{What can I do with an interest in: Performing Arts & Design}

Possible Personal Characteristics: Think critically and abstractly, like to create and think outside the box

Majors

• Art: Students will work to understand and appreciate all art types. Students will also pick an emphasis in one of the following areas: ceramics, drawing, graphic design, jewelry/metals, painting, photography, print making, or sculpture.
• Textile and Apparel: Students will be educated in the widely diverse areas of trend analysis, apparel product development and design, mass production methods costume history, promotion planning, advertising design, computer-aided design, textile apparel quality control, marketing, textile science and structures, consumer research, and merchandise buying and planning.
• Interior Design: A major in interior design prepares students to be creative problem-solvers. The course work provides systematic and coordinated approaches to the design process, resulting in appropriate interior environments in the private and public sectors.
• Graphic Technologies: Students gain knowledge and experience with technology necessary to produce the millions of imaged products from start to finish. They also learn about successful management and supervision to operate business enterprises.
• Music: A music major will focus on liberal arts training as well as an emphasis on the discipline of music training. Music majors on all degree programs must choose an area of applied music for specialization and must meet the proficiency standards of the School of Music.
• Theatre: Whether on stage or backstage, students will learn the fundamentals of acting, production, and stagecraft. Students will also receive hands on training, as they will plan and implement several productions each semester.

Minors: Graphic Technologies, Textile and Apparel, Music, Theatre, Art, Jazz Studies

Career Possibilities: Dancer, Educator, Musician, Composer, Interior Designer, Arts Organization Consultant, Clothing Designer, Illustrator, Publishing

"Make College Matter" Manifesto

Here are just a few words to live by:

• Let go of the past - use it as a life lesson
• Seek to find what motivates, drives, and inspires you
• Discover your purpose in life - find your "why"
• Identify your most heartfelt dreams and pursue them with passion
• Create a vision for what YOU want the future to look like
• Take at least 5 minutes each day...to do nothing
• Associate with people who will support you, encourage you, and kick you in the butt every once in a while
• Define what success means to YOU
• Lose the fear...and embrace failure
• Ask for help when needed; you don't have to do this alone
• Get out of your comfort zone - it's the only way you'll grow
• Love
• Find a way to be better - a little bit every day
• Radiate kindness - Smile and be nice to people
• Find ways to serve others and make this world a better place
• Be authentic in everything you say and do

It's your future...Make College Matter!

 From The Dream Dean from http://thedreamdean.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/222/

{What Can I Do With An Interest In: Communication or English}

Possible Personal Characteristics: Strong verbal and written communication skills, critical thinking, creative thinking, team player and cooperative

Majors

• Communication: Students study how we use messages to generate meanings within and across various contexts, cultures, channels and media, and how to promote effective ethical practice of human communication
• TESOL: Students will learn the techniques, theory, and practice of helping non-native English speakers improve their English abilities.
• Electronic Media: Students will study how to use electronically mediated communication and the implications of doing so. It is a broad-based program that provides students with a strong foundation in media production and management, and an understanding of the uses, processes, and effects of mediated co
  
  mmunication
• Public Relations: Students will combine a convincing argument with an appropriate medium to effectively deliver their message. Students interested in public relations will study the management of communication between an organization and its public.
• Theatre: Whether they are on-stage or backstage, students will learn the fundamentals of acting, stagecraft, and production. Students also receive hands on training developing and implementing productions each semester
• English: Students will study the English language, including written and spoken. This includes history, theory, and application.
• Marketing: Students will develop tools needed to create an environment where the ultimate delivery goals are supported through research, design and maintenance in every aspect of the organization to satisfy a target audience’s needs.

Minors: Public Relations, Business Communication, Journalism, English, Professional Writing, Creative Writing, Communication Studies

Certificates: Post-Colonial and Multicultural Lit Studies, Conflict Resolution

Career Possibilities: Public Relations Specialist, Novelist, English Teacher, Editor, Advertising, Technical Writer, Acting, Corporate Training, Publicist

Welcome Back!

Welcome back from break! 

Hopefully you had a wonderful, relaxing week off and are ready to ace the last 7 weeks of the semester! Pay attention to the posts over the next few weeks because it won't be long until we are asking YOU for your advice for first-year students. 

In the mean time, comment below and share what you did over break!

Have a fun Spring Break! We'll be back after break!

Have any Spring Break plans? Comment below!

 

Take Control of Your To-Do List: Part Two

Match a time management strategy with your personality:

"Italian Tomatoes": Originally this strategy used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer -- thus the name. Set a timer and work intensely for 25 minutes before taking a 5-minute break. Looking forward to regular breathers can help you focus and feel comfortable eliminating distractions. (You can check Facebook during your break.) 
 Who: This method is especially helpful for "The Perfectionist" and "The Lounger".

Time Chart: Ever wonder where the time has gone? Tasks often seem to take longer than you expect and the day flies by before you can catch it. A spreadsheet broken up into 15- or 30-minute chunks can help you identify exactly how your time is being spent. Make the spreadsheet for a full week and write down exactly what you do (ex. sleep, eat, socialize, watch Netflix) during this time. 
Who: This strategy works for anyone but is especially useful for "The Lounger" and "The Chatterbox". The "Over-Committer" may find it useful to see that there isn't room for anything else in your schedule.

Unplug: Smart phones and laptops can help you organize but can also suck-up a lot of time. Try taking time during the day to turn off your phone, social media, email, etc. for an hour or two and use that time to focus on things you need to get done (You can use the "Italian Tomatoes" approach if you'd like). 
 Who: This is useful for "The Over-Committer" and "The Firefighter" to tackle current responsibilities before adding more chaos to their agendas.

Visualize: Use a planner and/or a dry-erase board to keep track of everything. This is especially useful for visual learners as it provides a stationary and on-the-go place to keep track of what you need to do. 
 Who: This method may be comforting for "The Perfectionist" who's worrying about missing a detail. "The Firefighter" may find it helpful for zeroing in on priorities. Color-coding tasks can further support this

Take Action! 

• Identify your time-management personality
• Match creative strategies with your individual style
• Use a time chart to figure out where you may be over-committed
• Work in 25-minute increments to increase focus
• If you procrastinate, explore the reasons why

Contents adapted from Take Control of Your To-Do List from Student Health 101 http://readsh101.com/uni.html

Take Control of Your To-Do List: Part One

The key to taking care of your to-do list? Figuring out what your "time-use personality" is.

What's Your Personality?

The Firefighter: You spend so much time managing crises and putting out fires that things pile up as you rush from place to place.

The Over-Committer: You struggle to say "no." You have more than a full plate, or maybe three! You're so busy, you hardly have the time to keep track of it all.

The Lounger: You're very laid-back and may avoid responsibilities. Trouble may arise when phone calls go unreturned and tasks remain unfinished.

The Chatterbox: You're a social butterfly and exercise your great communication skills at every chance. But this often leads to conversations that may take you away from getting things done.

The Perfectionist: You strive for exactitude. Your bar is set so high that there may not be enough time in the day to meet your own standard.

Check-in tomorrow for tips on tackling your to-do list for your personality!

Contents adapted from Take Control of Your To-Do List from Student Health 101 http://readsh101.com/uni.html

Study Snacks

If you're like most students, you may be staying up late to do homework. When you're working on homework you will probably need to snack either because you're hungry or your looking for something to keep you awake. Here are some key points for you to remember to keep your snacks healthy and affordable

When at the store:

• Look for coupons in the store ad that is usually available right when you walk in
• Compare prices: Most stores include "price per weight" or "price per unit" so that you can tell which size is the best value
• Buy in bulk: Low-calorie granola bars, cereal, and other dry goods keep for a long time and are cheaper in large quantities
• Buy generics: Most store-brand foods have nearly identical ingredients to their name-brand competitors
• Avoid impulse buys: Make a list and stick to it! Also, do not shop when you're hungry

Nutrition vs. Volume

• It is more important to buy nutritious foods than to buy large quantities of foods with empty calories. For example, a large bag of chips and two liters of soda may be cheap but they won't keep you energized and full.
• Buy produce that is in season. Some options that are affordable year-round are: carrots, leafy greens, apples, and bananas

Other Healthy Snack Options:

• Green Tea
• Sunflower Seeds
• Yogurt
• A Handful of Almonds
• String Cheese
• Celery
• Dark Chocolate
• Peanut Butter (Pair it with an apple or a slice of whole-grain bread for a yummy treat!)
• Air-Popped Popcorn or Light Butter Microwave Popcorn
• Cottage Cheese & Grapes
• Hummus
• & Many More

Share your healthy, affordable snack ideas below!

Partially adapted from The 10-Dollar Challenge from Student Health 101 at http://readsh101.com/uni.html

{What can I do with an interest in: Social Services}

Possible Personal Characteristics: Caring, empathetic, strong communication skills, and a willingness to help others in times of need

Majors

• Family Services: The discipline of family studies explores patterns of family functioning and how relationship processes and other contextual factors influence individual development and behavior.
• Social Work: Students will develop the skills and knowledge to work with a diverse population. Graduates of the social work program find jobs in child and adolescent social work, family practice, probation and parole, medical social work, and working with the aged.
• Criminology: Criminologists concentrate
  
  on studying the various forms of criminal behavior, the causes of crime, the definition of crime and societal reactions to criminal activity, as well as, juvenile delinquency, the effects of crime on victims, and the response of the criminal justice system to crimes and victims.
• Sociology: This major covers a wide range of interests. This can include race and ethnicity to statistical analysis. Students will learn to view the world through a sociological eye.
• Religion: Students will gain knowledge of several different religions. Through learning about these diverse beliefs, students will have to use their critical thinking skills and abstract thinking skills.
• Psychology: Psychology is the study of human and animal behavior (normal and abnormal) and the cognitive, emotional, social, and biological processes related to that behavior.
• Gerontology: Gerontology is the multidisciplinary study of the issues associated with aging and the aging process. It is concerned with the psychological, sociological, behavioral, and other social aspects of aging. One setting focuses on long term facilities and another focuses on the broader study of aging.
• Leisure, Youth & Human Services: LYHS allows students to move from theory to application. The focus areas are: Nonprofit Administration, Outdoor Recreation, Community Recreation Services, Therapeutic Recreation, and Tourism.

Minors: Family Studies; Gerontology; Leisure, Youth, and Human Services; Psychology; Sociology; Criminology; Religion

Certificates: Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Family and Life, International Peace and Security, Conflict Resolution, Nonprofit Management and Humanics, Skills in Social Research, Social Identities, Substance Abuse Counseling

Career Possibilities: Social Worker, Criminologist, Case Manager, Psychologist, Parole Officer, Educator, Elderly Service Provider, Youth Services, Public Relations, Social Scientist