Beginnings

School is here! 
You know know how I know that? I haven't updated this blog in awhile, that's why. And I apologize.

But wonderful fun filled affairs have been happening as of late. No, not the marital sort. Those would be depressing, heart wrenching affairs. I digress.

The PLC had our first class session  August the 15th. A very exciting day for our program. The returnees fraternize about summer shenanigans. The freshmen settle in and become acquainted with how we roll. Or how we operate. That sounds more official.

I read a message to the freshmen from a dear friend of mine, Andrew Jolly Robinson who will be unable to attend our first semester sessions because of a class conflict. In this letter he expressed his well wishes on the new PLC members and gave a few words of wisdom as well. A delightful way to begin our year. Also, the freshmen, Dr. Taylor and myself also played a requiring both memorization and dance skills. Actually I think it was more of the first. It was fun.

That following weekend we  had our retreat. This is a fantastic time for everyone to bond and be silly. I call it silly bonding. It's not very clever but I like it. We got a bag of goodies, danced for a good thirty minutes at least, and then dined like kings and queens on the Centennial Center front patio area. There is more than likely an official name that area but I don't know it. The evening was entertaining.

This last Wednesday, the 22nd for our PLC session we had a very special guest, Matt Van Itallie. Matt is a Harvard law school graduate who has done amazing things outside of the law field. He was involved in the Baltimore Public School system and has helped campaigned. He is currently running a new business that is helping University's across the world foster technological advances. He had some amazing advice. And our fantastic Kylie Hardin took down notes on his advice which I will add here.

1. Do hard things and take 

large risks early in life while the risks are low. Even if you 

"fail" you will learn something and that makes it worth 

while. 2. Know thyself--know what you like and don't like. 

Know what you can and can't do. If you like something you 

can't do, by working hard enough at it you can get good 

enough to get by. 3. There is almost always never a clearly 

right or wrong answer. 4. Learn to network. It can be scary 

but you HAVE to do it. Who will open doors for you to show 

how great you are if you don't network? The best way to 

network isn't just by asking for a recommendation 

immediately. Gain the contact's trust and be interested in 

what they have to say!

Thank you Kylie!!

Ladies and gentlemen I hope everyone is having a good first start of the year. This can be a very stressful time of the year so I hope people are taking advantage of the multiple events taking place around campus. I know I went to a couple of events for Welcome Week.

I will be updating the blog again very soon to discuss this weeks happening. In the mean time, I am going to head to class! Because class is important. And because if you don't go, you can fail a whole easier than if you go. Wise words from multiple professors. Have a great day, week, month, year, life!!

SCHOOL!

Ladies and gentlemen...it's that time again.

The time small children dread and parents treasure. The time rooms that went dark for weeks are brought back to life. The time that books are dusted off and reopened eagerly awaiting to bestow their wealth of knowledge. The time pencil companies see a bump in their profit margins. The time educators don the armor of enlightenment and ready their weapons of wisdom.

It's school time ladies and gentlemen.

I know I may be in the minority here but I am very excited for school to start up again. I missed going to class and seeing such lovely friendly faces!

I am also very excited for PLC this year. I am excited to better get to know our new members and to continue growing the kinship with the current ones. I am excited to see what we can accomplish and the impact we are going to have as well. We have good things in store.

As everyone is getting ready for school, be mindful of certain steps. Please please please go fill out your FAFSA now. Yes it is a pain, but it is much easier to do it now than when you are in school. I'll even put this the link right here! http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ Look! There it is! Ready to be clicked!

If you haven't enrolled yet, go. Just go now. Run if you have too. Run into enrollment and scream at the top of your lungs about how badly you need enrolled. Plead and beg for mercy from the sins of being an ignorant undergrad...No but seriously if you haven't enrolled yet, you really need to go do that.

Also, go get some books! A lot of these classes require books for learning and what not. I don't make the rules people. You can purchase books at the bookstore in the Centennial Center, or you can purchase them online from places like Amazon or Chegg.

Dorms are all ready for moving in! Head down to the Residential Life offices in the club house located in close proximity to University Village B and go pick up your keys if you have not done so already. Get all moved in and take time to evaluate how much better your living conditions are than those students at OU and OSU. Maybe even chuckle to yourself if you're feeling rather baleful.

I know a lot of this can be confusing and just plain ole frustrating, so if you have any questions feel free to ask me. Or you can e-mail the very helpful, very knowledgeable, very amazing Joy Lin at jhusted@rsu.edu. She is here to help us with anything and everything we need. She is like the Obi-Wan Kenobi to our Luke Skywalker. Or the Rafiki to our Simba.

I am very much so looking forward to seeing everyone! Have a wonderful last few days of summer and get ready for an amazing year!