Living the College Life

Is it okay to change your major in college?

Before I answer that question, I’d like to put your question into perspective. You might think to yourself about your major, “Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life?” That is a question that only you can answer. Who else is going to live out the rest of your own life? 🙂

Is it okay to change your major in college? A question you may have been contemplating the answer for quite some time. I’d like to help guide you towards the answer you are looking for. There is no simple answer to this. I can give you statistics such as “About 80% of students in the United States changing their major at least once, …” -National Center of Education Statistics. As well as, “On average, college students change their major at least three times…” -National Center of Education Statistics. Does this really give you your answer? What if you are a junior in college and decide that your major isn’t working out? What would you have to do to change your major in the current college you are enrolled in? Do you have enough credit time left to be allowed to switch majors and still be considered an undergraduate? Basically, you might be looking for the answer to the wrong question if you are wanting to know if it is okay to change your major.

I am currently a freshman at a university pursuing a degree I am not sure if I want anymore. Should I consider changing my major? At the moment, I am strongly considering of changing my major and even transferring to a different university. I have been weighing this decision carefully and I don’t believe I will have a decision anytime soon. However, I do believe in preparing ahead of time when I make a decision. I have officially applied for the university I am interested in transferring too, and I am currently filling out heaps of paperwork that have deadlines that must be met for me to even be considered for admission. I have also met with my current professors in my current major and have discussed my possible decision. (Before I continue, I’d like to say that if you do not meet with your professors in college at least monthly, I would highly recommend doing so immediately.) My professors have given me such good insight on what might happen in the near future. Along with everything else, I have weighed the pros and cons of my decision. After all of this still, I don’t believe I still have a definitive answer to my decision. That’s perfectly fine and with a decision this big to make, I feel a lot of time is necessary to decide.

So… is it okay to change your major? Well . . . that’s for you to decide. Just know you aren’t the only college student to have ever done this. It is actually more common than not for college students to change their major. Remember, only you will have to live with a career that you have chosen for yourself, so make it count!

First Semester Finished! Here is What I’ve learned…

I write this at the end of what I think to be a pretty successful semester. For my first semester of college, I moved four hours away from home with the support of my loving family. Moving was really hard for me, I do not have a driver’s license nor a mode of transportation to begin with, so I couldn’t go home unless my family came and got me. In addition, moving away took some time to adjust to because I’ve only just begun to experience the world on my own. I’m so grateful for my family though, they’d drive a total of 8 hours to come get me and bring me down for a holiday, or extended weekend because they love me. I really can’t complain.

Academics wise, this semester really opened my eyes on the stress a typical college student goes through such as exams, deadlines for papers, tons of homework, midterms, and finals. As a 4.0 high school student, I soon found out that college is a whole other world when it comes to school. I exhausted myself quickly at the beginning of the semester by overworking myself by working on class work or studying for every single class every single day. When my first exams came around, I was a mess. I was so worried and stressed over if I was doing college right that I didn’t take care of myself. I ended up failing my first exam along with doing poorly on my others. I still struggle in that aspect, but I know now that overworking is just as bad as not working at all. Now that I’ve finished my first semester, I think I am way more prepared for next semester then I was for this one.

Personally, I’ve grown so much this semester. I was in a really bad place mentally around midterms. I was just going through the motions of everyday life. I remember waking up some days and being sad for no explainable reason. I remember thinking of how happy I was at the start of the semester, and how many new friends I had made (some even from other countries). I remember not wanting to leave my dorm if I didn’t have to. I didn’t want to distance myself from my new friends, but I did. I remember feeling a new feeling I had never felt before… emptiness. I didn’t know how to describe it at first I just knew it was unlike anything I had felt before. I have been through stress, panic attacks, anxiety, sadness, etc. all throughout high school, but never once had I felt emptiness. It wasn’t until one day when someone knocked on my door that my semester would get better. This someone quickly became a good friend of mine from a youth ministry organization called Chi Alpha. He invited me to come to this thing called ‘TNL’ and I thought, “I mean a little Jesus never hurt anyone.” I went and at first I was skeptical; I had strayed far from religion my senior year of high school. (I was really going through it as a typical high schooler) Anyways, I quickly felt drawn back to ‘TNL’ and the next time I learned of a free giveaway they were doing for a retreat worth $100. I felt the strange urge to sign up for the giveaway, so I entered the giveaway thinking there was no way I would win. I was in utter disbelief when I got a text that my name was drawn. I cried, I thought that there was a fluke and that there had been some sort of mistake. This was not the case. Fast forward to right before the retreat and I had fallen deeper into a pit of emptiness, I had completely forgotten about the retreat. I just wanted to stay in bed all weekend. I ended up motivating myself to go and that was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I grew EXPONENTIALLY, in spirit and faith. I don’t think I can put it into words but I can say for the first time in my life I started reading the bible and praying regularly. All I can say is that Jesus is real and knows exactly what you need and when you need it, don’t worry because he will provide for you even if you don’t believe it. All of this was around midterms and all my grades were good except for my calculus grade, but it wasn’t terrible enough to drop the course.

Fast forward and suddenly it’s finals week. This semester has zoomed by so quickly. I did everything in my power to prepare for my finals. Now that it’s over, I just regret not doing more, but I don’t think I could’ve. I just couldn’t focus anymore to the point where I was staring at a wall for an hour instead of reviewing for finals. I have ended this semester without a 4.0 and that doesn’t bother me. I knew the moment I took my first exams that there was no way I’d get a 4.0. This notion didn’t stop me from working hard, in fact, I started working harder and my grades have improved little by little. Here comes the bomb though, remember how I said my Calculus grade wasn’t that great around midterms? Yeah. . . my grade didn’t improve but it didn’t get worse either. I am sad to say I finished my Calculus class with a 69.34 D. I know what some of you may be thinking, “Why don’t you ask the professor for any extra credit?” or “Why don’t you ask her to round?” Believe me, I have done everything possible. My professor doesn’t give out extra credit and doesn’t round unless its would be like a 69.9. I have gone through my stages of accepting this grade and I can say that I tried my absolute best in the class. I worked countless hours on homework and studying. In fact, I spent almost 100 hours on the homework online alone. I am happy to say that I’ve passed all my other courses with A’s and B’s. Now that it’s over, time to stress about getting enough money for textbooks next semester:)! I have learned a lot this semester. I have grown a lot personally this semester. At the end of it all, at least I can say I learned anything at all.

Thanks for reading this if you’ve gotten this far. I opened myself up more so then I would do in conversation about recent things that have affected my life. I’ve never been one to share something without reflecting on it for a long time, but I just felt the need to sit down and type this up. Have a great Christmas Holiday!

The Philanthropic Agenda of Twitter Philanthropists

What is philanthropy? Well, the literal definition, according to the Oxford Dictionary is “the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.” However, what does philanthropy mean to individuals? It is plausible to say that not everyone has the same definition when they think of the word philanthropy. Therefore, how should one know the true intention of a self proclaimed philanthropist?

Many of you who are familiar with the word philanthropist are probably familiar with the name Bill Pulte as well. Bill Pulte is the son of billionaire/construction company owner William J. Pulte, who unfortunately is no longer with us. As a result of William J. Pulte’s passing, Bill Pulte has inherited some of the billions of dollars his father had earned from his company. What Bill Pulte decided to do with some of his inheritance money has gained the attention of quite an audience. News outlets everywhere have made sure of that. Bill Pulte has earned a reputation off of charitable acts of donating large sums of money to those who are less fortunate and even donating substantial amounts of money to random strangers on the internet. Bill Pulte has been proclaimed ‘the inventor of Twitter Philanthropy’ because of all of this. What does this all have to do with the agenda of twitter philanthropists you might ask, well that can be found by diving head first into the philanthropic community.

When I first heard about Bill Pulte, I was suprised to see what he was doing, it is quite unheard of for any billionaire to personally give so much money to individuals. My initial thought when entering the community was, “Who doesn’t like free money?” I soon learned quickly that thinking this way can lead to the exact opposite of what is intended by the agenda of twitter philanthropists. One agenda I found out about this community is the promotion to find one’s inner peace. Bill Pulte promotes this often when he tweets, in fact. Life is too short to be stressed all the time, in my opinion. This agenda doesn’t seem bad so far. Right?

Another agenda of this community is to inspire others to do charitable acts. There have been many pages that have acquired audiences in the same fashion by giving to others. However, some pages have just used this as a way to boost followers. which is a shame when you think about it. This wasn’t the intent for twitter philanthropy, but from all good things there comes corruption. There are certain individuals that do make it a mission on twitter, regardless of there financial stability, to give to those in need because of the good agenda intention. For those people, they are truly doing good deeds. Twitter philanthropy has made a ripple effect in a sense and I believe there is good that comes from it.

The bottom line is that, the twitter philanthropic agenda of twitter I believe has good intentions and has done some real charitable works. However, I do think if you are looking to be apart of the twitter philanthropic community that you should do your research when it comes to who you want to associate with and where charity should be provided. Like previously stated, its sad to say but corruption is in the twitter philanthropy community as well. There are some people who will fabricate any story to earn a quick buck. There are also some people that will lie about giving to others just to earn more followers. Anyways, regardless of all of this, the twitter philanthropic agenda is good, and I think that we need more of it in this world.

Finally, I’d like to say that it is OK to want to win a giveaway on Twitter of a large sum of money, however; just because you do not win does not mean that you shouldn’t spread the love of charity to others. Many people have cried out on Twitter for help because of serious financial needs and these people would be happy to even win a dollar. If you do your research, you can make a difference in the philanthropist community!

Why ‘Dead by Daylight’ is the best multiplayer horror game of all time!

If you have never heard of Dead by Daylight, to make a short summary of the game, it is an asymmetrical/multiplayer survival horror game. Players can choose the role of a survivor or killer. As a survivor your goal is to power five generators and escape before the killer kills you. As a killer your goal is to stop the survivors from escaping by any means necessary (‘except face camping’ -survivor mains). Survivors have perks that help them accomplish tasks throughout a match, but so do killers. Killers each are related by how they can injure survivors, but every killer has their own special ability to give survivors a much harder time escaping.

This game is phenomenal in the horror realm of video games. In order to prove how great this game really is, I’ve listed three reasons why I believe this truly is the best multiplayer horror game of all time.

A LOT OF CONTENT

This game is updated monthly with new content. Whether that be new survivor/killer outfits, or a new chapter in game, there is plenty of content to keep any gamer ‘hooked’ ( see what I did there;) ) for along time. The developers release new killers/survivors in ‘chapters’. They update the game with about 4 chapters per year. This game is only in its third year so there is plenty of more future content coming!

Here is a list for killers/survivors you might recognize from the horror genre in Dead by Daylight. Licensed killers in game include: Freddy Kreuger from The Nightmare on Elm Street, Michael Myers from the Halloween franchise, Ghostface from Scream, The Cannibal from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Demogorgon from the hit Netfix series Stranger Things, Amanda Young as The Pig from the Saw franchise, and many other original created killers from the Dead by Daylight developer team. (sorry if I missed a killer or two) Licensed survivors include: Laurie Strode from the Halloween franchise, Quentin Smith from The Nightmare on Elm Street, Detective Tapp from Saw, Bill Overbeck from the hit game franchise Left 4 Dead, Nancy Wheeler and Steve Harrington from the original Netflix series Stranger Things, Ash Williams from the Evil Dead franchise, and many other original survivors created by the Dead by Daylight team! (again sorry if I missed a survivor or two)

2. Replay ability

I don’t know about anyone else, but when I buy a game, I make sure it has plenty of replay ability. (Games are expensive so you might as well play them for way more time than its worth) Not one match will be the same when it comes to this game. In a map with randomly generated location and random different aspects of the game, you are guaranteed hours of fresh game play. Not only that, but the many survivors/killers to choose from increase replay ability ten fold. More content is always on the horizon in this game so there is always something new to do!

3. Scare factor

I myself have been playing this game for about 2 years now, and I still get scared when playing as a survivor. Yes, I am less scared then I was when I first started playing, but the adrenaline rush of being chased as a survivor really never leaves when you play the game immersively. The addition of the many killers you can face against also require you to change up your style of play in order to escape. Nothing is scarier then realizing the killer is right behind you.

There are many other reasons why this game is the best horror game, but to me these three reasons are the top! If you are looking for a good horror game, I highly recommend Dead by Daylight!

Project Semicolon — Discover

Project Semicolon is a nonprofit and online resource dedicated to the prevention of suicide. Browse stories and information on mental illness, loss and grief, and topics especially for teens, like bullying.
Project Semicolon — Discover

This project is so important now more than ever! Suicide is the most common cause of death for college students in the United States. Did you now that men are three times more likely to actually commit suicide? Did you know that women are five times more likely to attempt suicide? These facts won’t help you prevent suicide but the more you know about the subject the better.

I can say in my 18 years of life, suicide and attempted suicides have occurred around me more than I care to admit. The sad thing is that most of the time this senseless loss of life could have been prevented. People find it hard to talk about and that’s what makes things worse, in my opinion. I have had several friends and sometimes even random strangers on the internet reach out to me for something to hold onto. Talking about it with them and helping them help themselves is really all they need. If you have attempted suicide, but were lucky to survive “Project Semicolon” is the perfect environment to help you help yourself and maybe you can help others. Life can get crazy sometimes but I promise you, it isn’t worth dying over. There is so much more to life than pain, sadness, loneliness, depression, and hopelessness. It might take a while to see but trust me in the end it was worth living for.

Cajun Eats!

Cajuns are beyond blessed to grow up in South Louisiana where rich, tasteful, culinary creations have been birthed. It’s a shame to think that not many people have experienced our culture to its fullest. Ask any traveler who has ever visited here though and they’d probably remember the most about the food. Some of the best South Louisiana foods consist of crawfish, gumbo, and po-boys.

Crawfish are the most tasteful critters of the marshlands in South Louisiana. When preparing crayfish it’s most difficult not to over season, and to let them soak in all the flavors of cajun seasoning. A fresh batch of boiled crayfish with side dishes such as corn on the cob, onions, and potatoes overwhelm the senses. When taking a whiff of a fresh batch of crayfish, it’s very difficult not to completely melt into your chair. This combination of wonderful smells and tastes is the pinnacle of this meal. Most Cajuns like to call this“Cajun Heaven”. Who would have knew some mud bug would be so appetizing!

Any type of cajun gumbo is a delectable treat. Usually, down in South Louisiana, gumbo has a base of roux. Roux is a mixture of flour and fats and can be found pre-made in any grocery store, at least in Louisiana. Savoie’s old fashioned roux is an optimal choice when it comes to choosing the base of a gumbo. Roux is what gives gumbo its mouth-watering flavor along with vegetables such as okra, onions, and garlic. That’s not all gumbo is served with either; in addition, it usually has some type of meat such as chicken or sausage. Side dishes such as deviled eggs, potato salad, and rice are also a necessity. Once finished, the ideal gumbo meal is hard to savor because it’s so delicious! There is no gumbo like a good old-fashioned cajun gumbo.

Another traditional dish that comes in many tasty varieties are po-boys. Po-boys are the Louisiana way to make a delicious sandwich. Shrimp po-boy’s are the most commonly eaten po-boys because they are super palatable. Mmmh! Crispy fried shrimp, with fresh lettuce and tomatoes, and any sauces desired all between toasted bread is so scrumptious. South Louisiana has invented the best sandwiches ever. Po-boys are the easiest traditional dish to prepare that comes in so many toothsome varieties.

In conclusion, some of the best South Louisiana foods consist of crayfish, gumbo, and po-boys. Cajuns are beyond blessed to grow up in South Louisiana where rich, tasteful culinary, creations have been birthed. Hopefully in the future, cajun culture becomes widespread so others can have the experience of eating these delightful foods.

College is Hard?

As you learn after graduating high school, college is hard. Everything you have heard about it you soon learn to be…

In this post, you can find tips to get you through a semester in college.

If you are in college or will soon be enrolled, you may be worried about becoming an ‘adult’, along with everything that entails. Whether that be moving away, having to pay your own bills, living on your own, the list goes on and on. I can assure you that living the college life is what you make it. If you worry about all the student debt you acquire, struggle with financial stability, stress about your grades, then you are doing pretty good in college. Remember that you worked hard to get where you are/going to be and that the only real worries you should have in college is making it to graduation.

College is in a sense ‘hard’ for almost everyone enrolled. That doesn’t mean it will be impossible or that you will exhaust yourself every waking hour in college. If I were to give advice to incoming freshman and even to students already enrolled in college, I’d say, “Find a healthy balance when it comes to studying/assignments and personal life.” If you can manage to find a balance between these two aspects in life it will make your semester immensely better!

For me personally, it took half-way through my first semester to find a healthy balance. My problem with studying and assignments was that I was trying to do work in ALL my classes everyday. Pretty soon, I exhausted myself, and my grades started reflecting this. I now know that working on assignments and studying everyday (for me personally) is not a way to maintain a good GPA. I found that at most, I should only work on assignments/study for two to three classes each day. Working the same amount of time but narrowing my focus on less subjects has really boosted my GPA.

Maintaining a good GPA, just thinking about this induces stress in most college students. (especially those with academic scholarships) It is normal to stress about your GPA constantly throughout college. If you find your GPA plunging lower than the funds in your bank account, DON’T PANIC. I promise that you aren’t the only one with poor grade averages in your classes. First, if you haven’t already, now is a good time to read/re-read your syllabus in whatever class you are doing poor in. Syllabi have all the information you need to know about your assignments and tests. This helps when figuring out how your final grade will be determined. Next, figure out the time frame you have to boost your GPA. (If you are coming up to finals week, know that failing a course is not the end of the world) Once you have dealt with the stress of the unknown, now you can really focus on getting your GPA up.

Before I get into boosting your GPA, I’d like to first talk about an option you may not have thought of before. If it isn’t too late, and you are failing a class right before midterm, dropping a course IS ALWAYS an option to consider when thinking about maintaining a good GPA. My motto is “Taketh that ‘W’ friend”. Taking a ‘W’ is better having a D, or F grade average in a class. If you drop a course before the final drop date then a ‘W’ won’t even affect your GPA. (now onto GPA boosting tips)

Okay, I know this is obvious but the only way you can accomplish raising your GPA is to work harder. If you are working harder and still are sinking, reach out for help. Find someone who can help you. Fortunately for me, tutoring at my university is ‘free’ (its an extra fee tacked on to tuition). If your college has this, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. If you don’t feel comfortable meeting face to face with a tutor, that’s okay! There are online tutors as well! Basically, if you really want to get the grade, there is PLENTY of resources that are waiting for you to be used.

If you take anything from this post at all, remember the following:

College is hard, but it is not impossibe!

Don’t let problems with no immediate solution stress you out. Remember you enrolled because you worked hard to get where you are and plan on working hard to get where you are going. Just remember your number one goal in college is to graduate.

College is what you make of it. Do what makes you happy, but at the same time remember you are responsible to keep up with what you are enrolled to do!

GPA, pfft, more like… actually you should take this average seriously. (especially if you plan on doing graduate school) Remember though, failing a class is not the end of the world. Just dust yourself off and keep pushing forward. However, if you struggle in a course at the beginning of a semester and are still failing at midterm, if you can drop the class, TAKE THAT W. W’s look so much better on transcripts than D’s and F’s. They don’t even affect your GPA if you drop soon enough.

I just want to say that you are doing amazing! Keep pushing through and one day soon WE WILL GET OUR COLLEGE DEGREES!