I know people here who practice all sorts
of sports on and off campus, hang out with friends, go to club meetings, yoga, and
I’ve even seen a group of students who get together and meditate once or twice
a week. It doesn’t really matter what you do as long as it works.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Just another Sunset
Monday, February 16, 2015
Staying on Top… of Things
Time management
is a skill that, frankly, I have yet to master. As many fellow students, I also
struggle to balance school, work, housekeeping, and many other activities
that demand my time. I am in the Honors Program (which sometimes requires that I
do some extra work and attend extra sessions but it’s worth it), I am an
International Students Ambassador, and I am involved with a couple of clubs on
campus and hold an office position in one of them. I am not complaining,
though. I really love being active on campus; however, to be able to do everything,
I need to organize myself.
The app |
First, to know
where I have to be at all times, I use a wonderful app called Timetable (yes,
it is a rather original name). This app allows me to see all my classes and
meetings throughout the week as well as where they are at. Furthermore, I set it
to go off ten minutes before each class, so in theory I’m always on time – I said
“in theory” because like any good Brazilian, I am often late. I can also put
all the information that I can possibly need for said class, such as instructor’s
name, office hours, tutor’s hours, and so on.
Additionally, I am
definitely a task oriented person, which means I’d rather follow a to do list than
a strict schedule. That is why I have a planner where I keep a list of all the
things I have to accomplish in any given day, including upcoming tests,
homework, emails I need to reply, or if I am going to see a counselor that
afternoon. It works for me because I can check items off as the day goes by
and, by doing so, I get flooded with that great feeling of fulfillment when you
accomplish something however small it may be.
Timetable |
Honestly this is
not a perfect system, does not prevent my incurable procrastination, and I am always
looking for more insights. But at least it’s worked for me so far, and I hope this
post may have helped you.
My planner |
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Learning Resource Center
Because I am a tutor myself, every week I come
here at least twice. Additionally, I often show up to other tutors’ hours (you
know, they can help a lot) or simply come here with a friend, so that we can
study together. We need to be extremely quiet in the library, whereas here we
are allowed to talk freely, have easy access to whiteboards, tables, and
anything else that a study group may require. Furthermore, the LRC provides
such a nice environment for studying, and I believe most people would agree
with me.
The LRC is open Monday through Thursdays from
8am to 8pm, and on Fridays from 8am to 4pm.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Let There Be Wi-Fi!
One thing that I really like about SBCC,
hence about Santa Barbara, is the proximity with UCSB. Many students transfer
from here to the University of California, which means people from both schools
often hang out together. In fact, I have friends who either have transferred
from City College, or who are currently living with UC student (s). I think
this interaction only enhances the experience of living here for everyone. But
that is just my opinion. That being said, I have a cousin who is spending her
year abroad in Santa Barbara. Yup, she is attending UCSB for a whole year.
Over the last week, we got to spend a lot
of time together, which unfortunately doesn’t happen more often. When you are
living far from home, sometimes it is nice to see familiar faces to remind
yourself of the people you left behind. This is especially true if you are
unable to pay a quick visit for a couple days during thanksgiving or some other
holyday. You know, it takes quite a few hours to go all down to Brazil and come
back. I do appreciate my cousin being here because I get to hang out with her
when I am homesick, and because she allows me to use her Wi-Fi when mine is not
working yet.
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