As one of the last official events of the semester, Dr. Sikorski will be holding an event tutorial of the data analysis program SPSS. Stop by and learn something new!
When: April 17th at 12PM
Where: UC 217
The event itself should only last about 30 minutes!
The main event is almost here! Join us in the Humanities Lab for the RRILH’s first Festival of Creative Work! It is a celebration of the creative talent we have on campus here at Texas A&M – Texarkana, so don’t miss it!
When: April 23rd at 12PM
Where: The Humanities Lab in SCIT 120
On the flier above you can see the individuals that are participating in this inaugural event – if you see them, tell them congratulations!
Join us in welcoming Henry Jenkins (Provost Professor of Communication, Journalism and Cinematic Arts and Author of Convergence Culture) for an online discussion of his work in Media.
When: April 25th at 1PM
Where: Texar Room
This will be a PLACE event held in association with the Red River Innovation Lab for the Humanities.
Whether you’re just starting your time at TAMUT or finishing it up like me, if you have an interest in Media then you won’t want to miss this. Dr. Drew Morton will be hosting an Alumni in Media Roundtable event!
Where: UC 217
When: April 11th, 3PM – 4:15PM
TAMUT Alumni with various jobs and experience in Media will be joining us on campus to talk about career paths in media and how to navigate your job search. For details on these individuals, please consult the flier above.
Dr. Morton is also seeking to gauge students interested in attending for what specifically they want to know. If you’ve got any questions you’d like to see answered, please leave your questions with the Red River Innovation Lab for the humanities in SCIT 120 or with me, the intern in the RRILH at aaron.caraway@ace.tamut.edu.
As usual, this event is held in association with the RRILH!
One of the most frequently discussed topics on campus seems to be whether the professors are “good” or “bad”, whether their classes are difficult or not, and most importantly, whether you should take their classes. When you start hearing people talk about their professors, it’s easy to become a little apprehensive about the classes you had already registered for. You become nervous because you have no clue whether you had gotten any “good” professors or if you had unintentionally set yourself up for failure and gotten “bad” professors for all of your classes.
You know this because this may have been you, one semester, one year, or even one month ago. But after a bit of asking around you may conclude that everyone seems to have different opinions about the same professors. For instance, some people prefer a professor who is strict, with a very structured class, whereas others may prefer a professor who has a more relaxed approach. Two people could be taking the same class with the same professor and have completely different opinions about the professor.
After realizing this you may understand why it is so difficult to get a clear answer on who is a “good” professor and who is a “bad” professor. This could actually make you even more nervous than you were before because, at this point, you have no clue what kind of professor you prefer and in turn, this makes it altogether more difficult to decipher which one of your professors you should be most nervous about. On one hand, you may appreciate a class with structure but on the other hand, you would rather not have a drill sergeant as a professor.
Hopefully, you did not have a horrible first semester and made it through with only a handful of breakdowns (fingers crossed that none of those were directly linked to your professors), a new perspective on what makes a professor “good” or “bad”, and the knowledge that you cannot assume that just because someone else thinks a professor is “bad” that you’ll think the same thing as well. So, remember that everyone’s opinion is subjective and do not let that stop you from taking a class you had always wanted to take, because at the end of the day you may end up finding that the professor they did not like was the perfect fit for you.
As final exams approach, a college students anxiety level reaches its peak of the semester. It is important to take a step back, and give yourself a mental break. The Office of Student Life held its annual de-stress day on December 6th, where students had multiple options to relax and rejuvenate before exams hit.
Activities included a massage treatment line where students received machine heated back massages, a machine leg massage, and a full body water massage.
Senior Communications student Leira Moore said, “The massage stations worked wonders on getting my mind off of final exams! With several stations set up to massage different parts of the body, it made for a very relaxing session. The water massage was my favorite part, as cool water jets gave a full body massage. I’m really thankful that the University offers this for their students.”
The puppy petting center and adult coloring books were also a big hit.
Sophomore Kinesiology student Brooke Rayburn said, “I absolutely love dogs! The puppies brought to campus were so happy, energetic, and sweet. It was nice to be able to take a break from my studies and play with the adorable pups.”
For tips about how to make it through finals week successfully, check out the article below written by Communications student Sharda James.
http://eagleeyemedia.org/?p=3197
Best of Luck! Remember, keep calm and make it to Christmas break.
Dr. Rebecca Martindale gave a PechaKucha presentation at the end to give her interpretation of the book.
On Friday December 1, Dr. Rebecca Martindale, Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology, had her students present their PechaKucha presentations over the book, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan.
“When we first started these presentations, I kind of did it in the middle of the semester and Caleigh started at the beginning. She’s going to do her presentation of The Demon-Haunted World the way most students and faculty would present when they use PowerPoint Presentation,” said Dr. Martindale.
The event began with Caleigh Bailon’s traditional presentation summarizing chapter 1 of the book. She discussed the key points of the chapter and her slides were text-heavy, which is common in many traditional presentations.
“After learning the new method of presentation, it’s kind of gruesome to go back and look at something like this,” Bailon said.
Next, Philip Dorouen explained what a PechaKucha was and how they worked. PechaKuchas are presentations that follow a specific format. 20 images are shown for 20 seconds each and they advance automatically.
“They are a great creative way for students to express themselves,” he said.
The benefit to this presentation style is that it can prevent the speaker from spending too much of their time talking about one part of the presentation. They have to keep speaking to keep up with the presentation and it can shorten a lengthy topic to highlight the main points. You can visit the PechaKucha website for more information and to watch other presentations. He also played the following video for the audience to give them a visual of how this presentation method worked.
“One of the things they do is have PechaKucha nights. It was originally designed by a couple of architects who basically had this philosophy where if you give an architect a microphone, they’ll talk for hours and hours. People all around the world get together in lots of different venues and have PechaKucha nights to talk about whatever they want with this particular format,” said Dr. Martindale.
Abram Garza presented his PechaKucha to summarize chapter 3 of the book.
Abram Garza presented the first PechaKucha of the event to summarize chapter 3: The Man in the Moon and the Face on Mars. This chapter was about pseudo-science and how people tend to believe tales without proof of their validity. He used note cards to aid his presentation because this format relies on images without text. Roslyn Swofford was the last student to present and she summarized chapter 21 of the book.
Dr. Martindale ended the event with her own PechaKucha presenting her interpretation of the book. This particular method made it easier to stay engaged during the presentations. The absence of text put more focus on the presenter and what they were saying, while also providing an interesting visual. Next time you have a presentation for class, try using this method to make your presentations more fun, engaging, and interesting.
I don’t like to study and will go out of my way not to study. That makes me a normal student for the most part. With life taking one in several different directions it is crucial to find what kind of study methods work for you. It wasn’t until my last year of college that I figured out what really works best for me, but I’d rather learn it late than never at all. So what works for this procrastinator?
On a slide show. Write it down! Taking pictures for later use works too, however when you write something down you are more likely to remember it.
Step 1.
Divide what you need to study into pieces. I usually divide it into chapters
Step 2.
Get in your study zone. Mine happens to be in my room computer and books scattered across the bed and some random YouTube video playing in the background. I tend to choose videos along the lines of 48 hours or creepy pasta. Creepy-pastas tend to be voices that tell a story. I choose these videos because the don’t require you to listen to them and when you need a mini break you have something to focus on for a few moments. Music distracts me and so do tv shows and are not compatible with a study zone. Make sure you have something to eat and drink in the study zone else it will be an excuse to not study.
Step 3.
First you pick a chapter and read the first two paragraphs. From there, you read the first sentence of every paragraph. Lastly, you read the conclusion paragraph. Now you have a good idea of what the chapter is about.
Step 4.
While reading if you happen to come across a phrase or fact that jumps out at you highlight it and type it up into your study guide. I try to find one thing on every page that I believe is important. Also while typing out the study guide if you can relate the fact or idea to real life it helps you memorize it better.
Step 5.
Next you take a short break. If you are a procrastinator you don’t have much time for breaks. This break is only meant for those who need to go use the restroom or take a smoke break.
Step 6.
Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 until the ‘chapters’ are translated into notes.
Step 7.
Now it is time to review the notes that you took during class. If you are like me the notes are at random and not that consistent, so you cherry pick information off of them.
Step 8.
I don’t focus too much on slide shows myself but I do cherry pick from there.
Step 9.
Put it down and go do something for about an hour.
Step 10.
Pick it up and read your study guide. If anything doesn’t make sense redo it. If you think it’s not needed drop it. Also remember it is your study guide you are not turning it. Write notes to yourself like “look at the graph on p256”. If you can’t explain it or if there is to much to type simply say “explained really well on page 75 2nd paragraph”
Step 11.
Review it when you think about it, which after the long study session into making the study guide I have a hard time looking at the guide because I still remember typing it up. I tend to get to class about 30 minutes early and read the guide and try to lock it into my memory. What helps me the most is discussing the chapters with classmates before the test begins. They remember things and cherry pick information that I don’t know or have.
Step 12.
Finally, take the exam.
At this point it doesn’t seem like I am a procrastinator, right? When in actuality I took barely existent notes and only made the study guide the night before. However, I do try to show up and take part in class every day. By focusing on the lectures and typing up a study guide I do manage to be a passing student. Finally, remember, unless you are a rock star, procrastinators don’t get A’s
Final exam week is the week that every college student and maybe some professors dread. From a student’s perspective, I can tell you exactly how each of us are feeling. Most of us feel like pulling out our hair and we procrastinate like crazy…don’t do either of those. The semester is almost over, you made it this far so keep going! Pulling all-nighters is the norm, study groups are endless, and overloading on caffeine is the only way to survive. However, this time finals week will be different for you, right?
Here are a few tips that will hopefully help ease a few of those anxieties during “death week.”
• Tip 1: Organize what finals you have:
First thing first, write down what finals you have coming up and the days in which you have them. Time management is everything during finals week, so by writing down your tests this will allow you to see what class you might have to devote more time to.
• Tip 2: Get into a Nice Study Space:
When studying for a test it is important that you’re in a place that you can focus. Get rid of all things that can distract you, turn off your cell phone and television. This varies from person to person but for me personally, it helps to study in a clean space and organized space. Make sure that the lightning isn’t to dim and the space is quiet or at least have soft music playing in the background.
• Tip 3: Go to Class:
I know this sounds like common sense, but you’ll be surprised of the number of students that begin to skip class closer to the end of the semester. Going to class can give you more insight on what could be on the final.
• Tip 4: Pretend you are teaching the material to someone else:
When studying old notes and other materials for finals pretend as though you are teaching it to someone else. By doing this you’re more likely to remember what you studied.
• Tip 5: Get plenty of sleep & eat healthy:
I know pulling all-nighters are the norm the week of finals, but getting plenty of sleep is the key to things sticking. An adequate amount of sleep can help a person be more productive while studying for finals. I know overloading on lots of caffeine and sugar is what a lot of students thrive off of but it’s bad if you’re trying to stay focus. I recommend eating lots of protein, fruits, and veggies. Personally, love eating a banana and drinking a Naked drink made with all natural fruits for breakfast. DRINK LOTS OF WATER!!!!
• Tip 6: Organize a study group:
Most students benefit from study groups. Anything that you might’ve not understood during lecture your classmates might be able to elaborate on a variety of topics.
• Tip 7: See the Counselor:
I know this may sound crazy or even embarrassing for some, but sometimes talking to someone about what it is you’re feeling can ease a lot of stress. Thousands if not millions of students suffer from test anxieties and in result they do poorly on tests. When the mind is at peace and free from worries you’re able to focus better. So, one quick visit to the school counselors’ office could help you do better on your finals. Also, this service is FREE of charge!
Hopefully these tips will help, don’t overthink the material and don’t second guess yourself during the examination. GOOD LUCK!
Between paying for tuition, books, the dining hall, and a dorm room your budget probably seems a little slim. What if I told you there are tons of discounts you can get just for being in college? From everyday essentials to specialty items, these companies want to treat you to savings created specifically for college students.
Also, don’t forget to pick up a personal discount card designed for Texas A&M University-Texarkana at the front desk of the University Center. It has great deals for businesses in the area.
FITNESS
Anytime Fitness
Legends – State Line Texarkana
Sportsplex By Health Care Express
FOOD
Chick-Fil-A
Chipotle
Gusano’s – Texarkana
Subway
Taste & See
Twisted Fork – Texarkana
Waffle House
General
Amazon Prime for Students
FedEx Student Discount Club – With Student ID
Sam’s Club
UPS – Richmond Texarkana
MUSIC
Spotify Premium For Students
Services
Geico
Nationwide Insurance
State Farm
TECHNOLOGY
Adobe Creative Cloud
Apple Electronics – https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop