My First Time Visiting USA

The first time I ever visited campus was on Scholars Night in the spring semester of my senior year of high school. I had already been admitted to the university and was invited to this event in recognition of the Freshman Admissions scholarship I had received.

I had never really been to campus before that night, and I was excited to see a little bit of the school that I might attend in the future. I really enjoyed the event that day. We were treated to a meal during the program, and we got to learn more about the university. All the faculty that spoke at the event were so friendly and seemed so passionate about the university. They really made us feel like we belonged there. I actually still have some pictures from that night, so that you can see what it was like.

Paola in front of the College of Arts & Science banner

Paola and Evy with their USA T-shirts 

A partial group picture at Scholars Night 2015 

After that night, I could really see myself going to USA for my undergraduate degree, and USA became my first choice. I really encourage everyone who is interested in USA but hasn't visited campus yet to come to a USA day or tour the university. We just had an amazing USA day last weekend and it was so interesting to see all the information and sessions we offered to the potential students that came.


-Paola

How I Enjoy My Time Off

It's not always easy to balance taking care of yourself, school, work and social activities without feeling like you've neglected at least one of those parts. So, whenever I do have a break, like we do this week, I try to make sure I really take advantage and have some well deserved me-time. There are a few things that always make me feel better, and I hope that these tips can help you now or in the future.

At Home Spa Anyone? 
The one thing that I love to do is pamper myself when I've had a rough week or finally have a vacation. I love to just relax and give myself a little at home spa day. I'll paint my nails, shape my eyebrows, and load up on face masks and hair masks that will nourish my skin and hair. I also love to just light some candles and take a nice, long bubble bath.

Up for a good book?
I also love to read a good book. I will take any opportunity to read a good book that I've been waiting to have enough time to read uninterrupted. Once I get immersed in a book, I don't like having to constantly stop to do other things. That's why I always love it when I get a long weekend to just read.

How can I forget Netflix?

It definitely isn't a long weekend break without some designated Netflix time. I love to watch TV, but when you're so busy with work and school, it's very hard to make time for things like that. That's why I take any break from school as an opportunity to catch up on all the shows I have to watch on Netflix. I currently have a long list of shows that I want to watch and will definitely be catching up on this fall break.

-Paola 

Five Tips for First Time University Students

I know transitioning from high school to a four year university can seem overwhelming. I know when I was preparing to graduate from high school there were so many things that I had to do that I didn't even know where to start. In this post, I want to give you some tips that I learned to help ease the transition from high school student to university student. 

1.  Get to know your curriculum: Once you've decided what you want as your major, get to know the types of classes you'd have to take, especially for your first year. When I first started I didn't know anything about my curriculum until I went into orientation and had to make my schedule. Almost every major has a sample four year plan or course checklist that can help you figure out the classes you have to take each semester. That way you can plan ahead of time and not fall behind.
2. Make lists and checklists of everything you need to do: there are going to be a lot of things for you to do as you transition and it's best to organize yourself and make lists and notes. I made checklists for everything, from what I needed for my dorm to everything I needed to turn in to register for classes.
3. Get to know your school's website: Trust me the school website will be your best friend. I have all the different website bookmarked on my computer because every time I have a question the first place I look is the school's website. 
4. Take advantage of any friend's you may have that have already made the transition: When I was getting ready to go to South I asked all my older cousins and friends for advice and tips they had on what I needed to do to make my first year at university easier. Don't be afraid to ask people. I can assure you most of us are eager to share our experiences and knowledge on how to navigate college.
5. Get to know your campus: My biggest piece of advice is to get to know how your campus works. It is so important to get to know where all the buildings you will need are. I suggest you open your maps app on your phone and star/save the locations of all the buildings you'll need, like the student center, your class buildings, the library. That way when you're walking to class you can just follow the map and not be worried that you'll get lost. 

-Paola