Carl Sandburg College Blog

A New Semester

2012-01-20T10:44:00.003-06:00

Welcome back Sandburg students! It has officially been two weeks since the ending of winter break and the arrival of a brand new semester. Hope you enjoyed your time away from campus. Before leaving for winter break I had mentioned in a previous blog about a few goals I had for myself during this new semester. So far after seven days of five different classes I’ve been able to keep my goals alive! Hopefully by the time of finals I’m able to tell you the same thing. I’m a little bit curious to know if any other students besides myself at Sandburg made goals to fulfill or accomplish during the next three months. Let me know!

Hopefully all of you have been able to visit the student center in Building B at some point in these last two weeks. A lot has been going on and I must say it’s been a great time. So far we’ve had a "Just Dance 3" dance off, a day devoted to playing board games, a performance from Midwest Dueling Pianos, and just recently we had a student service and clubs fair.

Dueling Pianos was and is by far one of my favorite events that I’ve seen at Sandburg. If you weren’t able to make it, let me try to explain. Dueling Pianos consisted of two men who entertained by the use of two pianos. Student in the audience were asked to request songs and most requests were sung. Whether is was country, hip-hop, classical or oldies, most songs were attempted. Humor and audience participation was a huge reason why this event was such a hit. The two piano players were very outgoing and did an amazing job at grabbing the audience’s attention. Once more students came down to check it out and write out requests, you hated to leave for your next class. Some classic songs that were played included "Piano Man," "Great Balls of Fire," and "Bennie and the Jets."

Also, if you didn’t get a change to check out the marketing table at the student services and clubs fair, there was a survey that you could (and still can!) happen to do. In rewards of filling this survey out you automatically got your name put into a raffle to win a few giveaways. If you’re interested at all, the survey is posted on the Carl Sandburg student portal.

Good luck with all new classes this semester!

Sincerely,

Rachel

Professional Internship

2011-11-29T13:41:00.002-06:00

It’s that time of the year again, winter break is fast approaching and soon we will be headed back to school for the Spring semester. Although spring semester seems far away, it’s not too early to start preparing. I have already registered for my spring classes, and am very pleased with the classes I will be taking. I am also very excited to be doing a professional internship in the spring semester.

A professional internship is a requirement course I have to take for the Legal Office Assistant program, but I don’t see it as a requirement, I see it as a great opportunity that is only going to help me in my future career plans. I will be an intern at a local law office in Monmouth. During the internship I am required to work a minimum of 15 hours a week until the end of the semester. The purpose of the Internship is to teach me on the job training, and to understand fully what business I am going into. My internship is supervised by an instructor and a job site supervisor.

This internship means a lot to me, and is going to benefit me in the long run. Being able to put a professional internship on my resume will only help me when I’m trying to find a full time job after I graduate. It is also going to give me real life situations that will teach me more about the legal office assistant duties and responsibilities. I may also find out that some of the skills I have been learning here at Carl Sandburg will be beneficial to the office staff.

I strongly recommend to never pass up an internship opportunity. Some internships are hard to come by and if given one I would take it in a heartbeat. Internships are only going to benefit you and can be a very good learning experience. I have heard very positive feedback from my friends who have had internships, and I know it is going to be a great experience for me as well.

Sandburg students are any of you planning on doing an internship in the spring semester or even over the summer? Have any of you ever had a rewarding internship before? I hope to hear some feedback!

Until next time,
Natalie Malone

Black Friday Shopping

2011-11-28T15:57:00.000-06:00

How many Sandburg students attended and planned strategies to get good deals on this year’s Black Friday shopping event? I never imagined myself staying up until midnight or later in order to go shopping at Wal-Mart, Target or the Sandburg Mall. Instead I thought I would be in my nice, warm and comfortable bed, asleep.

This all changed when my mother decided that we absolutely needed to go to Bergner’s at midnight and started making a list of this we needed to get. I actually didn’t mind staying up with my mom; I was ready to get in and out of that store. I was able to convince my father that he should tag along with us, so it could be a family bonding experience. He, on the other hand, knew we just wanted him because it was extra arms. It seriously was like a zoo in the store. It was overwhelming and I just wanted to get my things and leave. I heard from other friends who decided to shop at Wal-Mart that morning that it was worse than Bergner’s. Wal-Mart customers had to park in the parking lots at Menards and Maurices and waited in line for more than two hours for some electronic items.

If you were one of the many who experienced Black Friday, tell me your story!

Sincerely,

Rachel

Have You Signed Up for Spring Classes?

2011-11-21T15:28:00.001-06:00

Fall semester of 2011 is almost to an end. Once Thanksgiving break is over, there will only be about three more weeks of classes left. Have you already begun preparing for finals or deciding which classes to sign up for in the spring semester? For some odd reason I’m actually looking forward to spring classes. I know it may seem dorky but I’m looking forward to the classes I’ve already registered and picked out. I have set a few goals for myself for this upcoming semester, some things that I lacked during the first semester.

My first goal would have to be to stay more focused during all of my classes. I’m hoping that if I stay a little bit more focused, that I could actually end up getting into the subject and find studying a tad bit easier. Second would be to ask more questions so that it helps me further understand the material. For my last goal I really need to start waking up fairly earlier in the morning. This way I won’t run late like I always do! I’ve actually scheduled a class everyday at 9:30 a.m. just so I can motivate myself to wake up and get going. I’d really like to hear if anyone else at Sandburg has set any goals for themselves for the upcoming new semester – if so let me know!

Sincerely,

Rachel

Thanksgivng and Black Friday

2011-11-15T14:39:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving is often times considered the forgotten holiday due to everyone preparing for Christmas. If you have watched TV lately you will notice there are more commercials on Christmas airing then about thanksgiving. Thanksgiving to me is about giving thanks and enjoying time spent with family as well as eating all the amazing food that is prepared.
At my house we don’t follow a lot of the thanksgiving traditions. Being a farming family, we prepare a prime rib for everybody instead of turkey. My grandmother prepares the prime rib along with pie and the dressing. What traditions do you follow and what is served at your Thanksgiving dinner?

It is another family tradition to go shopping the next day on Black Friday. I will have to admit I never used to partake in this crazy shopping experience, but last year I decided to give it a try. We started our shopping adventure as soon as the clock struck midnight. The first stop was Wal-Mart. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I walked into Wal-Mart, people camping out in chairs by the electronics waiting for a certain time to come when they open the wrap around the bins for customers. It was more fun to watch the people then it was to actually shop. After the aWal-Mart trip we decided to go to the mall. The lines were long and people were everywhere. They were after the best deals and sales they could find. For me, it was more about the experience and to watch the way people were acting. I must say I probably will never go Black Friday shopping again. I honestly do not see the point in standing in hour long lines just too maybe get 20 percent off. I will wait for the not so long lines and pay the extra price.

Do any of you participate in Black Friday shopping? This year I will not be partaking in Black Friday shopping and staying as far away from shopping stores as possible. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and don’t eat too much!

Until next time,
Natalie Malone

"Stroke of Midnight" kicks off tonight

2011-11-10T10:21:00.003-06:00

Do you have big plans for the weekend? If not anyone and everyone should think about going to see Carl Sandburg College Theatre’s “Stroke of Midnight”. The first showing is tonight at 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Theatre located in Building F on the Main Campus in Galesburg. Other showings include Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m.

“Stroke of Midnight” is an original play written by theater scholarship students; Erica Baumgardner, Aaron Donnelly, Jonathan Reyes, all of Galesburg, and Mark Thomas of Maquon. It is also directed by our theatre instructor at Sandburg, Ms. Susan Sharp.

The play consists of a storyline featuring a painter whose paintings come to life at the stroke of midnight! The playwrights will also act in the performance. Other cast members include Ryan Osborn, Bushnell, and Riley Franzen, Galesburg. Mark Thomas came up with the storyline for the play and the other students supported developing his concept of a painter whose creations come to life at night.

By being a part of the Drama Club, I will be helping out during the production. As my contribution I was a part of baking goods to sell before the play begins and I will also be selling tickets at the door. Be sure to come and support your fellow students as they perform their own written creation!

Sincerely,

Rachel

Spring registration and final exams… OH MY!

2011-11-08T12:54:00.002-06:00

Students, have you meet with an advisor to register for spring classes yet? Spring registration started last Monday and has to be done for the spring semester by Sunday, Jan. 8, at midnight. I will be meeting with my advisor to make sure that I am on the right track for graduation, and register for all the classes that I need. My advisor has been very helpful from the beginning and it always available by appointment if I have any questions or concerns. I feel that it is very important to meet with an advisor before registering for classes just to make sure you are taking the right classes for your career path.

Advising is located in Building E and can be contacted to set up an appointment at 309-341-5237. If you have already met with an advisor or know the classes you taken, walk-in registration can be done Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the registration office. Don’t miss out on registration for the spring semester meet with an advisor today!

Now that you are preparing for spring registration, that means final exams are quickly approaching for the fall semester. I know this may sound like a few weeks away, but in reality it will be here before you know it. We are getting down to the final weeks of the semester and I know I have already begun to frantic about exams. How well will I need to be prepared? Should I start studying now? These are just some the questions crossing my mind. There are currently 36 days left until winter break, but before we can enjoy that break, the dreaded semester exams must be taken.

This semester, I have five classes; three on campus and two online. I have started to worry on how I will prepare myself for five exams and not get any of the information confused. How do you prepare yourself for final exams? Are there any certain steps you take? I know I will try to study for the exams I have here on campus first, and then my online classes. A week before the exams I start preparing by studying for each class an hour a night. I try not to panic, and that always seems to make final exams go smoother. Some of my teachers are already giving hints to what information is going to be presented on the exams and even special projects that will be due on final exam days. I think this helps a lot, so I can start working on these projects, and going over the information already provided for the exams. It is never too early to start preparing for final exams.

Until next time,
Natalie Malone

Who should win staff member of the year?

2011-11-07T16:07:00.002-06:00

Students, did you know the College is sponsoring an award for staff excellence? Carl Sandburg College needs your help in nominating employees. If you can think of anyone in mid-management, technical, custodial, dinning, clerical, or physical plant personnel that deserves to be recognized and applauded for an award of excellence, fill out a form and deposit it in one of the boxes. There are locations at each campus with nomination forms and deposit boxes.

All the time you hear of teachers or students receiving awards for good behavior or achievements in studies. Don’t get me wrong – this is amazing accomplishment, but you rarely hear gratitude expressed over clean bathrooms, well-cooked meals or parking lots that have been shoveled, cleaned, and ice that has been cleared when snow hits. This is our chance as students to show our thanks and support to those who rarely hear it.

Nominations, placement boxes, and forms are available and located at the information desks in buildings B and D, and in the Library. Just a heads up… if you’re going to nominate someone, you must write a very short explanation of why this specific person should be awarded with Staff Member of the Year. The reason is very important, so please complete this!

Nominations are due on Monday, Nov. 21.

Sincerely,

Rachel

Where’s your favorite hang-out spot at Sandburg?

2011-10-28T14:36:00.002-05:00

Hey students, is there a specific spot on the Sandburg campus that is your all time favorite? Do you enjoy spending your free time in the library or maybe watching MLB highlights in the Student Center? I’ve come to find out that different students have their own different hangout spots. It’s where they like to relax and be around all their friends. For example, I usually spend most of my free time down in the D lounge with some really awesome and entertaining people. It’s the place where I feel I can just calm down, be myself and hang out with friends I just met. Usually there are great amounts of people all hanging out in D lounge and that’s one of the main reasons why I believe I like D lounge more than any other spot at Sandburg. It’s because of the unique people that spend time there. There is never a dull moment; some of the students like to be different and stand out. For example, yesterday was Vikings day.

This may sound a little on the weird side but a couple people in the D lounge group dressed up as Vikings with helmets and weapons. They pretended to battle each other and goof around…like I said, never a dull moment. One of the guys even brought in his own TV so that video games could be played. Unfortunately unlike the Student Center B lounge, D lounge has no television. Also, just a couple weeks ago there was a cookie day where everyone brought in cookies to share. Even though college is hard work and studies need to be kept up, there is always room for a little fun.

Sincerely,
Rachel

Thinking about going to College Night?

2011-10-21T13:16:00.001-05:00

If you’re debating on whether to attend Carl Sandburg’s college night, let me tell you from experience that you will benefit from this opportunity. College Night is designed for high school, community college students, adults and others who are interested in attending college and universities but have not decided on a school. Representatives from nearly 40 schools will be on hand to answer questions about academic programs, requirements for admission, athletics and campus life, as well as distribute information about their schools.

When I was a senior at Galesburg High School, I attended college night with my parents as a way to get a head start at looking for a community college to begin with and then to later on transfer to a four year university. I got to see the difference in cost between a community college and a university, was able to ask as many questions as I needed to any one of the representatives, and it let me explore the many major and degree options that are available or not available at certain colleges.

College Night is on Monday, Oct. 24, from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Student Center in Building B on the Main Campus in Galesburg. An informational session about financial aid will begin at 6:15 p.m. in the Student Center.

Sincerely,

Rachel

Are You Tough Enough To Wear Pink?

2011-10-18T14:45:00.002-05:00

Sandburg students, are you tough enough to wear pink? As many of you probably know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Some of you may just feel like this is no big deal, but others may think differently. Breast cancer awareness is very important to me and my family. We have lost a loved one to the fight of breast cancer, and another loved one is recovering from breast cancer. I think it is very important for women and men to be educated on this horrible disease.

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in woman today. One out of eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer in a lifetime. These facts are scary to me, because of the high risk I face with other family members having breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among women today.

Today, there are many resources and awareness groups to help women stay up to date about breast cancer. You can also make donations to help find a cure. Donations can be made online on various websites including The American Cancer Society and the National Breast Cancer website.

Also, many schools have implemented breast cancer into their sporting events. Tonight at Carl Sandburg College the Chargers Volleyball team will be playing for the cure. The Chargers call it “Volley for the Cure”. T-shirts are made and worn to help represent breast cancer. ALL proceeds will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Come on out to support your Chargers and to support cancer research.

I hope all of you students will join the Chargers Volleyball team tonight to help support breast cancer. Remember to some of you this may not seem like a big deal, but to others, including myself, it is. Until you have lost a loved one to the fight against breast cancer you may never know how important it is. Every donation and support counts towards finding a cure to this disease.

Until Next Time,

Natalie

CSI: Lake Bracken

2011-10-14T08:55:00.005-05:00

Hello Carl Sandburg students. Some of you may not know but I am a student worker in the Marketing and Public Relations department. As a student worker I am asked to assist in some of the tasks and duties preformed by the staff. On Tuesday I got an awesome opportunity to go take pictures at a crime scene skit for the Criminal Justice students.

The scene was held at Lake Bracken back in the park area. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but after getting there and hearing the details I was very excited to be a part of it.

The students were broken up into groups that consisted of three or four teams. There was one lead chief, and each of the team members had a certain job task. The teacher had a series of crime scenes set up to lead into an overall scene of a baby that was taken from its mother and thrown into the water. The students started with the first clue of en eye witness on a bike. The witness heard screams and crying for help coming from the bridge. One of the jobs was to interview the witness. The team members who were in charge of interviews asked a series of questions to the witness, while the other team members started to investigate. Along with the witness on the bike, there were three other female witnesses.

The students then found clues of blood trails, knives, and a baseball bat. These clues lead them to a woman lying on the bridge with severe beatings. The team who came upon the victim first, called for a medic and began to assist the victim. The members began to ask the victim a series of questions, while the others were examining the blood and taking pictures of the scene. While one team was evaluating the hurt victim, another team was taking finger prints of the baseball bat and knife. As students were evaluating these scenes another team headed to focus on the lake. At the lake, they found a plastic bag that was floating in the water. They removed the bag from the water and found the baby (fake baby doll) in the bag unresponsive. The students then began to examine the baby for any type of clues, and called for the coroner. This was then the final scene of the crime and then the students began to piece it all together.

That was a basic run down of what I got to experience while taking pictures. I was very impressed by the students, they all took it very serious and were acting like true professionals out there. I really enjoyed this opportunity and being there to watch the student’s perform the skills they are learning here at Carl Sandburg College.

Until Next Time,
Natalie Malone

First October Bash Experience

2011-10-10T15:41:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday Oct, 5, I attended this year’s October Bash for the first time. I have to admit that it was pretty much a blast. It’s one of the events that Carl Sandburg College offers that really ties in the college feel. It allows students who just go to class and then leave right afterwards to broaden their horizons, get out there and have fun, meet new people and possibly join a club or two.

In my opinion the October Bash did seem a tad bit similar to the fall festival that was at the beginning of the year but honestly that wasn’t such a bad thing. Even though the October Bash did not have as many clubs or group tables set up drawing people into becoming more active in the Sandburg community that the Fall Festival did. The October Bash did however have the same awesome music, even a live rap or two, free food (which is always a plus), energetic people and entertaining games.

One of the clubs that was set up during the October Bash was the Ignite group which I have mentioned in earlier blogs. For those of you who were not able to make it to the October Bash, our Ignite leader and club members came up with the fantastic idea of the spinning wheel! They had this huge spinning wheel by the table, each student or faculty member could walk up and take a spin. There were many options that the arrow could land on. Examples include: a hug, soda pop, candy, chips, a prayer, and a mystery bag! I got to help man the table for a short period of time and to me it felt like a lot of Sandburg students and even teachers were enjoying our game. To all who attended I hope you got a chance to spin the wheel, and for those who weren’t able to attend, there is always next year!

Sincerely,
Rachel Sensabaugh

Apartments for Sandburg Students… I think yes!

2011-10-03T15:59:00.001-05:00

A lot of talk has been going on as whether to build an apartment/housing complex where the old Days Inn building in front of Lakeside use to be, right across from the old Shopko. I’m sure you’ve heard about it either around campus from friends, in newspaper articles or on local news channels. The vote to rezone the property is tonight and some folks don’t see the point in putting up apartments for students who are suppose to be saving money and living with their parents while attending a community college. I on the other hand think this would be a fantastic idea.

I’ve lived in Galesburg and with my parents my entire life, so when it came to college all I wanted to do was leave and go far away. So automatically my first choice was not going to be Carl Sandburg. Unfortunately Carl Sandburg, along with other community colleges, cannot offer housing in Illinois, and there aren’t any apartments near the campus. All I wanted was the entire college experience. But somehow I got talked into going to Sandburg by my parents and I’m still currently living at home. Although I am extremely shocked that I like Sandburg more than I thought I would, I still don’t get to live in a dorm room or have a roommate. I believe that the building of these new apartments would be very beneficial.

More students from Galesburg or in small town’s right outside of Galesburg would be more willing to start out at a community college knowing that there is an opportunity to live in your own apartment. A few of my younger high school friends and I would be extremely more willing to attend Sandburg if we could have the whole college package. This would allow us to feel more independent being away from our parents and having more responsibility. You either decide to grow up fast and mature, or go home. Even though a lot of residents that live by Carl Sandburg only think that this new housing proposal will only bring parties, gangs and violence, I’m hoping that they can look past what they think might happen and look more towards the positive aspects that the new building will arise, and to understand that all college students want is a little more freedom, independence and room to grow.

Students of Sandburg, Let me know what you think.

Sincerely,

Rachel

Charger Week October 3-6

2011-09-30T14:36:00.007-05:00

Hey everyone! If you haven’t heard yet, next week is officially known as Charger Week. It’s a week full of school spirit and pride, athletic events and fun activities. Each day of the week has a different theme to dress up, as well as team introductions and different sporting events.

To kick off the week, Monday you’ll need to wear your favorite college apparel and show up at 12:30 p.m. in the Student Center because the athletic teams of Sandburg will be getting introduced! I think it sounds like fun and I’ll try to participate in wearing my favorite college shirt. On Tuesday, you can dress up as any superhero that you desire. Halloween is coming up soon so why not try out that superhero costume that the little kid in you has been patiently waiting to wear. You’ll get to show off that superhero costume in the Student Center at 12:30 p.m. for a superhero battle. The most creative and good looking superhero will be able to win a special prize. Later that day there will be a baseball game at 3 p.m. on the field and also a volleyball game at 5:30 p.m. in the gym.

Charger Day is on Wednesday, where you can show your school pride! Wear anything that is Carl Sandburg College and support the College! The October Bash will also be happening this day, and I believe the group Ignite is having a table or helping out if you’re interested. There will also be a volleyball pack the gym night with free popcorn and an iPod give a way. You won’t want to miss out!
Last but not least, on Thursday, pick a good friend and dress up as twins because it’s Twin Day. Thursday morning there will also be the annual All College Walk at 7 a.m. at the circle drive. I’m hoping that more students then I think will want to participate in these days, it a chance for you to be outgoing, creative, and try something different, but most importantly just have fun with it!

Sincerely,

Rachel

Carl Sanburg Mobile App

2011-09-30T10:24:00.009-05:00

Many of us students can be the first to admit we are addicted to our cell phones. Cell phones are a main source of communication, and are used on a daily basis. I can admit I use my cell phone a lot, and even in class sometimes. I have found my cell phone to be very handy in emergency situations and even to find out helpful information before anyone could tell me in person. I also use my cell phone to stay in contact with my best friend who is attending Purdue University. Today, I was surfing around on the internet and decided to go take a look at the Purdue University website. The first thing I noticed was they had an option for a free Purdue University App for your cell phone. I was in shock, and I just knew I had to read into this. Of course, some of you may be wondering what an app is. An app,or application, is a program you can download on your smart phone to receive information or a variety of other things.

There are many features this app included for the Purdue Students, but it also states anyone across the globe can download this app to keep up with the university’s daily news. The app also includes a map to help students find their way around campus, videos that are posted on YouTube of things happening on campus, calendar of events, lunch menus, and many other things.

After learning about the Purdue App, I quickly went over to our Sandburg website to see if Sandburg offers anything like this. After asking our communication specialist I found some answers. Sandburg offers a free download app called MOX. MOX provides students easy access to faculty and staff with simple search options and the ability to call or email from within the app. MOX also includes Information about student life activities, sporting events and general campus news. MOX will be more formally introduced to students next week.

After reading some more about MOX, I decided I would give it a try. I have an iPhone 4 and it was very simple to download. All I had to do was go out to my app store search for MOX, and install the app. After I installed the app I opened it up, and it brought up a list of colleges. I of course clicked on Carl Sandburg College, and it brought up all the information about Sandburg. You can also log into the app by using your student login and password. Before your username you do have to include student/. When you log in you have access to email, and it also provides a phone list of numbers around campus. I think this app will be very handy for students and faculty. MOX is available for smart phone devices like the iPhone, Blackberry, and Android devices. I encourage all of you who have a smart phone to download MOX, you won’t be disappointed.

Until next time,

Natalie Malone

Legal Office Assistant Program

2011-09-29T09:53:00.002-05:00

Hello again Sandburg. As I previously stated I am enrolled in the legal office assistant program. In my opinion this program is very unrecognized. Most of you probably didn’t even know Sandburg offered this program, or what it even is. So I am here to inform you about the legal office assistant program.
The legal office assistant program is designed to help students learn skills needed for the legal office world focusing on keyboarding skills, word processing skills, records management, and specialized legal courses. In the Sandburg course catalog the classes are mapped out over three semesters with a total of 14-16 credit hours per semester. After the total requirement of 45 credits has been met, with passing grades you will receive your legal office assistant certificate.
At this point you may be wondering just what I would be doing with a legal office assistant certificate. You will be obviously working in a Law Office, and would be the lawyer’s assistant (or in lack of simpler terms the lawyers go to person). The lawyer would require a range of things from you: preparing legal documents, file documents, take dictations, planning meetings for the lawyer, and a verity of other things. Computer skills are very essential to this job along with communication and management skills.
You are now probably wondering just what kind of salary I would be making being a legal office assistant. Salaries depend greatly on your experience, education, training, size of the employer, and the location of the firm. You are more likely to earn a greater salary in a large city rather than a smaller city. Salaries could range anywhere from $29,000 to $74,000 a year.
So Sandburg students if you are stuck and not sure what avenue to take in your career path, the legal office assistant is a great program to look into. I have enjoyed my experiences with the program thus far, and am very pleased with the instructors and courses it offers.

Regards,

Natalie Malone

Student Clubs at Sandburg

2011-09-28T16:01:00.002-05:00

If you attend Carl Sandburg College but have not yet joined any student clubs, groups or social activities aside from your classes…this is me telling you it’s a smart idea! I believe that the more you involve yourself in groups and clubs, the more you will enjoy your time at Sandburg. It’s important to put yourself out there, be outgoing and meet new people. It’s a part of college!

As a freshman at Sandburg, walking around the campus I didn’t know many faces. Once I started to participate in activities and have my handful of friends on campus introduce me to new people, I felt better about attending Sandburg. It felt like I had a place I belonged. It’s a nice feeling to see familiar faces walking down a hallway or on your way to meet your new friends.

One group that I participate in is called Ignite. The group Ignite is more of a small community of people where you are able to connect and grow in your walk with Christ, regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey. Whether you’ve never picked up a Bible or are a biblical expert, there is something for you. The meetings that you can attend are very laid back. They include some awesome students and faculties members, usually some sort of food and beverages, and one or two short messages that relate to us as students and youth. If you’re interested, stop on by! Ignite usually meets on Mondays from 12:15 – 1 p.m. in the Student Center by the Bookstore.

Another group that meets on Mondays at 4 p.m. in the Fine Arts Theatre is the Drama Club. I recently attended my first meeting and believe I will be attending many more in the future. The meeting started off by going over what was mentioned in the previous gathering. As of right now the club has assigned a new president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, along with students that will represent the club in any school events. We also discussed and picked a date for the talent show this year, went over some of the community service options and went over the film festival coming up this Friday night. Now if you’re thinking that you have to be an actor or actress to be a part of Drama Club, you’re wrong! There is no pressure to start acting in any of Sandburg’s productions. There is so much to do behind the scenes or to just help out and become a part of an organization.

There are many other clubs, groups or activities that I have not mentioned, but if you’re interested in joining one of these two groups let me know! We’d love for you to share the experiences.

Sincerely,
Rachel

Safety Week at Carl Sandburg College. Are you ready for the snow and ice?

2011-09-27T10:03:00.001-05:00

Hello Carl Sandburg Students. We are now entering into our 6th week of classes. At this point many of you may be overwhelmed and ready for a break. You may be surprised that Christmas break and the end of the fall semester are roughly only 78 days away. To some that may seem forever away, but I think the time will pass quickly. With Christmas break approaching us, we all know that there will be a change is the weather. Snow and colder temperatures will be headed this way.
So Students as commuters to campus are you ready for the potential dangerous drive to school when the ice and snow hits? I know the twelve mile drive from Monmouth when it’s snowy and icy can be very nerve racking, but there are other students who commute more miles than just twelve.
Sandburg takes many steps to help avoid potentially dangerous driving conditions. I remember at least twice last year they cancelled class due to snow or ice. Here is a link from last year’s snow storm on the Carl Sandburg Webpage:
http://www.sandburg.edu/newsEvents/newsDetails.aspx?Channel=%2fChannels%2fCampus+Wide&WorkflowItemID=123c7e04-fdb4-43df-90d5-5fd2b424927b
Which that reminds me, have you all signed up for the text alerts sent out by Sandburg for closings and class cancellations? Students can put up to six numbers on file for text alerts to be sent, and I have found the text alerts to be very helpful.
What other precautions do you as students take when driving in the snow and ice to school? I know my parents always tell me to drive slow, keep both hands on the wheel, and of course don’t be using my cell phone. They also make sure I have some kind of safety item in my car if I do happen to slide off the road or in a ditch. Here is a helpful link I found of safety tips from the weather channel:
http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/drivingsafety/drivingsafetytips/snow.html
I encourage all students to read over the safety tips, and be extra careful when old man winter makes his first appearance this year.
Enjoy the half-way decent days for now,
Natalie Malone

Don't Text and Drive At The Same Time!

2011-09-16T14:56:00.004-05:00

As you all may know, on Monday, September, 19th in the parking lot of Building B there was an interesting opportunity to try a driving/texting simulator. It was an exciting activity that brought students and faculty members outside and gave you a chance to witness the real consequences of texting while driving and even drinking while driving!
I actually got a chance to try it out and let me tell you…it was hard! When you first get into the vehicle you have to adjust the seat, buckle yourself, and put on a pair of goggles that are big and bulky. They weigh your head down just a tad and they didn’t quite fit my head so every five seconds I felt like I was pushing them back up. When you look into these goggles you will see a road. Now this road is the one that you will be driving on and it shows you how fast you’re going. The simulator instructor then asked me to pull out my cell phone and pull up an empty message screen to type on. In the first three minutes of trying to multitask, trying to drive and type as simple a text as, “What are we doing tonight?,” I crashed into another vehicle. The simulator instructor was able to tell me everything I did wrong and how many traffic citations I would receive if caught by a police officer or if I happened to really crash into another car.
To tell you the truth, texting and driving are so much easier in a real car. I realize that probably everyone who drives at Sandburg has once or twice texted while driving. I too have texted while driving but in this experience I couldn’t really see anything in the goggles, since I had to keep adjusting them and I couldn’t see my phone unless I looked down to my lap. Usually when I’m in my own car I have both hands on the steering wheel and I also hold my cell phone in both of those hands. That way my cell phone is at eye level. I know this does not justify texting while driving but I have never crashed into another car because of it.
Now I was also able to try the drinking and driving simulator and much to my surprise I believe I did better than on the texting test. First you get to pick how many drinks you have had and in how many hours and after that you drive. The screen was a little bit blurry and the steering wheel felt different, harder to turn and make cooperate. At least this time I didn’t crash into another vehicle or run over a dog or anything like that. But once I had finished I found out I was over the speed limit and went up over the curb several times.
All in all, I’m glad I tried the texting and driving simulator. Hopefully most of the students at Sandburg tried it out as while. It was a good experience and I learned that texting and driving is more than twice as dangerous as driving while intoxicated! That alone should warn you of the consequences of doing it :/. I know it made me think!
Sincerely,
Rachel

Student Housing in the Works

2011-09-16T10:55:00.000-05:00

Hello again Carl Sandburg Students! Many of you have probably been hearing about the student housing proposal around campus or in the local newspaper. Being from Monmouth, I haven’t heard much about the housing but I do think it would benefit the college greatly. In my opinion, I think it would attract more students to attend Sandburg knowing that they had an option of living close to campus. Also, I think it would help the sports teams recruit more athletes to come play for our Sandburg teams. In general, I believe the student rate would rise if Sandburg had a housing option.
My first year out of high school, I moved into an apartment right next to the junior college I attended and it was a very rewarding experience for me. You will learn a lot about responsibility and the values of living without your parents. But as always, there are some people that have negative opinions about the housingplans. Some area folks are questioning this proposal, as they think it willdraw partying, fights, and other disturbances to the community.
I hope the community can look past the concerns and see all the positives this can bring to Carl Sandburg College. So students, what are your thoughts and opinions of the student housing proposal?
I hope to hear some feedback,
Natalie Malone

Farm Girl Turned to Legal Student At Carl Sandburg College

2011-09-15T14:52:00.005-05:00

Hello Carl Sandburg College! My name is Natalie Malone, and I am currently in my second year at Carl Sandburg College. I graduated from Abingdon High School in 2008 and wound up following a career choice at a junior college in southern Illinois that wasn’t right for me. I was unhappy and knew it was time to go home. After sitting down with my parents I decided Carl Sandburg was the best choice for me.

After looking thru the many programs and classes Sandburg has to offer, I decided on the Legal Assistant Program. My first semester in the program was great, and I finally felt like I was doing the right thing. Finding your career path in life can be very difficult. For me it took almost a year and a half to figure it out, and to this day I still want to explore more options. I know many of you students feel the same way, and are lost on what exactly you want to do in your future. So I hope you will share your ideas and concerns with me, and also help me with my ideas and concerns.

I have been raised on a farm my entire life, and follow the typical country girl life. Showing livestock is my passion and would be considered my sport. I compete at a county, state and national level, and have traveled to over ten states showing. I show three species of livestock: cattle, goats, and sheep. When I’m not being your typical farm girl, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, making jewelry with my sister, and of course shopping!

With this blog I hope to share some of my experiences entering into my last year in the legal assistant program, and to inform others on the experiences I face here at Carl Sandburg College. I look forward to hearing from other students, and being more involved in activities and student life.

Until next time,

Natalie Malone

Introducing Rachel Sensabaugh

2011-09-14T15:07:00.004-05:00

Hi there! My name is Rachel Sensabaugh and I’ve just recently become a freshman at Carl Sandburg College. I graduated from Galesburg High School with the hopes of going to a college far away from my hometown. So you may be wondering…why did I choose to attend Sandburg? Well for several months my parents and I debated and argued over going to a four year university or starting at Carl Sandburg first. Obviously my patents won. My parents won by telling me if I went to Carl Sandburg all costs would be paid for by them because classes are an extremely low price, but if I started out at a four year university, I would be pulling out student loans and start a college experience in debt! I am also a very indecisive person, and when I say indecisive…I mean EXTREMELY UNDECISIVE. It’s very hard for me to make small decisions, like where to eat out or even what to wear in the morning, let alone sit down and make a concrete decision about my future plans. With that being said, it should be no shocker that I’m not quite sure what I want to major in. I’ve come to find out that Sandburg is the right place to start out because they offer all basic gen-ed courses and I don’t feel pressured yet to make a choice about which major to choose. I do plan on attending a four year university after Carl Sandburg College but of course I’m not sure which one I’m going to pick quite yet. I’d like to look more into Western, SIUE, University of Illinois, Eureka and University of Anchorage Alaska. But of course you can’t really pick out the next college to go to without having a major in mind first!

I feel as though starting off at Carl Sandburg has put me on the right track. I’ve become exceptionally busy involving myself in new things at Sandburg, including; blogging, helping with the marketing department, taking pictures at different Sandburg events and interviewing staff, faculties and students, and becoming a student leader for the new group Ignite. I’ve also gotten involved with things outside of the college, including helping out with the Galesburg High School tennis team since Carl Sandburg unfortunately doesn’t have one and working out on a farm tending to horses :) To anyone who is just starting Carl Sandburg College like me, my first piece of advice would be to start getting involved in different activities at the school! It will allow you to meet new people and start experiencing new things on your own. Just make sure not to overwhelm yourself! You won’t regret it!

Sincerely,

Rachel

The End.

2011-07-08T10:11:00.001-05:00

Our last two weeks in Costa Rica were jam packed. Our final cultural excursion was at a national park called Manuel Antonio. There we were able to see all kinds of flora and fauna, including three types of land crabs and the endangered Titi monkey. And then my group saw the most amazing thing: a sloth crossing trail right in front of us! Our guide said that sloths only come down from the trees once a week, and they almost never cross the trails! Then we continued on to the beach where we were able to relax and swim.

During our trip to Manuel Antonio, I was told that for my birthday, the group was sending me on a trip to the rainforest on our free weekend! I was so taken by surprise that when they told me, I started to tear up a little. On the 21st of June, I turned 21, and, well, I’m not going to lie, everyone at my homestay spoiled me! My roommates got me presents, my mamá tica planned a family dinner for me, and papá tico baked me a cake. My tico family and my American roommates all sang to me (in Spanish and English). It made me feel at home, and it only made me want to stay even more, but eventually we had to return home.

It’s hard trying to get used to the fact that I’m home, sleeping in my own bed, even though I’ve been back for two weeks. It’s called reentry shock, and for the past two weeks, I’ve been trying to watch my behavior, and, I’ll tell you what, it was easier for me to adapt to the culture in Costa Rica than to transition back to our culture here! I still say ‘gracias’ and ‘con permiso’ to people in the store or on the streets and break out in random Spanish at work. I still make that mad dash across the street trying to avoid being hit by buses, cars, and motorcycles. I keep looking down at the sidewalks, expecting to see some gaping chasm that I’m going to have to jump over.

Obviously, it still hasn’t hit me that tomorrow I’m not going to wake up in San José and hear our mamá tica say “Chicas, comida.” But, I will say this: This program was worth all of the months of preparation, waiting, and money. I was lucky to get the opportunity to study in Costa Rica, and I made a lot of friends along the way. If any of you are thinking about studying abroad in Costa Rica or anywhere else I say go for it! You will learn so much about a new culture, yourself, and meet a lot of wonderful people along the way.

Nos vemos,

Lindsey

¡Hola!

2011-06-11T19:03:00.007-05:00

Wow! I can´t believe that I´ve been in Costa Rica for two weeks already! Time has flown by, mainly because we had to reschedule a lot because our trip got delayed last month. Although it has been hectic this week, I´ve really enjoyed my time here in San Jose. My mama tica is THE best! Every morning she makes me and my roommates breakfast, which includes gallo pinto. Gallo pinto is a dish of rice and beans that is usually served at every meal. And for supper, she makes the most amazing fruit drinks! My favorite so far has been hibiscus flower juice!

We´ve also visited several places outside of San Jose. One of my favorites was Arenal Volcano. My group stayed at the Los Lagos hotel, which was so close to the base of Arenal that we had a perfect view of it during the morning. ¡Que hermoso! My other favorite place that we went to was La Paz Waterfall Gardens. We were really lucky to be able to go because two years ago there was an earthquake that damaged the park. After we had lunch, our directors turned us loose to go exploring. I hiked up to the waterfall, and it was so beautiful that it took my breath away. The water was so clear, and everything around us was a vibrant green. La Paz also had animal exhibits including jungle cats (jaguars and ocelots), tropical birds, frogs, butterflies, snakes, and, my personal favorite, humming birds! (Yes, mom, I took plenty of pictures for you!) Tomorrow is a free day, and Profe. Dickerson and I, along with some other students, are going to check out Mercado Central. Well, I smell platanos, so that means dinner time here! ¡Hasta luego!

¡Pura Vida!

Lindsey

!Pura vida!

2011-06-03T16:04:00.000-05:00

Erica, Lindsey and I have enjoyed almost a full week in Costa Rica. They are here as students, and I am here as one of the program directors. I participated in the exact same study abroad 12 years ago as a student and am really enjoying experiencing the program as a faculty member this time. I have been sitting in on classes, aiding with field trips, helping students with problems as they arise, etc. This weekend we are going to Arenal Volcano, and I am very excited and hopeful that we will actually get to see the volcano. The last time I was here, it was cloudy and I had to buy photos of the volcano since I was not able to see it. Either way, I know we will enjoy the hot springs; magnificent waterfalls heated by the volcano. !Hasta pronto! - Shanon

Pura Vida!

2011-05-27T12:48:00.001-05:00

Hola! After a flight cancellation and many other mini crises, I have arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica. My host parents and their daughter turned out to be very welcoming and relaxed. Unfortunately, I can't understand half of what they speak to me but my roommate has been very helpful with translation. Upon arriving, we sat down with cold glasses of juice and watched a popular Spanish match making game show with the parents. Their home is beautiful and full of an assortment of interesting art pieces. Breakfast today consisted of papaya, melon, toast and gallo pinto, a delicious Costa Rican dish with beans and rice. The only thing I found difficulty adjusting to was my morning shower. Mas frio! The water was very cold in comparison to the steaming sauna baths I take at home. I am now at Forester Instituto Internacional where I'll be taking my language classes every week. The school is humble and relaxing. The back door leads to a patio and a mini oasis of palm trees and assorted plants with a lovely view of the city. I can't wait to begin learning Spanish; this seems like the perfect environment for it. Time for a walking tour of San Jose. Adios! - Erica

Transfer Blog -- My take on online classes

2011-05-04T16:38:00.001-05:00

As you already know, I took my first ever online class this semester, Psychology of Personality. I wasn’t quite sure exactly what my opinion was on this class until just now, after taking my final exam a couple days ago.

Allow me to preface this with a disclaimer: These are my personal opinions, and they should not be taken as the final word on online classes. They are simply a reflection of my experiences. Okay, here goes…

Initially, I found it difficult to adjust to the idea of being in a class that never physically meets in a classroom. On the first day of the semester, everyone received an email from the instructor that gave basic information and a first day exercise where we had to post a brief summary about ourselves. I posted my academic goals, expressed my love for iced tea and hit the submit button. This couldn’t be so difficult, could it?

The basic set-up for the class included reading one chapter per week and answering study questions that had to be saved with very specific titles. Then we had two chances to take the weekly quiz over the chapter. After a few chapters, we would be assigned an exam where we only got one attempt and had to answer the questions using only brain power, no book.

Psychology isn’t exactly my favorite subject, and the textbook was a little dense but had lots of good information. I guess my only problem with this format was that I felt like I was simply jumping through hoops. Without a class discussion to direct me, I felt like I wasn’t learning as much as I could have been. I pushed everything off until the day it was due, often just hours before the 11:55 p.m. due date. Nevertheless, I got everything in on time and ended up with an A in the class.

Don’t get me wrong, online classes are great for people who are independent learners or those who don’t have time to attend lectures. There is plenty of room for flexibility. You can take an exam at 2 a.m. in your pajamas and no one will ever know. Also, in case you haven’t noticed, gas prices are skyrocketing. With online classes, you don’t have to drive anywhere. There’s also less paper involved. That’s a plus for all my fellow tree huggers out there!

In retrospect, I guess taking an online class really wasn’t so bad after all. I got those precious credit hours that allow me to graduate, learned a little bit of psychology and got to experience something new. Victory!

Until next time,

Jennifer

The End? (Study Abroad Student)

2011-04-15T21:58:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone. Hope you all are doing well as Easter is coming around the corner. I’m home from England now, back in Illinois. One thing I should tell you all before you get on a plane and go see Europe yourselves; jet lag is NOT your friend. Fortunately, I just get tired, but some of the others that I came back with are not as fortunate. Be ready for anything. Another thing I came back with was a cold. I think I always have a cold; I just don’t have the symptoms all the time.

The last few days in Canterbury were emotional and interesting. I got my hair cut, which was an experience. They put you in a massage chair when they wash your hair. It’s kind of amazing. Then I had a girl’s day and the final day in Canterbury I spent with friends and packing. The girl’s day was fun. About 11 girls got together and we all went out to lunch at a little Italian restaurant that we all loved. We also went and got freshly-made ice cream afterwards. Some of the girls even went and got manicures at a nail salon. The last day in Canterbury was spent at yet another Italian restaurant with another group of friends. We spent most of the time trying not to think about how we were all leaving the next day, or the day after. We joked and laughed and eventually everyone went home.

I spent the rest of the night packing everything that I hadn’t put in a bag yet and tried to get some sleep. Which didn’t work at much since I woke up at midnight and didn’t go back to sleep until 8pm or so the night I got back home. Now I’ve started working at my job again and I’m going back to school soon. I’m taking classes in the summer semester for some more credit hours. I’m still adjusting to the time difference, but I’m not as tired as I thought that I would be.

Nothing else is really happening. So I suppose I will leave you here. I may post some more entries in the future, but I can’t guarantee anything. I hope you all have fun in your own adventures.

Transfer Blog -- Introduction to Diverstiy

2011-04-12T14:56:00.002-05:00

I have a riddle for you. What’s worth three credit hours, meets only once a week, and is moderately controversial? You guessed it—Introduction to Diversity with Dave Kellogg! As I mentioned a while back, this is a blended learning course. We meet for lecture one day a week, and the rest of the work is done online. Before this semester, I had no experience with online classes of any kind, so I figured that a blended learning course would be a nice compromise to start.

During this class, we have discussed various topics ranging from racism and religious oppression to homosexuality. We are assigned a chapter to read out of the textbook and are expected to be familiar with it by class on Wednesday. Instead of the typical lecture, Mr. Kellogg leads a class discussion on the topic. Opinionated responses are strongly encouraged.

A couple weeks ago, we started the chapter on sexism, which led to the most student response thus far. We split into groups – girls vs. boys – and listed the advantages and disadvantages of each gender and what we wish the opposite sex knew about us. The next week, we went over the results, which were somewhat predictable with a few unexpected twists. The gender discussion carried on in my personal life as well, which shows just how crazy it gets in this class. It turned into an all-out gender war!

In addition to class discussions, we also have weekly discussion blogs on Blackboard. Students who are shy about sharing their opinions in class have an opportunity to open up and discuss the topic in a respectful and challenging manner. We also have online quizzes every week.

Although I enjoy this class, I’m not sure about the blended learning format. It certainly is nice to have class just once a week, but I don’t really get into the material as well as in a twice weekly lecture. In the end, it’s all a matter of personal opinion. However, I highly recommend Introduction to Diversity to any student who isn’t afraid to tackle the tough issues in society.

Until next time,

Jennifer

Crazy Will be Crazy

2011-03-28T14:17:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. I know I haven’t updated you all in a while and I’m sorry about that, but things have been really crazy around here for a while. I’ve been getting sick a lot lately. I even feel kind of sick right now. I don’t know why, but oh well. Things happen. I will tell you that I have rolled my ankle while here, which I’m surprised I haven’t done more than once. The roads and sidewalks are made out of bricks and stone….flat surfaces beware. Anyways, it still hurts every once in a while, but I don’t think I broke anything.

I should tell you about my doctor’s visit when I rolled my ankle. I woke up the morning after I have rolled my ankle and it was a bit swollen, which wasn’t normal for me at all. So I talked to my host mom and she took me to the minor injury unit at the hospital here in Canterbury. The nurses and triage people were very nice. They actually smiled, which is kind of shocking since they don’t get paid really anything and have to deal with hung-over and old people almost 24/7. Yes, hung-over people, because a hangover is an illness over here now. Haha.

Well the nurses took x-rays of my ankle and then sent them to the doctors’ area. I then saw a doctor who I am pretty sure didn’t even know that x-rays had been taken. She proceeded to tell me that if I really wanted to I could have my ankle x-rayed…..Um what? Anyways, she pretty much told me in medical speak that I had wasted her time and that I should just not walk on it for a while. She’s a lovely person isn’t she?

I’m not sure what’s worse; a doctor that doesn’t care about their patients or a teacher who can’t teach without insulting their students….repeatedly. I will admit I have had some very nice teacher while I have been here in Canterbury, England. The other though I feel like I have to brace myself for the whiplash that comes with their classes. Not to mention the grading system over here is very odd. I understand that it is different than in American, but is it really normal to give a person who work on their paper for a full week or two a C and then a person who works on their paper for a day and turns it in five days late a B+. Maybe it’s just me, but that doesn’t seem right.

Now it is paper and exam time. Two of my classes have exams and papers that I have to do before I leave and the other two just have papers. I am not sure how well I will do, but I hope I at least get a passing grade.

This past weekend I went to Scotland with 10 other American students from CCCU (Canterbury Christ Church University). It was very eventful and the country is extremely beautiful. If it wasn’t freezing cold ¾ of the year then I would be dying to live there. I would definitely recommend going on a tour with a company called International Friends. It’s a three day tour and you stay in Edinburgh during the night. The first day is a tour of Edinburgh and the guide may even take you out to try some Haggis and Whiskey. I didn’t try either because the place was very crowded. So two of my friends and me went and got our own food and watched movies.

The next day is a tour of the highlands and Loch Ness, both of which are amazing. Nessy is adorable and if you give her cookies she will give you a ride. Not just any cookie though, they have to be double chocolate chip. The third day is either a free day or the Da Vinci Code tour; which you have to pay for. I got a free days with some of the others in my group and we went shopping and to the Hard Rock Café. I encourage you to go if you can. I will be going back when I am able to.

Today is the day after the Scotland trip and I am very tired and, once again, sick. I did get one of my papers done though. One down and two to go. This will probably be the second to the last blog post I will do before I am back in the states. I have very mixed feelings about coming home, but I am definitely ready to be home. See y’all in 12 days.

Transfer Blog-- Spring Fever

2011-03-22T18:12:00.001-05:00

Spring Break? You mean we had one of those? Between the constant hustle and bustle of everyday life and the papers my teachers ever-so-kindly assigned to be due the first few days back, I didn’t really have a chance to sit down, let alone hop on a plane and fly somewhere warm and exotic for the week.

Luckily, the weather is beginning to edge its way toward likeable. The thermometer in my car actually hit the 70 degree mark a few days ago. What does this mean for Carl Sandburg College students? Well, for starters, we can now comfortably inhabit the patio area behind the school. After months of being stuck inside behind drifts of snow, it’s certainly nice to sit in the grass and read for a while in the fresh air.

Clubs are also plotting their springtime plans. SIFE is doing a canned food drive this Friday and Saturday. Phi Theta Kappa is narrowing down their choices for spring volunteer projects. Art Club is gearing up for their trip to Chicago in April. Plenty of speakers are planned to give us some insight this week. As the temperature goes up, so does the excitement.

And if my calendar is any indication, there are less than seven weeks left in the semester. We are on the downhill slide, my friends. Midterms are long gone, and it will be graduation time before you know it.

Until next time,

Jennifer

Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Madrid, Oh My! (Study Abroad Student)

2011-02-25T06:21:00.000-06:00

Hello readers. I hope you are all doing well from wherever you are. I am currently back in Canterbury, Kent. Wednesday night I got back from Rome and Madrid. Bother places were very interesting and I can honestly say that I would love to live in either place; more so for Madrid. In Rome it is in the 60s temperature-wise, and Madrid is in the upper 50s.

In Rome I saw St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, The Sistine Chapel, The Vatican Museum, the Coliseum, and the Trevi Fountain. The Coliseum that we all know and have seen on TV or in pictures is actually very different from how it actually looked in Roman times. The Coliseum actually was majorly damaged in an earthquake a while ago, which is why in some pictures it looks like its missing a chunk. Also, the Coliseum is supposed to be covered in white marble, but all that marble went to St. Peter’s Basilica and covered the entire place; which is intensely huge. Vatican City is really very small, and is probably that only country you can get into without a passport. To get to the Sistine Chapel you have to go through the Vatican Museum, and after seeing all of the statues, paintings, and canvases that they have, it’s honestly not that impressive. The whole place is actually pretty small; its size is very exaggerated. I was able to see most of the Trevi Fountain, but there were so many people packed around the place that you couldn’t get very close.

In the middle of my stay in Rome I, along with my friends, went to Naples and Pompeii; both the ancient city and the new city. Naples was beautiful and is right by the sea…..and Mt. Vesuvius. There was actually a festival of some type going on as we drove through Naples. Little kids were dressed up as Disney princesses or pirates and running around everywhere. Pompeii was interesting, though I definitely got tired of seeing ruins after 2 hours inside. Definitely get a guide if you are going to go inside. The place is literally a maze and you will get lost. Pompeii has a lot of stray dogs living inside of it. The people who own the land give the dogs collars and they can come and go as they please. They are guard dogs in some places where people are not allowed to go into and there are signs everywhere saying that you can adopt a dog if you want. In the Coliseum back in Rome, it is the same thing only with cats instead of dogs.

After we got done in Italy we flew to Madrid, Spain. I loved it there, especially since I could understand what people were saying; most of the time. While we were in Madrid the King of Spain actually showed up. He normally doesn’t stay in his palace in Madrid because it’s a kind of gaudy place. So he lives in a smaller place elsewhere. You would always be able to tell where he was because suddenly police would be invading the area along with TV cameras and reporters. You can also tell where he is in the city by seeing if his flag was flying. My friends and I were in the same area as him twice in out day and half in Madrid.

Other than all of that I only have one other thing to say. If you are planning to visit Europe, and haven’t stayed for a significantly long period of time in Europe before; DO NOT RENT A CAR. I thought people in England drove like crazy people. Rome and Madrid are insane! Speed limit? Ha! What speed limit!? And no, it is not just because they drive on the wrong side of the road, actually very few countries actually drive on the left side of the road. They are just very, very, VERY crazy drivers. Plus gas prices here are insane. You think $3 is bad in America? Hahaha! Try 8 pounds in England; which is close to $15. Yeah, don’t waste your money. Well, that’s all for now. Ciao!

Transfer Blog-- Teacher of the Year nominations

2011-02-15T13:09:00.000-06:00

Do you have a favorite instructor at Carl Sandburg College? From now until Friday, Feb. 25, you can nominate your favorite teacher for the Teacher of the Year Award. Just stop by any of the nomination boxes at one of the information desks in Buildings B and D or in the library. All you have to do to nominate a teacher is fill out the short form and put it in the box. Pretty simple, huh?

After all of the nominations are sorted through, one full-time instructor and one part-time instructor will be named Teacher of the Year. However, you will have to wait in suspense until May, because the winners will be announced during the graduation ceremony. So get your nominations in and make sure that YOUR favorite teacher is represented!

Until next time,

Jennifer

So, How's the Weather? (Study Abroad Student)

2011-02-07T15:19:00.001-06:00

Hello once again readers. I hope you are having fun with all the snow and other charming weather patterns that seem to be happening everywhere back home. It is pretty much normal here in Canterbury, UK. Though I will say it has gotten insanely windy here lately…..but it’s in the upper 40s and lower 50s. Heh, I can already see the comments I will be getting to that.

I am going to do something a little entertaining for your guys. I will be finding slang words over here and translating them to American English and vice versa. I will try to have at least 5 new words every post and when I finally come home I will make a complete list and post it.

This weekend we go on our London field trip, which I believe includes the Tower of London and a tour of the Shakespeare Globe Theatre. After the field trip is over I am staying with a group overnight in London. So I will be able to achieve more sightseeing and picture taking; which I know everyone back home is waiting for.

On the 18^th Reading week starts. Reading week is the equivalent to Spring Break, only it’s actually a week long. OH! MY! GOSH! Shocking isn’t it? Actually it’s more than a week long; about 11 days really. From the 18^th to the 22^nd I will be in Rome, Italy. On the 20^th I, along with my friends, will be going on a trip to Naples and Pompeii which, for those of us that are geographically (and possibly historically) challenged, it right next to Mt. Vesuvius. You know, and active volcanoes? Yeah…..Altitude sickness isn’t the only thing I’ll have to worry about.

One the morning of the 22^nd we will be flying to Madrid, Spain. We are staying for one night and will leaving on the night of the 23^rd to head back to London. From there I may meet some friends in Ireland, but I am not quite sure yet.

Other than those bits of information nothing has really happened. I got a cold and couldn’t go to Dover Castle with my group, but I am hoping that I can go before I leave; even if only to take pictures. I will post more later as things happen. As my host family says at all times of the day; Good morning!

Mortuary Science Blog Vol.4 #1

2011-01-26T19:15:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone,

I am back for the last semester of the mortuary science program. I will be straightforward and honest in saying it will be difficult for me to write about my experiences this semester. The reason is this semester the mortuary science program only has 8 weeks of classes. That means each class will try to cram in 16 weeks of course work within that short time frame. This semester will be fast-pace and hectic.

In addition to the short time frame, there will be a major increase in the number of exams mortuary science students will be taking this semester. One of our classes has two exams each week this semester. Each exam contains one hundred questions which review over information that we learned throughout the entire mortuary science program. If you add that up, that is 16 exams with at least 1600 questions for that one class. So, yeah, there is going to be lots of studying this semester also.

After 8 weeks, each mortuary science student will be placed somewhere in Illinois to work at a funeral home for practicum. No one knows exactly where we are going yet, but hopefully we will find out soon. I will try my best to write about my experiences this semester each week until I leave for practicum. That is if I don’t become brain dead from studying too much.

Paul Olson, Mortuary Science Student

Transfer Blog-- A look at this semester

2011-01-26T18:42:00.001-06:00

This semester was complicated before it even started. And I must say, I’m a tiny bit disappointed in my schedule. I had been looking forward to a few classes, Digital Photography II in particular, but was forced to change my schedule due to cancellations. After meeting with a counselor about four times, I finally got everything squared away and will be able to graduate on time. As usual, I will give you a quick run-through of my classes.

Psychology of Personality

This is my first ever online class. It was the one I had to squeeze in last minute because my photography class was cancelled. It’s only been a few weeks, but I have already formed some opinions about online classes, which I plan to elaborate on at a later time. From the start, I felt like this class might be a little dangerous for me because I tend to procrastinate, but so far everything has been fine.

Interpersonal Communications

This is another one of those classes that I didn’t really want to take, but I knew it would be good for me. It is slightly less intimidating than Public Speaking, so that gives me a little confidence. Basically this class is about communicating well with other people, like in everyday conversation. It seems to be a very practical class thus far.

Introduction to Diversity

This is a blended course, which means that half of the work is done online and you meet in an actual classroom once a week instead of twice. Quite frankly, I expected this class to be awesome from the moment I signed up for it. Not only do I have a soft spot in my heart for sociology, but both my best friend and boyfriend are in this class. Opinions are encouraged, so I’m certain that this will be an interesting course to say the least.

International Relations

The first day I walked into this class, I figured that everyone was running late because there were only two other people in the classroom. Turns out, I was wrong. Our class consists of a whopping three people, which is actually quite nice. The subject matter is intense, so it’s great to have that one-on-one time with the teacher if you need it. We meet by arrangement, usually on Thursdays, which lightens my load a little bit more.

Creative Writing I

I didn’t originally intend to take this class, but I’m kind of glad I did. I love to write, but I’ve never really had any formal instruction on creative writing outside of high school. This is the same class that fellow blogger Aaron is in, so I will try not to overlap stories! I’m fine with writing poetry and fiction, but drama is a whole new ballgame. I’m hoping to hone my writing skills and think outside the box a little bit more.

College Literary Magazine

This is the awesome group of people that puts together Phizzogs, Carl Sandburg College’s literary magazine. Phizzogs is chock full of art, writing, and other creative endeavors for your reading pleasure. We just had our deadline for submissions and photographed artwork yesterday. I’m really looking forward to the finished product.

If that sounds like a lot of work, you’re right. I’m taking a grand total of 16 credit hours, which is nothing new for me. However, this time I’m juggling six classes, plus clubs and other activities, plus a social life, plus sleep. I’m beginning to think that I just might have to forfeit at least one of those things for sanity’s sake!

Until next time,

Jennifer

Back-to-School Blog: Reality Check

2011-01-24T16:24:00.001-06:00

At the risk of sounding supercilious, I have not really felt challenged since coming back to school. It’s not that I didn’t have any good professors last semester; all of my professors were great and challenged their students. But none of the course content challenged me too extensively during the last semester. It was certainly intimidating at times in my Public Speaking class, but I didn’t have any problems consuming and interpreting the material presented in any of my classes.

I have generally felt this way throughout my educational pilgrimage – probably one of the contributing factors to my failing out of college the first time around. I can reluctantly say that all changed two weeks ago.

One would think that with me being an aspiring journalist, I would not encounter any turbulence in a creative writing class… I did. On our first day of class, the first thing that we were asked to do was write whatever came to our mind when mentioned the word water. I scribbled down a few lines and didn’t think much of it, until the professor asked if anyone wanted to share what they wrote, that is.

What I soon noticed was that I was the least creative writer in the class. I was too embarrassed to even share my writing with the class. Most of the class shared what they wrote; I sat in my chair with my tail in between my legs. The other class members blew me away, such descriptive and eloquent words. Mine paled in comparison.

We were then asked to write about whatever we wanted to write about, be it a poem or a short story or whatever else came to mind. That’s when it hit: writer’s block. That’s a first that I wish I could take back. I sat there staring at the paper as if my pen were going to act on its own accord and churn out the next great American short story. When I finally realized that the pen would not be putting ink on the paper without my assistance, I proceeded to write what has to be the worst piece of prose ever written.

How about that for irony: I, a writer, met my match in a writing class. There is no feeling more terrifying than finding out that you are not good at what you think you do best. I didn’t know what to think about the situation. So many emotions were running through my body: anger, fear, confusion, despair. After picking my ego up off the carpet and leaving the class feeling as if the world was caving in around me, I soon realized that is what I love the most about writing.

I will never be able to perfect myself as a writer; there is no such thing as a perfect writer. In math, there are rules and limits. In history, the answers have already been written. In writing, anything is possible. There are always ways to improve as a writer. I learn something new every time that I write. Unfortunately I learned this time around that I am not good at what I love the most.

-- Aaron

Back-to-School Blog: Spring Schedule

2011-01-22T18:35:00.000-06:00

So now that I have given an update on what has happened with me since the end of the last semester, I will let everyone know what classes I will be writing about this semester.

American History from 1877

I took Randy Fritz’s American History to 1877 class last semester and really enjoyed the class, so I am excited about picking up from where we left off last month. Mr. Fritz is an excellent professor and does a lot to try to help his students succeed. The fact that I enrolled in another of his classes – even though I am not even a history major – should demonstrate that I would recommend others to take one of his classes.

To excel in one of Mr. Fritz’s classes, one must be a diligent note taker and study thoroughly for tests. Mr. Fritz would be happy to know that my note-taking abilities are much improved thanks to him. Last semester’s American History to 1877 class was fairly difficult, but it should serve as a precursor in showing me what to expect this semester. I am relieved to have one class that I already feel comfortable in.

Creative Writing 1

As antithetical as it may seem – with me being an aspiring journalist who happens to be writing this very blog – I am not really a creative writer. The three major genres dealt with in this class are fiction, poetry and drama. I am not very well-versed in any of these genres. I simply cannot write poetry and have never had the inclination do so, and I have to write ten poems by next week. That should be fun!

The reason that I do not see myself as a creative writer is the creative part; I consider myself a decent writer who severely lacks in creativity. So I am hoping to learn a lot through this class that I can incorporate into my writing. Hopefully by the end of the semester, I will be able to develop my writer’s voice even more. But if I learn to become a poet, I will be amazed.

General Biology

Yikes! How did this class get on my schedule? I would have been satisfied never taking another science class. Snakes, frogs, insects: gross. Not for me. That being said, I am actually somewhat excited for this class now that I have been to a few classes. The professor, Anthony Rattin, seems like a great professor. He used to work in the reptile department at the Field Museum in Chicago and obviously has a wealth of knowledge to share about biology and his experiences in the field.

I can already tell that the most difficult aspect of this class will be in remembering all of the scientific terminology. I thought I had accidently purchased a textbook for a foreign language class when I began reading the first chapter of our textbook. This class will serve its purpose in giving me a well-rounded education. And so long as I learn the scientific jargon, I think I will survive. But I am positive that I will not share Mr. Rattin’s affinity for Copperhead snakes any time soon.

Introduction to Poetry

I have already mentioned my disdain for poetry, so this might seem like an odd choice of a class to enroll in. But being both a writer and a loather of poetry seems pretty pathetic to me. I am not sure if those two traits can coexist. If I am to be a writer, then I need to challenge myself in my writing. So, welcome Introduction of Poetry; I know you will challenge me.

I am hoping this class will help me unearth a love of poetry that has been absent in me. The professor, Eric Alai, has actually published a chapbook of his poems, so I should be able to glean some knowledge about poetry from him. And if not, then don’t expect any poems on this blog anytime soon!

American Literature 2

I love reading and this class is all about reading, so I should have no problems here. Wait, Poe, Whitman, Sandburg? No! Looks like even more poetry for me to endure. At least this class will splice in some short stories between all of the poetry.

In all honesty, as much as I have been complaining about poetry, I do not really hate poetry. It’s just my least favorite genre of literature. I would much prefer reading and writing poetry than talking about frogs – sorry, Mr. Rattin. I have a feeling that I will enjoy this class very much.

Composition 2

If I don’t do well in this class, then I should probably rethink my choice of majors. As you can see, I have a large number of English classes this semester. As much as I enjoyed Mr. Hix’s American Government and Politics class and Mr. Burdick’s Interpersonal Communications class last semester, I am extremely excited to have a larger focus on reading, writing and, yes, even poetry this semester. I am always looking to grow as a writer, and this semester should definitely be influential in my development as a writer.

As you may have noticed, with six classes, I have a bloated schedule this semester. I am also scheduled to work more hours at work this semester. I have already told my friends to check back in with me in June if they want to schedule any plans. After this semester is over, I will have one pre-summer class to take and will then graduate with my Associates degree from CSC and head to a four-year school next year.

It’s only been a few months, but I feel as if I have completely made the transition from college-dropout factory worker to student. I am actually happy that classes have started back up again! The old me would have just punched myself in the face for typing that.

-- Aaron

Dinner and a Movie (Study Abroad Student)

2011-01-18T16:38:00.001-06:00

Hello once again readers. Today was my first day of classes that involve a large portion of English students and that aren’t required for me to take while here. Today was World Religions, and it was a bit rushed. We got through about 8 civilizations before the 2 hour long class was finished. The main sections we are going to study are my least favorite; which I won’t go into because that could eventually lead up to an argument that I won’t win, even thought I might be right. When religion comes into the conversation things tend to get, um, fiery? That sounds like a good word to use right now. Anyways, no matter how many facts I state I will be wrong and whoever I am arguing will be right. That’s just how things tend to go. Moving on.

I went to my first movie over here in England, and it’s cheaper. Well if you convert the money into American dollars it probably wasn’t cheaper, but it’s the *insert word that I cannot think of here* of the thing. The movie theaters over here, like everything else, seem to be advanced. They have the large coolers like you see as gas stations and grocery stores, full of pop and ice cream. You can also buy candy by the 100 grams for about 1.30 pounds, and they have A LOT of candy choices. They have the standard popcorn, hot dogs, soda, and Iceys of course, but come on, its CANDY!

Anyways, I saw The King’s Speech with my friends Stephanie, Courtney, Lindsey, Kyle, and Alyssa. It was a very good movie. If you guys in American haven’t seen it yet, you should. It is hilarious and if you are a fan of Helen Bonham Carter, or anything of the Harry Potter characters that tend to appear in her movies (Pettigrew) then you will love it as well. It is very moving and will surprise you at how funny it really is. The previews don’t do it justice.

I also had my first experience with Thai food, which is pretty much, stir fry. It was good, but my Ma’s stir fry is always better. Not sure what else to tell you guys. Nothing else has really seemed to happen yet. Plus, I don’t think I’ve fully realized that I’m over 4,000 miles away from home yet, not to mention in another country. It’ll probably hit me once I see Big Ben or Buckingham Palace this weekend. Oh well, more to tell then I guess. Talk to y’all later.

Back-to-School Blog: Phizzogs

2011-01-15T15:59:00.000-06:00

This semester, I am working as one of the editors of Carl Sandburg College’s literary magazine, Phizzogs. I have been perusing last year’s edition of Phizzogs and have been blown away by the amount of outstanding artwork, poetry and prose I have seen so far. I am hoping we will see more of the same this year, and I can’t wait to view all of this year’s submissions.

If you fancy yourself as an artist or writer, then Phizzogs offers a great opportunity to make your work available for others to see. The Phizzogs team also picks yearly winners in several different categories, if you are the competitive type. After seeing all of the great work in last year’s edition, I know that the most difficult process of my work will be to select which entries I like the most this year.

If you haven’t submitted anything for Phizzogs yet, there is still time to make an entry. The deadline is Thursday, Jan. 20, though. So get to work, fast!

If you would like to submit an entry, please E-mail a copy of your work by Thursday, Jan. 20, to Carol Peterson at cpeterson@sandburg.edu.

-- Aaron

Back-to-School Blog: An Update

2011-01-14T21:11:00.000-06:00

It’s been a while, so I figure that I should give an update about what has been going on with me since my last post. The rigors of work, school and all of my extra-curricular activities caught up with me at the end of the fall semester. By the time finals were over I was in desperate need of sleep and relaxation — two things I had learned to live without. About midway into the semester the employee that took over my first-shift duties at my place of employment was let go, increasing my responsibilities and time spent at work.

The timing of this development was not ideal with my schoolwork also increasing as the semester neared its conclusion. I hastily recall one weekend spent almost entirely in front of a computer screen working on four term papers totaling well over 40 pages in length. I am the type of a person that really enjoys a night’s sleep of at least eight hours; near the end of the semester I was lucky to accumulate that much sleep over the course of two or three nights.

To pile on top of it all, my mother spent two weeks in the hospital right after Thanksgiving. She is doing well now, but it was another wrench in my quest to do well at school. Obviously this ordeal weighed on my mind and caused for even more time restrictions on my already bloated schedule. In times past, I would have surely buckled under the pressure of everything going on, if I hadn’t already done so much earlier.

So the winter break was welcomed with open arms from me. I went on a trip to North Carolina with my brother and had the chance to unwind after the whirlwind of activity I had encountered the previous four months. Driving in our father’s car, we happened upon a threatening snowstorm midway through the drive back to the Land of Lincoln. After making it through the snowstorm unscathed, we stopped at a gas station to take a bathroom break. Only about 30 miles from Galesburg, in relief, I said, “I can’t believe this car got us all the way back home.”

We found these words to be fateful a few miles down the road as the car died, leaving us stranded on Interstate 74 at 4 a.m. Back to reality! And, back to work full-time on Monday! Needless to say, my father was none too happy about the 4 a.m. wakeup call.

The daily grind of working 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the break seemed like a breeze compared to working and going to school. Why was I complaining about working everyday when I wasn’t in school?

After finding straight As on my report card, the restless nights and my dwindling bank account balance finally seemed worth the hassle. The last time that I received straight As on a report card, there was a poster of former steroid-fueled Cubs player Sammy Sosa hanging in my room, and I was fighting off a mass spread of acne across my face. At first I was thrilled to have finally succeeded in college. That mood turned somber when I began thinking about how much time I had wasted by waiting until the age of 26 to finally do what I should have been doing when I was much younger. Why this was something that I couldn’t accomplish when I was in school the first time around, I will never know.

Since coming back from winter break, I now feel rejuvenated and swelling with boundless amounts of energy. I know all too well that is about to change, though. Welcome back 3 a.m. study sessions, how I have missed you!

-- Aaron

Little Update (Study Abroad Student)

2011-01-11T11:32:00.000-06:00

My dear readers, I’m just writing a quick update. I’ll probably write one of these every few days if not every day. Today, we only had one thing to do, and that was going to a quick presentation from the academic advisor and make sure that we got into the classes that we had signed up for. I did, but I won’t know until tomorrow when all the classes are. Other than that I went sightseeing with a few of my friends from my international group. We got to see an amazing garden, a burial mound, and part of the roman wall that is still in use around the city.

Though, all this sightseeing meant a lot of walking. So I somehow hurt my hips and I also managed to pull the tendon on my right foot. I’m definitely going to be hurting tonight. On the way to the college for the presentation one of my friends from my international group almost had a close encounter with death…..and a bus. To understand how this happened you have to know about the city streets. The sidewalks are either bigger than ours in America, or they are almost non-existent. Then, the street lanes have yellow or white lines on them for drivers to follow, and the only thing separating that line from the sidewalk is about 3 inches of space.

My friend was moving out of the way so that a rather rude group of people could pass us, so she stepped out into the street; literally an inch away from the curb, mind you. None of our group saw the bus coming until it was passing and my friend quickly jumped back. Later we found out that the bus had actually brushed against her arm. Close call indeed. Other than that today hasn’t been all that exciting.

My family and friends are really going to get a kick out of this one. At about 7:30 pm my time (1:30 pm yours) my friends and I are going to a pub for some food. Yeah, I can already hear the comments now. Oh well, I probably should get everything set up for school tomorrow. Talk to you later!

First Two Days (Study Abroad Student)

2011-01-10T14:04:00.000-06:00

Hello readers. I’ve been in England for two days now and things seem to be going well. Today we had orientation and tours. We got to see a little bit of the campus and the universities library, which was amazing by the way. They have technology here that I have never seen before. You know the moving file cabinets you sometimes see in doctor’s offices? Well they have those in the library, only fancier and more up-to-date. Plus, these book shelves also have sensors on them so that you don’t get squished because someone didn’t bother to look and see if someone was there before moving a cabinet. They have self-checkouts for books and also self-return machines. They have little laptops in cabinets all around the library called i-borrows. They only work in the library so they can’t be stolen and they are super small. Oh, the library is four stories tall by the way, and you can have food and drink in it; which is like a crime in America. Haha. They have their own café too! The view from the Library is also amazing. I didn’t have my camera on me at the time so I don’t have pictures yet.

During our orientation we have a few speakers from the university and the travel agency that is taking us on our field trips. It was kind of boring, honestly. Though, I did find out that the words, “sweat” and, “pants” should never be put together, nor should the term “fanny pack” be used. Apparently those terms mean you either have a hygiene problem or that you are a bit crazy here in England.

Also, another good thing is that they have a pound store here; which is like the Dollar Tree in America. In England pound are like American dollars and pence is like American coins or cents. It’s rather confusing. The paper money is easy and I found the 1 pound coin easy enough, but I have sorted out all my other coins yet. I know that the 50 pence piece is a large heptagon (7-sided) silver coin, but the rest is, well, foreign.

My home-stay family is very nice. They have WiFi that they are letting me use, once they get it fixed. They also have a mobile phone that they are going to get activated for me soon. I have a t.v. in my room, but I haven’t tested it out yet. My room is also bigger then my actual bedroom back home and it is the first room that you come too when you walk into the house. My host family’s house is 20-25 minutes to my university and literally a straight shot as well. I get to walk through the main shopping district, which is really a giant out door mall, every day to get to and from school. The only down side is that I also live on the main road in and out of Canterbury. It is like Main Street/Broadway in Monmouth or Henderson/Main in Galesburg.

This brings me to another topic, British driving. They are crazy! I’m not saying that because they drive on the wrong side of the road either. Many of them drive down the middle of the road unless they see another car coming anyway! They take sharp corners at high speeds, and they pretty much tailgate at all times. My ride from London to Canterbury was quite an experience. Another thing is, on their highways or interstates their speed limits are variable. Oh? 70 mph you say? Eh, I suppose I’ll go 85. You know the circle roads/round-abouts that we call death traps in America? Yeah they are EVERYWHERE here. A few of them pedestrians can cross, but there are some that you can’t and those are the ones that are very busy and very dangerous. So they have built underground pathways for people to walk through to get from one side of the street to the other. These pathways; which I call tunnels, are actually called subways. Interesting right?

One last thing I would like to tell you about is the difference in words here in England. British people tend to either shorten describing something to one word, or they use multiple adjective to describe on thing. For example what we could call a USB Broadband Device, or something close, is called a dongle here. Where dongle came from, I have absolutely no clue, but it’s a funny word! Another example is of a restaurant that I came across. I can’t remember the specific name of the place, but the subtitle was Café Restaurant Foodshop. See what I mean? Overkill on adjectives.

Anyways, I shall end this entry here. I hope you are having a nice afternoon as I post this at 9 ‘til 8 here in Canterbury. Adiós!

Airplanes and Ailments (Study Abroad Student)

2011-01-09T07:43:00.000-06:00

Dear readers, I am writing to you from 34,000 feet in the air. Yes, if you haven’t guessed yet, I am on an airplane, heading to London as I write this. I left tonight, as I am writing this it is still tonight in Illinois, and will arrive in London in 2 hours, 7:30 a.m. there. I have been awake for 15 and a half hours and I will be awake for at least 10 to 14 more. I may take a nap at my host family’s house, but I don’t want to sleep for too long otherwise I probably won’t sleep tonight. The reason I haven’t slept is because I can’t sleep in moving vehicles. I get this weird moving feeling when I try, kind of like I can feel my body moving along with the vehicle. I had thought that this was limited to cars, but apparently airplanes are also a culprit.

In front of me I have this neat little t.v. screen that plays movies, music, or shows a map of my flight along with music. This is how I know that I have exactly 2 hours and 5 minutes before the plane reached London Heathrow Airport, that I have traveled exactly 3021 miles in this plane, and that it is -76 degrees outside right now. Cool right?

As much as I prefer airplanes over trains, I have found that they have one fault to them. Well, maybe more than one, but right now this is the only one that matters to me. I frequently suffer from altitude sickness whenever I go place like Colorado, or, you know, the sky. So as of right now my sinuses are stuffy, my head hurts, it also feels kind of light, I have random bouts of exhaustion, oh, and a new one, nose bleeds. Thankfully I always felt them coming on and was able to stop them. I have a 6 year old next to me with her mom and I’m not sure how she would react to me bleeding out of my nose. She a cute kid, she gave me a jelly bean when her mom let her have them. I didn’t even ask!

My experience at the Chicago airport which I departed from is so-so. Everyone was real nice until I got to security. I understand that they have to be serious, but being rude and making people feel stupid is not professional. After that though, everyone was nice. My plane, surprisingly, boarded and departed on time. Kind of awesome considering the last time I was waiting for a plane my flight was delayed for 2 hours because they had to find another plane. The original one was hit by lightning.

Other than the altitude sickness and the little girl using my lap as a foot rest, my flight has been pretty good. The food, though a little spicy, was tasty, and the movies I watched, thought I couldn’t really hear them, were some of my favorites. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and The Expendables are an interesting combination. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see the ocean as I was (still am) flying over it. I didn’t get a window seat so that I could take pictures. Soon I will also be eating breakfast before we land. Hopefully it is as good as the dinner. 1 hour and 48 minutes left. Buenos días.

Field Trips (Study Abroad Student)

2010-12-29T13:57:00.000-06:00

Hello readers. This is just a quick, little update. I have 10 days until I leave for Canterbury and I am becoming pretty excited. As I believe I have told you (if I have not then you know now) I, along with the other international students, are required to go on field trips while studying in Canterbury. I have received the list of place that I will be going to just last night and I thought that you would like to know of them. I will be going on a guided tour of Canterbury’s Historical City and of Canterbury Cathedral. I will be going to Dover Castle and I will be seeing the Secret War Time Tunnels. I will get a guided tour of the Tower of London and I will get to see Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. I will also be getting a guided tour of Windsor, Windsor Riverside/Eton, and an audio guided tour of Windsor Castle. Then, lastly, I will be going to Oxford, Cotswold, Bath, Lacock, and Stonehenge. The last one is actually a weekend trip and it includes a few more places, but they are all inside the cities mentioned. I will, hopefully be able to take pictures and videos while on these trips. So you will be able to see what I see. Anyways, I hope you have a Happy New Year. ¡Adiós!

Update - 15 Days Before Take Off! (Study Abroad Student)

2010-12-24T13:49:00.000-06:00

Hola readers. I hope you are having a good holiday break; I’m not quite sure what to label my break as; good, crazy, or some other adjective that I can’t seem to think of. As of now it is Christmas Eve and I don’t have much else to ad to my previous entries. My posts will hopefully pick up once I get to England and have more to talk about. Anyways, I have received my home-stay information. My host family/person is called Lyn, and I do not know for sure if they have a family or not. I suppose I will find out once I get there. Using MapQuest I looked up the distance between their house and my college over there and it is about a four minute driving distance to the college; so probably 10-15 minute walking distance.

I leave for England in 15 days on January 8^th. I will be returning home on April 9^th. I am taking four classes while I’m overseas; Modern Britain, British History, World Religions, and Middle Ages. I believe I, along with the other international students, will be taking about seven field trips throughout our stay in England. I am not sure where these field trips will be, but I will hopefully find out that information, once again, when I get to England.

Well, I suppose I will leave you here. I do not have much more to tell you. 15 days! I’m getting excited and scared all at once. It is a good kind of scared though, odd I know. Anyways, buenos días and Feliz Navidad.

Orientation (Study Abroad Student)

2010-12-12T02:43:00.001-06:00

Hello once again readers. This blog entry will be brief, probably. Just a few days ago I went through my study abroad orientation. It was interesting, to say the least. I met the group of people that I will be traveling and even living with while in England.

I know few things about rules and such now. I may not have a roommate. My host family may in fact be just one person, like an elderly lady. The drinking age in England is 18, but we cannot get drunk. To do this would be rude, obviously, to the host family, and may cost us our stay in England. There are no true set of rules. The main statement that could be considered a rule is: Do not break the law. If you do, you are on your own. I don’t know about you, dear reader, but being stuck in a foreign country, all alone, with no way of getting home until your preset date, and no place to stay does not sound like a fun time.

I believe plans are going to be made for one of the other student’s birthday. He wishes to go to Dublin, Ireland and I think he intends to drag us along with him. I say ‘drag’ with a positive tone, since I to wish to see Ireland as well.

Schooling over in England is very different than in America, or so I am told. Some classes, apparently, only meet once a week and it is up to the student to make appointments with tutors and teachers for help with the material being taught. Also, finals are less of a test and more of a multi-page paper due on the subject of the class.

Anyways, my tuition is paid, and my plane ticket is ready. Now all I have to do is get through finals, pack my bags, celebrate Christmas, and wait for January 8^th to roll around, though not necessarily in that order. I have to admit I am beginning to get nervous, excited, but nervous. I feel like I should be preparing to pack something else other than clothes, an umbrella, and other such necessities, but I can’t think of what. Oh well, I’m sure something will pop up.

For now I will leave you here. Buenas noches mi lectores.

Transfer Blog-- Being a Kid Again

2010-12-09T18:07:00.001-06:00

In the past week, I have written five papers, studied for four major tests, given one speech, and lost roughly 18 hours of precious sleep. Words cannot describe how ecstatic I am that winter break is upon us.

With another semester under my belt, I can’t help but be excited for graduation. No matter how many good times (or struggles) I have here, I’m still fascinated by what the future could hold. I feel like I could end up virtually anywhere. It’s exciting to finally feel like an adult.

But no matter how adult-like one may feel, there is always a time to act like a little kid again. I’ve been plotting a snowball fight with my friends for when we finally get enough snow. And you can’t forget the ever-so-inviting finals week stress relief plan that CSC will put into action. Anyone who visits the Student Center will be able to act like a little kid from Monday, Dec. 13 through Thursday, Dec. 16. I hear that there will be coloring books and Play-Doh. Come on, who doesn’t love that? I don’t care how grown up you are. Chances are you have some happy childhood memories of playing with your friends and family. Sometimes it’s best to forget all the responsibilities that come with being an adult—even if it’s only for ten minutes.

I actually did my final speech in public speaking on a related topic. I tried to persuade my audience that they should go outside and play in the snow like a little kid. One of my sources informed me that reverting back to childhood and using your imagination is actually quite healthy. I have heard some people scoff at the idea of college students using coloring books as stress relief, but I say that there is no harm. Sometimes you just have to enjoy yourself— even if that means acting twenty years younger than you actually are.

Here’s to a reduced-stress finals week!

Until next time,

Jennifer

Study Abroad - Introducing the Student (Original Post November 8th)

2010-12-08T16:25:00.004-06:00

Hello reader. My name is Andrea. I’m 18 years old. I’m a Carl Sandburg College student. I am also going to England in 2 months via study abroad. I will be studying British culture, history, possibly Shakespeare, and who knows what else. I have been told that I will be going, with the other foreign students, on multiple field trips during my three month stay in England.

Specifically I will be living in Canterbury, England. Which I have been told is about an hour away from Canterbury. It is, as fellow Monmouthians would understand, the Galesburg to Monmouth. Like what I did there? So do I.

Moving on. Currently, I am waiting on two dentist appointments, and my study abroad orientation. I know what you are thinking, dentist appointments? Yes. I have to have the final caps/crowns put on two root canals, and I have to have a wisdom tooth pulled. Too much information? You’re reading a blog silly. This is pretty much my personal diary, which I am oddly enough sharing with everyone, for while I’m abroad. Deal, okie dokie?

I should probably tell you a little more about my trip and what exactly I have to do to get to England. My trip costs a fortune. I won’t tell you exactly how much, because I don’t really want to think about it. I will be staying with a host family and I should also have another foreign student in the same house, a.k.a. roomie. I do not know who my host family is at the moment, but I should soon. Hopefully I will know before I get on to my airplane. That would be nice. I have been told that I can take weekend trips to place like Rome, Paris, Ireland, Spain, etc. I have also been told that the flights to these places are fairly cheap, but who knows what will happen when I get to the other side of the pond.

An interesting fact; my school surrounds a massive church. Awesome right? I thought so too, until my grandpa told me that they used to bury their dead in their church’s floors and walls. This will have to be looked into. It is not that I’m scared of the dead people, only that I’m not sure if they would like me stepping on them. Whether this is rumor or fact, I do not know, but I shall find out and report back to you, dear reader.

I have been asked to add a little more detail about myself, so I will. Let’s see, my favorite color is purple. I love history, mainly mythology and ancient history. I love studying Egyptian and Greek mythology. I am learning Spanish, and hopefully I will learn other languages as well in the future. If my English teacher saw this blog entry she would have a heart attack. Not only for the sentence fragments, most of which I know are there, but also for the fact that I am writing more than 200 words.

I am not sure what else to tell you about. So, I will stop here. I may make another entry later on, but for now. Hasta luego.

Mortuary Science Blog Vol.3 #17

2010-12-06T11:25:00.001-06:00

The semester is coming to an end, and the school work load for the second-year and accelerated mortuary science students has been hectic. Lately we have been focusing on working and preparing for things such as modeling our restorative art wax head; anatomy coloring assignments; life-size artery and vein tracings; embalming reports; two exams; 2-day field trip to Batesville, Indiana and then our comprehensive final exams. Try reading all of that out loud to yourself. Unfortunately, the restorative art wax head, anatomy coloring assignments, life-size artery and vein tracings, embalming reports and the two exams are all due this Tuesday. On the other hand the Batesville trip is Wednesday and Thursday. The good almost balances out with the bad.

Everyone in the mortuary science program has been preoccupied with all these assignments for awhile now that we haven’t had much time to concentrate on anything else. All of these projects take a lot of time to complete. One thing I have realized from working on some of these projects is I do not contain any trace of anything that can be considered close to an art skill in my body. It shows in my work.

I can probably guarantee that almost no one is looking forward to Tuesday, but probably are looking ahead to Wednesday. We all want to be done with these projects and exams. The past several weeks haven’t been enjoyable. On the bright side it is almost over.

Paul Olson, Mortuary Science Student.