Month: January 2014

5 Things I Learned in January

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It’s that magical time of year again when you have to actively think about writing 2014 on everything even though you just got used to writing 2013! While getting used to writing the new date might cause some frustration, the first month of the year has already presented some great lessons!

1. Extra days of vacation are not always a good thing.

I was super excited to get a few extra days of vacation when I first heard that classes were cancelled for a polar vortex, but that excitement quickly turned to boredom and the consumption of entirely too much Netflix. My productivity hit an all time low which made getting back into the swing of work and classes just a little harder. While the extra days off may have hurt your motivation, it also likely caused your professors to cram more material into fewer classes. Make sure you stay on top of any changes to your syllabus because of the shortened semester and plan ahead for the possibility of an increased work load as the weeks pass.

2. (Speaking of the polar vortex) Ohio might as well be Alaska.

If you think I’m joking, check out this AP story aptly titled GO Figure: Alaska is Warmer than Lower 48. If this phenomenon doesn’t make you want to become a meteorologist, I don’t know what will. The weather is supposed to warm up for good but it doesn’t mean it’s time to put away those winter clothes just yet. Make sure to keep on bundling up!

3.  Getting sick is the worst!

I came down with a cold a couple of weeks ago and it’s no fun. Being from Philadelphia, it is especially hard not having my mommy around to take care of me (don’t act like you’re too cool to have your mom bring you some hot soup). If you get sick and can’t make it home, don’t be afraid to make a trip to Student Health Services. The doctors there can write prescriptions and refer you to specialists. If you are too sick to walk, CABS buses will get you there, and they is also discounted parking right outside of the building. If you have to miss classes because of an illness, your health care provider can give you a visit verification form or a medical excuse form. To make an appointment or to get advice about a medical issue, call a nurse at 614-292-4321. For general information about the services offered visit their website.

Interested in learning why you’re more likely to get sick in the winter? Watch this video!

4. Ohio State students care about their community.

On January 20th, I had the privilege of helping to bring students together to give back to the Ohio State and Columbus communities. About 25 out-of-state students got up before 8 a.m. to volunteer their time with the MLK Day of Service. But the amazing thing was that it wasn’t only these 25 students who came out. Thousands of Ohio State students streamed into the Ohio Union to help make this world a little better. I was so in awe of how much everyone cared about giving back.

If you participated in MLK day or you caught up on some sleep, the great thing is that the great work students do didn’t end on January 20th! There are so many ways you can get involved. Pay It Forward has great opportunities throughout the year, service learning courses are offered every semester, and there are lots of other organizations in the Columbus area that would love the additional hands of a dedicated individual.

5. But most important of all, SPRING IS NEAR!

If you’re like me, anything below 65 degrees and sunny is miserable. But have no fear! Spring is closer than you think. If you ever need a pick-me-up, check back here for a countdown.

FERPA, FAFSA and Finances: Oh, my!

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Who doesn’t like a little alliteration (and Wizard of Oz homage)?  And, let’s face it, when it comes to matters of doing business at Ohio State, we’ll take anything that can make it appealing!  However, it’s a good midway point in the year to pay attention to business. Don’t worry, though, you don’t have to suit up for this conversation.

FERPA

I’m sure you all remember from your orientation program that we introduced the hottest acronym ever to hit the federal law books: FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99 for those of us nerdy enough to want to read it in its original codified glory).  FERPA basically instructs what, when and with whom Ohio State can share information about students and their records.  For you, that means that we can’t share anything about you other than directory information with anyone, unless you give us permission to do so.  That means that when your mom or your dad or your great aunt Betty calls to check to see if your bill has been paid, we can’t tell them unless you specifically tell us it’s okay.  Believe me when I say that your dad can get quite upset when he’s been on hold for 20 minutes only to be told that we can’t answer his questions because you didn’t complete the student information release like he’s asked you to do a million times.

For his sake – and ours – complete the release form.  You can control what information we share and with whom – and it’s relatively simple.  You can sign off on the release of academic information or account information or financial aid information – or any combination of the three.  (Three – it’s the magic number.)

Simply follow the instructions found on the Student Service Center website.

FAFSA

Yet another amazing acronym – FAFSA.  The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) needs to be filed annually in order to determine your financial aid eligibility for a number of need-based programs for next academic year (Summer 2014-Spring 2015).  At Ohio State, we expect you to file your FAFSA by February 15 each year for priority consideration.  It’s important to apply by that date, even if you and your family will need to estimate income information because your 2013 taxes aren’t complete yet.  There’s also a PIN number involved, so don’t wait until the last minute in case you need to get that reset – it will take a few days!  And, no, it’s not that kind of pinsetter.

Finances

I know I just glossed over the word in the FAFSA section, but another aspect of tending to your finances as a college student is doing your taxes.  Even though we’re months away from the April 15 deadline, ‘tis the season.  Something that you’ve probably not had to include on your taxes in the past is your financial aid.  You should note that any amount of a scholarship, fellowship or grant that exceeds the cost of tuition, mandatory fees, books and required supplies will be considered taxable income and is subject to federal tax.

One of the best pieces of advice that I’ve ever heard when it comes to finances in college is pretty profound: Live like a student now, so you don’t have to after graduation.  The translation?  Live way within your means now – learn to live on the cheap and within a budget.  Want some ideas on how to create a budget, how to start building your credit score or even start building an investment portfolio?  Ohio State students can access resources on these topics and others by reaching out to the Student Wellness Center.  It’s okay: there are ways to live on a budget and not be entirely dependent on Ramen…

I could go on for days about other things to keep in mind when doing business with the university, but all good things – including this post – must come to an end.

6 Tips for Second-Year Housing

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You’re in your second semester. Everyone is already talking about where they want to live next year. Whether you’re completely clueless or have it all figured out, here are six things to think about as you plan for your second year:

1)  WHERE will you live?

You probably know the three keys to real estate: location, location, location. And you know better than I do about where you’d like to live. Two particular things I hope you’ll think about:

Connectedness to campus. When I was a second-year student at Ohio State circa 2008, I lived in an apartment East of High Street.  Although I was a 7-minute walk from campus, I felt less connected to the campus. I was no longer surrounded by hundreds of other students like I was in my first-year residence hall. It took more effort to travel to and from campus for class. I hadn’t realized how living on campus is great for staying connected, making new friends, and maintaining a large support network in your home (residence hall). You can still do this when living off campus, it just takes more effort (i.e. get involved!).

Safety. If you are unfamiliar with an off-campus area, check out the police crime reports for that area before signing a lease.

2)  WHO will you live with?

Perhaps by now you’ve figured out how to live with a roommate (if you live on campus). Yes, it can be stressful to share such tiny space with a stranger. You’re probably itching to have your own bedroom.

Lucky for you, upperclassmen residence hall options often contain more space and amenities than a traditional first-year room. If you make the leap to live off campus, you will surely have more space. With more space comes more room for problems to arise. I speak from experience when I say that seeing your roommate’s 4-day-old dirty dishes in the sink will drive you crazy. Also, a disagreement on the location of toothpaste in the bathroom somehow becomes the fight of the century.

Just because you move to a bigger place doesn’t mean the roommate problems will go away. They will continue, but you will improve your ability to solve them. The university can also help you find roommates.

3)  HOW will you pay for housing? How MUCH will you pay?

Residence hall expenses will be paid through your tuition and fees bill once per semester. Do you have the funds (whether it’s loans, aid, or pure money in da bank) to cover this twice a year?

With off-campus living, you will have several bills to pay on a monthly basis: rent, electric and/or gas, cable/Internet, sometimes water and trash. You will likely need a checking account and reliable source of funds (i.e. money in da bank) to pay these expenses every month.

Sure, living on campus is a bit pricey.  But consider the many benefits (safety, proximity to classes, activities, sense of community, meal blocks) and decide if those benefits are worth the cost.

When living off campus, your utility bills will change with the seasons. Do your research about these off-campus living expenses.

The words spoken by many Ohio State students after the Polar Vortex of January 2014.

4)  WHEN will you live there?

Pay attention to the move-in date (on-campus) or lease start date (off-campus). Consider any factors (e.g. summer job, fall commitments) that might affect your ability to move-in at the start date.

While residence halls close in the summer, most off-campus leases include the summer months. Check your lease for policies regarding moving out and subleasing (if necessary).

5)  RESPONSIBILITY…groannnnn

Living off campus means you must assume new responsibilities: cooking, cleaning, paying bills, and understanding the legal obligations of signing a lease.

Learning to cook for yourself is a skill that’s perfected with time and experience. Heck, I’m 25 and I still set off the fire alarm in my apartment when I use the oven sometimes (#truestory). But living off campus or in a residence hall such as Neilwood Gables) will require you to use a kitchen.

And seriously, that part about paying bills and legal stuff: signing a lease with your name means you are the adult responsible for the place you are living.

6)  Take ACTION!

University Housing contract renewals are available beginning Saturday, January 25th. Check your university email for more info.

Consider joining the STEP program.  Not sure what STEP is?  Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post dedicated to the STEP experience.

If you decide you’re living off campus, use offcampus.osu.edu as a starting point for finding a place. If you haven’t already started looking, do so ASAP – off-campus places in the University District will fill up fast.

If you’ve already signed a lease, get your plans in order.

Stay warm this weekend!

It’s all Greek to Me!

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While many people know today as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, or a day to relax because Ohio State is closed, to nearly 1,000 women who have been participating in sorority recruitment, it’s also known as Bid Day. The day women receive an invitation, known as a bid, into a sorority.

While I’m a proud sorority woman and advisor to one of our chapters on campus, I realize that Greek life can seem a little mysterious to those outside the community. I also realize we see many more jokes about the Greek community than real information, so I’m here to bust some stereotypes, shed some light on what can seem like secretive and elite groups, and share lessons in Greek Life 101.

Lesson One: What are Greek organizations?

Some of the oldest Greek letter organizations began as secret societies where members discussed and debated philosophy, politics, and current events. Over time, these societies became more social in nature and by the late 1800s, several groups were founded as Greek letter fraternities and sororities. Many of the organizations share similar founding goals around brotherhood/sisterhood, leadership, service, and academics.

Where it gets confusing at a place like Ohio State is that there are some Greek letter organizations on campus that are not part of the social Greek community. There are academic honoraries, co-ed service groups, and major specific clubs at Ohio State that have Greek letters. The best way to confirm which ones are social fraternities and sororities is to look at the chapter list on the Fraternity and Sorority Life webpage.

At Ohio State, over 4,000 students (approximately 10% of the undergraduate student body) are members of a Greek organization. In total, there are over 65 organizations governed by four councils: Interfraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and the Panhellenic Association.

Lesson Two: What do those letters mean, anyway?

One of my college friends referred to my chapter as “A – backwards 7 – triangle”  because he could never quite remember the Greek letters. And before I joined a sorority, I never knew any of the letters or how to pronounce them. In case you aren’t of Greek heritage or haven’t yet completed that study abroad trip to Athens, please see the handy guide below for the Greek alphabet.

Lesson Three: Don’t believe the hype

We all know there are stereotypes about fraternity and sorority life. In fact, these stereotypes have entered our vernacular when we call something a “total frat move” or reference crouching women in pictures as doing the “sorority squat”. You’ve also probably heard other things about the Greek community like:

  • The organizations only care about partying
  • All chapters engage in hazing
  • Members are buying their friends
  • The men are fratty douche bags and the women are sluts

While there may be some individuals who reinforce these stereotypes of Greek life, I have interacted with many more individuals who are student leaders on this campus, who deeply value the founding ideas of their organization, and who are building valuable interpersonal skills and experience to use in the real world.

Lesson Four: Know your facts

I credit my experience in a Greek organization for helping me grow and develop during my college years and for giving me a competitive edge when I started my first job search.

But beyond my personal experience, there are many others who have documented the benefits of Greek life on our own campus:

  • For the past 33 academic terms, the all-Greek GPA has exceeded the all-undergraduate student GPA on our campus. This fall (autumn 2013), the average GPA for Greek students was a 3.24 while the average for all students was a 3.09.
  • In the past year, Greek students have completed over 50,000 hours of community service and raised over $500,000 for charitable organizations.
  • Graduation rates for Greek students are 20 percentage points higher than non-Greek students.
  • Since 1825, a majority of our U.S. presidents have been members of a fraternity. (Herbert Hoover: how did you get elected?)
  • 85% of Fortune 500 executives were a part of the Greek community.

 

While membership in the Greek community can sometimes be misunderstood or colored by stereotype and misconception, I hope Greek Life 101 has answered a few basic questions. To find out more, talk with the great staff members in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. If you’ve decided Greek life isn’t for you, that’s okay. Maybe you now understand just a little more about those other students walking around in matching jackets (although to be fair, some of them may just be playing Humans vs. Zombies). And to our first-year students who have decided to go Greek, congratulations on starting a transformative, lifelong experience!

Debunking Myths of Student Leadership

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Hey everyone!  Ryan here.  So, it is that time of year when it seems like all of the applications for student leadership positions and opportunities are out there (my email inbox is full of them and I’m not even a student here!).

In fact, here in FYE, we are currently searching for students to be Orientation Leaders, First-Year Connections Team members, First-Year Leadership Collaborative facilitators and interns, Camp Buckeye facilitators, Buckeye Adventures facilitators, Buckeyes Beyond Ohio Activities Board members, and Transfer Student Activities Board members.  So yes, we are looking for a few students to get involved.  Part of my job is to recruit, interview, and select students to serve in many of these positions.  I have been selecting student leaders for six years now and applied, interviewed, and was selected (and yes, often not selected) for several leadership positions myself when I was a college student.

As a first-year student, you may be wondering what “type” of student we are seeking to fill these positions.  I often hear students (especially during their first year) say, “I’d love to be an (insert student leadership position here), but I’m not what they are looking for.”  Well, I am here today to debunk some of the myths and let you know what we are really looking for.

Myth: You have to have all of the experience to be selected for anything.

If you have to already possess all the experience to become involved, then how does anyone become involved in the first place?  The truth is that many student leaders get involved simply because they are willing to put themselves out there and take a chance.

Myth: First-year students haven’t been here long enough to get involved.

If a position is not open for first-year students, then the application will say so.  In FYE, we particularly think that first-year students should be represented in our positions.  Think about it.  Who better to help first-year students than those who just lived that experience (and lived to tell the tale)?  In fact, the First-Year Connections Team only accepts current first-year student applications for that very reason!

Myth: Only overly excited people are chosen for leadership positions.

The thought of facilitating an icebreaker isn’t what gets you out of bed every morning, so clearly leadership positions are not in the cards for you, right?  I hope that logic seems as silly to you as it was for me to write it.  I get it.  I’m not always the super excited type myself (I can be when needed, often with the assistance of my best friend coffee).  What we really want are people who can relate to our new first-year students.  While it is certainly awesome to be excited about connecting with others, real people aren’t ALWAYS excited about EVERYTHING.  We want students who can relate to other students, and sometimes that even includes relating to feelings of nervousness, anxiousness, and frustration.

Myth: You have to be in a certain group/clique/circle/crowd/tribe to get selected for any type of leadership position.

Please.  That is SO high school.

So what are we looking for?  It’s actually pretty simple.  The most important qualities that are shared by all of our students are:

1)      A passion for helping first-year students be successful at Ohio State, and

2)      A desire to develop your leadership skills.

Of course, there’s more to it than that.  However, if those two statements apply to you, then you should look at our various positions and consider applying for any which interest you!  Still not sure about whether you would be a great student leader?  Watch the video below, repeat after Jessica, and apply!

To learn more about the various leadership positions, applications, and application deadlines, leave a comment for us, visit the website links in this post, or email askfye@osu.edu!

8 Great Things About This Blog

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Happy New Year, welcome to spring semester, and here’s to our inaugural blog post.

For our devoted passive readers of the FYE-News email you received on a weekly basis from First Year Experience, this blog is our new (and improved!) way of sharing information with you.

If you never realized you were getting a weekly FYE-News email full of insightful, life-altering information, believe me when I say that this is better. Here’s why:

FYE is an office of people. We are a staff of seven professionals, one office manager, and two incredible graduate students. A weekly email doesn’t care about you, doesn’t have feelings or opinions, and will never tell you a bad joke…but we do. (How do you make a tissue dance? You put a little boogie in it). Through this blog, you’ll get to know us, as we hope to get to know you. You’ll come to realize that the staff in First Year Experience are invested in the success of first-year students, and we have knowledge to share, advice to dispense, and candy bowls in our office cubicles.

Students helping students. Over 200 upper-class student leaders devote time and energy to supporting and mentoring new students each year. You see them at Orientation, at Convocation, in the classroom, and at many events and programs coordinated by FYE throughout your first year. These students have experience in what you may be experiencing:

  • They fail midterms
  • They’re homesick
  • They struggle with time management
  • They ignore the recommendations for maintaining a healthy lifestyle
  • They have their hearts broken.

But, they persevere. They learn a lesson (or two). They have tremendous success. They’ll share their stories with you in this blog, and you can learn a lesson (or two) from their experiences.

Real time. Real talk. A formatted weekly email is typically drafted, edited, and scheduled to go out 4-5 days before it hits inboxes (true story). A blog lets us be timely and relevant with our thoughts and ideas when something BIG happens on campus. And you, in turn, can share with us your comments about those (or other) thoughts and ideas.

This thing called the Internet. Ohio State makes u.osu.edu accessible to students, faculty, and staff anytime, anywhere (with Internet access) from laptops, desktops, portable devices. You can comment on a post at three in the morning when I’m sleeping (wait, you should also be sleeping…see recommendations for maintaining a healthy lifestyle), and each of our blog contributors can create posts through their own preferred method of submission.

Comments on comments on comments. We want to hear from you. We want you to talk to each other. This is a public forum, but it’s also a safe space…we hope that you’ll engage in respectful and reflective ways.

Stuff you care about. Let’s say we have a blog post about living in Columbus and taking advantage of all this city has to offer (spoiler alert: it’s happening). You grew up in Columbus, and you could practically write that post in your sleep…with your toes…while playing the accordion. (How’s that mental image working out for you?) Okay, so that blog post probably won’t be interesting, but you can search this blog for terms, categories, or tags about things you would find interesting. And, if you’re coming up empty, shoot us a comment and we’ll dedicate our next post to you.

 

Memes. GIFs. YouTube. Soundcloud. Oh, the media frenzy! We get it: Buzzfeed is awesome. We like it, too. They’ve got a good thing going, and we’re not ashamed to say that we’re going to try to emulate its approach to sharing information…to an extent. I’m calling it now: we’ll probably never post anything like 22 Lies Disney Told About Hair.

I will, however, include this music video of my favorite song from 1996 (the year I started college at Ohio State):

 

Look back, plan ahead. I kept a diary in elementary school. The steamiest entry was circa February 1988, when I was in fourth grade and the boy I had a crush on picked me to play the tambourine next in music class. Irrelevant is the fact that our teacher told him he had to pick a girl and that I was one of only two girls left who hadn’t been picked; the point is, I was convinced that I was going to have an extra special Valentine in my cardboard box the following week (nope, didn’t happen).

This blog can be your elementary school diary. Read through these posts in May and remember where you were at this moment, how you felt about beginning your second semester at Ohio State. Think about how you’re different now compared to when you started here in August. Use these posts to jar your memory, to help you set goals for the future, and have a snapshot of one of the most transforming years of your life.

 

Until next time…