Thanksgiving Recap

 Hi everyone! 

Happy first week of December! This semester just flew by, didn't it? 

Maddie and I on Thanksgiving 

First week of December means that thanksgiving just ended, and finals are approaching really quickly. As a little break from thinking about finals, I wanted to give you guys a little recap of my thanksgiving break. 

This year, I was fortunate enough to be invited to my friend Maddie's home in Colorado, and celebrate thanksgiving with her and her family. I have known Maddie for about 4 years now, and seeing her family again is always a good time. We flew from Seattle to Denver, Colorado on Wednesday and the festivities began bright and early on Thursday! 

Our charcuterie board appetizer

We started the day by getting desserts, dinner and appetizers made. As most of you probably know already, thanksgiving is famous for turkey dinner with all the best side dishes; mashed potatoes, green-bean casserole, deviled eggs, gravy, bread rolls, corn, fruit salad and more! And we can of course not forget about the desserts; the famous pumpkin pie, apple pie, cherry pie, all kinds of pie really. For appetizers, me and Maddie put together a charcuterie board with all different kinds of cheese and meats, paired with crackers, veggies, fruits and dips. Yum! 

When Thanksgiving was over, we had another very important holiday coming up the following day; Black Friday! We all went shopping together at a couple different malls, and snatched a couple good deals. During the black-Friday craziness, we stopped for lunch to celebrate Maddie's grandma's 80th birthday before the shopping continued. On our last full day in Colorado I stopped by my host-family's house (I was an exchange student in high school in Colorado and lived with a host family) to say hi and catch up, before we celebrated Maddie's mom's birthday. The festivities ended on Saturday night, as we had to get up at 3AM on Sunday morning to catch our flight back to Seattle. 

Flying over Seattle with Mt. Rainier in the Distance

All in all, I had a great time celebrating thanksgiving and birthdays in Colorado (thanks for bringing me, Maddie!) and I appreciated getting a little breather from classes and assignments. It was a much needed energy-boost before finals week. And speaking of finals week; remember to sleep, hydrate, eat and take breaks between study sessions. No-one works efficiently when they are sleep-deprived, dehydrated and hungry. 

Good luck everyone!

    -Silje 

Let's make more friends and have more fun!!!

 Hello everyone! Chau is here!

I hope everyone has a great start for your semester.  👏👏

I don't know if anyone feels like me, but I kind of have a mixed feeling when we are back IN-PERSON! I was so excited to be back in the classroom. I even pictured myself interacting with people, making friends, joining clubs, and having so much fun that I have missed for 2 years during the pandemic. BUT, I am not really feeling that when I am back to class 😕😕😵

I personally have a hard time to make friends💔💔.  Does anybody feel me???

BUT!!! I do not want to be alone forever hahaha, so I find out there are many ways for me to find a friend.

Let me show you how:

            Step 1. Finding your interest: it will be more fun when you do something that you enjoy, right? 

For me, I like body movement (most activities required moving, I know 😅).  SO Be specific!!! It's important! 

            Step 2. Willing to be open: relationship is complicated, so prepare for it.

            Step 3. You can ignore 1 & 2, but you have to see my collection of resources on campus where you might find your soulmate 👻👻

 ➤ The CAVE:   

The CAVE is a great place to hang out, meet other students, catch up with friends, study, enjoy lunch, or rest between classes. Though it is called “The CAVE” the physical space is vibrant and the diverse community members create a warm and welcoming space for all. After 5pm and on the weekends, The CAVE hosts concerts, performances, and club meetings.

Hours: Monday- Thursday 9am-5pm & Friday 9am -2:30 pm

Location: The basement of Anderson University Center

➤ Clubs and Group activities: I strongly recommend you to have at least 1 experience with the clubs and group activities at PLU. I was a shy and “lazy” student who did not like to join any big event or crowded activities.  BUT I am in love with these clubs.  

👉Group X: (X for exercise😁 ) where you find some fun activities, classes such as Yoga, Zumba, and Boot Camp.  The BEST part is you don’t have to commit with it UNLESS you are in love with it. 

I have the link HERE, so check it out and you might see me in those classes.

    👉Outdoor Rec trips (like KAYAKING, HIKING, CAMPING) is more than a trip-  it is a wholesome experience.  Each weekend,  they come together and go off campus for a outdoors journey.  It's whether hiking in the cascades, kayaking on the Puget Sound, or exploring states near and far. That will be a unique experience for you! I promise👌

Outdoor Rec Trip

            👉Like sport??? Let me introduce you to Intramurals. Pacific Lutheran University Intramural programs provide students with positive social opportunities and are an outlet for good clean fun (well sometimes it’s muddy fun), exercise and relaxation, while encouraging team spirit and good sportsmanship.

If you like a little friendly competition you’ll love the PLU Intramural program. Whether it’s team sports, individual competitions, or live action role playing, intramurals are open to all current PLU students, faculty and staff regardless of athletic ability.  These programs are designed as a way for students to get out, have fun and stay fit! 

💪💪💪To register for intramural sports, you need to create an account on https://www.imleagues.com/ and select Pacific Lutheran University as your school. You should then be able to register for the sports under the Intramurals section.  

            👉Last but not least, MAKERSPACE.  This is the place that I just got introduced to.   MAKERSPACE is an awesome place for people who are interested in crafting, or being creative with different projects. 

Creativity in the Makerspace

Creativity in the Makerspace

During 2021-2022, our Makerspace is open again in the ground floor of Hinderlie Hall on upper campus. Please drop anytime (9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) to use the materials. We also have open Makerspace hours on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., in which the space is curated by Innovation Studies intern Maddie Lamwers. Maddie can help you find a project to do and she’ll provide access to any locked equipment (such as sewing machines, electronics, paints, and so on). (Here is the link) ✋👋 Come and have some fun!

💞💕💞 Thank you for reading my post. I hope you will find some things that might be helpful and interesting to you. Stay warm and stay connected!!! 🍁🍂🍁🍀

See you soon!💋

Meet Amandine - Our first guest blogger!

 Hi everyone, this is Silje! 

Long time, no see - Things have been super stressful with moving into a house off-campus, being a student leader at the New International Student Orientation and the beginning of classes (which are finally in-person again!). But, we are back on track to our regular blog schedule, and this week is our guest blogger week! This is a new concept that we are introducing to our blog, which will either feature interviews with the guest or a blog-takeover. 

Amandine at the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum

For our first guest blog, we have Amandine Barban (22), who came to PLU during our current semester, Fall of 2021, and is doing a semester exchange for her MBA program! Amandine is from the Auvergne region in France, which she describes as a beautiful, green region with a lot of volcanos (that are thankfully inactive), but she was born in Montpellier in the south of France. Amandine is a student at NEOMA Business School in Rouen, which is located in the north of France, and we are really excited that she is spending a semester of her education here with us at PLU! I asked Amandine a few questions about what she has experienced during her first 3 weeks in Washington. 

You came to PLU for fall semester 2021. Why did you want to do an exchange year from France, and what made you choose PLU as opposed to other colleges in the US?
    I had already had the awesome opportunity to do an exchange program six years ago in Ontario, Canada for 3 months, from which I have met wonderful people and made several great memories. I really wanted to re-live an international experience because I love to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone! I think it is a very fulfilling and enriching experience and I would recommend it to anyone. Also this time is different because I am not living with a family but I am more " on my own '', since I am living on campus and I didn't know anyone before coming here. And the main reason I chose PLU as opposed to other colleges in the US is mainly its location: I didn't want to end up in a state in the middle of nowhere haha! I liked that the Washington state was on the West coast and not too far away from Seattle and other great cities that I wanted to discover.

 What has been the biggest culture shock that you have experienced since coming here?
    There have already been several: first of all, living on a huge campus like this is really something that we don't get to experience in France. Also, I was surprised at the beginning that everybody would ask me how I was doing, at any time: when passing someone on the street, when ordering food, when going to a store... But I have to admit that the biggest culture shock I have experienced here is with the food: even if I love fast food, I really miss eating actual cooked meals. I never thought I would have said that but I miss vegetables and healthy food hahaha! 

Is there anything you noticed were more similar to France than you thought, or anything that you did not expect to be different but were? Anything new that you have learned in the last month of being in Washington? 
    I have learnt to always be careful when looking at prices, since here the tax is not included and also you have to tip almost everywhere! In France, tips are like a bonus for waiters and waitresses, contrary to here where it is the way they actually get paid. Also I did not expect food to be so expensive, I feel like you pay the same amount for fast food here than for actual "restaurant" food in France. Eventually I didn't expect Americans to eat dinner so early, that required some adaptation from me in the beginning.

If your family or friends came to visit you in Washington, what is something that you would really like to show them?

    First I would want to show them the campus and its accommodations; but apart from that, I would take them to Seattle and visit Pike Place Market, as well as show them Dale Chihuly's glass sculptures.

Do you have anything on your bucket list of what you'd like to see or do during your time? Any bucket list experiences that you have already crossed off?

    As said above, I have already had the opportunity to go to Seattle (4 times already!), which was something I was really looking forward to. I have also been to Tacoma several times, and done a hike in Mount Rainier! Next locations on my bucket list would be Portland, the Olympic National Park, Vancouver and New York. I would also like to experience life on campus and I am really looking forward to attending on-campus events such as PLU's Theatre and Dance musical.

You're currently doing an MBA program, which for someone who might not know, stands for Masters in Business Administration. To provide a slight insight on Amandine's masters, she is enrolled in "Organizations, Leadership and Change Management", "Quantitative and Managerial Decision Analysis", "Marketing Management" and "Project Management". How has the first couple weeks of classes been? What are your favorite classes, and why?

    The first couple weeks of classes have been good! I already have a lot of projects and presentations, which is a bit stressful but also stimulating. Also the teachers are very understanding and have a close relationship to their students, which is something that I really appreciate. One of my favorite classes so far is the Marketing class because our teacher is very "entertaining", by that I mean that his course is very dynamic, which is important to me since all my classes are in the evening. I also appreciate that the class is not presented as a lecture but rather as interactive presentations made by students themselves.

What are some advice that you would give future international students wanting to come to PLU?

    I would advise to bring some snacks from home because food will be the second thing you miss the most after your friends and family ahaha! And other than that, just be open to any opportunity that is given to you and to live your exchange year/semester 100% - time flies and you don't get to live this kind of experience everyday, so make sure to take advantage of it as much as possible. This way you will meet amazing people and make wonderful memories! 

And that concludes the interview with our first guest blogger! I want to thank Amandine for her time, and wish her good luck with the rest of her exchange program. 

Until next time, 

    - Silje 

Fall semester and move-in is coming up - what to pack?!

 Hey guys, Silje here! 

Happy summer! I hope everyone is enjoying their time and unwinding before fall semester starts in September. Packing and moving away from home to begin college is always stressful - even more so when you're moving internationally! I figured I should let you in on some tips and tricks on what to bring and not to bring when moving to Washington state from abroad! 

Clothes and necessities

Tacoma has a lot of different weather to offer, which can make it overwhelming to pack. Summers can get really hot and winters can get really rainy - sometimes it snows! You will need to bring clothes for all types of weather, but I would recommend to not overpack for all types of weather! For example, you should bring a jacket for cold weather, but due to the limited space in a suitcase, I would recommend to only bring your favorite one. Pack light summer clothing, jeans/leggings, and sweaters, as well as a few pairs of shoes. PLU students dress casually on campus and for classes, so it is not necessary to bring all your fancy attire (although it is nice to bring a couple nice outfits for special occasions). 

You will also need to bring your necessities like glasses/contacts, all prescribed medications and toiletries. Stuff like shampoo and conditioner you might want to pack in travel bottles and repurchase when you arrive in Washington since full size bottles can take up both space and a lot of suitcase weight! 

Do not pack towels and bed linens. For the first few nights, we will lend you a set of all you need for the bed, plus a towel and a washcloth. This allows you time to go to a store and find linens and towels that you would like to purchase - no need to use suitcase space on that! 

Something to help with home-sickness

Home sickness do occur for most students, and it is nice to have something from home that you believe will make you feel better! For some people, it might be a certain candy from home, for others it's a stuffed animal. Personally, I brought a picture frame of me and my friends that I received from them on my going-away party. It is something personal and homey to add to your new dorm/room, and it will make you feel like you have a part of home with you. 

I tried to pack my dog to help with home sickness - it didn't work unfortunately. 

School-necessities 

There's a few do's and don'ts on this one. If you have a computer or tablet, I would recommend bringing it with you since it will make studying and taking notes in class a lot easier. However, do not bring other necessities like notebooks, pens, books and so on - all of this is available to purchase for a fair price after you have arrived in the US. I heard that some people like to bring their old notebooks that they believe have relevant notes for some of your classes, for example old math notes. If that is the case I would recommend taking pictures of your notes and uploading it to your computer/tablet/phone. Books for your classes can be bought or borrowed at the PLU bookstore, or through Amazon. 

Room decor 

Unless it is something small that will help with home sickness, I would not recommend bringing room decor for your dorm/room. We will take you shopping for the first days of orientation so that you can purchase stuff like decor, linens, towels, school supplies and everything in between. If it is something fairly small like a blanket you really want to bring, then go for it! Just keep in mind that you will probably want to bring it back home as well after you have graduated. 

Important documents

If you forget to pack a sweater, you can purchase a new one - please do not forget to pack the most important thing; immigration documents. This includes your passport with your US Visa and your I-20 or DS-2019. Keep these with you in your hand luggage - you will need to show them when arriving at border control in the US, where you will not have access to your suitcase yet. 

Packing to move abroad is very overwhelming, and you need to pack a lot less than someone who is starting college in their home country. PLU residential life has made a really great list of what is smart to pack with you when moving into the dorms - international students can treat this list sort of as a shopping list after you have arrived in the US. Keep a screenshot on your phone during shopping on orientation, so that you remember the necessities! The list can be found here. Me and the rest of the ISS team will also be there with you help you out with shopping. 

I look forward to seeing you guys on campus this fall! 

-- Silje

May 17th - What does Norway's independence day look like?

Hey guys, it's Silje! 

I hope you're all hanging in there, and finish off strong during dead week. Personally, it has been a hectic few weeks with school and although it is kind of bitter-sweet that my first year at PLU is coming to an end, I am looking forward to summer and what next semester has to offer (hopefully in-person classes)! 

At the end of April, I went back home to Norway to finish the rest of the semester there. This means that I got back home in time for Norway's independence day, otherwise known as May 17th (syttende mai)! Due to Covid-19 restrictions this year and last year, the recent celebrations have not exactly been traditional. For May 17th I did an Instagram-stories takeover on the PLU international account (@pluintl) to show how my friends, family, and I celebrate - if you're interested in watching, it's saved on our account as a highlight! There were only a few traditions that I was able to do this year, so I wanted to tell you guys about how May 17th would be celebrated pre-covid. 

“Skrangletog” - noisy parade

The day starts bright and early at 7.00am when the noisy parade walks around the neighborhoods. 

This is a tradition that almost every city in Norway participates in, where the whole goal is to make as 

much noise as you possibly can to wake everyone up. This is a huge thing for kids - I would know since 

that was my favorite part of May 17th when I was a kid. Just to get a representation of how noisy this is, 

I found a video on YouTube of a classic "skrangletog" which you can watch here.

Champagne breakfast

This is exactly what it sounds like! Champagne breakfast is typically a tradition between friends, where we meet around 8-10am to eat breakfast with each other, like eggs, bacon, different spreads and drink champagne before we get going for the rest of the day.

Bunad

On May 17th, people wear the nicest clothes they own. For a lot of Norwegians, their nicest piece of clothing would be their bunad. This is a national dress/suit that usually represents where they are from. For example, I am from Telemark and we have a bunad that is unique to our area. I, unfortunately, do not have a bunad yet, but I have been saving up for one for the past few years and are purchasing it this year! It is a big process to get this custom-made, but a bunad will last you for a lifetime. Here is a picture from May 17th this year (at champagne breakfast) - Pictured are Julie, Susann, me, and Aurora. They all have bunads specific to where they/their families come from. Mine will be similar to Aurora's bunad on the right, the Telemark bunad.

School parades

At noon is when the local school parades start walking. Students from grades 1-10 walk as their families watch. The schools also host games like corn holes and sack jumping, as well as there are food stands that serve hot dogs, ice creams, soda, cakes made by the local families, and snacks. I always enjoy going over to my school to see my old teachers, say hi to old classmates, and watch my younger family members walk in the parade that I used to walk in.

Citizen-parade

At 5pm, the citizen parade starts walking around the cities of Norway. It sounds like all we do is walk/watch parades, which is kind of true! The citizen parade is huge, with different schools, clubs, sportsclubs and organizations walk together. This includes this year's high school seniors who are graduating. They all wear senior overalls that they have stickers/drawings on to make them custom and unique. This has been a tradition for multiple decades and it is a fun way to celebrate your graduation. For seniors, May 17th is all about partying!

Dinner/BBQ

After the parades, people usually get together with their families and/or friends to eat dinner. A lot of people BBQ and sit outside if the weather allows for it, while some people meet out at restaurants to eat there. Those traditions are all individual, but my family is typically barbecuing with aunts, uncles and cousins. And of course, there are desserts. 

And that is pretty much it. I wouldn't say that it is anything crazy, but traditions are always sacred to any family/country! May 17th is actually one of my favorite holidays here in Norway because you really see a pride in your country, and it seems like that there are no strangers this day - we all smile, greet each other and say Happy Birthday to each other (independence day is considered Norway's birthday). The past two years have been different due to covid and a lot of celebrations were cancelled to limit gatherings, so I have not been able to see nor attend a parade these past couple of times. I am hopeful that May 17th of 2022 will be back to normal! 

I'll end with wishing you all good luck with finals, and have a great summer! Cant wait to see you all again on campus next semester :) 

- Silje 

Spring semester almost flies by-- what do we have for graduation celebrating this year?

 I couldn't believe that the Spring semester will be over within the next couple of weeks😲😲.  I believe that many students like me are turning the highest power of study mode on.  It might be exciting for most people to get things done and then enjoy the wonderful summer break, but that might not apply to our senior students or graduating this semester. 😐😐😐

I always have mixing emotions whenever the "graduation season" coming.  I am happy for those who are successfully completing their program, but I am sad because they will leave our home😢😢 and we might no longer see each other around.   Sorry, I need to leave the emotions behind and move forward to see what events we will have for graduation celebrating this year!!!🎇🎇🎇

This year, we will celebrate both Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 🎉🎊🎓.  

👉 Due to the Covid situation, the in-person event will be limited.  Please make sure you contact the event planner to make a reservation.  The schedule of graduation events will be:

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

• Education Commencement Ceremony for Class of 2021
  The event is open to graduating students only.
  Time: 4:00-5:00 pm | Red Square
  Event Planner:  Diana Duclos
  Questions: duclosdm@plu.edu

• Education Commencement Ceremony for Class of 2020
  The event is open to graduating students only.
  Time: 6:00-7:00 pm | Red Square
  Event Planner:  Diana Duclos
  Questions: duclosdm@plu.edu

Friday, May 28, 2021

• School of Nursing DNP Hooding Ceremony
  The event is open to graduating students only.
  Time: 9:00-10:00 am | Eastvold Auditorium, Karen Hille Phillips Center
  Event Planner:  Kristi Edrington
  Questions: nursing@plu.edu

• School of Nursing BSN Pinning Ceremony
  The event is open to graduating students only.
  Time: 12:00-1:00 pm | Eastvold Auditorium, Karen Hille Phillips Center
  Event Planner:  Kristi Edrington
  Questions: nursing@plu.edu

• School of Business Celebration | Virtual Event
  The event is open to graduating students only.
  Time: 2:00-3:00 pm
  Please RSVP to attend the Celebration
  Event Planner:  Becki Torgerson
  Questions: torgerrm@plu.edu

• School of Arts & Communication Recognition Ceremony
  The event is open to graduating students only.
  Time: 3:00-5:00 pm | Eastvold Auditorium, Karen Hille Phillips Center
  Event Planner:  Helen Hickman
  Please RSVP to attend the Recognition Ceremony
  Questions: hickmahl@plu.edu

Saturday, May 29, 2021, ❌❌❌BIG DAY❌❌❌

👉It will be a different experience for our graduate fellows, but it will be so special and unforgettable 💓💓💓

• Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2021 | Virtual Ceremony
  Time: 11:00 am
  Questions: commencement@plu.edu

• Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2020 | Virtual Ceremony
  Time: 2:00 pm
  Questions: commencement@plu.edu

Finally, I wish you all have a great rest of your semester and congratulation to the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 💖💖💖

Bryan is Graduating!!!

Hi guys! This is Bryan, and I am graduating this May 2021! 

It feels so surreal when writing this blog post. I can't believe, in less than a month, I will be leaving this familiar, comfortable environment and be released into the wild nature. 

My 4 years at PLU has been a blessing for me. With my last blogpost, I want to take this opportunity to thank the many wonderful encounters that I had at PLU. 

How it all began - 2017

I started in PLU in September 2017 as a biology majored student. Back in the "good old days", PLU used to have a really big new student orientations with all sorts of fun activities. And they take pictures of all incoming students on Foss field by having everyone line up and look at the cameraman on top of the Foss field hall. It was really interesting. 

I was a transfer student, so I started in South hall, 4 bedroom apartment. I still remember quite well how I first met my roommate Yohei. He popped out of his room while I was moving in to say Hi. We became friend quickly and went on many trips together later on. Without him, I might have stayed in the room all day these 4 years and didn't have the courage to explore the beautiful PNW. 

I also met some other great friends like Tiffany and Joe. We made a IM soccer team together named The Vegetables. I started participating in IM every season ever since. 

The VEGETABLES!

(Me, after two days of not showering)

2018

In Spring 2018, Yohei and I went for a trip to California by ourselves. The trip in LA was well-planned, We were gonna have a comfortable trip until we decided, at the last second, that we will take an overnight bus to San Francisco to watch a basketball game and come back at the same night by bus to catch our next day's flight. Three days without shower and sleeping on the bus. We were tired, but the trip was FUNNNNN. 

In Fall 2018, I got into the traditional BSN program and started my nursing student life - which is hw, hw, clinical, mental breakdown, play, hw, hw... Nursing school have incoming students stayed in one cohort throughout their entire program. People in my cohort are passionate, clever, and interesting. Without all the study groups and teamwork in group projects, I would've had a harder time in the program. 

Some of my amazing classmates

2019

In Spring and Fall 2019, I had two of the most difficult classes in nursing school: N280 Pathological human process or N330 Pharmacological & Therapeutic modalities. I struggled hard in those class, but I survived... at the cost of severe sleep deprivation and stress overload. 

In Spring 2019, I also started working in the International Student Center! I met the amazing staffs at PLU who were advocating for the international student populations. Heather, Hiro, Brandon, Megan, Camille, and Van. It was a pleasure working in this team, and I just wanna say... Heather is the most pleasant person that I have ever worked with!

2020 - 2021

COVID hit all of a sudden! 

Many of my friends graduated in 2019, and some of my friends went back to China. 

2020's summer was really boring. I got stuck in the dorm and couldn't go out because of COVID. I also couldn't go back home because of nursing major. 

I drove them to Seatac airport to send them home... And I drove back alone...

2020 didn't leave me alone. When fall 2020 started, I met some other nice friends and went to many places. I love PLU, because we have a relatively small campus and a super friendly community that enables you to explore what you were not comfortable with. All the people that I met here taught me something different and pushed me to become a better person. 

What now?

Nursing school is stressful, hard, but really fun. After you learn some basics, you will start to get excited for clinical rotations, because you can actually apply what you learned in class and help some people. It was definitely not a comfortable experience, but I learned a lot from it. My senior clinical rotation was even more challenging, as the nurse let me take care of patients individually. I learned a lot under the stress, and I got comfortable with working in a clinical setting! (Plus, you can have some really good views outside of the window)

Rainbow power!

As I am about to get done with senior clinical rotations, I have to start preparing for the nursing licensing test - NCLEX and apply for a job later. While spending so much time in the clinical, I still have many homework and assignments from my classes, and they really gave me no time to panic about future. 

I hope I can work in a Medical Surgery Unit after graduation, and eventually get into a graduate school to obtain a higher degree in nursing. I will report back when I get there.

For now, let me leave you with a picture of my orientation~

Sept. 2017

Past Blog posts 

Also, here are all the blog post that I've written since I started working in the ISS in 2019. I can't believe I wrote 18 blog posts in these two years! I am not a great writer, but hopefully you can still enjoy some good pictures and funny memes. (And don't ask about why the medicine blog post doesn't have a second series)

1. About Bryan

2. Bryan's Volleyball Journey

3. Bryan's Spring Break Trip 2019

4. Chambers Bay!!!

5. 5 Things you should TRY in Kyoto, Japan

6. Commonly Used OTC Medicines (I): allergy, cold, fever

7. Bryan's Five Reasons to Visit Portland, Oregon

8. Go Skiing/Snowboarding!!!

9. How to Protect yourself from Coronavirus Disease

10. Quarantine Life!!!

11. What are some good foods around Tacoma?

12. How to Hiking up Mailbox Peak AS A BEGINNER

13. 5 Tips for PLU School of Nursing Application

14. Norse Mythology and The Vikings

15. Film, not filming, but film camera

16. 1 or 2 Things about Writing your Resume

17. Spring Intramural Season!!!

18. The Things about Owning a Car

Looking back: 7 Things I’ve Learned at PLU

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I hope you’re all doing well, and keeping up with everything during these hectic times. If not; good -- then I’m not alone!  

April turning into May marks the beginning of my last month at PLU _ever_ (!!!), and I don’t even know how to begin processing my time here coming to an end. I should be a pro by now, considering that I technically graduated last May as well with my undergraduate degree. Because I knew I’d be doing grad school at the same university, though, graduating didn’t really bring any significant changes to my life. In a way, this past year has just felt like an (extremely time consuming) senior year. But now… I have to leave??? 
 
As I am approaching the end of my PLU ~journey~, I’ve been trying to piece together a few lessons I have learned about myself and college throughout the years. Because what’s the point of paying $40+K in tuition every year if you don’t collect some life wisdom on the side? So for my last blogpost ever, I want to share 7 tips/lessons/nuggets-of-advice I’ve learned during my time at PLU. 
 
To preface, I know the majority of these “tips” have been repeated countless times, and I don’t claim any of them to be groundbreaking. But they’re clichés for a reason! So without further ado… here are seven things I’ve learned in college: 
 
1.     Time management is key, but don’t hesitate to ask for help
College is notorious for introducing the challenge of navigating a work-life balance. Balancing academics, social life, self-care, athletics, laundry, etc. etc. etc. is entirely possible – but you need to be intentional about how you manage your time. For me, time management manifests through my planner. Some weeks I like to leave things as blank as possible to give myself a lot of flexibility with my free time, and other weeks I need to schedule my days hour-by-hour in order to get everything done. 
 
While planning has been a consistent tool to manage my time while at PLU, my planner can’t predict my energy levels or mental health. Sometimes, the idea of balancing an identity of “good student” and “mentally stable student” feels like a cruel joke… and unfortunately, that’s just college (and life, lol)! This brings me to the second half of this lesson; asking for help is not only advised, sometimes it’s absolutely necessary. Don’t hesitate to lean on the community around you for help, whether that be asking for an extension because you just can’t get something done, seeking guidance from friends you look up to, or using PLU’s counseling resources when things feel particularly challenging. 
 
2.     You don’t have to have it all figured out
This is a phrase I have heard _a lot_ over the past few years. It speaks for itself, but I think it’s a helpful and comforting reminder for when things feel chaotic; you don’t need to have all the answers! Whether you are unsure about your major, what you want to do after college, etc., try to remind yourself that it’s okay (and super normal!!!) to not have everything figured out!
 
3.     You’re a person first, student second
THIS. You guys – 
I spent a large portion of my undergraduate years being consistently burnt out, because my sense of priority and responsibility rotated entirely around my identity as a student. Don’t get me wrong; prioritizing school and being on top of things is great, but this is where that work-life balance comes in again… you have to make time for things that “fill your cup” personally too. Sometimes I like to pencil in specific activities in my planner, as a written reminder to make time for myself, although I recognize that this is a little much for the average person. Another approach I take is to set aside an hour or two of the day where I “have to” take the time off, and when that time comes around I just do whatever I feel like in that moment. In short, try to be intentional about taking care of yourself and your free time – and this looks different for everyone!
 
4.     Critical thinking is a skill -- and it requires practice
It’s not realistic that you will only take classes that you love and are passionate about. Frankly, I did not care about most of the classes I took at PLU (sorry profs!). That said, one thing I really cherish about GenEds and other classes you might not have an affinity towards, is that it taught me to think about a number of different issues from various perspectives. I do want to note that it is perfectly fine to not like a class and have that reflect in your motivation, I definitely allocated my time and effort into classes disproportionately, based on my level of interest. My point is that some classes you just have to endure, but you can also do more than just endure them; you can enjoy them! For me, this enjoyment came from exercising my ability to think about issues I otherwise had never reflected on. Because thinking is a skill, these classes allowed me to practice and broaden my critical thinking skills, which in turn improved my performance in classes I really did care about!
 
5.     Take a class just for fun!
On a similar note, I would highly recommend taking a few classes just for fun during your time at PLU. I realize that not everyone is able to take classes outside of their major due to constraints with time and/or credit requirements, but if you have an available spot; try taking a class just because it sounds fun! My sophomore year I took a class with a professor who made going to class the highlight of my week. I would wake up in the morning and look forward to grabbing a coffee and sitting in her classroom for two hours. I loved the class (and professor) so much that every time registration came around I searched for any classes taught by that professor, evaluating whether any of them would align with my other required courses. I ended up taking four classes with this professor, and all four are ranked as my favorite classes I took at PLU. They had little/nothing to do with my major, I just really enjoyed the topics and how this professor taught her class. Long story short: take a class just for fun!
 
6.     Things rarely go as planned
Once again, I’m sure we’ve all heard this one before – so no need to elaborate. As a self-proclaimed control freak, I found it difficult to deal with unforeseen changes in my life, whether that be a project for school, a friendship growing distant, a relationship ending, or what have you. Even though we all know that things don’t go as planned, I still think it’s an important reminder. This pandemic has resulted in a lot of sudden and startling changes for most people, so this lesson is still really fresh. That said, I find that “smaller” changes in plans can feel just as unsettling, making this lesson applicable to a lot of circumstances where things don’t go as you’d hoped or planned. 
 
7.     It’s okay to not always feel put together, but be mindful of how certain behaviors can fuel a negative loop
College is a time when many people are living “alone” for the first time, and it can be a tricky transition. If you’re used to having a lot of routine chores taken care of by your parents, like cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc., the addition of these small, everyday tasks can feel disproportionately challenging. Pairing that with the general stress of being a college student, it’s easy to get off-track and neglect essential activities. For me, making regular meals for myself was the first thing to go whenever I got stressed. If I was feeling really overwhelmed, I would justify that I didn’t have time for cooking, and would wait to eat dinner until it was “convenient” (i.e., McDonalds at 11pm). Aside from eating, there are many other things that can make us feel like we’re not put together, like falling asleep with our clothes on from the day before, not getting ready for the day, etc. I want to emphasize that these behaviors are perfectly okay in moderation, because nobody feels put together all the time. The problem is when the lack of routine becomes self-perpetuating, fueling a negative loop of behaviors that only make you more stressed and tapped for energy.
 
 
And that’s it! I was originally aiming for a clean “10 tips I’ve learned at PLU”… but my list ran dry after seven – so there you go! All of these tips reflect challenges that I faced personally while going to PLU, and many are things that I still need to remind myself of. I’m hoping that my reflections can resonate with current/prospective students, or at least make you feel better about the whole adulting thing. With that said, this post marks the end of my blogging career! 
 
I’ll end with a quick thank you to PLU & Co. for the memories; it’s been (mostly) a blast!
 
-- Megan