Family Weekend Mayhem

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The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, 

but of respect and joy in each other’s life.

~Richard Bach

I don't see myself as a homebody, and I tend to make myself comfortable fairly quickly no matter where I am. But, there's something special about being with a group of people who love you unconditionally. Over the weekend, my mother, aunt, and grandma came all the way to Iowa to see me.

This term's been abnormally stressful, and I became sick over the week which made catching up on assignments difficult. Formal recruitment ended, but I still had so much work to do for my officer position. I decided to prioritize my responsibilities to my sorority sisters, over my own well-being. Though I never recommend someone doing this, I felt that I needed to do my best - despite my own ailments - because people depend on me. Naturally, I only became more stressed as my workload increased, and to top it all off my family was coming.

You’d be surprised (maybe not) by how quickly I got over my stress once we left. After spending time with my family, I gained three valuable experiences to help me get through the next week, and hopefully, the rest of the school year.

1. I streamlined my work

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I decided to finish my paper within one hour. If it takes the average woman 30 min to write a paper, it may take me an hour. I spend half of that time debating with myself about whether or not I should start over from scratch. Then, my mom arrived. My family took off work to come and see me. The least I could do was to keep work separate from my personal life. When we got back to my dorm I ranted for… 45 minutes? My mom is more reasonable when it comes to time management, and she told me to just do it. I challenged myself to finish that paper, so we could leave. When I did, I quickly finished another assignment. The solution was so simple, yet I couldn’t bring myself to do it without my mom telling me to. We all need that parental push once in a while. I won’t be spending more time than I need to on assignments anymore. 

2. I stood up to annoying men

We ordered Need Pizza for dinner, but there was no parking, so I hopped into the rain, and went to get our dinner. This really tall man - thin, ugly, and drunk - was harassing people out front. One man walked away and a couple walked inside. This man was blocking the door, so I had to walk past him. This fool had the audacity to say (drunk voice) Girl, you smilin’? You need to smile. How can I put into words how angry I was? He called me a girl AND told me to smile! I gave him the middle finger and pushed past him. I warned the inside staff about him, and pointed him out. When I left the shop, he stumbled to the other side of the sidewalk. He was lucky my mom wasn’t there. 

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He wasn’t the last sicko. After shopping the next day, a man followed behind us in his SUV. Now, this fool, had the nerve to try to intimidate us. He may have road rage, but I have woman rage. He should’ve been prepared for my attitude. We all know those drivers that think they have the right-of-way solely because they’re in a car; he’s one of them. My Grandma walked behind me to shield me from his car, and I looked him in the eyes. He glared at me. I glared at him. He pulled up slowly behind us and followed us into the parking lot of the hotel. 

I stood behind Grandma and put my arms up behind her. He drove to our side and rolled his window down. He was angry, so I talked VERY loudly about how his license plate was easy to remember and how you shouldn’t be a terrible driver if your license plate is so simple. When we got inside, I saw him get out of his car. No one seemed worried, but I was on edge. Later than night I tried to look for his car, to take photos for the police (just in case) but Grandma said she watched him leave hours before that. He was lucky too. 

3. I learned about my preferred aesthetics

We went to Ashley Furniture because my mom needs a couch. I had no clue how expensive furniture can be. The store was divided into themes based on whatever the designer thought looked well together. I love HGTV shows and had the basic idea that I wanted my dream home to be nice. This isn’t good enough. Do I want a whimsical or modern aesthetic? Do I want to feel energized in one room and relaxed in the other? There were many options, and I know that I have plenty of time to experiment with styles before I purchase my first home. Still, it’s never too early to know what you like. 

For starters, giant clocks are the way to go. I don’t know about you, but I want a giant clock in my living room. It’s purposeful and it’s art (apparently). What more can you ask for? I want paintings of trees and fish, and lights that sparkle. Basically, a magical forest with furniture that contains outlets for my electronics. My research this autumn is all about nature immersion and its effects on individuals, so maybe it’s destiny for my house to mimic a nature reserve. 

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At the end of all the amazing memories I've made with the woman in my family, I came back to campus with a clear head and a happy heart. My dorm is my private sanctuary, my sisters and friends are my family, and Coe is my home away from home. I'm not the type of person to become homesick, still, it's nice to know that there are people I can come back to.


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Planet of Success Quotes

Back-to-School Blues: Starting The Year Off "Badly"

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By Arabella Chamberlain

You made it back! By now, you're probably all moved in, unpacked, and have gone to class (hopefully...). But have the back to school blues already hit?

Coming back to school can be a hard transition for everyone. Yes, you're surrounded by all those friends you've been missing for months over the summer and you're seeing old faces and visiting the Library or sitting in the hammocks. But you've also left behind family and friends back home, the carefree lack of a schedule most days, or maybe that extra busy summer job... But hey, at least you're not broke anymore.

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It can be easy to feel stuck in a rut when trying to get back into the swing of assigned readings and problem sets and 5-page essays. But don't let that stop you from making this year your best year yet! Even if you're the most organized and efficient and "on-top-of-it" student, here's some tips to guarantee this will be a school year to remember:

• Get a tutor... the sooner, the better! (Even if you think you won't need it!) It's easy to think, "Oh, this class is gonna be so easy" when you're only a week and a half in, but by the time that daunting midterm rolls around, you'll wish you'd at least taken the steps to get a tutor. Requesting a tutor is the hard part (and it's not even that hard!), going to a tutoring session is the easy part! As long as you show up ready to work, your tutor is ready to help.

• Grab a planner (or get your Google Calendar organized!) I can't even tell you the number of assignments and meetings I'd lose track of if not for the gift of Google Calendar and Tasks. I'm a pretty forgetful person... and it shows when I run into a meeting 10 minutes late! But if you can get into the habit of keeping a calendar, digital or otherwise, it'll be so much easier to figure out when you can stop by a professor's office or scheduling that tutoring session I just mentioned ;) . Don't take a simple planner for granted. It can be a lifesaver.

• Talk to your professors! They have office hours for a reason. As much as I'm sure professors love sitting in their office grading papers nonstop, I'm sure a visit from a friendly face is a nice break from all those problem sets or essays on Tolstoy. Your professors have office hours for YOU. That's a time that they've devoted to helping out any students that need help outside of class time. Though it can seems daunting to knock on their door, stop by and have a chat, even if you're doing well in a class. The better a professor knows you, the better they can help you learn and grow.

• Take a break sometimes. If you find yourself overwhelmed and feeling like you've got way too much on your plate, know when to say "no." Don't overextend yourself and regret not giving something your all. It can be easy to join this club and take on this job and volunteer this place, but you need to draw a line for yourself and know your limits. If you bite off more than you can chew, when are you going to have a chance to relax? When will you get the time to enjoy your college experience. Coe has so many amazing things to offer, but don't let that stop you from actually enjoying them. Take time for yourself.

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All in all, whatever you do this year will be enough. Set goals and work for them, but if at first you don't succeed, don't let that get you down. Whatever little milestones you've accomplished along the way are still milestones - remember that! I recently heard an interesting little quote that I think sums up my approach to this upcoming year:

"Anything worth doing is worth doing badly"

-G. K. Chesterton

Keep up the work - good or bad!

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Be Advised!: Advising Season

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by Arabella Chamberlain

Beware, advising season is upon us!

Sounds a little scary, right? It's not just me? You're not alone if you feel that way. You might be thinking, "I've barely made it through this semester and you want me to pick harder classes and take more labs next semester?" It can be daunting. So what's a good way to make sure your schedule isn't too crazy?

• Don't schedule classes right over your lunch break. You'll be very hungry and there's probably at least one other credit you could take instead that doesn't block out your schedule from 10am-2pm. You can always grab Charlie's Pub if necessary, but you might get tired of that after 3 days a week, 14 weeks in a row.
• Need a writing intensive course? Take it one at a time. Unless you're an English major who can't escape this (I commend you), only take one writing intensive course a semester. Try to space out your classes well so that you don't have 3 essays due the same day.
• Keep that in mind for labs too. If you're a STEM major, your extra labs and things are bound to stack up and suddenly, you're not only in classes 4 hours a day - you're in labs 4 hours a day! Keep track of what classes have required labs and which ones don't while scheduling for next semester.



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• Look at your major and general education requirements before you head to your advising session so YOU have a good idea what to register for, not just your advisor who has dozens of other students to advise as well. Plus, it always helps to know if you're on the right track - before you get too far down the line.
• Don't overload your classes unless you absolutely have to! If you stay on top of your classes, you shouldn't need to do this. Even if you aren't on top of it, it's better to be just a little short and fill it with a 0.2 or 0.3 credit than to be a little short and fill it with a 1.0 credit and a lab. Space things out appropriately!
• Ultimately, take care of YOU! When making your schedule, don't just take only the courses required of you, but maybe step out of your comfort zone and take that art class you've been eyeballing since freshman year, or fill a Gen Ed with something new and exciting, not just some "Intro to..." class. Get into the nitty gritty of your education and experience all that college has to offer.

Happy advising!

Keeping Toasty: SNOW DAY

by Arabella Chamberlain

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IT'S A MIRACLE. We all thought this would never happen. After days of trudging through piles of snow for those unyielding 8AMs, we've finally heard those word we thought we'd never hear: "CLASSES CANCELLED." It's insane how excited all my friends got upon the news. Upon countless professors constantly insisting that "Coe never cancels" or "as long as Coe is open, I'm teaching,"  that blessed email was greeted with rejoice. That being said, what do we do now?

Since classes are cancelled because of the freezing cold temperatures, it might be a smart idea to stay in on Wednesday. But before you bunker down, make sure you have supplies to last you or good enough winter clothes - scarves, hats, mittens, parkas - to keep you toasty outside. Even then, avoid long term exposure to the elements and know when to seek medical attention.

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Other than the terrifying risk of hypothermia and frostbite, you're free all day Wednesday! Take this time to get some stuff done. Here's some suggestions:

1. Sort emails. (And respond to the important ones!) Been putting off replying to that one from your boss - Stop stalling and get to work! Make folders and organize your emails. Delete all those emails you don't need anymore. 
2. Do that laundry you've been procrastinating. You might have to wait a bit for the washer or dryer to free up, but you don't have class, so no excuses! If you can't find a machine to stake a claim on, maybe chill in the laundry room and strike up a conversation with someone new. Who knows - you might find true love! (You're welcome, btw...)
3. Get ahead (or catch up) on homework. We all know there's always that one professor that's going to say, "the assignment is still due Wednesday." Don't be caught off guard. Check with professors that haven't already reached out to you and find out if their course schedule is just shifting a little or if that exam is still Friday. Even if you think you're on top of everything, run through a mental list of upcoming assignments and things to study for. Anything you can start early on? Midterms will be here before you know it.
4. Reorganize. Clean up your room. Sort your assignments in a planner. Fix your schedule. All of these are great ideas to get started on early in the semester so by midterms, you aren't losing your mind. Save a piece of your sanity!
5. Take time to recover. Are you feeling under the weather? If this cold weather has wiped you out and you've got the sniffles, curl up under the covers and try to relax. Take a nap, get some rest. Let your body work its magic and hopefully you'll be feeling better soon.
6. Read a book. (Or binge-watch Netflix...) Use some of this newfound free time to pick up a book. Reading for enjoyment seems to go the wayside once we get to college, but it can be a great way to de-stress and stretch your imagination. Find a good book, grab some cocoa, get a comfy blanket and go to town! 
7. Catch up on the LC Blog! My colleagues and I have been tirelessly working to get new content out to you guys, but maybe you've missed something exciting. Scroll back through our posts and let us know what you think! 

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Stay warm!

(Here's some puppers to inspire you.)

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How Not to Lose Your Mind: Scheduling for Dummies (And Smarties...)

By Arabella Chamberlain

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As I look at my daily planner, I look a bit like this as I try to calculate the number of hours I can study, eat, sleep, and breathe, all while acing all my classes, participating in 50 clubs, and curing cancer in my free time.

College is crazy busy. I spend half my time just trying to remember what class I'm supposed to be in, when that meeting was I had to go to, and what assignments I had due. It can be overwhelming the sheer number of clubs and organizations on campus as well. So how do you do it? How do you maintain your sanity when all you feel like doing is taking a nap?

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The most important way to keep cool with a busy schedule is don't take on too much in the first place. At the start of the year, there's a flurry of clubs and organizations trying to recruit you to join this club, be an exec in that club, come to this event - everyone wants a piece of you. It's hard to say no when everyone's offering free snacks and pizza, yet somehow, you have to find balance for yourself. Maybe right now you think you can handle it all, but what happens when there's a setback?

It's only the first week and yet, professors are already bombarding us with assignments. In order to make this semester a little easier on yourself, we need to get ahead of the game. Fast. So let's get organized.

One of the biggest obstacles standing between students and success is organization. In a study done in 2008, researchers found that disorganized students were more likely to struggle in their classes, turn in late assignments, and feel dispassionate towards their education. Getting organized benefits more than just your sanity, it can benefit your grades.

It can be daunting to try and clean up your life, especially when you've gotten used to your comfy clutter, but here's some tips:

• find your balance - Make a list of all the stuff you do regularly. What are your commitments and things you need to prioritize? Figure out what really matters to you and make that what you strive to accomplish. Know what you need to get done.
• keep track - And keep on track. I know it can be hard to find time to scribble out all the things you need to do, but it doesn't hurt to scribble down reminders about important things every once in a while. If you really want to get organized, pick up a cheap weekly planner or, being a broke college student, download a To Do list app or utilize Google Calendar. 
• schedule, schedule, schedule - Did I mention how important it is to schedule things? If something is super important, cannot be missed, high priority - why wouldn't you schedule it or make a reminder? When things seem a little intense, sit down and decide when and how long you're going to work on this or that. Be productive by working on chunks of your to do list. Don't forget to schedule breaks, too. Don't burn yourself out.
• when in doubt, cut it out - If you think taking on something new might be too much, or your current commitments are overwhelming, it's okay to cut it out. Is an officer position in a club too much for your already hectic schedule? Let the club know and see if they can find a new officer. You should never feel like you're letting someone down by admitting you're doing too much, remember that. Anyone that makes you feel otherwise is just jealous they can't juggle as much as you already do.

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Honestly, there's so much more you can do to get organized; this is just scratching the surface. But for now, hopefully that gives you a good head start. Try to start reorganizing before the semester gets overwhelming, get some baby steps in the right direction so you can make this your best semester yet. Don't forget, the Obama's believe in you.

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More Resources:
Odyssey: 7 Tips for Staying Organized in College
Thought Co: Get Organized in College
Time Management Series: Jasmine Barlow

Time Management

Time Management - Organization

Time Management - Prioritization

New Semester, New Schedule: How to Effectively Plan A Schedule

Photo by Marco Verch

Whether you know what your major is or you are still looking around for classes that spark your interest, the end of the semester is approaching and that means a new class schedule needs to be made. If you always find yourself struggling and having to change classes after one week because you realize that biology class isn't for you, then here are some tips that can help you next time.

Diversify Your Work

Even if you can crank out an essay in a short time frame you won't want to do it for multiple classes. Make sure that you're not taking four writing intensive classes at the same time so you don't have to write four essays during the last few weeks of the semester. Take classes that will require different types of work; from writing essays to solving problem sets to a presentation. This way you won't find yourself stuck doing the same thing every week and can focus all of your skills on one class without having to share.

Your Secret Weapon: Your Advisor

One of the best resources you have at your disposal is your advisor. Everyone has one, everyone needs one. Ask your advisor every question you can think of when creating your next schedule and if they don't have the answers you can ask the professor of the class for answers as well. They are there to help make sure that you are on track for graduation, and they will make sure you are taking every class you need to get you there. Even better, if you find that your advisor is not in the same department as your major you can get a new advisor by simply signing one form. The process is easy and can be done in an afternoon and you'll have all the help you need in finding the schedule that is perfect for you.

Back-to-Back, Nights, Weekends, Oh My!

The importance of the break has been researched before, and the idea of going from one class to the next will tire you out faster than you think. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time between classes to eat, relax, and study as needed.
There are classes that you can also take that will happen at night or during the weekend, and while these can be helpful in getting a schedule with no conflicts in it they have their own commitment. It is recommended not to take a night class unless you know you work well at night, otherwise, you may find yourself struggling with the classwork.

Focus on the Required Classes

Even if you know what major you are going to go for, focusing on the general education classes first can save you from having to take a non-interest class your senior year. If you focus on getting through all of the science, history, and writing intensive classes first then you will be free to enjoy the classes for your major as you wrap up your college experience.


There are many more tips out there for creating the perfect class schedule. Look around for what will best suit you and don't be afraid to ask your advisor or professors of classes that you're interested in for help. They're there to help you and your academic career!

Sources

5 Tips to Creating the Perfect College Class Schedule
8 Tips for Choosing College Classes