Jake's Blog http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&rss=p4Ihq32c Thu, 23 May 2013 07:58:46 GMT Thu, 5 May 2011 17:26:31 GMT Copyright © 2011 Rockford College The end is here... http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=125140 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=125140 Thursday, May 5, 2011

Hey fellow Regents! The last week is FINALLY here! Hopefully, all of the hard work and commitment you've put in toward your classes and this semester is paying off for you here in the end. With each semester that passes, I find it more challenging to balance the workload from my classes with everything else. It always ends up working out somehow, though!

I've been researching a lot for a 10-20 page paper for one of my classes, working on it, while also trying to prepare a 15-minute presentation for another one of my classes on a final project that takes many hours to complete! It will all pay off in the end when summer arrives and maybe finally some nice weather as well!

Hopefully, you have some neat plans this weekend for Mother's Day. I think my family and I were planning on taking my mother out to dinner at some nice Italian restaurant in the Rockford area. There are many of those to choose from!

I wish you good luck as the semester end and I hope you have a very enjoyable stress-free summer 2011! It is what you make of it, always remember that!

Until next time...

Jake

]]> Thu, 5 May 2011 18:26:31 GMT Thinking Ahead http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=124628 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=124628 Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Hey guys! This may be the last time you hear from me for the schoolyear because of the craziness that will be the last week of classes and finals week! I have a BIG final project due for my Business Forecasting class in less than two weeks that is going to definitely take up some good chunks of time! I hope you are not getting overwhelmed like I am starting to.

Hopefully you have some interesting plans for this upcoming summer! I will be working a lot and also studying a lot because my Philosophy Senior Seminar class is being taught over the summer. I hope to get out and see a few baseball games and take a day's vacation or two as well. It would be really neat to go up to Minneapolis and see the Minnesota Twins new state-of-the-art ballpark and visit the Mall of America with my fiancee.

I am excited because I will be graduating in December of this year now! It makes things a lot more hectic for me, though. I have already had to start thinking about possible jobs after graduation and places to live. As with anything, it will work itself out in the end in a way that's good.

Good luck studying for finals!

Until next time...

Jake

]]> Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:16:06 GMT Spring Surprise http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=124004 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=124004 Thursday, April 14, 2011

Hey fellow Regents! Everything has been a whirlwind lately! And no, that's not just because another semester's end is approaching! I actually found out I will be graduating a semester early, this fall 2011. I've been so busy filling out forms to be able to get all my classes in to graduate then and figuring out plans for the summer!

Do you have anything planned yet for the summer? I will be practically working full-time and will be taking my Philosophy Senior Seminar course. I would also like to get to see a couple of baseball games and take a trip or two in the free week or two that I will have.

I am excited to see the Guys and Dolls play that will be performed here in the next couple of weeks. My fiancee and I have been looking forward to it all semester and it will also be a good meaningful way to fulfill our last Forum Series requirement for the year!

I wish you good luck as the semester nears its end. Chances are you're starting to hit a pretty high stress level with all the papers and exams that are getting crammed in these last few weeks and that's alright. It's not human if you don't experience it!

Until next time...

Jake

]]> Thu, 14 Apr 2011 21:35:14 GMT Boom, not Bust http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=122993 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=122993 Thursday, March 31, 2011

Hey guys! Have you ever hit one of those "slow-down periods" throughout the semester? What I am talking about is you start off with only some work and then hit the frenzy period of mid-terms, but after that it's back to not as much work.

That's what I am in now with my classes. It's difficult because I have a ton of papers and exams that will be due at the end and I can get started on them right now to get ahead. I am finding it hard to do that though because of the nice weather and the temptation to just procrastinate! I hope you have more will than I do and are taking advantage of the "slow-down period" to get ahead in your classes.

Campus life has been especially booming as it always does at this time. I've seen a lot of motivated students in the library doing their best and studying hard as well as a lot of activities going on around campus! For instance, RC Intramural has been doing a lot of fun sporting activities this semester!

Bring on April and let's keep enjoying the Rockford College life!

Until next time...

Jake]]> Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:04:13 GMT Max http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=122553 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=122553 Thursday, March 24, 2011

Hey fellow Regents! Here we are toward the end of March and the temperature is below 40 degrees when it was just close to the 60s recently. What in the world is going on?! I don't know about you, but I need some nice spring weather to keep me extra motivated as the semester nears its end. I find it easier that way because I know that if I put the work in first then I will receive the reward of enjoying the nice weather in the end!

Something really neat I found that was going on this week on campus was for a 12-year old boy. Max, the young boy, is a terminal cancer patient that Rockford College was sending a big "thinking of you" card, too. It is impossible to imagine what Max and other people in his condition go through. It really inspires you to say good things to him. I signed the card myself and saw many other students taking the time to so as well. It is amazing the power a large group of people can have when they come together to make a difference in the life of another human being. This whole experience made me proud to be a part of Rockford College.

If you still are interested in signing the card, it will be available at the Mail Desk Area tomorrow, Friday, March 25, from around 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. It will also be available in the Admissions office from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. You are also more than welcome to submit your own cards.

Thanks for being great people here at Rockford College and I wish you all well!

Until next time...

Jake

]]> Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:53:03 GMT Energy at Seaver! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=120509 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=120509 Thursday, February 17, 2011

Hey Regents! I am coming at you with another blog entry so soon because I just have to describe the experience I had at the Seaver Center last night for the Women's Basketball Game. It was awesome, to say the least!

For starters, the Regents were having their Senior Night. For this, they were honoring two of their players who have had significant contributions to the team and are a big reason for their success. Also, the game was the official last conference game of the season for the Regents and was important to win for their overall finish in the standings.

I have never seen the stands so packed at a game. The bleachers were literally full! Pretty much every single parents of the girls on the team were in attendance and the student section was much larger than it normally is. It really made the game atmosphere even more intense through combining with the importance of getting the win!

The girls took the energy from the crowd and played at arguably the highest level they've played all season long. You could not possibly have been impressed by the swift passes and the tight defense that they played with. The tenacity and drive the Regents had to win was just amazing.

It was quite the sight to see them play so well and the best part was that they came away with a blowout victory! It was so exciting I just had to share it here!

I hope that you have a great weekend.

Until next time...

Jake

]]> Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:19:42 GMT Busy, busy, busy! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=120297 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=120297 Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Hey guys! The rush of the semester is in full force and it seems like it has been since day one about a month ago! I wonder if your schedule is as packed as mine! I ended up adding another course and am up to 18 credit hours again! It is a course I need to have fulfilled by the time I graduate next spring.  I am also working here on campus part-time and at another job part-time, but nobody ever said life as a college student is easy! While it may be more stress now, I just look at it as though it will be less stress later!

I can't believe we are already in the middle of February. I have been so thrown off not only because this month goes by so fast with the less amount of days, but also just because of how busy I've been! I literally woke up this morning and for some strange reason, thought it was Sunday or Monday!

There is always some time to have fun, though! I recently started getting back into the sport of hockey. It is really a good sport to hold yourself over with until the NFL season starts if you are like me and are a football fan. I also enjoy a lot of quality time with my fiancee.

I hope that the semester is continually going well for you and that you find yourself continually enjoying the Regent Life!

Until next time...

Jake




]]> Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:26:15 GMT Settling in for another semester http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=118983 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=118983 Thursday, January 27, 2011

Hey fellow Regents! Here we are in yet another semester at Rockford College. For some of us, that means we are in our last semester or for others, it could mean that we are back for the second go-around! For me, the time is winding down. I only have two more semesters left after this Spring 2011 semester is over!

I hope that your new classes are going smoothly. My schedule this semester is thankfully not as hectic as it was last semester, but still enough to keep my plenty busy! I am taking all 300-level courses! That is something I have never done before, but I am ready for the challenge and have been handling it so far. Unfortunately, I will be in store for even more of a challenge next school year with TWO Senior Seminars because of my double-major! Senior Seminar will definitely keep each of us busy whenever we have to take it!

I don't know about you, but I was definitely devastated by the Chicago Bears loss this past weekend to their bitter rival the Green Bay Packers for the NFC Championship. I've been a huge Bears fan for a longtime and was really thinking this year would be their year to win it all! Unfortunately, that dream will have to wait at least until next year. If you're a Packer fan or not a fan of the Bears, you must be pretty happy!

I hope you're enjoying another semester of the college experience!

Until next time...

Jake


]]> Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:26:25 GMT Another Semester's End http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=116565 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=116565 Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Here we are, Regents! At long last, the challenging finals week is upon us! I am sure you are all probably studying away into the wee hours of the morning to get the results you want for your classes. That is just part of the life of being a college student, but always remember that there is the great reward at the end of Winter Break! Time with family for the Holidays is close! Keep that in mind, and the final exams become a whole lot easier.

If you're in town over the Holidays, you should try to take some time to watch some Regents basketball in action! The men's and women's teams are both each filled with lots of talent on their rosters, and it is great to watch them play! I've been to a few games so far this season myself, and the atmosphere of the crowd combined with the nailbiters the games end up being just makes for a fantastic experience!

One thing is for sure over Winter Break and that is that this bitterly cold weather needs to go away! I am alright with the snow so long as it's not covering the roads and making them extremely difficult to drive in. However, the cold of below zero temperatures combined with the snow is just not a good combo. Hopefully, we will come back for the Spring 2011 semester with at least temperatures above 10 degrees!

I wish you all Happy Holidays and look forward to another semester when we get back! Take the time to relax and experience new things!

Until next time...

Jake

]]> Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:10:09 GMT Home Stretch http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=115578 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=115578 Monday, November 29, 2010

Greetings fellow Regents! Don't lose momentum now, we are almost there! There are just TWO weeks left of the Fall 2010 semester. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing probably varies for each of us, but I think it's safe to say for all of us that finishing a semester is always an accomplishment. As a student, all of the papers and exams add up and the work load does become increasingly burdensome as the semesters go by. However, it is always doable!

I hope that the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend went well for you. For me, it was a great time seeing family members and reminiscing on the good old times. Did you go out in the frenzy for Black Friday? Every single year I've told myself I was going to do it, but in the last minute, I chicken out and instead use the extra time off to sleep. This year was no different! At least the weekend wrapped up with a Bears victory! If you're a Chicago Bears fan, I'm sure you enjoyed their win like I did!

Now that Thanksgiving has passed all of us, the Christmas Holiday season is fast approaching and the time has never been better to be a Regent. There are a lot of great events coming up to help put us all into the Christmas spirit! Some, like The Frontiers Performance of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, are even aimed at a good cause! For this performance, you can receive half-priced admission for a toy donation for Toys for Tots. There is also the annual Wassail Party which is going on this afternoon to especially get us in the holiday mood!

I hope your classes are going well, and I wish you luck down the home stretch here for the remainder of the semester! Hang in there!

Until next time...

Jake]]> Mon, 29 Nov 2010 22:16:56 GMT Nice November! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=113533 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=113533 Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Hey folks! Here we are already in the month of NOVEMBER and the bulk of the semester is done! Now is that point of the semester where things either seem to slow down for a few weeks until final exams come closer or things tend to pick up speed! Which way are they going for you currently? Right now, things are slowing down a bit for me as I've gotten a couple of big exams out of the way in recent weeks. That won't last forever, though, especially as it is time to be looking ahead and picking out courses for the spring semester!

Have you met with your advisor yet to finalize your schedule for the spring? If not, you will definitely want to soon so you get the courses you want! My schedule is going to be a full load of 18 credit hours! It is a bit overwhelming the first time you do it, but after that, you may as well load up with as many credits as you can so why not do it?!

With Thanksgiving and the Holiday seasons approaching, now is the time to especially be thinking of how to help out those in need. Next week, November 8th through 12th, is Hunger and Homelessness Week and the JACCE is doing a wide range of things to have a positive impact on the lives of others! There will be a clothing drive the whole week as well as the annual Canstruction and even visits to Carpenter's Place along with providing a Thanksgiving Dinner to those in need at Emmanuel Lutheran Church! So if you have any time to help, the JACCE would be more than happy to have your assistance!

If you are looking for a good fall time this weekend, stop by near the Tennis Courts this Sunday night for the campus Bonfire Night! It is open to all students and will include hot cider, hot chocolate, and even s'mores! There will also be music! It will just be an enjoyable time overall for all students and provide a great way to close out the weekend! Be sure to join in the fun, it is from 7 pm to 10 pm!

I hope that the semester continues to go well for you and that you're enjoying the cool, but nice fall weather!

Until next time...

Jake
]]> Wed, 3 Nov 2010 22:30:03 GMT Fall Fiesta! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=111979 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=111979 Thursday, October 14, 2010

Hello all! What a great time for the fall season to really kick in! We need a fresh cool breeze rather than the thick and humid summer air we were all used to. In my mind, that provides a good relief while studying hard for mid-terms!

Do you have any plans for Fall Break? It's a great time to catch up on some hobbies or just relaxation time! My girlfriend and I are going to take a trip to Galena, Illinois to visit some touristry sites. Gotta make the most out of the time, whether staying on campus or not! Regardless of your plans for Fall Break, why not try to fit in a game or two to see witness our Regent athletics at full-force and in action?! During Fall Break, the Men's Soccer team will be playing at home against Benedictine University on Wednesday and the Regents Volleyball team will be squaring up at home against Concordia University Wisconsin on Thursday!

I wish all of you continued good luck in the semester and hope you each get the results you want on your mid-terms! Even if they don't turn out quite how you expected, you still have Fall Break to recuperate and a lot of semester left!

Until next time...

Jake]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2010 23:57:24 GMT ALMOST Halftime! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=110669 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=110669 Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Greetings fellow Regents! Weeks ago already, we were just beginning the semester. For a lot of you that meant getting adjusted to the whole new college experience. You were not used to all of the new people, the small class sizes, and having classes on different days. Now, I think it's safe to say the adjustment is just about complete!

Even after two years of being here, with this being my Junior year, I still find myself having to adjust with each semester. For instance, this past summer went by so fast that I had to keep telling myself that this was the Fall 2010 semester and not the Spring 2010 semester anymore! And with it being the Fall 2010 semester, there are lots of cool new events that have come up!

The Regents football team is always looking for your support as the guys give it their all on the gridiron! If you have a chance this Saturday, try and make it up to or at least tune in to their big game at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon, WI. Outside of that, Student Activities has plenty of exciting events planned for this semester! Among them, a trip to Edwards Apple Orchard on October 10, and an overnight trip to the Mall of America on the weekend of December 4 and 5!

I must say, I've been to Edwards Apple Orchard many times! Whether you've been there before or haven't, you've just gotta try it! Their apple cider donuts are wonderfully delicious and their entire shop is awesome!

I hope all is going well for you and that you continue to enjoy this fall semester!

Until next time...

Jake

]]> Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:56:47 GMT Back in Business! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=108586 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=108586 Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Hey fellow Regents! A new academic year is beyond us! It seems like summer went by so fast that it was just yesterday that we were here studying away! Time is deceiving, though, and it actually is the 2010-11 school year. The shock has especially hit me as I am now over halfway through my Rockford College experience and have officially started my junior year here!

I hope that you're enjoying it so far. If you're a new Regent, perhaps you've had some difficulty finding your way around campus here and there, but I'm sure that has just about become a thing of the past now! There are always many helpful individuals on this campus that are happy to help with anything if you have trouble! I find that this college is truthfully full of some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

How are your classes so far? Mine are pretty good, but they will definitely be keeping me on my toes as I am taking a full course load of 18 credit hours! Chances are you probably do not have a class in the new 5100 State Street classroom building, but even if you don't, you should definitely check it out! I lucked out to have a class in there and everything in that building is SUPER nice! The carpeting, the heavy wooden doors, the comfortable chairs, all make the atmosphere there just feel really neat!

We definitely have some cool events in store for this semester! Looking down the road, Student Activities has a weekend trip planned to the Mall of America this December! That should be a great way to relieve stress then since it will be around finals time. It will honestly be one of the coolest events I've seen yet here at RC! There also is going to be an interest Forum Event by Amber Madison talking about relationships next week! Keep in mind that you need to attend two of those per semester to satisfy graduation requirements. Why not get one in early?!

I wish you good luck and start as the semester has begun!

Until next time...

Jake

]]> Thu, 2 Sep 2010 00:02:59 GMT End of the Year: Blues or Happiness? http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=98924 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=98924 Monday, May 3, 2010

Hello RC community! Final exams are starting on WEDNESDAY! I hope you are ready for them. Don’t worry if you find yourself getting a bit overwhelmed though because it happens to all of us. If you feel that way, try to step outside and catch a breath of fresh air as the weather is so beautiful now! A little fresh air is always great for some stress relief.

I must say, the Lunch on the Lawn event from earlier today was by far the most fun event I’ve been to while at Rockford College! While all events here on campus turn out to be great times, Lunch on the Lawn was just everything you could want as a college student. Tons of free food was available, ranging from hot dogs and burgers to sno-cones and cotton candy. And to top it all off, there was lots of cool games, like Bungee Racing and an inflatable obstacle course. It was just a blast all-around.

Hopefully, the semester has turned out as you were anticipating it to. If not, there are plenty more semesters ahead to rebound and if you are a senior about to graduate, congratulations to you and good luck on your future endeavors! What are all of your plans for the summer? I am possibly going to be busy with an internship, but will definitely enjoy the extra time soaking up the sun and enjoying time with my girlfriend.

Good luck on your finals and I hope each of you gets the results you want!

Until next time…

Jake

]]> Mon, 3 May 2010 23:40:41 GMT Spring Joy! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=95808 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=95808 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Greetings fellow Regents and soon-to-be Regents! Long time no talk! Is it just me, or has this semester seemed to go by as fast as time can possibly fly? The weather has begun to get nice again and we only have about five weeks left until final exams! Hang in there, it will be worth it in the end. If you still find yourself getting burned out, just go outside and get a brief whiff of fresh air!

With the spring season blooming around us, it means that baseball is back in action! The Regents men’s baseball and women’s softball teams both have great expectations for this season and will be frequently playing on campus throughout the rest of the semester. So be sure to catch some of their action when you get a chance!

As the outdoors are becoming much more suitable, now is a great time to get involved in the community as well! As always, the JACCE has been following our most famous alum, Jane Addams’, model in positively impacting the lives of others. If you are interested, keep an eye out for one of the JACCE’s Service Thursdays as the series provides a wonderful opportunity to play the role of Jane Addams throughout the area and in many different ways!

I wish you success and happiness as the semester is nearing its end! Keep it all going!

Until next time…

Jake

]]> Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:23:06 GMT Time to de-stress a little bit! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=92255 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=92255 Tuesday, February 16, 2010
 
Hello Regents! It is hard to believe, but the month of February is already over HALFWAY done! Chances are that you are starting to hand in your first big paper, have your first big exam, or you are at least close to doing so for your classes. I know this week is my first exam in American Government, and it is going be a challenge! Not only that, but it is also worth about 25 percent of my grade for the class! Talk about stressful, but you just gotta do it and have confidence in yourself.

Are you starting to find yourself feeling burned out from all your course work? Luckily, Student Activities has been going all out to relieve stress lately and bring you peace of mind! They have a great comedian and magician coming tomorrow night at 8 pm in the Lion’s Den in Dennis Watkins. Over the next several weeks, they are sponsoring trips to many sporting events, such as, a Rockford Ice Hogs Game, and even a Chicago Bulls NBA basketball game! To top it all off, there will be an Iron Chef quesadilla making competition in the Burpee Cafeteria on February 24th from 11:30 am to 1 pm! So if you are in the mood to show off your cooking skills or just sample what should be some great food then why not join in?

In addition to all the activities, let’s not forget that now is the time to remember and commemorate the past as we honor Black History Month. We all can learn something new when doing so and just grow to become even better human beings. There are some great Black History Month events which have been going on throughout the Rockford College campus and there are definitely still more to come! For instance, there is a forum event scheduled for this Thursday at 4 pm in Fisher Chapel featuring famous actor Steven Cole, who will give us a taste of what the past was like as he re-enacts one of the most significant Black History figures, Frederick Douglass. Also, do you enjoy reading or have an interest in Black History literature? If so, then check out the English Department’s "A Read Aloud of Black American Voices” to gain a further appreciation for this month as the stories and experiences of central figures in Black History will be shared.

Keep hanging on! The semester is speeding by so fast that we are only about two weeks away from Spring Break! I wish you continued good luck and success with everything!

Until next time…

Jake
]]> Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:52:29 GMT Groundhog's Day, bring on the Spring! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=90587 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=90587 Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Hello fellow RC friends! What do you know? We are already in the fourth week of the semester! I hope the semester is going well for you and that you are feeling comfortable with your classes and the college life in general. If you find yourself needing some motivation, look at the calendar! The month of January is behind us and we are getting closer every day to the arrival of spring! I don’t know about you guys, but I am happier when spring comes. Winter just doesn’t do it for me with all the bad roads and ice.

I think there is one depressing part about the arrival of spring, though. NO MORE FOOTBALL! I am a HUGE football fan, and it is always a challenge to get used to not throwing on my jersey and kicking back to relax and enjoy the Sunday afternoon games. At least the Super Bowl is quite the way to finish off each season with a bang! Speaking of Super Bowl, are you looking for something to do this Super Bowl Sunday? Then, join the fun in the Lion’s Den starting at 4 p.m. for the 2010 Rockford College Super Bowl Party! There will be plenty of FREE food and even prizes! What a way to celebrate the biggest sporting event of the year!

Right now, as always, we must remember our motto here at Rockford College, "Think. Act. Change Your World.” Our Student Government (SGA) is doing just that with the relief donations it has been collecting for the Haiti earthquake recovery. The SGA has been going all-out in trying to gather $1,000 to send to Haiti to assist in the recovery. It was such a terrible unexpected tragedy that happened there, and if such a disaster happened here, we would want others to help us. So if you have a few extra dollars to spare, consider donating to the SGA and doing a good deed for some people that definitely are in need in Haiti. The SGA sent out a campus-wide e-mail mentioning where and when the collections will be taking place throughout this week so be sure to be on the lookout for that.

In the mean time, I wish you good luck with the semester as it rolls on and remember to stay warm!

Until next time…

Jake
]]> Tue, 2 Feb 2010 18:48:45 GMT BIG things to come! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=89488 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=89488 Thursday, January 21, 2010

Hello once again all! After the nice long extended weekend with the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, we are already almost to another weekend! If you have been feeling stressed with your load from classes or other activities, just keep that in mind!

Speaking of this weekend, are you looking for something to do? Why not take advantage of the time to possibly save a life and donate some much needed blood? The "Rock N’ Roll Up Your Sleeve” Blood Drive will be HERE on the Rockford College campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on this Saturday! Stone and Double T from 104.9 the X will be here supporting the Rock River Valley Blood Center, and you can even register to win PRIZES! It is not often that we have an event like this where so many lives can be touched!

Once the weekend passes, it will be Monday and time for the first Forum Series event of the semester as Dr. Peter Phillips comes to discuss "Media Democracy in a Time of Truth Emergency.” If you have forgotten about the Forum Series, let this serve as a reminder! You must attend two of these per semester in order to fulfill graduation requirements. I usually try to make it to one of the first couple Forums so I at least have one under my belt as the semester moves on, but you should make sure to pick ones that seem interesting to you! The Forums may be a graduation requirement, but they are also thought-provoking and insightful and do have quite a nice selection to choose from for which ones to attend!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and stay safe with all the hazardous wintry conditions!

Until next time…

Jake

]]> Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:09:25 GMT An extended weekend ALREADY?! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=89481 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=89481 Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Greetings all! Hopefully your weekend went as splendid as mine did! I relaxed around my home, hung out with my girlfriend, watched some football, saw some family a bit, and basically just tried to make the whole weekend like my Winter Break was, a blast! Wasn’t it great to start school and so soon already have a long weekend? You had the chance to become familiar with the new semester and already get a nice break afterwards!

While it may have been great to enjoy this past weekend, I think we must all not forget that yesterday was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, in honor of the phenomenal and historic civil rights leader. Unlike many days off or vacations, Dr. King’s Day is not meant to be simply another day to party or ignore the rest of the world. Instead, it is a time to remember Martin Luther King, Jr. and thank him for the peace and leadership he brought to us that could never be replaced or forgotten.

What better to do on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day than to be your own leader and help out around the community! That is exactly what the JACCE did in organizing and handling volunteer work for Goodwill and the Rockford Rescue Mission. I think they definitely had the right idea in taking advantage of the extra time off to go out and spend it in a way similar to how Dr. King would have spent it.

We are always civically engaged and thinking of others at Rockford College. Here, we all come together to form a bond that just like our Alumni song, "Decus et Veritas,” declares is "Deep Graven On Each Heart.” Once you are a Regent, you are always a Regent. No matter what challenges lie before us, we will prevail! Now with classes really in full swing and the semester well on its way, there is nothing we can’t accomplish!

Until next time…

Jake

]]> Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:01:48 GMT Class Now In Session! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=88829 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=88829 Thursday, January 14, 2010
 
Hello RC community! Now your nerves can officially relax a bit! We are now a couple of days into the new semester and while times may not necessarily get easier from here on out, at least you won’t have to worry about that first appearance in a new classroom anymore for right now! There may be plenty of rough papers and exams down the road in the semester, but the nice thing is that we have plenty of resources on campus to help you deal with academic stress.
 

As mentioned in my previous blog entry, there are many events and student activities which you can get involved with on campus to help take your mind off of things. Whether it is singing your heart out in Karaoke Night TONIGHT in the Lion’s Den or gracefully skating at Carlson Ice Arena on Friday Night, there is plenty of room for fun! After the fun, there are obviously the courteous professors all over campus who are always willing to meet with you outside of class if you need some assistance in understanding the course’s material. In particular, when you are writing papers, DON’T forget about the Writing Center! It is a very valuable tool that seems to slip from all of our minds when we are struggling to get that essay sounding the way we want it to!

Hopefully your first day of classes went well yesterday. Did they go the way you were hoping they would? Personally, I enjoyed them all. I am totally not a music or art person, but one of my classes for this semester is Music 101 to fulfill the studio arts area with the general education requirements. I was expecting it to be a bit overwhelming. Instead, the professor was very laidback and did a nice job of making the material much easier than I thought it would be.

If you haven’t taken a night class yet, I highly recommend you do so! I am taking two this semester, and it seems to make homework, jobs, and other things easier because they are only one night a week rather than three or four days a week! The workload is just about the same as day classes and night classes are especially nice if you are having trouble fitting in day classes with your course schedule. Be sure to not overlook the night section of a course you are looking to add!

Until next time…

Jake

]]> Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:48:54 GMT Time to get back at it! http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=88606 http://www.rockford.edu/members/blog_view.asp?id=532744&post=88606 Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Hello all! It is hard to believe, but winter break has already passed us by, and now it is time to go back to school! No one is ever anxious to go back to work or school after a long vacation, but I think being at a fine institution like Rockford College makes it all quite a bit easier. Unlike many other places, when you return from a long break at Rockford College, you are greeted with many affectionate smiles and just a warm, genuine overall atmosphere. I know this first-hand as a sophomore and a student worker. Today was my first day back from winter break, and everybody in the admission office was happy to stop by for a little conversation and ask me how my holidays went. It was almost as if I never left!

Next thing to do: buy your textbooks for your new classes. If you have not done so already, now is DEFINITELY the time to do so! With classes starting tomorrow, the clock is winding down!

It takes time to get settled in – and some of you are moving into the dorms for the first time and getting a taste of the whole college experience. As a way to make the transition easier, there are many events going on throughout campus! For instance, the Regents basketball teams will be having home games on Tuesday the 12th (women’s), Wednesday the 13th (men’s) and Tuesday the 19th (men’s). If you are looking to help out the community and become civically engaged like Jane Addams, I recommend that you join the JACCE in the Martin Luther King Day of Service. It is always great to attend some of these events because they are wonderful stress relievers, and it is not easy being a college student! Becoming even more active and familiar with the campus community, however, will make your experience that much more fun!
 
Best of luck with classes!
 

Until next time…

Jake

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