Mixed Feelings

As Winter Term begins a lot of things have not changed at all. Classes are still the same and you see the same people everyday, but what has changed is the Mercyhurst atmosphere. I came back to school with mixed feelings about how I was feeling. As most of you viewers might have heard, one of our own students, Jenni-Lyn Watson, unfortunately did not come back to school with us as planned. After she was missing for a week, her body was found in a marsh. It was a complete shock to everyone that someone would do such a thing to a girl that didn't deserve that at all. Jenni-Lyn was the first person that I met when I came to Mercyhurst at our Laker Live-In that we do every year for accepted students that have decided to come to Mercyhurst. She was really really nice and I remember her telling me that she was a dancer and she was definitely excited about her future here. Even though we did not remain close friends I always did see her around campus and in the dance space and I always thought that she was amazing at what she did. A vigil was held for her last night and it was truly outstanding to see the crowd that came to pay their respects. We really are a family here at Mercyhurst and it really goes to show how far students can go to support their fellow students. Jenni-Lyn will surely not ever be forgotten and will remain in the hearts of many.

On a brighter note, classes had gone quite well today and I'm excited about Behavior Modification! I love behavior and I'm really looking forward to learning more about it and being more hands on. There are so many things going on in the next few weeks. A couple of them are Christmas On Campus and Winter Fest. Every year we hold a Christmas event for the clubs and organizations that children are involved in all over Erie, such as the YMCA, and students volunteer as buddies to these children and walk around the Union playing games and making crafts that they can bring home. We also give them a gift and Santa and Mrs. Clause comes to read the Night Before Christmas to them. Everything is run by the students and is sponsored by the Leadership Development and Engagement Office. It's a great opportunity and so much fun! This year I'm Gifts Co-Chair and I'm in charge of wrapping all the gifts and giving them to the kids. It's also a lot of hard work, but it pays off definitely in the end.
Winterfest also is an event that goes on for students as well. SAC and MSG combine to give students a great winter experience with things like horse drawn carriage rides, snowmen building contests and lots and lots of free food!

I'm looking forward to a great term, but definitely not the snow. It actually snowed last Friday night and I woke up Saturday appalled. It's not that I hate snow, but I've been around it my entire life and it's nothing too exciting to me anymore. But I love Christmas!! And I love the holiday season!

It's Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty

Well I've made it! Theres 2 days until finals officially start and I'm so excited to go home and spend some time with my family! So here is how I'm spending my Friday night: Sitting on my couch, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on the TV, and doing my Psych Stats final. It's a take home final and I'm so very excited that it's one last final that I have to do in class and I work at my own pace. I spent 6 hours in the library today studying for my Personality final which is Monday at 10:30am. I finished a 12 page paper last night along with a 5 page one as well. My stress levels been brought down a bit because of it, but not much. I am not on duty tonight and I'm very happy about it! But I'll most likely be up just as late as a weekend duty would be going to.
My last program went on last night at my apartment and we made root beer floats and did some finger painting to relieve some finals stress. Hannah (my building partner) and I had about 10 people show up and it went very well! I plan on being in the library the rest of the weekend preparing for the rest of my finals. One good word of advice, when you want to really study and have no distractions whatsoever, study in the Reading Room because it is the quietest room in the entire library and I guarantee you will get A LOT of studying done and no one will ever bother you.

Have a great weekend everyone and a fabulous Thanksgiving!
Carpe Diem!

It's Narrowing Down to the End

The stress of the term has begun to be more than I can handle lately. If you would really like to get inside a college student's head then you must read this blog.
For an example, this is what my schedule looked like this week, and most of it is not even over yet:/ Highlighted is what I've completed so far...ahhh.

I've also been sick this week as well. It started out for me just not feeling well, and it's slowly progressed to some sort of flu. I'm feeling better than I did, but now I just have stomach pains and I feel very weak...and the bad part is that this is the worst week it could possibly happen.

But as I fought through today as best as I could, I managed to complete my first research study timeslot today and I think I did very well! I've never had a liking for research up until this point in my college career. I should like it considering what I will be doing this winter conducting my own study! I hope everything turns out the way that it should! You will be hearing about it as winter term quickly approaches faster and faster. Since I'm sharing with all of you what the end of the term is really like, I thought I would share my things to do agenda. These are things that have to be completed in order to leave campus Wednesday November 17th when finals end!!

Abnormal Psychology- Final Exam (4 chapters + short answer questions)
                                      1 last portfolio
Personality- James Pennebaker 3rd project
                    Future Self Paper
                    Final Exam (4 chapters + short answer questions)
Biopsychology-12 page paper on topics since the midterm (as take home part of my exam)
                          2 more quizzes
                          one last portfolio
                          Final Exam
Statistics For Psychology- finish last homework assignment
                                          1 more quiz over ANOVA
                                          Final Exam (which might be take home :) )
So this is what I'm working on this weekend. Papers, papers, papers. There is nothing wrong with papers if you don't have a problem with doing them. I don't but I don't like big one's like the 12 page that must be handed in before my class final. But don't let this discourage you, I quickly adapted my freshman year !

Who is not ready for snow?! I'M NOT! I would be very happy if we lived without snow, but obviously it will never be that way in Erie, Pennsylvania...believe me! You have not seen snow until you've come to Erie. Tomorrow is the last Open House and I am giving a group tour at 11am! I'm also mingling with families in Egan Cafeteria right after and that completes my Saturday morning/afternoon.

Well that's all I have for now, I must get on those papers! Have a great weekend:)

Marleah