So...

Now that you've had a week of university life under your belt, what do you think? Are there things you wish you had known/done two weeks ago that you know now? What's your best piece of advice to incoming freshmen that you've learned so far?


-- JG

Student Debt

My paper is about Student Debt. I decided to pick this as a topic simply because I feel that Student Debt is increasing around the country, and something needs to be done to help college students get their diploma, without going into debt. I found that only 70 of the nations colleges work to make sure that each of the students and their families meet their EFC, and help with the difference needed to pay for college. That was the most shocking to me. I think that if the economy isnt fixed, Particularly by the government, then even more students will fall into the hands of debt in the near future.

-- KL

English 101 Only -- Feature Article Topics

Comment here and tell us what you want to work on for your paper...


-- JG

So ... What Did You Learn?

After going through the links on e-campus about research, sources, etc., tell me the one thing you learned that you didn't know before. There has to be something ....


-- JG

Logical Fallacies!

Here are some good ones from "SS".

1. "If you sit too close to the T.V., you will go blind."

2."Minds, like rivers, can be broader. The broader the river, the shallower it is. Therefore the broader the mind, the shallower it is."

3. English class is torture. :)

Hit the comment button and tell us what you think they are -- and why!

Dorm Floor Peer-relationships

I'm from a fairly small town in Lindenwold, New Jersey. Nothing too exciting goes on there, that's why I decided to go to West Virginia University! After seeing a football game on T.V. I knew that WVU was always going to have a place in my heart, winning Class Clown and Most School Spirited at my high school, encouraged me to apply to WVU, because I wanted to share that with thousands of Freshmen that were like me and completely different. I NEVER in a thousand years, thought I'd know every person on my floor in Brooke Towers! The fifth floor of Brooke Towers is absolutely poppin, we all know each other and I love that feeling. The other night, we had movie night in this kid's dorm and just tonight, we had a dance party, that soon got busted because it was after quiet hours! Oops! I walk around Brooke Towers all the time and I don't see any hallway that is as social as ours. Just about every person on the fifth floor of Brooke Tower has the door open, on any other floor, most of the doors are shut. This hallway has made me come out of my shell a little bit, when I first got here, I was home sick and I didn't know how I was going to survive a whole year here. But my floor has made it so much fun and I can truly say that if I was on another floor, I would absolutely dread living in the dorms!

- Samantha Messner

Is this similar or dissimilar to your experiences in the dorms? -- JG

So ... Thoughts?

So, now that you've been here a week, what've been the things that surprised you the most about life at WVU? Are there things you wish you'd known before you left home and moved here? What would you do differently? Or, what has been unexpectedly good about WVU?

-- JG

Do Students Need Cars Anyway?

Piggy-backing off of the post just under this one, it seems to me that one way to solve the parking problem is to leave your cars at home. If you think about the amount of money you'd probably pay to park, the hassle of finding a spot, digging your car out from the snow and ice during winter time, the time you waste driving when sometimes walking is just as fast...why bring it in the first place? Sure, Morgantown is somewhat spread out and not everything is within walking distance. But do you really need your car--or can you get by without it?

-- JG

WVU & Parking Issues

I just don’t understand why WVU only offers one free parking lot for us students to park. It really frustrates me on football and basketball game days when the WVU officials block off over half of the coliseum lot so fans can park there. Now I don’t want to sound like I am angry that the fans park at the coliseum, I am just aggravated by the fact that if you don’t have an 8:00A.M. or 8:30A.M. class then you have a very little chance of actually getting a parking spot on game days. The worst part is that for football games they block the lots off two days before a game. Lastly, it bothers me for the people who can’t find parking spots and have to park in random spots at the coliseum and then they are given a ticket for not being in an “actual” parking space. To my knowledge, the coliseum is the only free lot for students, and I do realize the parking garage is an option, but it can be very difficult to get a spot there too. I just wish that WVU would offer another form of free parking especially on game days.

M.Hamilton

Man Up and Go Greek

As school starts up for many students, students are bombarded with clubs and activities to join and are usually asked to join within the first days of arrival at school. Out of all the different clubs and activities to join, there is one activity that jumps out the most; Greek Life. Many students believe that Greek life is just one big party; which is why I’m typing this blog. Before I make my case for Greek life, I am fully aware that rush is over and that the only other time to try and rush is next semester. With that said, let me make my case. Too often students stereotype fraternities into the image given from the hit movie Animal House. The truth is that no one would ever consider rushing a fraternity if people partied that much. Students do not see the numerous library hours put in night after night or the physical training done at six in the morning at the recreational center. Students also never see the plethora of community service work done by all of the fraternities. All students see is the party that got busted for a noise violation. People seem to think that with fraternities, grades will slip and lead to college doom, while nothing could be more false. Fraternities require a minimum of a 2.5 grade point average at the least. While that is the University’s requirement for grade point average, most fraternities themselves raise that standard. I could counter any other argument against going Greek so let me end this with a challenge. I challenge any student in the University that has any interest to go Greek next semester to rush. I promise whether it is a fraternity or sorority, there will be one house that fits you best to your preference. Just remember, a fraternity is supposed to help you, not hurt you! If any Greek house is detrimental to your grades or health, then it is not even worth staying around for, so go somewhere else. Remember my challenge and good luck next semester.

--Orgasmo

Food!

The first thing I did when I found out I was living on the Evansdale Campus was to find out what places there were to eat close by. I had a few friends that went to school at WVU already, and they said that Towers was the best place to eat because they had the best food. They told me that the food was better than all of the cafeterias on the Downtown Campus too. I was looking forward to eating there from now on. When I started goin there everyday, the food seemed like it was repeating itself. Also, it just seemed to get nastier each day. Everyday now when I think about eating, I think about the food my mom cooked back home. I miss her food. Has anyone else came to this conclusion? Does anyone else miss the food from back home yet?

-- LB

Nursing Majors

As a freshman pre-nursing major, I find it very frustrating that I maynot even get into the School of Nursing at WVU. It’s extremely difficultto get into the nursing program here. Out of our entire nursing classonly about 40% of the students will get into the School of Nursing. Ibelieve the actual number of students is somewhere around 80. What aboutall the others? What if nursing is the only thing that we want to do?Many people dream of being nurses since they were little. We don’t wantto change our lifelong dreams just because a program is too difficult toget into. Everywhere you’re always hearing that there is a nursingshortage. In my nursing class, we learned that by 2025, the shortage fornurses could reach 500,000. If we are that short on nurses, why can’tmore qualified applicants get into the nursing programs? Does anyoneelse find that absolutely frustrating?

-- AW

Social Lives Without Booze?

I'm not a big drinker at all. It just makes me sick to my stomach when I do. I feel like that is all that there is to do here. Most of the time I just go to the rec center so I don't feel bored or feel miserable. My friends are always like you need to go out and get your mind of work and your boyfriend; and I agree with them but I don't want to go to parties or clubs all the time, once awhile is enough. I don't find any fun with people wanting to or being "trashed", mostly because I end up taking care of everyone. Where I am from yes people party but there is so much to do, the beach is 5 min. away and New york City always has something entertaining to do. I just want to know what else is there to do here?

-- BG

Poor Transportation!

As we all know, WVU is a very spacious campus. Most people will have a variety of classes uptown, as well as the same amount downtown. Trying to find parking downtown can take forever and can be expensive. Also many freshmen don’t have a car at the campus. So this leaves a lot of kids riding the PRT. Yes the PRT helps you from having to worry about things like getting a parking ticket, but the stress caused from the PRT makes you feel like it’s just as bad. Most mornings I have to leave for class forty-five minutes early just to try to catch the PRT at a time that it is working. Even then it is still broken sometimes. The line of students waiting to get from one campus to another seems like it lasts forever. Then when you are finally about to get on the PRT, after you are late for your class, the door opens and the sign shows a completely different PRT station than what you need to go to. The busses run everyday, but those fill so fast, it seems impossible to ever make it on one. Tons of students are late for class everyday, even when they have gotten up on time, or even earlier than usual. Then they walk into the class after missing half of the lecture all because of the poor transportation at this college. Does anyone else agree that the college needs to try to work on some new ways of transportation, or have the PRT problems solved?

-- EB

Study Habits

I always find myself studying the night before for about a hour andcramming the hour before. So far I've done alright on my test but not asgood as i want to do. I usually can't focus during those times because iprocrastinate way to much or too attached to my cell phone. Any tips ongood study habits? Or ways to cover material the best?

-- AC

Tired of Schoolwork

I don’t know about anyone else, but I am tired of homework and tests. It’s only half way through the semester and I feel like I’ve been working forever! Some classes don’t even have mid terms; they are the average of your test grades. So, if you did badly on one test, there goes your midterm grade. There is so much work for every class and I swear that every teacher thinks that their class is your only class. I sit down and try to get all caught up on my homework, but the next day I get the same amount. It’s a never ending cycle. Does anyone else feel this way?

-- CO

Catching a Bit of Homesickness

When you first come to college you’re excited and anxious. A new place with new faces is a cure to any hometown drama. The first two weeks were filled with fun activities & figuring out this new place you call home. Now that the true colors of college are beginning to show is when people or at least me start to have problems. My family and friends keep telling me that this is normal and that it will come to an end but I just don’t see that. I’ve thought frequently about transferring next year or even next semester. I often wonder, am I the only one that feels like this? Out of my friends, that seems to be the case. I’m hoping I’m not the only one, but when in this state of mind, it’s hard to be optimistic. School is becoming harder and harder each day & the stress just keeps piling on to the point of being extremely overwhelmed. I’d love advice if someone has it!

-AM

Cheerleading: Sport or Not?

Whenever people are asked whether cheerleading is a sport or not, there is usually 1 of 2 answers, yes or no. Now dont get me wrong, I'm not just going to say it is because I have cheered my whole life. I have reasoning behind what I believe. I can see where people can be mislead by the "sport" aspect of it. Many people/students only see the cheering part of cheerleading. They are just a group of girls/guys screaming and shouting for a particular sporting event. Wrong. That there isnt exactly what people consider a "sport" quality but there is so much more to cheerleading than that. What people do not see however, is what happens behind the scenes. If you have ever been to a cheerleading competition then you probably know exactly what I am talking about. Cheerleaders pretty much commit their whole lives and free time to blood, sweat, and tears. They throw away their weekends and evenings to having from anywhere from 2-6 hour practices just to make their 2 minutes and 30 seconds on the competition floor count. They need to have perfectly timed tumbling and sturdy, stiff builds. Not many people are able to pull a tuck out of no where or be tossed yards in the air. I to this day have yet to meet someone who has been able ot jump into cheerleading and be good at it without having years of experience. Its one of those talents you have to work hard and learn over time. I think cheerleading is one of the stereotypical instances where people need to take a closer look before they judge. What do you think?

NH

Freshman 15?

Ever since I started high school, I've always heard about people gaining the "freshman 15" in college. I don't think that it's very true at all. Maybe it's different for me because i live at home, and still have home cooked meals every now and then. But I also go out to eat an awful lot, and I've determined no change in my weight. Maybe it will happen later in the year but as of right now i feel that it doesn't apply to me. As a lot of you may know, being a student at WVU causes you to walk.. A LOT! It seems almost impossible for anyone to be gaining weight while on campus. Does anyone else feel like this? or do you think I'm wrong and feel it's easy to gain the rumored "freshman 15?"

BW

How Many Engineers Does It Take....

Years ago, when the new University Town Center was first being built, myfather said that he was glad that his construction company hadn’t gottenon that job. I was confused, because I thought that it would have beena good job for his company, but he went on explaining, and then Iunderstood. He told me that they were building the shopping center onbackfill, and that eventually it would all start to sink, maybe evenslide down the hill. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. EveryoneI asked about it said that it was a rare possibility that it wouldactually happen, and if it did it wouldn’t be anytime soon. Just the other day, I opened up the Dominion Post to find an articlethat proved my father right. The parking lot of the Target is alreadybeginning to sink, and the store is suing the company that put it down. Now I see why my father was glad that his company didn’t get that job. But, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Stores in other locations have had to torn down completely and builtback somewhere else. Tell me, just how smart is it to build on landthat you know isn’t going to hold what you’re putting on it?

SP