The Do’s and Don’ts of a Successful Freshman Year

By Josh Baltzell, EPPS Freshman

One might ask coming into their first year of college how they are going to manage their time? Incoming freshman might even wonder how to balance classes and extracurricular activates. As a collegiate athlete and a once undeclared major I can offer a few bits of information to the incoming class of freshman.

First off, if you are coming into college as an undeclared major don’t stress about it too much! My best piece of advice is focus on your core classes. Regardless of what major you decide on and what school within UT Dallas you are in, everyone has the same 42 hours of core classes. A freshman in college can NOT go wrong trying to finish these classes first.

Second, if you, like me, are going to participate in extracurricular activities, find out ahead of time when they are going to meet when you are planning your schedule. For example, I have golf workouts in the early mornings; therefore I cannot take 8 a.m. classes. However, since I am already up, it is very easy for me make it to an 8:30 or 9 a.m. class. 

When you are signing up for classes realistically evaluate yourself. Are you really a morning person or do you just wish they you were? If you are bad at time management and tend to procrastinate a lot, don’t take an online class. Make sure to plan your schedule according to your personality.

Lastly, learn a valuable real life skill your freshman year --- good organizational skills. As a golfer for the UT Dallas team, I know that I am going to have extra commitments. Frequently, this semester I found myself having to miss classes because I was away at a golf tournament or was going to need time to practice. Whatever activity you choose to partake in, make sure you keep a list of the things you need to accomplish that week. Have an outline of your assignments, meetings, practices, and tests. You’ll find yourself less stressed because you know what the week has in store. 

Also, in my case, having to travel for golf provided me with a way to get to know my professors outside the classroom setting. For example, I had to talk to my CRIM professor about missing class on multiple occasions because attendance was required. When explaining that it was for golf, he learned my name and was later able to remember me specifically and ask me about the golf team.

College is a completely different experience from high school. As long as you are able to come in with an open mind of what you want to accomplish and are able to set realistic goals for yourself, you should be able to make the most of your next four years at the university

My Life as a UT Dallas Commuter

By Thuy Trinh, Guest Blogger

When I was in high school, I always thought my life in college would be easy and fun. I would live in a dorm with my best friends and easily walk across campus to go to my classes every day. I would have water fights with the students in my dorm building and have the perfect college experience. So you must understand my surprise when I discovered that I had to commute since the school I chose to attend  (UT Dallas obviously) was too close to home to live on campus, and it would save my parents and me a lot of money.

As I commute to UT Dallas this semester, I have learned that along with some benefits there were many challenges that a commuter must face. Parking for one is such a pain! I usually arrive at school around 9:45 a.m. and the best parking that I can get is around the Clark Center, but every time I get to school, it is always taken. Every single slot! So I have to park all the way in the back next to the soccer fields, and the walk to my class is about 15 minutes if I speed walk. I have to arrive before nine just to get  decent parking.

The next challenge is traffic, which is partially my fault. My first class is at 10 a.m., and as we all know the traffic on I-635 is chaotic. It usually takes me 30 minutes to get to school and only 15 to 20 minutes to get home. I now know to choose my class times wisely where there won’t be as much traffic on I-635.

The biggest obstacle I face as a commuter is that I don’t get to participate in as many school events as students who live on campus. I usually don’t feel like driving so far just for an event whereas if I were living on campus, I could just walk across the street. I feel like I am missing out on the college experience.

With all my complaining about the difficulty of being a commuter, you probably think that it is the worst thing in the world, and you’re glad to be living on campus. But there are actually a lot of benefits as well.

I never, and I repeat never, have to cook. I always have a good home-cooked meal. My parents fill my gas for me. I’m not in any college debt. And the best thing about commuting is that I never get home sick. I know that once college is over, I have to venture out into the world and make my own living, so I actually am not in a rush to move out yet.

I appreciate the time I have at home with my parents for I know that many kids are in a rush to move out without knowing that in the future they won’t get the opportunity to spend more time with their family. In my EPPS class, I have learned that a lot of students miss being at home and get taken care of by their parents, which makes me even more appreciative of the time I have with them. 

You Think I'm Apathetic? I Don't Care

By Colton Hattersley, EPPS Blogger

Upon going home over winter break, I was faced with several very interesting questions: have you gotten drunk yet? How are the drugs up in Dallas? Why do you even care? It caught me off guard, to be honest – it was as if people back home had forgotten who I was and what I stood for. This presents an interesting and very serious question for us to evaluate. Why do college students have such a poor reputation, and what can we do to change that?

First, let’s look at drinking. The common perception of the college kid includes someone who goes to parties every night and is caught up in underage drinking. At many universities across America, this perception holds a degree of truth to the matter. One of the great things about being at UT Dallas, however, is that this atmosphere of partying and alcohol isn’t as prominent. Because of the degree of academic prowess our student body holds, there is a minimum of underage drinking and partying that is going on.

Second, let’s evaluate the issue of drugs. With the debate on marijuana legalization jumping in and out of the national spotlight, it is hardly surprising that many college students are experimenting both with marijuana and other illegal drugs. Though it is close to a metropolitan area, which by its very nature would be perceived to promote the use of drugs, UT Dallas manages to deflect or at least minimize the impact that drugs can have. With a student body that cares about what they are doing, and who generally don’t want to jeopardize their education, the drug problem that is seen across both the state and nation has not been able to achieve fruition.

Third, and finally, let’s look at apathy. The college student is perceived to be this creature that exemplifies apathy through the way he or she dresses, speaks, and acts. Public opinion would dictate that we all wear pajamas to classes everyday, speak in slow and very simplistic vocabulary, and move sluggishly with everything we do. Apathy is expected to lead us to procrastination, failure, and ultimately this status of dropping out.

As seen with the other two examples, UT Dallas students aren’t like most students. While there is always going to be that one guy who shows up in a dinosaur suit to your government class, people generally care about how they present themselves and therefore make an effort to at dress appropriately.

With classes at UT Dallas being both rigorous and insightful, students are constantly discussing the things covered in lecture to better understand the material. This allows for an intellectual and scholarly discussion that conflicts with the expectation society has placed on college students.

So next time I go back home, and get asked the same questions, I won’t be caught off guard. With public perception of college kids at a dangerously low level, we must work to fight against this label. Being at UT Dallas, we have been provided an environment capable of not only keeping us safe, but also of revolutionizing perceptions and making positive changes in the world. Next time I’m asked about my “lazy college life,” I will have one simple response – Not me, and not at UT Dallas. 

Alaskan Shares Advice for Surviving Next "Arctic Blast"

By Hope Steffensen, EPPS Blogger

Winter is very common where I am from. In Alaska, winter is actually an annual occurrence! However, my understanding as the new kid on the block here at UT Dallas is that winter in north Texas is not quite so common. I guess that explains all the doomsday headlines on the news when the ice storm broke out last month.

Words like “Icepocalypse” and “Frigid Arctic Blast Hits North Texas” were scrawled across the screen. It made me wonder, “If this is an ‘Arctic Blast,’ what does that make winter in Alaska?”
So, in case Jack Frost rears his ugly head and ices us in again, here are some “Winter Tips” from a self-proclaimed winter expert.

Tip # 1—Winter is not the time to make a fashion statement
This one is mostly for the women out there. Ladies, resist the urge to wear those adorable felt-bottomed boots. They may look amazing, but one won’t look amazing slipping and falling because of lack of traction on one’s footwear. Stick with comfortable walking shoes to avoid those embarrassing falls.
Tip # 2—Dress warmly
Now, while this may seem obvious, there seems to always be a slew of people who want to prove how cool they are by not wearing a jacket when it’s thirty degrees outside. Indeed, doing that will make a person so cool he/she will probably catch a cold. Besides, even Alaskans wear jackets in that type of weather. Rest assured, there is no shame in wearing a jacket.
Tip # 3—Avoid couch potato syndrome
It is important to stay active, even if one can’t go outside. Walking up and down stairs in the Residence Halls, doing push-ups in one’s room, or even doing some simple stretches are ways to make sure one doesn’t go dormant like a Kodiak Brown Bear on those chilly days. It will help one not only be healthier physically, but it will refresh one mentally as well.
Tip # 4—Keep doing schoolwork
Just because classes are shut down for a few days does not mean they won’t re-open. Homework and studying will still be due when the weather warms up. Tests do not melt away with the ice. By being diligent and studious with the extra free time one has from not having classes, one will have a lot less stress when regular class schedules resume. Just like any day, studying and being prepared will help ensure success in the days ahead.

Tips for Making it Through Finals

By Colton Hattersley, EPPS Blogger

Finals are now underway, and everybody is struggling to get the best grades possible on their various exams. The recent IcePocalypse, as I so endearingly like to call it, made me remember one very important fact about this month – CHRISTMAS IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the holiday season is a great time to relax and enjoy your friends and family, but the stress of finals week causes us to forget that there is a great opportunity within our grasps. To ensure that you get into the holiday spirit even before Winter Break, here are a few tips:

 1.      TAKE A BREAK TO DECORATE – much of our time spent studying occurs in our dorms or apartments. One way to keep in spirit is to decorate your room during one of your study breaks! The environment in which you study has an effect on your overall performance, so add some holiday cheer! Buy some lights to hang on your ceiling, put up a stocking and adorn the walls with candy canes.

2.      STOCK UP ON HOLIDAY SNACKS – we all tend to skip a meal here or there to maximize our study time, relying instead on the snack foods we have in our rooms. Another way to embrace the magic of the holiday season is to stock up on holiday snacks. Drink your favorite holiday drink, whether it is hot chocolate or egg nog, and munch on a candy cane or gingerbread cookie. Not only do they taste good, but studies show that sucking on a mint while working increases concentration, which is good for studying.
3.      LISTEN TO HOLIDAY MUSIC – many people have become dependent on some external noise to study with. For those of you who can, studying with Holiday Music is another way to fill yourself with holiday cheer. Make a playlist on Spotify or just YouTube your favorite songs of the season so that, while studying for your finals, you can feel cheery.

If all else fails, remember the advice of Buddy the Elf: The best way to spread holiday cheer is singing loud for all to hear. Happy Holidays everyone, stay safe!

Making Friends as an EPPS Student

By Yusof  Nazari, EPPS blogger

Entering college from high school is a move that’s filled with trepidation and worry. It’s much like moving to a new city. Leaving all of your friends, accomplishments, connections, networks, and maybe even your parents behind if you move far enough away.

Among all this commotion is the glimmering sliver of hope that change might not be such a bad thing, and that maybe you’ll find new friends among the masses that attend the same school that you do. It can be a scary task, as meeting people always is.

With this in mind, I walked into my UNIV1010 and EPPS Freshman classes with the same trepidation that one does when they see a fly they want to swat, slowly crawl onto their television set in the middle of a Will Smith movie marathon.

Thankfully, this wasn’t needed. My classes were filled with some of the most wonderful people I have ever had the pleasure to know. Whether it’s Henry with his 45 minute long joke about the billionaire’s pink golf balls, or Courtney, who introduced me to a lot of music that I’m currently loving, making friends wasn’t difficult at all. I was scared that the EPPS school was small, and that I wouldn’t find people to hang out with, but now most of my good friends are my classmates that I walk to lectures with on a daily basis.

They’ve taught me that reaching out and introducing yourself might be the most basic thing you can do, but it’s also the most powerful. Who knows, maybe the person you’ve got your eye on to friend up is just as nervous about meeting people as you are.

The best part about making friends in EPPS is the things we have in common. Being mostly liberal arts majors, we’re able to speak on and debate social and political issues with an openness and breadth of knowledge that I hadn’t experienced since my debate days.

I’ve heard so many opinions and arguments, whether agreeing or disagreeing with me, and all of my peers have brought interesting and new insights into my thought-processes on social and economic issues. If we can learn anything from out liberal arts degrees, it’s that the world is a crazy and nuanced place, and I’m glad I have new friends to talk about it with me.

Sociology Club Offers Straight Talk about Sex

By Blaire Bayliss, EPPS Freshman

Whether or not you know it, you are a sociologist. If you want to understand the way the world works, if you’re interested in trends or if you want to know more about the way people think, then you are a sociologist in the making. If you have noticed the way that your circle of friends interact with each other, if you think that each group has its quirks, or if you have ever tried to understand other people’s lives, then you are a sociologist already.

Everyone is a sociologist- and by extension, everyone belongs at the Sociology Club.

When I first walked into sociology club on a recent Tuesday night, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The topic of discussion was sex trends on campus- something that was never publicly discussed in my conservative high school. Although I was interested to hear what would be said, I was almost certain that I would be awkward and uncomfortable. I couldn’t have been more mistaken.

The topic was addressed from both a statistical and philosophical standpoint. During a lecture by Dr. Lanham, the entire room was enthralled by the shockingly low use of contraceptives and the shockingly high trend of abstinence. Then later, during a debate on the topic, everyone in the room was given the opportunity to share their thoughts on a variety of topics. I was completely surprised at the maturity of the discussion. Students and teachers of all ages discussed previous psychological and sociological studies, philosophical ideas, policy decisions, and interesting pieces of data that they had heard before coming to club.

Not only was the information approached from a responsible and comfortable standpoint, but it was also completely fascinating. Listening to other students give their opinion was both interesting and inspiring- and I found myself taking the microphone twice during the night. Sociology club turned out to be a safe experience where I could discuss my opinion on the issues that mattered most to me without the fear of judgment, ridicule, argument or even so much as a sneer. My opinions were respected. My voice was heard. And it was incredible. A definite plus was that at the end of the night, I was able to take home an entire tray of chicken nuggets… and the staff actually thanked me for it!

Sociology club was, overall, an overwhelmingly positive experience. I plan to go back every Tuesday for the rest of the semester.

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