Just wanted to share the great news with everyone:

The waiting game is finally over!!!  The verdict is up, and the grades have been posted on VIP!!!  And it's going to be quite a very merry Christmas, with my blooming grades!  Time to tell the parents and make 'em proud.

But before I go and cut this blog short, I'm not sure if y'all know much about VIP, yet...so here's my lil spiel about it.

The VIP I talk about is not your common layman's term of "Very Important Person."  VIP stands for "Visual Information Processing."  In addition to your e-mail and Blackboard account, VIP will be site assigned to USC students to access lots of very important information.  Using your Social Security number and a 4-digit number password, you can access the site for some secure and personal University data.  Once in the site, one can choose to activate a personal VIP ID.  This can be used in place of the Social Security number for security measure.

The site has 4 main page links within it: ACADEMICS, FINANCIAL, PERSONAL, and TECHNOLOGY.  Within the Academics page, you can access an unofficial transcript, ways to obtain an official transcript, your class and exam schedules, and a link to the Barnes & Noble University Bookstore.  You will also use the Academics page to schedule your classes during course sign-up.  Within the Financial page, you can view, edit, and pay for your tuition, dorm, and meal plan fees.  Whatever scholarships and loans you may have will show up within this page as well.  Under the Personal page, you can access lots of different information--personal data about yourself that you would like to make available on the University directory, your post office box number and combination, housing assignments, and many others.  Lastly, in the Technology page, you'll find all the different internet accounts that the University will give you access to--network names, passwords, wireless access, and software distribution.

Once on campus, you'll get to know your VIP account very well as you will definitely use it very often.  Within this past week, between checking for updated grades and finalizing my spring semester class schedule, it feels like I've visited VIP at least three times a day.  You'll almost use VIP quite "religiously."

Well, enough babble for now...time to get a-goin' and get chillin'!  Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 01:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mother nature is quite unpredictable.  Only a few days ago, my friends and I were all complaining about a not-so-Christmas-y-Holiday-like feeling as it was so bright and shiny and WARM!  Temperatures were steadily climbing all the way to 81 degrees, but now...NOW it just plummeted! 

My sister and brother-in-law had picked me up from Cola yesterday morning, and lugging my all too many and too heavy bags and packages, we were not only rushing to get from the room to the car because our arms were hurting from the load but also because of the breezy, cool feeling.  Oh, Christmas is really comin'!

Now that I'm back here in the good ol' Upstate, weather forecasts are talking about low temps of the high 20's.  If only the rain the other day had held up, maybe I'd be experiencing some snow right now.  Last night my brother was actually doing the snow dance in the hopes of having at least a two-hour delay for school this morning.  Oh, I remember those good ol' days of squirming in my pants, awaiting that scrolling message on the early 7AM news.  Unfortunately for my brother, this morning was no different and off to school he went!  Boo!

But even if I am not awaiting for snow delays or school closings, I'm still experiencing some squirming--squirming for all my grades to be finally put up on VIP.  I'm only unsure about two more grades.  Hopefully, my professors will have them up by tomorrow if not tonight!  This waiting game is not much fun at all!

Well, 'til next!  Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One...Two...Three...Everyone.......HOOOOOORAY!!!

Yes, please.  Everybody indulge me and join me in one big hooray for exams are finally over!!!  This morning, at 9AM, was my date time with good ol' Organic Chemistry exam, and although, we hit it off pretty well in the beginning, things got kind of rocky towards the end.  I felt pretty confident about the things I thought I knew about Orgo, but of course, not all dates are perfect!

Hehe!  Enough creepy thoughts about my exam!

I'm really just excited and relieved for all of my exams being done.  I'm ready to get on packing and get all my things together.  My parents are coming early tomorrow morning to pick me up and bring me on home!  Oh, home sweet home!

Well, have a great weekend everyone!  Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...errr.  Actually, the weather outside is quite nice and beautiful. 

It's such a crime to be inside here in my room, studying for exams.  Not that I have much of a choice, but well, I couldn't let the day go into a complete waste.  So, for a short break, here are some pictures of how the Horseshoe is looking like around the holidays. 

The President's House is fully decked with wreaths, red bows, and Christmas lights.  The McCutchen House (the Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management building) is also looking festive with garland and huge ornament balls!  It's looking a lot like Christmas...well, except for the weather!

It's kind of funny to see people sitting around the Horseshoe, these days.  Usually right before the fall semester and towards the end of the spring semester, seeing students throwing a frisbee, sunbathing, reading, playing football, etc isn't really all that weird.  But winters, even here in the South are usually chilly.  But I guess just not these days!

Well, my break is over!  Time to hit the books again!  Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

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

Hold up on those coats, the Ugg boots, and the scarves and mitts.  With the ladies sporting skirts, shorts, and camis and the men with their plaid shorts, it seems like the summer fashion is making a comeback!

Walking through campus today sure felt nothing like winter.  With the sun shining throughout the entire day and barely a cloud in sight, it felt like a nice, cool day at the beach as I strolled on through Greene Street!  I'm not really quite sure what the actual high of today was but Weather.com had predicted a high of 81 degrees.  It's crazy how other parts of the country, like Kansas, are getting ice storms and snow while we here at South Carolina are hitting some record breaking hot weather!

It's interesting how in the past week, the temperature has been slowly rising.  It's kind of weird to think of Christmas and holiday cheers with snow flakes and snowmen when there's not even bit of a chill in the air!  I guess hoping for a white Christmas may be asking too much...maybe I can rally enough people for a snow dance or something!  Hehehe!

But I can't say that I can complain too much.  I have been stretching my wardrobe these past few days, and with the weather being so kind to me, I have been able to get by.  With only a few more days left here on campus, I just refuse to do laundry!  I am basically working on my last few skirts and dresses now because all of my pants and shorts have been used up.  To say that my laundry basket is overflowing would be an understatement--I pretty much need another hamper!!!

Here's to making it these next few days...Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 07:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As y'all may have guessed from the slacking in entries, exam week is getting to me.  Slightly worn down already, I have three down and three more to go.  My morning exam in PSYC 440 was actually not so bad.  It was a fairly easy exam, and I count on getting an A in the course.  It was my afternoon exam today, however, in BIOL 243 (Anatomy and Physiology) that has really sucked the life out of me!

I spent hours and hours going through about 60-70 pages worth of facts about the complexities of our bodies' inner workings, and as much as I am worried that my GPA might go down a bit because of today's final, I'm just quite glad that that ordeal is now over.  This is the incentive you get after taking an exam--the feeling that it's over!  There's really nothing that you can do anymore but just wait for the grades to be posted up on VIP.  In general, grades are supposed to be up within 72 hours of taking the finals, but not all professors will be able to do so.  The number of classes and number of students within each class can make the whole grading process a little longer.  Some professors will also have to coordinate with the class's Teaching Assistants (TA) for some of the students' grades.  This will be the case for practically all science classes.  Some non-science classes, like history and English, courses will have TA's too.  So there are definitely a lot of different things that go into putting all of the grades together.

It's not a fun game to wait around for the grades to come up on VIP, but thanks to the Holiday season, there's something to keep your mind off the anxiety.

Anyways...I'm just a bit tired now, so I'll get some rest.  There is still so much more to study for the last three exams.  Back in high school, our midterms were not scheduled until after Christmas break, so that wasn't very cool.  It did give more time for studying, but it was also more time to forget.  It also made the break a little less fun because we had to study during it.  Well, I hope y'all aren't in that situation.

Catch y'all later in the flipside, Gamecocks.

Posted by Kriska at 08:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As the theme of most of my last few entries, it is indeed the end of the semester with final exams on the way, but it doesn't mean I've locked up myself in my cave-a-loft.  (I'll have to post up a picture some time of this cave-a-loft I speak of so much.)  Most organizations will have some exam-breaker/Holiday-party/end-of-the-semester gathering usually, and it's quite fun to just be able to stow away for an hour or two and enjoy some of your friends and some good treats.  Last week was CSC's general end-of-semester party, while we Exec boards had another meeting this past Tuesday for our own little core group Holiday-fest.  Our president made us some homemade rice crispies treats in fun Holiday shapes, as well as she brought us some goody bags of candies galore!  Last night, however, was FASA's turn, and boy, did I have lots of fun.

Most FASA socials are potluck dinners, and last night was no different.  Shawn brought some chicken nuggets.  Another fellow brought chips and salsa.  Our host had made some mozzarella sticks and corn and cookies for dessert.  And I...well, I'm like the typical Filipino of the group.  I cooked some pork chops and of course, had to make rice using my 3-cup rice cooker!  It ain't a Filipino party if there is no rice.  You best believe it!

Here is the dinner spread we had:

FASA socials are always fun because it's just a bunch of us really becoming friends, talking over food and just getting to know each other even more.  We stretch those college bucks we have and turn a humble spread into something tons of fun!  That's what I love about the diverse opportunities here at Carolina.  There are so many different groups for all different types of interests, and it's just virtually impossible not to find a group of people with the same kind of likes or dislikes for that matter.  Although FASA is a group that focuses on the Filipino culture, we have several members who are not Filipinos--we're very open to all who'd like to share in the kinds of things we like.  In our case, food's probably on the top of that list!  Hehe!

Well, I hope y'all are getting just as excited as I am about winter break being almost here.  I've got five more exams to study for, and I am kind of freaking out about them right now.  So, I guess I'll have to cut this here now.  Hope y'alls week has been going well!

Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 01:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One down...five more to go.

I know that it's not finals week yet, but today was my first final of the semester.  Y'all may have read from fellowblogger Cory's entry "The 'Final' Countdown" that some exams take place before exam week.  My Organic Chemistry Lab final was one of those.  I had it this afternoon around 12:30PM.  Pretty much last night and all day today was spent preparing for the final--up to the last minute I was holding on to those notes, scanning them fast as I could.  We had to basically know everything in the lab manual--all 156 pages!  It sure was a lot, but it was still somewhat doable--provided you do not wait for the last minute to get studying (yet again, another reference to procrastination my dear friends!)

As Cory wrote in that entry, there sure are some advantages and disadvantages to having exams prior to the finals week.  Having it so much earlier means that you'll have to do a lot of studying earlier than other students may, but once you have finished it then it's done!  Like I said, one down, five more to go.

I'm not really too excited about all of the exams coming up, but then again, there will be the winter break at the end of it all.  The end of another semester is just right around the corner.

Well, I best get cracking on some books.  Even if the rest of my finals won't start on Monday doesn't mean I shouldn't start hitting the books already!  Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 03:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the Gamecock Football Season at a stand-still (let's hope that at tonight's announcement of Bowls that our team gets a chance), the Saturday was spent a little differently than most Saturdays of this semester.  Shawn has decided that he can finally join me at a Service Saturday, and two other friends, Aaron and Marvin, were also with us.

This Service Saturday was the last of the semester...and the YEAR!  (I really can't believe that it's already December of 2007!!!)  The theme was Serving Disabled Individuals, and hundreds of students came out again for another Saturday to serve the different sites of a private, non-profit organization serving the State's disable population.  The Babcock Center is perhaps the largest non-profit in the state of South Carolina whose main target are those with disabilities--from mild mental retardation to Down's Syndrome to even accident-related injuries causing health issues.  My particular group was sent over to the Shop Road branch where it seems people with disabilities would go and join in activities and training as well as perform jobs like assembling parts and putting things together in hopes that this exercise and practice will get their skills up again.  Some people spent the afternoon mopping and cleaning, while others were organizing the facility's storage areas.  I was with some others who did lots of washing of cars.  They had lots of minivans, caravans, and goshvans that the center uses to transport the patients, and we had to give all of them a good scrubbing down.  It was quite fun actually!  I couldn't ever reach the tops of the vans (especially the gosh ones), so there was always a much taller guy who followed my trail and scrubbed the spots that I missed.  Hehehe!

After an afternoon of volunteering, Shawn and I returned to Preston to just hang out and chill.  We figured that after our good deed for the day that we deserved a good resting.  Come time 6PM, we met up with our other friends and watched one of the movies that Carolina Productions had showing for free at the Russell House Theater.  I had already seen Rush Hour 3, but everyone else hadn't seen it yet.  I loved the movie anyways so I didn't care too much that I was watching again.  I was actually pretty psyched.

Bourne Ultimatum was set to play at 9PM at the theater too, and we had planned to make a movie marathon out of the night, so we were going to watch that as well.  But soon after the opening credits had finished playing and the story was just beginning, the fire alarms at the Russell House went off.  I think someone had forgotten to turn a fryer off or something.  I don't really know what happened.  My friends and I were quite disappointed that we had to miss the movie and were also worried that we wouldn't have our on-campus dining facility, but all seemed well today as everything has been in full swing at the RuHo.  I enjoyed some grits for breakfast today at the Gimp!  As also on another good note, Ultimatum is playing again tonight!  Guess we'll be trying to catch the movie tonight....Second attempt is a go!

Well, hope y'all had a great weekend!  Sad to see that the once #6 Gamecocks couldn't have played at the SEC Championship yesterday, but I am happy that LSU won over Tennessee.  Something about that orange that really just gets to me...hehehe!!!

Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 01:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)