College Updates  

We are going to talk about two totally unrelated topics this week.

First, the deadline to change your grading option from letter grade to Passed/Not Passed is this FRIDAY, MARCH 23RD. This is the last time you can make any changes to your schedule over Tele-Bears this semester. After Friday, you will have to file a petition for an exceptional change of class schedule.

On a slightly different note...

The L&S Office of Undergraduate Advising is hosting the Major Madness Fair on April 9th, 10th, and 11th in the Pauley Ballroom in MLK Jr. Student Union. The fair will have representatives from different major departments, study abroad programs, the Career Center, and Undergraduate Research programs. The fair will be happening from 12 noon till 4 pm each day.

Monday, April 9th, will feature Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary and International Area Studies majors.
Tuesday, April 10th, will feature Biological and Physical Sciences majors.
Wednesday, April 11th, will feature Arts and Humanies majors.

So, if you are unsure of what you want to study and want to explore the different fields, if you are looking for advice on the internship search, or if you want to find out more about study abroad options, come check out this event!

Happy Spring Break!

Cheers from your Peers,
Angela and Maya.

If you are interested in helping students navigate their way through the College of Letters and Science, would like to meet a fun and diverse group of individuals, want to earn some money, and have 8-10 hours per week to spare, then peer advising might just be for you!

Applications for the 2007-2008 school year are available at 113 Campbell Hall and will be online shortly. They are due April 6, 2007. This job is a year-long commitment with a mandatory week of training during the end of summer. It's a great way to interact with students, learn about college policies, and gain valuable communication skills. As a peer advisor, you will get a chance to do a little bit of everything. You will have shifts at the blue carts outside of Moffit Library and on Sproul Plaza, answering quick questions for students. You'll work at the front desk, assisting the advising staff. You will answer Kpasa e-mails and phone calls.

As peer advisors, we definitely recommend applying for this job if the above description appeals to you. It's been a great year so far, and we've learned a lot.

Cheers from your Peers,
Angela and Maya.

It's the middle of the semester. It seems like there are midterms every week, papers piling up, and problem sets are due every other day. You feel like you live at the library and you haven't gotten much sleep. Spring break is just too far away. Feeling a little blue? Don't worry too much, there are things you can do to relieve the stress and have a little fun.

The key to not feeling overwhelmed is time management. We know you've heard this before, but that is only because it truly works. Keep a weekly planner and write down all of your assignments so that you can spread them out. That way you'll have to do some work each day, but will also have time to relax and enjoy life outside of school.

Make sure to take breaks. Sometimes it seems like there's so much to do, that you don't have time to go exercise, spend time outside, or talk to friends. But those are the activities that will rejuvinate you, give you more energy, and will ultimately make you more productive and will allow you to feel better.

Remember to reward yourseslf occasionally. If you just finished a midterm or turned in a paper, take a night off. Do something fun or try something new. Really take your mind off your work sometimes. This will help you concentrate better when you need to and will relieve a lot of stress.

Although it might seem as though you have to stay up till 5 am in order to study for your midterm, it is actually better to get a good night's sleep. If you cram until the early hours of the morning, you are going to be exhausted, and your mind won't work as well. If you are well-rested, you will have more energy, and will be able to think more clearly. This is ultimately for your benefit.

Also, step back occasionally and look at the larger picture of your life. This is just one test, one paper, or one assignment. You will survive and do great in life even if you don't do so great on that test.

So, make sure to study well and do the best that you can. But don't let the mid-semester blues get you down. Spring break is really not too far away. And also, college is supposed to be fun!

Cheers from your peers!
Angela and Maya.