Daylight Saving

It finally caught me. Last Saturday night we officially began daylight saving here in California, which means that I lost sixty precious minutes of sleep. Like every year, I thought I would adapt to this change fairly quickly; however, like every year, it actually took me a few days to successfully change my sleep schedule. Although we moved back our clocks last weekend, up until Thursday I was still going to bed late and waking up really tired. But once I got passed this little inconvenient, I could appreciate daylight saving and its perks.

Brazil also adopts something similar to daylight saving, so the time difference between Santa Barbara and my hometown can vary from six to four hours. Needless to say it is difficult to talk to my family when they are six hours ahead of me. Since daylight saving began, though, I am “only” four hours apart from them. For some people it may still sound like too much but, trust me, you get used to it. Besides, this difference in time zones is not that great and even American students have to deal with it.

Additionally, unlike Brazil, at some point it gets dark at 10pm here. And I love it. Personally, I feel like I am productive as long as I know the sun is shining outside. I realize this is probably more psychological than anything, but that is how I feel.

People work differently and certainly have varying opinions about daylight saving. Regardless, it is a thing we all have to deal with

 

Casa Esperanza

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am a member of the International Students Ambassadors. This is an awesome group with local and international students, and we volunteer, organize events, and are very active on campus. I think I should write a post solely on the Ambassadors someday. Anyway, this past weekend we volunteered at the Casa Esperanza Homeless Shelter, and it is precisely what I want to write about today.

Casa Esperanza is a shelter that helps people to get back on their feet. Seriously, I really love that place. They help hundreds of people from all sorts of backgrounds, from veterans to entire families sometimes. But they require, among other things, their residents to be drug and alcohol free. This means that everyone there is really trying to turn their lives around. What surprised me the most, however, was how much the local community and businesses cares and helps the shelter. They receive tons of donations every week, from food to clothes, and there are always people to help. Indeed, the whole place has such a good vibe, and it makes you feel good for being there.

Coming from a developing country myself, where poverty and homelessness unfortunately are far from unusual, it is pretty interesting to see this other side of the United States. I think that when we do volunteer work, and thus get in touch with a part of our country we know exists but somehow end up not seeing, we realize how many things we take for granted and how lucky we are.

Just another Sunset

By now it should be common knowledge, not to say a cliché, that college is overwhelming sometimes. Often we have a whole lot of homework to do, midterms to study for, and some of us also work, which means it can very easily get out of hand and become a stressful situation. However, and I do believe it is a skill, we need to find ways to slow down and take a break from our routines. Trust me, though, this is not at all difficult when you live in Santa Barbara.

 

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.

I come from a big city in Brazil that is somewhat far from the cost and, growing up, I would rarely be able to see the ocean, and I definitely did not have sunsets nearly as beautiful as the ones Santa Barbara provides me with. Thus, I believe this is the reason behind my passion for the sea, and why I seem to never get tired of the breathtaking views here. That said, sunsets in southern California are often characterized by a spectrum ranging from a bright blue above our heads, to a blood-like red that is only noticeable as our gaze descends down the horizon. And this is how I relax. I sometimes take the long way home, which implies in having music blasting on my headphones (usually some Rock’n’roll) as I walk by the beach, go to the pier, and only then do I walk up State Street toward my apartment. But, hey, that is what works for me.

 

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

Learning Resource Center

I think the place I spend most of my time in is the Learning Resource Center, or just LRC. It is located right next to the library; however, here we can find tutors, computers, there are workshops on a weekly basis, and many other resources that go beyond textbooks. This is both the place where I work and where I go to study.

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 Writing Center, which is found inside the LRC, has qualified people who read, review our essays, and truly help us improve our writing. And if you are stuck at any stage of an essay, regardless of the course it is for, they surely can assist you. Not to mention there are computer as well as printers that can be used by all students. Every Thursday there is a workshop on a different topic – usually they are on time management, stress management, or other subject that may be relevant for college students. As I said before, I spend a lot of time here, but I can’t complain because I actually love this place.

The LRC is open Monday through Thursdays from 8am to 8pm, and on Fridays from 8am to 4pm.

Let There Be Wi-Fi!

So I moved into a new apartment last weekend, but only now did I get internet. Uhul! I feel like I am finally going back to the civilized world. I can do my homework from the comfort of my own room (yes, some of my classes require me to do some research) and, of course, I can watch Netflix once again. Don’t get me wrong, though, I’m definitely happy because I can do my homework…

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.

A Roof over My Head

Time to pack

If you are from out of town like me, finding a place to live is an issue that you are going to face sooner or later. However, even if you have a place to live already, chances are that you may have to move at some point. That is precisely what happened to me. Two friends and I used to live in an apartment right by SBCC, but our contract ended this semester and we decided to move out instead of renewing it. Because I spent the whole weekend moving into a new place, I thought this could be a good topic to write about.

It is widely known that living in southern California can be quite expensive, so personally I think sharing a bedroom is an excellent way to save money. Some people are willing to pay more for their own room, though. Unlike what some people think, having a roommate is comfortable, gives you someone to rely on, and can be really fun. Of course, assuming you guys can put up with each other. To me, the best method to find out whether I am living with the right people is by seeing how comfortable I feel in my own apartment. Do I look forward to going back home? Do I relax when I get home? If the answer is yes, then I am picked the correct roommates. On the other hand, if the answer is no, maybe it is time to move out.

Done packing

However, before looking for people to live with, you need to have a roof under which you can sleep. There are several ways to do it: On the SBCC website there is a housing list, on facebook exists a group where people post about housing, or our beloved craigslist… Craigslist is definitely my favorite option. It is a wonderful website where everything can be found. And I do mean everything. You can find entire apartments there, or just a room, or even people who are simply looking for another roommate. It requires some effort to find a place that fits, but it worthwhile.

Ready to go