One of the key elements of a successful college career is having good time management skills. As you progress through college, the courseload and level of responsibilities seem to continually increase. It becomes extremely important to make good use of your time. In Core 100 class during my freshman year, we kept a log for one week and recorded what we did on an houly basis. This activity was really an eye-opener for me. While I was spending a sufficient amount of time studying, there were many instances throughout the week in which my time was not used productively. Over the past two years, I have made significant improvements in managing my time. I still remain as one of the world’s worst procrastinators and have learned that sometimes, it’s better to just get the hard, most difficult task out of the way first. In general, you will find that often there’s simply not enough time to do everything that you want to and have to do. It becomes necessary to do the most important thing first and complete other tasks as time allows. However, it’s also necessary to set aside time for yourself, whether that’s time spent working out, walking, watching TV, shopping, reading, or visiting with friends. Because trust me, you’ll go crazy if you study all the time!
Freshman dorms. That phrase alone is usually enough to send you running and screaming in the other direction. Do visions of dimly lit rooms and the dreaded community bathrooms come to mind? Well, if it makes you feel any better, the dorms at Lyon really aren’t that bad. The four freshman dorms (Love, Bryan, Blandford and Spragins) compose “The Quad”, so you’re located within a few seconds of your fellow classmates. Yeah, the rooms may seem small at first, but you’d be amazed at all the things that can be crammed into closets and drawers. And community bathrooms are, in my opinion, a blessing rather than a curse. If you share a bathroom with suitemates, you are responsible for keeping that bathroom clean. Blandford, Love, and Bryan all contain community bathrooms which are cleaned by the housekeeping staff at least twice a day!
It’s funny how, throughout life, we learn and grow the most during difficult and trying situations. In a sense, this same principle can be applied to college course work. Everyone has classes that, at times, can seem impossible–for me, it was organic chemistry. Sometimes the material just doesn’t click, or the sheer volume of the material to be learned is unimaginable. Hours are spent reading over the notes, rewriting notes, and then studying these notes again. But when all is said and done, you look back and realize just how much you’ve learned. In addition to possessing a firm grasp of the material, you realize that your work ethic, determination, and self-discipline was also enhanced through this experience. If you are facing a difficult class, look at it as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. Work as hard as possible, ask for help–I guarantee that you’ll be successful.
Batesville may seem small. We’ve got restaurants, a movie theater, and a bowling alley. But trust me, there’s still plenty of stuff to do here on the weekends. The Student Activities Council, known as SAC, sponsors some sort of activity every weekend. Also, there’s always some type of sporting event taking place; you can count on basketball in the fall and baseball in the spring! And Greek life is definitely not lacking in vitality on campus, as the fraternities always have something planned!
College students on just about every campus everywhere seem to complain about the quality of cafeteria food. But here, one thing is for sure: Mom’s desserts cannot even compare to those that Brenda makes in the cafeteria! Words can’t begin to describe the wonderful desserts that fill ‘Brenda’s Bake Shop’–cookies, brownies, pies, cheesecake–you name it, and Brenda can probably make it. Campus favorites include rice crispie treats, homemade apple pie, cheesecake topped with cherry or strawberry sauce, and the world’s most delicious sugar cookies. Oh, how could we forget about the ever-so-popular Brownie Bar days? And, if all this delicious dessert talk has made you think about those the dreaded “Freshman 15″, don’t worry–we have a fitness center!
I had always heard people say that the college years are some of the best years of your life, but I was never sure how much validity this statement held. As a freshman, it took a while for me to become accustomed to the whole college life thing. My mom wasn’t there to get me up in the mornings or pester me about finishing my homework; I even had to start doing my own laundry. But slowly, as I developed new friendships and began to take on new responsibilities, I started to truly enjoy the college experience. Even now, I have those days when the courseload seems unbearable and I feel that there’s simply not enough time to do everything. But, when I stop and look at my accomplishments on both a personal and academic level, I realize that, yes, perhaps my college years really will be some of the best times of my life.
It’s been a little while since my first week here on campus, but I was just thinking about how it was one of the best weeks that I’ve had here at Lyon. It definately had its dull points with all the orientations that are required, but you do get some useful information out of the sessions. The great thing though was meeting all the new people. The quad is a great place to go outside and hang out with all your new classmates because it’s kinda the central spot between all the freshman dorms. Also, if you want to meet some of the upperclassmen, the apartments are just around the corner, and house many juniors seniors and some sophmores. Along with them are the Greek organizations who are always ready to meet the new freshmen. Along with all the new people you’ll meet are the new responsibilities that you might not have had before with being on your own and everything that includes: no one to make sure you get up, a roommate, and…laundry (not that bad after your first time). Definately though, stay your first weekend and be sure to get out and meet new people. It’s the best way to get over any homesickness you might have and really just make your first week here a lot more fun.
One of the highlights during your freshmen year is having the opportunity to dine–not once, but twice–with the Harris’. Garry Harris is the head of the freshmen mentor program, and his wife Carole is a wonderful cook! Freshmen mentor groups are invited to dinner with the Harris’ during the fall semester, and students individually receive another invitation during the spring semester. The food is absolutely delicious. Mrs. Carole is famous for her Bleu Cheese salad dressing and always has a tasty dessert prepared. If you look at her with really sad eyes and are extra polite, she might just give you some leftovers to take back to the dorm!
The Great Raft Race has become an annual event for Lyon freshmen. At the beginning of each school year, freshmen mentor groups work to create a contraption that can withstand the weight of two crewmembers and successfully make it across our very own Bryan Lake. But, there’s a catch. The raft must be constructed for $20 or less and cannot contain any type of pre-made flotation device. Cardboard, Styrofoam, boards and barrels–the “boats” just seem to get more creative every year. It’s always good to have a few brave souls in each mentor group that are up to the challenge of paddling across the lake. If you’ve seen the water in Bryan Lake, you might understand why I say this… So regardless of whether or not the boats actually reach the other side of the lake, this event is good for a few laughs and is definitely something you don’t want to miss!
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