A Word of Advice

The transition from high school to college can be intimidating, but SGA has your back! Here are a few words of advice from our members:

• “It’s not uncommon to feel small and unimportant the first couple weeks on a big campus like JMU, and that’s how I felt initially. However, the best thing you can do is to join things– whether it be student government, a dance team, theater, you name it! Even if you don’t like it, you’ll still end up meeting amazing people. The more you get involved, the easier it is to find your niche and start making your mark on Madison and really begin to ‘Be the Change.’” – Julie Hirschhorn, ‘15
• “Be friendly to those who live near you. Remember, they are with you for an entire year!” – McKenzie Quinn, ‘15
• “Do what you love, not what you think you’re supposed to do.” – Shevy Chaganti, ‘14
• “Eat at every dining facility on campus. We do have the third best food in the country! So yummy.” – Rachel Francis, ‘14
• “Remember to hold the door open! It’s a JMU tradition! And don’t forget to smile, be kind and have as much fun as possible.” – Kenya Pennington, ‘15
• “Follow every JMU related twitter account.” – Matt Klein, ‘13
• “Break bad habits and start good ones, especially time management. Join something – anything! Keep an eye out for the freshman 15, it’s sneaky. Don’t be afraid to talk to people, whether it’s your hallmates, teachers, or random people that look friendly. Actually, don’t be afraid of anything. Be really open-minded and try new things!” – Rachel Fisher, ‘15
• “Try things you never would have tried before. Be open to other people and ideas. We have some of the most amazing food in the country, but balance it with exercise, and stay healthy. Take a class in a subject you know absolutely nothing about!!” – Lauren Holder, ‘15
• “Know that college is what you make it. You have a total clean slate from what occurred in your past and that you are able to move forward. Also know the choices you make now can set how the next four years to go, so make decisions that will build your life up, for it will build your Madison Experience as well.” – Jacob Mosser, ‘14
• “If there was one thing I wish I had come into JMU with, it would have been the knowledge life takes its own path and to be game for the ride. Try not to have a preconceived notion of what your Madison experience will be. Everything may not happen perfectly, but it is all a great learning experience. In the end you will find friends to last a lifetime and will have more chances than ever before to get involved with something you are passionate about. Also, try to infuse your dorm room with your personality. It is best to make it feel like a little piece of home!” – Taylor Vollman, ‘15

We can’t wait to see you in August!

 

Helpful Finals Info

With some people’s finals beginning tomorrow, we thought we would take the time to give you some last minute links and helpful information to get you prepared:

1.  Need to know WHEN your finals are happening? Not all professors tell you the right day on your syllabus. Check out this link to make sure you have the correct date and time. Also, if the date is different, EMAIL your prof to double check.
2. Need an extra cram session? BOTH Carrier and East Campus Libraries will be open for 24 hours during finals week.  Be sure to book a study room if you want some quiet time, or you need to work with a group.
3. Need a late night snack to power you through a study sesh? JMU Dining has select locations open 24 hours for your convenience, such as Starbucks and Top Dog. And other places have late night hours as well.
4. Need help with that final paper, speech, or presentation? University writing center has some experienced staff to help you in whatever situation you are in.  You can make as many appointments as you need to get the best grade you can.  Take advantage of them! They often see things you might not.
5. Need to relax before you take a test? UREC has massages you can book for as little as $35 for a half hour! Also, UPB is sponsoring a FREE relaxation station on FRIDAY DEC. 9th in Transitions from 8-12p.

All in all, the best thing you can do is be prepared.  You’ve been doing well all semester, so don’t freak out too much.  Get some sleep, hang out with your friends, and enjoy your last few days at JMU before the holidays.

You got this Dukes!

Need Some Finals Study Tips?

As finals are fast approaching, it is easy to get overly stressed and confused on how to handle everything on your “to-do” list for the next week. As the freshman class officers we talked to our older SGA members and asked them how they survived finals over the past few years.

• “Try to “teach” your parents, friends or anyone who will listen about the class. Explaining the concepts will really help you find what you understand already and what you still need to study.” – Alicia Pettis
• “Don’t oversleep a final. Seriously. Go to sleep at a normal hour of the night before so you don’t sleep through the alarm.” -Liz Ramirez
• “Start studying at least 2 days in advance. It helps to feel confident in what you know.” -Nora Linkous
• “Never take an exam on an empty stomach. A bagel from Einstein’s is the perfect brain food to hold you over especially for an early morning exam time!” -Morgan Shaughnessy
• “Utilize Student Resources Centers like the Math and Science in Roop and the Writing and Communication in Wilson.” -Matt Klein
• “Download the “self control” app on your laptop. Ban Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc that could possibly distract you.” -Nikki Bologna
• “Drink lots of water and exercise. All the extra blood flow will help your memory.” -Alicia Pettis
• “Carrier and ECL are always great, but always crowded. Places Like TDU have extended hours.” -Collin Russell
• “Re-check the time and place of where your exam is the night before.” -Matt Klein

                                                                         

Just to add a few of our own,

• Seek advice from upperclassmen, just like we did. They are full of helpful tips to get you through this next week
• Don’t forget that there is free food all over campus late at night, keeping yourself healthily fed is important
• Libraries and Top Dog Starbucks are open 24 hours during finals week
• Just relax (UPB is even helping out with this by having a Relaxation Station on Friday. Check out the Facebook event page).

It’s important to keep yourself calm and focused, so turn off Facebook, get some rest, and hit the books. Start studying several days before your exam, and make a to-do list! Best of luck on your finals, and have a wonderful (and relaxing!) work-free break!

Much love,

Pat, Lauren, Kaitlin, and Rachel

Freshman Class Officers

Follow us on Twitter @JMUclassof2015 or join the group on Facebook

Get Your First-Year Writing Published!

ATTENTION FRESHMEN:

Have you written a paper you are really proud of in GWRTC 103? Want to have it published? Submit your essay to e-Vision and get noticed! e-Vision is an online publication of first-year writing. It showcases exceptional work composed by freshmen. Professors who teach GWRTC 103 use essays published by e-Vision as model writing for students.

Once you submit your piece, it will be read by a student editorial board. The 10-member board will select the pieces that are worthy of publication. After the essays are selected, the editors will work with the writers to finalize the essays for publication. Last year, e-Vision published 10 essays. Essays that are selected represent a wide variety of subjects and styles of writing. If you feel like your work deserves to get published, then send it as an attachment to evision@jmu.edu. For more information about e-Vision, follow this link.

Get published. Get an audience. Get read. Share your good writing with the world. Let it prompt thought, spark discussion, and inspire more good writing.

5 Things to Know for Freshman Year

Hey everyone! With FrOG week and the Fall Semester fast-approaching, I thought I would share just a few things I wish I knew before my freshman year at JMU that make first-year life a little more simple…

1. Get Involved- The best way to meet people and find something you love is to branch out and try as many new things that interest you as possible. By going to Student ORG night* you can find out about all these organizations and clubs from the members that participate in them. THe SGA will have it’s own section too so you can find out what positions you can run for.  JMU has over 350 organizations including SGA, club sports, Greek life, or the French Club. There is definitely a place for you!
2. Card Services- Card services (located in Warren) is closed on the weekends which is really unfortunate considering people lose their JAC cards all the time! The best advice would be to never lose your JAC card but come on, it’s bound to happen! If you lose your JAC over the weekend, before contemplating starving without those 4 punches Saturday and Sunday, know that at Ehall and Dhall there are forms to fill out that allow you to punch. It’s basically an honor system verifying that you are, in fact, you! While we are on the subject, memorize your JAC card number, it makes a ton of things easier.
3. Weather Preparation- Invest in a good pair of rain boots and a decent rain jacket! The ‘Burg’s weather has been known to change just about every ten minutes, one second it will be semi-hurricane weather to so bright and sunny you’ll wonder if you imagined that storm. Also, Harrisonburg is definitely colder than you think (especially at 8ams) so bring plenty of layers and a winter coat, or maybe one of those cool-hipster animal hats people where. Just sayin’.
4. UREC- James Madison’s University Recreation Center is one of the best facilities on campus. There is literally something for everyone from the Racquetball and basketball courts, rock climbing wall, group fitness classes, track, and lobby for some quiet studying time when the libraries are full. The best little kept secret is the Sauna in the Aquatics Center which is great for thinking and sweating out all gross stuff in your system! Exercise releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy and happy people go to JMU and have a well-balanced mind!
5. Libraries- We have two libraries, Carrier and East Campus Library or more popularly known as “ECL.” They will become your best friends next year. Fixed with coffee shops, printers, help desks, and study rooms, the libraries are an incredible way to focus or just get away from roommate stress and lose yourself in schoolwork! Finally, group studying can really help you prepare for exams and you can rent out study rooms online for each library to ensure your study group or GCOM group has an area to prepare!

You’ve already made the choice to go to the best school on EARTH, but now it’s up to you to make your college years a fulfilling experience.

Hopefully some of these tips help you in your transition from your hometown to your home at JMU. And remember if you never try, you’ll never know!

-Morgan Shaughnessy, Contingency Liaison, @MorganShau

*Check back for dates and times of Student Org Night if you are interested