finals, finals, finals.......

Hey:)

So finals are just around the corner, I have my first one on Tuesday the 8th! Its crazy how fast a semester here can go! I get so caught up in the fun activities MSUM has to offer, that time just flies! I am surprisingly not too worried about my finals this sememster. Just three for me..it may sound like alot but last semester I had five! So I am pretty content with just three:)

Enough talk about finals.....Christmas time is fast approaching! We put up the christmas tree in the Admissions office today. It looks beautiful. The snow finally fell today; its finally looking like Christmas time! And yes I did pull out my holiday music already:)

This year we have a three week holiday break! I am very excited to relax (with no homework) and spend time with friends and family. I am also working over break....so I will be making some good money. The holidays are all about good times, good people, and holiday cheer.. Life couldn't get any better than that.

That is all for now.

Take care and be well.

Finals ahead.......

Thanksgiving break is right around the corner! We have the rest of this week and then just a day and a half next week. My plan for the weekend is to complete as much homework as possible! The last thing I want to be doing over thanksgiving break is homework. My birthday is on Tuesday and I am so excited to be at home to celebrate! I will be able to celebrate with my boyfriend this year:) We plan on going out to eat at Paradiso (free meal) and then we will see Twilight New Moon:) I am so excited! I think it is going to be the greatest birthday ever!

For thanksgiving I will be traveling to Beach, ND to stay with my boyfriend's family. We are really excited for good food and family time:)

After Thanksgiving break we have just 7 days of class until finals! I cannot believe that this semester is coming to a close! Unbelievable!

Take care and be well,
Kristen

Hey!

Happy Vetrans Day! This week has been pretty laid back. I am finally caught up with all of my homework. This week I have been working on a project for my Generalist Practice with Individuals class. We were assinged a partner who was to act like our "client" and I must act as the social worker. Basically we are filmed performing an counseling session with a client. The project as been really fun so far. However, my whole entire class has to watch it in 2 weeks:S I am a little nervous about that. But it gives me such good experience in my desired field of study.

This weekend I am going home to Bismarck. My boyfriend and I are going to go hunting. I am really excited! Thanksgiving will be here soon and I am really looking forward to being with family and friends.

Have a good week!

Take care,

KRISTEN.

Going home:)

Being away from home for three weeks may not seem like such a long time....but once in college, a good home-cooked meal, sleeping in my old bed, and seeing my famliy seems like heaven. I am so excited to go home this weekend! My mom and I are going to celebrate our birthdays:) Being it is opening deer season I will most likely not see much of my dad and brother...haha. It makes for good mother daughter bonding time though!

Halloween is passed and Thanksgiving is fast approaching. Before we know it the end of the semester will creep up on us. I know it is a long stretch away but I cannot wait for Christmas! The music, lights, and family time are my favorite! Hopefully it will be a white christmas.

I hope everyone has a great week.

Take care and be well,

Kristen

Halloween at MSUM

Midterms are over and Halloween is fast approaching. There are many activities for students on campus. There are Halloween dances and costume contests! Trick-or-treaters even come by the residence halls. This year my friends and I are going as the Flinstones:)

After all of my Halloween fun the rest of my weekend will include lots and lots of homework. I will be relieved when this semester is over being it has been my toughest one yet. With midterms already over the semester is going very fast! I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween and hopefully we all consume great amounts of candy:)

Take care and be well,
Kristen

Twins fever and fall breather

HEY:)

This has been an exciting week! Although swamped with homework, I had to make time to watch the Minnesota Twins game! Last night's game Minnesota vs. Detroit was amazing! Definatley worth putting studying off for! haha. Students here at MSUM are eagerly awaiting "fall breather." We have monday and tuesday off of school...unfortunately my professors decided to pile on the homework:( At least I get to go home...Home for me is in Bismarck, ND. I am really excited to see my family and old friends, it has been over a month now! Anyways take care and have a great weekend ahead!

P.S. GO TWINS

Week in review: work, study, sleep.

• It has just been one of those weeks. I'm slowly catching up on all of my schoolwork after being sick. Luckily, the weekend is near and I am looking forward to relaxing:)

The coolness of autumn have finally sprung upon MSUM's campus:) I love the fall weather and the beauty of the leaves. However, I think I can hold off on winter's ice cold wrath for a few more weeks!

Our MSUM football team won our homecoming game last Saturday:) I'm proud to say the events of our homecoming week were a success! The hypnotist was HILARIOUS, the Johnny Holmes concert was a BLAST, and coronation was EXCITING!

Take care all and have a great week/weekend:)

Kristen

Homecoming at MSUM!

MSUM Homecoming week is full of student activities! From free ice-

cream, to concerts, and hypnotists! There is never a dull moment on

campus. I voted for our 2009 homecoming king and queen

today, coronation is on Friday so i wish all the members of the court

good luck!

Every year during homecoming week our dragon breaths fire..the dragon (as seen in the picture) is located in our campus mall.

This weekend we have our dragon football game and the homecoming dance! I should be really fun:) Not to mention tonight a hypnotist is coming to campus and tomorrow night Johnny Holm will be perfoming!

Getting involved on campus is crucial and the benefits are endless! Meet new friends, explore what campus has to offer, and obviously have fun!

Have a great week!

Kristen

Almost time for summer:)

So the last few weeks of school are upon us. How exciting?! My roomate and I have begun the very long process of slowly moving things out of our dorm. Trust me it is amazing how much you can fit into a very small room:) Next week her parents will be here to take down or loft; which will make the room all the more bare. I am very excited to move back to Bismarck, however, it will be one sad day saying goodbye to all of my friends here. My first year here at MSUM has been amazing. I have met some of my best friends by living in Grantham Hall and many more are to come as the years pass. This experience is definatley life changing, however, well worth it! Your education matters but the people you meet in the process is what truly makes college so exceptional.

Take care and enjoy you summer...I know I will:)

Kristen.

Good old Tests :S

So this week proves itself to be one of my toughest weeks! On Monday I had a quiz over a novel we read in my Human Behavior and the Social Enviornment class. Then Tuesday an Economics exam and a Cultural Anthropology quiz. Wednesday, I must have a literature review paper complete, and on Thursday a Cultural Anthroplogy test! Ouch. This week stings a little! But I am confident in myselft that I will get everything accomplished to the best of my ability.

On Sunday I had an honors convocation to attend to. Turns out I received an award for being one of MSUM's special honors students. That means being in the top 5 percent of the University. I was pretty excited:) It just reassures me that although the homework seems extensive there is always some satisfaction in the end. Whether it be from receiving an award, getting an A, or even a pat on the back for a job well done.

Keep your head up. As stressful times approach, look for the good. Trust me, you will find it:)

Spring has Sprung :)

After the long, cold winter we all endured spring has finally appeared on our campus! As I was walking to class today I couldn't help to notice the grass turning green, the birds chirping, and the sun shining. I just love the freshness spring brings. However, trying to get your homework done while gazing out your window, thinking about how nice it is outside...doesn't work very well! I think my motivation to finish this school year is slowly running out! Hopefully I have one more months worth of motivation in me.

This week has been going fairly well (now that my dreaded developmental psych test is over!) As for the rest of the week I plan on taking it easy and enjoying this spring weather! Pretty soon I can say I will be enjoying this beautiful summer weather:)

Take it easy everyone...enjoy life and stay positive:)

Flood 2009

Well its my first week back after a 3 week spring break...what was supposed to only be a one week break. The reason for this extension-flood! We all arrived back on campus to prepare for classes to begin again after our one week spring break. To our surprise the Red River was rising fast. MSUM along with Concordia and NDSU canceled school for the entire week in order to get students to participate in the sandbagging effort. That week thousands of college students around the area came out to fight this flood. The community of Fargo/Moorhead were ever so thankful for our efforts. By the end of the week we assumed it was all over-we were wrong! Friday morning I recieved a call from my dad requesting that I leave campus, just to be safe of course. Within a half hour the campus was evacuated. The MSUM campus was considered safe from flooding, however, our water supply was going to be shut off. Which is why we were ordered to leave. Basically this added to my vacation from school work. Although it may sound promising, it got a little redundant. I mean, I sat at home with nothing to do for almost 3 weeks! Luckily, classes resumed today. It feels nice to get back into a routine. I missed all of my friends here and of course my life at the dorms. No worries we are very safe! Now its time to hit the books and finish this school year! Wish me luck:)
Take care!

Midterm is finally here. Luckily, I only had one midterm exam in my human behavior and the social environment class. Thanks to my excessive studying, I did very well:) Today was also a very good day. I woke up at 9:30 and got ready for my 10:30 Economics class. Thankfully, a friend in my class texted me just before I left my dorm telling me that class was cancelled! Being we were supposed to have a quiz in that class, I was very relieved. My next class, at 1:30, was fairly easy as well,Cultural Anthropology. We watched a movie about a tribe whom survives off of hunting and gathering and are in constant search for food. Whether that be fish, clams, or honeycombs. It was very interesting to see how other cultures survive. After that, I had just one more class to go, Developmental Psychology. My day has gone by pretty quickly, however, I must be at work now until 8. Which isn't bad because there is always that monetary reward:)

Oh and my intramural volleyball team is playing tonight. If we win, we will make it into the intramural play-offs. Lets hope we do not lose!

I must get going, take care and have an awesome rest of the week!

Roomates

When coming to college one thing is finding a decent roomate. I have to admit that I was extremely nervous about who I would be paired to live with for an entire year. When I began to fill out my housing application I became a little relieved when I discovered that MSUM sends each student an interest evaluation along with all of the housing materials. This evalutaion allowed me to write down all of my preferences when looking for a roomate. After completing this form I just had to wait until I was notified of who I will be living with. Finally, the day came when I recieved a letter telling me who this mysterious person will be. Karley Vetter. I was very excited however, a little nervous as to what this girl was like. We talked through facebook for the majority of the summer getting to know each other. Things seemed to be going very well. The next step was move-in day.

Move in day approached very quickly and first impressions to me are very important. When I unlocked the door to my room Karley gave me a big hug. After that moment I knew that everything was going to be ok. Karley and I have become best friends throughout the course of this year. We laugh now about how stressed out and nervous we were to meet each other.

College has given me many new experiences and I will forever be grateful for the friendships I've formed here at MSUM:)

I thought my week was about to settle down. That is until today. I received the news of an upcoming test on Thursday along with a quiz, a project due Monday, and another test Tuesday! S0metimes I wonder if I will ever catch a break! Life can get so stressful but once you put it all behind you it becomes a very awesome feeling. In times like these it is always nice to find someone in the class you are struggling in, and work together with homework and studying. I have been meeting with a friend in my Economics class. We have been studying together for our next big upcoming exam. It is very helpful to work with others. Sometimes they know a concept you may not. Keep that in mind. And know that failure is simply giving up. Never stop trying to pull yourself out of that rut. The professors and tutors are extremely kind in helping you catch up:) Don't ever be afraid to raise your voice and ask for help! Trust me, it will only benefit you in the end!

Also, if you are a little confused as to which college you will choose, don't be afraid to ask questions. Explore each and every angle to ensure that you will make the right choice. College is a big deal. Make sure you are comfortable with your decision. The rest will fall right into place:) No worries. It always seems a little stressful, but trust me, this experience is well worth it!

Take care!

Rainy Days at MSUM

It has been the strangest winter here! I finally got used to bundling up every monring to walk through campus in the below zero temperatures. This week has been a little different. The temperatures definately rose, however, along with it came rain; lots of rain! I woke up this morning, looked out my window, and saw half the snow melted outside of my residence hall! It felt so much like spring. Let me tell you I was VERY excited. So i got ready for my economics class and walked out the door. Sadly, it was raining. This caused all of the sidewalks to flood and puddles formed everywhere! I think it will be a very good idea for me to purchase some rain boots! Let's just cross our fingers that this rain doesn't freeze!

Well I better be going, I have a test to study for tonight!

Take care and have a very happy valentines day!!:)

The first big exam!

Now that we are all into the second month of Second Semester, the easy days of listening to the professor outline the syllabus are over. After listening to countless lectures, watching a few movies, and taking ALOT of notes, the exams are soon to begin. I have two exams scheduled for next week; one in antrhoplogy and one in Developmental Psych. Not to mention Social Psychology following close behind. It's now time to open the books and study those notes. I usually do fairly well on exams; however, since this is the first exam of the semester you never know what to expect. One tip to always keep in mind; Never wait until the last minute to study. In college the exam covers numerous chapters along with pages of notes. Always study the hardest for that first exam; then you can kinda get a feel for how the 2nd, 3rd, and so on will be. I guess I have alot on my plate but no worries I'll find time. Studying is great, however, don't ignore the social aspect of college life. You will regret it.

Anyways I must get going! Have an awesome week and don't ever forget to smile:)

Going home:)

Since the beginning of our second semester I have not been able to get home. Thankfully, this weekend I get to go home!:) I am so excited. Prior to moving to college I always told myself that I will never go home....I was WRONG. haha. After being away for so long you realize how much you truly miss your family. Even though my little brother tends to get on my last nerve every now and then, I still enjoy going home to see him. I have become a lot closer to my parents as well. I'm guessing that is what distance does to you. Even though it is a 2 1/2 hour drive all by my lonesome, I am pretty sure it is well worth it!

Remember.. don't ever forget the ones you love most. Family will always be at your side.

Have a good week and take care:)

Things are getting a little Stressful!

Its the beginning of second semester and that means it is suppost to be pretty laid back. Not for me. Seems like I'm always doing something. I am a social work major here at MSUM and now is the time to apply for admission into the Social Work Program. So i go to print off the application only to find that this 10page document I am looking at is the whole application. Not to mention all of the essays that go along with filling out an application. Also, to my surprise, I must complete 15 volunteer hours by Feb. 13th in order to be considered for entrance into the program. Basically I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to meet all of these deadlines. Things have been getting better, Thank God. I have been volunteering every other day at Prairie ST. Johns Psychiatric Hospital. I have fallen in love with the work I am doing there. Hopefully one day i will start my career in a setting similar to this. I guess sometimes i just need to slow down, take a deep breath, and relax. My boyfriend always reminds me of how anxious I tend to get (I take after my mother:)) Bascially what im trying to get at is that stress can sometimes be a good thing. It has showed me that I have the ability and power to conquer anything that comes my way. So here is my advice......Look for the good in all situations and you will prevail.

That is all I have to say for now!
Take care all....and guess what?! It is getting warmer:)

Bringing in a new semester!

Now its time to hit the books, study study study, and nap. Spring Semester has just begun and I am really excited about my new classes. So far they don't seem to hard (knock on wood). My day was pretty long being I had three classes plus work...bedtime will sound really nice after a day like this. One thing I have learned throughout my college experience, being I am a freshman, is that napping is very NICE! It's hard to find time to do it between homework and studying, but once you get a chance, enjoy it!

I'll catch up with you all later. Have a great week:)

P.S.....STAY WARM!