FYE - Tomas Moreno

One Year Down

Well, it is the end of my Freshman year. I have finished all of those torturous things called finals. And I do have the right to call them torturous, I did learn about what exactly constitutes torture last semester and finals sure do fit the bill. I'm not too sure what to think of my time here now. I mean I've loved it, almost every second of it. But thinking back on the year is a bit daunting.

I know...that doesn't make sense. But hear me out.

When I think of all the things I've done, all the papers I've written, all the notes I took, and all of the hours of lectures I endured, it seems like I did so much. But at the same time, I doesn't seem like I did. In all honesty, this year has been such a challenge. NOTHING could have prepared me for it. But when I look back, it wasn't that bad. I mean yes, there were times where I was ready to throw in the towel and say that I'm just not cut out for it, but I didn't. I have really done a lot and grown even more here.

College is, as they say, AN EXPERIENCE! I love it though, and I can't think of a better way to spend $35,000 and a year of my time! :D

As I pack up my belongings and reflect on the year, I feel the memories of what I've done here, during my time in this room slowly go into hiding. The room is getting ready for its next occupants. And whoever you are that are going live in Marsh 203 next year, you BETTER come and visit me on the 4th floor! :D

While my time in this room was short and I will miss it, it is time to move on to another place, another perspective of college. And as I type this and pack my boxes (yes at the same time) I can't help but smile and think about the great times I've had here.......................................................................

My Brain Will Self-Destruct In 30 Seconds, Thank You!

Well, this week is finals and it is omfgsounbelievablyridiculousIwonderifIwillbeabletosurviveit! Yea, that sums it up in one word! :D I have one down and two more to go (not nearly as bad as some people!) But, I am putting forth the effort of a lifetime! Well on that note I have to do because I have an exam in exactly 18 hours, 25 minutes and 36 seconds until my exam and I don't quite know if I will be sleeping (meaning you may just get a glimpse at a 4 AM blog my dear readers!

Gotta go!

Quote of the Blog: “May good luck be your friend in whatever you do and may trouble be always a stranger to you.”- Irish Blessings

Boy do I need that! Btw, I only have 18 hours, 23 minutes and 20 seconds now!

Meet Me! (aka Meet An R.A. Pt 7)

Well, I figured it was time to do one of these myself!

1. General Advice- Guys and gals, be ready to change! College is a time for growth, at the end of your first semester, you will undoubtedly be unable to recognize yourself. College is a completely new experience, be ready to experience all of it and be open to trying everything you can get your hands on! But, also remember that you are here for academics. College is a 24/7 thing and it can be hard to adjust to, take it slow and it will come to you (and coffee helps). But most of all, just be ready for anything and everything that college can and will throw at you. And don't be afraid to seek help, us R.A.s are always here to help, the faculty and staff are great, Deans Bigger, Wallace, and Wood would be glad to help however they can, and if nothing else you can turn to me! :D

2. Dorm Advice- Be respectful. It can be hard to be living with someone who you just met (or have known forever for that matter), but be sure to respect your roommate's boundaries. Also, be respectful of your neighbors, the walls are really thin and it can suck if you are trying to sleep early (due to lack of sleep for a week) when your neighbors are busy playing Guitar Hero until 3 AM. Also, there are a LOT of people in the hall, they don't want to have to clean up after you, so make sure that you don't cause a mess (tearing down door decs, etc). And please respect us R.A.s. We're students just like you and its hard for us to have to deal with the hall, our lives, and school. Please help make our jobs easier by being respectful, this can have BIG payoffs for you!

3. Marsh Advice- Utilize space. Marsh rooms can be tight because of their shape, so be sure to make things as multifunctional as possible. Also, this goes to the halls and the bathrooms. Please be weary that there are 17 guys (or girls) sharing 2 bathrooms so don't take too much time in there, use YOUR closets to get dressed, etc. This will save time for people and allow you to use your space more wisely.

4. Random Fact- I care about social justice issue WWWWAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY too much! I just had dinner with Dean Wood and we were discussing future plans and everyone was shocked at my plans and how little they had to do with myself (btw, they include peace corps, NGO work, and living in Africa for an extended period of time). If ever you see an injustice that you would like to stop (or any for that matter, I would like to stop it) feel free to talk to me about what we can do to counteract it.

Well, that's me! :D Hope you like it and will comment/ email me!

AND, as a special bonus, here are some extra pictures from my facebook (friend me!).

Quote of the Blog: "Time never blots out of one's life the recollections of one's college days"-Edgar Stanton, man do I hope this is true!

A Play! A Play!

Ok, so there is this really cool looking play that is going to be done here soon that you should all check out if you can. It is called Abby the Alien and her Animal Adventures. It is a children's play, but I hear that it is AMAZING! (True, I did hear this from members of the cast but nonetheless.)

they have shows Thursday through Saturday at 7:00 with a 10:00 AM and a noon show on Saturday. You can get tickets there or you can reserve tickets at 864-597-4080. I hope to see you there!

Quote of the Blog: "Children require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction." --Annie Sullivan

Meet an R.A. Part 6

Ok, guys and gals, here's the 1st GUY R.A. (other than me) that I'm introducing you to! His name is Bennett Lewis. He is going to be on the 1st floor of Marsh and he is SOOOOOO MUCH FUN!!!!!! Ok, here's Bennett

1. BE EXCITED!! And don't be afraid to meet other people. Don't worry everyone else is in the same awkward "I don't know anybody stage."
2. Get to know the people in dorms around you!! It is great to walk onto your hall and be able to stop by somebody's room and hang out. You don't want to feel like the only person you know on the hallway is your roommate.
3. In Marsh dorms, the best way to cool your room is to open the window and your door, it creates air flow through the room. And make sure you measure furniture before you move in, don't forget the space the beds take up.
4. Mexican food is the BEST on the planet!!! Frisbee is the BEST sport ever!!

Well, that's Bennett! As you can see, he has good taste in food! :D And if you have any questions or anything, feel free to email or to comment! :D

WELL, school is almost over with we have one week left and then we have finals, its SOOOOOO weird that my first year is almost done. Everyone tells you that it is going to fly by......IT SOOOOOOOOOO DOES!!!!!!!
Well, i have to go! :D BYE!!!!! (p.s. still lonely! *tear*)

Quote of the Blog: "I am a scholar of who I am and how I feel"--Samie Clowney, Director of Multicultural Affairs and Leadership Programs; and this TOTALLY describes me! :D

Meet an R.A. Part 5

Another installment of your FAVORITE Blog series EVER!!!!!

This is Amber. Amber is a really cool girl from Union, SC. She is in my Biology class this semester and we have some pretty great debates. :D

Ok, so here's Amber!

1. Get excited! Your Freshman year is going to be awesome! Choose your roommate carefully because having a great roommate makes everything more fun! Take advantage of the FYI website and Facebook groups! If you have any questions please e-mail me (greenad@wofford.edu)

2. Buy your own carpet ahead of time from a carpet store. They usually have scrap pieces and this is way cheaper than buying carpet once you get here. (I bought mine for $25 and my dad cut it to fit). Talk with your roommate ahead of time so you do not bring more than one of the same thing. Some good foods to have in the room are easy-mac, hamburger helper microwavable singles, and Betty Crocker Warm Delights. Buy a shower caddy because we keep them in the bathroom with all of our stuff in them! Bring a fan too because although you have air conditioning, you will want a fan too sometimes. Girls: Buy CUTE rainboots because you still have to walk to class if its raining.

3. I will be an RA on second floor Greene next year, but I was in Marsh this year and I LOVED it! If you want a couch or futon in Marsh, you pretty much have to loft both beds. Bring ladders because they are not provided in Marsh! My dad just made one out of wood for me, and it works great! You have huge closets in Marsh but there are only a couple small drawers so it was helpful for me to buy some hanging shelves.

4. BoBerry Biscuts are my favorite food in the whole world!!!!

Well, that was Amber, as always you can email either one of us OR you can comment me! :D (I am rather lonely right now...)

Quote of the Blog: “It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen.”--Aristotle

The Long Awaited Life Blog

Ok, well there is a TON to talk about so I am going to go fast. :D

1. Last week I wrote an 8 page paper critique on religion for my English class which caused me to have 2 all nighters.

2. Last week was Earth Week which was cause of MUCH celebration and fun, we had a 500 Faces of Green Presentation which was the place where Wofford made its pledge to be greener! (YAY!!!). We also had Green movies, a hybrid car show, an organic lunch, AND a band party. IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!

3. We had the end of the Symposium on Citizenship and Leadership with some great presentations. One of which was Jean Bethke Elshtain who is a BIG philosopher that we read in my humanities class last semester!

4. Saturday was Terrier Play Day which is a day where a BUNCH of organizations set up booths and stuff for children of Alumni, Parents and the community. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!

5. Today we had a speaker on the genocide in Darfur who was great. And, she inspired me to join the movement. So, I am taking part in their 100 Day Tag Team Fast For Darfur. Through this, I will be fasting for the next 2 days and will be raising $45 for the World Food Program's efforts in Darfur to provide aid to those displaced by the genocide to ensure that they get what they need to survive and that other resources may be moved to help to stop the genocide on a whole.

Well, I have to go because I, as always, am busy. BYE!

Quote of the Blog: "You don't need full pockets to live in this polity" --Jean Bethke Elshtain

Meet an R.A. Part 4

HEY! Ok, so I lied and didn't post a blog about my life.....basically my life has been consumed. YEA! BUT, I will update you on my life soon....tomorrow or the next day. SO, here is KELSEY!! Kelsey is basically my favorite person EVER! Kelsey is on the 4th floor of Marsh with me, so BE READY!!! Here's Kelsey (on the right):

1.I would like just some overall advice for incoming freshmen.
Manage your time well, classes are much harder now and you will be busy with many activities all the time. And stay organized! It's hard to be productive if you're constantly looking for things you've lost.
2. I would like advice for the residence halls (moving in, getting used to them, etc)
Bring a laundry hamper that is easy to carry up and down flights of stairs. On move in day make sure you drink lots of water, it's going to be very hot and a lot of work moving all of your things in.  (especially if you're on the top floor of a building like I am)


3.
Marsh is usually really hot, so you may want to bring a little fan when you move in. Have a shower caddy that has holes on the bottom to drain water out of, and DON'T FORGET YOUR SHOWER SHOES. If you or your roommate wouldn't mind, you should think about bunking your beds. You can use the bottom bed as a couch instead of having to transport and move in a couch or futon. You could get a comforter and some big pillows to throw on it during the day so people aren't sitting in your bed-bed. It's what I did in my room this year, but since I didn't have a roommate I just slept on the top bunk. Not having to worry about a couch is a GREAT thing, trust me!
4.A random fact about you.
I LOVE excel.  Really-I enjoy making spreadsheets. I also know some American Sign Language and I am an orange belt in Hung Gar Kung Fu. And all of this is because I'm a member of Success Initiative here at Wofford!


Well, that's Kelsey! Again, any questions for either of us, just comment! :D

Quote of the Blog: "Children broken by the world become the adults most likely to change it." Frank Warren, founder of PostSecret

Meet an R.A. Part 3

Ok, it's time for another installment of Meet an R.A. I know I have been slacking on blogs recently, BUT I will give you another blog today about life......or lack thereof. Anyway, this is Jennifer Finley, she is going to be an R.A. in Marsh Hall next year. She is SOOOO MUCH FUN! Well, this is Jennifer:
1. Overall advice for incoming freshmen:
I’m sure you’ve heard most of this before but it’s still solid advice:
Work hard in your classes. Stay on top of your work from day 1. You’ll thank yourself later.
Have fun.
If you are shy, don’t let your shyness stop you from doing things, meeting people, or starting up a conversation with a stranger (especially during those first few weeks)—remember that everyone else feels the same way you do so get out there and meet people!
Get involved in at least 1 extracurricular activity- it’s fun to be involved and to have something other than school work to do. Plus it’s a great way to meet new people and branch out. There’s something for everyone to get involved in: intramurals, religious groups, prayer groups, GSA, FCA, ONE (political activism), service organizations, campus union… you get the point. If you feel like it might be too much to handle an extracurricular on top of your classes, wait until a few weeks or so into the first semester and see how you feel then. Or wait until Interim or Spring.
2. Advice for the residence halls (moving in, getting used to them, etc):
Once you know what dorm you will be in, check Wofford’s website and find the dimensions of a typical Marsh/Greene/Carlisle room. This helps when thinking about getting a futon vs chairs. Think about space saving things/containers—they are a lifesaver.
Also, I highly suggest coming to Wofford sometime over the summer and looking at a room in your residence hall. Don’t be afraid or intimidated because no one cares if you are looking at it. Just call Wofford and ask when would be a good time to go see it. Or if you know someone that goes here, call them. Take a good look at the closet and how it’s set up and think about the desk and dresser. That way, when you’re packing up to come to school, you know what things would be good to have and you’ll know how much storage space you have.
3. Hall specific advice for Marsh:
In Marsh, you pretty much have to loft your beds if you want to have room for chairs, tv, microwave, refrigerator, etc. So just plan on doing that.
4. A random fact about me.
I love to play sports, but mostly soccer and ultimate frisbee!

So, that is Jennifer. She is SOOO cool. Anyway, I am sure that you will LOVE Jennifer. And as always, if you have ANY questions about life or anything, feel free to comment or to email me and Jennifer and/or I will respond to you! :D

Quote of the Blog: "You can't do what you can't imagine." --Dr. Tim Tyson, one of the speakers during the Citizenship and Leadership Symposium.

Meet An R.A. Part 2

Ok, so here is part 2. Her name is Callie Smith. She is going to be an R.A. in Greene next year.

1. get involved. you'll make friends you might not have made otherwise, and it will help you to feel more at home on campus.
2. try to plan out room organization ahead of time - move-in day is crazy, and you won't have time during orientation or the first few weeks of school to set everything up if you don't already know what you're doing. plus, it'll make the last bit of time you get to spend with your parents a lot less stressful.
3. greene: bring a big fan - the windows are heavy and won't stay up by themselves, and the fan can prop it open when it gets too hot in the dorms (which it will). also, get creative with your storage space.
4. dr. dunlap and i share the same birthday.my left foot gets a purple star on it when it's cold. my great-uncle ran an anti-mussolini radio station in italy during WWII. i trained a horse when i was fourteen. i tattooed a pig's foot once.

Well, that is Callie. Pretty much, she rocks my socks! Ok, well on the space of me, I've been really busy this past week attending the Symposium on Citizenship and Leadership. It is a really great conference that I have been blogging at and will be blogging for until it ends. You san view it here. Otherwise, this weekend is Spring Weekend which is going to be a TON of fun! AND, we have registration for fall classes next week which is going to be thrilling. Ok, well maybe not but I have been looking at what classes I am going to take next year and they all seem to be pretty difficult. They include: Social Psychology, Race and Ethnic Relations, Statistics, Principles of Macroeconomics, English Lit (Since 1800), and Social Research. Or at least that is what I am looking into. Well I have to go because I have a test tomorrow. ENJOY!

Quote of the Blog: "Courage is a mean with regard to fear and confidence."--Aristotle