Ding Ding - Grades are in!

I'm one of those people that worry like crazy over my grades because I actually have to work for them. I wish I was one of those people that just zoomed through classes with consistent As after no trying, but I'm not. There's been a few classes this semester that were especially difficult for me, so things got quite stressful at times. In the end, I pulled out a 3.23. Considering how hard I worked and how difficult my classes were, I'm pretty happy with my current GPA :) All I really have to worry about is keeping it above a 2.8 to keep my scholarship (that's something I need to do because I couldn't afford going to UT if I didn't get a scholarship from them). 

Next semester, my classes overall don't seem like they'll be that difficult. I'll be taking the regular freshman-type classes that I didn't have an opportunity to take for the Fall 2009 semester: MAT 160, ENG 101, GTW 102, GIS 101, and CRM 102 (17 credit hours total, 1 more than my previous semester). 

I came into UT as a psychology major, but that's going to change soon. I was always interested in psychology, but only a very small portion of it. But I've always been interested in criminology and forensics as a whole. So I've decided that I will change my major to Criminology :)

I hope that everyone is enjoying their winter break!

My first snow!

I love it :) so here are some pictures!

Finals - The last day!

Yesterday was very hectic for me. I got to sleep in thanks to a day free of finals, but then did some studying for my exam (which is in like 2 hours), and ended up taking a car ride to and from Daytona with my suitemates. We took a pit-stop in Orlando for some much needed shopping in the outlets, and made it home safely :)

On the agenda today is to take my Criminology final, start packing, print my boarding pass (yay!), check the mailroom one last time, and return allergy medicine to Walgreens. Seriously, I almost opened the allergy medicine too, but I was like "wait, let me check," and YUP just my luck...it had expired in October. Alright, I have a question... WHY is the US allowed to keep expired medication on the shelves?! Back home, a store would get fined each day past the expiration date if expired medication was found. It just doesn't make senseeeeee. Oh well, guess that means I should pay more attention to the expiration dates now.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Indiana for my very first snow experience, and I couldn't be more excited!         

Seasons Greeting, and Happy Holidays everyone!

Finals - Day 2

Well, to complete finals day 1, I didn't end up taking the environmental exam because it was optional. If you took it and did better than your lowest previous exam grade, it replaced it. I was happy with my grade, so took the time to study for my psych final that I had this morning.

Rise and shine early again, 7:15 this time instead of the 7:45 that my alarm clock was set for. Guess my body just thought I should be up half an hour earlier. It's alright because by 8:30 I was fully prepared for my exam, so I went back to sleep! Got up at 9:45 feeling rested and ready for my test :). It went alright, I'm happy with my grade in the class so it's not that big of an issue to me.

Tomorrow, 0 exams on the schedule! Feels nice to take a break :) Happy studying!

Finals - Day 1

EXAM SCHEDULE:

Monday - Economics, Environmental Science

Tuesday - Psychology

Thursday - Criminology

I know so many people that only have 2 finals, and get to leave really early (like my roommate who leaves TOMORROW!) But I'm actually really jealous. This morning I woke up at 7 to continue studying, but *somehow* ended up on facebook for almost an hour. It's true, my life is a joke. But that's okay because I only have a few days left and then it's off to the land of the cold :) 

I hope that everyone does really well on their finals, especially those who are finding it difficult to study for a particular exam (like my Economics final...no clue what I'm doing, but that's okay right?). I bet no one really has the time to read this right now, and if they do, they should be studying! Just kidding, maybe. 

Good luck!!

Last Week Of Classes

Before I get to the real topic at hand, I have something to say. The past weekend has been kind of strange. But I need to ask one thing: why are UT Security people so calm now? In the beginning of the year, any little thing that someone did incorrectly would get them in trouble. It seems like now, they can get away with anything. Honestly, it's really frustrating.

Anyway! This is the last week of classes before finals begin. I couldn't be happier! For once I don't feel stressed. Hows that for irony? My last homework assignment has been completed, and there is nothing to worry about until finals. Honestly, I normally don't start studying for an exam until a day or two prior to taking it, but I actually started studying today! Aren't you proud? :)

I have 4 finals, sadly, but they're pretty spread out so it's alright. 2 on Monday, 1 on Tuesday, and 1 on Thursday--then I'm off to Indiana for my first white Christmas EVER! I've never seen the snow, so that's one thing that I cannoooottttttt wait for! But enough of that :)

I hope everyone passes their finals with grades that will make them happy! And I'm so excited to be finishing my 1st semester here at UT! 

Gobble Gobble

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? I hope it went well :) Instead of going back home to St. Croix for the holiday, I went to Arcadia (in Florida) to be with a group of about 30 family members. I loooove going there. There's so much wildlife and you feel so carefree. It's like nothing else matters in the world, when things are that peaceful. Deer, turkey, wild hogs, hawks, buzzards, squirrels, snakes, and pet cows. It was a much needed break, and a good place to go for one. I went there on the 24th and came back the 29th, but it seemed like so much longer than that. 

Anyway, I'll stop going on and on about it, because I could for a long time (but then I'd miss my class, and that wouldn't be good for my record :) Here are some pictures! 

UT Photos

A few more of my photographs around UT's campus. 

Busy busy busy!

     This week, I don't see myself even having a chance to breathe. First off, I've been working like mad on an environmental presentation that I'm presenting with my group tonight. I also have a GIGANTIC psychology test tomorrow, which was supposed to be last Thursday (I'm happy that it got moved, but not happy that I still have to take the test....grr). Have I been studying? Yes. Does it seem like I've accomplished anything? Sadly, no. That's life though.

     On the other hand, I was supposed to be able to start registering for class tomorrow morning. But for some unknown reason, that got changed to Thursday morning. Why is my life so AWESOME? I couldn't tell you...but you should be jealous. 

     Let's make things a little brighter. Guess what great thing happens Friday? My daddy flies in :) It's about time. My dad has always been my rock, and it's certainly rough when everything feels like a mudslide. So for some much needed (nerdy) fun and excitement, he requested that we go to MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry). I went with my brother and grandparents around 10 years ago and thought it was soooooooo cool. Now that I have a better understanding of sciency-type things, it'll probably be even more awesome. I'm excited!

Today's words: Make me happy, and recycle :)

11.10.09

Alright, now it's been a couple of months (roughly 2.5) since I've been in Florida, but still find myself going through small culture shocks. I'll go ahead and list them, just keep in mind that if it sounds dumb, it's really not.

1. Tamarind - I haven't talked to anyone from the states yet that actually knows what this is. But it's actually very popular back home and in the rest of the Caribbean. It's a  tangy brown, pulpy fruit encased in a thin brown shell/pod when ripe (about the size of your finger). It tends to be very stringy and have large seeds, but you can separate the pulp and make what's commonly known as tamarind balls (the pulp rolled into a ball with sugar). Another use for it (what I actually use it for) is in the making of hot sauce. So yummy! Another way to eat it, though not as popular, is to put salt on the flesh when it's still green. 

2. Breadfruit - Not as scary as it sounds, I promise! It's a fibrous-fleshed fruit that has a green skin (about the size of a volleyball). When ripe, some people like to bake or boil it, then butter just like you would a potato. I'm not really fond of it that way, so I found another way to cook it like a potato. Chips! I cut the flesh into triangular pieces (thick if you want it to be soft, thin if you want it crispy), and fry them in really hot vegetable oil for 2 minutes a side. Once out of the oil, they're dusted with Adobo--an essential seasoning in the Caribbean. It's just about the easiest and most delicious thing to make EVER!

3. Paper or plastic? That's not a question back home. I've never been into a store where you had a choice between what kind of bags you can use. It doesn't sound too drastic, but it's just one of those *whoa* moments. The closest thing to anything like that is this one store where there are no bags. Instead, you pile your groceries into boxes left-over from unpacking the items you're buying. I always thought that was a great idea because nothing was going to waste, and then you always have large boxes incase you need to pack things up at home for whatever reason.

4. How big are snowflakes? I have no clue. The last time I asked this question, I just got laughed at. But how else am I supposed to know?! I've never seen the snow. When I think of snow, all that comes to mind are those giant snowflake paper cut-outs that we did in elementary school. By the way, I still never got an answer.

 Today's words: Don't ask, don't say. Everything lies in silence.

November 4

This is going to be a short post, but it's talking about something I'm really passionate about.

     I've always been an art enthusiast, but I don't really like the 'typical' pretty artwork. I prefer things more abstract. Why am I saying this? Painting is the only thing that works as a stress reliever for me. Back home I had plenty time to paint, but never got around to it, I'm not sure why. That's the one thing I feel is missing in my room--my paints. There's this one set of paints that I've been wanting since 8th grade (Chroma A2 Acrylics), and guess what? I finally got them! Soooo...this makes me really happy :) 

Today's words: "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home." - Twyla Tharp

Magic Vs. 76ers Game

     Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to a basketball game, my first ever! The Magic were playing against the 76ers in Orlando, score 120-106. Here are some pictures :)

Today's words: In the end, everything will be alright. If it's not alright, then it's not the end.

October 22

   So guess what? We finally got new suitemates! Luckily, we were able to have our friends from across the hall move in :) 413 now consists of me, Caitlin, Emily, and Marchellaaaaaa.

   Oh yeah, last weekend was my second weekend in a row visiting the aquarium. That kinda makes me feel like I have no life, but it was awesome because we got to play with penguins for half an hour! Only one penguin (Pebbles) was brought out to us to play with on the floor and in a kiddie pool, but there were 6 others that we could go right up to and touch also. So are you ready for some cool penguin facts?

• gender can only be determined by a blood test
• the smallest penguins in the world are called (little) blue or fairy penguins
• the penguins at the FL aquarium (Black Footed South Africans) are the 2nd smallest variety
• they like to nibble toes and shiny things
• if you scratch their neck, they'll preen you (or fluff your "feathers")
• they typically keep the same mate for their entire lives
• they make a funny noise something similar to a donkey (this I was told, but we weren't fortunate enough to hear it)
• you'll hear them making sneeze-like sounds, which is actually the way they release salt from the food they eat

Today's words of advice: "Always do right--this will gratify some and astonish the rest." - Mark Twain

Midnight Madness

     Honestly, I'm really not the kind of person to stand up infront of a large group of people and feel completely comfortable. I've always been really shy and normally would never make a fool of myself in public. But Wednesday night was an exception :) I walked into the sports center with a few of my friends where there was a table to sign up for "musical chairs." Herb went ahead and signed up, but no one else wanted to join him. So I figured, why not? I didn't have anything to lose, so I signed up also. 

     When it started, they had us go to the middle of the court and sit in the chairs that were arranged in a circle. But next? They gave us basketballs... Um, what? One of the girls was like "remember, this IS a basketball event." Oh great, now I get it. We just got punk'd. 

     So they told us that we had to dribble our basketball to the hoop, shoot a basket, and run back to hopefully get a seat. If you didn't make a basket the first time, you had to keep shooting until your ball made it through, but it definitely lowered your chances of getting a seat. 

     Okay so all was good, but like the 3rd time around, my basketball got stuck in the hoop. How lucky of me? Keep in mind, I'm 4'11'' and ridiculously far away from the hoop. But what could I do about it? Not much, so I just waved my hands above my head to get the point across that I couldn't reach the ball. Luckily, someone saved me from looking even more ridiculous, and smacked the ball out of the hoop. 

     Needless to say, I did not find a seat. But it was all in good fun, and I enjoyed stepping out of my boundaries :) 

Today's words of advice: Just be yourself.

Aquarium!

          Yesterday, I went to the Florida Aquarium with a few of my favorite people (Ben, Tyler, and Audrey).

   I'm completely nutzo about animals, fish, and turtles, so the day was basically an excuse for me to act like a little kid again :) I could go on and on and on about how much fun it was, but it'll be easier to just highlight some of the best points:

• crazy duckies
• otters!
• baby seahorses
• glowing jellyfish
• petting stingrays and sharks (loveee)
• the gift shop = a lot of fun if you're silly
• poison dart froggies

        There's a little bit that we didn't get to do, but I will in a few weeks when I go back. Next time I'll get to play with penguins! And by play, I only mean touch, but it's pretty much the same thing right?

Thanks to my obsession, I couldn't help myself and had no option but to leave with a baby turtle :)

  *  Side note: My suitemates moved out this weekend. I really wish that someone could tell me who my new suitemates are going to be/when they're moving in. I keep asking around, but noone seems to have a clue. So if you live in the HoJo right now, you should probably say goodbye to two more people pretty soon! And if you find out that you're moving into my room, pleaseeee let me know! :)

Today's words of advice: Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

Just Tampa (pics)

Just a few pictures I've taken since arriving at this lovely place I call home :)

Today's words: "Courage is the force that creates history."

October 1

     This week has consisted of me dreading Thursday (which I'm so happy is almost over) because it's busy, but it wasn't ALL bad. The weather for the past 2 days has been absolutely wonderful, and yesterday was by far the best day ever! 

1. The morning started off at a nice, chilly 70-something degrees (and stayed that way)
2. Most beautiful sunset...ever (sad story behind that, but some people will understand.)
3. Brick party? Yes, please! ...my brick gives me a headache. 
4. Animal impersonations--this is what Caitlin and Tyler have to put up with when I'm bored :)

     I had classes today from 10-3 (which really isn't too bad), but I don't like getting out of class in PH 40 minutes early, having to go back to my room for like 20 minutes, to then walk straight back to PH. It gets old very fast, but that's okay :). 

     My day started off with psychology, where I reconfirmed that (based off the NEO Personality Inventory) I'm ridiculously conscientious. Next on the list was criminology, where we learned that "No means no!" It's probably the class I look forward to most of all because I'm genuinely interested in everything we have discussed thus far. 

     The class I look forward to least, though no doubt the easiest so far, is intro to computers. I had to take the word exam today (that I was freaking out over), but it's cool cause I passed and that's all that matters. 

     Tomorrrrrrow is the Global Village Simulation, but I really have no clue what it is. Right now I see it as free food from different countries, and that's about all I know. But free (and hopefully tasty) food is good, so I'm excited :) ...especially since I'm already getting tired of the food on campus (not to mention the moldy bun on my Chick-Fil-A sandwich). Overall, I'm looking forward to this week being over! But then again, who isn't?

Today's words of advice: Take time to put yourself first.

P.S. - I need a photography buddy. The end!

Bricksss & Fires

     I think it's kind of silly how excited I am to be able to paint a brick (besides the fact that I love painting, yet forgot all my supplies). But the main reason is because I didn't want to have to buy a door-stopper, and it seems like my room is the only one where the door doesn't stay open on its own--it's quite frustrating. We've been using my roommates shoe for quite a while, and I think she's going to be glad to have her shoe back! 

     Oh, pop question. What's up with the fire alarms? Stadium has had 2 now, but last night's included a visit from a firetruck (which had pretty lights...but that's not the point).  The whole having to hurry on downstairs in whatever you're wearing (if you're wearing anything) is not very fun. =\ Especially waiting for everyone to get into the elevators, and stopping at every floor.

Today's words of advice: Stopppp pulling the fire alarm!

Thank you :)

September 21

     It seems that a lot of people are moving on-campus from the HoJo, which I think is good! Most people I know of have been loving the hotel, but there's just something about dorm-life that I really enjoy, and hopefully they will, too. But there's also living off-campus, which obviously would be completely different than dorm-life. I actually walked to an apartment complex today just to look around. It was like a 10-15 minute walk, but it really wasn't that bad. Anyone who can afford to live there would surely enjoy it, but I think I'll enjoy Stadium more...so that's where I'm staying!

      I'm still seeing clashes wherever I go, and it's still weird. One thing that I really like about the states is that almost everywhere delivers--AWESOME! I don't think I'd like walking forever to get Chinese food. As a matter of fact, that's going to be my dinner tonight :)

Today's words of advice: Don't fall asleep with a highlighter in your hand.

I just did this while trying to read for pysch aaaand...apparently highlighters stain.

September 17

     I had my first exam the other day for General Psychology w/ Dr. Hardin, and I'm pretty sure I did well :) which is remarkable given the fact that I couldn't study the night before, was up until 2AM with a lot of drama, and had to start studying at 7:30AM--2.5 hours before the test! The same day I had sort of a pop-quiz in Criminology..not so sure how that went, but I'm still crossing my fingers!

     I've been really tired recently, getting to bed late everyday, and wishing my life was a little easier. There hasn't been much book work for my classes yet, but any little bit of work is draining me like crazy. All I truly know is that next week is probably going to be hell for me outside of school, and I wish I could just disappear for a day or two. 

     Yesterday I helped Ben & Tyler move to their new room in Austin, which we made look amazing! Their room is definitely unique as of now, and you'll just have to visit it to see what I'm talking about :) P.S.--You guys owe me food. Oh yeah, I'm thinking of adding a few words of advice to my posts from now on, so I'll start with today's post.

Today's words of advice: Lying gets you nowhere.  

Roomie Love

I feel like it's time to show off the lovely ladies that I get to see everyday :)

As you can tell, we have a lot of fun! There were so many better pictures that will be shown later (once Emily gets out of her Global Issues class) so this is just a sneak-peak of what's going on behind the scenes in 413!

Pool Time!

This 3-day weekend consisted of hours and hours spent lying out and splashing around at the pool. Yesterday, I got a little bit of a sunburn and thought it wasn't such a bad idea to go back for more sun today. I was wrong--bad idea! Hopefully I won't peel all over, and it's about time I invest in some sunblock :) My best friend, Virginia, and I want to make an appearance at the pool every weekend if we can. 

Here are some tiny bits of info about the pool that we have come to realize:

1. The cool looking sprinklers shooting into the middle of the pool are truly not as awesome as they look. Yeah, it's like heavy rain and feels good on the back of your shoulders, but you can barely see anything once you're under them.

2. Sitting on the chairs in the pool is fun, but can be a difficult skill to master. First of all, not all the chairs will sit on the ledge easily. There are 2 types of chairs--ones with high bars on the back, and ones with low bars (these are the ones that sit on the ledge best). Try moving around too much while sitting on them, and the chairs will dismount & sink.

3. Kick boards are fun to sit on.

Oh yeah, make sure you bring sunglasses! I have forgotten mine both days so far, and it's not very fun having to squint at people because the sun is bright and you can't see them (plus, you probably don't make the most attractive face while squinting anyway). Enjoy!

Classes Begin

Yesterday was the first day of classes, and what can I say about it? TIRING! The classes themselves weren't so much the tiring aspect of the day, just the fact that I had classes from 12:00-1:50pm, and then a random class from 6:00-8:45pm. That one absolutely drained me. The topic actually interested me (environmental science), but when you're in a classroom being shown a power point presentation in the dark, as the sun is setting outside, mysterious things happen--you get extremely sleepy (especially when the room feels like it's 41 degrees)!

However, today was much better. I had psychology with Dr. Hardin, and I have a good feeling about that class. She seems to be really upbeat, happy, and passionate about her job--which always makes it a plus for those who have to be in the class. After that, I went to my criminology class which should turn out to be interesting. But that's enough about classes!

I'm really enjoying the time I've spent at UT so far. Probably the most fun I've had since arriving on Wednesday was the Play Fair thing, which is kind of funny because no one really knew what it was supposed to be!

I've bumped into some not-so-awesome people, but I've also made some really amazing people. I can't believe that I'm actually here :)

Orientation

Wednesday was the easiest day of the whole orientation process so far--which is not at all what I expected. I thought that it was going to be long, boring, and pointless. It was actually really fun, relatively fast, and well organized! The organization made it enjoyable for everyone. There was a lot of free time to continue decorating rooms, getting acquainted with classroom locations, and how to open your mailbox (which I have yet to do). Thursday, on the other hand, was a different story entirely. 

Having a Gateways class (though it wasn't truly that bad) from 8:00am - 3:15pm is a little unbearable. None of us really knew what to wear: if to dress nice/appropriately (what does that really mean anyway?) or to just dress comfortably. Some people showed up in super fancy dresses and heels, other in t-shirts and shorts. Long story short, I'm glad that tomorrows Gateways session is only 4 hours--which still sounds uber long.

Overall, I've had a really great time so far! The volleyball game/step thingy was really awesome! I can definitely see myself getting used to finally living a life of fun =)

Move-in Day

ABSOLUTE CHAOS! (Actually, it really wasn't that bad.)

I got to the university around 12:30 pm, and decided that since it was far too early to start moving things into my room, it would be the perfect time to scope out my classrooms. I'm really glad that I got that out of the way in the very beginning, because it was always my fear that I wouldn't know where my classes are located. So anyway, I killed time with my family, wandering around and finally lounging downstairs of Stadium until that long-awaited 2:00, which is when things became crazy.

There were cars lined up all around from the Cass Building to the Thomas Parking Garage waiting for their turn to pull infront of Stadium and dump their loads--I waited in this line for an hour and a half. Once I got inside my room with my belongings, I had about an hour to unpack, set up, organize, etc. This was not nearly enough time... The positive side of things? I met my suitemate, Amanda!

But I'm excited for the beginning of orientation tomorrow, and I will have pictures to share! See you tomorrow everyone! =)

Shopping List

Everyone knows that moving off to college means that you must spend a few bucks to make your new room feel comfortable - but I guess it never really hit me until that first shopping trip. It truly feels like you're buying a brand new life. You're going to be living here for a while, so the major goal of your room-shopping is to make your room comfortable.

But who really thinks about the little things (tape, pencil sharpener, light bulbs, etc.) that are so essential? Sounds like it could get expensive, too. Probably one of the hardest things about having to buy everything for your room is to not go over your budget. I've found that for basic school supplies, the place to stock up at is Target...NOT Wal-Mart!

So anyway, here are a few lists that I've put together of things to remember when shopping for the space where you'll be spending the next 4 years of your life :)

DON'T FORGET (& can be easily overlooked)

• medicine/first aid kit - cough drops, prescriptions, aspirin, etc.
• laundry detergent/fabric softener
• school supplies - pens, pencils/sharpener, white-out, tape, stapler & staples, paper clips, notebooks, etc.
• printer paper (if you bring a printer) & ink
• umbrella (I never remembered to bring an umbrella to school until it was already raining - very unfortunate..)

DECORATIONS

• pillows! (I'm bringing a firm & a soft pillow)
• a plant - it'll be something you can take care of easily, and make the room feel comfy :)
• mirrors - a full length one would probably be best!
• comforter w/ contrasting sheets - probably the quickest/easiest way to make a room cheerful

DISCUSS WITH ROOM/SUITEMATES

• shower/room curtains
• rugs/anything decorative
• any extra furniture
• aquariums - remember, fish cannot be stored at the school over breaks
• over-the-door style hangers (normally for shoes)
• appliances

I hope that this has helped at least a little! It can get very stressful, but overall I find the shopping to be exciting :) and that's NOT just because I'm a girl!

If there's any other essential stuff that you shouldn't forget (that I did, haha) just write it below in a comment!

The First Week

I left the U.S. Virgin Islands on August 14th and headed to Florida. Already I'm realizing how much my life is about to change - hopefully for the better! But there have been some things that still will take some adjusting to. Certain things are completely different here in the states! Here are just a few examples:

1. Driving on the right-hand side of the road.

Well, we drive on the left back home (St. Croix), so every time my dad gets onto a street here, I think "you're on the wrong side of the road!" It can get very confusing, which is why I won't be driving in Florida for a while.

2. Sales tax.

If a pair of shoes was priced at $19.99, I would be able to pay for them with a $20 bill and be gone. But in the states, that's not the case! That might be one of the hardest things that I'll have to get used to. Not so much because its a few extra dollars, but because it would make me question things - like "wait a minute, I thought that was only $5.00 - not $5.35? Ohhh yeah, tax." It's alright though, I'll figure it out sooner or later!

3. The cost of food.

Now this might seem like an insignificant topic, but I promise it isn't. I never really realized how expensive food was back home compared to here! (Example: Yoplait Whips! yogurt is $0.58 in Wal-Mart, but $1.19 where I'm from). This could be the start of the well-known *Freshman 15*, so it's a good thing that UT has a gym!

Those are just some major differences that come to me instantly. Overall, I'm extremely ready for change, and a chance at a new life in Tampa! Are you ready to make these years the best of our lives?