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. 

Behind the stacks....

 

Wandering through the Harry Potter bookshelves (my personal name for them as they move at the press of a button!) on the 5^th floor of the William T Young Library, many will not realize the hidden treasure that is tucked back in the West Wing: the Writing Center. The William T. Young Library, or the Willy T as many students call it, is the main library on our beautiful campus and houses most of the enormous book collection that the University of Kentucky boasts as well as being the site many students use the countless hours of studying that goes on during a semester.

Essays, research papers, and other writing assignments fill the time between tests for many students on campus. As an average student, I’ve had weeks where I’ve had at least one essay due in addition to having lab reports and homework assignments to complete. While the work can seemingly become overwhelming, it is completely manageable by focusing on completing one thing at a time and utilizing the resources available on campus.  With all of this writing to be completed, it can become very difficult to not only create another brilliant thesis statement, but to also decide on a specific topic when a professor has assigned a paper about water. Thankfully there is a resource on campus that is able to help students with all of these problems and more. The Writing Center is the best place to come on campus for help with any writing needs. The purpose of the Writing Center is to help students and faculty with any of their composition and communication needs. With a diverse staff of undergrads, graduate students, and faculty, it is easy to find help no matter the assignment.   

            Just in case you need a professional editor, we sadly can’t be of any assistance.   We will not edit your paper for you, and we are not even allowed to write on a student’s paper or touch the computer they are working on. With that being said, each consultant that works at The Writing Center will point out grammatical errors and help the student learn and understand the rules that govern the English language. The goal is to make each student who comes to see us a better, more confident writer. We work through asking questions about the writing to help ensure that the writer understands what they are trying to say as well as to make the paper easily understood by any future readers. While most of the work that is brought to the Writing Center is actual writing assignments, such as essays, we can help with all types of communication. This includes speeches, presentations, website design and any other form of written word.  We are also able to offer services like design workshops and aid with visual rhetoric because of our amazing visual artist and design specialist.  

            While the bookshelves that should maybe be in Hogwarts always put me in a better mood on my way to the Writing Center, where I work, my absolute favorite part of working on the 5^th floor of Willy T is the fact that we have one of the best views on campus. Maybe I’m a little biased, but it is definitely one of the most amazing views you will ever find here at UK. So if you ever want to look at campus from up above everyone walking to class, or ever need help on a writing assignment stop by and see us. We can be found behind the stacks in the West Wing on the 5^th floor of Willy T.

Staci is a junior at the University of Kentucky, majoring in Agricultural Biotechnology.  She now lives in Kentucky, but comes to us from Virginia.  She is a works at the UK Writing Center and is a COA Agriculture Ambassador.