Update! Update! Filling you in.

Well it's official, official, I've completed one week of classes being a JUNIOR. It was definitely a bit surreal the first few days since I have been on campus all summer. But I think I'm back in the groove, trying to get a good feel for how my weeks will pan out. Since I'm in major organizing mode, let me recap the last two weeks for you.


But first, a few photos. The past two weeks my freshman year memories have come up a lot. It's weird to think that two years ago, I was just a first-year, unsure of what was going to happen. Well, a lot of amazing things happened. So I found a picture of Heidi and I at dragon boats (right) that makes me smile a little bigger at the picture of the two of us taken at dragon boats last Saturday (below).

• ORIENTATION WEEK. Wednesday through Sunday. I was in charge of maintaining the Twitter page and selecting winning tweets tweeted by our first-years. The big events were most definitely the hypnotist, registering for classes, dragon boat racing, Pieces of the Puzzle (a series of short skits portraying potential scenes an incoming first-year might face on a variety of different issues), and the Presidential Brunch. Check out the sweet bracket I was in charge of (right).
• WRITING CENTER. We had our first staff meeting on Sunday night, mainly to fill out our schedules, and then our regularly scheduled meeting on Monday night. It was great to be back and to catch up with all the Writing Center Centaurs (as Dr. Bob fondly calls us). This weekend we will have our annual Labor Day retreat and I also found out that I will be going to San Diego this October for a national writing center conference! Exciting.
• ADMISSION. It is most definitely a new experience to not work eight hours. But I still get in my early morning Admission fun working Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. 
• CLASSES. Awesome. Seriously. Pretty writing intensive but hey, I'm a writer. I am taking a Journalism Social Media class, Shakespeare: Tragedies and Histories, 18th century English Literature, and Honors: Culture and Revolution on the 1960s. I think each semester I pick great classes and can't wait to dive into the material and really get going. 
• SOCIAL LIFE. What social life? Hahaha, just kidding. Things are going to really get busy in the next couple of weeks but I think I'm ready. I've already begun to mentally brace myself. Having a meal plan with the cafeteria is really nice; lets me see people and not feel like a total, independent adult living in an apartment. But I love my apartment. Having my own room and kitchen is GLORIOUS. 
• CLUBS. Will start up soon. Had our first Coe Review meeting Monday and Senate petitions are circulating. I've been trying to convince people to at least try, I want a solid Budget and Finance Committee this fall. 

Well, I see it's 12:45 and I better head to class. Time to discuss Richard III. He is one devious guy! Now that school has begun, I will be posting more. Get ready because I have so much going on, I have to talk about it all! 

Successful first day!

Today was definitely a good day. I woke up, at exactly the same time I did this summer, because I work in Admission Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the morning. It sort of felt like summer never ended. Of course, my shift was only two hours long, not eight so before I knew it, my two hours were up and it was off to my first class of my junior year!

My first class was my Journalism and Social Media workshop. The professor is Jane Nesmith, the advisor for The Pearl which I was editor for last semester. Our class was in the newly remodeled Eby Annex. Our class just discussed where we get our news from and talked about what the semester would consist of. I'm most excited for my New York Times subscription; I'm not limited to only 10 stories a month!

I had a few hour break before my other two classes of the day: Shakespeare: Tragedies and Histories and 18th Century British Literature. Having back to back English classes was a FANTASTIC life choice. Both classes once again reaffirmed my English major decision. We are starting off the semester reading Richard III in Shakespeare and Roxana in 18th century. I know I'll have my hands full with reading but it will all be worth it!

Then it was time to take care of some errands. I practiced the clarinet, got a locker to store my clarinet in Marquis, saw Jane in the business office, and got a few things ready. I had my first dinner in the caf, then a Writing Center meeting, followed by a Coe Review meeting. Then it was time for a bit of homework and now bed. Tomorrow I have one class and a few meetings. It's nice to know I can just fall right back into the school routine. I'm pumped for this semester.

Welcome Class of 2016!

I had the best intentions of posting this past week but life sure has been crazy. The incoming first-years moved in on Wednesday and Orientation ended earlier today. My days were spent working in Admissions and then at night, I volunteered for Orientation.

And let me tell you, Orientation was a blast. Sure, maybe I'm a little biased, but I think Coe does a fantastic job with Orientation. It's a great mix of fun and gives the incoming first-years the ability to settle into college life.

This week was fantastic. I'm a little tired but it was so worth it. My favorite day was most definitely Saturday, when we had dragon boat races. I was in charge of brackets, which let me tell you, is a little harder than expected. But never fear, I was a bracket master, efficiently and smoothly. Today we had a Presidential Brunch and then the volunteers got to go to Olive Garden for dinner. Not a bad deal, right?

Tomorrow is the first day of school. I will definitely post tomorrow and will write more about this past week. Sorry it's so short, so much has been going on, it's hard to write it all down!

I'm back!!

I have definitely been slacking on my blog. I guess I didn't realize how busy things would get. Here are some of the highlights:

• Since Matt started football I have been flying solo in Admission. There has been a lot of tours and lots of tasks to get ready for the school year. I get in at eight and usually don't stop moving until 4:30 PM when I head back to my apartment!
• I don't know if I have mentioned this, but our current president, President Phifer, is retiring at the end of the 2012-2013 year. Coe is currently in the search for a new president and I was selected as one of the two student representatives. I am incredibly honored that I was chosen and so far, it has been an amazing experience. This past week I was reading files for our big meeting that occurred yesterday. 
• Peterson Hall has opened its door and faculty have begun the oh so fun process of moving their things into the new space. I have yet to step inside the remodeled building but it's nice to see the amount of construction vehicles and noise die down a bit.
• Coe purchased two apartment buildings across First Avenue, right next to Brewed Awakenings. They spent the summer remodeling them and there was an open house for them yesterday. Students have started moving in and it's another great apartment option for students. I visited my friend, Ryan, on Friday when he moved into his apartment. It's a pretty nice set-up, especially since he's only a sophomore.
• New Writing Center Consultants moved in on Sunday and we had dinner at Xavier's (a pizza place near Coe) last night. It was nice to meet a new group of students and I'm excited for another semester in the WC. 
• Campus is a buzz with more and more first-years moving in. Tomorrow is their official day; that's when the Victory Bell will be rung, opening convocation will occur, and CAP leaders will meet their CAPlets. 
• With Orientation starting tomorrow, my nights get a little more exciting. I am volunteering so after working in Admission, I'll head over to Orientation Central (aka the main part of campus) and help out where ever I'm needed. 

I think that might be it. Maybe. I promise to post more this week, especially since Orientation will be in full swing. Hope the end of everyone's summers are going well. :) Enjoy these beautiful days!

#weeklywednesdaywisdom: Packing 101

Hello faithful readers! This is my last installment of #weeklywednesdaywisdom because next week you'll all be moving in and won't have time to read it! Don't worry non-first years, I'll be sure to keep you up to date with Orientation and the beginning of the school year.

So with seven days and counting you're probably getting ready to pack things up and move out. Exciting is it not? Below are my five tips for you. Last year I blogged more specific tips about packing and moving in. If you click on the archives and look under August 2011, you should be able to find them. I'm also hoping to have a Freshman Toolbox page up either today or tomorrow with links to all the posts I've written about moving in. I hope you find these next tips helpful!

1. Sterilite containers are your friends. Seriously. Instead of having so many tiny boxes, you can have four or five. I think the ones I have used are either 54 or 56 quarts. Perfect for packing dorm items in. When you're done with them, they will either fit nicely under your bed (assuming you have bed lifts, which are an excellent investment!) or in a closet or on top of shelf. They fit nicely in a car and keep everything safe.
2. Don't worry about bringing EVERYTHING. You can buy things here and also bring things from home after a break. It's not necessary to bring all your favorite books from childhood to adulthood because let's face it, you're not going to be able to read them once you're here (especially not during Orientation Week). And having 50 DVDs is also not necessary; bring your favorites and either check the other ones out through our AV Department or chances are, someone else on campus will have them.
3. Although you don't have to bring everything, there are still some critical items you might need. Think of a typical day and those things you might grab without even thinking about. Those are the items you will need. Band-aids, plastic bags, aspirin, pencils, sticky notes, and tape are some examples of items you might not even think about using during the day. It sure stinks when you don't have them when you really need them. 
4. There is no need to stress about moving things into your room. When you pull onto campus next Wednesday, all the fall sport athletes don't have practice because their "training" is helping first-years move in. I've witnessed a van full of dorm things pull up in front of Armstrong, open the back and a swarm of football players take everything out and walk up to fifth floor to place the items in the room. You will not be moving in alone. Promise.
5. BREATHE. You will get moved in. You and your roommate(s) will get along. Your CAP group will be nice. Anything you forgot will be bought or sent to you. Yes, you might not get time to fully decorate your room but there will be time later. Enjoy the day and don't get too stressed, there is no time or need for that!

Stay tuned the rest of the week for more posts geared towards first-years! Happy packing and see you soon!

#packing
#almostalegitkohawk
#leavinghome
#firstyearswag

The fastest yet most familiar week yet: Week 9

This past week, I met many many families, participated in ten panels, gave nine tours, and rode the party bus. It was Iowa's Private College Week and boy, did it go by fast. My days fell into a steady routine -- arriving at the library, a quick debrief, walking over to Hickok to greet the faculty speaker, speaking on a panel, giving a tour, eating lunch and then repeating the process all over again.

But we found ways to make it exciting. We had our regular name tag but also an "Ask Me About...." name tag. While most people kept it simple with their major and clubs they were involved with, I wanted to make it more fun. One day I simply wrote "$150,0000" which is the amount of money I as Student Senate Treasurer have the pleasure of allocating with my committee. Another day I wrote "Frogs and Elephants" the featured animals on the covers of The Pearl and The Coe Review. Some people did ask about them which livened up any conversation.

While we give our tours, Charlie the Kohawk finds us. He is on the party bus, the riders armed with freeze-pops as a mid-tour snack. But you just don't get a freeze-pop for free, you also have to take a photo with Charlie. The first few times, the photos with Charlie were boring. The group just stood there and plastered a smile on their faces. They turned out like this:

Two of the women who work in Admissions, Mary B. and Katie, told me I needed to liven my photos up a bit. These were some of the results:

I still need to get my favorite group picture, which was taken Friday morning. I'll be sure to post that once I get it! I also had one more trick up my sleeve, Jay (our new Admission counselor and my old CAP leader!) and I made signs and this is what Mary B. and Katie stumbled across on Friday afternoon:

Cute right? 

So it was a good week. I met so many cool students and I hope I see some of them on campus again. 

This weekend is a refresh and relax weekend. I checked out a TV season from the AV Department and spent my Friday night on the couch before going to bed early! Today was comprised of more relaxing, watching the Olympics, playing beach volleyball, and doing some reading. Tomorrow will most likely be very similar. 

On an exciting note, more students are moving back in! The football team moved in today and more students will arrive on campus all week. Peterson Hall should open its doors on Monday so professors can move back in and start unpacking! Our new apartments, Hampton Court, are open and students have started moving in. Those apartments are located right next to Brewed Awakenings and across from Stuart Hall. 

#weeklywednesdaywisdom: The First-Year Experience

How many of you are counting down the days until you move into Coe? I haven't counted, but I know it's coming up too quickly.

As you start to pack up your room and get ready to head off to campus, you might be wondering what happens after Orientation. I mean, you know classes start, but what else will you be up to?

Let me tell you.

You'll be getting letters (or have already received) letters from your College Adjustment Peer (CAP). They are your go-to buds once you're on campus. You can ask them just about anything and they'll make sure your transition to Coe is nice and smooth.

They will also probably coordinate some of the activities you have to complete during your first year. We call your first year the First-Year Experience. There are five components to this experience:

1. Summer common reading
2. Orientation activities
3. First-Year Seminar Class
4. Campus Engagement 
5. Service Learning 

You've hopefully completed the "baboon book," and of course you'll participate in all the fun Orientation activities (I promise, they are fun), and you've recently gotten your FYS placements. That just leaves campus engagement and service learning.

• Campus engagements are simply that: events on campus. You'll attend plays, musical concerts, a SAC event, or something else campus decides to host. It's a great way to get you out in the Coe community, see what other Kohawks are doing, and just give yourself a nice way to enjoy a night on campus. Campus engagements also include attending an issue dinner, a dinner with other first-years on a topic that is important in the Cedar Rapids community. A speaker might come in to give you some facts or you might have a discussion with someone from campus. The topics vary year to year and are always interesting.
• Service learning is strongly recommended for first-years but not required. We ask that you try to complete around 20 hours of service back to Cedar Rapids. There are lots of way to do service. Sometimes Coe brings projects to campus and sometimes you get to go out into the city and do your service there. For example, I went down a few blocks to the local elementary school and read books to first-graders. It was adorable and I loved it. We have a fantastic service learning office (in Upper Gage) and they can help you find the perfect place to volunteer at. 

Well, I hope this continues to fire you up about coming to campus. I can't wait for you guys to move in and liven up campus a bit! Enjoy these last few weeks!

#firstyearexperience

#timetocometocampus

#orientationswag 

Five Days of Non-Stop Fun: Iowa's Private College Week at Coe

Well hey there!

If you've been following my blog all summer you know that this is a big week. It's Iowa's Private College Week. Private colleges across the state of Iowa open their doors and welcome prospective students and their families. Yesterday was the first day and let me tell you, it's a little crazy. Definitely a nice way to spice up a week.

My first day consisted of nametags, run downs, mingling, a student panel, a tour, eating a freeze-pop with Charlie the Kohawk, lunch in the caf and then round two where I did it all again. My boss, Jill, calls it Groundhog's Day. Which is accurate.

Today is day two and I'm ready for even more fun!

Moved in! Week Eight Complete!

Well I have successfully moved into Schlarbaum 3 for the fall semester. I moved some things Monday and Tuesday night and then the rest of it on Wednesday. My room is finally all decorated and everything has its place. It's sort of beautiful. I'm rooming with two of my summer roommates, Whitney and Alison and Heidi joined us.

It should be an awesome apartment.
Just saying.

This week at Admissions was pretty crazy as we were gearing up for Iowa's Private College Week. I  can only imagine it will be an exhausting week; with two sessions each day. Which means I'll be on two student panels a day, give two tours to at least 10 prospective students and their families and mingle with countless families. I can't wait!

On Thursday, Heidi and I went to Sushi House, a popular restaurant on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids. Heidi had never been and she enjoyed it! Friday night I had dinner with Elise, my clarinet buddy. She was in Cedar Rapids for the month of July helping middle school band students and serving as the librarian for the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band. It was nice to have dinner with her and hear about her summer adventures!

I have some things to start preparing for the upcoming school year so in between the Olympics, I'll be being productive today and tomorrow! Hard to believe that in a few weeks, everyone will start coming back. My junior year is almost here!

#weeklywednesdaywisdom: Get pumped

HAPPY AUGUST FIRST.
Wait. What?
It's August 1st?
No.
Yes.
Woah.

Because August 1st means Orientation is under 30 days away!
And let's be real, August is a busy month for everyone.
You've got a couple of weeks to enjoy the summer sun and then it's time to pack your things and head to Coe! Yes! I don't know about you, but I'm excited for you. My tips for the week are sort of variety pack of tips. Hope they are helpful! :)

• First read those emails from Coe sitting in your inbox. Because guess what? Yep, that's me, right above this first bullet. Apparently I just give lots of advice. These emails come from Hailley and Matt, Admission Assistants and go-to guides. And come on, how can you not love our pictures? There are some really good emails coming up so you won't want to miss them!
• Make sure all those fun summer assignments are done. So pick up that baboon book and finish those last 30 pages. Write those essays during the last summer writing exercise later this week. Sit down when it's unbelievely hot outside and finish Part I of Alcohol Edu. Once you get to campus, you'll be happy you did those assignments over the summer.
• Make a list of things you still need. While most students immediately start making a dorm list, don't forget you need school supplies too! Stores are in their peak school display mode so find some good deals and start stockpiling all the things you need.
• Enjoy the end of the summer. Hang out with your high school friends and your family. Gather addresses (snail mail or email) so you can send them a note once you're on campus. Even your "annoying" little sibling would love to hear from you. Trust me.
• GET PUMPED. Nothing more needs to be explained.

Stay cool and check back next week for more tips!  

#augustswag
#comingsoon
#getready