No Such Thing As A Perfect Schedule

"Registering for classes can be pretty stressful. Every time I register I always think that I have the perfect schedule laid out. I always try to plan a day off within my schedule so that I have time to catch up on homework and do whatever else I need to during the day. However, when I meet with my advisor, I find out that my “perfect” schedule is not as perfect as I had thought. The classes that I registered for were not the classes that I should be taking. Every semester I go through this cycle, but I have started to realize that whatever my schedule is will still work. When I talked to other students, they had had similar experiences. My advisors have been life-savers for me the last couple years. If it were not for them, I would be on the wrong track and I wouldn’t be as successful as I am now. I’ve started to learn that it’s okay to have your schedule moved around, and there really is no such thing as a “perfect” schedule. If you start to freak out about planning out your classes that you want to register for, ask your advisor for help or even ask your PAiR! Your PAiRs and advisors are always there to help and they will make sure that you have a good experience registering for classes."

Midterm Madness

 

    One MAJOR thing that I was terrified of as an incoming freshman was the work load. I didn’t know what to expect. How was I was going to pass all of my classes? What if the class is too hard for me? I have extreme test anxiety, I don’t even know how to study! These are all of the things that filled my mind. In high school I didn’t study much, if I did it was for an hour the night before a test. I learned quickly that in college studying is life. Literally.
    After my full first week of classes I was feeling pretty good about college. Things seemed to be going better than I expected. Let’s just say I expected the worst to prepare myself for whatever college was going to throw at me. Weeks went by and I was happy because I was getting this college thing down.

    It was about week five when I started hearing this m word that I had never heard before. I saw it in most of my syllabi and it was starting to become the topic of conversation. It was when I overheard someone say “have you started studying for midterms yet” that I realized that it had to be a test of some sort. Shortly after hearing that conversation my teachers and advisors started talking more and more about midterms.

    I learned that a midterm could be a presentation, exam, paper or a project. Typically a midterm is an assessment given in the middle of an academic grading term. I began to worry a bit as I mentioned earlier that I have test anxiety. I figured the only way not to stress myself out was to start studying now. So I did just that. I noticed that RA’s were having floor programs about midterms. The library and lounges began to fill with students studying. I used the ALC also known as the Academic Learning Center a lot during midterms.

    Yes, midterms can be scary but only if you let them. I hope after reading this you will know what a midterm is and it won't be a surprise to you. I hope that you will be well prepared for midterms and utilize the on campus resources that are available to you. There are many people you can ask to help you with how to study for midterms, including your halls PAiR!  

Christine's Journey with Homesickness

Christine's Journey with Homesickness

Homecoming is over and the fall weather is quickly approaching. With these changes, some are starting to feel that homesickness bug. While it may have been there before, there was some activity or social event to take our mind's off of home. Now that bug is itching at us again and growing stronger. Read about Christine's experience and how she overcame this difficult college experience.

"I can remember my first semester of my freshman year very well. I am the youngest in my family so I had seen both of my older siblings go off to college and do fine on their own. I went in nervous, but confident that I would rock my freshman year without a question. As soon as my parents drove off, leaving me alone on campus, I cried. I did not know anyone in my hall. I felt so scared and unprepared that I just cried. I got involved in the Panther Marching Band and was eager to know more people on campus. Everyone was so kind, but I still missed being home. I missed my mom’s cooking and my dad’s horrible jokes. I missed knowing where I was going and living in the familiar. I slowly started finding where I belong at UNI. I got engaged in my classes and very involved in Residence Halls. I am now a Junior absolutely in love with this campus and my degree I am striving for here. Yes, I still love to visit home during breaks. Yes, I still miss my parents and call them. But I can’t say I have homesickness because UNI has become a second home for me."

Always remember that there are others sharing the same feeling as you.
If you need to talk to someone, contact your PAIR, RA, or UNI's Counseling Center.

Natalie's Journey as a Deciding Major

When I first came to UNI as a freshman, I was incredibly unsure of what I felt I was supposed to be doing, and even unsure of what I wanted to be doing. These unanswered questions weighed on me so heavily that on the day of my summer orientation, I switched from the group of students who had declared as English majors and instead, joined the group of deciding majors. At the time, I didn’t have a strong reason for choosing to be a deciding major, however, now when I look back on the choice to not declare a major as an incoming freshman, I realize that it was one of the best choices I could have made. I would recommend it to any freshman student.

Being a deciding major, especially in my freshman year, allowed me to experience so many things that I might not have otherwise had the opportunity to.  I lived in Bender Hall last year, a building composed primarily of freshmen and deciding students, so it was a perfect fit for me even before I knew it. In Bender, I was able to become a part of the Exploring Living Learning Community, or the ELLC, a program that encourages students to explore different options for careers, majors, and minors.

Being in this group gave me confidence to continue in my search for the perfect major, a major that would challenge me, one that I enjoyed and one that I could see myself carrying out in my future. In combination with this group to help me find and decide on a major was the advisor I was assigned after switching to a deciding major, Heather Asmus. It was with her help that I was able to take my time exploring my options, but also keep English as a part of my schedule and a part of my life.  

In my first year as a student at UNI, with the few English classes that I took, I felt a renewed sense of confidence in my pursuit of an English degree. After deliberating over the summer whether or not to declare, I came back, and in the second week of my sophomore year, finally declared my major. It was still a nerve wracking process, but afterwards, the excitement and relief I felt was more than enough to assure me that I had made the correct choice.

I can say now that English is my dream major- it offers me the classes I always enjoy the most from the semester, the ones that I feel resonate with me on a deeper level, and also the ones that continue to challenge me in exciting ways. I hope that all of you students, whether deciding or not, have or will find your dream major, and will allow the resources here on campus and your passion help you along the way.

Staying Healthy on Campus -- Mentally and Physically

Students! Did you know that you already pay for a Health fee in your tuition. This health fee gives you amazing opportunities to use facilities, like the WRC, Health Beat in the Union, and the Counseling Center above the Health Clinic, free of cost. Staying mentally and physically healthy is important for you to succeed academically. If you are too stressed or depressed, you may not want to go to class or you may be unable to sleep. If you are feeling sluggish and weak, going for a swim, jog, or climb in the WRC can add some dopamine to your brain.


WRC
The WRC has an array of services offered to you as a student. From racquetball, basketball, weight lifting, running, rowing, biking and swimming, they have it all. Just remember to bring your ID in and you get in for free! Click on the WRC to go to the website for more information.


Fit Class Pass $50
The WRC also has classes that you can sign up for or you can pay a one time fee of $50 to attend any of the classes. The classes range from yoga, biking, cardio, cycle and core, kickboxing, jazzercise, zumba, sculpting, pilates, and water classes. Click on the Fit Class Pass link to look at all the classes and times. Grab a friend to have as an accountability buddy and get fit!


Health Beat
Don't have a consistent schedule and the WRC is out of your way, look no further than the Health Beat located in the tunnel between the Union and Lang Hall. The convenient gym has some weights, bikes, elliptical, treadmills, and stair masters for your quick and easy work out. You get in for free just by showing your student ID at the front desk. Click the Health Beat link for hours and more details.


College Hill Farmers Market
Not all of you have access to a car to get to the store. Fortunately, ever Thursday on the Hill is the College Hill Farmers Market. Buy some local treats and food while also going on a fun adventure. Just a walk away and there is no fee to go look around.


UNI Food Information
Most students who live on campus have a meal plan through the dinning centers. Have you ever wondered what is in the food that you are eating? Click on the UNI Food Information link to see the menu, ingredients, and nutritional information. Better plan what you are going to eat and what portions are appropriate for what you are eating!


Counseling Center
Our bodies need to be more than just physically healthy, but also mentally healthy. Whether you are feeling anxiety, depression, or emotional confusion, the counseling center can help. Once you have had an initial consultation meeting, you would be placed with a counselor and decide how often you should have appointments. Remember you can always talk to an RA, professor, or walk into the counseling center to see someone if you are having an emotional emergency. Health goes beyond the physical body.


So make goals to keep yourself mentally and physically healthy this semester and have fun!

Getting Involved Was Never So Easy

Congratulations! We are three weeks into the school year and things are going well!
Now that you have settled into your schedule and found your favorite study spot, we can now get involved on campus. A very important event is happening next week at UNI... The Student Involvement Fair!!


On Thursday, September 15th from 11a.m. to 1p.m. there will 90 of the Student Organizations from UNI gathering outside of Maucker Union to showcase their different clubs and organizations that you can join! They all vary from nonprofit, social, political, major, financial, religious, or recreational/sports groups. It's great to join now because there will be other people joining at the same time.


Reason to get involved:
Students who join a Student Organization are more likely to...
1. ... Have better grades.
2. ... Hold a position of responsibility.
3. ...Graduate college.
4. ...Get a job after college.
5. Students who join a Student Organization are less likely to suffer from homesickness.


Now you're thinking, but I don't know what I would even join. Lucky for you, it cost nothing but your time to just walk around the involvement fair and you are under no obligation to join. Sometimes booths are even handing out free knick knacks or food.


So mark your calendar for some fun and get involved. For more information click on the link below to look into more of the organizations here at UNI. See you next Thursday!


Student Involvement Website!

Mark Your Calendars!

To be a successful student, you must keep organized. Organized in your classes, calendars, and assignments. Hopefully you have some kind of planner, paper or online, to make keeping organized easier.

Important dates for UNI Students! 

- 8/29/16 Adding or Dropping a Course will cost $12
Note: To Add a closed class you will need instructor AND department signature

-9/2/16 Last day to drop a class without a "W" (Withdraw) 

-9/5/16 No Classes! Labor Day Vacation

9/26-9/30/16 Homecoming Week!

10/1/16 Homecoming Game! 

-10/17-21/16 Midterms

10/21-23/16 Parent's Weekend

10/28/16 Last day to drop a course without an "F"

-11/19-27/16 Thanksgiving Break

12/12/16 Finals Begin

12/17/16 Commencement

Click below for more information about UNI dates, Homecoming, and Family Weekend

https://www.uni.edu/registrar/dates-to-observe

https://www.uni.edu/homecoming/

https://www.uni.edu/familyweekend/

Semesters fly by in college. Keeping these dates in mind along with your assignment deadlines will help relieve stress and boost success. Your professor should have given you a handy dandy syllabus at the beginning of the course. The syllabus packet should have all of your required readings, papers, presentations, and assignments there. 

Sitting down with your paper planner, online calendar, or excel spreadsheet and inputting your assignments will let you know what is coming up. There will be times where you have two tests, a paper, and a presentation all due in one week. Knowing this ahead of time will help you plan your time so you are not stressed to do everything last minute. 

For further help with time management, interpreting your syllabus, or class organization, call the Academic Learning Center at 319-273-6023 and a tutor can help you from the College Reading and Learning Center. 

http://www.uni.edu/unialc/

New Year, New Adventures, New Habits to be Successful!

Welcome to all of our newest panthers! Everyone is thrilled that you are here! Welcome back to all of current panther students, faculty, and staff. We would not be UNI without U.

As the first week of classes are wrapping up, we hope that you have done a few things to get yourself started off on the right foot.

1. Keep going to all your classes. Attendance can make or break your grades in college. Also, once you start skipping for invalid reasons, it becomes easier to keep missing. With in-state tuition costing $7,098 a year/2 semesters/15 weeks/3 times a week (MWF Class) = $78.86 per class if you skip. Skip on a T/Th and it cost you $118.30. Only skip if you have a valid reason like illness or other university sponsored event.

2. Keep organized with some sort of to-do list. Whether you use a paper planner, Excel, Google Sheets, or Sticky Notes, knowing what you need to be doing for class is essential to being a successful student. You may try an Excel sheet and find that a paper planner works for you. You do not need to use all of them, just one faithfully.

3. You get to know your professors. UNI prides itself on being a school that puts students first. While other universities prioritize research over students, UNI does not. Talk to your professors before class, after class, or during their office hours.

4. Keep and use your Syllabus. Speaking of office hours, those should be on your syllabus! That nifty paper that tells you who the professor is, when their office hours are, when assignments are due, and how to best get a hold of the professor if you need to contact them. Never through this priceless paper away.

5. Get to know your RA. If you are living in the dorms, get to know your RA. Why did they choose to become an RA? What's their favorite thing to do on campus? What is their major? Your RA is an amazing resource that is right down the hall. Even if you have a question that they cannot answer, they can help you find someone with the answer!

6. Use UNI's Resources. UNI has an abundant of resources to make your college experience amazing and successful. From the Academic Learning Center in the ITTC to teach you tools to succeed in your college courses to the Financial Aid office in Gilchrist to make sure you are on the correct money track. Everyone is rooting for you to succeed here and we will always find someone to help, you just have to ask.  

7. Keep eating good food! Food is fuel and your body needs fuel to run. College can be busy and tasking on your body. Take advantage of all the different foods available on campus. Whether it's grabbing a salad in the union or remember to eat some fruit with breakfast, properly feed your body so that you can succeed mentally and physically in your classes.

8. Stay Hydrated. Sometimes we forgot how important water is to our bodies. 8 cups x 8 times a days = 64 fluid ounces that your body needs to think. Being dehydrated not only hurts your digestion, but also how you focus and retain information in classes or studying.

9. Set a Sleep Schedule. College students are the most sleep deprived population in the United States. Try getting into a schedule of when you go to bed and when you get up in the morning. Even if you have class at 10am on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, then 12:30pm on Tuesday and Thursdays, you should still try to wake up at 9am every morning.

10. Have Fun and Get Involved! College is a time when you get to explore many different interests, events, and ideas, all within arms reach on campus. On September 15, there will be a Student Organization Fair outside of the Union (Rain location: Maucker Union) and you can talk to people in social, academic, or political organizations until you find your fit from 11am - 1pm.

Ask Questions, Good Luck, and Go Panthers!

Good Luck on Finals!

Finals: Foods

Foods to help enhance your memory (during finals week):

Antioxidants
Vitamins C, E, and Beta Carotene
Fight free radicals and improve flow of oxygen through the body and brain
Best Sources: Blueberries, Sweet Potatoes, Red Tomatoes, Spinach, Broccoli, Green Tea, and Nuts

B Vitamins
Especially B6, B12, and Folic Acid
Protects neurons and involved in making red blood cells
Best Sources: Spinach, Broccoli, Asparagus, Strawberries, Melons, and Black Beans

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Are concentrated in the brain and associated with cognitive function
Best Sources: Salmon, Herring, Tuna, Halibut, and Walnuts