Beaver Nation Migration

Moving into a college residence hall can be very difficult. The actual move in date is faced with many obstacles, such as how to carry you mini fridge up 4 flights of stairs, limited elevator space, tight corners, and fitting all of your stuff in your car! The last thing that you want to do after bringing all of your belongings to Corvallis is have to send some of it back home with your parents. While you may think that your coffee maker is essential to college life, University Housing and Dining Services (UHDS) does restrict certain items in the rooms. With that being said, I have created a master list of what items to avoid, as well as some things you should bring. This way you won’t have to blow all your “spending money” first week at Fred Meyer.

UHDS restricts a number of appliances due to health and safety concerns and facility capacity issues. These items may include gas powered appliances, large energy consumption items, and any other items that have a flame or open heat. But, no need to fret; there is at least one full kitchen in each hall as well as microwaves on every floor for your Easy Mac or microwave burritos.

Now that you have scratched half of the items off of your college checklist I will let you in on some good essentials to bring that you may not have thought of. These include:

• Cleaning materials (There is no room-service like a hotel)
• Bedding items – I suggest buying “twin XL” sheets because the beds are longer than the average twin mattress
• Bring a boom box or computer speakers so you can jam during your “study sesh”
• A bike, DON’T FORGET A LOCK! A U-Lock is the best kind to buy
• Ear plugs – because you have no idea if your roommate is a snorer
• Some snacks – so you don’t have to travel the long distance to the dining hall
• A TV, cable is free in all the rooms
• Office supplies – you will do a good amount of printing
• ALARM CLOCK – don’t rely on your phone because it can die
• Rug – most rooms are tile floors and rug is going to make it a lot more comfortable for you, and a bit more “homey”
• A Power strip – depending on how much computer supplies you have you might run out of room
• Electric blanket – this can be essential on a cold night (Electric blankets may be allowed in Co-op houses but not in other OSU residence halls)
• Fan – believe it or not it can get hot in Oregon and the halls are not equipped with Air Conditioning
• Umbrella – It rains in Oregon…

Lastly, bring a friendly attitude. This list should reduce the stress of packing a little bit, and be a good checklist. Have a good move in day and welcome to OSU!

For a full list of suggested items, as well as what not to bring, check out UHDS’ website by following this link: http://oregonstate.edu/uhds/what-to-bring

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Future students, it’s time to pick your on-campus room or co-op! Did you know:

• Students who live on campus their first year have a higher average GPA.
• On-campus first year student residents are more likely to return for their second year at OSU.
• Endless opportunities to meet new people and develop lasting friendships are available.

University Housing & Dining Services is hosting a live chat for anyone having questions during the process, with extended hours until 7 p.m. PST on May May 10, 14, 15, 18 and 25.
http://oregonstate.edu/uhds/askaquestion

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Congratulations on getting into Oregon State University! You may be wondering what do next, well… START is the next step in your journey into OSU. START will be your orientation experience where you will get to spend some time on campus, register for your classes and get your questions answered before the fall. Here are some tips and tricks about how to prepare for your START session and how to make the most of your START session once you’ve arrived.

To Prepare for START:

1. Register for a START Session!

You can begin registering for START sessions May 1^st, 2012 online at www.oregonstate.edu/newstudents. There are 9 First Year Sessions and 4 Transfer Student Sessions throughout the summer.  Each START session does have a limit on how many can attend so register early.  Remember you must pay your Advance Tuition Deposit (ATD) before registering for START.

2. Begin Thinking About What Questions You May Have

College is an experience unlike any you’ve probably had before! There will be lots of people eager to answer all of your questions at START, but sometimes it’s hard to think of your questions while you’re experiencing something new. Take the time before you come to your START session to think about what questions you may have about the university, your program, or anything else that comes to mind. You might even want to make a short list so that you can refer to these questions at START to make sure you get everything answered.

3. Prepare The Day Before Your Session

There are several ways you can prepare for your specific START session.  Here is a list of just some of the basics.  You will want to check out the complete list online at http://oregonstate.edu/newstudents/start/prepare.

• Print out your confirmation and parking pass
• Bring any final copies of transcripts and AP/IB scores
• WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES.  There is a lot of walking involved in the START program.
• Set up your ONID Account

4. Be On Time

Nothing is more stressful than feeling like you’ve missed something or feeling like you’re behind everyone else. Make sure you allow yourself time to get to the university and check in before your session begins. This way you start the day out feeling like you’re on top of it!  Check in times are listed in your START confirmation.

Making the Most of START:

1. Be Patient

For most of you this will be an entirely new experience, for some of you this may be your first on campus experience – and that’s okay! Give yourself a break and realize that everyone around you is probably feeling a little anxious and excited as well. You will get a lot more out of your START experience if you allow yourself to relax and enjoy your time at OSU instead of stressing about every little detail. There will be plenty of people to help you out, answer your questions and make sure you’re where you need to be.

2. Meet New People

There will be many people at START who may not know anyone else there, or maybe only know one or two other people. START is a great opportunity for you to begin to get to know other students who will be joining you in the fall. You will meet people who share your major, residence hall or another interest! Be open to the experience and make connections with the other students in your session.

3. Engage, Ask Questions, Participate

START is for you! The OSU community is very excited to welcome you to campus, and we want to help you feel welcome and connected. Ask all of those questions that you thought of before your START session, it’s almost guaranteed that someone else has that same question too! Engage with your START Leaders, Advisors, and others you may come into contact with though out the day. Engaging in conversation is a great way to begin becoming connected to a community.  Participation is important in any activity you are part of – you will get out of START what you put into it.

4. Listen To Your Academic Advisor

Your academic advisors are there to help you. They understand that OSU’s registration is all new to you and they are there to help you through the process. They are knowledgeable about your specific academic requirements and they can help you make the best decisions for you. Listen to their advice and ask them your questions – they want to help make your college career successful!

5. Have Fun!

OSU is a great school with lots to offer its students. From clubs to sporting events to arts to classes there is something for everyone. Dive right in and find out about the things you’re interested in. This is your time to shine – you’ve made it to OSU, welcome home!

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Entering into Spring term, it’s easy to get into the “just finish out the year” and “start over next year” mentality. However, there are still plenty of ways to enhance your academic performance, meet new people, get involved on campus and meet new people. While the opportunities might not be as transparent as they were at the beginning of the year, you can still improve your overall experience here at OSU. Here are just a few things to consider:

1.) Start Spring term off right with an academic coaching appointment through the Academic Success Center (http://success.oregonstate.edu/academic-coaching ). Let an academic coach help you manage your time better, take better notes, & study more effectively for tests. As the temperatures rise you’ll want to be effective so you can enjoy the sunshine.

2.) Make small changes to your daily schedule that results in big gains when it comes to academic performance. Simply getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night is a huge benefit. Or try to schedule specific times to study/review for individual classes, even if you can only commit a few hours a week to each course, it’s a great place to start. Or perhaps you can simply turn off your phone while you read, you’ll be surprised how much easier it is to pay attention when you aren’t waiting to comment on your friends’ latest messages.

3.) Student clubs and organizations are still looking for new members. Check out the list of student clubs at: http://oregonstate.edu/sli/studentorgs/find_organization and check the “Group Dashboard” for clubs you want to find out more about. Many clubs are in the process of electing new members so there may even be some opportunities to get a leadership position right away.

4.) Looking for other involvement opportunities? The Memorial Union Program Council (http://mu.oregonstate.edu/mupc/join-mupc) which organizes Dad’s Weekend, Battle of the Bands, Snow in the Quad and more is hiring for next year. ASOSU will be holding elections for next year’s leadership team in April. Check out http://asosu.oregonstate.edu/elections for more information on how to be involved. Rec Sports will be starting up a new round of intramural sports teams and tournaments that you can check out here: http://oregonstate.edu/recsports/spring-leagues.

5.) Lastly, don’t forget to keep introducing yourself to people in your classes. You never know where your next great study partner, roommate, or friend is going to come!

Good luck continuing to explore campus and Corvallis and remember to challenge yourself to meet new people and try new things this Spring.

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As many Oregonians and more specifically west of the Cascade Oregonians know, our Springs tend to last for a long time and have their fare share of rain and cloudy days. While the sun will begin to peek out more frequently and the temperatures will rise, Spring is often a time when students feel the most affected by the lack of sun and cool temperatures. Here are a few tips for surviving the long Spring thaw:

1.) Exercise- whether it’s going to Dixon, taking a PAC class, having a dance party in your room, or going for a walk with a friend or family member, getting your heart rate up, working up a sweat, and moving around is one of the best ways to prevent seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and address the winter doldrums.

2.) Light therapy- the days are still not quite as long or as bright as you might be used to and exposing yourself to some extra indoor lighting may be helpful. To learn more visit this link from Counseling and Psychological Services (http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/LightTherapy.htm). You can use a light box in the Mind Spa on the 5th floor of Snell Hall, rent one from Student Health Services, or rent one at Valley Library at the Circulation Desk.

3.) Get outside- the weather may not be the best and you might need to wear a rain jacket, rain pants, and/or rain boots to fully enjoy yourself, but breathing in fresh air can be quite refreshing. Taking a walk, jog or bike ride outside can also help with getting the exercise you need. Maybe you’d be more tempted to get outside if you volunteer with Heartland Humane Society and have a furry friend to take on walks?

4.) Standardized your sleep patterns. Sleeping too much or too little or constantly changing up your sleep schedule can affect your overall mood, especially in the cloudy months. To learn more about healthy sleep tips visit Student Health Services.

Lastly, be sure to find ways to enjoy the sun and warmer temperatures when they do arrive.  Studying near a sunny window, eating lunch outside, taking the long way to classes, can all get you much needed vitamin D and make the cloudy days easier to tolerate.

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There are buses, trains, cabs and airplane transportations available in the area if you would like to arrange a trip home for a short break and to catch up with your loved ones.

• Greyhound Bus Service www.greyhound.com

You can easily find the station on 4^th avenue in downtown Corvallis. Bus routes from Corvallis can take you anywhere with convenient connections on the way such as Salem, Portland, Eugene, and Bend. Visit their website for more information regarding schedules and fares.

• Amtrak Train www.amtrak.com

The nearest train station is in Albany, which is about 10 miles from Corvallis. You may either take a greyhound bus to the Amtrak station in Albany or simply call a Beaver cab to drive you to the station as well! Trains go up to Portland or down to Eugene with additional connections to other places.

• Beaver Cab 541-766-8294

If you do not feel like driving your own car around or if you do not have a car, there are always Beaver cabs available in the area to assist you! Of course, if you do not feel safe driving around after hanging out at a bar or at a party, it will be wise to call a Beaver cab. Simply dial the phone number above and a cab driver will respond to your pick up location as soon as they can!

• Hut Shuttle www.hutshuttle.com

If you need to visit your home or any place by airplane, we are happy to have a shuttle service available for pick up and drop off right in front of the OSU bookstore! For more information regarding schedules and prices, please visit the HUT shuttle website. Shuttle buses arrive and depart every two hours!

• Corvallis Transit System (CTS) City Buses http://www.ci.corvallis.or.us/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=467&Itemid=410

If you just want to get around town, the city of Corvallis offers free bus routes all over the town! If you just need to go to Winco Foods from Downtown Corvallis, simply hop on a bus and go there hassle free! CTS routes and times can be viewed on their website above. The routes and times are also on Google transit program and it can be easily viewed from your mobile phones to figure out the bus stop locations! How convenient!

• WeCar http://www.wecar.com/content/car-sharing/en_US/join-wecar/program-details-OSU-Student.html

If you need a car to travel to your home for a day or so, but do not want to rent a car due to high rental prices… we offer a WeCar program on campus for anyone to use! Simply go to the WeCar vehicle at your reservation time and hold your membership card over the sensor in the windshield. The system will recognize you and the car will unlock. The keys to the ignition will be waiting for you in the glove box!! Isn’t that cool?! For more information about how this works and the costs, simply click on the link above!

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Hello! First of all, I want to wish you all a happy New Year from the faculty and staff of New Students Programs & Family Outreach! It has been an odd start for winter term weather wise. Two delayed days and a campus closure day occurred last week due to the snow and a lot of flooding and overflowing rivers in the area.  I hope everyone was able to keep themselves safe and dry.

Other than the weather mishaps, I hope every one of you started off the New Year with some positive resolutions. Resolutions can be related to academics, personal health or life in general.  What is important is to keep yourself in a healthy shape and to find time for your own personal interests such as doing things you enjoy or working out at Dixon Recreation Center. More information about the activities at Dixon can be found at the following website: http://oregonstate.edu/recsports/. There are also plenty of student groups and clubs for you to check out and join. More information about student groups or clubs can be found at the following website: http://oregonstate.edu/sli/studentorgs.

Start off your New Year healthy and seriously consider your resolutions. We also encourage you to maintain a balanced life by actively managing your time with academics and personal life.

Have a great term everyone!

NSPFO

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Hello students!

It is time to prepare for winter term! That means it is time for you to meet with your academic advisor to discuss which courses to register for winter term. Priority registration phase begins this Sunday morning (the 13^th) and then the rest of registration phases will occur throughout the next two weeks. For more information, refer to the link: http://oregonstate.edu/registrar/getting-started

When you meet with your academic advisor, you will want to prepare to talk about not only your academic plan but also your interests, goals, and questions. You also should think about some questions to answer such as:

• Are you enjoying morning classes or afternoon classes? What times do you like to study versus be in class?
• Do you like lecture classes or smaller classes?
• If you have a declared major, have you enjoyed the classes required for your major? Why or why not?
• If you don’t have a declared major, what subjects/classes have you enjoyed this term? Why?
• Check with your college if you will need to have a registration PIN for winter registration.

Once you get an idea of which courses to register for, you’ll want to register as soon as you can to make sure you are enrolled in the courses you want to be in. There also will be wait lists in some classes; for more information on how to waitlist, refer to the link above. Good luck with registering and have fun planning your winter term!!

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It’s that time of year again where the leaves start to change and the wool socks get pulled out of storage! Halloween is just around the corner and Corvallis is filled with things to do! Halloween can be a fun and exciting holiday for those who choose to participate in the festivities but there are some precautions that you should take to make sure that you have a safe and fun weekend!

Make sure that you have your money and ID with you at all times - There will be a lot of people around and keeping your belongings with you is the only way to be sure you will not lose them.

Be aware of who you are talking to - Many costumes include masks that make it hard to recognize the person you are talking with. Make sure you know what the people you are with are wearing as well so you can find them if, and when, you are ready to leave.

Use the buddy system - Simply, do not go anywhere alone. If you are going out with a group of people, make sure that you arrive and leave with all members of your group. Look out for each other and keep each other safe.

Stay out of the roads - Cars may not be able to see you if you have a dark costume or the driver could be drunk so use the crosswalks and stay on the sidewalks at all times!

For those of you who want to participate in Halloween festivities but do not want to go out, here are a few links to Halloween events happening on campus:

Zombie Zumba – http://oregonstate.edu/recsports/zombie-zumbacoming-mcalexander-fieldhouse-halloween

Women’s Center Halloween Party – http://oregonstate.edu/international/halloween-party

Other Halloween Alternatives – http://oregonstate.edu/childcare/halloween-alternatives

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This is mid-terms week! Can you believe that you have been studying for five weeks so far?! I am pretty sure most of you could use a “brain” break and get out of your residence hall, apartment, or house, and experience some cheap entertainment in Corvallis! There are plenty of activities you could participate in on and off campus.

For on campus activities, there are a variety of events and activities you may be interested in. Some examples include the International Forest Film Festival , OSU Career Fair and recreational activities at Dixon including the Singles  Table Tennis Tournament starting this Friday! And don’t forget about the bowling, billiards, air hockey and other games in the MU Basement .

For off campus activities, why not check out an independent film at the Darkside Theater in downtown Corvallis? Maybe take a stroll through the Book Bin and get a steal on a used book. Or perhaps you’ll want to check out one of the many popular and cheap restaurants including, but not limited to:

• Laughing Planet (Burritos/Mexican)
• Local Boyz (Teriyaki/Hawaiian)
• American Dream (Pizza/Salads)
• Lemongrass Noodle House (Thai)
• Nearly Normals (Vegan and Vegetarian)

There are also several parks, many within walking distance to campus. Avery Park has a rose garden, running/biking/walking trails, softball fields and picnic areas. Willamette Park has a Frisbee disk golf course, soccer and softball fields, and plenty of trails with excellent views of the river.

Good luck with finding something to do to give your brain a break and good luck with your mid-terms!

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