Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Similar Classes

After taking my Human Sexuality class, I have noticed that The Changing Family class is very similar. We touch on the same topics, but they are a lot broader. Every week we now have a test in the class. Since it is an online class we have different materials to read such as PowerPoint’s, news articles, lecture notes and movies to watch, and of course our book. After we review all the materials we are instructed to take the online exam which is called the “Graded Homework Assignment.” It sounds a little scary that there are test every week, but it’s really easy as long as you review all the information ahead of time.

My internship is going well. This week I’m still working on the mini commercial clips for the company’s new service. I needed to take additional pictures and since my boyfriend is my model for the commercial I had to wait until the weekend to take them. This week I will also try to work on making a contest e-mail in the Constant Contact website. Constant Contact is a website that generates e-mails, newsletters, maintains contacts etc. It’s a very useful tool for a Marketing employee.

SGA is doing well so far. We got a new member on board Ameesha, who is working on a brochure for the library. She came up with the great idea to make a brochure and put it in the library for people to see. This way we can advertise, and inform people of our goals on campus. SGA is also planning a trip to Six Flags. Officers and anyone who attends more than 6 meetings will get a free pass to six flags. I think that’s a great deal! This is not planned for a while, but it will be fun either way. Hopefully we get to go during the week day so that there won’t be too many crowds!

Monday, April 28, 2008

Beautiful Campus

If you have never been to the Garret Mountain campus, you don’t know the beauty of it. The reason I am bringing this up is because spring is here, and everything is blooming so beautifully! Last spring the school started to build a new parking lot that knocked out a wonderful forest, and a gazebo. It was a very nice place to relax, but the school had a desperate need for parking with the large increase in students. Needless to say, the whole forest was knocked down and it made a lot of students unhappy.

Well, since Berkeley is making a lot of effort to become more “green”, they took a step to make a memorial for the lost forest. They planted a beautiful tree as a memorial to the old forest. Check out the tree…
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In addition to this tree, the Garret Mountain campus looks beautiful in the spring. We have a bunch of wonderful trees everywhere that makes it so pleasant to walk around between classes and hang out with your friends. Check out some of them…




So I have realized that I have never posted any pictures from the Recycle Your Style Day! It was a great day and like I said before we got a great outcome. Check them out!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Graduation

Yesterday was the Berkeley graduation, and I had the pleasure to attend it and participate in it. We arrived there at 7:30am, and we started to direct traffic. Many students and parents arrived early, but there was no need because the doors to the IZOD center didn’t open till 8am anyway. The graduation started at 9am promptly. We started off with graduates coming in, then staff and then the presidential table.

I saw that all the professors were wearing their graduation gowns and caps. On the back of the graduation gowns you wear a hood that has different colors. For the longest time I was confused what each of the colors meant as well as the different types of caps and gowns. I asked someone what they meant because I was very curious. Apparently the different colors mean the school colors of where you have graduated from and the different gowns represent what degree you hold. Also, the type of cap that you have tells what degree you hold. It was very interesting.

There were a lot of graduates that were there! After all, Berkeley does have 7 different campuses. When it came to calling the names, they went by different degrees. It started off as Bachelors of Science, and it ended on Certificates. After they named all the students and handed them their pretend degrees they announced students of the year and different awards. It was really nice that they singled out specific students due to their achievements. I ran into some of the students that I have not seen for a while. I ran into Sarah, who was the original president of the International Business Club and also my friend Nicole who I went to the Leadership Retreat with in Baltimore.

After the graduation we went to Mt. Fuji as a thank you from the staff for helping out. It was really nice and it was cool watching someone cook for us. I got steak and lobster. After the meal we were so sleepy because we have all been up since 5am so went to sleep on the bus as we waited for everyone else to finish. It was a very nice day and I hope my graduation will be just as nice.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Recycle Your Style

Yesterday was the Recycle Your Style Day at the Garret Mountain campus, and it was the best turnout ever! I must say we had over 100 students come and tie dye with us. We had amazing weather, great people to work with and a lot of fun.

I arrived at 10 am to help Ms. Young prepare everything and set things up. A little after me showed up Ale and also helped us get everything done. We filled up bowls of water, set up the bags to tie dye, made sample shirts, mixed colors in, unpacked gloves and much more. We were selling two types of bags to students that did not bring anything to tie dye. We had smaller bags for a $1 and we had bigger bags for $2 that you can use over and over. The profits that we made will go to Diversity Stride Training.

What we did is started an assembly line. At every station we had an activity. In one we had pre soaking, then rubber banding and putting gloves on, then dipping your clothes in a dye, then decorating it and then putting it in a bag and labeling it. This way we would know who’s is what.

The event started at 11am, and it ended at noon but some people still stayed around. After the event I went to Ms. Smiley and got my cap and gown to wear during the graduation on Friday. I’m not graduating, but I am helping out with the graduation. I graduate in September, but I can’t walk graduation until April of 2009.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Reality Hits

Its week 4 and the time is flying by! Yesterday was the first day you can make your schedule and I jumped right at the chance. I noticed that a lot of classes that were online got reserved, and not that many were available. Lucky for me I was able to reserve two for myself including an internship. I decided to take one class online and one on campus. I wanted to take something on campus because I need the connection with people instead of always being cooped up at home.

I really had a reality check yesterday. When I got an e-mail back from an advisor that my schedule has been set and that my degree is now complete it really hit me. For the past 15 years all I have ever known is school and now it will be gone. I have always been under someone’s wing but now it’s time for me to be on my own. It’s sort of scary when I think about it. I have worried such as what if I can’t find a job, or what if things don’t work out, then what. I’m sure everything will be fine, I just worry sometimes. I have never had reality be so close to me until now.

On Friday I am helping with the graduation. It will be held at the old Continental Arena and my job is to carry a sash, and lead the graduating class into the arena. It’s a very important job and I’m very happy I was appointed it. Being there will make it even more of a reality that I will soon be graduating even though it’s not my graduation. I can’t walk graduating until next April. I will have my degree, but I won’t be able to walk. This is because I took advantage of the “Berkeley Advantage” and finished my degree in 3 years instead of 4. Graduations are run every April, but because I finish in September, I can’t walk until next year.

Tomorrow is the Recycle Your Style Day. I can’t wait, it’s very exciting. Ms. Young bought all the equipment necessary and all we have to provide is clothes. It will be nice to see everyone gather together to do things. I will make sure to post my art for your viewing pleasures! ;-)

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Spring Activities

We just had our second meeting of SGA for this quarter and it was a lot of fun. We had soda, pizza and a good time. We were presented with t-shirts that were made for the officers which said President Kopec in the back and I’m in Garret Mountain SGA …and I’m celebrating EARTH DAY 2008! It was a very nice gesture and I will use this t-shirt for next weeks activity. Next week were doing a tie die event for Earth Day. We will be bringing in old clothing and tie dying it.

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There are so many activities going on at the Garret Mountain campus this quarter. Some of the activities include die dye day, painting flower pots, picture collage and karaoke day, Habitat for Humanity, and the list goes on.

Another thing that the International Business Club is working on is to have a Family Day. Many times parents help students pay for school so we thought that it would be a good idea to involve parents and families in an activity. Ale, the club vice president, came up with the idea of a carnival. We thought it was a great idea. The event is planned to happen around May 10th but we will see how everything works out.

Its already that time of the quarter where we have to pick classes again. Right now we can only pick online classes because those fill up the fastest so they start them earlier. I’m still debating if I want to stick with online classes only or take on campus as well. I hope everything works out!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Weekly Update

I really can’t get used to this one time on campus deal. Since this quarter stated I’ve been feeling out of place not having to go anywhere. I think in the summer time event though I don’t have to take any on campus classes, I will do so anyway. I am the type of person that needs to get out and have that person to person contact.

One good thing about today was that today was my pay day! I can finally pay off the books I had to just buy. Today was the first activity period activity. Cesar Castro, who works in Career Services, presented a presentation about setting your personal goals and how to accomplish yours. I wasn’t able to attend because I was working on my internship, but I thought it was a great idea. Many students need a push and ideas on how to manage their time and follow through with what they do.

Tomorrow is our second SGA meeting. Last week we had good conversation and we got good input from students and other members. Ms. Young did not attend because she forgot about the meeting. We were surprised that she didn’t show up because she’s usually the first one there. When we found her after the meeting we found out that she was shopping for another event that night and the meeting totally slipped her mind. I hope she makes this meeting because we have a lot of questions for her.

If you’re interested in attending meet up tomorrow, Thursday at 4pm in the Multimedia Room.