Spring Break: Fun & Productive — Thoughts from a Peer Advisor

Thoughts from A. Bogdanow, Peer Advisor, excerpted from Peer Advisor Blog

If you’re like me, you’ve spent the past week reading, studying, writing papers, taking tests — what I like to call “midterming.” It’s been rough – at this point, I’m sleepy, running on caffeine and carbs, and constantly checking my to-do list. Throughout it all, though, I’ve had one thought in my mind to keep myself moving: this Sunday morning, I”ll wake up on a Caribbean island for a week of relaxing on the beach with friends. Pretty nice, huh? My to-do list for THAT week involves sleeping, reading for fun (what? crazy!), and applying lots and lots of sunscreen.

But then there’s this other thought in the back of my mind. What about, you know, school? We may have a two week spring break, but that doesn’t mean we can forget about classes. So, whether you’re going home, staying at school, or traveling, here are some trips to being productive while still having fun over break:

  • Before you leave campus — take a look at all of your syllabi and make a calendar of everything you have due calendar(yup, including reading) for the six weeks following break. Do you have semester-long research projects? Tests? Lots of reading? Looking at this calendar, make a specific list of everything you need/want to get done over break. Break it down to be as detailed as you can – if you have research you need to do, make a list of topics. If you have tests when you get back, figure out what chapters they’ll be on. Then, be attentive and PACK according to this spring break to-do list. You don’t want to get home and realize you forgot your reading or notebook for a class.
  • While you’re away — as soon as you get home, make a plan. You’ll still be in classes-mode this weekend, so utilize all those study skills and make a two-week calendar for what you need to do and when you’ll do it. If you leave everything until the last minute, the weekend we get back to school will not be fun. Tell your parents/friends that you have work to do and see if there’s a way your schedule can fit with theirs. Any friends who are also home from college will have work too, so maybe figure out a time to sit at your local library/coffee shop and do work together (hey, it’s no Pi or Olin, but it’ll do). Remember that you’re definitely not supposed to be working all day, every day, but if you put in an hour or two every day of break, whatever work you have really won’t be too bad.
  • Don’t forget to relax in ways that don’t include just looking at a computer or TV – we spend more than enough time ruining our eyes during all those late nights in the library. If you’re lucky, you’ll be somewhere that the weather is nice. Spend some time outdoors, reconnect with old friends, read a book for fun, exercise – do everything you might not have time to do during the regular semester. Connect with your old support network, whether that means seeing old friends, talking with teachers from high school, or visiting a club/group/organization you used to be involved with.

Have a great break!

Over Spring Break…

Although residential units are open during Spring Break, there will not be many people around.  If you will be on campus, follow appropriate safety protocol.  Please report emergencies and suspicious activities to Public Safety at 860-685-3333.

 If you will be leaving campus for Spring Break, please do the following:

  • electric plugUnplug electrical outlets
  • Close blind/window treatments
  • Take home aquarium pets
  • Lock windows and doors
  • Take home valuables
  • Empty trash
  • Turn off lights and alarms

Have a restful break!   Residential Life

Withdrawal Deadline from 3rd-quarter Classes

thumbnailCAIGEVKPFriday, March 5 is the last day to withdraw from third-quarter classes, like PHED.  The last day to withdraw from full semester and fourth-quarter classes is Thursday, April 15.  Check in with your instructors and TAs, and plan accordingly.

Write What You (Don’t) Know: David Henry Hwang — Wed., Mar. 3

David Henry Hwang

“WRITE WHAT YOU (DON’T) KNOW”

 Wednesday, March 3 at 7 p.m.

Memorial Chapel

Free Admission

David Henry Hwang 

On behalf of the Theater Department and the CFA, I invite you to David Henry Hwang’s talk, which is co-sponsored by the Albritton Center for the Study of Public Life and the Baldwin Fellows Fund, The Little Fund, Wesleyan Writing Program, English Department and the Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program.

Tony-award winning playwright David Henry Hwang, hailed as “the first U.S. playwright to become an international phenomenon in a generation” by Time Magazine, discusses his extraordinary and groundbreaking body of work. Hwang is best known as the author of M. Butterfly, a controversial twist on Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly, which ran for two years on Broadway, won the 1988 Tony and Drama Desk Awards, and was a 1989 Pulitzer Prize finalist.

His Broadway musicals include the book for the revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song, which earned him a third Tony nomination in 2003 for Best Book of a Musical, and Disney’s international musical hit Aida, winner of four Tony Awards in 2000. His recent Yellow Face was a Pulitzer Finalist.  As an opera librettist, he has written numerous works, including three with renowned composer Philip Glass.

Throughout his extensive career, Hwang has explored the complexities of forging Eastern and Western cultures in a contemporary America. His work challenges political and social discourses that reduce complex human identities into stereotypes, and encourages the exploration, in his own words, “not so much of blurring distinctions or subsuming cultures as of different cultures coming to live together side by side.”

Pamela Tatge,  Director, Center for the Arts

Time Management Workshop–Wed., Mar. 3

Managing Time Over Break, March 3 –

 With midterms behind you, you’re probably looking forward to two weeks of relaxing at home, on campus, or at the thumbnailCA7IZ161beach. But wait – what about all that work due when you come back? Managing your time over spring break will help you to feel control for the whole month of April and not slip too far behind. This workshop will help you begin to organize your break and prioritize your academic and co-curricular activities so that you can finish the semester stress-free.  Bring your 2009-2010 Wes Planner and your syllabi. Hosted by the SARN Peer Advisors.

Wednesday, March 3 from 12:10 to 1:00 p.m. in Usdan 114.

Internships, Jobs, Programs and Summer Plans

If you have not already made plans for the summer, now is the time to do it.  Internships and other volunteer opportunities can have some early deadlines and summer study programs, whether at Wesleyan (summer session, Hughes program), other U.S. colleges, or abroad, have deadlines that are coming up. 

thumbnailCANL5WAYSpend some time either physically or virtually at the Career Resource Center now or  during break to see what opportunities are of interest to you.  There is an internship database on line and in print and some of these offer a stipend, so check it out.   It’s a good way to explore possible career options and gain some skills.

 Getting a start during spring break on summer employment is a smart move!

 So don’t put off summer plans until the summer; open up your options by looking now!

A Helping Hand: Resources for Support

Do you know of another student who needs a helping hand? 

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 Don’t go it alone!

Reach out to the following staff/offices:  http://www.wesleyan.edu/deans/support.html

Support & Counseling Resources for Students http://www.wesleyan.edu/deans/support.html
The Class Deans: Dean Brown, Class of 2013 lsbrown x2758
  Dean Phillips, Class of 2012 dphillips x2765
  Dean Garrett, Class of 2011 ngarrett x2758
  Dean Melendez, Class of 2010 mmelendez x2765
       
Office of Public Safety Day/EveningEmergency   x2345x3333
       
Office of Behavioral Health Day hours: 9AM to 5PMEvenings (follow directions on phone)   x2910 x2910
       
Health Services Day/EveningEmergency   x2470x3333
       
University Chaplains:Protestant Chaplain  Reverend Joan Burnett  jburnett  x2275
Jewish Chaplain, Director Rabbi David Leipziger dleipziger x2278
Muslim Chaplain Iman Marwa Aly maly x2285
Catholic Chaplain Father Hal Weidener hweidener x2277
Office of Residential Life      
156 High, 200 Church, Butterfields  Sharise Brown  smbrown  x2024
Clark, Westco, Fauver Jonathan Connary jconnary x3168
Nicolson, Hewitt, Alpha Delt, DKE, Psi U, Eclectic, Film, French, Japanese, Science Halls  Alex Cabal  acabal  x2753
All other Program Housing Dawn Brown dabrown x3163
Fauver Apts, High/Low Rise, Senior Housing Brian Nangle  bnangle  x3167

Usdan Center Hours of Operation for Spring Break

Usdan Center Hours of Operation

Spring Break 2010 

Friday, March 5 8am-9pm
Saturday, March 6 8am-5pm
Sundays & Saturdays, March 7, 13, 14, 20 CLOSED
Mondays-Fridays, March 8-12 and 15-19 8am-5pm
Sunday, March 21 12pm – 12am

Please note that the building may be open after hours for private events only.

Specific Areas:

Cardinal Technologies Store

Mail Services

Cardinal Print & Copy

Box Office

WSA

Monday-Friday

8am-5pm

Monday-Friday

Upstairs Window: 11am-3pm

Downstairs Window:

9am – 4:30pm

Monday-Friday

9am-12pm

and

1-3pm

Saturday, March 6

10am-4:30pm

 Sunday, March 7 thru

Monday, March 22

CLOSED

Monday-Friday

9am-4pm

March 15 thru March 19

CLOSED

 

Dining:

MARKETPLACE

LATE NIGHT

CAFÉ

DFC, SUMMERFIELDS, & PI CAFE

WESHOP

 

Friday, March 5

8am-8pm

 March 6 thru

March 20

CLOSED

 Sunday, March 21

5-8pm

 

Friday, March 5 thru Sunday, March 21

CLOSED

 

Friday, March 5

8am – 2pm

 March 6 thru

March 21

CLOSED

 

Friday, March 5 thru Sunday, March 21

CLOSED

 

 

 

 

Friday, March 5  2-6pm

 Monday-Friday only

March 8 thru 12

and

March 15 thru 19

12-6pm

 Sunday, March 21

12pm-12am