Dum dum dum… FINALS

GAHH! Finals are literally less than 2 weeks away, and all I can think about are the after finals days. You know, the days when you get to go home, decorate the Christmas tree, light the menorah, spend quality time with family and old friends from high school, help feed the homeless, go shopping, watch movies..

OH WAIT before any of that happens we’ve got to take finals.

Finals.

There’s no secret formula or ingredient to be successful on your finals. The only thing I can think of doing is studying. STUDYING. And by studying I don’t mean: Facebook tab open, tweeting on your phone, chips and soda at arm’s length, textbook open on the same page for 30 minutes, studying. I mean studying in the zone: Book open, highlighter handy, notes and study guide at arm’s length, studying.

As of December 9 the University enters full on finals mode.

December 9 is reading day and classes are cancelled.

For some students they have finals as early as December 10.

Willis Library will maintain its regular hours and will be open 24 hours.

So what if you like to study in the Union?

Well, Monday through Thursday UPC will be hosting Eagle’s Refuge in the 1 O’clock Lounge from 10am – 2pm. Eagle’s Refuge includes things such as snacks, massage therapists, and a relaxing environment. Return to the Union at night for Study Night in the Union from 6pm -10pm.

Like to study in your residence hall?

As of Sunday December 4, all residence halls will extend quiet hours, starting from 6 pm to noon the following morning and continuing the rest of the week. 18 hours of quiet. O_o

As of Sunday December 11, all the residence halls on campus will begin 23 hours of quiet, 5pm-6pm the following day. 6pm- 7pm is the Golden hour…with quiet hours resuming at 7pm.

Finding a quiet place on campus to study is very easy during the pre-finals and finals week. UNT wants to get you in the zone to ace your finals, and trust me, it’ll seem like the university shut down, but really, we’re making the ideal study environment.

I know this semester has been crazy, from living in the dorms to making more adult-like decisions. Although it has been tough, you have grown and matured (compared to early this semester as that “nervous freshmen” on the first day of classes).

Over the break don’t forget to check your my.unt.edu account. Make sure you are still registered for your spring semester classes and payment for your classes is taken care of.

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukah! Happy Kwanza! Happy Winter Solstice! Happy Holidays!!

Have a Splendid New Year!!

Good luck on your finals!

Love,

Precious

This picture is vintage.

p.s.- Classes begin January 17!

Best.Summer.Ever

Summer 2011 was the BEST. SUMMER. EVER. And it was all because I became an Orientation Leader! Applications are available at: http://transition.unt.edu/orientation/leaders or in Union, Suite 319.


BEST. SUMMER. EVER. SUMMER 2011.
Becoming an Orientation Leader changed my life and made me a better person. I learned about the type of leader that I could be, and I had a better sense of what it meant to be a part of a group and my role in a group dynamic. Not only did I become a better person, I made amazing friends and got a greater sense of pride about being a student at UNT. UNT is such an open community and the university is here to help us become global learners. I knew what resources were available, but after summer 2011, I understood why the resources were there and how it could help me be the best student I could be.

 

MORE. THAN. JUST. A. JOB.

Becoming an Orientation Leader is more than a job, it’s a way of life. We get to impact the incoming students and change their perception of UNT. I can say from personal experience, that I was not too excited about coming to UNT, but after my memorable orientation I knew UNT was the place for me! Orientation is a lot of fun, but it’s also a job and requires a little bit of elbow grease. But, it’s totally worth it!

BEST. SUMMER. EVER!
What are you waiting for? GO pick up an application today! And if you have any questions or concerns, come to one of our three info sessions:

• Thursday, October 13 in the Union, Room 418 @ 12 pm
• Tuesday, October 18 in the Kerr Hall Blagg Room@ 6pm
• Wednesday, October 19 in the West Hall Lobby @ 6pm

Summer 2012 is going to be the BEST SUMMER of your ever…join the team, it will change your life.

ARE YOU LIVING WITH A STRANGER?

Oh my goodness, well I hope not! It’s been a MONTH since you moved in. Do you know your roommate? Like, do you know know your roommate? Have you gotten into a routine with your roommate? I hope the initial awkwardness is long gone.

Precious, what if I don’t have a roommate? Well, what about your suitemate? Maybe you only know they are in their room when you hear the water running…..nothing like those awkward moments when you accidently open the door. OOPS! But on a serious note, get to know your suitemate; your relationship is hopefully more than just “have they put in toilet paper?” and “when are they going to get out of the shower?”

DO YOU SIT NEXT TO A STRANGER?
I know that I do. In each of my classes I sit in the same seat, but never turn to talk to the person next to me because depending on the time of day I’m probably not in the mood to talk to them. With a school of about 36,000 students almost everyone is a stranger, but at the same time they could also be 36,000 new friends. In my last post I wrote about leaving your room to get more involved because it’s a great way to make new friends; but talking to the students next to you can lead to a whole new world of possibility.

HAVE YOUR PARENTS BECOME STRANGERS?
I became a stranger to my parents. It was maybe three weeks after Sunday Fun Day that I went home. Between the time that I moved in and the day I went home I had gotten a second ear piercing (GASP!). I didn’t think it was a big deal; however, when my parents saw me they claimed that they didn’t even recognize me. They were convinced that in the weeks to follow, I’d be covered with tattoos and piercings before my next visit home. The daughter that they had dropped off was gone and a stranger had taken away the girl they loved. This is a relatively extreme case, parents care (Well, duh!). But especially when we are freshmen. That’s why they text, call, and send care packages (granted my parents live 30 minutes away and I never got a care package), but still they want you to remain an active part of their lives. Trust me it’s about a relationship that’s only going to get stronger after time.

Here are some simple steps in helping a make a stranger a friend:
1- Smile
2- Introduce yourself
3- Shake their hand
4- Smile some more
5- Awkwardly laugh
6- Talk about something vague
7- Awkwardly laugh again

I’m off looking for ways to help y’all put the U in UNT,
- Precious

p.s. the next blog will be about BECOMING AN ORIENTATION LEADER! :)

p.p.s. if you have questions and need any advice, you should email me, and I’ll help you to the best of my ability! Who knows, maybe your question will inspire the next post! :D

Hello? Hello, is this thing on?

Hello? Hello, is this thing on?

Hello! My name is Precious Femi-Ogunyemi and I am the student assistant for Freshman Programs at UNT. For all you freshmen out there, who went to orientation, do you remember the LOUD HAPPY always EXCITED orientation leader? Yup, that was me. I was that Orientation leader. (:

But I am so excited to make this blog for y’all.

Look to your left; now look to your right. You are probably sitting in your dorm, munching on some Cheez-its, reading this blog, recalling your time at orientation. Well I was just like you when I was a freshman, but then I did something that would change my life: I LEFT MY ROOM.

That’s right, I left my room, and walked down to the lobby where I saw some people tie-dying. I recognized some of the residents there because I had seen them in the lobby; I soon found out that the organization that put on the tie-dying event was the Hall Association. After talking with the president for a few minutes, she told me about all the programs going on with the Maple Street Hall Association, MSHA. In the weeks that followed I went to the events that MSHA hosted, and I had fun. 

But that was just one way that I chose to get involved. 

There are so many ways!

·         Intramurals: Each hall has a team and you don’t even have to be good at the sport. Cheering on your friends is just as fun as playing in the game. (I was an AMAZING cheerleader for Maple).

·         Organizations: There’s over 350 clubs on campus. Let me repeat. 350 clubs on campus! There’s one for everyone. We have a Student Government Association, African Student Organization, Engineers Without Borders, College Democrats, and so many more!

·         Large Campus Activities: Library Mall + University Union = Best Place on Campus.  I’m not one to exaggerate the truth, but it seems that not a day goes by where something isn’t happening in the Union or the Library Mall. Events that are held at these locations are guaranteed to be poppin’ because they are trying to get the attention of the ENTIRE University! These events include Carnaval, Salsa Night, and Union Gallery Exhibits, just to name a few.

·         Sports: UNT has a growing MEAN GREEN Athletic program, and our players need your support! The rush and excitement that one feels as a part of the crowd is incomparable! I remember my first football game; I was in a state of DELIGHT. IT WAS AN AMAZING FEELING.

·         Denton: Maybe you’re more interested in what Denton has to offer? Denton thrives as more than just a college town. We’ve got restaurants being built all over the place, and for those interested in a lively music scene, Denton has been compared to one of the top music capitals of the world: Austin.  Where Austin offers Austin City Limits (ACL), Denton offers the large street music festival just off the Square, 35 Denton (NX35).

This is going to be such an amazing year. But it all starts with you, right here, right now, taking a step outside of your dorm room…getting on the campus. Because getting on the campus is the first step to getting involved. 

See you soon?





Photo credit: Brian Maschino

  

-Precious

Party in the Park!

The Office of Orientation and Transition Programs at UNT is hosting an end of semester BBQ free for all students!!

Thursday, April 28th

5:00-7:00pm

Crumley Park

Let's celebrate the end of semester with food, music, and fun!  Bring your friends!

Party in the Park!!

The UNT Office of Orientation & Transition Programs is hosting a FREE end of semester BBQ for all students!!

Thursday, April 28th

5:00-7:00pm

Crumley Park

Party in the Park is an end of semester BBQ for students!! Let's celebrate with food, music, and fun!!!
We will also have prizes/giftcards from local eateries on Fry Street!! Come all....and bring your friends=))

 

Sustainable Living!

Sustainable Living!

If someone asked you to tell them what sustainability meant, would you be able to? I had the opportunity to do an in-depth study on sustainability last summer while studying abroad! Sustainable living means living within the resources of the planet without damaging the environment now or in the future. The University of North Texas is extremely involved in the growing “going green” movement. Part of UNT’s mission, found on the ‘About’ tab on the UNT homepage, is to “build on it legacy of conservation and environmentalism, where we teach green, research green, and are green in everything we do.”  We offer more than 50 courses with a sustainable focus, the campus has a strong recycling program and we are assembling new infrastructure and buildings to meet the highest green building standards! In this way, “UNT creates an enriched and sustainable future for our students, state, nation and world.” 

Are you a part of the Green movement? Below are ten ways college students can live more lightly on the earth, while saving money. Info found at www.worldwatch.org

1.   Save money to save energy.

1. If you live in off-campus housing, set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.
2. Unplug appliances when you're not using them will help you reduce electric overages.
3. Wash your clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine wash clothes goes to heating the water.

2.   Save water to save money.

1. Take shorter showers to reduce water use in your apartment. This will lower your water and heating bills too.

3.   Less gas = more money (and better health!).

a.    Walk, bike, or ride the bus to school. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.

4.   Eat smart.

1. If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store-and it's even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.
2. Whatever your diet, eat low on the food chain. This is especially true for seafood.
4. Skip the bottled water.
1. Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work. A couple years ago, UNT adopted the BYOB (Bring your own bottle) mission.  All new UNT students are given a “green” water bottle during orientation.
5. Think before you buy.
1. Check out garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops for clothing and other everyday items.
6. Borrow instead of buying.
1. Borrow from Willis Library or check out a movie from Chilton Hall instead of buying personal books and movies. This saves money, not to mention the ink and paper that goes into printing new books.
7. Buy smart.
1. Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins can save money and packaging.
2. Wear clothes that don't need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use.
8. Keep electronics out of the trash.
1. Keep your cell phones, computers, and other electronics as long as possible.
9.   Make your own cleaning supplies.
1. The big secret: you can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning products whenever you need them. All you need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and soap.

Global climate change concerns are becoming a major social issue, let’s be more aware of how our daily choices affect the environment! Also, don’t forget to visit www.sustainable.unt.edu  to find out how to be a part of the UNT green movement!