Make it Happen!: Getting Involved

By Arabella Chamberlain

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Sometimes I just want to block all those constant emails about joining Anime Club or Physics Club's weekly reminder that they're having "Physics Ph-ridays" as I once saw their ice cream social called (who's in charge of marketing? They never run out of ways to hype this event). This is not because I have something against Anime or I'm lactose-intolerant, but simply because it's overwhelming the insane number of emails clubs send out hoping you'll join. Is it worth it?

Getting involved on campus can be daunting, even as an upperclassman. You've already got your friends and even though you might think that one club is super cool, you're worried you won't fit in or have time. It's understandable. But there are many benefits to joining a club or two on campus. Getting yourself out there opens up opportunities to meet new people, try new things, and can sometimes even lead to leadership. To quote the rather cheesy slogan, "Coe makes it possible... You make it happen" - when you go out and get involved!

Crash Course for Getting Involved:

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• Bring a friend... but don't let that hold you back from meeting new people! It can be easy to just stick close to your friend, but try to find someone you've never met or don't know as well to sit with. It might be out of your comfort zone at first, but who knows? Maybe you'll both make friends and can introduce each other.
• Start small. If you're unsure if you'll like the club, just sign up for their emails or drop by an event they host. You don't have to go to their meetings right away! If you know someone already in the club, ask them what it's like at their meetings or meet some of their friends in the club.
• Don't overcommit! It's just as easy to have the opposite problem of the Social Butterfly, which is jumping into one too many clubs and taking on every leadership position possible. While it's great to get experience as a club officer, try not to take on more than one or two officer positions at a time. Remember, academics come first and you can't do that if all your study time is spent in meeting after meeting after meeting.
• Be open-minded. Try lots of different clubs - even ones you think you won't like! You might be surprised that the first club you try might not be one you stick with. You might give Math Club a try and realize you love their game nights (even though 58% of people there just want math culture points). You might join the Offstage Players and realize you have a call to the spotlight.
• Have fun! The whole point of clubs in your college career is to give you opportunities to make friends, meet new people and do things you might never get to do again in your life. Many say "these are the best four years of your life," and who are we to disagree? We haven't seen the other side yet, but the grass might not be greener in the professional business world. I bet they don't have "Ice Cream Fri-Yays" (Did I mention the endless ways Physics Club markets?). Enjoy your time here.

Although I often just glance at all those emails from clubs, to quote the recent production of Sheltered on campus, "you never know what you'll find unless you look."

Get involved!

The Sophomore Slump: Your Community

by Arabella Chamberlain

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When fighting off the sophomore slump, you might not realize how important your community is. The people around you, your support and your encouragement can have a big impact on how well you take on the sophomore slump. Getting involved in new things and staying in touch with old friends can truly be a make or break of your year. I've compiled a list below of some of the ways you can get involved on campus and find your place in the COE-mmunity. Clever, right?

Your COE-mmunity:

• Student Senate:  Want to have your voice heard on campus? Come to Senate meetings, Wednesdays 7pm @ Cherry Auditorium, even if you're not a senator. Or be bold and run for a senate seat! This is a great opportunity to meet people from all over campus with a plethora of majors represented. Make the changes you want to see on campus!

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• Greek Life:  Might seem like it's not your thing, but don't knock it til you try it! Here on Coe's campus we have some of the best Greek life. With chapters from 4 sororities and 5 fraternities, there's definitely some place you can call home. 
• Clubs:  Join a club! Coe has an insane number of clubs on campus and they're constantly emailing to remind you about all their events. Just try stopping by a meeting or two. Go to an event you wouldn't normally go to and maybe you'll find something you really like! Take the first step to getting involved and it's easier once you get started.
• Volunteering:  This is such a great way to reach out into the community. Whether on-campus or off, volunteer is not only good for those around you, but good for you! Reach out to local charities and volunteer-based organizations and see how you can help out.



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• Cedar Rapids:  Take advantage of the amazing city we live in and explore Cedar Rapids. There are countless restaurants and shops and things to do in downtown Cedar Rapids. Visit a museum, stop by NewBo city market, shop at Raygun - don't miss out on the hustle and bustle of the city!
• Theatre/Music/Arts:  Speaking of downtown, take a peek at the nightlife. Music and theatre opportunities are abundant in this area. Head to a local show and support some artists. Be on the lookout for upcoming concerts and grab a friend to go! On-campus, there are plenty of things to do too! SAC is constantly bringing in artists to perform and TheatreCoe does amazing works - and in fact, has a show coming up! Get tickets at the box office in Upper Gage.
• Sports:  If you don't already play a sport, Coe has lots of fun intramurals you can join. Get active and get connected at the same time. Get in the team spirit and have fun! Or if you'd rather not be on the field, maybe even just go support friends in sports. Go Kohawks!
• Res Life/Learning Commons:  Don't ignore the resources just waiting there for you to use them. Check out some of the exciting residence life events that the residence life staff work so hard to plan. Or maybe stop by the Learning Commons just to chat with someone and get to know people who can help you succeed when times get rough. 
• Internship/Job/Research:  Maybe you want to get a head start for after graduation. If that's the case, look into a local internship or job. Or maybe find out if any of your professors are doing research you can get involved in. These are good ways to make connections for down the road and helps to get a taste of the professional life.

No matter what way you get involved in the community, just make sure you get involved! The benefits are amazing and a great way to get over that sophomore slump. Find your COE-mmunity!

More Information:
Student Experiences in the Second Year

Do you feel you have a voice on campus?

Absolutely! I can easily express my opinions to my colleagues.

Kinda... Sometimes I think my voice isn't heard.

Not really. I can't easily express my opinions to my colleagues on campus.

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The Sophomore Slump: Your Voice

By Arabella Chamberlain

Have you ever heard of the term "Sophomore Slump"? Some people associate this with sports, others have never even heard of it. But what about in academics? Students on college campuses across the country struggle with their sophomore year of college - why is that? And what can we do to change that? In the following 8-part series, we're going to take a peek behind the "sophomore slump" and how to escape it.

Your Voice:

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Have you ever felt like Ariel, washed ashore with no voice and unable to express your own thoughts and ideas? I'm about to get real philosophical with The Little Mermaid. One of the hardest things students can struggle with during their sophomore year is finding their own identity, figuring out who they are, becoming their "true self." Sounds cheesy, right?

It's true though. Everyone struggles to find themselves at some point, but in particular, angsty college sophomores faced with the crippling pressure of picking a major which could set you on the path to your future career... no biggie though, right? It's completely normal to be a little stressed when faced with this decision.

What can you do though to figure all this out then? Honestly, there's no magic formula or quick-n-easy worksheet to tell you who you are and what you want - if there was things would be pretty boring. But here are a few suggestions to help you find your voice without visiting an evil sea witch who wants to steal your prince.

• Try new things: Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort (sea)shell. Even if you feel like you've missed the boat to try out a new club or take a class in a different topic than you normally take, forget about that! Cast a wide net and just go to one meeting of that club you always thought looked cool, take a intro class to something you know nothing about to fill some Gen. Ed. requirements, and remember it's okay if you don't like it, but you'll never know 'til you try.
• Speak up and reach out: You'll never find your voice if you never use it. If you just live your life as a passive observer, will you ever truly live? Speak up about the things your passionate about. Does something get you fired up to share with others? SHARE WITH OTHERS. Advocate and educate about things that matter to you. Inspire others about the things inspire you. It seems so simple, yet so many of us constantly find ourselves sitting on the sidelines when we could be jumping in and taking the plunge.
• Write up a list of your interests: (Even the ones that seem to have nothing to do with your current major!) Grab a piece of paper and a pencil and start scribbling down things you find interesting until you're swimming in ideas. It can be anything from Biology and Accounting to Star Wars and baking. Try to see if things have any crossover. Can you combine your love of baking and Chemistry? Or what about your passion for writing and Star Wars? (Fan-fiction, here we come...) Figure out what your passionate about. And then...
• Reach out to your advisors and professors: Find out what you can to pursue the things your passionate about. What can you do to include your interests in your education? Don't just pick a major that you think will be easy; pick a major that you know you'll still love years from now. There's an ocean of opportunities awaiting you. You can always learn new things if you change your mind further on down the line, but in this moment, where do you see yourself happy in a few years? Think about that when deciding your major. (And don't feel tied down - There's plenty of other fish in the ocean!)
• Don't be afraid to go against the flow: Last, but most certainly not least, be true to yourself. Life is far too short to spend your time trying to live up to someone else's standards or focus on being someone else, instead of just being unabashedly YOU. Live your life, not someone else's life. Do the things that make you happy, inspire you, drive you. Follow your dreams - who cares if you don't have a road map? Make your own.

I know this may not help some of you, but to be perfectly honest, I don't have it all figured out either. Hopefully though, this offers some ideas to get you started, but I can't figure it all out for you. Only you can decide who you are, never forget that. If you didn't notice, I'm the kind of person who brings up The Little Mermaid once and then spends an entire article sneaking in water puns. Perhaps not all of you appreciated that, but so what? Cry me a river. Always be true to yourself.

More Information:
Student Experiences in the Second Year: Advancing Strategies for Success Beyond the First Year of College

Have you got it all figured out and you know exactly who you are?

Absolutely! I've got it all together. (Give me a call. I need tips.)

Kinda... Sometimes I don't know who I am.

Not really. I can't decide what outfit to wear in the morning - I have no idea who I am.

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It's Alive!: How to take care of your new houseplant friend

By Paige Waskow

In my last post, I shared some benefits of having plants (you can check it out here). If you are considering getting a new friend but don't want to kill it, fear not! These are a few plants that are easy to grow.

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1. Aloe vera: aloes are pretty common succulents that are both drought tolerant and hardy. To take good care of an aloe, give it bright indirect or direct light and water once a week. Additionally, aloes don't need as much water as say a spider plant or philodendron. They are not leafy, tropical plants and stay strong when it's hot and dry outside!

Soaking air plants

Source: Paige Waskow

2. Spider plants: spider plants are awesome plants to have around. If given the right conditions, they grow quite quickly and also produce baby spider plants that you can grow! To take care of a spider plant, give it indirect light (light you can read in), and water it once or twice a week. The soil should always be moist but not wet (they are not as drought tolerant as succulents or aloe). Another easy to care for plant that thrives in the same conditions are philodendrons. They have long almost vine like leaves.

 Striped Succulent
Source: Paige Waskow

3. Air plants: these plants are amazing and are hard to kill. Air plants don't need soil and can live pretty much wherever . The only thing they really need is water, and to do so, soak them in water for about an hour once or twice a week. They can come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

4. Succulents and cacti: these plants come in all shapes and styles, but all are pretty easy to maintain. Like aloe, these plants really like sun, warmth, and don't need a lot of water. You can water them once a week, but they may not even need that. When watering, measuring out the water, or having a controlled way to manage it, can help you avoid giving your succulent too much.