Finals!!!!!

One more week and then we have finals?!  Over Thanksgiving break I spent most of my time relaxing and now that I am back at school I am starting to get very nervous and anxious for finals.  Even though our finals seem to be early, I am glad that we will be able to get them over with quickly!  Most of my high school friends who attend large public schools do not have finals for another three weeks!  Some of them will not be coming home until literally right before Christmas.  I remember in high school one year we did not have finals until after Christmas break and it was not a relaxing break at all because I spend those weeks studying and worrying about finals!  I am glad that SMU holds finals before Christmas break so then we can actually enjoy break and know that when we return to school it is for a fresh start.  But still, I can not believe how fast this year has gone by and that we are pretty much half way done with our Freshman year of college!  Where has the time gone?!

Thanksgiving Break

I always look forward to Thanksgiving because it is a chance to spend time with family and relatives that I do not have the chance to see very often.  This Thanksgiving I was especially excited to go home and see the family and friends that I had not seen for a while.  We have many traditions in our household that I have always grown up with.  Every Thanksgiving morning I wake up early to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I help my mom cook, we go see a movie, and then start to put up the Christmas decorations.  This year we went and saw the movie Four Christmases with Reese Witherspoon and I highly recommend this movie!  Also, I enjoyed being apart of the Christmas decorations this year, however I will not be able to enjoy them the entire holiday season.  Even though I was so excited for Thanksgiving and all of the traditions, I was also extremely happy to be back at SMU.  I never thought that I would miss college and the dorms as much as I did!  Now I am wondering how I will be able to be away from school and my life here in Dallas for an entire month over Christmas break!  Does anyone else feel the same way?  Also, what Thanksgiving traditions did everyone enjoy the most over break?

Comments

I commented on Chelseas' "Blue Highway", College Girls' "Heat-Moons Journey", and Different Ideas' "My Comment."

Blue Highways Question and Answer

Q:  How did Miz Alice feel when the boat arrived?  Do you think she was happy to see the Island Belle?

A:  Miz Alice stated that the Island Belle, "changed our social pattern."  The Island Belle brought gas, food, and various other resources to provide the island with.  Therefore, I think that Miz Alice was relieved to see the Island Belle.  I think that she was happy because she knew what the boat carried and knew that it would help and better the island.  

Homecoming

As Homecoming is quickly approaching I am excited to see what Homecoming will be like at the college level.  I continue to hear about the parade, floats, and festivities from the upperclassmen and how Homecoming is always such a big deal.  At my high school, Homecoming was not about a parade or floats, but it was about the Homecoming dance.  No one seemed to care about the football game or anything else.  We always went all out for the Homecoming dances.  We would rent limos, go to fun restaurants, take lots of pictures, and of course, get very dressed up.  When I think of Homecoming I think of dances.  This year it will be so weird having a Homecoming, minus the fancy dance.  Did anyone else have Homecoming parades and floats?  Or was Homecoming more about the dance rather than the actual game and idea of alumni coming "home."?

Halloween

Halloween has always been a time to dress up in costume, trick or treat with your friends, and see who can gather the most Halloween candy.  This year, however, there was a different feel to Halloween.  I am use to spending my Halloween dressed up with friends, passing out candy to my little neighbors, and then enjoying a costume party or haunted house.  It was weird this year not passing out candy to my favorite neighbors and not seeing a haunted house or even a scary movie.  My house during Halloween is always decorated with lights and pumpkins.  I had a great Halloween but it made me realize that holidays away from home are different, not in a bad way, but just different. 

SMU Food Selection....Is There Enough

I have always thought that SMU's selection of foot was pretty good for a college campus.  We have Umphrey Lee where you can find just about anything, Mac's Place located in McElvaney Hall, Hughes Trigg, and even Einstiens.  I was always impressed with our food selection until Fall Break.  Over Fall Break I visited several friends at a much larger public school.  I was blown away by how many different options they had for on campus meals.  Yes, their school was about three times the size of ours.  But still, I felt like everywhere I looked there was a restaurant, cafeteria, cafe, bakery, and the list goes on and on.  Do all schools have this great of a food selection as the larger school my friends from high school attend?  How could SMU improve their selection and broaden their horizon?  Now at times I feel trapped as though Umphrey Lee is the only option for an adequate dinner.  Does anyone else feel the same way?

On Campus Food...Is There Enough?

     

Another Fire Drill in Boaz

A couple weeks ago Boaz hall was woken up to the loudest fire alarm I have ever heard.  Confused about what was going on, we all quickly evacuated our new home.  After standing in front of Cox Business school (which is directly across from Boaz) we learned that it was just a drill.  Everyone went back to bed and that was the end of it.  

Yesterday morning we were woken up to the same piercing alarm.  Confused and tired I wondered why we would have another fire alarm drill.  Wasn't the first drill enough?  Were we going to have drills every couple of weeks?  While we were outside standing in the same waiting place as last time I heard fire trucks.  Surprised and scared we watched 3 fire trucks pull up to our dorm.  I was very nervous and wondered if I should run up to the second floor and save my computer and other valuables.  

Well, it was not a drill but it also was not a fire.  Someone was testing the sewer pipes and it starting smoking.  After this experience I learned that these things need to be taken seriously.  I thought back to how I took my time exiting the building and yet it could have been a real fire.  Next time the fire alarm goes off I will be much more prepared. 

The point of my most recent blog: Family Weekend

I was surprised to see so many parents out at the bars with their students, experiencing SMU night life.

Family Weekend

Family Weekend at SMU was something that I did not expect it to be.  I was excited to see my parents and knew that the school and Greek had planned activities but I did not realize it would be to this extent.  I thought it was so nice how the parents were able to truly get a taste of SMU and what our college life here is like.  Friday night, walking around to all of the fraternity houses where each house opened up their doors for the parents to visit and meet others.  I was also surprised with the number of parents who attended the parties Friday and Saturday night.  Many parents were having a great time at Homebar and Barely House this weekend.  I thought it was great seeing the parents out with their students, enjoying life here at SMU.  It was also fun meeting the siblings and seeing them enjoy SMU and the boulevard as well.  Did everyone enjoy family weekend?

Hurricane Ike

After receiving several e-mails and hearing warnings about Hurricane Ike, I was surprised with this past weekends weather.  I am from Arizona where the weather is pretty much the same year round.  I have never experienced effects from a hurricane.  When the e-mails were warning us and the news was alerting us, I thought the weather this weekend would be unbearable.  I was pleasantly surprised that it only heavily rained on Saturday and by Sunday the sun was out.  I thought we were going to be stuck inside all weekend.  Is that normally how Dallas is affected by hurricanes?      

I commented on Gary's blog, "Why blogging is so difficult...or a whole lot simpler than we think."  I also commented on Paris Hilton's blog, "Taking Attendance? Back to High School?"

The Transition

Many first year students have a difficult time adjusting from high school to the new atmosphere of college. The transition to dorm life, having no rules, and prioritizing tasks is somewhat challenging for most young adults. Southern Methodist University is aware of the possibility of a struggling adjustment period for first year students. Various events have been created to help Freshmen adapt to their new surroundings and enjoy their first year of college.

SMU offers Orientation (AARO), Mustang Corral, A Night at the Clubs, campus Boulevards, and Family Weekend in September. Orientation is just the beginning for first years to become acquainted with their new home. During orientation various speakers, including faculty, alumni, and current students welcome the new mustangs. At orientation the freshman class meets with their advisors who help with first year schedules so the student does not have to go through the process of picking classes alone. Once schedules are set and ID cards are finished, first years are ready to move into the residence halls. Before they even have time to get homesick or feel alone, SMU buses their new students to various locations for a two-night stay, camp like environment known as Mustang Corral. At Corral friendships are formed and the traditions of the school are taught. Connections are quickly made and Freshmen return to their residence halls seeing familiar faces and ready to pony up for the football games. Once adjusted to dorm life, SMU holds what is known as “A Night at the Club”. This event allows students to go from booth to booth learning about all the various clubs that the university has to offer. There truly is a club for everyone and students quickly find their passions and get involved. The events do not end with the clubs. All campus boulevards, where everyone is encouraged to be on the boulevard to show their mustang spirit, and family weekend that occurs in September, help the students become involved in games and share the spirit and traditions with their family.

From Mustang Corral, to becoming oriented with the school, boulevards, learning about the clubs and all the other activities that are held for first year students, the adjustment from high school to college at Southern Methodist University is an easy and enjoyable transition. If you were at a large university do you feel you would have the same advantages of meeting new people as you have had at SMU? Do you feel that after the numerous events that the school has promoted your transition has been successful? Did these events help you to feel well connected to the school?