Fresh Perspectives

USC is totally cool!  There are so many wonderful opportunities, but there's one in particular that I'm definitely taking advantage of...it's called the National Student Exchange.  This is how it works.  Close to 200 schools in the US, Canada, the Virgin Islands, and even one in Guam participate in NSE to allow students to literally switch places.  Basically, this program is alot like studying abroad, except it's pretty much within the U.S.  It seems like it could be expensive, but you haven't heard the best part yet.  You pay the exact same tuition you'd pay at Carolina (scholarships included).  For me, that allows me to keep both the state-awarded, school-awarded, and private scholarships I have even though I could be attended school thousands of miles from South Carolina.  How awesome?!

Think about it...if you're not the kinda person who wants to study abroad in Europe, but you'd still like to get some cultural experince, this could be the program for you.  Also, say you came to USC from a different state, and want to see what it's like to be closer to home, there's surely a participating university close to your home that you could 'exchange' to.  Some other main reasons for utilizing the NSE program include checking out opportunities for graduate schools or just 'getting away' for a little while. 

Oh, the possibilities!  This time next year, I could be writing my blog from the North Shores of Hawaii, the ski slopes of Colorado, a Starbucks in Seatle, or even right in the middle of Time Square in New York City.  I'm stoked about this opportunity.  I've been filling out my application, but I'm still narrowing down the schools I would consider going to, so I'll be sure to keep you up to date on my National Student Exchange adventure!

P.S.  One of the coolest things about this program it that you never stop being a GAMECOCK! Whether you go for one semester or an entire year, you always get to come right back home!

Posted by Kendall at 02:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Over the weekend I travelled to Ridgecrest, NC for a weekend getaway with a group of college kids from my church.  Ridgecrest is a few miles outside of Asheville, so basically, it's on the side of a mountain.  We went to Converge 2007, a Christian retreat for college students from all over the state.  There were kids from Winthrop, Francis Marion, and even Clemson there.  The weekend was tons of fun (even though there was absolutely no warm water for showers).  Yea, so imagine this....You wake up at 6 o'clock in the morning and the only thing keeping you awake are a few serene thoughts of the steamy shower you are about to experience.  You turn the shower on and wait...and wait...and wait some more.  Yeah...it never got hott or warm or even cool.  The water was FREEZING. Oh well...I did my fair shair of mountaineering for the weekend attempting to get clean!

Anyway, each night (Friday and Saturday) after worship, we got to attend some pretty fun activities.  Now, what do you think of when you hear the word Hoedown?  Either you need to get your mind out of the gutter or like most of us, you think of some lame country gathering with cowboy boots and plaid shirts.  Yeah, I had that same stereotype of Hoedowns until this weekend.  It was SO MUCH FUN.  I learned how to square dance and everything.  That's right, I 'promenaded' and 'dosadoed' and 'right and left granded' until the wee hours of the morning.

Saturday night we had a bondfire and the coolest part of that was eating smores. Ahhh, the perfect blend of graham cracker, marshmallow, and hershey chocolate swarming around delectably in one's mouth. Hungry now? Me too.  So, if you're part of my generation, it's almost inevitable that along with smores comes the quoting of one of the best movies ever made...The Sandlot.  Porter (one of the characters in the movie) gives perfect directions for making smores.  Even though I'm sure most of you know how to make them, I figure that repeating Porter's recipe advice is worth it for all those 'Smalls' out there.

Here's how the dialogue goes. (Smalls is the new kid in town, and the boys are about to cook smores):

Porter: Hey Smalls, you wanna smore?
Smalls: Smore what?
Porter: Smore? You want one?
Smalls: Smore what?
Porter: YOU'RE KILLIN' ME SMALLS.  These are smores stuff. Pay attention.  First you take the graham. You stick the chocolate on the graham. Then, you roast the mallow. When the mallow's flaming, you stick it on the chocolate and cover it with the other end. Then, you scarf.

And by scarf...he means scarf! I scarfed down about 4 of those things in no time!  Needless to say, I had a great weekend in Ridgecrest.  I am now a dedicated supported of square-dancing and a passionate lover of smores!  So the next time you're bored, here are some things to pass the time. 1) Turn on some twangy country music and get to dancin'. -OR- 2) Go get the smores materials, and enjoy. (NOTE: Don't burn the neighborhood down.  Microwaves on low power will work just fine!)

Posted by Kendall at 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

To go Greek or Not to go Greek.  That is the question.

Many students have known forever whether or not they'd join a sorority or fraternity; others however are a lot less sure.  I'm going to try my best to share what it's like on both sides of the spectrum and hopefully dispell a few stereotypes on the way.

First of all, I am personally not in a sorority, but many of my really close friends are so I am around Greek Life all the time.  Let's talk about some of the main issues about Greek Life:

• Friendships: Joining a sorority or a fraternity is definitely a great way to meet people and develope strong relationships during college.  However, many people think if you're not in one, you will have NO friends.  That is just a downright lie!  USC offers so many clubs and organizations, so there are many ways to meet other students that you share common interests with.
• Money:  Greek Life does cost, and whether you or your parents are paying for it, it can get pretty expensive.
• Social Life:  I'm going to be completely honest here.  I know Frat boys get the stereotypes of being huge partiers (thanks in large part to the classic movie Animal House).  Now, nothing that I've observed is as extreme as that movie, but for the MOST part (I'm sure there are some exceptions) people invovled in Greek Life go out more often, stay up later, drink more, etc.  Basically, they probably "party" more than most students.  I'm trying not to be biased here, so even though it should be assumed, I'll go ahead and throw it out there.  Yes, non-Greek students "party" their fair share too.
• Charity:  Greek students do a great job of giving back to the community.  Each fraternity and sorority has a special charity that they have events for, and they log in many hours of volunteer work.  But, there are also many opportunities for non-Greek students to volunteer too!

What are some more stereotypes about Fraternities and Sororities?  We've all heard about them.  The guys who wear pink pants, polos, and croakies on their sunglasses; the girls, also sporting their polo shirts with a pearl necklace and their noses up in the air.  Yes, I have seen some students that preserve this stereotype, but the majority of Greek students I've met are very, very friendly and just normal people!  My best advice to anyone who can't decide on going Greek would be to give it a try! You can always go through Rush without joining.  Also, be sure to keep an open mind when thinking about fraternities and sororities. Making the commitment to Greek Life is a huge decision!!! Good Luck!

Posted by Kendall at 02:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Since I have officially completed the first week of my second semester in college, I decided I'd take a few minutes to share the initial opinions I have of each class.  Now, I know my views will probably change by the end of the semester.  It seems I'm nearly sick of every class by the time exams roll along, but so far I realy enjoy all of the courses I'm taking...

Biology 206:  I want to begin by warning you that I am not a huge fan of the sciences.  Actually...that's quite an understatement.  I'd rather eat cardboard than study chemistry and physics (these harsh emotions stem from a bad high school experience that I'd rather not talk about!!!).  However, the title of this course is "Genetics and Society".  Since the study of genetics is moving so fast and causing so much controversy, I thought "why not learn more about it?".  It also helps that this is a science course for non-science majors.  So far, it's been really interesting, and the professor keeps the class from getting too dull.  He's extremely passionate about what he teaches and he does a great job of explaining things.  So, if you ever have a chance to take a class from Dr. Reisman...go for it! 

History 112:  I love history, I admit it!  I'm probably sounding like the biggest dork ever right now but The History Channel is probably one of my favorite channels on television.  Over Christmas break, I was sick for a little while, and I watched The History Channel one day while lying in bed for 7 hours straight.  (Because of those 7 hours, I am now an "expert" on the Cuban Missile Crisis and disease during the Civil War....interesting, eh?!) Anyway, back to the point, this is my first history class in college and it is set up with 2 lectures a week (with about 300 students) and one small discusion group a week (with about 30 students) with a graduate teaching assistant.  I really enjoy this set-up.  Since I am an auditory learner, I do well in large lectures (I know...most people hate them).  But I think it's also great to get the smaller, more intimate learning experience in the discusion groups.  This way, any misunderstanding can be cleared up, and you can interact with other students in the class.

English 285:  This class is set up exactly like history (2 lectures per week and 1 discussion class). English 285 is an American Literature Theme clas and the theme of my particular class is "Up and Down the Ladder of Success in America".  So, basically we're taking a close look into the lives of some famous Americans and how they became successful.  We'll read works about Benjamin Franklin, Captain John Smith, Horatio Alger, etc. 

ArtE 101:  This is your basic Art Education class and I'm taking it as an elective.  I'm sure, like me, you're familiar with the phrase "an appreciation for the arts", right?  Well...what in the world does that mean?  I think to myself "Yeah, that painting's pretty and all but what does it mean to truly appreciate it?"  Well, hopefully by the end of the year, I'll find out!  This is an 8 am class and usually the lights are dimmed with painting after painting being projected onto a screen at the front of the classroom.  Can you guess what I do for most of the hour?  Right!  Try to keep my eyes open. 

MGSC 290:  This class is required for all business majors, so when it fit into my schedule I was excited to be getting it out of the way my freshman year.  The first day of class, I walked into a room filled with computers.  I felt so dumb! I had no idea it was a computer class.  No biggy though, we all had to go through computer hell in high school.  This is just another one of those classes (with a lot of focus on Excel).  In all honesty though, a 12 year old could probably pass the course with an A. 

So....there it is.  My Spring 2007 Course Schedule.  Not too bad, I suppose.  We'll see what I have to say about each class at the end of the semester...

Have a great week everyone!

Posted by Kendall at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I woke up at 7 o'clock this morning and was unusually energized.  I popped right out of bed and began getting ready since I have an 8 am Art Education class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  I showered and got dressed as usual and ate a breakfast bar in my room.  Then as I stepped on the elevator.....I got THE NEWS.

Classes had been canceled until 10.  Errrrr....I was SO mad.  The one morning I'm actually wide awake for my 8 o'clock classes they get cancelled.  South Carolinians sure do freak out when the temperature drops a little bit (I know I do), but I suppose they were just trying to prevent accidents since the roads may have been somewhat icey.  Anyway, I couldn't get back to sleep, so the 3 extra hours I could have spent lying in my warm, cozy bed pretty much went to waste. Oh well.

Apparently, the delay was posted on the USC website this morning, but c'mon, who wakes up and runs to their computer to hop on the internet?? (Haha...I bet there's a few of you feelin' guilty out there!)

So here comes my opinion about whole thing:  I'm glad there was a delay.  Hopefully it prevented a few car wrecks, but I just wish there was a better way to let people know about it.  I talked to plenty of people who went to their classes, having no idea they were cancelled.  Now, as for this weather, I'm just going to be straight-forward.  Go Away!  This is SOUTH Carolina, and since I was raised here, my body just can't handle these types of temperatures.  I'm hoping my next entry will begin with the "poetic" words of the "great" Nelly: "It's gettin' hott in herre..."

Posted by Kendall at 09:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Who would have ever guessed that 200 pieces of paper bound together would cost $140?  Isn't that a bit rediculous...I certainly think so.  Since it's the beginning of the semester and I have 5 new classes, I've been busy buying all the books I need.  What I need is a winning lottery ticket to pay for all these things!  Last semester I spent a little over $400 on books, but this semester, the total is almost $700.

So, I'm here to warn you....start saving up now!  I'm only kidding, but really, when you're totaling up college expenses, don't forget to put books up there right at the top.  If you're lucky, you might get a used book.  I would definitely recommend going that route.  Usually, the books are practically brand new, and cost a ton less, so don't feel like you need a fresh book for each class.  You'll save a lot of money by purchasing used books.  Another tip: wait until the first day of class before buying your books.  Sometimes the professor will drop or add book requirements.  You'll save yourself a lot of time and effort if you wait to hear straight from the 'horse's mouth' which books you'll actually be using for the course.  And last but not least, if you know you need a book that can wait a few days, try amazon or one of the many other booksellers on the internet.  My friend got a textbook for $20 online.  He would have paid $120 for it at the Russell House book store.  Can you believe that?!  I'm usually not one for ordering things from the internet, but I'm always up for saving $100.

Hope those are a few tips that can help you out when it comes time for you to buy textbooks...until next time!

Posted by Kendall at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With one more free day before classes begin, I've been frantically trying to pack up all of my stuff to move back into the dorms.  I cannot believe spring semester starts in less than 24 hours...this past month flew by. (Speaking of 24 hours, does anyone watch the show 24? Almost everyone I know who watches it are basically addicts, and say it's the best ever. So yeah, any opinions would be greatly appreciated.)

Anyway, I HATE packing, it's just not my thing. I try so hard to be organized and economical in the way I do things, but I always end up getting frustrated and stuffing everything in a suitcase.  So, this time, I'm just going to do my best to get all my things in the dorm in one piece.  No plans, I'm just gunna do it!  Sometimes things work out better that way!

Well I'm off to finish some last minute packing and chores before I head downtown! I can't wait to see everyone.  And somehow I know I'm not going to get a good night's sleep before the first day of classes tomorrow....oh well, I figure I can just sleep when I'm old, right?!

Posted by Kendall at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Grades are In!!!!

Alright, I found out like 2 weeks ago, but who wants to think about grades over Christmas break, right?  Anyway, grades were posted online the day after the last exam (even though most students were done a few days before then).  So there I was, sitting at work, getting online every 10 minutes (literally) to check to see if they were up yet.  Finally, I got online around 5 o'clock and 4 out of my 5 classes were on there...all A's!!! You'd think I would have been happier, but I was still extremely worried.  The only grade that wasn't posted yet was English, and that's the one I was most concerned about.  Why does stuff like that always happen?  It's like on the show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, when the contestant thinks the right answer is either A or B, but decides to use a 50/50 and the two remaining answers are of course...A and B. Okay, back to the point! To make a long story short, I banned myself from checking the grade until the next morning because I knew it would just ruin my night.  And it turns out I got an A in English too.  All A's!! I was really excited to start my college career off with a 4.0!!!

Now, to the good news.  I know being in high school can be stressful, especially if you're taking honors or AP classes. (I know, I've been there.)  I remember being so freaked out about college classes because high school teachers are constantly reminding you how hard they'll be (WRONG).  They make college professors out to be these cruel and impersonal intellectuals that could care less about who's taking their courses.  Maybe there's a few professors out there like that, but none that I or anyone I know have experienced.  Basically, what I'm saying is...don't worry that college is going to be super hard and that you're going to fail out first semester and end up working the late shift at McDonald's (not that there's anything wrong with working at McDonald's....a friend of mine used to work there and always hooked me up with some free Apple Pies!).  I promise, if you go to class, do your homework, and study a little bit, you'll be just fine. So remember....don't listen to all the scary myths that high school teachers like to tell you about college.  After all...they're only MYTHS.

Posted by Kendall at 05:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)