Thursday, July 26, 2012

Time is Everything.

There are 24 hours in a day, and we all may feel like sleeping, eating, and hanging out with friends for 20 hours out of those 24 .

However, in college, you can't.

Therefore, here are some ways to manage your time!


1. Purchase and USE a daily planner!

  • It's easy to buy a planner. The prices normally range depending on what type of planner you want but they can be really cheap. I've bought five. However, it wasn't until my 5th planner that I realized I needed to actually write my assignments, meetings, and other plans down for it to actually be useful.I also realized I needed to look at it everyday to remind myself of my plans.  The more you look at something or write it down, the more you'll  likely follow your plan.
2. Finish during the day, relax at night.
  • This advice is really simple, and it's the most helpful advice I've received during my years at UVa. I'm more tired at night, and would rather go relax with friends instead of staying up late doing my homework. Therefore, I would work on my assignments after class and stop at dinner time. 
    • Do this every weekday even if you don't have anything due the next day. You can use that time to get ahead on other assignments. 
    • Fun Friday: If you don't feel like doing any homework on Saturday or Sunday, you should at least be productive on Friday! Friday is still a weekday, and homework/projects are still heavily embedded in your mind. Meet your friends at the library for a study group. You guys can study and work on your assignments for a few hours, then go to dinner, see a movie, etc. Do something fun! 
3. Reward yourself!
  • Study hard for a test, finish a project, get ahead in class, or something else productive, then reward yourself by going shopping, sleeping in, or dinner in Downtown with your friends!
    • Reading a few pages in a book is not a good reason to reward yourself. Reading a few chapters in a book is definitely a good reason to buy a cheesecake milkshake from Cook Out.

You need to study for at least 1-3 hours for each credit hour. If  you're taking a 3 credit hour class, you need to study for at least 3-9 hours a week for that one class.

If you're taking 15 credit hours, you need to study for 15-45 hours that week. 



Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Personal Wellness

This entry is to provide resources for you when it comes to taking care of yourself.

 
Hair Services:
Hair Cuttery --Barracks Road Shopping Center
Nature al's Hair -- 703 West Main Street
Willie's Hair Salon -- 12 Elliewood Drive
Shear Power Hair Salon-- 855 West Main Street 
Aveda Hair Salon -- Barracks Road Shopping Center
Sally's Beauty Supply Store-- 1904 Rio Hill Road (Rio Hill Shopping Center)

*Note that all the hair services listed service both male and female.  

Nutrition Services:
Elson Student Student Health Center- 400 Brandon Ave.
       Located in the lower level of Student Health, Nutrition Office is a place where students can learn about healthy eating. Try to avoid the Freshmen 15 by being cautious of what you eat this upcoming school year. 

Women's Center--1400 University Ave.
     The Women's Center is not just for Women! Students can go to the WC for counseling advice, nutrition advice, body positive reinforcements, and more.

Fitness:
Exercise Regularly!
Hit up the AFC (Aquatics and Fitness Center) on Alderman road or Memorial Gym on Emmet Street!
     The AFC offers may fitness classes, such as Zumba and Cycling. Try going to the gym on a regular basis or simply run around Charlottesville to keep fit.  Mem Gym hosts the tennis  and sand volleyball courts. Students can go to Mem Gym and check out equipment they need to have fun.

Bikram Hot Yoga- 109 5th Street SE.
     Hot Yoga is popular among students and community members in Charlottesville. The studio provides yoga classes to help tone and strengthen the body had high temperatures. Show them your student ID for good rates.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Spiritual Growth


Many of you have been asking questions about where to attend church service or for places in Charlottesville to get pampered. Below are some places that I have researched for you all. Most of these places are accessible by the CAT buses or Trolley or by walking. I hope you find these useful and if you have any questions feel free to ask us.



Churches:

Charlottesville First Assembly  --1010 E. Rio Rd.
Charlottesville Masjid Mosque-- 106 10th St. 
Church of Christ-- 1525 Ruby Avenue
Congregation Beth Israel, Jewish Synagogue--301 E. Jefferson St. 
Ebenezer Baptist Church --113 6th St. NW
First Baptist Church -- 632 West Main Street
Jefferson Park Baptist Church  --2505 Jefferson Park Ave.
Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses--665 Old Lynchburg Rd
Mt. Zion Baptist Church --105 Ridge Street
Portico Church --201 Monticello Ave.
St. Paul's Memorial Church-- 1700 University Ave.
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church-- 401 Alderman Rd.  
Trinity Presbyterian Church --3101 Fontaine Ave. Extended 
Wesley United Methodist Foundation-- 1901 Thomson Road (on Emmet street)

*If you are interested: This summer one of the Christian Fellowships (InterVaristy) is hosting summer bible study. Its held every Wednesday night at 7:30pm at the Christian Study Center on Chancellor St. (on the corner). Its open to everyone one from all years!

Love to mediate?
There are always nice places on grounds to just relax and mediate. You can always go to one of the Gardens near the lawn or relax at the hammocks in Hereford. The University Chapel is also an good option for a place to just sit and relax. As long as the Chapel is not occupied, it is open to the pubic. Yoga is also available at the AFC as a means of relaxation and mediation. 

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Classroom Etiquette.

Entering Class
  • Try your best not to be late for class. It can distract your classmates and your professor.
  •    If you are late for class, walk in and sit down quietly. Do not interrupt the professor's lecture to announce why you were late to class. 
  •  Try your best to arrive in class at least five minutes before it starts.
  • Do not wait until class starts to get your materials out of your bag. It is important to get things ready to go as soon as you enter the classroom.
Taking Notes

  • Do not write everything the professor says. Put their notes into your own words. This will help you become more engaged in lecture.
  • Don’t just simply write everything on the board/powerpoint.   It’s important to listen to what they have to say, and write down what you think is important. 
  • Ask if it’s okay to use your laptop/ipad. Always have pencil and paper, just in case.
  • If there was something that you missed, make a note and ask your professor after class.


Look Engaged

  • Do not slouch. Try to sit straight in your chair.
  • If you find that sitting straight is just too much for you, try a more comfortable position – sitting with your arms on the table is more appealing than slouching.
  • Try your best not to frown, or look bored.



Ask Questions

  • There is no such thing as “dumb questions.” 
  • If the question seems irrelevant, then it will be in your best interest to ask the question after class.
  • You do not have to ask to the professor if you may use the restroom. Instead, quietly get up and leave the room to use the restroom and return quietly. 

Attend Office Hours

  • It’s better to go sooner than later. 
  • Make sure you read your syllabus to find out if you have to email your professor to let he/she know that you will be there. 
  • Or, you can just simply drop in.

Leaving Class

  • Wait until your professor is finished before you pack up.
  • It is really distracting when your professor is trying to lecture, and the only thing you can hear are students shoving their materials into their bags and moving chair/desks around to leave class.
  • If you have to go to the bathroom, just get up and go.
  • There is no need to ask your professor to leave the room.