Erika Haywood's Life at SWOSU

My life at SWOSU is nothing that I would expect. I made amazing friends. Although sometimes it gets really tough for me to be out on my own and dealing with my own problems, I am still grateful that I get to experience life college style. Course work, spending time with friends and reflection time are the main things I do at SWOSU. Course work is the main parts of my day between studying and homework I’ve been busy.

However, the coursework isn’t too hard to keep me from finding a wonderful boyfriend. Gepo also is another big part of my day. When I’m not focusing on school or building a better relationship with my boyfriend, I also spend time with my other friends and reflect on how to better myself as a person. I’m usually always spending time with friends just like me and it never fails that we always laugh and have a fun time. Sometimes when you spend too much time with one person, you may lose yourself. To prevent that, I spend some time alone to collect my thoughts especially since there are many obstacles in college. College challenges me in all areas of life but nonetheless it’s a wonderful experience I would never trade it for the world.

Whitney's Study Time Management

I’m studying… I’m studying…. I’m studying… then SQUIRREL!

As a senior at SWOSU graduating with a chemistry major and a biology minor I have put in my fair share of procrastinating, studying and cramming. Everyone knows that to make good grades you have to study, but studying just stinks sometimes. But what really makes studying so bad is the A.D.D. like symptoms that we run into when it’s time to study. It’s like the dog that is on a very important mission and then a sudden “SQUIRREL!” I call it T.A.D. (Technology Addiction Disorder). You know the process of studying. You find a good quiet place to study, get all your materials in order, maybe a Red Bull or a Monster, a comfortable seat and good lighting is a bonus, possibly a few snacks, a computer, a phone, and an iPod. Now you are ready to study, but first you have to check Facebook, the gateway where it all begins. The start of the worst kind of procrastination. The kind you do when you are in the midst of studying. The kind that triggers an inevitable cycle of almost subconscious procrastination…technology addiction!

So maybe you are a strong willed individual and you have successfully put in an hour straight, then “SQUIRREL!” You notice your phone has text messages. Two messages from Sally and one from mom, even texting your parents is more appealing than studying. Or maybe your phone lets you know that “Sally has just tagged 10 photos of you in Spring Break 2010.” Oh yeah wait, your studying right, so you put your phone down under a piece of paper so you can’t see it.

Back to typing notes you go, but you miss Sally and it’s much faster to check out new pics on your laptop. Then it happens, that sound, “pop”…Facebook chat. And just so happens you have 63 friends online and they ALL want to say hi and you don’t want to be rude... Okay so maybe you are a veteran, you just update your status, “is studying for tests” Oh yeah wait, your studying, so Facebook closed and back to typing your notes. Wait a minute, you have an iPod, and you know you type better with music.

Four hours later you have experienced the vicious cycle of T.A.D… checking Facebook status updates, studying, texting, Facebook chatting, studying, texting, texting, texting, studying and…now you are exhausted and you deserve at least 15 minutes study break. This ultimately restarts the cycle back at the procrastination gateway that is Facebook. But I have to go study now that I am done blogging! lol :)

Lauren's Crazy Life at SWOSU

My life at SWOSU is very crazy. I am involved in activities such as New Student Orientation, Student government, Campus Crusade for Christ, and intramural softball. The month of April kept me very busy, helping with SWOSUpalooza and preparing for finals. Also, I stayed busy working enrollment sessions for NSO. Getting ready for sessions and the actual days was tons of fun because our group of Orientation Leaders have really grown together as a group and we all understand each other. Intramural softball keeps me busy some week nights. Last spring, I had to miss the first couple of games but every game I attended we won. Well, this is pretty much my life at SWOSU.

Zak Spends Time at the Wesley Foundation

I’ve been spending a lot of my free time with the Methodist Ministry group on campus. One of my friends lured me in with free lunch, so I’ve been eating free lunch at the Wesley Center, across the street from the tennis courts, every Tuesday, bible study on Wednesday, and going to game night on Friday nights. Just hanging out with the group is a great time. They have a mission trip every spring break and go to Oklahoma City often just for fun. We have played laser tag, seen Alice in Wonderland in IMAX 3D, and we even attended a Redhawks game. Like I said, one of my best friends is an intern with the church so I spend a lot of my time over there playing pool and ping-pong or watching movies in their lounge area. There is always something going on with this bunch. I missed these guys and gals this summer. I can't wait to see what is in store for this year.

Mica Helps with Relay for Life

Last night in class I got an assignment to write a blog about an event I had attended here at Southwestern. Great, I thought. That is just great. What in the world am I going to write about? So I thought back and the most recent event that I attended was Relay for Life.

I had not ever done Relay for Life before so I thought, “what the heck why not? Well as time went on I didn’t really want to do Relay because I wanted to go home. I talked to my mom and told her that I didn’t want to participate in the Relay because I wanted to come home. She told me that I was being selfish and I needed to participate in the Relay and have a good attitude while doing it. So, 6:30 p.m. on Friday came too early and after getting ready, I traveled down to the Wellness Center where the Relay was being held. I walked in and was shocked to find the Wellness Center was packed with various booths and different groups on campus and around Weatherford. I found the Orientation Leader's area and helped set up. We had decided to do spray-on tattoos.

As we were setting up, kids started coming by and wanting a tattoo. We were having technical difficulties with the air pressure on the machine, which made the color nonexistent. Once we got that fixed we were ready for business and boy did we get business! We had two stations set up and were steady with many individuals for at least an hour. I didn’t feel comfortable using the tattoo gun, so I held the stencil and another OL, Heather, sprayed. During this time my friend Kadie signed us up for times to walk the Relay. We helped with the tattoo booth until it was time to walk.

When the time came, we went upstairs on the track and started to walk the Relay for Life. It was a long 30 minutes but Kadie and I talked so it wasn’t too horrible. Once we were done walking, we went back downstairs to help with the tattoo booth again. After a couple of hours, it was time for us to walk again. This time Kadie had signed us up to walk for an hour. I seriously thought there was no way I could walk for that long of a period. Then I got to thinking about something one of the speakers had said earlier, “Cancer is a disease that never sleeps and never lets you rest.” Okay, I thought, there are thousands of people out there that are suffering with cancer and have to attend daily chemo and radiation treatments. Also, so many people that are stuck in a hospital bed or a wheel chair would love to be able to have the strength to walk. I decided to suck it up and walk for all the people in the world that couldn’t. I am so glad I did because not only did Kadie and I become closer, as we had so much time to talk, but we walked for such a great cause and really learned a lot during the experience.

I ended up walking a total two and a half rewarding hours. When the night was done and the Relay was over, I felt as though I had accomplished something and contributed to something that was bigger than me. It was a long night that was filled with a lot of laughter and sweat but it was well worth the experience. I am planning on doing Relay for Life again next year and the years to come.

The Custer County Relay for Life is usually in April. Many student organizations from SWOSU participate in the annual Relay for Life.

Get Involved!

Kelly and Myka with Duke
during an Orientation Session
Hello! My name is Kelly and I'm a Senior here at SWOSU. I absolutely love being at Southwestern. I've met so many great friends here, and my extracurricular activities (such as being an Orientation Leader and attending the Baptist Collegiate Ministry) have helped me grow as a person and try new things. If you're an incoming freshman, or even a current student, I would encourage you to get involved somehow and continue trying new things throughout your college career. Whether it's a campus ministry, a sorority or fraternity, an academic club, or anything else we offer here at SWOSU, I would definitely encourage you to get out there. It's a wonderful experience meeting new people and getting outside of your comfort zone. You'll never know the possibilities unless you get involved! 'Til next time...

Claudia's Finals

I am so tired. Tired of studying! Today, I started my finals. I felt tired and choked up so, I decided it was time to do some blogging. Okay, I have never done this before. Wait a minute, there is so much I have not done before, isn’t there always a first time for everything? I am up early, ready for my first final. I have to go now, running late for my exam .... I just got back home and my brother has made breakfast! He is the sweetest guy I know around here (although, c’mon now, who is perfect?) However, I can not eat because, my results are not going to be posted until noon. It is only 11:00 a.m., and I have to meet up with my study partner at 12:30 p.m. Three finals next week? Everything will be fine Claudia, just one step at a time. That’s what I'm going to do, take one step at a time! Remember, you always have to plan! If you plan for your finals far ahead of time, you won’t be as confused!

Raelyn Enjoys the SWOSU Panorama Events

Seems like college has taken a lot out of me this year. I don’t even know where the semester let alone the last two semesters have gone. Feels like life is speeding up more and more every year. Seems like yesterday I was sitting just a few rows back from Demetri Martin, during SWOSU’s Panorama event. The comedian was hilarious and had the entire crowd laughing. SWOSU did a great job in picking him to come instead of another comedian, he was totally worth the money. It was amazing how he didn’t really have an act, instead he just went with whatever and could make it funny. I am super excited about the Panorama events that were chosen for this year:

September 14 - The Dan Band ($10)
October 18 - DRUMLine Live ($10)
February 2 - Peking Acrobats ($10)
March 3 - Aron Ralston (Free)

The events are so much fun and not to mention cheap! For more information about the events visit http://www.swosu.edu/news/events/panorama/index.asp .

Heather is Busy Studying for Finals

Well the end of the school year is winding down which means all the test, quizzes, and projects are all being jammed into the last 2 weeks. So my life at the moment consists mainly of studying, but the thing you have to remember about college is even though studying is important you have to have fun too. Even if that is just random trips to sonic for a study break, or a whole group of girls going to Super Cuts and pressuring a friend into cutting all of her hair off, which looks amazing I might add. The sad part about the end of the year is all the friends you are going to miss over the summer. So although right now I should be studying all I want to do is spend as much time as possible with all my friends. This is why last week we went and saw the play Leading Ladies in Clinton, OK. The play was amazing. It was a comedy based off some of Shakespeare’s plays and had the audience laughing the entire time not only because of the jokes but the costumes which included guys dressed up as girls trying to fool everyone. Then tonight we are having a game night at the BCM (Baptist College Minister) which will be a ton of fun and is a great place to get involved. I must now get back to the books, so all the finals and end of the semester test can be aced!

Kadie's Football Fun

This past fall I attended the football homecoming game between the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Bulldogs and the East Central University Tigers. I went to the game with a few friends in hopes of having a good time, but little did I know that this particular game would be the highlight of my sophomore fall semester. East Central carried the lead for the majority of the game with a score of 13-0. The Bulldogs didn’t make their comeback until early in the fourth quarter when Johnathan Haggerty caught a 38 yard touchdown pass cutting the Tiger’s lead to 14-7. On the Bulldogs last possession of the game, Steve Day, the Bulldog’s quarterback completed passes to Joe Sawyer and Haggerty putting the bulldogs on the ECU 5 yard line. Southwester was whistled for offensive pass interference; this moved them back to the ECU 19 yard line with only 4 seconds left in the game. Day found Haggerty open in the end zone and tied the game at 13-13. Chad Mclntosh, the kicker for Southwestern scored the extra point giving the Bulldogs a 14-13 victory over the ECU Tigers. As soon as the Bulldogs won the crowd erupted with excitement and fireworks went off around the stadium. This was by far the most memorable moment of my fall semester and a great reason to make sure you’re at Milam stadium next fall cheering on the Southwestern Bulldogs in hopes they will find similar success on the newly renovated field.

Procrastination Does Not Work for Ty

When prospective college students think of college, most envision studying all the time while having no time for a social life. While this is not the case most of the time, it seems to be the case this week—for me, at least. My assignments have been piling up on top of one another, but it isn’t because the teachers try and mess with students’ mental health; it’s because I tend to procrastinate. A lot.

This week, the assignments I have to finish consist of a diverse group of subjects: a calculus III exam, a visual analysis for Comp. II, a paper over my health for Wellness, a project of all the labs I’ve done since school began after spring break (which is also for Wellness), and a blog for Student Leadership. I could have finished most of these assignments days ago; instead, I would watch a movie with friends or sleep. Now my whole “I can do it later” attitude has come back to bite me in the butt.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a firm believer in procrastination, but when taken too far, it can turn ugly. Procrastination is like a loan: in the beginning, the loan is awesome and helps you do stuff you wouldn’t have been able to do, but in the end, you have to pay a percent of interest, and it’s not as fun. In the case with procrastination, the interest is the stressful conditions in which you will work in: having to finish a homework assignment with a box of tissue beside you since you’re crying so much because you have no idea what you’re doing and you can’t ask the professor for help because it’s 10:58 p.m. and the assignment is due at 12:00 a.m. on D2L, or getting a ‘C’ on an exam because you decided to wait until the day of the exam to study.

Now that I’ve made you terrified of procrastination, I’ll leave you with a few words: if you’re going to procrastinate, only do so twice a week…maybe three.

Erica Benda's Double Major

So life as a double major can be rough. My advice is to try to space out your hard classes and general education classes. However, if you are like me, you will end up telling yourself, “Hey I can handle anything you can throw at me. So bring it on life.” Welp, try telling yourself that during the last month of the semester. With all the banquets, tests, quizzes, homework assignments, running for a half marathon, your sister graduating on one of your busiest weeks, life gets pretty hectic. Can someone please tell me when the madness will end? I’m able to have fun some weekends, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that school is my priority in life and I feel like if I don’t succeed then I won’t accomplish my goals and I’ll let people down. I know that everyone is behind me though. College seriously is the best time of your life. It also can be the worst because of all the pressure. If you just keep pushing yourself then you can achieve your goals. It might take you a little longer than expected but you’ll get there. That’s what I have to tell myself all the time.

This semester I have gotten more involved with SWOSU. I recently joined Chi Alpha which is so amazing. I absolutely love going there. I also started going to the Biology Club meetings and bought a plant at the annual plant sale. I think it’s about to die though. I wish I could be more involved in Chem. Club but they have their meetings when I have class so I’m out of luck. I am busy most of the time with school but hey that’s my choice. I don’t regret it. Let’s take this morning for example.

This morning, I woke up at 7 a.m. to go to class.

• 8 till 9:20 a.m - class.
• Errands, research, studying, homework till 12:30 p.m.
• 12:30 p.m. – chemistry department cook out
• 1 p.m.- class
• 2 till 4 p.m. – genetics lab
• 4 till 6 p.m. - studied for organic
• 6 till 8 p.m. - finally got a tiny nap (I like my naps to last more than three hours)
  8 p.m. – Chi Alpha
• 9:30 p.m. – ran a few miles

Now studying for organic once more. So many tests this week and the orientation session tomorrow. Yay for waking up at 5 a.m.! Well that’s all from me for tonight.

Hope you enjoy SWOSU!

Erica

Leah's Busy Life at SWOSU

Oh college…. Sometimes it is the best time of my life and others I am so ready for it to be over. I am a very busy person and sometimes I don’t have time to study and do all my assignments, and yet I must.
Tests and homework, labs and lectures, yuck, yuck, yuck!!! I would much rather watch T.V. and spend time with my friends, if only I could. I have so much to do that free time seems a foreign concept.
Luckily, I am so involved on campus that the semesters just fly by. I can’t believe that I am a junior already… It feels like just yesterday I was a junior in high school! My goodness I am getting old.
Soon I will have to be a big kid and get a grown up job…. That is a scary thought, health insurance, car insurance, house payment, bills, bills, bills. Man, that makes me want to continue going to school and put off officially growing up for a few more years. Homework and tests can’t be as bad as bills and bosses, supervisors and taxes. Only two short years until the real world hits… Oh wait…..maybe….yes! Graduate school, I think so!

Summer and the OLs help with Relay for Life

I recently helped the OLs with the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life! When I signed up, I didn't really know what to expect. It was held at the Wellness Center and not knowing what to expect,I figured we would just walk around a track all night. When I got there, I was so shocked to see so many people that volunteered to help. It was so much fun! There were booths everywhere! Games to play, entertainment, a cotton candy stand, food stands, spray-on-tattoos. You name it! We got to hear life stories from those who have had cancer and overcame such a huge challenge, and remembered those who lost their life from cancer. Very emotional, as well as an uplifting time. It was great knowing that I helped raise money for such a good cause!:) Definitely doing it again!

Chelsey's First Semester

My first semester at SWOSU was crazy. I think I moved dorm rooms two or three times before I was actually settled and I didn't really meet many people. But once the semester started, I absolutely loved it here.

The classes and campus were small which was perfect for me. I didn't feel overwhelmed at all I felt very comfortable and at ease. Between classes I found I had a lot of free time so getting involved would be awesome. There are so many different activities you can do here.... like becoming an OL. Being an OL has given me the opportunity to meet a lot of people. Overall, my first semester here has been an awesome experience and I can't wait for the semesters to come.

Candace Sutton's Favorite Time

Duke's Diner Salad Bar

One of my favorite times during the day is when I eat. More specifically, when I get a chance to sit down, relax and enjoy my food without rushing off to class or to go study. For those special times, I head to Duke’s Diner, more commonly called the cafeteria. The SWOSU cafeteria always has so many different choices each day and they are always warm and remind me of home-cooked meals. Everything’s great from the main entree line to the Asian line to the make-your-own sandwich station. And don't forget about the salad bar where I stock up on cucumber slices and macaroni salad. The desserts can be summed up in one word: delicious. Awesome cakes, rice crispy treats and cookies can always be found there. I almost eat at the cafeteria solely because of the desserts! I like the fact that I can eat my fill and leave not wanting more. It is truly a very satisfying feeling.

My other favorite part about the cafeteria is where I sit. I always go to the booths along the back wall by the window. I love to look outside and watch the trees sway in the breeze or glimpse at the fluffy clouds. It’s even better when the weather cooperates and the sky is clear blue. If I time it right, there won't even be crowds of hungry people around; it's the absolute best when you are by yourself and enjoying the quiet for a brief moment in time. A peaceful 30 minutes is all I need to get me through the day in one piece. I think that some people dismiss the cafeteria and put it in the same category as their own high school cafeteria, but really if you give it a chance, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised by the outcome. If you haven’t yet experienced “the cafeteria feeling” then the next time you walk past it, give it a try: it’ll be your reward of just deserts!

SWOSUPalooza

Hey, I am Rachelle Dougherty. I am a sophomore at SWOSU and I was head of the Special Projects committee for Student Government Association. My job was to put together SWOSUPalooza. SWOSUPalooza takes place during the month of April before finals. At Palooza, we had a total of five bands. Three of them were smaller bands but rocked the concert. The other 2 were the headliners, Johnny Cooper and The Bart Crow Band. Everyone had a wonderful time. 1000 tickets were sold. We had free hot dogs and drinks which went really well. All together it was an amazing experience and was worth all the work that my committee and I put into it.

Crower Lake Activities by Ryan Brewer

Not only am I a New Student Orientation Leader, I am also a park attendant at SWOSU’s Crowder Lake University Park. Most students don’t really know what is available to do at Crowder Lake. There are many different activities available to students for free with a SWOSU ID.

Students can rock climb any day of the week as long as there is a student worker on duty. The students can also canoe seven days a week, weather permitting. Crowder Lake also has six RV sites and many different tent sites. The RV sites have an electrical hookup, water hookup, and sewage drainage. The tent sites have a pavilion available and a fire pit. Camping is half price for SWOSU students. Crowder also has a ropes course. There are 2 parts of the ropes course, the high elements and low elements. The low elements are icebreaker games that work on communication, leadership and teamwork. The high elements include a power pole, rappelling, zip line, and high wire walking. Several classes are offered at Crowder through the Parks and Recreation Department. Some classes include Ropes Course Facilitation, Advance Ropes Course, Wilderness Survival, Wilderness First Aid, and Sailing, Canoeing, Hiking, and Climbing.

Interested in going to Crowder Lake for fun? Go 7 miles south on Highway 54. At the Crowder Lake sign turn left/east and go 2 miles on pavement. At the next intersection turn right/south. Go south for one mile. At the next intersection turn right/west. The park is approximately 3/4 of a mile from this intersection.

Tammy Hooper's Life at SWOSU

It’s true what they say. College is a lot different than high school. During my first year here at SWOSU, I’ve learned so many things. Some of these things were in the classroom-which really increased whenever I actually started paying attention in class. But most of the things I have learned have more to do with myself and those around me. I’ve learned that I go to bed way too late. I need to clean my room more. I will sleep through anything. Your true friends will never leave you, no matter the distance or the time apart. Long distance relationships are possible. Everyone is nervous about meeting new people. Friendships can form between the two most unlikely people. Getting involved is very important! Being involved on campus through programs like NSO (New Student Orientation) and the BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministries) introduced me to all of the friends I have made here. But, most of all, I have learned that I am the only one who can make my experience here a great one.