Remember, remember, the 5th of November.

For the class of 2013, today serves an important purpose. 6 months from today, we walk across the stage and symbolically move into our future. Being a sentimental person, this has gotten me to look back at my 3.5 years as a Wildcat. As a result I decided to make a list. Since our basketball team domin8ted last year, I’m sharing 8 from a soon-to-be alumni. This is my SeeBlue Bucket List.

1)     Call your parents: Your parents love you. They’re proud that you’re here making something of your life. It may not seem like much, but talking to them regularly means a lot to them. I have lost count of the time parents have called me to see if their student is OK because they haven’t heard from them in weeks. You’re never too old to call your parents.

 2.)   Utilize the library: You’ve never lived until you’ve watched the sun rise while studying in Willy T. During Finals Week, my friends and I basically camp out for a week studying. It is perhaps the greatest asset on this campus. Apart from the plethora of books, we also have an excellent staff who are there to help make sure we use our resources to the max. 

3.)    Live on campus: Residence Halls (i.e. dorms) have a lot of negative connotations. I’ve lived on campus my entire college career and I’ve truly enjoyed my time. It forces you to meet new people who you might not have ever encountered. Some of my best memories from college have came from hanging out in the lobby of our residence halls with friends. Late night board games and Tolly Ho runs, impromptu musicals (I lived in the Fine Arts Residential College at one point), and even sitting around a table talking for hours are some of the things I’m going to remember most fondly about UK.

 4)     Hockey: I’m going to preface this with this: I still know nothing about the sport of hockey. But, I absolutely love UK Hockey. They’re a chance to get off campus and hang out with friends. Something about the chill of the Lexington Ice Center and the screaming fans just makes for a great experience. UK Hockey is a tradition in my friend group now. Just remember: The puck drops at midnight. 

5)     SAB Events: When they say there is always something going on at UK, they really mean it. The Student Activities Board always has some sort of lecture, film, or concert going on around campus. From CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien, to Drake, to SNL comedian Seth Myers, SAB brings in top notch people to help make your experience unique. 

6)     Take care of yourself: This time of year, the stress of college and the changing of the seasons can really do a number on your immune system. Luckily, we have the wonderful staff at University Health Services there to take care of you. You’ve already paid the fee…so you might as well go get checked out when you’re not feeling well. 

7)     Reach out: It’s easy to get wrapped up in the social and academic aspects of college. Don’t overlook where we are. There are hundreds of charities and community organizations in the city that provide amazing services to both us and the citizens of Lexington. You can participate in Fusion, go to the Center for Community Outreach, or just call up somewhere and ask how you can help. 

8)     Find your Unbridled Spirit: This sounds overly philosophical. It is. College is about growing as a person. It’s about figuring out who you are and where you think your life is heading. As I see it, the college equation is: two part grades, one part social life, and the remainder is you. 

The bottom line is college is a brief moment in our lives. There really is no checklist for how to make the most out of your experience. It’s up to you to figure it out. Just remember you’re not in it alone. You have literally hundreds of people here to help. From your RA, to your adviser, to your professors, or even your friends and family, you have people who will help. 

 Zeb is a senior majoring in Biosystems Engineering.  He is from Pineville, Kentucky.  After graduation, he plans to attend graduate school.  He is currently a Resident Advisor on campus and American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Student Branch. 

It’s the Little Things

In life, there’s always something that keeps you from moving forward.  For me, it’s the little things.  Like writing this blog.  I sat down many times to write it, but I didn’t know what to write about.  Or going for a run.  I wanted to run, but I didn’t have any clean socks.  These are the little things that are easy to fix- but that keep me from progressing.  Word of advice:  Don’t get caught up on the little things!  I feel much better when I can accomplish the things that I want to get done.  

An easy way to prevent a halt in your work  is to be prepared.  Think ahead when you start something and take time to plan.  For example, as I was going to sit at my computer to write the blog I should have been thinking about what I was going to write about.  Or, when I put on my last pair of clean socks I should have thought about doing laundry and planned a time to do so.  Then I would have clean socks the next time I needed them.  

This can easily translate into school work.  To make sure that we are progressing in our classes and exams, we need to be prepared.  Make sure that you know when things are due and when you have exams.  A planner is a great way to keep track.  Study a little bit at a time, instead of cramming the night before.  I heard once that for every hour you are in the classroom you should study 2-3 hours outside the classroom.  Studying for a few minutes a day may seem insignificant, or a little thing, at the time but when you get to the day before the exam you will feel much more prepared and significantly less stressed!

As you are reading this, I hope you learn that the little things should not prevent you from moving forward.  But let’s be honest.  You’re probably not doing something right now because of a minor bump in the road!  Make your own list of your “small things” and don’t get bogged down this semester.  Let’s do this Wildcats!

Marissa 

 

Marissa is a seniors studying an individualized curriculum in Sustainable Agriculture.  She is from Morrow, Ohio.  Marissa is a member of the UK Sustainability Council & an Ag Ambassador.   Ambassador.