Things I Wish I Knew..

Sitting in class today I realized how much of a learning experience these past two years have been.  Teachers in high school always tell you that they are preparing you for college, but there are a lot of things they don't tell you as well.  This compelled me to make a list.  I also asked some of my friends what they wish teachers would have told them before going to college.  This is what I learned:

1) You don't need to have your major picked out your freshman year, or even your sophomore year if that.  At a liberal arts college you take your general education courses to help you find what interests you and what you like- take advantage of those classes!  People often times switch their major one, two, or even three times!  Heck, I'm one of them.

2) GPA and ACT/SAT scores can actually get you more scholarships towards a college.  That 30 ACT looks a lot better than a 29 (even though both scores are great) and you can probably get more money for it too.  Who doesn't want more money?

3) Take college courses if able.  When you come in with more credits that allows you to skip some of your general education courses and take more classes that you want!  You'll also get to choose your classes before others and actually get into the Psychology class instead of fighting for the last seat.  At Coe it also puts you higher on the housing list, so you're more likely to get to live where you want on campus.

4) Ownership is on you.  Your parents can't call you in sick anymore- it's up to you to be proactive when contacting professors. Forming relationships with your professors is essential and attending office hours and asking questions in class can make that little bit of difference.

5) How to study.  This was probably one of the hardest things to learn first semester of freshman year.  Everyone has different study habits and ways that work for them- it's up to you to find a way that works best for your class needs.  For me I found reading the material over and over again and rewriting my notes helps me study.  For others it's getting in groups at the library and talking about it, or making note cards and reviewing those every night before bed.  Try all of these techniques out to see which method allows you to be the most successful!

6) How to cope with stress.  Your freshman year you experience some of the most stressful situations you have ever had before.  Again, this proves to be a learning experience for us all.  A lot of people work out, take naps, go to bed early, or schedule out their days and prioritize what needs to be done.  My planner has become my best friend and it allows me to be a little more stress free when everything is laid out for me.

7) Time management will be key.  Yes, you'll have three or four classes a day compared to the seven in high school.  No you won't be going to school from 8-3 every day (unless you plan it that way).  Looking at that makes it seem like you have a lot of free time, but I realized quickly how precious that extra time can be.  It's spent learning those study habits, getting a quick nap in, or doing homework for a class.

8) Last but not least, enjoy it and have fun.  College isn't only about class time and studying, and it's not always stressful.  You have to make time for yourself and do the things you love.  Get out there, join a club, make friends, watch too many hours of Netflix, make mistakes, and learn more than what you can just in the class room.

Since none of this was told to me before going to college- I'm telling you now!  I'm a sophomore and I'm still learning about myself and what college is all about- I don't think you can ever master the ins and outs of college- and no college student has their life completely together.

Kohawk Love,
Alexis

I'm In!

It's official- I have been accepted into Coe College's Nursing program this coming Fall semester.  I can't even put into words how excited and blessed I am to have this opportunity.  I think that a lot of people outside of Coe underestimate it's nursing program, especially since the University of Iowa and Mount Mercy (two schools known for Nursing) are right in arms reach from here.  To be honest- Coe's nursing program wasn't even on my radar until I came here.  As a freshman I declared my major as Biology, because I intended to go Pre-med.  The nice thing about going to a liberal arts school is that I quickly figured out that is not what I wanted to do at all.  Through my general education courses and going to the Pre-health club meeting- I realized that Medical School probably wasn't for me.  In fact, the thought of med school scared me intensely.  So that's when I switched to Nursing and realized how rewarding being in the Nursing program would be- this is where I belonged all along and I just needed to figure it out.  I'm still learning and discovering myself, and I love it. I will be spending a lot of time with the same people and my peers will essentially become my support group.  I know how demanding this major will be, but it's nice knowing that when I'm out of college I know what I'm going to be doing. Plus,  I love the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area and through the clinical experiences and being with a preceptor one-on-one, I will form great networking and relationships.

It's crazy to think that I have one semester left before my gen eds are done and I jump right into nursing.  Time goes by so fast!  I have almost made it half way through my college experience.  Is it selfish for me to not want it to end?  I guess I love Coe College a little too much...if that's possible.

Kohawk Love,
Alexis

Christmas Fever

I can feel it in the air... everyone has Christmas fever.  You could walk down the hallways in the dorms and see mini Christmas tress in everyone's rooms, Christmas lights hanging on the walls, and snowflakes and Christmas tree decorations covering people's doors.  And yes, I am one of those people who have gotten into the holiday spirit.  Since I was unable to decorate a Christmas tree at home this year, my roommate and I decorated our own mini Christmas tree in our room.  Now all we're missing is a fireplace, hot chocolate, and Christmas movies. I'm so excited to participate in not one, but two secret Santa's, as well.  Goodness, who doesn't love Christmas time?

Even through all the Christmas spirit, everyone has to get into finals mode once more.  This isn't my first rodeo, though, and I'm lucky I kind of have an idea as to what to expect.  Finals are the end of this week and you can see the stress on everyone's faces.  People who haven't been in the library all semester are finally going in to unfamiliar territory in hopes of it helping them study and get those grades up at the last minute.  This past weekend was full of people catching up with their own procrastination and finishing up those last minute papers, presentations, and extra credit opportunities (never said I wasn't one of them).

So through it all, there is a light of the end of the tunnel- being done with my first semester of my sophomore year and being able to go home for Christmas.  While it will be extremely weird not being at Coe for a whole month- I admit I am excited to relax and not have and worries when it comes to school.  Yet, by the time January rolls around I will be ready to get back on campus and kick out my last semester before summer.  Now time to go get on my study grind and make it through this next week of finals.

Kohawk love,
Alexis

Thanksgiving

It's that time of year again- Thanksgiving break.  It is the first time a lot of people go home for the first time all year and get to spend time with family and friends from home.  I can't wait to go black Friday shopping (not grey Thursday), eat plenty of turkey, and sleep in my big comfy bed.  During this time everyone thinks about what they are grateful for, but really every day we should be appreciative of those people and things around us. With that being said, last year I wrote a blog about Thanksgiving and I think it is necessary for me to write again about what I am thankful for, but this time as a sophomore instead of a freshman in college.

First off, I am thankful to be waking up every morning breathing, healthy, and alive.  I think that is one thing that a lot of people take for granted, and it is one of the most simple things to be thankful for.

Family. I have the most support from my family, even if they are miles away from me.  I know that I could call up my grandma, my sisters, or my dad and they would be there for me no matter what. This includes my big lovable pup that tries to be a lap dog even though he weighs 85 pounds.

Friends.  I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for the old friendships I still have at home and the new friendships that continue to blossom every day here at Coe.

Coe College.  This place has changed me and allowed me to grow up and mature into the young woman I am today.  Every day I find another reason as to why I love this place and it reassures me that I made a great decision deciding to go here.

Tri Delta.  I have had so many great experiences by being in a sorority, including going to St. Jude hospital in Memphis and having the privilege to raise money for the St. Jude babes.  I have also formed great relationships and connections inside and outside of Delta.

The list goes on and on, but those are a few of the few things I'm thankful for every day.  So now I ask you- what are you thankful for?

Kohawk love,
Alexis

Halloween

This past week Coe College was busy.  Thursday was Halloween, and there were plenty of people roaming campus all day dressed in a Halloween costume.  At the soccer game there was even a costume contest!  To top the festive weekend off, Florida Georgia Line performed at the U.S. Cellular Center right here in Cedar Rapids.  Tickets sold out fast, but Coe students were lucky because our student senate had pre-ordered tickets and we were able to buy them at a discounted price of only $10!  It is crazy how cheap that is compared to what the public paid, and because of this all Coe students got to sit together.



I didn't spend my weekend at Coe, though.  Instead, I went to Iowa City and visited my sister since there was a home Iowa game.  This was my first time actually visiting and staying there this year, and that goes to show how much I love this place.  I've only gone home once since school started in August, and this was also one of the first weekends I've spent away from Coe.  I always feel like I'm going to miss something if I'm not here- a good football game, a performer in the pub, and just being with friends.  That's why Coe is not considered a "suitcase college."  What is that you may ask?  A suitcase college is when people go to their classes during the week then everyone goes home over the weekend.  Here at Coe almost every single person stays all week.  Don't get me wrong, going home can be nice and all, but Coe is definitely a home away from home for most people.  Anyways, even though Iowa lost this weekend to Wisconsin, Coe beat Wartburg! While I may be an Iowa fan, my true team definitely pulled through this weekend and I couldn't be prouder to be a Kohawk.

The rest of this week is going to be a crazy one with a Nursing showcase for prospective nursing majors tomorrow, Founder's Day for Delta on Thursday, and a campus visit day this Saturday.  If you are a prospective student and want to get a great look at what Coe is all about, it's not too late to sign up and come Saturday! Plus, there's a home football game, and it's our last one.  Might as well come and eat some food, have some good times with current Kohawks, and watch Coe football beat Luther.

Kohawk love,
Alexis

Never Enough Time

I've come to the conclusion that there is never enough time in a day to get things done.  There is always something that you could be doing- whether it's napping, eating, coffee date in the pub with a friend, working out, going to watch slam poetry or an a capella group in the pub, going to a midnight movie for free, watching Netflix, working, running errands... the list goes on and on.  While this may sound like a bad thing, I mean it as a great thing.  Think about it- everything I just listed aren't terrible things to have your day full with.  While, yes, I wish I could do them all in one day, I've come to the conclusion that I can't- and I'm okay with that.  The one thing that you learn as a college student, though, is that you have to make sacrifices.  You have to choose between studying for that big anatomy midterm you have or going to the volleyball game.  As a college student you truly have to balance sleep, with study, with social, and I'm telling you now that while at times it seems almost impossible- it definitely isn't.  I'm lucky to go to a college where there is always something to do, even if sometimes it may put a damper on my studies or the amount of sleep I get.  I believe that you have to get the most out of your college experience, and Coe is definitely doing that for me.  Sometimes I may complain about being too busy, but I guess that's just me settling in, getting involved, and enjoying life- three things a college student strives for.

Kohawk love,
Alexis

Especially For You

I did it.  I finally ran my first 5k.  When I first signed up to do it back in August I thought I was crazy, but now I'm so happy that I did it.  This was the 23rd year General Mills and Mercy Medical Center had put on the race that includes a 5K run, 5K walk and a one-mile family fun walk right here in downtown Cedar Rapids, blocks away from Coe.  All for a good cause, too, since more than $370,000 from race registrations go to the "Especially for You" fund, which provides mammography and other breast-care services for area individuals who cannot otherwise afford them.  More than 15,000 people turned out for a race to raise money to fight breast cancer.  Every person there was either supporting, fighting, or surviving breast cancer so it hit home for many people.  When it comes to me, I ran it for my grandma who is a breast cancer survivor and also one of the strongest people I know.  I was young when she had it, but I still remember looking up to her with admiration as I touched her bald head and loved how silky soft it was.  At the time I was clueless to what was going on, but now I'm happy to do my part and be one of 15,000 people running for a great cause.  My grandma was my motivation to finishing the race, and I'm proud of myself for doing so in under 30 minutes.  Check out these pictures from the race!

Kohawk love,
Alexis

Coe's team ready to run!



A couple friends and I after running the race!



My official number