because of this, I would be required to give a 15-minute presentation and then entertain a questions.
Talk about a shock! First of all, I had completely forgot about applying for it. Second, a fifteen minute presentation! 15 minutes! In the midst of everything else I had going on, I had to write a 15 minute long presentation. But, that was the easy part! I then had to get up the nerve to give it.
Okay, so I know what you are thinking. She gives tours and writes about her entire life. But, this is completely a different story. This is in a professional setting with everyone focused directly on me. If I messed up, these people were going to know it. And, trust me, it is much easier to talk about Marshall than about numbers dealing with obesity in America.
Well, today was the big day and I made it through! Maybe I read from my notecards way too much or talked too fast, but I made it through. And, that my friend is what college is all about. Okay, I know I sound lame, but don’t we go away to college so that we can learn and grow as a person. Well, that’s exactly what happened. I learned that I can give a presentation without freaking out!
I have always been more of a background person, and I most certainly do not want to be the only person on stage, but today I learned that I can handle the situation. And, to top it all off, I got a great piece of experience to add to my resume. I presented personal research at a university-wide research conference.
But, now it is on to the next challenge: writing a thousand-word paper on comparing the government set-up of a country and comparing it to their claimed type of ideology. Yeah, I got my work cut out for me!
April 13th, 2009 by Arianna
I know that the title of this post is a downer. I mean who really wants to read a blog about disappointment? Please stick with me, I promise you that it isn’t as bad as it seems.
So before I begin, I must confess that I am a perfectionist. I am the girl that still has a 4.0 GPA as a junior. I work my butt off everyday to get those A’s because, trust me, college isn’t easy. Okay, that being said, I have another confession to make.
I hate it when I study harder for a test than I ever have before and still do not do well on it. I recently took an exam in my geography class. I approached it as more of a battle, and trust it won an easy victory! Remember, I am the broadcast journalism and political science major, so my geography science class is a little out of my league.
I studied for a few days straight and devoted six hours on the night before the test to studying for this exam. I have never done this before for a test. (and probably never will again!) So you can feel my dissappointment when I opened up WebCT (an online progam that some professors post projects, grades, and quizzes) to find that I had made an 82 on it. Now, you may be thinking that that isn’t bad, but it wasn’t the grade as much as the wasted time.
I feel as though I have wasted my time when I study for hours and still don’t do extremely well on a test. Do you know how many things I could have done with those six hours of my day? My friends often get mad at me for being such a perfectionist, but if I spend half my day studying for a test than I expect to get a good grade in return.
So, my disappointment has set in, and as the end of the semester approaches, I am quickly realizing that my 4.0 might just be a thing of the past. But, what is perhaps even more frustrating, it is not in a difficult class or because of a lack of time spent working hard.
And, that my friend, is complete and utter disappointment. There is nothing worse than trying your hardest and your hardest not being good enough. What are you supposed to do, when you have done all you can do? Well, I still do not have an answer to that question and I am trying desperately to tell myself that I am not a loser for not understanding the concepts of one class. But, I did come across one profound observation that made me feel slightly better about my situation.
My sister and brother-in-law are both teachers and are on spring break this week. As Marshall alumni they chose to spend this week in Huntington, and I have spent most of my free time with them. (In fact, as I am writing this, I am sitting in their hotel room as my nephew takes a nap.) They both know a thing or two about being Marshall students and they often laugh at me when I stress about the grade situation. Their response? “What does it matter anyways?’
Okay, so let me tell you, this makes me infuriated. In a very frantic, huffy voice I respond, “Well, how am I supposed to get into a good school if I can’t get a stinkin’ A in geography? How am I supposed to get a good job?” Again, they laugh at me, which again infuriates. (My sister is 12 years older than me and often gets enjoyment out of my immaturity and my brother in law certainly likes to push my nerves.)
I feel as though I should go into a bit more detail, while my sister strove for good grades a B didn’t crush her spirit. And, it certainly hasn’t hurt her in a long run as she has her master’s degree and her principal’s certification. Knowing this, it becomes ever so slightly clear to me that grades don’t matter. Yes, you have to pass your classes to get a degree and grades do matter in entering grad school, but is working myself to the bone and worrying myself sick over grades worth it? Not really.
Will I continue to worry? Yep.
Am I going to study 10 hours for the next geography test? You betcha!
But, am I going to have abreakdown if I get a B? Well, I am still working on that one.
April 5th, 2009 by Arianna
Before coming to college, I was never willing to do anything on my own. I was always afraid that I was whatever it was up. If it came to paperwork, I made my Mom or Dad double check. Need to make an important phone call? I would definitely call my Mommy. I never trusted my judgement, and I was not confident enough to ask questions and put myself out there.
This week, I have been working a lot on my internship paperwork. I admit, I thought that once you found an internship that the hard part was over, but that is not the case! So much paperwork to do for everything from financial aid to admissions. I had been stressing out for many weeks approaching Spring Break because although I am a junior, I still have not had to do much of this myself. I couldn’t get up the courage to go into Old Main and talk to the staff to figure out exactly what paperwork I needed to do.
Over Spring Break, I resorted back to my old stand by and asked my Mom. She was able to get every question answered and figured out exactly what paperwork needed to be filled out, but then came the hard part. I was going to have to ask for the forms in person, fill them out and turn them in, ask for signatures, and do all the “dirty work”. All this chickening out and I was still going to have to do everything!
So, Monday morning, I made my way to the seemingly frightening offices and began the process. It took me nearly all week to get everything accomplished, but everyone was extremely helpful and understanding along the way. I practically became a fixture in the admissions and financial aid offices. The staff never got annoyed with my questions or thought I was stupid for them. (Although I am pretty sure some of my questions were quite amusing!)
In the end, I was able to do it! This may sound lame, but I feel more confident since I have been able to muster up the courage to walk in the office by myself and take care of everything. It definitely helped me out that everyone in the offices were so kind and understanding. It really showed me how much i have grown since entering college. Before I would have had a breakdown because I would have been so afraid, but now I can suck it up and do it.
My friends often wonder how I can put anything down on paper (or in digital form) and can give tours of campus to complete strangers, but when it comes to being in front of a class or asking questions, I tend to freak out. I always tell them that we all have those little things that make us awkward that we have to overcome. I am just beginning to learn how much being at Marshall has helped me do just that.
March 31st, 2009 by Jessica
Spring Break has come and gone all too soon. This year, my best friend and I decided to tackle the streets of New York City, a new experience for me. In the last week, I have had many firsts: flying, trying seafood, walking 38 blocks, shopping at stores I can’t afford and rode a Ferris wheel in a toy store (Just a note, go to the Toys R’ Us in Times Square and ride the Ferris wheel. No matter your age, it’s a blast.) In that week, I tried not to think about what’s come; it’s that final stretch between the break and finals.
It’s also that time of year where the grass is becoming a little greener and ripe in smell. The sweaters and heavy coats are finding their places in the back of your closet as you say hello to your short sleeve shirts and light-weight jackets. The sun is staying out a little bit longer and you find yourself looking out the window during class and wishing you could be outside. Spring is slowly, but surely, coming to Huntington and spring fever will soon catch on campus.
Students are definitely hanging outside more now, and this week is Greek Week for our fraternities and sororities. It’s a week filled with competition as the Greek organization face each other in everything from trivia contests to tug-of-war. I watched today as the girls of different sororities battled it out over a game of soccer on Buskirk Field. It’s a time that those involved in these groups wear their letters proudly and strive to be the best on campus.
While the weather is warming up, the spring semester is winding down. In just a short five weeks, I will be preparing for finals and gearing up for summer. But in that final five weeks, I have a few papers to write and exams to study for. Even though it’s quite tempting to miss class so I can enjoy the sunshine, I remind myself that if I can just make through this final stretch then I will be ready for summer. I’ve decided to lighten my final year load by taking a summer class. Marshall is offering four different sessions that run at different intervals. A lot of students stay in Huntington in the summer not only for employment but to take courses that will help with scheduling in the fall and spring. I have registered to take my journalism capstone class from July 14-August 14. The class will finish just in time for the start of Fall 2009, which will be here before we know it, but hopefully not too soon.
It’s hard to believe that another semester will be over in a blink of an eye. Time flies by.
March 30th, 2009 by Arianna
If I could describe my life in one word, it would be hectic. Everyday I am running several different places to get things accomplished: meetings, class, homework, and squeezing in gym time. My calender has so many scribbles in it, I can barely make out what some of the writing is. I have post-it notes scattered throughout my room reminding me to do this, read that, and “Don’t forget to study!”
My life is so jammed packed that most weekends are booked solid, and because of my crazy schedule I have not been home since the semester started. Now, when I say home, I mean the place I grew up, the place where my parents live. As a college student, I feel as if I am in limbo, a person with two homes. I often confuse my family and friends because I use the word “Home” to describe both my room here in Huntington, as well as my parent’s house. And, to me both are equally my home.
So, finally, here we are, approaching Spring Break. And, I am leaving one home to finally go home to the other. I know that many college students use the break as an excuse to go on extravagent vacations to sunny beaches or other exciting places. But, not me. I am going straight home tomorrow, and I could not be happier about it.
Coming from a very close-knit family, I grew up spending most of my free time with my family. Since I have been in college, I have adapted to life where I rely on myself, where I have to make other friends instead of relying on my family. But, whenever breaks roll around I am ready to go home. While I am engrossed in my busy life when I am here, once I get home I revel in the quiet simplicity of being home.
So, while I still have homework to worry about, my spring break will be spent at home with my family. And, when the week is over, while it will be bittersweet to leave, I will come back to my other home, to reunite with my other family, my friends.
March 28th, 2009 by Angela
College can be rough if you are sick. The last two weeks leading up to spring break, I was pretty miserable. The mountains of homework piling up were becoming that much harder to complete. I tried cough syrup, cough drops, and everything in between to clear up my chest cold. It only got worse. However, I wasn’t the only one suffering from this disease plaguing the tri-state area. It seemed nearly everyone you met had been sick or knew someone who was. You just have to love flu season!
My point behind this entry is there’s no point in exhausting yourself. I pushed myself until I was so sick I could hardly get anything done (other than lay on my couch and watch movies all day). Marshall has many services for students needing medical attention. Sick packs, including the necessities for the ailing student, are available as well as some free treatments at student health in Cabell Huntington Hospital. In my case, I decided to wait it out and not take advantage of these perks. Big mistake! Students never need to feel like there isn’t anyone who cares about their health as much as they do. So next time you get that achy, sniffly, coughing feeling, head over to a doctor. You won’t regret it. Trust me, I know!