Yesterday I was walking home from campus and accidentally dropped my cellphone on the sidewalk. It is a Galaxy S from T-Mobile; S as in S1, as in the first model that came out two years ago and is a lovely piece of junk. Usually when I drop the phone it continues to function and just gets a new scratch that adds some character to its appearance… which is what I thought happened during yesterday’s mishap. The reality, which I just discovered, is that The Big Drop actually resulted in my entire photo gallery being completely erased. At first I was bummed, realizing that I had some great memories documented in those photos (which were never backed up to my computer because sometimes I make poor decisions with technology), but then I realized… maybe there is some symbolism here; maybe I can learn from this.

Maybe this was a fluke accident and the symbolism is entirely artificial, or maybe there is a lesson here about not relying on technology and experiencing life without capturing every moment via technological resources, but I’m going to bypass those thoughts and instead just focus on the idea that having those pictures erased was a sign that it is time for me to reflect on how great the past four years have been as I slowly let go of college and begin to embrace the next chapter of my life.

Many of us graduating seniors will be going off in all different directions as we finish our undergraduate careers; some of you will be tackling graduate school, a new career, an internship, or maybe you will be boarding a plane for international travel (my personal favorite). As we move forward with these new beginnings, I encourage you to give yourself credit for what you have just completed. We must be aware of our successes as we begin to engage in the next phases of our lives, and not let anxiety or fear of the unknown overshadow our accomplishments!  Too often I see people so overwhelmed by the stress of the transition that they forget to enjoy the present. As college graduates, we have a huge, fantastic achievement to celebrate! We are conditioned to always be thinking about the future and having something to work towards, but I want to remind you about that lovely clichéd quote “Today is a gift, that’s why we call it the present.” Remember that everything you have experienced has contributed to the creation of the person you are today, at this moment. You will continue to face adversity, have your plans change, grow apart from friends and have new encounters that drastically change the course of your life… but it is okay to stop, breathe, and think about how wonderful life has been so far. The past four years have not just been about school – life was happening. And if you are anything like me, you probably had a pretty fantastic time making mistakes, embracing new experiences, learning a ton about subjects you didn’t even know existed, studying to an extent and also accepting that some nights you just have to stay out late and have some nonacademic fun. Guess what? Those experiences are not limited to college; that is life, and it will continue to unfold in different variations and flavors as we move on from this specific environment.

These are reminders for myself as much as anyone else, but a recurring message I have been piecing together these past few years is to figure out whatever makes you happy and do that – whether it is how you make a living, how you entertain yourself outside of a job, what you do on weekends – whatever it is that gets you excited about life. Stress can be very powerful but it doesn’t deserve to blind us from our choice to appreciate our lives and make decisions that are beneficial to us. Life is meant to be enjoyed; sure, there are plenty of ups and downs that are out of our control, but we do have some say in our attitude and how we react to those circumstances.

Final words here from one graduate to another: embrace the change and be excited. Ride the nostalgia wave, go to happy hour at Bombs Away one last time, go look at the MU when it is all lit up at night because it is gorgeous and you can. Soak up these last few weeks of Corvallis so when it is time to say goodbye, “you won’t cry because it’s over, you will smile because it happened” (yes that is quote about relationships, but it makes sense in this context too, am I right?!).

I don’t know if I succeeded at making this a minimally clichéd farewell blog post as I end my career as a Liberal Arts Ambassador, but all I am trying to convey is that life is incredible and change can be great. Sometimes it’s scary, sometimes it’s really tough, and sometimes it makes you feel invincible – all of which is completely acceptable. But as you are working your way through the emotions that come with a huge life transition… revel in the excitement that comes with being able to customize your life and create a reality you love!

Congrats to you all! J

This term I have had the opportunity to participate in a Spanish learning community experience at Oregon State. You may be asking yourself—what is a learning community? Simply put, a learning community is a group of people who all share common emotions, values or beliefs whom all actively engage in the learning of one another. This particular community is focused on Spanish language learning, civic engagement and leadership as they all relate to the Latino experience in Oregon and is appropriately entitled Liderazgo, or leadership in Spanish.

I first found out about this wonderful opportunity from my advisor in the College of Liberal Arts. Knowing my interests in both Spanish and engaging Latino population in Oregon she knew this course was the perfect fit for me. The aspect of my course that is often most surprising to people is that it is 15 credits. That’s right, I said 15. This means that while a rare few of my peers are enrolled in one other class on the side everyone else is taking only this Span 470 course.

The best way to begin to understand how this odd-ball class functions is for me to first explain to you the basic layout of the course: We have class primarily on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but there are 25+ hours of individual or group work expected from each student outside of the classroom. There are 26 students in the class, all of whom are either native Spanish speakers or second-language learners like myself. The course is team taught by three professors, Loren Chavarria, Tobin Hansen and Maralisa Morales Ortiz, but for the most part the professors are there merely as participants rather than leaders themselves because the premise of the class is for each of us to rise up as leaders, whatever that may mean for each of us individually.

For the first five Tuesdays of the term my classmates and I travelled to Woodburn (near Salem) and volunteered at the Oregon Farmworker’s Union office or PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste) and the CAPACES Leadership Institute. Each Tuesday we took classes at the CLI and then volunteered at a myriad of other Woodburn organizations such as FHDC and Radio Movimiento. Each Thursday we have class on OSU’s Corvallis campus—we spend from noon until 5 P.M. doing activities, hearing guest speakers and being taught by one another. During the previous term each Liderazgo student selected a learning focus of which there are five total. Personally I am in the language group where we discuss language as a part of identity. The four other groups are drug trafficking, education, health and art. These topics are what our large research papers are written about, what the books we read are focused on etc.

As a Liderazgo student during Week 8 of the term I can definitely attest to the rigorous academic nature of the learning community. That being said this overall class has been an unforgettable and once in a lifetime experience. I have had the opportunity to learn an astonishing amount about my classmates throughout our class discussions and time together. I have personally grown into much more of a leader in the classroom setting by teaching my peers as well as working within numerous teams and on top of all that, my Spanish itself has improved boundlessly over the past 7 weeks. A learning community centered on cross-cultural understanding and service learning is as close as one can get to studying abroad right here in Corvallis. I recommend that each and every Beaver look for those unique opportunities that exist in their discipline here at OSU and take advantage of them! Now is the time to take your learning to the next level!

Looking to get healthy in the kitchen but still maintain great flavor in your food? Here are some cooking tips that will get you going in the right direction for spring.

Cook with olive oil- extra virgin olive oil has great health benefits and can really add some new pizzazz to your tried and true dishes. Buy a bigger bottle to save some cash and even look for specialty infused ones for more pop (garlic olive oil is my favorite to add in a pan or mix in a vinaigrette).

Whole grain- There are great options out there for whole grain in anything you eat from cereal to bagels so check the labels to see what ingredients are going into the food and your body.

Fruits and vegetables- yep that’s right mom is always right and getting in lots of fruits and veggies each day is a must. Try seasonal selections from the Farmer’s Market in downtown Corvallis! Also, throw in some raw veggies or fruits to get all of the benefits they offer (kale is a good addition to salads and avocado is delicious on top of a pasta dish).

Water- Drink tons of water to hydrate (especially in the heat) and avoid loading your body with sugary beverages or energy drinks.

Eat in- I know that sometimes everyone gets sick of cooking but eating in can help you control the ingredients in your meals as well as portion sizes and cost. Save eating out for special occasions or limit yourself to once a week!

Homemade is better- Of course getting pre-made things is easy, but making your own hummus or pita chips is not only rewarding but they taste fresh and perfect to your taste buds! Sites like Pinterest, Martha Stewart online (http://www.marthastewart.com/), and Vegetarian Times ( http://www.vegetariantimes.com/) can help you make easy and tasty meals in just a few steps.

I hope you all feel inspired to get in the kitchen and start cooking! Remember, taste doesn’t have to be sacrificed for healthy and homemade eating!

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying this gorgeous spring term.  By now I’m sure you all have had a chance to turn in a paper, take a test or do a large project in each of your classes.  After looking at those grades, you may be overjoyed with and feeling optimistic about the GPA you are going to earn this term.  Others of you may be getting concerned. You may be getting lower grades than you had wanted in one or more classes and are contemplating either S/Uing or Withdrawing from a class. There are a few things you should consider before making this decision.

1. Calculate your term GPA assuming the grades you currently have in your classes are your final grades.  If you are not sure how to do that, look at this worksheet for instructions on how to calculate your GPA. It is important for you to earn at least a 2.0 in the term to maintain good academic standing at the university, but there may be other GPA requirements for scholarships or your major that you need to consider as well.  If the GPA that you compute is below where you need to be and you don’t think you can bring your grade up in a class, it may be time to look at options that will help you salvage your GPA.

2. S/Uing a class- If you are doing poorly in a class that is not in your major but you think you will successfully pass it, you may be able to S/U it.  Changing the grading basis of a class to S/U means that if you earn a C- or better in a class, the grade that will show up on your transcript will be an S.  You will earn credit for the class, but the S grade will not impact your GPA.  If you earn a D+ or below in that class, you would earn a U.  Earning a U does not impact your GPA and you do not earn credit for the class.

Once you decide to change a class to S/U, you cannot change it back.  In other words, if you change to S/U grading, and end up earning an A in a class, you will not be able to change your S to an A.  To S/U a class, you need to go to your advising office and get the S/U form signed and take it to the registrar’s office  in Kerr by 5:00 pm on Friday, May 17th. You do not need an advising appointment to do this, but if you want to talk through whether or not it’s a good idea, you are welcome to make an advising appointment with a CLA advisor by calling 541-737-0561.

3. Withdrawing from a class- If you are in any class that you know you will not be able to successfully complete, you have the option to withdraw from it.  You can withdraw from a course, even if it is in your major.  You do not need to fill out a form to withdraw from a class, you just need to go to your “Register, Add, Drop” menu in student online services.  Find the drop down menu next to the class you want to withdraw from, select withdraw and press the “submit changes” button located towards the bottom of the page. Refresh the page and make sure that the class is now listed as withdrawn.  I recommend withdrawing from a class if you are sure that you cannot pass a class.  It saves you from earning an F that brings down your GPA and you can get rid of a class that is causing you stress which will provide you more time to focus on improving the final grades in all of your other classes.

4. Check with financial aid- Withdrawing or S/Uing may or may not impact your aid, loans, scholarships or other funds you are using to pay for your tuition at OSU. If you are concerned, make sure to contact the financial aid office and find out if your aid will be affected.

5. Seek help from the Academic Success Center- That’s right people, there is a whole center on campus dedicated to helping undergraduate students be more successful! They are located in Waldo 102 and offer services from Academic Coaching, workshops on success skills, tutoring, supplemental instruction, the writing center and different strategies that will help you be a better, more effective learner.

At the end of the day, you have to make the decision that is right for you.  Just remember, you do have options to help save your GPA and your advisors in CLA would be happy to help you choose which option is right for you.

Looking for something fun to do with your mom and family this weekend? Well,  I’ve compiled a list of the hottest spots to be when your entourage arrives!

OSU sponsored events: The MUPC has a plethora of activities from the fashion show to making pottery for this weekend and most of them are FREE. Check out the entire list of events here http://mu.oregonstate.edu/mupc/momsweekend.

Baseball: We have a great team and why not grab some peanuts and crackerjacks with your family? Tickets are a good deal and it’ll get everyone outside enjoying the beautiful Corvallis spring weather.

Movies: Catch a matinee or even a late night flick! There are some romantic comedies like The Big Wedding or tonight’s release of Iron Man 3 (sure to be a crowd pleaser with the mom’s because who can’t resist Robert Downey Jr).

Wine/Beer Tasting: Over 21 and looking for the fun? Drive a little ways out of town and enjoy the MANY vineyards we have in the valley. Most have websites so check out their tasting hours or even a vineyard tour.(Here’s the site for one of my favorites: Willamette Valley Vineyards http://www.wvv.com/visit/). Also, if you are more of a beer drinker head over to Block 15 (http://block15.com/) or even try some Corvallis brewed cider at Two Towns Ciderhouse (http://2townsciderhouse.com/).

Spa day: Go to one of the local salons and get treated to massages, manicures, pedicures, or even a new hair style!

Deals and Steals: Be on the lookout for specials or events at local businesses specifcally for mom’s and family weekend. Many places will give you an extra 20% off or even free desserts.

Whatever you end up doing with your mom or family, make sure you show them the best of Corvallis and give them the royal treatment!

Last week the state capitol in Salem hosted OSU Day where representatives from all over campus including more than 150 students gave legislators a reason to fight for higher education and a budget increase statewide. Personally this experience opened my eyes to how the government system operates and gave me the opportunity to share my passion for OSU with those who make legislative decisions.

Hey everyone! Between the beginning of midterms as we enter week 4 and sun bathing in the new spring weather, I want to introduce something else that you all can add to your to-do list. Going to the Farmers’ Market!

Every year starting around this time the Farmers’ Market sets up shop on 1^st and Jackson Street here in downtown Corvallis. This year it will be running from April 20^th thru November 27^th, Wednesdays and Saturdays 9-1pm.

The Farmers’ Market consists of an array of street vendors. A majority of the vendors are set up by local farmers that sell their own produce that they had grown themselves. So if you want to buy your produce, know exactly how it was grown and support your local farmer then this place will be a food paradise for you.

Another great incentive is that they accept Food Stamps. Being a college student myself I know that there are a good number of us that rely on SNAP every month to eat. To accommodate for the slightly elevated prices you’ll encounter at the Farmers Market as opposed to a place like WinCo, they will actually give you extra money to spend there for using your SNAP card.

The market doesn’t just sell food, although that is what it’s primarily known for. There are other vendors that sell things like flowers, freshly baked pies, trinkets, etc. There is always music being played, and it is right next to that park. It’s a pet and children friendly atmosphere and it is a delightful way to spend a couple hours in the sun.

If you want more information on the Farmers’ Market, or even volunteer to help, go to their homepage at http://locallygrown.org/home/. I recommend that everyone should visit at least once in their college career. I’ve been going since I was a freshman. Even if you don’t intend on buying anything, it’s still fun to look around and soak up the atmosphere. Also when you’re done drifting through the vendors you can walk around downtown Corvallis and see the stores and local businesses that you may not have been aware existed.

So branch out, experience something new between your studies and most of all enjoy yourself. Spring is here, the sun is out, and the Farmers’ Market is finally open!

Yikes! Grad School Already?

Grad school selection can be a very difficult and scary process. I myself am going through it as I prepare for my last year at OSU next year. Many questions come to mind about where the right program will be for you; so here is some friendly advice from somebody in the midst of the craziness.

PLAN! Plan early and plan a lot. Schedule dates for conferences, schedule your courses so you will actually graduate as expected, plan to go to interviews, and plan to apply as well. Make a master document with all of your deadlines to stay on track.

Take your GRE early! Deadlines usually need you to have it done by mid-November so take it at least once before then (get school codes if you know where you’ll be applying so they can send them early and for free- up to 3 schools). Give yourself time to even take the GRE a second time too because often you want to improve your score after your first try at the exam.

Attend conferences in your field to meet with potential programs (especially useful when meeting other grads in the current program and get their insider info). Also, it’s a great way to put a face with a name so that you will get an interview!

Don’t procrastinate! This is awful and your future literally depends on it. You need to be on top of things and great personal statements don’t come from a 5 minute cram session on your MAC.

Ask advisors, masters and grad students, and professors where they would suggest (based on your interests) and if they have any advice. They have been or are going through the process so they can give you the do’s and dont’s of the whole thing.

And last but not least, FEEL IT! Most of the time as you interview and meet with programs you will get a sense of where you belong and where you want to be for the next 4+ years of your life.

Good luck and may the force be with you all as you apply!

As you were wandering around campus this past week, you may have noticed chalk writing all over the sidewalks talking about an event called Mock Rock.  If you are not familiar with this event, I encourage you to read on to hear about Greek Pride, Philanthropy and how our sorority worked to unite campus for a great cause! This last Friday evening Gill Coliseum was filled with members of Greek Life, the Oregon State campus, and of the Corvallis community all in an attempt to raise money for Kappa Delta Sorority’s philanthropy Mock Rock. Last year they raised was about $35,000 dollars, and this year’s total shot up to $41,968.50!

Mock Rock is a week-long event with check-ins, activities, and at the end of the week, dance performances from the participating houses. 80% of the money raised during the week stays right here in Corvallis to support the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence, while the other 20% is donated to the national organization Prevent Child Abuse America. This was the first year Kappa Delta had Mock Rock at Gill, having sold out LaSells auditorium in 8 minutes last year. However, these are just the little details. To understand what Mock Rock is really about you have to look a little deeper and talk to the girls who put the event on, as well as the wonderful supporters of Mock Rock in the Greek community.

When you talk to the women of Kappa Delta about Mock Rock you instantly hear about how much they love their house and how proud they are of what they have accomplished. But what they also tell you is how grateful they are. Junior Chelsea Rowell, one of this year’s Mock Rock chairs, along with senior Tori Lynch, says it best when talking about the Greek community, “We obviously would not be able to pull off an event like that without their support and spirit throughout the week. Each year I am shocked that we are able to raise that amount of money in one week’s time, but somehow we do it, thanks to friends, family, and our Greek community”. Tori also mentions the loyalty of the Greek Community, “My favorite part is seeing different houses each year commit themselves to Mock Rock. As a house, they choose to support our philanthropy and they work together in all of Mock Rock’s activities in the hopes of winning. It is extremely encouraging to see other chapters on campus familiarize themselves with our values and our philanthropy”.

Personally being a part of Mock Rock is one of the best feelings in the world. You get invested in each houses’ performance and you want to see everyone do well. The best part is at the very end of the night when we announce how much money everyone was able to raise together, and everyone in attendance is so excited, you feel this huge wave of energy because we all did something great together as a community. When the awards are announced for the sorority and fraternity chapters that won Mock Rock it’s clear that this event means a lot to everyone involved. I think we all realize that it’s all about the support we are giving to the victims of domestic violence, and the support that we are able to give to the Corvallis community; a community that supports us and Oregon State University. As Tori mentioned earlier, a lot of Mock Rock is based on Kappa Delta’s values, represented by our open motto Ta Kala Diokomen, meaning “Let us strive for that which is honorable, beautiful, and highest”. I think the whole Greek community represented this motto perfectly with their effort and dedication last Friday night. So, even if you were not in attendance, or had never heard of Mock Rock before, I hope you take away a little bit of happiness from this post knowing that some good was done on the Oregon State campus last Friday night.

Last but not least, here is a picture of representatives from Delta Gamma and Phi Kappa Psi collecting their first place awards.

It’s almost time to register for summer classes!! This is a great opportunity to get caught up if you are feeling behind in your requirements or to work ahead if you want to finish college sooner rather than later!

One of the really cool opportunities that students can take advantage of is to take an entire year of a language at an accelerate pace during the summer time. For example, if you want to start taking Spanish for your BA or maybe you’ve done your first year already and want to finish your second year, you can enroll in either Spanish 117 or Spanish 217. These eight week long classes cover the entire first and second years of Spanish during the eight week summer session.  These classes are a very intensive program and are often compared to a language immersion experience because you meet for multiple hours a day and four or five days a week!

If you are considering taking one, two, or five summer classes, I highly recommend it. Registration begins April 14th at 12:01 AM which is early this Sunday morning. Mark your calendars!  I took two summer classes online last year during the first four-week session, yes I said four (not ten) weeks. Wowzers! These classes move at a very different pace, so if you sign up for summer classes make sure to double check when the class starts and ends.

There are six sessions to choose from when considering taking summer classes. The break down is like this: There is one session that last for ten weeks, three sessions that last four weeks each, one session that lasts eight weeks and finally one session that only lasts one week. For more information about when they start and end, please view the summer calendar here.

As you can see, there are many options to chose from, so no excuses people! Not only are there multiple session to pick from, but there are 1300 classes available!

For a whole bucket load of information regarding summer classes, go to the following link: http://summer.oregonstate.edu/new-visiting/