The Survival and Review of Freshman First Semester

I am happy to report that I have (just barely) survived the terror that is registration day. And, being both a freshman and having a last name in the first half of the alphabet, I'm one of the very last to endure the epic adventure we at GW love and hate so equally.

Since I have somehow gotten through the first semester unscathed (well, almost -- there's a few weeks left), I wanted to give fellow upcoming freshmen a look at what a typical first semester schedule is like here at GW, along with explaining what you can expect your class experiences to be like. Here's a look at what I've been taking:

Intermediate Italian II (Italian 4): Unless you're starting anew, all freshmen need to take a proficiency test in order to be placed in a language class. That being said, I was a little bit uneasy with my pretty high placement in Italian, as there are only two classes above mine. I was always a strong Italian student, but I felt that I hadn't really grasped the language in high school and had just gotten lucky. Coming to GW was a real turning point in the realization of what I do and do not know, Italian being no exception. Language classes here are capped at the higher levels, so I had a class with only 15 students. My teacher knows my name, my speaking ability, and where I rank roughly against others in the class. Language at this level at GW is absolutely nothing like language in high school, as my teacher spends our entire class periods without muttering one word of English and we respond and ask all questions in Italian, too. But don't get too terrified. One of the greatest things about my taking this class was the realization that I actually DO know Italian, and haven't just been studying it since 7th grade to get a nice grade added to my GPA. The class also stimulated me further in my adoration of Italian. I find myself speaking it more with friends who study it also, so my conversational skills have really been challenged. The best part is I met a boy from Bari on Facebook who doesn't speak English, and we speak everyday in Italian -- I've understood every word!

Stars, Planets and Life in the Universe (Astronomy I): If you are in any school at GW looking to fulfill a science requirement and are by NO means science-minded, do yourself a favor and TAKE THIS CLASS. My decision to take astronomy was more than hasty; I spent several nights during my summer in Greece looking up at the stars, and stupidly found myself asking my best friend just exactly what a star was. Needless to say, I figured it couldn't hurt to understand the universe a little better, and potentially take an easier science. I lucked out, because not only is astronomy not very demanding, I've found myself very intrigued by the topics. The layout of the class is a twice a week lecture with a little over 100 students and a lab period once a week with about twenty. The labs for the week relate to the lecture material, so they work like a recitation, but -- here's the great part -- they're VERY easy labs. Since Astro 01 students aren't going to be doing any astronomical physics, all the labs are very theoretical and just apply to larger astronomy concepts. The exams are straight forward memorization and grasping of the material, and all the homework assignments are online, easy to use, and really helpful to cement the concepts. It's times like these I'm happy to have a liberal arts degree, because I never would have taken the class had I not needed a science. I'm even picking up Astronomy II next semester!

General Psychology: As you might imagine, this is the bottom of the food chain for psych majors, but we all have to take it. Since I took IB Psychology in high school, a lot of the material was review for me. Regardless, I had a really great professor. The nice thing about these big lecture courses is there are often several teachers, and they all have different focuses. My professor works in the biological field of psychology, so her lectures leaned in that direction. Lucky for me, I'm very interested in that. However, she encouraged those who weren't to pick up the lecture with another professor. This was my largest class -- about 200 students -- but also my easiest, partly because I knew the material, but mostly because it is for my major and therefore what I'm interested in. If 200 scares you to tears, don't panic -- one of my best friends also took General Psych for her Social Sciences requirement on the Vern, where it was capped at 40 students. Best of both worlds, right? Totally. If you need a social science (Columbian kids!), I absolutely recommend trying psych. It's a fascinating field and not very demanding at the intro level, and you get to learn some of the reasons we work the way we do. Look for me on campus if you need some tutoring. ;)

Intro to Philosophy: As we speak, I'm currently writing my term paper for philosophy, so it's the perfect time to be reviewing it. I took this class on the Vern so that I would be in a capped class, and I found that to be the perfect setting. Philosophy requires discussion, and the small classroom allowed for that. To be honest, philosophy was something I was always interested in trying, but after this class, I've found that I liked the idea of it better than the actual study of it. Which is absolutely the point of college! I am so glad I took this course for the sole reason that it made me realize that I wasn't really that great at it. But, that's not to say I didn't enjoy my time, and made it work for me (the paper I'm currently writing is about happiness for the anti-theist, as I am myself). Even if you don't totally love a class, it's always great to try them. It'll help solidify your major choice, and also make you more well-rounded as an individual (and maybe have some deep thoughts, right?).

I had a really great first semester, with classes that allowed me the needed free time to adjust to college life, but also got some of my GCR's out of the way. Next semester I get to take classes more catered to me, now that I'm more secure in what I do and don't like. I had a good mix of lectures and small classes, so I truly did have the full freshman experience.

If you're a prospective student or even a fellow freshman and looking for some course-selecting advice or further explanation about academic life here, don't hesitate to shoot me a line at gmdepalo@gwmail.gwu.edu. I'm addicted to my Blackberry just like everyone else, I promise.

See you around campus,
Gina Michele

Lunch with Middle Eastern Study-ers!

My last post touched on why I picked my major: Middle Eastern Studies.  Well, on Friday I got an email inviting me to lunch with Professor Marc Lynch, head of the MES program, and Professor Ilana Feldman, who is in the Anthropology department but deals with areas in the Middle East and teaches courses for International Affairs students.  I just had to RSVP!  That's not the kind of opportunity you pass up.  Free food AND networking with future professors and experts in the field you wanna pursue?  Yeah.

First off, and most importantly, THE FOOD WAS SO TASTY!  It was catered Middle Eastern food; there was hummus and pita of course, dolmas, rice, baba ganoush, and these shredded chicken and beef things to put with your pita.  And for dessert, 2 types of baklava.  So yeah, really good stuff.  That alone made the luncheon worth it for me.

Now for the headliners: Professors Lynch and Feldman are just so smart.  I was wowed at how intelligent yet down-to-earth they were, and they were incredibly helpful in answering questions--both career and MES related.

The event was a part of International Education Week, a State Department and Department of Education initiative to promote international educational and cultural exchange.  There's one for the Asian Studies department tomorrow (if you go here, RSVP! there's still spots!) and I'm sure there's one for Latin American Studies kids too, but that probably filled up, or I would have been told to plug it by the Elliott School people who were running the show.

Not that I should be plugging Elliott over any of GW's other schools, but I really do appreciate their outreach.  I get a weekly email detailing all Elliott School events for the upcoming week or two, and reminders for bigger events as well.  Speaking of outreach (and terrible segues), I'm here if you have any questions about GW, DC, Elliott, or anything!  Keep emailing!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu

<3 Shireen

A Trip Through Campus: A Picture Blog

So on Veteran's Day this year, I decided to take some pictures of my travels throughout the day, to give you a little taste of what campus life has to offer.

The view on the Vern Express- There's the Potomac!

My office- The Office of Alumni Relations

My sweet desk

                     The United Church- 20th and G- Many student groups host performances here; affectionately known as "The German Church"

                                                                                   The Quad

Fojol Brothers-fast (delicious) Indian food getting hounded by

GW students in front of Lisner

Entrance to Kogan Plaza, another hang-out spot (chalk advertising a charity open mic)

                               Oh, hello hotdog

The "Dome" nice to sit under/do homework on a sunny day

Aftermath of Veteran's Day Memorial Service

      Veteran showing a student how to "Suit Up"

    I walk down 21st St.often cus it's purty

GW eatery: Carvings, good food

This, my friends, is President Knapp's house

(across the street from Alumni House)

  Boom!  Famed poet Thomas Sayers Ellis dropped in on my poetry class that day

      I wish I had any idea why this street has had scaffolding up for so long
(Walking to the Elliot School for class)

   Boom! The Elliot School of International (aka awesome) Affairs

Best coffee on campus- Juan Valdez

Me being overly excited about the Christmas display in Juan Valdez

 My friend Jeenie LOVES her quality coffee

This guy plays every night outside the metro

                 My friend Shimmy Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro station (Why yes, even the metro reps GW)

Let me know if there is any part of campus you'd like to see through my eyes!!: magalae@gmail.com

As always you can send me your questions, comments, and suggestions!

FALLing in love with the Mount Vernon Campus (The Vern)

So I realize this is kind of a late post since fall is now giving way to winter, but I wanted to take the chance to show you some of the beautiful pictures I captured of the Mount Vernon Campus last weekend. Coming from Texas where trees come in two colors, brown and an occasional green for a short time, the red, crimson, orange, gold, yellow, and brown leaves carpeting the lawn fascinated me. I hope you enjoy.

These are the Hillside Commons- Cole, Merriweather, Clark,  and Hensley.

SQUIRREL! 

Main academic building on the Vern

Come play tennis with me on one of our 8 beautiful courts...Isn't this picture perfect

 Remember that the Mount Vernon Campus facilities are open to all GW students so even if you choose to live on Foggy Bottom, you can still come enjoy the nature from time to time or do that and get Sunday Brunch J It is so nice for these last few days to be able to open the windows and let our dorm fill with the aromas of fall. I truly love these new things called seasons and can’t wait for Winter, but then I’m going to have to learn to wear pants/jeans. YIKES!!!!!

I can’t wait for the holidays and hope all of your applications are getting done. In a few months, your future will be ahead of you as the Cherry Blossoms come to bloom. Hopefully you will consider the dual feel GW offers- the city and suburb feel or a downtown campus and liberal arts college atmosphere

Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments that you may have about my post or anything about GW in general and if I can’t answer your question to my satisfaction, I’ll find out from a friend.

-Brandon M.

brmoore@gwmail.gwu.edu

Majors and Minors and Concentrations, Oh My!

Cheesy title?  Check.  Apparently that's kinda what we GW bloggers do...

Ha but really.  I'm the type of person who is CONSTANTLY re-working my four year plan to make sure I've gotten all my classes right and whatnot.  With a double minor, two languages, and a potential semester abroad, I've got a pretty tight schedule.  I don't have room for ANY electives.  Period.  But I'm ok with it because I love my classes--for the most part.  I'm not the biggest fan of the math/science requirement (see a few posts ago!) and some GCR's (General Curriculum Requirements).

So as a result of my recent craze over four year planning (which for me is now 2-1/2 year planning), I've decided I'll take it upon myself to give some sage pointers for choosing a major.  It's perfectly OK to come into your freshman year as an "Undecided" major, but there's certainly a sense of satisfaction and peace of mind in already having at least an idea of what you want to do.  It's much easier than having to transfer schools after freshman year or what have you.  I have several friends this year who were in Columbian College and decided to switch to SMPA (School of Media & Public Affairs) or the Elliott School (International Affairs).  I even had one friend who changed his major from Engineering to Math to International Business--that's quite a leap!

This link goes to ALL of our Majors, Minors, and other academic offerings.  Some of them may surprise you.  Like, "Do schools really let you minor in that?  That's so cool!"  or "So GW doesn't just have poli-sci and diplomacy freaks? Whoa!"  Or something along those lines, hopefully.  See what you find!

I chose my major based on things I like to read and watch on TV, really.  It sounds very simple and inane, but I always really liked things with an international focus--languages, especially, and I was always fascinated with religious conflict (odd, I know.)  I'm also super interested in criminals, particularly serial killers and cults (even more odd, I also acknowledge that).  And adding all those things up, I amounted to a Middle Eastern Studies major with a double-minor in Religion and Criminal Justice.  How can I combine those interests into anything applicable?  That's the tough part.  But for now, I'm studying the things I'm most interested in, even if they don't have much of a correlation.

As always, email me for any reason under the stars: ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu
<3 Shireen

Cooking on Campus

As a freshman at GW, it's true- your options are limited. You will have a fridge as well as a microwave, but it is rare to have a kitchen available to you unless you are lucky as some of the dorms do have shared kitchens on the floor. Starting sophomore year, the options increase as you will most likely have a full kitchen.

So what are the basics that you can look forward to for easy, college cooking that is healthy and delicious?

• Pasta: When you have a mix of different sauces, cooking a whole pot of pasta and eating it throughout the week isn't boring. I try to always have traditional marinara, pesto, and alfredo sauces on hand with parmesan.Canned foods: Tuna, soups, veggies, refried beans- these are all great items that are quick and easy to make without sacrificing taste and nutritional value.
• Eggs: Whether you make scrambled eggs for breakfast or hard boiled eggs for a snack, eggs are a great way to get easy protein. I am a big egg salad sandwich fan.
• Fruit/yogurt: For on the go meals, I always keep apples, oranges, and yogurt on hand. It's not hard to find them either, considering you can buy it on your J Street money.
• Tortillas: Burritos and quesadillas are a top meal option for me, because I can use any leftover scraps to pull together and then throw them in the microwave!                                                                                                                                   

These are all some quick options, but maybe at some point I'll post some of my extravagant recipes at some point! At this point, I've made chili, stir fries, cookies, sweet potatoes, and more.

Questions? marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu

- Marisa

Exercise Activities and Clubs: Throwing Opportunity Away

One thing you may have heard about GW students is that we can be opinionated. Here's an example I wrote up (and it's serious).

Dear President Knapp and GW Administration,

I'd like to introduce myself as a big fan of your work in keeping GW near the top of my academic field of interest. In fact, across a broad range of issues on academia and student life, I can do so unequivocally.

But right now, I and more than 1000 other students have a big problem: the building plans for the upcoming Science and Engineering Complex, as a part of which the old K Gym on 23rd and H Streets will be torn down.

Why do we care, you ask?
Well, have you ever tried to practice Kendo in your dorm room?

As a member of the Exercise Science Kendo program at GW throughout my time here, I've been privileged to participate in the sport since my time as a freshman. Kendo, Japanese for "way of the sword", is a great way to decompress from the stress of class and work; it's given our team unique experiences and--listen up, Alumni-donations folks--will be one of my defining college memories.

After a tough period last year, the club's finally getting back on its feet with enthusiastic new recruits who'll soon be able to play for GW at intercollegiate tournaments.

Except, that is, for the fact that as early as next semester, and at the latest by next year, not only Kendo but many other EXSA classes and extracurricular groups will be without a place to practice. (I go into detail about available spaces after the end of this message.)

This will starve over a thousand students of fun, healthy social activities. There are two things that strike me as especially ironic about this:

First, one of the major perceived weaknesses of GW is lack of "school spirit". It's common knowledge that attendance at most Varsity games is anemic, and compared to most other colleges, GW-branded merchandise is not so common a sight on campus. The administration and the SA have tried for years to make GW some spirit, with what I contend is little visible result. This isn't their fault--it's because school spirit can't be manufactured. It has, like so many other forces with the power to shape society (read: the power to bring in more donations from alumni) to come from the ground up.
The EXSA classes and extracurricular clubs provide this spirit, in an authentically GW way. Yes, some folks will wave their pennants or whatever at the basketball games, and I am sure the memories of college they'll take away are as good as any of mine.
However, as the administration and student leaders well know, this sentiment is not as widespread as it should be. Kendo's been happening here for over a decade and has represented GW by playing Harvard, Cornell, NYU, Virginia Tech, the U.S. Military Academy, Rutgers, George Mason and many other worthy schools in tournaments from Virginia to Massachusetts.
To me, it just doesn't make sense to put the student groups affected here out of business while claiming that GW has to build school spirit. It just doesn't make sense to force massive cancellations in the EXSA schedule and undermine the quality of life of so many students enrolled in EXSA classes.

Second, this problem is a solvable one. Neither I nor any other student will ask that the SEC not be built, or that K Gym remain standing: even if those goals were desirable--and I don't believe they are--that ship, as they say, has sailed with the Board of Trustees' recent approval of the SEC. What it takes to solve this problem is this: a grant for EXSA and the extracurricular clubs, either of some dedicated space or of some booking rights in buildings shared with Athletics or Campus Recreation.

We are not asking for money--in fact, we as a club pay for the privilege of using GW space. Not one of us receiving an athletic scholarship or athletic support of any kind.

We are not asking for "prime" spaces during the week in Marvin, the Smith Center or Lerner. As it is today, Kendo practices happen 10-11 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays, 7-8:30 PM on Friday, and 1-3 PM on Saturday.
Do these sound like times when any but the dedicated and committed would show up for?

We are not asking for unfair or preferential treatment for some students. Clubs accept, and we teach, all comers from the student body and the GW community.


All we asking for is that the administration and student body leaders--both inside and outside the SA--support school spirit and the long-term interests of GW.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I and many others eagerly await your response.

Adam S. Humayun

Here's the list of spaces on campus:
Lerner Health and Wellness Center: good luck booking rooms--LHWC's group fitness classes have most available spaces taken up throughout much of the week. The earliest even a few clubs can get is often after 9. Imagine for a second what the situation will be once not only Kendo, but Tae Kwon Do, Aikido and whole host of other sports clubs have to compete with a full schedule of group fitness classes...you get the drift.

Lloyd Gym at the Mount Vernon Campus: Partially blocked off, and difficult to book space in for the same reasons as LHWC. Again, this problem is only going to get worse once K Gym is torn down and EXSA classes as well as extracurricular clubs are left to grab the scraps.
(Also, the basement ceiling is too low to swing a shinai, or bamboo sword.)

Charles E. Smith Center: Used exclusively by GW's Athletics department, this facility has two auxiliary gyms that would be perfect for accommodating the exodus of EXSA and club folks.
However, there seems to be a rule that non-Varsity players can't use these basketball courts, so they sit there, unused.

----
Questions? Comments? Let me know at ash1290@gwmail.gwu.edu.

Early Decision

Is Early Decision right for you?  Well if it is, I hope you got your application in 4 days ago, because that was the ED1 deadline!  But there's still hope for you if GW is your absolute 100% positive favorite school on your application list.  We have Early Decision II, which is due January 10th!

The thing about ED applications, whether you apply for the first or second deadline, is that they are BINDING.  Full disclosure: I applied early decision, but NOT to GW.  I was deferred to regular decision (which they do sometimes), and in the time between not being accepted ED and when decisions came out in April, I realized that I didn't want to go to that school anymore AT ALL.  In fact, my interests changed almost entirely, and I had my heart set on a different major, a different school, and even a different city!

For that reason, I am soooo glad my ED experience didn't work out--I couldn't imagine how my life would be if I had gone anywhere else.  But that's not to say that the choice isn't right for some people--perhaps people who did better college research than I did?  Or rather, better on-site research?  (I visited only 3 of the schools I applied to...)

Here's what the admissions page says about Early Decision:

"Early decision is a great option if you are certain that GW is your first choice. If you elect to apply early decision, GW has two binding deadlines—November 10 and January 10—from which to choose. Students admitted early decision will receive priority registration for orientation and housing selection. They are given the same consideration for scholarships and, if applicable, need-based financial assistance as students admitted regular decision.
Please keep in mind that early decision at GW is binding. If admitted, you agree to attend GW, to submit a nonrefundable enrollment fee by the deposit deadline and to withdraw all applications submitted to other colleges. "

The ED2 deadline is the same as the Regular Decision deadline (01/10/2011), so that allows you plenty of time to think everything over and be absolutely sure that this is the place you want to be--though I can't imagine why it wouldn't be!

Questions on ED2... or anything?  Email me!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu

~~~Shireen

Registration!

As you can tell from several other bloggers, selecting classes is incredibly important aspect of college.  It is a great change from high school, since there is a multitude of electives that you can pick each year.  During freshman year, you get the opportunity to select from a set of generally required courses that give you a strong introduction to several different fields.  This helps to prepare you for the second semester of sophomore year when you can officially declare a major. 

I am double majoring in political communication and international affairs out of the Columbian College for Arts and Sciences.  Double majoring is a neat option because you get to delve into two subjects and you can create a structure around your entire academic experience.  Most of my friends are only pursuing one major, which allows for greater variance in class selection and can open up more study abroad opportunities, depending on your major.  I also know a girl who applied to start her own major in Human Rights it was accepted and turned out to be a great experience.    

Regardless of which option you choose, there are tons of interesting classes offered within every department and major.  GW also utilizes the DC labor force to get working professionals to teach classes.  Having practitioners teach about what they learned over their years of experience greatly enhances the classes and can lead to interesting debate.  I have had teachers from US State Department, the World Bank, and from a public consulting firm.  They were all great resources.

As always feel free to email me or just leave a comment!

-Paul

pwaters@gwmail.gwu.edu

Blast From The Past- My Freshman Schedule Part II

Hey guys, I thought I would continue with my last post talking about my freshman year. That post includes my fall classes while this one will cover the spring! Here are the 5 classes I took in the spring semester, which again all filled requirements for the Elliott School except for the biology class:

Intro to International Affairs: The supposed dreaded class of freshman year for IAFF majors, I didn't find this class too horrible. While topics I am interested such as human rights, NGOs, and health across the globe weren't really introduced until the end of the course, it gives a great background into IAFF.

Intro to Macroeconomics: The second half of econ classes required, this focused on national economic issues such as unemployment, inflations, how money is controlled, and so on. It was really interesting to learn some background but the concepts seemed harder for me to grasp than microeconomics. Some people say the opposite.

French 10 Culture and Society II: The continuation of the 3rd year of a foreign language, this course focused on political systems in France and grammar. I enjoyed it mostly because I had a great teacher!

Africa Problems and Prospects: While this class was a bit dull at times, I loved learning the current events and it definitely helped me gain some background knowledge before I studied abroad in Botswana (see my post here). The only frustrating thing is that your grade is based off of a midterm and final, both 50%.

Biology For Science Majors: Okay, you're probably super confused now. Why the heck would I try taking this class if I don't need it/am not a science major? It's because I am thinking about being pre-med, and would rather use my elective space to fill those credits. It has been one of the best courses I've taken at GW so far, focusing on ecology, evolution, population biology, diversity, and animals.

Questions? Need help structuring a good freshman schedule? marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu
- Marisa