Oh the weather outside is...

..unpredictable...especially in Logan.

This past week here at USU we've been enjoying beautiful 45-55 degree weather during the day. It has been glorious! There have been students in flip-flops, t-shirts, shorts, and the like enjoying the splendid respite from the cold. As one of my dear friends, Rose, said in her facebook status:

"You know it's been a long winter when 45 degrees feels tropical."
So true.

Today started out just like yesterday and the day before...shorts, flip-flops, students were again rocking spring clothing. ...but around 6:00PM tonight, the wind began to blow...and then the snow began to fall. And now it's been snowing for 3 straight hours!! Approximately SIX inches have fallen during that time.

Oh the joys of living in Logan!
We all complain about it, but we all secretly love it, too. :)

Need a major?

Hi friends!

You're 18,
you've just graduated from high school,
you have (hopefully) another 60 years to go,
so the question is....

how are you going to spend those 60+ years?

Deciding what you would like to do for the rest of your life is...well...hard. So it's easy to understand why so many undergraduate students have a difficult time deciding on a major. If you're one of those students who has known from the womb what you're supposed to do with your life, count yourself lucky. For the rest of us, there are some great resources to help make that tough decision.

For starters, there's the University Advising Services:
http://www.usu.edu/advising/
Even if you're Undeclared, there are plenty of great people in this office who can help you navigate your first few years of school.

Also, we have a great resource called Career Services:
http://www.usu.edu/career/students/choose/index.php
At Career Services, you can take aptitude tests, personality tests and even meet one-on-one with career counselors.

If you want to do some of your own major searching, check out the USU General Catalog:
http://www.usu.edu/generalcatalog/2010-2011/print/

Don't be afraid to be Undeclared for awhile, there is nothing wrong with it!
Good luck to all!

-Shayla :)

Homework Break: Star Wars Marathon!

Imagine this:

It's Human Rights Day (or is it Martin Luther King Day?) 2011. A FULL DAY that could be used (wisely) to complete homework. Instead, 10 friends embark upon an entirely different epic adventure: Star Wars Marathon!

Sounds like a good idea, right? Well, it was! I watched Episodes I, II, III, and IV in one day! (I even got some homework done, don't worry). During my 4.5 years in college thus far, I have never participated in a movie marathon. It was wildly entertaining. I'm pretty sure I missed huge portions of plot line because we were laughing and talking during almost all of it, but it was worth it.

It was worth it to take time off from my busy schedule, to forget about homework if only for 10 hours of my life, to watch intergalactic warfare scenes, to eat too much junk food, to feel as if I have lost 1000 braincells.

My advice to all current and future college students:
be sure to make time for fun (synonyms: jollification, merrymaking, amusement, R and R, etc.).

You won't regret it!

-Shayla

Big Change

Hi Friends! Goodness it's been a long time. I had a great summer--I spent it in Logan (I definitely suggest everyone do this at some point in your time at Utah State). This semester has been so busy. I'm working for USU Residence Life as a Peer Mentor (blog about this to come soon) and I'm also an Undergraduate Teaching Fellow for the Beginning Latin class.

Here's a much needed update about my academic career here at USU:
I am changing my major to Liberal Arts with minors in Math, Latin, and Ancient Greek. That's right folks, I will not longer be a Mathematics Education major. I have always been uneasy with the idea of being a math teacher, but I never knew to what I could change my major. Well...the time has come. Finally, in my fifth year of school--don't worry, a lot of people take the 5 or 6 year track :)--I feel like I'm headed in the right direction.

So, I'm guessing you're thinking two things:

One: "What on earth is a Liberal Arts major?" The Liberal Arts Major offers a broad and challenging course of study in the humanities, sciences, arts, and social sciences. It allows a student to really explore all different aspects of the humanities, arts, sciences and social sciences and this major allows the student to develop an individualized curriculum in consultation with the program advisor. Check out the USU General Catalog to find out more.

Two: "Liberal Arts majors? Don't they just flip burgers when they graduate? " Yeah, I guess that's an option, but that's not what I'm going for. I am planning on going to graduate school either at a seminary or a university with a divinity school (like Yale, Harvard, etc.). I am interested in Biblical Studies with some sort of language emphasis. The reality is I don't know exactly what I will be doing when I finish that sort of degree, but it's a start at least.

Well, I hope the semester is treating you well. I'm glad I am finally able to catch everyone up on my major change (in both senses of the phrase).

-Shayla

Cache Humane Society

Hi friends! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated! This semester has been epically busy.

I've recently stumbled upon a really wonderful new activity--volunteering at the Cache Humane Society! I found out about it through a friend. They hold volunteer orientation every 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month at 4PM. It's a really awesome opportunity to serve the community and get some "pet therapy."

My friend and Vicki and I go in at 8AM on Saturday mornings and spend a few hours cleaning out cat kennels (they clean them everyday!) and playing with the cats. The whole place runs like a well-oiled machine. It's very well-maintained and it's funded purely by donations from the public!

Here are pictures of two of my favorite cats, Saffron and Jimbo:

Saffron

Jimbo

Saffron is a sweet, cuddly little girl who just loves attention. If you sit on the ground in the communal (a large enclosed area for the socialized cats), she'll immediately crawl onto your lap. I haven't hung out with Jimbo much, but I'm a sucker for his sad-looking eyes that just scream "take me home!"

If you love animals and you want to contribute to the Cache Valley community, definitely check it out when you come up here!

Peace out,

Shayla M.

Check out the website if you're interested: http://www.cachehumane.org/CHS/Main.html

Top Ten Ways to Stay Sane Second Semester

Here are (my) Top Ten Ways to Stay Sane Second Semester:

10 -- Take naps! (If you're on campus, the TSC has some very comfy couches)

09 -- Eat chocolate

08 -- Listen to some of your favorite music while relaxing on your bed

07 -- Take frequent breaks while studying (every 45 minutes or so?)...to enhance these breaks, I usually go look at interesting books throughout the library :)

06 -- Take up a new hobby (crochet, eating contests, join a campus club*, paint, etc.)

05 -- Read a book...NOT a textbook

04 -- Explore the wonderful and beautiful Cache Valley--(e.g take a tour at the Pepperidge Farm Factory** or at Gossner Foods***)

03 -- Go see a movie!****

02 -- Laugh often (I try to laugh at least once a day)

01 -- Do something you love to do, and do it often

Hopes this helps,

Shayla :)

*https://www.usu.edu/asusu/clubs/

**http://www.pepperidgefarm.com/

***http://www.gossner.com/home/gossner/index.php

****http://www.westatestheatres.com/logan.htm

Best First-Week-of-School EVER!

Hi friends!

Ok, are you ready for this? This week has been one of the BEST first weeks of my entire school career. I am finally in a class as specific to my major as classes get: MATH 4500 "Methods of Secondary School Mathematics Teaching." Quite a mouthful. But a beautiful mouthful! I have this class from 7:30-10:15AM on Tues. and Thurs. It's really long, but the professor is so great. He is really engaging and definitely doesn't lecture the whole time. He asks us great questions and challenges our thinking. I had to read 40 pages from the textbook and so far I actually enjoy reading my textbook! Mostly because it contains everything I'd ever want to know about teaching math to middle school and high school students--my passion.

I am so stoked, you guys. This is the class I have been waiting for. And I'm planning on doing some extra projects that go along with this class through the Honors Program (more about my experience of Honors in a later post). So hip-hip-hooray for school! I am also taking a neat class from the same professor, MATH 4400 "History of Mathematics and Number Theory." Who doesn't want to learn about how math came about? Come on, you know you're curious! :D I assure you it's going to be interesting! I'll keep you posted on how the semester plays out--I am SO EXCITED!!

Until next time,

Shayla--Your incredibly nerdy, math-loving USU Friend :D