I get by with a little help from my friends

Since I have been at UCA, I have always been impressed by our faculty and staff. I truly believe that UCA has some of the most helpful and pleasant people working for them. This has been evident to me in so many different places on campus.

I was reminded of a few weeks ago when I accidently didn't register for the amount of hours I needed and realized this on the last day to register. This should have been an administrative nightmare; but, thanks to Ms. Hawkins in Academic Outreach, it was extremely easy. She was so helpful in my time of stress.

During the first week of school, the staff of the registrar, financial aid, and cashier offices are amazing. They manage to help students getting parking tags, pay for school, and deal with financial aid in such a timely manner. The week before classes began, I need to go financial aid and was dreading the long lines. To my surprise, I was only there for 30 minutes and got all the help I needed. So kudos to these staff members! I think they have one of the hardest jobs on campus and do an amazing job.

I cannot go without praising the UCA professors. I have consistently had great experiences with the all of the teachers I have had. They truly care about their students and their success in their class. When I had to have surgery in the middle of the semester, my professors were quick to help me stay caught up in their classes as well as showing a genuine concern for well-being. I am eternally grateful to those five professors who made such a difficult time a little easier.

This is one of the many reasons I love UCA.

Busy! Busy! Busy!

These last few weeks of school have been extremely busy! I have had my first tests in all of my classes. Football season has begun. The Admissions Office is giving tours to the incoming freshman. Also, all of the activities on campus have kicked into gear.

A few weeks ago, Gavin Degraw came to UCA. He's one of my favorite singers so it was a real treat for me! I always enjoy the variety of entertainment options UCA provides. I have seen some really cool stuff over my time here that I probably wouldn't of seen otherwise.

Also, this past weekend, I got to be a part of a big moment for a new program on campus. The UCA Debate Team had an amazing showing at the Henderson State Warm-Up Tournament in Arkadelphia. Not only did the team win the overall tournament award, Anthony McMullen, a UCA business law professor, won top speaker in the open division. As well as, Chris White winning the varsity division. I had the great honor of winning top speaker and the overall competition in the novice division. This was the debate teams first big win! I really enjoy this program because my high school didn't offer such a program and I really enjoy the diverse group of people on the team. Note to students and incoming freshman: If you are interested, please let me know via comment!

As you can see, life is busy here at UCA but it’s the best!

And we're back....

Summer is officially over and UCA is back in full swing. It is nice to be back on campus after being away for the last 3 months. Many pleasant changes have come about over the summer. The student center food court has been remodeled and it looks amazing . There are also some new food addition like Quizno's and, my personal favorite, SUSHI!!! Also, the new alumni circle is still under construction as well. I cannot wait to see the finished product. Another big project is the new business administration building that is scheduled to be completed in Fall 2009. I am excited to check in on the progress over the course of the year.

I guess it has finally hit me that its my last year of undergraduate . All of my teachers are starting to discuss jobs, graduate school, and the infamous CPA exam. I just cannot believe I am starting my fourth year at UCA. It feels like I just started. Its been an amazing three years…Quite possibily the best three years of my life. I am excited to see what my fourth year has in store for me!

Getting Ready for the End

I have spent this past week preparing for the semester to end. Our last day of class was Thursday, April 24. So, a lot of my time has been going to finishing up those last few assignments for my classes as well as beginning to prepare for finals. There's also getting ready to move out on my campus apartment for the summer. As you can tell, things can get quite busy this time of the year. Its a good feeling though to finally finish the semester after working so hard!

These are a few of my favorite things...

Last Friday, I had my pictures taken for this blog by the UCA photographer, Mike Kemp. Mike and I got to talking about the interests we developed in college. Afterwards, I began thinking about some of my favorite things I have either discovered or developed a greater appreciation for since I have been in college:

1. Naps. This may seem simple but if you ask any college student, naps reign supreme. I don't know if I like them to compensate for the fact I cannot make it to bed early no matter how hard I try. Or, perhaps, it's the fact that they are just so darn relaxing. Either way, I have loved naps since my freshman year.
2. The Food Network. I never even knew this TV channel existed before I came to UCA. My sophomore year roommate introduced me to it. I have been an admitted addict ever since.
3. Lists. As you can see from this post, I really like lists. It's a habit I have picked up in college. I have found that making a to-do list with "take a nap" and "watch Good Eats" can still make you feel productive.
4. My quirks. I am kind of weird. I cannot snap my fingers. I talk way too much. I get excited about accounting. These quirks used to be a great source of anxiety for me in high school. But, in college, I learned that no one really cares how weird I am...They just care that I am myself. Since then, I have learned to fully embrace my oddities!

UCA in April

April is one of my favorite times at UCA. I like it because campus becomes so busy and exciting. Everyone is trying to finish up the semester and prepare for finals. There's also advanced registration for classes and housing. Many of the campus groups are interviewing for positions, such as the Ambassadors, Student Orientation Staff, and the Echo. There are also Student Government Association elections which spark some fun political competition on campus. But, April isn't all work either. The weather is starting to warm up so spending time outside is always appealing and campus offers many places to do so. The fountain is probably my favorite place to soak up some sun. April also welcomes the big Spring Concert. This year Chris Cagle and Tyler Hilton are coming. As you can see, UCA is a bustling place right now. I guess that’s why I like April so much…There’s always something to keep you busy!