So Close to the Finish Line!

It's the time of year again when tensions are high at RSU! The last week of classes is halfway over, and finals are quickly approaching. Everyone is frantically working on final projects, papers and presentations. I don't remember the last time I didn't have something to be working on. It can all be quite overwhelming. So if you're new to the finals week stress, I'll offer a few ways I like to cope!

1. Actually Manage Your Time. This may seem obvious, but it's the one I have the most trouble with. I always seem to be putting things off until the last second, but when you have a lot of projects/exams in a short amount of time, it doesn't seem to work well. Lately, I've tried to always make sure I have study/reading materials with me, so when I have a little bit of time, I can be working. And always keep a planner! I promise, no matter how much you think you will remember dates/times/deadlines... you won't.

Sunset over the Library

2. Follow the Directions. If you think something is not going to be your best work, at the very least, make sure you follow directions. If you get a hand out, read it more than once. If you're given verbal directions, take really good notes. If you're unclear on something, ask your professor. You would be surprised how many mistakes you can avoid by doing this. Time and time again, I've heard professors say how much they hate receiving an assignment that didn't follow the guidelines (wrong size margins, wrong topic, etc). Not only will they be annoyed, it will costs you points.
3. Take Care of Yourself. I used to think that the solution to mountains of homework was staying up until 3 in the morning and drinking energy drinks. As I have learned first hand, it never pays off. Not only will you be exhausted, you won't be able to focus in class and it will show in your work. It's a much better idea to get to bed at a reasonable time and eat (at least somewhat) healthy. Even if you can't seem to stay away from ice cream, at least make sure to eat 3 square meals a day.
4. Take Some Time for Yourself. In between the piles of work, try to make time for at least a little bit of fun. Your emotional well being is just as important as the physical! I've found that if I can take even 15-30 minutes in the morning to drink a cup of coffee and listen to music, I feel better about my day. Even if it's only in small doses, find times to do the things you enjoy. Yesterday, my friend Hayley and I took a walk around RSU, and it put us in the best mood. Sometimes I forget how beautiful our campus is, and it's nice to get out and appreciate it. We couldn't help taking pictures of the sunset!
5. Make Time for Others. Whether it's through volunteering, or even just making time for friends and family, it will make you feel less stressed. Sometimes I can get so focused on myself, I forget others exist. Thankfully, I have great family and friends who will force me to be social! This week, I've tried to make it a habit to call my parents more often and spend more quality time with my friends. Monday, I went to my friend Jerry and Bethany's spring band concert after I realized I have never seen them perform (because I'm an awful friend!). The concert and jazz band put on a Night at the Movies concert, full of songs from soundtracks from movies such as The Incredibles and Star Wars. It was so amazing to see! It was honestly one of my favorites events I've been to.

Even during the stressful times, there can be time for fun! These tips have helped me, and I hope they're helpful to you as well!

Gabby G.

Peak of the Week: Got an A on my presentation in my Humanities II class!

SNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!

Now that we have had a good downfall of snow, it is important to know how to embrace the fluffy goodness. Here at RSU, our students take great pride in our very rare snow days, so take a seat and follow the steps.

Step One: Relax!! slick roads, hazardous pathways, and  frosty temperatures means only one thing... NO SCHOOL. 

Step Two: Contain excit... actually go ahead, run for the white blanket of snow. Yes jump face first and slide your limbs to make the perfect snow angel. Now, immediately regretting that step we move on.

Step Three: Time to fetch the sled, not having a sled is no excuse. Household items will do, preferably made of plastic or metal and should have a smooth surface, a laundry basket is always a safe bet. If you are committed enough, the hood of your car is a great asset. 

Step Four: Find the steepest hill. Luckily for us, we have a wonderfully sloped hill at the front of our campus. This hill can also turn into extreme sledding if one is to go a little too far and reach the pond. You do not want to join the swans in this temperature.

The hill at the front of our campus, ENJOY!!!

Step Five: Get lost!!! Make the most of our beautiful nature reserve. Walk through, make your own walkways... Take in the natural beauty we have right here on campus.

I shot this as I ventured the reserve.

Another shot its natural setting.

Step Six: When your hands have become numb, and your face is a dark shade of red, it is probably time to head back inside to warm yourself up. No better way than to turn on your favorite film, and warm yourself with some hot chocolate, or my favorite, some hot tea with milk. 

I hope my guidelines help you through this treacherously fun time... Enjoy the time off school and make the most of the snow. Be safe, and keep yourself full of warm tea!!!

Meet My Roommates

Moving to Rogers State I was skeptical about how living on a college campus was going to be. When I found out I would have three other roommates I was also a little worried about getting along with them. Little did I know I would soon be best friends with these three guys and now three years down the line we are still living together. It was easy getting to know each other since we were all members of the RSU soccer team. They are all great guys and I am sure we will continue our friendship when the time comes to leave Rogers. There is never a dull moment in our dorm, and I think everyone who comes by would agree.  Our dorm is known as the international dorm since three out of four of us are from different countries. Kevin and I are from Dublin, Ireland. Mitchel is from Newcastle, England, and Nathan is from Texas. So lets get to know them.

Mitch in his Giraffe onesy  

I will start with Mitchell. Mitch as we call him is probably the most simplistic man I have ever met. From his personality, to the food he eats. He is one simple lad and we love him for it. Mitch is known as the old man in the room, he likes his peace and quiet and doesn’t like the rest of us being too loud. His daily meals consist of completely fried food loaded with ketchup. Ketchup is the core of his life; every meal and snack Mitch will have it loaded with ketchup (makes me sick). He is afraid to try new food. He came to America at the age of eighteen and had never tried bacon, eggs, or even a banana.  I could keep going with that list but it would take to long.  He lived in England all of his life until he moved to RSU. He is a Business major and hopes to get a job in the USA after college.  When I asked Mitch what his favorite thing about RSU was he simply replied “the soccer facilities”.

Nate posing for a selfie

Nathan was born and raised in Texas; he has a Hispanic background so he can speak both English and Spanish. Nate is probably the exact opposite to Mitch. He tends to be a little loud and loves to annoy the English man. When it comes to food, he tends to be on the healthier side.  The only requirement for each of his meals is that he must have peanut butter involved.  Nate is a sport enthusiast, he breads fitness and soccer. This is Nate’s fourth year in Rogers State, and he is now pursuing a Business degree. When I asked Nate what his favorite thing about RSU was he said “I love the campus, especially the athletic facilities”.

Kev enjoying the outdoors 

Last but not least is Kevin. Kev and I got to know each other a year before we came to America so we have been through a lot together. We are usually just known as the Irish rather than Kev and Niall. When it comes to food there are no limits with this lad. He can be mistaken for a garbage disposal because he will eat anything. The only thing I have ever seen him dislike oddly enough is cookie dough.  Both coming from Dublin we have been able to adapt to a new culture together, so settling in was definitely easier for both of us. Kev is pursuing a fitness management degree here at the university and hopes to own his very own gym one day. I asked Kev what his favorite thing about RSU is and he replied in a joking tone “the people, because they talk to me”.

When we are not working, in class, or at practice my roommates and I are usually in our dorm hanging out. Usually drinking tea sent from home. They have made my 

college experience unbelievable and I have a lot of great memories with these guys.

The four of us before a game

Transitioning from Ireland to America

The heat!! That was the first thing I remember about arriving in America. Stepping off the plane at Tulsa airport was the moment I realized that it was going to be awhile before I would adapt to the climate. I had come from a comfortably cool, wet climate and after a nine-hour flight I felt like I had stepped into an oven.

            After some time living here I was happy to learn that adapting to the climate would be my biggest struggle. Everything seemed to be much easier than I expected. Still there are plenty of cultural differences that took some getting use too. I was taken back by the size of everything over here. The roads are much wider, the majority of vehicles are much larger, and of course the food portions are double what you would usually get in Ireland (not complaining). The country as a whole is huge; one of my first college soccer games was a six-hour drive. To get from one side of Ireland to the other would usually take about four-hours so travelling for that long was not something I was accustomed to.

            Thinking back I feel sorry for the people who tried to speak to me the first few months I was here. I am sure they had a tough time understanding me. Back then I spoke much quicker and spoke words that only people from Ireland would understand. Since then I have adapted to some southern lingo and have slowed down when I speak so people don’t look at me with a blank stare when I say something.

            Not seeing my family and friends on a daily basis obviously took some getting use to. It is a strange feeling when the people that know you most are not around. Fortunately I met a lot of great people in my first few weeks here, everybody was so friendly and helpful. Skype and Facebook help things as well, I am always kept up to date with everything that is going on at home.

            So the transition from Ireland to America really wasn't too bad. Both being English speaking countries made everything a whole lot easier. The welcoming Oklahoma's have made me feel right at home. I miss Ireland a lot but I am loving my time in the US. I look forward to seeing what the future holds and where I will end up, but until then I will enjoy my time here and carry on my pursuit of getting used to the heat. 

Challenge of the Week

My challenge for you is to learn a new recipe from a different country and attempt to make the dish. 

Meet My Roommates

Living on campus at RSU, is full of surprises and excitement thanks to the students and especially my roommates. From left to right, meet Bryce Hall, and Kyler and Kasey Ng (let's not forget Allan photo-bombing in the background).

These three fine gentlest of men and myself are recipients of the same scholarship program called The President's Leadership Class (PLC). Bryce, Kasey, and I are seniors this year, while little baby Kyler is just a sophomore. As you can tell from the names Kasey and Kyler are brothers. These two hooligans are best friends who rarely, if ever, bicker or fight. Bryce is the man with the golden southern voice and if you travel to Salina, you will hear him announcing at the Salina Highbanks Speedway. Kyler is a goofy little squirt, too smart for his own good. This year he became part of RSU Men's Basketball team earning him the nickname "Asian Persuasion". Kasey is a passionate outdoorsman who competes in triathlons. If he isn't working on homework he is either out riding his bike or tinkering on it in his room. 

Having roommates this awesome is a blessing and a curse. The late night living room conversations are wonderful until the eight o'clock class rolls around, but I wouldn't change it for anything. The opportunity I have to live with such a diverse and motivated group of men is only possible because of RSU. 

Peak of the Week: PLC's Fairest on the Hill (a fake beauty pageant) is this week and I get to emcee for it.

Challenge of the Week: PLC's Fairest on the Hill (a fake beauty pageant) is this week and I get to emcee for it. Hopefully I don't screw the pooch on this.

Quote of the Week: "It's not about making others laugh. It's about making yourself laugh"

-Austin Jobes

An Introduction from Niall

     Hi everyone, my name is Niall Masterson. I will begin by giving you all some insight to my past and how life has taken me to Rogers State. So anyone that has met me will know that I sound a little bit strange, this is because I hail from the green fields of Ireland. I was born into a loving family being the youngest of three siblings. I grew up in Ballyboughal which is a small rural village in north Dublin. As you can imagine there is not a whole lot to do in a small village in Ireland but my friends and I always done a good job of keeping ourselves occupied. Spending all our time outside it was usually playing soccer that filled our days. At that time I played for fun, little did I know later in life it would take me to where I am now.

     After high school I had made the decision that I wanted to travel to the US and continue my education as well as play soccer for a university. So I began my pursuit in a small college in Dublin. I took part in a one year soccer course which was designed to get young student athletes across the pond to America. After a successful year I was lucky enough to get in touch with a coach from Coffeyville Community College, Kansas. Within three weeks of talking to the coach I was on a plane heading towards Kansas.

One of my last moments in Ireland before I left.
This was at the Cliffs of Moher, along the west coast of Ireland.

     You could say it was a little bit of a culture shock. The first thing I remember was getting off the plane and getting struck by ninety degree heat. This was a lot different than a comfortably low fifty degree climate. It wasn’t long before I started to adapt and was able to enjoy a new culture. I met a lot of great people in Coffeyville, they helped me enjoy my freshman year. At the end of my freshman year I heard about Rogers State University. Once I done some research on RSU I was highly impressed and wanted to visit the campus. I soon got in touch with Derek Larkin the head soccer coach. I finally got to see the campus and fell in love, it was perfect for me. Needless to say I acted quickly and got my transfer for the following fall semester, I was going to be a proud Hillcat.

     I began my RSU career as a sophomore in the fall of 2012. It has been extremely easy for me to settle in and I have met a lot of great people. I am now a Corporate Communications major and still represent the university on the men’s soccer team. I have made a lot of great memories here and will continue to do so in the remainder of my time here. 

My parents came to visit and watched me play for the Hillcats

Semester Goals

We hear all the time how goal setting is important for success, well I am here to echo those words. As a college student it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with life’s decisions and lost within all those choices. Goal setting helps to ease that overwhelming sense by gradually achieving goals and simultaneously building a better person.

This year is a little different for me because it’s the infamous college senior year. My place here at the university is comfortable and fixed, changing only by means of my own with little variation.  So this semester my goals have changed concepts slightly. This year my ultimate goal is to be the change I want to see.

Academic- This semester I will strap on my big boy clothes complete with lab coat, goggles, and closed toed shoes, so I can brave the laboratory while performing my own research project.

1.  Goal- Don’t cause any major laboratory explosions.
2.  Goal- If explosions happen……….. get them on video.
3.   Goal - Contribute something back to the scientific community through my research.
4.   Goal- Don’t procrastinate class work.

Interpersonal- Make a positive impact on someone’s life.  The opportunities RSU has provided, built my skills in such a way that I feel obligated to give back to others. Without the past three years here at RSU I wouldn’t be as confident or prepared for life. In a way RSU gave me the opportunity to be thankful.

1. Goal- Make a stranger laugh. (Note: I’m not inventing a new weird laugh. I want to make a person I haven’t met laugh.)
2. Goal- Organize a fundraiser here on campus.
3. Goal- Use my leadership skills to create a positive difference in the organizations I am a part of.

Peak of the Week- Floating the Illinois with my friends.

Challenge of the Week- Focusing on Calculus Homework

Quote of the Week

               "Working hard is important. But there is something that matters even more, believing in yourself. Think of it this way; every great wizard in history has started out as nothing more than what we are now, students. If they can do it, why not us?"  -Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix