Maymester Madness!!!!!!!!!!

One course two hours five days a week for four weeks, also commonly referred to at Purdue as a Maymester course. I am currently half way through Entr200 as a Maymester course. I can’t believe how fast the class has flown by. It is crazy to think that in two weeks I have given six presentations, taken nine quizzes, and developed an original idea for a company. The part that’s even crazier is how much I have been able to learn such a short amount of time.

For our midterm assignment we had to come up with a company to potentially launch on the website Kickstarter.com and make a video that could be posted on the website. It’s a really interesting site which gives entrepreneurs a platform to ask for funding to start their projects. The entrepreneurs keep complete ownership in their company and the donors get a gift of gratitude for supporting their endeavor. I been spending a lot of time checking out people’s innovative ideas on the site and they are really cool. You should check it out!

It is such a relief to be done with my midterm and have a three day weekend. I have been enjoying it by spending the weekend with my family in Michigan. Its back to class on Tuesday and in two weeks, I will be done. Craziness.

--- Kelsey Leliaert

Enjoying a break at last!

This past semester, my 2nd semester of Junior year, was one of the busiest I have experienced yet at Purdue. Trying to balance a full class schedule, work, and officer and member meetings was a big challenge. My planner became my best friend. Staying organized and on top of things is the key to success when it comes to handling several things at once. I suggest buying a Purdue motor board when you first arrive on campus. It’s a great place to keep track of classes, assignments, work schedule, meeting times, and also comes with dates of activities happening on campus already wrote in for you.

Most important after a crazy semester it’s essential to find time to relax and unwind, whether it’s taking a vacation, sitting by the pool, spending time with family and friends or just picking up a book to read for fun. I recently just got back from a family vacation to Panama City Beach, FL where I was able to lay on the beach, read a novel for fun, and enjoy the company of family.

Talk to you soon,

--- Bridget Gehlhausen

Don’t forget the memories

One word: summer.

This is what you start daydreaming about during long hours of studying for finals. It is the ultimate payoff for all of your hard work and a time to finally relax. However, when you leave for the summer and hit the snooze button at 6:30 a.m. for your job, you realize that those 8:30 classes weren’t so bad after all. That’s not the only thing you realize, though. Summer is a time to reflect on your semester and truly appreciate the small things. While having had almost finished the first month of my summer, there are a few things that I look back on which I’ve been able to compile in a list that could go on for pages. Lucky for you, I’ll give you a little preview. So, here are a few things I miss and appreciate about college life:

1. Thinking that a 9:00 class was way too early!


2. Not getting dressed in business casual every morning, sweats are more appropriate.


3. Devoting your whole Saturday to football games.



4. Never coming home to an empty room.


5. Instead of having one closet, you have everyone else’s to run to.


6. Squeezing in a work-out at midnight is perfectly acceptable.


7. Realizing you’re hungry at 3 a.m. and Jimmy Johns is there in 2 minutes.


8. Being surrounded by inspiring YOUNG people with BIG dreams.


9. Being a mentor to amazing 3rd graders at College Mentors for Kids.


10. Going 18 hours without sitting at the PUDM (Purdue University Dance Marathon) for the most courageous Riley kids.



11. Realizing how much a letter in the mail from home can mean.


12. Always having someone to kick back and have a movie marathon with.


13. Keeping in touch with your high school friends that mean so much.


14. More importantly: having them visit.


15. Getting involved with anything and everything.


16. Being introduced to people with so many different interests. There really is something for everyone.


17. Finally, meeting friends that become family when yours is so far away.

--- Jacey Abney

No need to make a comeback if you are already in the lead

I know it is May and it is the summer, but I thought it would be a good time to recap the second semester of my freshman year.

I got a wake up call on my way home for Christmas when I realized I would be getting a B in BIOL 110 whereas the other classes on my schedule would be A's. I knew that I had to change my study habits in order to improve for the spring, when I would be taking BIOL 111, a continuation of BIOL 110. High school study habits don't always cut it at the college level and especially not at Purdue. I realized that high school was a lot of spoon feeding answers compared to the self-learning that is expected for you to do well in most major classes in college.

I made a few changes my own to add more study time and attend review sessions, but the plan that my girlfriend Melanie (a bio major, score!) helped me with is what I believe made the difference. I took time the week before every exam to listen through all of Dr. Bos's lectures (which he posted on Blackboard; a very useful tool) and wrote down all the little things he said that might not be mentioned in the notes. I went through them all again as well before the final and it paid off with a 4.0 GPA for the spring semester, bringing my cumulative up to 3.87. Needless to say I took Mel out to a very nice dinner after that.

My advice to all new students is to take college seriously right out of the gate. No need to make a comeback if you are already in the lead.

--- Andrew Wiseman

Reflection . . . .

As my second year at Purdue came to a close I took time to reflect upon all the great academic and social experiences I have been fortunate enough to be a part of. In doing so, I realized that one stood out among the rest.

Before coming to Purdue I was on the fence of whether or not to pursue my Speech Language and Hearing Sciences Degree as Honors. I was afraid that the transition from high school to college would be hard enough and that Honors classes would only add more stress to my workload. Despite my skepticism I enrolled in two honors class for my first semester. Since then I have taken an honors course each term for classes both in and outside of my Major. I have found my Honors courses to be both challenging and engaging. They do not necessarily require more work, but a different kind of work. The classes are generally smaller and more discussion based, allowing for greater interaction among the class and between the students and Professor. Professors push you to understand and analyze material, not just memorize it. They encourage you to think outside the box and to be open to new perspectives.

I would recommend Honors classes to both prospective and current students. Even if someone is not interested in perusing their entire degree as honors, a few honors courses would provide great opportunities to explore new interests and create new relationships with peers and professors.

College years fly, and before you know it they are gone (I cant believe I have already reached the half way point!). It is important to make the most of our time as students at Purdue, and participation in an honors class or program is one of many great ways to do just that.

--- Maggie Flynn

Loving My Summer Job

I hope everyone is finally enjoying the nice weather! I haven't been able to enjoy it too much lately because after weeks of searching I have finally found a job. I am working full time as a nurse's aide at nursing home and loving it. Taking a few minutes out of my day to sit and talk to the residents really makes their day and mine too. It reminds me why I chose nursing. I am so glad to be back in the clinical setting and getting first hand experience. I cannot wait to apply the things I have learned already to my clinicals in the fall.

--- Stephanie Westfall, School of Nursing

Happy Summer Everyone!!

So this summer I have decided to spend my break in West Lafayette instead of going home. I recently got a job at the Columbian Park Zoo Gift Shop and absolutely love it. Columbian Park is an awesome place to spend time at during the summer. There is so much to do! There is the Tropicanoe Cove, which is a family aquatic center with several slides and yummy concession foods to enjoy! There is also a playground and plenty places for a nice picnic! It’s really fun working at the zoo and seeing the excited looks on all the children’s faces when they see all the animals. My favorite animal here is the wallabies!

This summer I am also participating in Group X classes. These classes are group exercise, with lots of fun routines and music! I recently went to cardioblast, which was really fun and a great workout. The best part was for the cool down, we did hip hop dance moves!

Well I’ll be checking in with you guys some other time! Hope you have a great summer!

--- Alyssa Schnaus

Summer Classes in Madrid, Spain

Today is exactly one week from the day I will be starting my classes in Madrid, Spain! I am so excited, because ever since I was in high school and a group of my classmates went to Spain for a few weeks, it has been a dream of mine to study abroad there. I have taken Spanish since my Freshman year of high school, so this will hopefully help me to become more fluent, and also help with sounding more like a native speaker!

I will be taking two classes while I am there; Art of the Prado (Arte del Prado), and Food and Culture (Comida y Cultura), as well as exploring the sites and cities in various parts of Spain! It truly is a dream come true, especially because I have never been out of the country, or even on a plane!

I will be living with a host family, which I am told will be a mother, and her daughter. Her daughter is 22, so I'm very excited to meet her, and to be able to see what its like for people my age over there! I also will be living with a roommate, who is another Purdue student participating in the summer study abroad program. I am very much looking forward to meeting her as well - it will be fun to get to know someone new at Purdue!

The group that is going consists of about thirty Purdue students, and since we have three day weekends every weekend we will be taking multiple trips throughout the country over the six week period. Some of them are arranged through the program, while other weekends we can get our own groups together to go where we wish! I will also be celebrating my birthday while I am there, which is something I am really excited for - not many people can say they have celebrated their birthdays in another country! Hopefully it will be one to remember! I can't wait to leave this Saturday, and I can't wait to give an update once I get there!!

--- Ariel Demoret

Just Trying to Get Ahead

After a long and rainy spring semester, it is a wonderful thing being able to enjoy the bike ride to class every day on the finally green and warm Purdue campus. The weather is one of the many perks of attending Maymester at Purdue. This month I have started my Maymester class, Great American Books, as well as my new job at the Assistive Technology Center here at Purdue.

This is my first time taking summer classes, and being skeptical about losing my summer freedom, I thought back to last summer and my hour long commute to work every day at seven thirty in the morning followed by eight hours of wrestling kids into clothes, hauling them to swim practice, and worst of all, nap time. Realizing that not only would this be a more productive summer by taking summer classes, but that I would also probably have a better time than nannying, I was all for it. Besides that, Purdue campus has relaxed a little bit and taken on a slower pace, and it’s a great feeling after witnessing the hectic campus at finals. Everyone has loosened up a bit, including employees who this past week had their staff appreciation party, displaying their musical talents during karaoke on a loud speaker in the middle of Memorial Mall. It was entertaining to say the least. But on the realistic side of things, summer classes are a great way to catch up on classes, get ahead, or just a great excuse to stay at school over the summer. I’m taking the maximum of nine credit hours this summer and in doing so, I’m able to graduate a semester early. I’m ecstatic!

As I also mentioned, I started my job at the Assistive Technology Center conveniently located centrally on campus in the Stewart Center. It’s a small computer lab that works specifically with students and faculty that need to use alternative technology because of a disability. For the past week I’ve been learning everything from speech dictation software (you speak commands to your computer), a computer mouse you use with your feet, and a one-handed key board. I never knew a job like this existed at Purdue, and I love it. I’m getting great experience in technology as well as occupational therapy, something that will help me in the future. I can’t say enough good things about the program. Just goes to show all of the unexpected thing Purdue can do for you!

--- Colleen Troke

Summer Internship at Roche Diagnostics

After the semester quickly ended, I found that I had little time to prepare for my internship this summer. Luckily for me, my internship is less than 30 minutes from my house, allowing me to live at home for the summer (and save some much needed cash!!). As I moved my last box of belongings into my kitchen the Saturday night of finals, I suddenly came to the realization that my internship started in less than 2 days! I was not only anxious but very excited to begin this next chapter of my life. As I waited nervously in the lobby of one of the buildings on Roche Diagnostic’s campus for my manager to arrive, I was quickly comforted by a friendly face and a warm welcome. They not only introduced me to everyone in our department, but gave me a tour of the building, and showed me the cube and lab where I would be spending much of my time.

I’ve started to get accustomed to the culture of the company, as this is now the start of my third week here. I’ve been given a project to complete and present at the end of the summer, as well as the opportunity to present in a poster symposium with the other interns from different departments and areas within the company. This summer I will be working in Research and Development for a company that manufactures glucose monitoring systems for diabetes patients. I will be working in a lab testing the glucose monitoring strips for drug interferences as well as performing other stability tests. It has been exciting to see all of my work in the classroom at Purdue actually develop into something that can help others in a real-life setting. In addition, the company provides ways for us to network with others as I participate in a community service day and attend an Indians game with the other interns.

As I contemplate the short two weeks I’ve already spent at Roche, I cannot only tell that I will love working here this summer, but that I will grow exponentially and learn a great deal more about myself and the science behind a product some people have to use everyday. I already feel that I have matured, getting up at 5:30am every morning in order to get to work by 7 isn’t something I’m used to. However, it is exciting to have responsibility and to get a taste of what it’s like once I graduate and enter the “real-world”.

Happy Summer,

-- Kaylie Waltz

Great Start to Summer

Hello Everyone!

My summer has gotten off to a great start with a fun and entertaining Maymester class! Soc 220, Social Problems, has been a relaxed but very interesting class. The teacher has planned many exciting activities and has started some very fun and entertaining discussions. Even though it's 2 hours in a classroom, I don't dread going to this class! I'm glad I decided to take an elective instead of a tough class during maymester, a tough class during Maymester would have been rough! Even though it is an entertaining class, it's still hard to pull myself to do my homework! I'll write back in a few weeks to fill you all in about the exciting activites that went on in this class!

Happy Summer!

--- Stacy Baker