What the heck happened to Google?!?  GASP!!!

Was that how y'all felt when you got on the very user-friendly search engine today?  I know I did.  My internet browser's homepage is set to Google, so when I clicked on my IE and saw the black screen I was slightly confused.  Now, I'm used to Google changing up their Google name at the top with little shamrocks for St. Patty's, hearts for Valentine's Day, and other such festive adornments...but a black screen?!?  I thought Google was celebrating going back to the DOS system or something, until I looked further on the screen and found this:

"We've turned the lights out. Now it's your turn - Earth Hour."

"Earth hour?"  I asked myself.  What in the world is "Earth Hour?"  My intrigue got the best of me.  My lack of CNN watching these past weeks have apprently left me in the dark as cities around the world have been planning to celebrate Earth Day with this big hour event.

Now, I'm not a big Global Warming kind of person.  Personally, I probably just don't know much about the proposed theories of this phenomenon to support or discount it, but the idea behind this Earth Hour was more than just interesting--I found it quite compelling!

Apparently, this was started by Sydney, Australia.  In the one hour that their city's power was turned down--homeowners, business, stores, and other such companies, their power consumption dropped a rate of about 10%.  They said that that 10% decrease is equivalent to taking about 48,000 cars off the road for that same hour.  That's how much CO2 emissions you save!  How about that for the power of one hour of the lights off in a major city?  Incredible!

Many cities all over the world have partnered up to take part in this year's Earth Hour to be celebrated at 8PM of their local time today--March 29,2008.  I hope this is enough warning for y'all to join the rest of the world.  I've got roughly 2 hours and 58 minutes before I'll have to turn my lights down low!

What will y'all do to make a difference?  Hope y'all turn it down low tonight...and all other days of the year.  Remember to turn of the lights in a room when not in use!

Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Here's a video from YouTube.com and if you want more information, y'all can visit www.earthhour.org  If the video does not embed correctly unto your web browser, you can still visit the video by clicking on this link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-qczUcQ-VjM

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Posted by Kriska at 03:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's Social Psychology lecture was on Attraction, Liking, and Love.  Yes, m'dears.  We talked about the "L" word.

The world's greatest poets, philosophers, and great thinkers have left us with some of the most beautiful (and sometimes the cheesiest) thoughts about love.  Voltaire said, "Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination."  Plato said, "At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet."  And then there's this quote I've heard but do not know who said it, "Love is like playing the piano.  First you must learn to play by the rules, then you must forget the rules and play from your heart."  I guess when it comes to love, we're all just a bunch of artists!!!

So, why am I blogging about this?  Surely one lecture about the "L" word does not make me a "Dear Abby"-esque expert nearly that fast.  Well, what I'm going to blog about is how the laws of attraction that applies to love (as the text says so because we all know that love is a textbook kind of thing) also applies to selecting college institutions.  Yes, guys.  The Laws of Attraction for College Institutions.

Follow me along with my textbook of Exploring Social Psychology with Dr. Myer: 

1.  "One powerful predictor of whether any two people are friends is sheer proximity."   Now let me rephrase:  One powerful predictor of whether a prospective student and a college institution is a good fit is sheer proximity.

Although many of you probably want to get away from your state and explore the wide open world, as I also found myself about 3 years ago, you might find it surprising how well your state institution might just be the best fit.  USC was just right for me, as it was away enough for me to be independent and truly experience the college lifestyle while still also close enough for me to enjoy the company of my family and old friends.  Trust me that you'll truly miss mommy's cooking and laundry!  This idea of proximity isn't only about geography but also about psychological closeness.  When you've also interacted with a certain school, the tendency to fall in love with it is greater....meaning: Use those senior days and visit schools that you're interested in.  Research them in great detail and get to know the kind of institution that particular college really is.  You'll most likely find out a lot of information that can definitely help you make your decision.  Also, you might find additional quirks about the school that the hundreds of brochures you received may not have.  You just might find that personal touch on your next school visit.

2.  "Physical Attractiveness: Good looks are a great asset."

DUH!  Need I say more...well, on behalf of USC, let me just let y'all in on some of the great features that USC's "physique" has to offer.

• Great facilities and amenities: Just check out the Strom Thurmond.
• Beautiful "park":  Have y'all seen the Horseshoe in the spring when the azaleas are in bloom?  What about a nice warm Columbia day on the Horseshoe?  Students put on their suits to lay out in the sun.  Some throw a frisbee or a football around.  It's like a day at the beach!
• Functional Student Union:  Oh, the good ol' Russell House.  With the student bookstore, the dining facilities, meeting rooms, and many other resources, student living is well-supported at the RuHo.  Being on campus has never been easier!

And last but not least...

 3.  "Equity: A condition in which the outcomes people receive from a relationship are proportional to what they contribute to it."  WHAT?!?  That was a mouthful, wasn't it?  Let's translate this:

What do YOU have to offer?  What do USC have to offer?  Plenty of things on both ends, I'm sure.  If and when you decided to come to USC, you'll be sure to find that what you put in to the university will be greatly matched and reciprocated if not doubled or tripled of your own investment.  The experts of love say that relationships are only satisfactory if both parties feel that the gains for the investment of both are proportional.  When you come to USC, the resources will be endless.  It will truly be up to you how you use them.  In return, USC just expects you to be an involved student.  As a speaker at one of the USC orientations I attended to said back in my freshman year, "Engage in the Carolina experience!"

Well, my dear Gamecock readers.  I may be no "Dear Abby" but I sure hope you found my little insight helpful!

Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At first I thought it was spring allergies or something.  With everything back into full bloom, everything seems to be green with pollen these days.  But something just told me it wasn't the fault of the Bradford pears.  I was in no severe conditions so I figured that I would just monitor how I was feeling and after closely following my symptoms, I finally came up with a great diagnosis.  I am in fact experiencing some kind of allergies--college student allergies.  To be more specific, I am experiencing spring breakitis manifested by some beachsickness (kind of like being homesick but of the beach), procrastination, and denial.  After a week of blogging about the glorious beaches of South Carolina and the gazillion tons of fun I had over spring break, karma has come after me as I find myself also drooling over the past week's adventures.  Being back to school is really cramping my style!  Hahaha!

An exam in Organic Chemistry was something to look forward to this week, and now that I've put that one to rest, I am just completely ecstatic!  Two "Orgo" exams down, two more to go.  I know it's not going to be a breeze, but heck...it's a step closer to the end!

I really wish I could be back at the beach dipping my feet in the cold water, feeling the sand in between my toes, picking shells, and taking a ton of pictures!  I'm so glad that this weekend is Easter.  I can at least go home and be with my family.  All this time away from them has actually gotten me a little bit homesick.  Man, do I miss my mommy's cooking!

Well, I hope y'all are doing great.  Another round of rain is around our area.  It's been raining cats and dogs for quite some time now.  Definitely not the beachy weather my friends and I got to enjoy!  Oh, well.  I guess I better stop being beach-bummed!  Gotta get right back into the groove and swing my way through my classes!

Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 05:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, so I'm sure by now that y'all are just jealous of all of the beach adventures I've been writing about, eh?  Well, let me give y'all some more to drool over...

Myrtle Beach: Driving through King Street to see all of the competing Eagles, Wings, and Pacific beach stores and also through Ocean Boulevard to see all of the towering hotels and resorts, you can't help but feel like it's summer already even if it's still months away.  The water may still be a little too cold, but dipping in for a little bit to get the ocean water and the sand in between your toes is a must!

So, what exactly does Myrtle Beach have to offer that it has made its way through many top ten lists of must-see-vacation spots?  Well, here are my personal favorites:

• Broadway at the Beach: This open area is a mecca to all shoppers, diners, and partyers.  With stores to shop until you drop, restaurants and bars to dine and wine, and a gazillion other things to do, it's the place to see and be seen!  There is a huge man-made pond that is in the middle of the entire complex where people can feed huge carps.  The fishes are so humongous that they look like they're on steroids!  There is also a putt-putt place and an IMAX 3D to enjoy.  There's just so much to do for everyone of all ages!
• Myrtle Beach State Park: Tupelo trees out-the-whazzoo greet you on the parking lot.  Big picnic shelters are available for big groups to have a nice potluck get-together.  The ocean view is just so nice since for the entire stretch of the park there are no tall buildings obstructing the beachfront.  It's just gorgeous!
• Myrtle Beach Coastal Grand Mall: This mall is the state's largest mall.  With many department and retail stores, you're bound to atleast spend an entire afternoon walking through the area.  Ladies, this is a must see!

Kiawah Island:  This place is just GORGEOUS!!!  Kiawah is a barrier island about 20-30 minutes away from historic Charleston.  It is a luxurious place for vacationers who love to golf, play tennis, and lay out in the sun.  The beach was amazing.  There were so many perfect and beautiful shells all over the shore.  The seaside houses were a sight to see!  Oh, I was so green with envy.  How I wish I could afford to buy myself one of those properties.  Actually, even the ones in-land were amazing!  My friends and I were on a 10-mile bike ride all over Kiawah Island Golf Resort, and my gosh!  The houses all along Governor Road, the greens, and the marshes were just breath-taking!  I am setting the goals high here, guys.  Get my Pharm.D.  Work for several hundred years.  Then, finally afford one of those places!  Hahaha!

Murrells Inlet:  Known as the "Seafood Capital" of South Carolina, Murrells Inlet is lined with several restaurants boasting of some great fine and fresh seafood.  Enjoy a nice dinner of surf and turf overlooking the marshes.  It's quite the dining experience!

Pawley's Island:  I only got to come here for a short afternoon, but man did I enjoy the place!  Shopping, dining, and beaching.  I know I've been repeating those same three things, but Pawley's puts a spin to their own thing.  Pawley's has a charm of their own, and y'all should also check it out.

Well, y'all, my spring break is unfortunately coming to a close.  But as y'all may have been reading along, I did not waste a second!  Being in South Carolina is great!  There are so many places to see, and the coast is just one area to explore.  Wait until I start blogging about the mountains from the Upstate!!!  As our license plates say, "Smiling faces, Beautiful places."

Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Where: Charleston, South Carolina

Distance from USC Columbia: Approximately 2 hours

What to see: The harbor, the history and charm, the shops, the new bridge

What to do: ride around for a scenic route and definitely do some shop til you drop!

Time for my favorite part...

My Charleston day trip in a picture summary....

________________________________________________

Going over the new bridge and under the tall "arches" towards Downtown Charleston.  Isn't it just amazing!

After going over the bridge, here is a view of the full bridge off of another bridge while we were heading to James Island.  Aren't those boats just awesome?!?

Here's a view of the Battery.  This is towards the south side of the harbor.  As you can see on the far left, the bridge kind of peaks through.  I think that just looks cool!  Farther south of this harbor, we saw a dolphin or two popping out of the water.  I tried to take pictures, but those were largely failed attempts! 

My boyfriend and I taking a pose in front of one of the gorgeous houses of Charleston.  The houses in this area are just beautiful.  Some date back to who-knows-what, but they have preserved them well.  Some of the oldest houses can be visited on tours!

Here's a picture of a group rounding out a corner on a carriage ride.  There are many tours of this kind through historic Charleston.  Horse/mules/donkeys pull carriages around the town.  Pedicabs are another touristy kind of ride through scenic Charleston.

There are lots of parks and lots of monuments around this area too as it is just so rich of history!  Here is my roommate and boyfriend goofing around the cannons!  Don't worry.  They get along great...definitely keeps my sanity!  How horrible would it be if my roommate and bf hated each other?!?

Well, hope you guys enjoyed the pictures.  Probably not as much as I enjoyed my trip, but here's to hoping that you guys get to enjoy a historic and fun trip to Charleston some time, too!  Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 07:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Where: Surfside Beach, SC

Distance from USC Columbia, SC: Approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes

Nickname: "The Family Beach"

Things to see: the beach, birds, piers

Things to do: all the beachy things, pretty good place to pick shells

And my favorite part...the pictures!

_______________________________________________________

The dunes are picture-perfect!

Me and my roommate enjoying the nice sunny day...

Look at all these shells...

A view of one of the piers... 

Shawn being goofy and proud, as he shows off his home....SURFSIDE BEACH! 

Lots of fun in this beach!  It's not as touristy as Myrtle Beach, but don't be fooled by that statement!  There are lots of vacationers around this area!!!  Their nickname is just really appropriate--the Family Beach.  There are some hotels along the beachside but most are rental homes. If you are looking for a more wholesome weekend, Surfside Beach it is!

Till the next beach adventure!  As y'all can see, I'm not wasting a minute of my spring break!

Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 07:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Where: Huntington Beach, SC

Distance from USC Columbia: Approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes

Things to see: the beach, birds, the marsh, and the Spanish Castle of Atalaya

Things to do: picnic, enjoy the beach, tour the castle, pick up shells, see some alligators, and RELAX!

_______________________________________________

Because pictures paint a thousand words, and my common FYI facts are not enough to describe the awesomeness of Huntington Beach...Here are some pictures of Shawn, Megan, Aaron, and myself goofing around in the Spanish castle Atalaya, the beach, and the marsh! 

One of Atalaya's wings from the courtyard view...

Striking a pose among the palm trees... 

Huntington's a great place for being goofy...

...as it is also a great place for romance! 

It felt like I was at Cape Cod...

Big, old, and branchy trees are fun to swing on! 

And gators can be seen if you're lucky...(we saw one poking out of the water, swimming around!)

Huntington Beach is a place for lots of fun!  

HB is probably my most favorite beach here on the East Coast.  With not a single towering hotel in sight and just all of beach nature scene to be enjoyed, I had a blast!  The historic Atalaya is completely an added bonus experience.  I'd highly recommend paying the $5 per person entrance to the beach (or if you're smart, you and your friends can purchase a $35 SC State Park parking pass that's unlimited visitation for an entire year!)

Hope y'all are having a great week!  Till my next beach adventure.  Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 05:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hi Caroline, avid readers, and newcomers!  Sorry to be a little slacking on the whole blogging entries thing.  It's just spring break, ya know!  Haha!

I thought that I would stop by though and just say a quick hello and catch up with everyone.  As y'all probably have felt with all of your breaks from school, I could hardly contain the excitement last week (despite all of the exams and work that needed to be done).  I was just so ready for spring break to begin that that entire week before the break was pretty rough.  Studying for that last exam took a really hard push to get through.  BUT now that the break is here, I can tell y'all that I have been taking some much needed rest.

How are the late nights these past couple of days different than the late nights from campus?  Well, for starters, the mornings are not so early since I don't have classes for which I have to get up.  I'm also not doing homework or studying for tests and being burried in my loft-a-cave but just hanging out with friends.  Another added bonus is that I'm getting to watch my most favorite channel in the whole world--the Food Network.  (Oh, how I wish that our USC cable would get the channel for the students!!!)  Oh, and lastly...I'm usually pretty tired late into the night as I have gone all over town and walked on the beach every day!

Yes, y'all read it right...THE BEACH!

I'd start talking about all that I've been doing these past couple of days, but I think that I'm spending a little too much time on the computer for a person being on vacation.  I'll come back tomorrow to report...and I think I might actually do a series about this break.  As some of y'all may know, South Carolina's coast offers several tourist beach attractions.  I'm going to be visiting several of these beaches--Surfside Beach, Myrtle Beach, Huntington Beach, and Charleston just to name a few.  I know that you South Carolinians know about these beaches, but I figure that for out-of-staters, a few traveling tips might be great.  The beaches average about 2.5-4 hours away from Columbia just depending on how far down the coast you want to visit.  For many students, a weekend trip to one of the beaches is just the quick vaca they need to recharge!

Well, be on the lookout for my travel-blogs!  I hope you guys are having a great Monday!

Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks

Posted by Kriska at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two exams this week, and yet I'm still excited.  Why?

Because Spring Break is only days away and not even two exams can damper on my getting-jiggy-with-it-Spring-Break-is-coming-dance!  (Okay, well, an exam or two can put a slight damper and some late nights and early mornings, but overall, the energy is still up and running!)

I'm really trying to keep my motivation level up so that I can focus on getting some great studying done for my exams.  Having Spring Break right around the corner is quite the distraction, I'm not going to lie, but with my great ninja-like skills with regards to studying, I'm still ready as ever for my tests.

So, what are these ninja-like skills, you ask?  Well, listen my little karate kids.  The sensei is ready to impart her knowledge!

1.)  As Mr. Miyagi once said, "Wax on, wax off!"

Silly right?  What wax?  What on or off?  Well, let's paint a scenario.  When you're notes don't seem to make sense or you just have way too much to study at one time, it can get really frustrating, right?  When you're feeling just completely overwhelmed, you start to feel anxious and you begin to worry.  When you're stuck with a Calculus or Chemistry problem (yikes!), you start to freak out.  Well, DON'T!!!   JUST BREATHE!  And that is exactly what "Wax on, wax off" is.  It is more like a breathing exercise.  Think calmly.  Think lightly. And, just relax.

2.)  Another Miyagi thought: "Go, find balance."

Before even attempting to "Banzai" your way into that pile of notes, books, flash cards, and all sorts of other acadamic paraphernalia, you must first find balance.  Like we all know, too much information can get really overwhelming.  Prevent getting in that situation by first finding the balance.  What notes will be on the test?  Which chapters from the book are relevant?  Do you have time to make flash cards that you can actually flash through?  Organize all of your notes and prioritize the material that you need to know.  If you're pressed for time, make sure you hit the material that you may have the most difficulty.  That way you can spend more time on them.  You might not even need to really study some of your notes because you already know them quite well.  You shouldn't waste your time on that material.  Prioritize and find the balance!

3.) And last but not least, my own personal insight: Take a break (once in a while)!

When you've sat down in the library for 3-4 hours and you've had your back hunch over your Mt. Everest notes, it can get really exhausting!  There's no sense in pushing yourself another hour if you've got no more brain power.  It's like trying to drive around the block when you know you're running on empty.  You're going to have to get out of that car and stressfully push it in neutral.  It won't get you very far and you've only exhausted yourself.  You need to gas back up and recharge!  Take a power-hour nap.  Take a break and maybe even watch a little bit of TV.  Whatever you do, step away and give yourself a break!  A brain that is fried is just as good as a brain that's raw.  Okay, maybe not exactly the picture that I wanted to paint, but you guys get the idea.

One exam down and one more to go.  Spring Break right around the corner...You bet that I'm ready to go!  But before I do, here's some parting words from Mr. Miyagi, "Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better. Understand?"

Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Are you from out of state?  Do you think that Carolina tuition is too much?  Do you think that out-of-state tuition, in general, is too much?

Well, have no fear!  For all of you bright minds out there, the McNair Scholars Program is as outstanding of a scholarship program as I always attest to that of the Carolina Scholars Program.

I've constantly talked about the Carolina Scholars Program, as I am one.  But I also know a bit about the McNair's.  They are basically our out-of-state counterparts.  We rub elbows with each other at most of our scholar events.  Some of you may have already heard about them.  Maybe some of y'all have started to read into the program.  (With up to a $60,000 four-year value, I'd be sure to get cracking on this, too, if I were from out-of-state!  It's even $20,000 more than what we receive from the University's Carolina Scholar Program!)

So, what's the 411 on this great opportunity?  Generally speaking, these are the "cream of the crop" of the out-of-state applicants to the S.C. Honors College.  For the most part, applicants to the Honors Program boast of over 1300 SAT scores, excellent grades, and a diverse extra-curricular and out-of-class activities.  You can expect that these McNairs are well on top of these general Honors student characteristics.  But don't fret!  You don't have to be a "book-worm, anti-social, hunched-over-your-desk-studier, overachiever!"  These students, like my fellow Carolina Scholars, are just as outgoing, interesting, sociable, and awesome as your average Joe or Betty or even like the coolest kids of your high school.  Like I said, we rub elbows at our events, and these events I speak of are not always just your sit-down scholarly dinners.  We have tailgates and other such activities.  (Ice cream social in the beginning of the fall semester???  Man, we're wild!  Haha!)  Some scholars have also left their marks in the University by joining several of our 300 clubs, becoming a part of the Greek life, and by being just great active members of the Carolina community.

This program was started back in 1998 by a USC alumni who decided to truly give back.  Over the years, it has grown, and more and more students are finding out about the program and have been competing for a spot.  As of recent, 18 states are being represented by our McNairs.  I'm sure all of you out there would love to change that!

So, where is all the money coming from?  Business leader, Robert C. McNair...As I said, a USC alum has decided to give back.  Ten years ago, he started this program with a $20 million endowment.  Pretty hefty of a sum, eh?  But can I tell y'all more great news?  Hmmm...maybe I'll just let y'all find out on your own.  Click here!!!

Hope this gets y'all thinking about your next steps in planning and preparing for college.

Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)