New Student Orientation Recap

I’m not a new student, but I did go to MPTC’s new student orientation in West Bend last week. I sat at a table with my poster, a sign-up sheet, and some candy not only to recruit new Web Developer Club members, but also to promote campus clubs in general.

Club involvement is a great way to network with your peers and professions, learn something new or hone your skills, and travel to businesses or conventions. I highly recommend new and even returning students, to check out clubs related to their field of study or interests by attending one of their meetings in the beginning of the semester. You don’t need to commit right away, just see what it’s all about.

My French Day Trip

I saw the Eiffel Tower this past weekend. My friends and I hopped in the car, drove to Milwaukee, and walked three blocks to Cathedral Square Park for Bastille Days. A much smaller version of the Eiffel Tower awaited us along with food, music, and vender tents.

The jewelry the venders were selling should have had a “Do Not Touch” sign next to them because the metal and plastic was burning hot in the sun. Some were almost literally untouchable. There was lots of French food I couldn’t pronounce, but there was American and Mexican food as well. It seems like you can always get a hamburger no mater where you go. Some of my friends were pretty excited to delve into large chocolate covered crepes.

My favorite part of the day was when we were sitting at a table in the shade listening to live opera on stage. The singer came to the part of the song that must have been marked double forte. What a powerful voice! She was so loud she startled a lady who was walking past the area. She pretty much stopped in her tracks for a second. It was hilarious.

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot Outside

Week in Review: A Reflection of July 2 – 8

The American flag at night

It has been hot, hot, hot outside! I was able to cool off for a bit in my friend’s pool on the Fourth of July. I skipped the fireworks at the park this year in favor of the air conditioning. We stayed inside and watched some movies. Next year we’ll probably have to wear sweaters to watch the fireworks I bet!

I’ve been getting a lot of back-to-college flyers from stores in the mail lately so I know the fall semester is coming soon. There are lots of things to do to prepare for the first day of classes in August. I’ll need to pay my tuition in July, pick up my books from the bookstore, and get a few school supplies.

But, it’s not time for class just yet, so I’m looking forward to a few more summer events. I may be going to Bastille Days in Milwaukee this coming weekend. I’ve never been to it before, so I hope these plans don’t fall through.

July flies by quickly, so enjoy the rest of your summer!

Keepsakes of the Past

Week in Review: A Reflection of June 25 - July 1

My kindergarten picture

While going through some things on my bookshelf, I came across one of my photo albums. Inside were a lot of miscellaneous things I have kept throughout the years. I have awards of achievement, certificates for participation, and programs from performances.

Toward the back of the book is my class photo from kindergarten. I love that I still have this photo after all these years. I get a kick out of the fashion and hairstyles. I’m amazed that I still keep in touch with some of these people. Keeping mementos from your past can be fun, because you can look back at an object and recall an entire story. It’s also something you can show your children and grandchildren.

Lots of Congratulations Are in Order

Week in Review: A Reflection of June 18 – 24

 I had such a busy week and weekend with planned and unplanned events. I had a few things to do at MPTC’s West Bend and Fond du Lac campuses including helping out with the Career Showcase on June 21.

My nephew’s birthday party was on Saturday, which also happened to be the day my cousin gave birth to her first baby. We went right after the party to see her and her new son. Congratulations!

On Sunday my family and I went to Grafton to celebrate my second cousin’s eighth grade graduation. Congratulations, Michael! It’s hard to believe he’s old enough to enter high school now. I still picture him as being seven years old.

Between all the busyness this week, I’ve been checking on the garden. It looks like we’ll be having fresh raspberries in the house soon. I hope we get some rain so everything in the garden can grow.

What Should I Do With My Summer?

It’s easy to get out of shape during the summer when it comes to your mind. If you don’t do anything to keep your mind active, you may feel a little mentally sluggish when classes start in the fall. Here are a few tips to keep your mind and body in shape this summer.

Take a Summer Class
Whether it’s for fun or for credit, taking one or two classes during the summer is a good way to keep you in the learning mode.

Read Books
It doesn’t matter if it’s specifically educational or non-fiction or fiction. I’ve always read something during the summer. Right now I’m reading “Mockingjay,” the third book in “The Hunger Games” series. When I’m done with that, I’ll be reading a book called “The New Rules of Marketing & PR.”

Start a New Hobby
The Internet has made learning a new hobby easy. Try cooking or something crafty. You can visit YouTube to learn all sorts of things. You can find how-to websites that provide tutorials and demonstrations. Don’t forget that the local library is a great resource for anything you may be interested in.

A Shopping Success

Week in Review: A Reflection of June 4 – 10

Over the weekend I used the gift card I won at the Last Blast event in April to go shopping. I picked up two pairs of Capri pants and a sweatshirt, and I only had to kick in about eight dollars of my birthday money. It was a very successful shopping day.

Also during the weekend, I picked up my bridesmaid dress from the bridal shop. It’s for my sister’s wedding, and I love it. I was happy to find I will not need any alterations done to the dress, and I already have the shoes to match.

Even though it’s summer, I’ve received emails this week about some events going on this summer and next fall. One email about New Student Orientation in July asks members of MPTC student clubs to represent their club at the orientation. Another email notified us about a strategic planning meeting in September. It sounds like we’ll be able to provide some feedback about topics that concern student life such as health and wellness and campus safety.

If MPTC had fitness centers on their campuses, would you be likely to use them?

My Birthday Week

Pirate Fest (I'm the one on the left)

There are a lot of good things and bad things about having a birthday in the beginning of June. In high school exams always seemed to be that week. That wasn’t really how I wanted to spend my birthday. I enjoy the timing of my birthday more in college because the semester is over, and, depending on the weather, it already feels like summer. This year the weather has been very kind to my birthday plans.

Last Saturday my friends and I went to Seafood Fest at the park in town. We had some seafood, looked at the booths set up, and I got a massage at one of the tents. I’m not sure what that has to do with seafood, but I’m not complaining. This park has a garden labyrinth we walked through that’s beautiful this time of the year. Luckily, there wasn’t a whole bunch of bugs yet either.

The next day we went to Pirate Fest in Port Washington. I had never been to the festival before, and I had no idea it was so popular. So many people were dressed up. After the parade we walked out to the lighthouse. I was expecting it to be cooler next to the lake, but it was pretty darn warm out. I got burnt on my shoulders where I didn’t have enough sunscreen.