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Saturday, July 29, 2006

Ever try to jump off a roof? Don't land on your feet.

I'm not depressed (even though I still can't figure out what happened to my summer) nor am I training to be a stunt double (although that profession doesn't require a degree).
So why did I jump off a roof? I was partying with some of my co-workers. That's right- the wonderful staff of Metro State DO have a life off of campus (a lively one, especially since we jumped off a roof).
Now, before I get anyone calling my office, saying "You did what?", let me tell you that this was fairly safe. We jumped off the roof onto a gigantic trampoline.
No, I am not crazy. I had to jump because I went up to the roof. You can't back down when you are halfway there- just like my upcoming graduation. Everyone knows I will be receiving my diploma in December, announcements will go out soon, therefore I have to graduate.
I am not a person that will perform a task halfway. I like to think of myself as that slogan that was popular a couple of year ago (it was on t-shirts and bumper stickers): Go hard or go home.
I think that college is like that in a sense. You are spending a lot of money, you need to take time to study and read- College is not something that you can complete by going through the motions. Now, I am not saying that by giving it your all will you succeed in every aspect. There are a couple of classes in which I didn't perform well- but I tried my hardest and I don't care (I say that now quite easily, but if I go to graduate school, I will have some explaining to do). I'm not perfect. I am a normal college student- it is part of the process.
Back to my story. While blowing off some steam with my co-workers, one person began taunting everyone to jump off the roof on their trampoline. This person then demonstrated a couple of times before rallying a couple of troops up onto the roof (including myself and another newbie to roof-jumping).
So, since I was up on the roof I decided to jump. Do you know how hard it is to walk off of a roof? We are taught not to walk off roofs but when one of our friends does it, do you do it?
Yes. Yes, you do. And you have no idea what it was like because you couldn't think.
Quick tip for future roof-jumpers (I am NOT advocating jumping off a roof in any capacity; Please don't jump off a roof at all): Don't land on your feet. It hurts and jars your entire body, leaving you with a sore neck the next morning.
Therefore, no more roof-jumping for me. At least for a week or two.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

MIA- Where has my summer gone?

I wish I was in elementary school again. You know, I had it so good back then. I could sleep in until 6:30am, watch cartoons as I got dressed, I had recess and then I would be home by 3:30pm to watch my favorite show 'Saved by the Bell' (Natürlich, Zack was my favorite).
My summers were especially awesome. My mom worked, so my sister Holly and I would entertain ourselves all day: playing with Barbies, making fruit shakes, watching television, pretending to be gymnasts on our furniture, usw. If we were lucky and could beg our mom for a couple of bucks, she would let us go swimming for the afternoon at our local rec center. Our rec center was great; they had this huge blown-up Clifford (the big red dog) that you would climb on- it was so hard to climb on it and get to the top just to fall back into the water and start the process again.
Ah, the good ole days.
Now my summers are spent with meetings, working at my desk all-day and summer school. I think that international students and athletes have it made during the summer: 1) You get to go back home and see your family (whom I know you haven't seen all year and I do sympathize with that) BUT while you are home for the summer, I bet you don't have to do a thing except for enjoy yourself and occasionally workout; 2) You are traveling back to some exotic locale (even though its just your hometown). I am so jealous because I don't leave. Auraria Campus is my home in the sense that I spend so much time here. I'm here right now. I won't be leaving for another hour. I was in this morning before 8am. I am always here.
Which is why I wish I was back in elementary school. Heck, I would even go back to my sophomore year in high school, when I worked at Water World during the summer- at least I could go swimming for free and check out hot guys all day (Not that Metro doesn't have our fair share of good-looking men- we do, prospective female students, so come to Metro!).
The main ingredient to my summers of days gone by was relaxation. I was able to relax, concentrate on getting a good tan (ha!) and forget all of the learning that had been crammed in my head the past year. These days, I don't have that luxury. I have to pass my summer course and work the rest of the time.
No relaxing- that comes but once a year, between December 25th and January 1st. But it isn't coming fast enough.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Once you pop, you can't stop- getting involved

So, I am getting back on my soapbox. Sorry but I am going to give you great advice for performing well at Metro.
Get involved.
Simple? Yes, in thought but slightly more difficult in practice. Why would I say that, you may ask. Coming from someone who is as involved as I am, why should I discourage my fellow students or even prospective students from getting involved on campus? It isn't like I am saying "Don't get involved! No one needs your help!" What I mean is that once you get on a committee, start a club or join a fraternity/sorority, everyone asks you to be involved in three other ways.
It is an honor, I can say from experience since this has happened to me many times. I truly love that people think of me when they are in need of a student's voice. I can only hope that everyone of Metro's student (future, present or past) were able to get the same feeling that I get when I am asked to be a part of this great institution of education.
The best way to get involved on campus (in my opinion) it to visit the Office of Student Activites. That's right- an entire office completely full of ideas, clubs, groups and activities (haha) for you, just waiting for eager students to come in and ask to be involved.
So, you might ask, what is the problem with getting involved? Okay, I will enlighten you.
I'm not saying this is a bad thing but Metro is made up of people with lives off-campus. People are working a job or two, people are raising families- whatever the reason, this student population is busy when they are not in the classroom. Therefore, a vast majority of Metro students are not able to get involved. That is okay. I understand, I'm not knocking anyone down.
The problem is when you have some extra time and get over-involved. Naturally, your focus needs to be on school but some offers sound too good to pass up. For instance, I sit on the Board of Student Media. Why did I say yes when I was already Cheerleading Club President, a member of Tri-Sigma Sorority and a full-time student with a full-time job? Because I couldn't turn the offer down.
But you have to remember that this was my choice and I knew what I was getting myself into. I also thought of the pros of this new position and how this was one area that I hadn't really explored in my tenure here at Metro. Also, you need to know that I am very experienced in juggling many activities at once. I've been doing it since I was in high school- heck, I assume that everyone has had to juggle at one point in their life.
On that note, I encourage my fellow students to get involved on this campus. You can help make Metro and your campus what you want it to be; don't forget that.


For more information about getting involved, please visit Student Activities website at http://studentactivities.mscd.edu/

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Grammar rules and friendly advice from my soapbox

It has been a while since my last real post, according to some of the grumbling I've heard on campus the past few days. I honestly didn't think that many people that work for Metro would read this blog. I find it absolutely fascinating and am embracing my newfound popularity.
Now before I get a big head, let me give you a reason why I haven't been posting like the madwoman I was a few weeks ago: I began my summer course last week.
Cue the scary music.
Ha, you haven't even heard which course I am taking: Advanced German Grammar.
Cue the scary music again.
Yes, as a German minor, I elected to take this course so that I can graduate in December. Because I have to graduate in December. You know, as fellow graduates of something/somewhere (I mean, we've all graduated before: kindergarten, sixth grade, high school, college, flight school, usw.), you know that once you say you are going to graduate, you can never NOT graduate. How embarrassing would that be?
Let me tell you what it is like, having to go back on a statement of that portion; sit back and enjoy the story: I wanted to go on a study abroad really, really bad. I mean, I would probably have sold my sister Holly to the highest bidder to travel overseas again to study. Studying abroad is one of the coolest things that you could do; it ranks up there with buying your first house, winning the lottery and/or finding the love of your life. Any way you cut it- study abroad rocks!
Back to the story: I was all packed and ready to go. Then my best friend Jessica gave me her wedding date, which happened to fall during the time I would have been learning German in Germany. I thought long about what to do and figured that I could just leave the program early and be back in time for the wedding, even though I would miss the Bridal Shower, the Bachelorette Party and all of the fun stuff that the Maid of Honor is forced, oops I mean asked to do. So, after some thought I decided that it would be too difficult to leave early (I was worried about how much credit I would receive) PLUS the whole being-here-so-Jessica-wouldn't-be-alone-in-her-struggle. Yeah, so after telling the entire world that I was studying in Germany, I had to cancel my trip. Talk about a big bummer. Thank God Jessica started to freak out/freake aus right before the wedding, otherwise I would have been really depressed about missing the trip (which I still was, btw. I could have hung out with my fellow German students, learned more German, earned six German credits (!), eat good- no GREAT- German food but also I could have checked out the male population in Germany, which isn't half bad).
Moral of the story: Be sure on something before you blab it to everyone within hearing distance. Which brings me back to my grammar course. Grammar kicks my butt. I forget the rules, so I make up new rules- which doesn't cut it (I've also tried to make up new German words, but that also hasn't cut it). But I just have to keep telling myself that I am going to graduate because I am taking this course.
I hope this shows my loyal readers that I have been busy and not sitting around, enjoying my summer like a true college student. I'm hard at work, which I believe you have to be when given a deadline like I have- technically, yes I did give myself the deadline but that is besides the point.
For prospective students, most of you have just graduated high school; for some, it might have been an easy-ride but for others, it was a struggle. I commend you all for graduating, whether it was easy or not. Receiving a high school diploma is awesome and you should be extremely proud; next comes the Bachelor's.
My advice to you is not to worry about the "standard 4-years" to get you degree- it isn't going to happen. Honestly, I have been attending Metro for five years and I have loved every minute of it. Another piece of advice? Take a couple of fun classes. I took Golf- that hasn't helped me graduate faster but it is a great conversation starter and helps with business transactions. So, I am going to step off of my soapbox and let you live your life.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Cheerleading Tryouts next week- Do you think you have what it takes?

METRO STATE COLLEGE CHEERLEADING TRYOUTS
2006-2007 Season

Clinics
July 18 and 19, 2006
5:00-7:00PM
PE Building

Tryouts
July 22, 2006
9:00AM-12:00PM
PE Building

Tryouts are open to any male or female student at Metro State College, Community College of Denver or University of Colorado-Denver. Students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours and have a 2.5 GPA.

There will be a $25.00 tryout fee. All students must have updated insurance in order to tryout. Money and all information forms must be completely filled out and turned in the first day of clinics.

Tryouts consist of:
1) Tumbling- any tumbling skills are appreciated; Please note that we WON'T be teaching tumbling or spotting at the clinics- only tumble if you have the skills.
2) Jumps- you will be judged on toe-touches and pikes
3) Dance- you will be taught this dance at tryouts
4) Stunting- whether it is coed or all-girl, I want to see your skills. There are no minimum stunting requirements.

Hope to see you there!!

Monday, July 03, 2006

A day in the life of...me


#1- To begin my day, I stop in at my neighborhood Starbucks, where the people are friendly and the coffee tastes wonderful.


#2- This is my best friend Augie and Megan, my co-worker. See how excited Augie is for Starbucks?!

#3- This is me, hard at work like always. Notice all of my pretty flowers? The day before was my birthday.






#4 & 5- Rowdy, Coach Dunlap, Head Men's Basketball Coach and Dr. Stephen M. Jordan, Metro State's President. This was a great day, as Coach D signed a 5-year contract with the Roadrunners.


#6- Dr. Jordan and his wife Ruthie took myself, Laura and Brandi out to lunch for all of our hard work the past couple of weeks.



#7- This is my boss Laura. I've written about her before in my blog; she is a great woman and a close friend.




#8- I play on a softball team with my best friend Jessica. This was taken right after our game (which we won!!). Do you like our team color?


#9- After my game, I headed downtown to have dinner with three of my sorority sisters; This is Jess, Amanda, Brittany, and me.


#10- 'The Robot'- my patented dance move. This is a demonstration from myself and Jess.


#11- Jess, Brittany, me and Amanda- still going strong, even though its late.



#12- Me and Brooke. You might recognize her from Metro's Women's Soccer team.