So with the end of finals week approaching, you might be thinking about how do you plan on moving out? Well, I compiled a few websites and Youtube videos to relieve your stress J
And so, we find ourselves yet again amidst the biannual week-long celebration of education and knowledge. Festivities are known to go well into the night, often accompanied by caffeinated beverages and review sessions. It’s a thrilling roller coaster ride of intense activity and abbreviated rest. Higher education calls this week-long celebration “Finals Week”. I call it one big knowledge party.
Don’t give me any of this garbage about how much you hate tests, papers, presentations… Been there, done that. Time for a new perspective. Take your worried face out of your hands long enough to see the reality of this week: precious opportunity. We are given the privilege to show all we learned this semester, in the form of final exams, participation points, and lab reports! While it may not be your initial idea of a good time, open your mind to the possibility of fun in unexpected places. It’s time to marvel at your education, how your brain has expanded with knowledge, and then jump in the party with the rest of us.
Truth is, you know things. Things you probably didn’t know last semester, maybe not even last week. Commemorate this, your intellectual stimulation and the fruit you gather from it. Celebrate your knowing. Can’t quite identify what you know at the moment? Sounds like someone needs to start celebrating.
Was your dead week not so dead? Tired of studying and need a break? Want some cool prizes?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then EXAM JAM is the perfect event for you. The details are below:
What: Exam Jam
When: 8pm-12am TONIGHT
Where: Skutt Student Center
The event will feature comedian Jonathan Burns, a poker tournament, a relaxation table with massage chairs, and 4 pub quizzes. If you want some cool prizes or a good laugh, then this is the event for you. There will be free food, free soda, and awesome prizes. What could be better than that? If you want a sneak preview of Jonathan Burns, check out the link below!
Hi all, it’s Kristyn Angsten again (senior Swanson RA). As the year is coming to an end, many of us seniors are finalizing our plans for next year. Let’s take a look at what some of us RAs (from different halls) will be doing next year and also what they will remember about their life in the residence halls.
Kristina Ward- Kiewit
Kristina is majoring in Physics and plans on going to a Creighton Master’s program next year. She wants to teach, so she will obtain a master’s in Physics and also secondary education with a teaching endorsement. Looking back on her experience in Kiewit, she realizes it’s a wonderful place to be because there are so many different types of people living so close together—you can always learn something new by getting to know your neighbors in the building! She also knows she will never forget the infamous flooding during the first semester.
Elizabeth Samson- McGloin
Elizabeth is majoring in Justice and Society with a minor in Christian Life Studies. She will be volunteering with Colorado Vincentian Volunteers (CVV). Through CVV, she will be working for Volunteers of America – Colorado Branch. She will be helping 16-23 year olds, who are homeless and in their 18month program, find affordable housing. She will also be helping with the life skills programming that they attend each week. She has loved having the opportunity to get to know freshmen and sophomores in a unique way. She is especially thankful for her year as an RA on Deglman 5. Her and her D5 girls had so much fun last year and she cannot be more thankful for the growth she experienced that year and the relationships she created with such wonderful, beautiful women.
Gary Henry – Swanson
Gary is majoring in Biology. Gary (like some others!) will be taking a gap year before applying to medical school. He hopes to do some volunteer work, and maybe learn how to fly! Gary says that although Swanson has had a lot of struggles this year with many transitions, these challenges have allowed each of the team members on staff to show their strengths and pull together to make sure we get the job done. Watching this and working together to create a great community in our residence hall this year has been inspiring to him.
Joey Kulczewski – Gallagher
Joey is majoring in Marketing. When asked about his plans for next year, he says he plans on staying awesome, and hopes to never be asked about this again! (Joey is a jokester). Thinking about his favorite Gallagher event, he says it has to be a tie between the Galla-Games and the Gtown Getdown because as a hall staff, they poured their hearts into these events and worked so hard together to make each event the best it could be for their residents.
Becca Bloom- Deglman
Becca is an English Major with English Education Specialization; Spanish & Hispanic Studies Minor; Women’s & Gender Studies Minor. Next year, she will be participating in the Operation TEACH program in Baltimore, Maryland. As a member of the program, she will be studying at Notre Dame of Maryland University for my Master of Arts in teaching and teaching high school English at the Institute of Notre Dame. One of her favorite aspects of living in Deglman this year has simply been sitting out in the hallway chatting with her residents. She says it makes it feel even more like home!
Summer, it’s not just a time of relaxation, but also a reward for the strong. Summer really is a three-month congratulations for those of us who have successfully clawed through those terrible classes, pulled all-nighters for that 25 page paper, and to stand up and breath a sigh of relief after that very last final. So now what? For those times you are bored and can’t beat the heat, consider these:
Go to the zoo. Hey, free air conditioning and the sharks are pretty cool.
Aksarben cinema on Tuesdays! I go religiously–$6 movies, $1 popcorn, and $1 drinks with those awesome coke machines of a thousand choices. Make it a marathon!
Get a “free month membership” to a gym and take advantage of their pool
Grab a car full of friends and drive down to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City or Adventureland in Des Moines. I’m partial to KC, it’s pretty awesome. But go before June and on a weekday while it is you, the roller coaster, and no school kids.
One last final idea… Go to the college world series at TD Ameritrade! People drive in from all over the country, and all you have to do is walk three blocks! Plus the games are really fun, just don’t forget sunscreen!
Happy Monday, everybody! Without a doubt, this Monday kicks off the busiest two weeks of the school year: Not-so-Dead Week, Finals, and checking out. You may have checklists for what stands between you and summer – projects, papers, and tests, and I’m about to add one more to your “to-do” before summertime fun and relaxation.
Move Out Check List
¨ Sign up for a check out time with your RA
¨ Empty room of all personal belongings, including: carpet, wood, and cement blocks
¨ Remove all tape, nails, scuff marks, and graffiti from all room furniture, walls, and other surfaces
¨ Sweep/Mop/Vacuum floors
¨ Clean bathrooms (private)
¨ Clean kitchens (private)
¨ Close windows
¨ Leave AC/Heat on low, auto, or 72 degrees
¨ Deglman: Leave Beds Lofted
¨ Kenefick: Leave either lofted or unlofted, move out of alcove
¨ Everyone Else: One lofted, one unlofted, on each side of the room. Store extra bed ends (rails & ladders) neatly in the closet
Overwhelmed? Don’t be! Start packing early – as a study break, starting packing up your clothes, extra bedding, some shoes, or anything you won’t really need in these next two weeks. Split up tasks – create a chore list with your roommate(s)/suitemate(s), who is doing what, and when? Donate – Is there something you don’t need anymore? Like lamps, carpets, clothes, unopened non-perishable foods? Donate it! In the lobby of your building will be blue cage/bins for donations. Be sure to read the rules about what can, and cannot be donated, as well as how donations need to be prepared (like, all carpets must be rolled, etc).
Keep an eye out for posters about Late Night Breakfast and Exam Jam – great ways to take a break from studying to eat yummy breakfast food and win cool prizes!
Now for some motivational words of wisdom!
Best of luck in your last two weeks, and thumbs up for rock and roll!
It’s almost the end of the year!! But, with that brings dead week and finals. Though they can be tough and stressful, remember the end is near! Here are some tips to help keep your sanity and ace those tests and projects!
1.) Alternate Study Spaces. Studies have shown that changing up where you study is a more effective way to study. “Memory is colored by location, and changing your study locales increases the likelihood of remembering what you’ve learned.”
2.) Study in groups. Studying in groups is a great way to divide up work on projects or to double check that you understand the material, so form that Bio study group and conquer that final!
3.) Use Flashcards. Making flashcards allows you to write and go over the definitions repetitively. It also allows you to help create another way to learn and remember material which is using mnemonic devices.
4.) Take Tests. Though it is not fun, taking tests more frequently allows for your learning to be enhanced as crazy as that may seem! Testing yourself frequently causes for you to have to recall and relearn information which in turn helps you to remember it better and recall the info better on the final exam. Why not try making your own tests and quizzes on Quizlet! It’s a great program where you can type in your own information and notes and it will generate several questions and tests for you to take over and over. You can even make your own flashcards via Quizlet as well. Check it out!
5.) Sleep. This is pretty self-explanatory! Make sure you are getting enough sleep (no, 4 hours a night is not enough!) as it will help you stay healthy and allow for the information you just spent hours studying to be processed so you can remember and recall it better.
6.) Don’t categorize yourself. Use multiple methods of studying–auditory, hands-on, etc. Don’t limit yourself to studying in only one way!
7.) Go to class. Duh! Though it is the last week and you may think you NEED that extra 50 minutes to study or sleep, going to class will help you review for the test and be able to ask questions on things you are still unclear about.
8.) Don’t immerse yourself in subject matter. “In keeping with the age-old proverb that values quality over quantity, scientists have found that immersion is not an effective method of study, the New York Times reports. Rather than sticking to one subject and spending hours attempting to master it, you should switch between a few (related) topics. It’s less boring — and you’ll learn more.” Also, one of the most effective ways to study is to spend 50 minutes on material and then take a 10 minute break. During that 10 minute break, do something active, don’t just sit there and relax! Get up and walk around, grab a snack, go see a friend, etc.
9.) Manage your time. Don’t procrastinate! It will only make your life that much more hectic. Believe me, I’m speaking from experience! Be sure to manage your time well and start papers/studying for tests well before the due date!
10.) Last but not least–Relax!! Stay calm, exercise, and remember that summer (and hopefully warm weather) is soon awaiting you!!
Good luck on all of your exams and enjoy your summer! See you next year!
If you’ve been around campus the last few weeks you’ve probably heard at least one person bring up in a conversation, “Do you think he’ll stay or go?” Now maybe this didn’t mean much to you and went right over your head, but to many people in the Creighton community this has been the hot topic of discussion during the month of April.
If you weren’t aware ,this question is in regards to the standout Bluejay basketball player Doug McDermott. After becoming the first ever two-time consensus All-American at Creighton, Doug has the difficult choice of remaining at home with his family and leading the Jays head on into the Big East or taking his talents to the NBA. I’m not here to discuss the merits of either decision or to give my thoughts on what is the best choice for him, but to share with you some of the ridiculous rumors heard about how they “know” what he’s going to do.
For example, one of my friend’s brought up the following “I was talking to Jahenns the other day and he says he might need to find another roommate so that means he must be going” or “He’s gone. Avery Dingman said he just felt like Doug was going to leave”. However, my personal favorite is “I hear he’s coming back. My mom‘s friend is a good friend of Theresa McDermott (Doug’s mom) and she said that she thinks Doug is coming back.”
There’s one problem with all of these statements: they aren’t from Doug. The truth is no one knows what he’s going to do and to be honest Doug probably doesn’t even know what he’s going to do. As the deadline for the draft approaches (Sunday, April 28th) the justifications for his final choice get more and more ludicrous. Let’s just try to sit back and enjoy the ride because a decision like this doesn’t come around all that often , and when it’s all over everyone at this university will have had the opportunity to watch one of the most celebrated basketball players in Creighton’s history.
Across the board, Creighton students have a reputation for being more involved than the average college student. Whether it be through a fall break service trip or attendance at the annual pink out basketball game, it’s safe to say that you’ve probably donated a good chunk of your time at Creighton to fighting for a cause. One cause in particularly that really seems to motivate students is cancer. Because cancer has become such a prevalent issue in our society, and has affected so many families, students here are that much more motivated to find a cure.
Probably the most well-known effort on campus is Relay for Life. During this twelve hour event, teams of students participate in fun games and activities all the while raising donations for cancer survivors. Throughout the night, there are talks from survivors and researches, as well as ceremonies dedicated to remembering those who lost their battle with cancer. This year, the event took place on March 22nd and had an amazing turnout. Creighton students raised just over $70,000 and there were over 900 people in attendance.
Another fundraising event dedicated to a similar cause is St. Baldrick’s. St. Baldrick’s is a childhood cancer research foundation that owes its success to iconic events that raise money via donations and the shaving of participants’ heads. Last year was the first time that St. Baldrick’s came to Creighton and the event was a huge success; over 50 participants shaved their heads and $8,000 was raised to fund childhood cancer research. This year, St. Balddrick’s will be returning to campus on April 28th. For those who have and haven’t had the time to support such a cause in the past, there is still time to sign up or simply donate (http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/creighton).Whether it is be through St. Baldrick’s or any other foundation, Creighton students have and will continue to make a difference through their small efforts.
A sneaking fear has always loomed in the back of my mind ever since my friend Frank’s biking accident in third grade. He had fallen and broken his right arm leaving it immobile and in a cast for two months, and the one task of which he was rendered incapable that sent my thoughts in circles was writing. What if I had a similar injury? I could try to write with my left hand, but by the time the scrawl became legible and speedy enough to keep up with the class, I would be out of the cast and back to right-handedness. It wasn’t until college (particularly when I was introduced to the exhilarating but dangerous sport of longboarding) that I began aptly preparing for this potentiality. I chose one class per semester—normally a humanities class because I wanted to be sure that I could record numbers correctly in the sciences—in which I would take lecture notes with my non-dominant hand. At this point in my life, this practice was not so much precautionary as it was fun to develop ambidexterity.
Well, I recently read an article that suggests completing simple tasks with one’s non-dominant hand is more than a mere challenge that helped me keep focus in class. The article linked below relates many benefits such as fostering creativity and sharpening memory and agility. Although these conclusions do not appear to be derived from empirical studies, I have enjoyed learning a new skill and feel confident that my educational life will continue if a disgruntled walrus eats my right arm. I encourage you to give your non-dominant hand a chance!
Creighton University Department of Residence Life 