Fun GW Spirit Facts :)

Check out these fun facts!
-The GW First Ladies were originally known as The Sensations.

-The original GW Cheer Team was made up of all men.

-The original school colors were blue and orange.

-The significance of the school colors of buff and blue are that they

were the colors that George Washington wore in battle.

-There are six busts of George Washington on campus.

-There is an identical bust on the lawn of the Masonic Temple in Alexandria, VA.

-There is an identical statue that of the one sitting in University

Yard, sitting in front of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square in

London. And since George Washington swore he would never return to

England, dirt was imported from Virginia so that GW stands on American

soil.

-US Senator from Wyoming Mike Enzi and former US ambassador to Jordan

Skip Gnehm were featured as members of the 1965 cheer team.

-George became the official mascot in 1948.

-A large Great Dane named Smokey acted as GW's mascot at football

games in the 1940's.



Chanelle

South Hall: 2135 F Street, N.W

The dorm that I live in, South Hall, also has a blog. It's purpose is to keep the South Hall residents (seniors) up to date with events happening on campus, ways to volunteer, updates about graduation, and more. If you'd like to check it out you can! Here's a link: http://gwsouthhall.blogspot.com/

Take a look at the south hall brochure online by clicking on this link: http://living.gwu.edu/merlin-cgi/p/downloadFile/d/23701/n/off/other/1/name/GWHP_southhalltourpdf/

South Hall is GW's newest dorm. (located on the foggy bottom campus). it's beautiful and "green".
if you ever come for a tour, be sure to check it out! =)

Chanelle

St. Paddy's Day... 5 Months Early?

The other Sunday, my friends and I headed by Metro to the Strathmore in Maryland. The reason? To see Gaelic Storm, one of my favorite bands. Never heard of them? If you've seen Titanic, you've seen them- they were the Irish band at the steerage party.

Jack and Rose are dancing to Gaelic Storm!

And they are awesome in person! I've seen them 3 times now, and my favorite was probably on St. Paddy's Day this past March in Milwaukee.

Gaelic Storm in concert!

The whole audience, all 3 levels of them, got really into it and was dancing, clapping, and singing along!

 Definitely a great way to destress and have fun before midterms and start the week off right. And on the way out, we stumbled upon the line to meet the band and were 3rd in line!

Us with Gaelic Storm!

Like I said in a previous post, being in DC gives you a wealth of opportunities to get off campus and experience great shows, exhibits, and speakers. Getting to the concert was incredibly easy, as the Strathmore is less than a block from the Metro station at Grovesnor in Maryland!

Us on the Metro- Excited to see Gaelic Storm and take a break from studying!

Speaking of midterms, I'm all done with them. Yay! I have escaped relatively unscathed, which is always a good sign for finals. My classes are going well. Two standouts are definitely Psychology of Crime and Violence and my sociology class on Jackie Robinson. Psych has proven to be one of those few classes that I actually look forward to waking up for, which is a big compliment in my book... ask anyone, I'm NOT a morning person in amy sense of the word. I wish the class had a book so I could do reading, which I don't think I've ever said about a class. Jackie Robinson has also been very interesting, with speakers and movies almost every week. My only problem with it is its 7:10pm-9:40pm timeslot on Thursday nights.... two and a half hours late at night can be rough, but the topic keeps my attention, which says a lot haha.

Well, time to get back to research for my thesis... more on that later!

Vickie

Psychology Studies

Today I participated in two psychology research studies which I need as extra credit and to fulfill a requirement for two different psychology classes I am taking this semester (14 & 121). The psychology department website explains this requirement:


Several courses offered in the Psychology Department require students to participate in research. Students enrolled in Psychology 1, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 are required to earn 3 points of research credit as part of the course. Instructors in other courses may require students to earn research credit or offer extra credit for student research experience. Research credit may be earned through participating in a research study or writing reports about articles describing psychological research.

Some of the studies I have participated in have been very lengthy (an hour or more) and some have been short (30 minutes or less!). Some are surveys, whereas others require computer access or walking, pointing, etc. It's actually kind of fun to be a participant while receiving credit for it! You just have to be able to go on your own time and fit it into your schedule.

If you're interested in a psychology major, definitely check out the GWU psychology website at: http://www.gwu.edu/~psycdept/

Back to studying for my exams! :( Keep checking back!

Chanelle

Almost there...

As October wraps up, so do my classes at the University of Sydney.  Tomorrow is my last day of classes, then a reading week, and then finals.  It is interesting to look back at all of the great times I have had in Sydney, and look forward to all of my exciting plans. 

After finals I am hitting the road!  Flying to Cairns up north and taking a bus all the way back down to Sydney stopping at a bunch of cool places on the way including another trip to the Whitsundays and Hervey Bay.  I figure I may not be in this part of the world again, so I have to take in as much as I possibly can.


After getting back to Sydney, my friends and I will fly to New Zealand for a short 6 day stopover before heading back to the states.


I have no idea what is going to happen along the way, but I am excited for whatever comes our way.  (The only problem is that I have to get through finals first....argh.)


I will be sure to post pictures from my adventures.  And please don't forget that you can email me at kwollner@gwmail.gwu.edu.


Kim

Here, There, Everywhere

Hey everyone! Isn't it funny how Jamie went home last weekend and I went home this past weekend as well! I took the Washington Deluxe bus (more convenient drop off location for me) home to NY where my parents picked me up and drove me back to new jersey where I live. I was able to get my winter jackets and stuff because the weather has been a lot cooler and I don't want to be without a good winter jacket! I was sick with a cold last week that luckily only lasted a few days! I did have to call out from work because of it but I rested and drank sooo many fluids that I got better almost immediately. :)

Work has been great. I absolutely love it. It's always fun to work for someone new and learn different things. They hired a few more people since the last time I told you about my job and it's been fun getting to know everyone. In fact, we had a team meeting this morning and everyone was there!

Unfortunately, over the weekend some friends of mine had a party that involved underage drinking. The party was "busted" by the University Police Department (UPD) and everyone involved was written up/given citations. Not a good situation to be in and something that has terrible consequences..both for the people throwing the party and for the people attending and involved in underage drinking. This is pretty common on campus but the UPD is definitely trying to put a stop to all of it. If you're going to drink, drink responsibly and don't get yourself into trouble! I know plenty of people that have had calls home to parents and/or have been suspended. Don't think it wont happen to you! I can assure you it can! I hope I'm not scaring anyone! I just don't think everyone thinks of the consequences all the time and it's better to be safe than sorry. It isn't fun to meet in front of a board of Student Judicial Services advisers to explain what happened. Not only that, but it's dangerous. .there have been cases of students being found with alcohol poisoning and some of these cases have led to serious health consequences.

On another scary note, a few people i know have been out sick because of....MONO. Mono is one thing that spreads like wildfire in college campuses. It's not "contagious" but it IS spread through saliva (particularly kissing) and is definitely NOT something you want to get in college. It makes you feel like you have the flu and you're tired ALL the time. It can get worse if left untreated! Be careful who you share your drinks with and who you kiss especially if they exhibit flu-like symptoms or have had mono before.

Just a heads up!

This is probably the strangest blog I have written but I only want to tell you guys about REALITY and things that DO happen. These are the kinds of things I never really thought about before coming to college and it might just help you to be informed.


On another note, I have two exams coming up =( I have one this friday and one next monday. I also have a lab (for psychology) final project where I have to run an experiment that I created on my laboratory class. It should be fun! I'm kind of curious as to what the results are going to look like. I will tell you more about it in a future blog.


I'll write a more POSITIVE and uplifting blog soon, I promise. Believe me...things are great and mono and parties getting busted are still pretty rare (which is why in my second year of blogging it's only been brought up once! :) ) I hope to tell you more about a student-alumni (Luther Rice Society) event I'll be attending in early November and about class registration, work, exams, and more. Stay tuned and thanks for checking out my post! =)

Chanelle 

New York, New York

Last weekend, I took the Bolt Bus up to New York with a few friends from my summer internship.  The bus is a really cheap and convenient way to travel between DC and New York.  Personally, I prefer Amtrak, but it can be a little pricey, and our round trip bus ticket was only $36.  It took about 4 hours to get to New York, and the bus drops off right in front of Penn Station/Madison Square Garden.  There are several bus companies that run cheap trips between here and New York - Bolt Bus happens to be my favorite. 


I may not have mentioned this before, but I love New York!  I know it probably seems a little silly, but I've only visited a few times and each time I love it more than the last. That's why I'm focusing my job search in New York. I feel like this is a great time in my life to move there and try it out for a while. 


Anyway, we got to New York on Saturday afternoon so that we could go to a friend's birthday party on Saturday night.  The highlight of my weekend was this view:

We went to a bar that had the most amazing rooftop deck/garden, and this was the view.  Absolutely beautiful.


In a few weeks, I will be going back to New York for the Advertising Women of New York (AWNY) Career Conference.  I have been offered a generous scholarship to attend this event, which I think will be an incredible opportunity for me to meet people in the advertising industry in New York.  


But for this weekend, I'm staying here.  My mom is coming to visit and I can't wait! 


Jamie

My Spring Break in Fall

I know I promised that I would share with you my spring break experience, well the wait is over.  I have finally recovered from the break and can tell you all about it.  To preface, I took this trip with 14 other people, most from my study abroad program.

First, we left Sydney for Hervey Bay.  This is a small town, with not much in it, but it is near the coast so you can walk to the boardwalk and the beach from almos any place in town.  After one night there we headed off to Fraser Island: a 70 mile island covered in sand, dunes, dingos, and natural pools.  There we camped, 4 wheel drove, swam and tanned in the beautiful sun.  The problem with Fraser Island is that there are a lot of sharks in the ocean so they do not recommend swimming in the big blue.  However, because mother nature is kind, there are beautiful lakes and pools only a hike away from any point.  This part of the trip was a lot of fun, but the whole driving in sand thing got a little scary.  In the picture you can see that the trail we drove on was flat and packed down.  this was not always the case.  There was loose sand everywhere, and our car, Carl, gave us some scares of tipping over.

 

The next part of the trip was in Airlie Beach.  Just a midnight bus ride away, we found another paradise.  This beach was more of a tourist town with a main strip of clubs, bars, hostels, and shops.  Again, you couldn't swim in the ocean here because of the jellyfish, but we made due with the beautiful lagoon that acted as a huge public pool.  From Airlie Beach we took the British Defender out for a cruise on the Whitesundays.  The Whitsundays are a group of 74 islands in the ocean off of Australia.  If you look at pictures from the Great Barrier Reef, they are usually taken from the Whitsundays.  The islands, the boat, and the ocean was beautiful.  We were able to relax, snorkel, swim, and relax some more on the boat.

Overall it was a great trip.  Probably the best I have ever had.  I recommend coming to Australia and traveling to all of these places.

I hope I have given you some great ideas for your next vacation or your study abroad trip!

Kim

National Book Festival

Besides all the great events that come to campus (concerts like Maroon 5, comedians like Jon Stewart and Robin Williams, and national figures like Hillary Clinton and Karl Rove), one of the best things about GW is that it's in DC. Yes, I'm sure that you all know that, but even going here, sometimes you can forget that there is a whole city outside of our 6x8 block piece of it. And in that city, lots of great events (which are sometimes free!) occur just a short walk or Metro ride away. 

2009 National Book Festival

Along that line, even though I've been in the city for 3 years, I realized that I had yet to experience one of the best FREE events in the city (if you're an avid reader like me) - the National Book Festival. The all-day event down on the National Mall has tons of different authors spanning various genres, like mysteries and thrillers to biographies to childrens books. Each author not only gives a talk (about their books, their inspiration, their families, etc.), but also hold book signings.

Lisa Scottoline

This year, two authors finally made me experience this festival for myself- Paula Deen and Lisa Scottoline. Very different, but 2 of my faves. If you check out the pages I linked to, you can actually watch a webcast of the talks they gave. The day, of course with my luck, was overcast and rainy, but it was still a lot of fun and a great experience.

Vickie

Early Decision

With early decision 1 deadline fast approaching, I know a lot of you are trying to figure out if this is the right path for you. After applying to colleges myself, and working in the admissions office for 2 years, I have learned a few things about early decision at GW. However, let me preface this entry by saying I did not apply to GW as an early decision student.

Early decision, as a lot of you know, is a BINDING contract with the university. This means, that if you are accepted from this pool you MUST attend GW. And if you are declined admission you are NOT pushed back to regular decision. The binding contract is what people find scary. Depending on financial situations, opportunities, other schools, and so on, there are plenty of reasons to apply early decision.

When admission directors read applications, early decision or not, they are looking for someone who truly wants to be at GW. This is why every applicant must answer the “why GW?” essay question. Applying early decision shows that you really want to go to GW and are willing to rescind other applications if you get in.
When I was applying, I could not make a binding decision in November. I was too dependent on financial aid that I did not want to lock in my admittance without knowing I could afford it. And even though GW was always my number one choice, I had to keep financial capability in mind.

The benefits of applying early decision are great. You don’t have to worry about applications into December like many of your friends, you get more time to explore where you want to live, what you want to take, and what you want to join once you come to campus, and (generally) you get to register for things like Colonial Inauguration (orientation) and housing before other incoming freshmen.

The acceptance rate under early decision is the same as under regular decision, around 36%. So don’t think that because the pool is smaller you have a better chance. But also think about if GW is you absolute number one choice. I suggest discussing this with your parents and teachers to get there opinions.
Don’t forget, you can email me at kwollner@gwmail.gwu.edu if you have any questions!

Kim

The Past Seven Weeks

Well, its been busy to say the least.

For those who are reading my blog for the first time, I am a senior in the School of Business and I will be graduating in December with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and Sport, Event & Hospitality Management. So, in addition to classes, work, and all of the other things that I want to do in my last semester of college, I am spending every spare moment job searching. I’m looking primarily for jobs in marketing communications, but I’m open to anything and I am definitely interested in relocating, hopefully to New York. But, as you can imagine, no matter what kind of work you are looking for, now is not the best time to be looking for work at all.

Here are a few things I have learned so far:

1. Use the F. David Fowler Career Center at the School of Business. The folks in the career center are probably sick and tired of seeing me, but they are extremely helpful and they’re great at making sure that I stay optimistic and that I’m utilizing all of the resources that are available to me.

2. Talk to everyone. Literally, everyone. Yesterday, I was on the Metro and I ran into a guy that graduated from GWSB 2 years ago. We started talking about my job search he wished me luck, got off at his stop and went on his way. After he got off, the man sitting down next to me said, “I heard you talking about your job search. I work at an internet marketing firm in DC. I’m not sure if that is what you’re interested in, but we’re always looking for talented interns - here is my card.” Talk about networking!

3. Speaking of “interns” - its OK to apply to post-graduate internships. I had to change my thinking early on about what kind of job I am looking for. I am graduating a semester early, and there is nothing wrong with taking a full-time internship that will add to my experience and help me get my foot in the door if that seems to be the best thing.

4. Apply to EVERYTHING. Much like when you apply to college and you’re told to apply to “safety schools” and “reach schools,” I had to adopt that same philosophy with my job search. I have been applying to jobs that I know I am over-qualified for or maybe aren’t EXACTLY what I’m looking for. I have also applied for jobs where I meet most but not all qualifications. I write a very compelling cover letter and apply. Can’t hurt, right?

5. Use LinkedIn every single day. It has been a great way to find GWSB alumni that are working in New York in my field, but it has also been a great way to identify HR managers at companies that I am interested in working for!

I know that most of you reading this are prospective students, which means that you are having a hard enough time with your college search and probably don’t even want to think about your job search, but I’m writing these things to assure you that GW students do not enter the workforce unarmed. I am confident talking to people, applying for jobs and going to interviews because I have spent three and a half years as a GW student. On more than one occasion people have looked at my resume and said, “Oh, you go to George Washington University? That is fantastic! I hear great things about their students.” It is amazing how much my degree from GW is worth out there in the real world!

Updates on my job search and everything else that has been happening around here will be coming much more frequently. Be sure to check back often and feel free to send an email if you have any questions!

Jamie

Is it really October already?

I cannot believe how the first half of the semester has flown by - the first half of my LAST semester at GW.

Wow!

I’m studying hard for a Business & Government Relations midterm, but as soon as it is behind me this evening I will post more and bring you all up to speed on what has been happening around here for the last 7 weeks!

Stay tuned!

Jamie

A Note on Blogging

Hey everyone! Sorry for the recent hiatus. It is spring in Sydney and that means spring break time! I just got back from paradise on Earth at Fraser Island and the Whitsundays yesterday, so I am still getting back into the swing of school and my normal routine.
I want to share this —>New York Times<--- article with you. It is about how college admissions offices are using blogs more than ever, focusing on the MIT blog. GW has had blogs for 4 years now, and this is my 3rd year blogging. The idea behind blogging for admissions is to make sure perspective students can get a real inside look at what is going on at the universities. I know you all look at those college brochures and think "wow that is really posed." And let me tell you, it is.
I, however, am not. There is an admissions director in charge of the blogs, but he usually just checks up on us to make sure we are fulfilling our commitments and makes the occasional styling comment. I have freedom to write about anything and everything I want, good and bad. And if you look back into my blog archive you will see that I don't always rave about GW.
I am a real person with complaints and criticisms of where I go to school. No place is perfect, and through these blogs I am able to show you that there is more to GW that a group of best friends laughing outside in Kogan Plaza.
I would suggest that you check out all of the admission websites for your potential schools. A lot of them have blogs and I am sure you can find out a lot about them through that.
At this point I would usually share a link to this blog, but you have already found your way here so I think that is a bit redundant.
Have a great week everyone and I will be back soon to share pictures from my trip!

Kim

AHHHHH!

AHHHHHHHHHHH ! kill me now! I have a paper due this week, an exam on friday, and two more exams this coming monday! This is why I haven’t been updating as much my dear readers! Believe me, all the reading you will have will be a pain in the butt even in the first week (..month..) of school! It’s never-ending and you will neverrrrrr feel caught up! That’s not to scare you, though. I have had my share of fun and work has been fabulous! I absolutely love it. I even got to help out at one of the alumni events on the hill and have dinner with the “team” at Old Ebbitt Grill (near the white house).
On another note, today I ran into an old professor of mine. Actually, i was in such a hurry to get to class that I didn’t even notice her until I heard a familiar voice saying “Chanelle!”. I looked up and it was my old Creative Writing professor. I was really happy that she noticed/recognized me and she seemed genuinely interested in how my semester was going. It kind of made my day. It’s not often that a professor will remember your name (and face)! It’s a large student population here, know what i mean?
I don’t know if i told you guys but for those of you that are new here my brother ended up not choosing GW (made me sad :[[ ) and instead he is going to Brigham Young University-Hawaii. He is LOVING it over there. I was pretty disappointed that he didn’t choose GW but I’m glad he’s having a good time in Hawaii. I want to visit him during spring break! I’ve never been there. Maybe my little sister will come to GW. What do you think? She still has quite a few years before she’s even in high school haha but you never know!
This weekend is Alumni Weekend. I’m not sure if I will be helping out with that or not but there are some really cool events going down! I definitely want to stop by at least one and tell you guys about it. =)
As always if you have any questions drop me an email at chabow@gwmail.gwu.edu . I promise I’ll get back to you!
Now Back to studying but stay tuned! I will tell you how my exams go (ughhhHhHh). 

- C h a n e l l e

Back into the Swing of Things...

Hello again!

Sorry it’s taken me a little while to get back on here, this semester definitely had me hitting the ground running…. which is good and bad I guess. Let me catch you up!

I stayed in DC this summer, my first summer out here.

Fourth of July in DC... spectacular!

It was a lot of fun being here without the worry of classes and homework and papers and well, I think you get my drift

To keep busy, I interned at ATF

(Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives), 

ATF Headquarters

took a class at GW, worked at Colonial Connection (calling GW alumni), and somehow managed to have some fun.. like heading out to Wolf Trap,

Wolf Trap

an outdoor performing arts center in Virginia (which is Metro-accessible! yay!) to see the Steve Miller Band, which was awesome. Check out video of them performing one of my favorite songs at another venue this summer:

 

Like I said, school and classes are back in full swing, which is both good and bad. Classes are interesting so far, my residence hall is great (as are my roomies!), and my sister is a freshman at GW this year. Unfortunately, all those classes come with homework and papers and such. Not very fun, but I guess a necessary evil. Here’s something hilarious: GW put this video together of freshmen moving into Thurston Hall, the largest freshmen residence hall, hold approx. 1000 students… somehow all of them got all moved in in 30 seconds…. ?

Like I said, I’ve got a good load of classes this semester. Here’s the basic info… specifics to come later

Psych 154: Psychology of Crime and Violence

Examination of many psychological aspects of criminal behavior; personality of criminals and of psychological processes affecting behavior.

Soc: 101 Social Research Methods

Introduction to basic research methods in sociology. Topics include research design, sampling, measurement, and analysis of survey data via computer application.

Soc: 151 Jackie Robinson: Race, Sport, and the American Dream

How Jackie Robinson’s struggles and accomplishments can help in understanding current issues in race, sport, and U.S. society. The background leading to, and the impact emanating from, Robinson’s entry into major league baseball.

Hist 199W: 199 Thesis Seminar

A research paper is prepared using primary sources. Topic chosen by student.

Have a great rest of the week!

Vickie

Baseball

Hi everyone,
So it’s a regular Sunday afternoon here in Washington DC. It’s a bit overcast but a lovely day, though I’m sitting in my apartment, not enjoying the weather. Yesterday, however, I spent a rainy afternoon at the Nationals baseball game. I’m taking a class this semester called Baseball in American History, Culture and Film. Our professor set up a visit for us to the Nationals Stadium to watch the game, but beforehand we spoke with the Nats radio broadcaster Dave Jageler. He told us about how him and his partner on the air communicate the art of baseball by using the least amount of words. I’ve listened to baseball games on the radio before, but Mr. Jageler certainly gave me a renewed appreciation for the skill that really goes into creating an entertaining and exciting broadcast each game (especially for the Nats, who have one of the worst records in baseball). We then met with the two television broadcasters, Bob Carpenter and former Cincinatti Reds pitcher, Rob Dibble (Dibble, member of the 1990 World Series champs, is one of a few pitchers who has ever struck out 3 batters on 9 pitches). Bob and Rob told us about what they do each game and how the prepare to go on air by looking at stats for different players and making sure they have all the information they need before beginning the game. They were able to give us some really good insight as to how broadcasters are able to keep the viewers entertained by sort of enriching the images of the games with facts and statistics about teams and players.
The press box is on the 7th floor in the Stadium, making it the highest press box in Major League Baseball. But it’s also arguably the nicest. Since the stadium is only about a year old, it has some of the most spacious press accommodations in all of baseball. The new Nationals Stadium is also the greenest ballpark in baseball, with a large recycling campaign, a garden on it’s roof, and energy saving light bulbs throughout the stadium.
After our tour around the press club, with free Nats shirts in hand, myself and the members of my class sat down to enjoy the Nationals face off against the Atlanta Braves as we ate our lunch (paid for by the University!). It was an okay game (which ended embarrassingly for the Nats, who lost 11-5) and it then began to rain. I stuck it at as long as I could but without an umbrella, I felt uncomfortable and cold by the bottom of the 6th. As I left my classmates and hopped on the Metro back to Foggy Bottom, I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I was, not only to be in this class, but that I go to a University that supports and encourages the exploration of Washington DC and allows its students to take advantage of all the wonderful things this city has to offer.

Abby

A Different Style

After being in Australia for 9 weeks of school I have come to the conclusion that there is a huge difference in teaching style and education mentality here in Sydney.
All of my classes meet for 3 hours a week. However, usually 2 of those are lecture which are often not mandatory (or compulsory in Aussie terms) and are available in another form such as recording or powerpoint. While most large lectures at GW are not mandatory, catching up with missed classes is often much harder than downloading a file from the internet. Lectures are similar in format to GW; a professor generally talks asking questions for participation and what not.
The third hour a week is a tutorial, or known at GW as a discussion. At GW, discussions are only for your large classes. At Sydney, every class is a large class with over 50 people. Tutorials are generally run by a post-graduate student and help to facilitate conversation and answer questions on the reading.
While this all sounds very similar, there are many differences. At Sydney, grades are based generally on a maximum of 3-4 assignments: tutorial participation, a short essay (generally no more than 1000 words), and a long essay and/or final exam. This means your grade is much more dependent on these assessments than the homeworks, short answer questions, or numerous tests you may have in a GW class.
Also, at GW professors are required to have office hours. While most at Sydney do have one or two hours a week, they generally want you to go through your tutor before going to them. They are not extremely willing to help with your questions or problems.
Grading is also different. Not only is it on a different scale: from high distinction to fail, but it is all bell curved. This means that the percentage of people with HD (High distinctions) should be the same in every class- 3%. Your work is compared to the rest of the class rather than being judged independent and on its own merit.
I am not sure which system is better, but they are different.
Please shoot me an email with any questions about either GW or University of Sydney. I would love to hear from you. My email again is kwollner@gwmail.gwu.edu.

Kim

What I've been up to...

Hey Readers,
I know in my last entry i said an update was coming “soon” but things have been so hectic since the start of classes that I found myself putting it off for a bit. Now I have so much stuff to tell you guys that I don’t even know where to begin! Some of the things I’ve done/been up to:
CASA (Chinese American Student Association) 1st General Body Meeting
The CASA General Body Meeting was held in the marvin center first floor. There, students (mostly freshman) had the chance to introduce themselves and were also taught how to play Chinese Poker! Refreshments (sweets!) were provided. The CASA eboard was introduced and a sign up sheet was passed around for those that want to receive updates and come out to or become part of CASA’s upcoming events. I had to leave early to go study but for the time I was there it seemed like CASA has a very enthusiastic eboard and I’m looking forward to their usual Lunar New Year Show, Date Auction, Big & Littles, shirts, water balloon fight, and various other events on campus!
PCS (Philippine Cultural Society) 1st General Body Meeting
The Philippine Cultural Society GBM was a lot like the CASA GBM in that the eboard was introduced and a sign up sheet was passed around. However, PCS had a guest speaker who talked about the importance of filling out the 2009 US Census. He even gave out free magnets, pencils, and notepads. We played an icebreaker game that one of the eboard members called “I’ve Got Mail”. Some people know this game as “fruit basket”. There was also free food made by the eboard president - a kind of philippino stir fry that was really really good! PCS has a big brother , big/little (or at least i think that’s what they call it) program as well. This means that one of the upperclassman looks after a younger or lowerclassman student. I haven’t attended a lot of PCS activities (although I did participate in last year’s turkey bowl) so I’m looking forward to seeing what PCS is all about. The PCS president even came up to me and introduced herself personally which I thought was really nice and something I haven’t had happen at the other GBM’s I’ve attended. I definitely felt more welcome!
Partied at the PDP (Pi Delta Psi Fraternity Incorporated) House
Frat House on F Street. PDP is a asian interest (not asian exclusive) fraternity. For more information, check out their FB rush group or their website—-> http://www.omicronpdpsi.com/
Korean Cultural Organization “Informal Social”
The Korean Cultural Organization informal social was a lot of fun. I’ve never attended a KCO event before so I was totally new to everything and didn’t know that many people. Luckily, we played an icebreaker game where we had names of famous people attached to our forehead (or back) and had to walk around the room while asking people questions about who we were (what name we had). I had Homer Simpson. They also had FREE PIZZA which was yummy. I’m looking forward to this year’s KCO Culture Show (Culture Night?) because I missed the one they held last year.
Shopping at Pentagon City Mall, Walking around Chinatown/Gallery Place, Shopping at Columbia Heights - Best Buy & Target, buying groceries at Safeway
Shopping! Last minute shopping for things I needed for my room, eating chinese food in chinatown, shopping at target, buying groceries at safeway. Pretty self explanatory. I lead a normal life!
Applied & Accepted a job at the GW Office/Division of Development & Alumni Relations
Today was my first day of work and I love it so far! The staff is really really nice and I’m even helping out with an event later today. I will update more about work later. =)
More to come! Please keep checking back or email me at chabow@gwmail.gwu.edu with any questions!

Chanelle

School

Hello all!

It’s been awhile since I’ve written but it’s that time of year again! Classes have gotten underway here at GW and all across the country. It’s very exciting being back on campus and with such a busy schedule I feel like I never left! I’m taking some very interesting classes and am looking forward to the rest of the semester academically.

We had tryouts for the GW Women’s Club Soccer team after the first week back and have added 9 new girls to the team. Our first game is this Sunday against the nationally ranked #1 team, Penn State. Unfortunately, I won’t be there but I hope the girls can kick some balls! It looks like we will have a great team this season, and for the first time EVER, GWWCS is going to Regionals! If we do well (the top 3), we automatically get a bid to nationals in Arizona! This could get crazy!!
Some political happenings around campus: David Plouffe, the chief Obama campaign manager, is speaking on campus on Monday, sponsored by the College Democrats. I will also be doing a campaign trip with them in October into Virginia to canvas for the important Governor’s race there (Go Deeds!). My home state is too having a gubernatorial race this November so hopefully I’ll get a chance to do some canvassing if I take a trip home. In other political news, First Lady Michelle Obama announced Friday that if GW students accumulate 100,000 hours of community service hours, she will be our commencement speaker!! As a senior, I am very, very excited, as are many people on campus, and I know I’m going to do my part to help us reach this goal!

I’m living off campus now in a wonderful apartment just blocks away from campus. I really like my roommates and we are enjoying the freedoms of non-GW housing. However, I have a few friends that live in South Hall (the newest residence hall on campus that is exclusively for seniors) and I must admit I am a bit jealous. Each student has a single bedroom and each unit has a washer and dryer! It is also brand new so it’s super clean. Plus, it’s only seniors living in the building so you know so many people there. I think if I hadn’t moved off campus I would have liked to live there.
I think that is really all I have time to write now but stay tuned– there’s always more to come!

Abby

A Call to Service...

As some of you may have read, Michelle Obama has given the GW Community a huge challenge. She has offered to be the 2010 Commencement speaker IF we complete 100,000 hours of community service. The First Lady has been a huge advocate for service around the country promoting the Serve America Act and all forms of service. Last year, the GW community completed over 65,000 service hours not including service by student organizations. I hope we will be able to go above and beyond the call of service from this distinguished woman to prove that GW is committed to improving the greater DC area.
You can read the GW Hatchet article by clicking THIS link.
We have also gained national attention from the US News and World Report. You can read that article HERE.



Kim

G'Day Mate

Welcome to GW! For those of you who do not know me, let me give you a small introduction. I am a junior studying political science with a focus in public policy and a minor in journalism and mass communications. I am a member of Student Global AIDS Campaign, Voices for Choices, and the Student Association. I hail from the south side of Chicago.
The most exiting thing about me is that I am in SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA! I am currently studying abroad at the University of Sydney, one of the numerous options to study around the world at GW.
This blog is a place for me to inform you of the happenings at/surrounding GW. Since I am abroad it will be a little difficult to comment on events but I will do my best to provide you with the best information I can. Please do not hesitate to email me at kwollner@gwmail.gwu.edu with any questions/comments you might have. I am here to help you, and I love hearing from you.
To start with, I am going to share some of the great resources you can use to learn about GW:
The first is of course www.gwu.edu. The GW websites have recently undergone a huge revamping to help unify and organize the information. Explore a bit and learn about the Student Activities Center, GW Housing, and GWorld.
The GW Hatchet is an independent student newspaper bringing you up to date on events, controversies, and news at GW and in the Foggy Bottom area. You can find every archived issue of the Hatchet at gwhatchet.com.
You can also check out sites for the Student Association (our student government) at gwstudentassociation.com. Program Board is our main programming council putting on event such as Fall Fest and Relay for Life, and they are found at pb.gwu.edu.
I hope you find these sites helpful. Again, please email me with questions/comments about GW, college admissions, or anything really.

Kim

Update Soon!

Hey guys,
i’m back in the district so definitely stay tuned for a bigger update! I’m moving in earlier than most students because I’m volunteering on move-in day (the 29th). My dorm (originally without a name) is called South Hall. It’s on the same street as my previous two dorms - F Street. In fact, a lot of dorms are on F Street- Potomac House, Dakota Hall, Thurston, etc.
My room is nice. I’m living in a five person suite. That means i live with four girls and i share a bathroom, kitchen, dining area. However, i do have my own room which is pretty sweet. =)
Some of my friends are moving in the 25th as well. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone again. Don’t tell anyone but i’m kinda sorta dreading senior year! I know it’s going to be a lot of work and I’m going to be really busy. I’m not looking forward to the work load but I am looking forward to graduating (fingers crossed) hehe.
Stay tuned. I’ll be back with an update around actual move-in day (the 29th) and then again when i start classes! If you guys have any questions feel free to shoot me an email! chabow@gwmail.gwu.edu
Bye!

Chanelle