Four Unexpected Delights

Whew! It has been a while, hasn’t it? Don’t worry, as of now, Campus Catalists is back in action. We took a good, stretching break, but I think it’s about that time again. There is some serious listing to be done. So here we go, here’s your first list for 2009!

I have made some observations upon my re-arrival in Jonesboro in the last few weeks. There is a seemingly large lack of truly delicious places to go. Then as I’ve kept a hear and a taste out, I’ve made some surprising conclusions. There are a select few places around town that are able to leave quite an impression. That is, if you are willing to give them a chance to start with….

1. Don Jose. This place honestly looks completely hideous on the outside. It is a bright purple and orange building sort of behind Kroger on Caraway. Somehow, a friend convinced me to try it out, hearing rumor of free cheese dip. So we went, and honestly my food was significantly better than the same meal I had ordered at El Acapulco two nights before…and it’s cheaper.

2. Seattle Grind. This place, I’ve yet to try first hand, but the reviews pointed me in the direction of including it in this blog. It is a tiny little building in the parking lot of Startek on Caraway. You would not expect this delicious coffee to come from this small, random building, but it’s better coffee than you can find at most name brand coffee shops around town.

3. Mrs. G’s Deli. This place is sort of hidden. It’s on Culberhouse St. near Southwest Dr. This is a little “Mom and Pap” type of place that may not look very appealing, but you’ll find the quality of the food more than appetizing. Mrs. G’s offers homemade sandwiches with fresh deli meat or any kind of hotplate home-cooked meal. If you are looking for somewhere different, try here.

4. Wyatt’s. This place is somewhere that I would probably not even begin to try if someone had not recommended it highly. Apparently, this gas station restaurant at the end of Main St. serves some of the best home-cooking in Jonesboro, especially recommended for college students who miss Mom’s food. While the outside may be a turn off, I suggest at least giving the high quality rumors a try and test it out. You may be surprised at just how tasty it may be.

Six Things to do Over Thanksgiving Break

1. Catch up on some reading. I really look forward to this. There are a lot of books that I never really seem to find time for, but have been dying to dive into. This is the perfect opportunity! Curl up at home and read away! No classes to stop you!
2. Spend time with family. This can be the sweetest part! Especially during the holidays. So go home and hug your parents and siblings. Share some time with them and love the people who are always there when you need them.
3. Do that dreaded homework. I know I know. And I agree that this sounds terrible. But you have to admit, it will be much better to come back all caught up on everything that will be due this last week before finals. Plus, you'll actually have the time to do it.
4. Catch up with old friends. This is one of the best parts of going back home. Enjoy those high school friends that you never see. Find out what is going on in the lives of all the people who didn't move to Jonesboro too.
5. Have fun. Do all the things you never have time to do when you are at school. Go to the movies, stay up late doing nothing, go shopping, just have a good time!
6. Relax! Sleep in and chill on the couch for a while. That's what the break is for! To prepare us for this awful week of finals coming up. So take advantage!

Five Ways to Cope with the Season

Arkansas is so weird! One day it is sunny and cool with a gentle breeze, then it rains for five days straight and winds blow like a tornado is coming. Now it is absolutely freezing with no forecast of clouds in the sky, this all in a matter of two weeks. So with limited resources to prepare for spontaneous weather changes, how do college students adjust each day when the majority of our time goes into walking back and forth across campus?

1. Check the weather! I have had to make it a habit to check the weather online quickly when I get up in the mornings. This is so helpful. It's a lot easier to base my attire sensibly if I know how the elements are going to affect me that day. Then pack an umbrella or gloves or maybe just a light jacket, you never know these days. Also, this sort of prepares my mind in order to avoid that shocking crisp cold air or gloomy wetness as I leave the dorm.

2. Seeing as it is November, though Arkansas is clearly not consistent, I see it as a good investment to keep gloves or a warm hat with me at all times. Just throw them in your backpack just in case you end up walking to class in 30 degree weather while on the phone, hand and ear freezing against the crisp dry air.

3. Let's face it. Sharing thermostats is difficult this time of year. Your roommate may be completely opposite from you when it comes to being cold or warm-blooded. So my advice is to take advantage of a couple different useful applications. If you get too hot, crack that window on your side of the room. Or if you tend to freeze at night, keep an extra blanket on the end of your bed, just in case. Either way, there are ways around being totally uncomfortable all the time.

4. Invest in that Arkansas State Sweatshirt or Hoodie that you've been glancing at every time you walk through the bookstore. I recently had to talk myself into this one. Yes, they are expensive and it is hard to come up with enough money to spend on yourself, let alone on your loved ones around Christmas time. Granted, though, they are warm and easy to throw on or take off over average weather clothing. Plus, these are much easier to carry or pack up than a coat if it gets warm halfway through the day.

5. Think ahead. Once you've checked out the forecast for the next day, plan around it. If it is going to be pouring down rain or practically snowing, drive anywhere you can possibly get away with. Consolidate trips, so that there is as little interaction with the opposing weather as possible. Hey, this is Arkansas, we've got to be prepared for anything.

Three Words for Building Your Vocabulary part 3.

Here are the next set of words for expanding our vocabulary. If we are going to be smart college students, ought we sound like smart college students? Try working these three into your vocabulary in the next week. See if it does not make you feel a little more intellectual.

1. Gravitas-(great or very dignified seriousness.) This is a word we can use in approaching a new time in our lives. This will be a time to shy away from the childish behavior of youth and move into the dignity of responsibility in life. This word can describe this mature air we aim for, or perhaps the air of ones we know who are moving into that time of life a little faster than we are.

2. Hector-(to bully; to intimidate or harass by personal pleasure.) But of course, not all of us are quite to that gravitas attitude in our lives just yet. We see this particularly in college students at sporting events for ASU. This word can describe the way that our very own "Hecklers Club" responds to the opposing team that our athletes play. Or perhaps even the way that we've witnessed Fraternity guys treating new pledges?...

3. Impel-(to urge or drive forward by strong moral force.) This is relevant to all, not just the college student, but we can find this word especially applicable when freshmen students come to school and are faced with decision of how to live their college years apart from their normal home boundaries. Whether it be to start over or to rebel completely, we can describe the action as being impelled to approach a certain lifestyle, one way or the other.

Six Ways to Make Yourself Go to Class

The semester is almost over! So close. And it is getting harder and harder to convince ourselves to actually go to class. This is getting pretty inconvenient seeing as we only have a few weeks left and our allowed absences are getting fewer and fewer. Here are some thought-out ideas of how to force ourselves to get up and get going to be able to successfully complete the semester.

1. Set two alarms. I have to do this one. Otherwise, the snooze button becomes my best friend. Which I later, once realizing how late I am, is my worst enemy. Set the alarm by your head for ten or fifteen minutes before you actually have to get up. Then set your phone alarm for the time you have to get out of bed and put it across the room. Once you get up to turn it off, stay up.
2. Have someone call or text you. This is great accountability. Find a friend who is in your class or a neighbor who has class at the same time as you and keep each other on track to be on time to class. When one wakes up, they should call the other and make sure they are up too.
3. Get more sleep. If oversleeping is your problem, it could be more than lack of motivation. Maybe you are having too much fun during the week, or maybe it is that you are loaded down with late-night homework, but either way staying up too late is directly related to how easily you can get up. Set a bedtime for yourself if you must to assure enough sleep. And be sure to stick to it! Even if that means getting stuff done earlier.
4. Get up early. I know this one sounds completely crazy, but I promise it helps. If you have a class at nine, get up at 7:30 and go work out, run an errand, eat breakfast out, or do something productive. By the time class roles around, you are plenty awake and on time.
5. Don't let any excuses pile up. This is for if you can't even get yourself to go to afternoon classes. It is so easy to say, "Oh, well I really have to do this other thing and I don't want to go to class, so..." And you know the rest. But if you must hold yourself to it, make sure all important things that could be excused to skip class are taken care of before the class starts. This could be hard, but I believe it would be a useful plan.
6. Count down! Think to yourself, "Okay, after today there are only six more times I have to come to this class." Then be positive. "I can do that. Only six more." And so on. It will give yourself less of a hopeless "I can't do this anymore!" kind of attitude.

Four Reasons We Need Music

I adore music. Truly. And so it interested me to do a little research in order to see just what others say about why we need music. It turned out some pretty fascinating answers.

1. Stress Management: According to Coping with Stress: The Effectiveness of Different Types of Music from the Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, tests show that listening to music after taking a difficult college exam, students were relieved far more than without the therapeutic effort. Plus, I can say first hand, that soothing music brings me peace when things get a little too heavy.

2. Fun/recreation: This one is obvious. What kind of event is it if it does not include some tunes, at very least just drifting through the background? Whether you are alone, on a date, with a few friends, or in a huge crowd, the simple activity of listening to your favorite music brings a whole new element of a good time to the group.

3. Learning/studying: According to The Effects of Background Music on Learning from the Department of Educational Technology at San Diego Stage University, studies have brought professionals to believe that in a closed setting, playing slow background music either in the classroom or while studying can produce positive results in the amount of information absorbed by the student. Who knew, right?

4. Artistic/creativity: For you artists, you know what I mean. And even I as a writer use this technique. What a great way to brainstorm and prepare your mind for letting all of that imagination take over and go crazy, releasing everything you have been saving for your piece. Somehow, it brings an entire new element to the love that goes into whatever you are working on.

Six Creative Study Snacks

So when you’ve got that big test tomorrow and you know you are about to pull an all-nighter, there are some crucial steps to making the event more successful. I spoke of these in a previous blog, Eight Study Tips. One of the important aspects of good studying is gaining that stay-up and motivated energy from snacks. The dorms, however, are not exactly the most convenient food preparation facilities. I’ve come up with some suggestions for some simple and easy study snacks.

1. Try a multipart cereal. One of my favorite snacks is to grab a box of dry cereal and munch away. The kinds with nuts or granola usually make great snacks, like Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds or the new Oat Cluster Cheerios Crunch.

2. This one is almost a must. Coffee. The perfect late night treat and necessity. It is a true snack when you join in some cookies or even biscotti.

3. Another one of my favorites is trail mix. You can purchase many different kinds in stores or you can make your own out of almost anything. It ends up being perfect for munching while typing or reading and it’s a great flavor variety.

4. This one really isn’t very creative, but it’s a classic so it had to make the list. Popcorn of course. Ever-so-easy and always faithful anytime snack. Easy to make in the dorm, just pop it in the microwave, and great for chewing on while studying.

5. Fruit , cheese, and pretzels anyone? This may sound weird, but I highly recommend it. This is another great flavor combination. Some salt, some sweet, and some…cheese. Plus, it is much better for you than anything else you can find to buy as a snack food.

6. I have a lot of friends who use this one. They use their favorite crackers and enjoy them with either cream cheese or peanut butter. Jus t spread some on a plate of your choice of flavored cracker or even try dipping while you dive into whatever homework or study material you’ve got ahead of you.