Experience of a Lifetime

Hi everybody!

I can’t tell you how much this weekend is needed! This week was very stressful. I had a ton of homework, which is never ending and is piling up as I type. It is scholarship time again and I have not started any yet. It puts a lot of stress on you because on top of having that on your mind you have your schoolwork, meetings, and work on your mind. Don’t let all this work scare you though because at the end of the day this is an opportunity some people in the world would kill to have. This chapter in your life is also where new experiences happen and where you will make relationships that last you a lifetime. I am very fortunate to have met people that will help me in anyway they can. OSU is a very “homie” place where you feel welcomed and I know I say that a lot, but I can’t say it enough. This place has already matured me so much and has shown me that the things you want and desire in life are hard work and don’t come easy. While you are doing all this work the time flies by, without you even noticing, we are already half way through our winter term and I feel that we just arrived and started last week. This feeling is insane and sometimes makes me feel emotional because to think that I am actually doing this, going to college, and am going to have a degree someday just makes this experience a thrill and a ride of a lifetime. I hope you all decide to go to college and have the same opportunity I had. Well, I hope you all have a good and safe weekend.

Lizeth

I had a busy week this time, and even overwhelming. But I think it’s good because that means that I’m working and maintaining myself busy.

I had my first midterm on Monday for my chemistry class. The test was pretty intense but I felt confident doing the test.

Even though I felt confident about that test, when the result came out, they were different than my expectations. Because of that I was questioning myself of why did that happen? I felt ready for that test, and I felt that I did well. But it turns out to be the opposite.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a really bad grade but I was expecting a higher grade. When I was eating lunch at McNary dining with a friend of mine she was talking to me about how she was facing the same problem as me.

She got a poor grade on her midterm even though she wasn’t expecting it.  She studied a lot, and at the end it happen all the opposite. In my opinion, it happens, and sometimes the things aren’t always the way we expected; sometimes we win and sometimes we lose.

But I think the key is to never stop trying, and that what will help us to prevail here at College.

I remember every time went to bed, I was exhausted, and the good thing was that my bed in Callahan was soft and comfortable to sleep.

That’s the good thing about living in dorms.  I like my room, and I think it’s a good option to live in dorms.

Also, during this week I had to write my first paper which was very frustrating  because I didn’t know how to start my paper, and I was confused. When I realize that I didn’t know what to write about I just start to watch some episodes of Dragon ball GT, my favorite cartoon, on YouTube. That might sound funny but I got kind of relaxed after watching  that program and I then I felt less frustrated when writing my paper.  That’s my way to get relaxed, and everyone has their own ways too.

You may be noticing signs of spring as you walk along campus…the sweet smell of the daphne flower blooming and crocus flowers  bursting out of the ground….although spring is approaching, we are still in what we call “flu season”.  While the flu season varies from year to year, on average, it lasts through March.

The good news?  Healthy habits can reduce your risk for getting sick.

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention advises these good health habits for flu prevention

• Practice good hygiene!
• Eat nutritious foods
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Be physically active
• Manage your stress levels
• Get plenty of sleep

There are some key nutrients that will give you an immunity boost.  Try some of the highlighted choices at our UHDS dining centers.  Not only do they taste great, but they may provide you with a little extra protection this flu season.

• Beta Carotene, an antioxidant and source of Vitamin A, is found in dark leafy green or bright orange produce such as carrots, yams, cantaloupe and spinach.
• Vitamin C, an antioxidant, is found in fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, citrus fruits, mangoes.
• Vitamin E, an antioxidant, is found in whole grains, nuts and seeds such as brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, flax seed and walnuts–all great sources.
• Zinc, a mineral known for its cold fighting abilities, is found in most breakfast cereals, nuts, beans, poultry and red meat.

Be Well!

Tara Sanders

UHDS Dietitian

Tara.sanders@oregonstate.edu

Its been a tired week like all of them because I have to do my homework, take care of my internship and try to stay on top of everything.   This coming Monday I’m having my first midterm for my chemistry class, and so I have to study a lot, and get ready for that test.  It’s my second term here at Oregon State University as a freshman student, and it has been two weeks since I just started my Winter term. Unfortunately, I didn’t begin the term the way I was expecting; however, I would say that I’ve learned my lesson. I think that even  though everybody makes mistakes; the good thing about it is that we can learn from them. I started to get behind on my math class for I did my math homework on the same day it was due. I didn’t have enough time to do it, and today I got the results which were not that satisfying. I think it happens, and I have to learn from this lesson.

These days, I’m starting to catch up on my homework. This experience totally woke me up and I will try not to procrastinate.

Now that I have a time to think about why I chose to live on campus, I would say that one of those reasons were because I wanted to live in place close to my classes so wouldn’t have to travel that much to get to my classrooms. Back when I lived in Hillsboro, I remember when my older brother Gregorio who goes to Portland Community college in Portland, traveled for about half an hour to get to school.

Traveling took a very huge part of his time. I saw how he struggled to woke up early in the morning to go to school and I realized that the best way to save time was by living on campus.

The first time I move to Corvallis, which was about 6 months ago, I remember I felt nervous, scared and excited at the same time. I didn’t know almost anybody, except my friends from the CAMP program.

Every place I went, I saw orange colors all around, and I realized that Oregon State colors were very popular. Also, I felt so keyed up to begin a new stage of my life, and knowing that I was going to meet a lot of people and take very hard classes. Today I can say that I was right, because in the Hall where I live which is Cahalan Hall, I have met a lot of nice people and especially my floor.  When my parents came to visit me during the second month after I moved, they were so surprised that almost everyone in my floor knew me. Even my mom told, ?Ya te volviste bien famoso?, ?You have become very famous?  Hearing that made me started to laugh, and I was happy to realize that I wasn’t a stranger here at OSU anymore.

I totally like the dining Halls, and my favorite place to eat is McNary Dining because the food there is good and above all, it is right in front of Callahan. That means that don’t have to walk very far to go to eat, because the food is right in front of me. As well, inside McNary I love to go to eat to the Boardwalk place, and my favorite food is Chinese food, especially Teriyaki beef with brown rice.   I love that plate and it makes me happy after eating it for like my grandpa says, “pansa llena, corazon contento”– “stomach full is a contented heart.”  One final thing, have you realized that the time is passing by so fast? The answer is yes, and we can’t waste our time doing nothing. That’s why my goals for this term are to stay on top of homework, and  enjoy life here at college in every way I can, like going to church, and get involved in school and do all the things that will shape my life.