August 27, 2008 To my loyal blog readers… and to my new readers!

What can I say the summer has been… well more uneventful if anything but I have been working very, very hard. If you can recall my previous blogs, I am getting ready for one of my most life changing experiences: SPAIN! Yes, don’t worry I’ll still be writing to you all from Spain. I have been kind of preparing myself for the trip. I’ve been working at the admissions office for most of the summer as you may know. I’ve been trying to save money but it’s hard when you have to pay off a $1600 plane ticket on your credit card (by the way… research, research, research when it comes to a credit card!). It was a sad, sad day the 31st of July, my last day working at the admissions office for the summer. I will be back! (Once I return from Spain). But the fun did not stop at the admissions office, it continued at the Learning and Writing Center, which you all should check out when you get to campus. The “Ldub,” as we call it here using USF lingo, offers tutoring services for most subjects except the languages, which has its own center called the Learning Language Center. I am working with the “Ldub” as a peer mentor for the Foreword Summer Bridge Program. (Shout out to Foreword ’06!) It’s been a really great experience so far and I am really happy that I have the opportunity to be part of it (Thanks Char!). The week before last I was in training for the program and last week the students came and we have been working with them in schools, groups (Shout out to the School of the ‘Sco!!) and exposing them to the resources on campus through the various workshops we have planned for them. Five other mentors and I have been working really hard to make these two weeks the best way to begin their first semester of college. It was the most amazing experience for me, so I am really happy that the students in the program are part of it. I am really sad that I leave the week after the program is over because I won’t be here to be their mentor through the school year. I am planning to stay in contact with them through out the school year; we all know that Facebook and emails always work to stay in contact with people. It has been a rewarding and fulfilling experience so far and the program has yet to be over! I am excited, nervous, scared and even a little hesitant about my trip but I know that everything is going to be fine and I will have an amazing time. It’s crazy to even think that when I come back to the U.S. I will be a senior in college!! And you all thought high school went by fast, college will go by faster!! But it will be the most amazing and life changing four years of your life! The next time you hear from me I’ll be in ESPAÑA!

June 18, 2008 Hey everyone, I hope you all are having a FANTASTIC SUMMER!

I hope you all are having a FANTASTIC SUMMER! I know I am trying to enjoy mine as best I can. Just to give you guys a recap of what my school year was like as sophomore, we’ll begin with move-in day.                                                                                Since I live in the area and move-in for me wasn’t all that dramatic, it was all actually pretty easy. I just got all my things ready the week before move-in and said “Ok Mom and Dad, I am moving in to USF on Sunday” and they said “Ok, who’s taking you” and I said “Mayela” (one of my cousins) and that was it. During my freshman year I was always home, every weekend. So moving out was not really a big deal because I was home the next weekend and every weekend after that up until about November. I was part of Storytelling to Engage in Multiculturalism, a dialogue group organized by Multicultural Student Services, where we used different media to talk about class, race and gender. We were a great light hearted group. We always ate dinner together and got to debrief. We all laughed every week and it was really so much fun. I love my StEM group. At the end of the semester, we had a showcase where we read our poems, displayed our art work and ate together. We were really like a family away from home. Finals and my classes went really well. It was my first semester taking Voice and Piano Lessons for my Music minor and I am really happy how it turned out. I’m especially glad that the music department was able to put the recordings of all performers on our Black Board site. Now I can listen to my favorite performers live! They also added the performances for the Spring semester too! By the time Winter break came, I knew that before the next semester I had to prepare for my trip to Nicaragua, my application to study abroad in Spain, prepare my committee for the End of the Year Celebration for the graduating Latinos called the Latino Recognition Ceremony (LRC) AND get ready for school. I knew I was going to have a lot on my plate so I needed to get started fast. All four of the items were really important. I eventually came up with a great committee for LRC. The planning began right away and I could finally begin checking things off my list. Before I could even think about my trip to Nicaragua, I had to get all my paper work in for my application to study abroad. The Center for Global Education is awesome and helped me so much. I could and can always call my advisor to ask any questions that I had and was always given great help. They helped me get in contact with the university I was interested in and even researched the courses I was interested in taking. I was soooooo happy I had the opportunity to go back to Nicaragua with University Ministry because I hadn’t been there since I was ten. To see my family again and to have such a life changing experience is something I will never forget. The trip really impacted my world view and it reminded me to remember my privileges and to use them to change the lives of others. While I was in Nicaragua, I had the chance to check my email and there it was… my acceptance email to the University de Deusto in Bilbao, Spain! I forwarded that email to all my family and best friends because I couldn’t call them all! It really made my trip better than it already was. It ended great and I was able to acquire a great group of new friends that I will never forget. The Latino Recognition Ceremony was a success! Our committee did a fantastic job!! I am very proud of us for putting together such a hit that all graduates and their families enjoyed! I could finally relax and let things work themselves out the day of the event. I was really stressed out because in the midst of planning the event, I had to study and take care of all of my finals. I had to take a final the day of the event and a final due the day after the event. Just when I felt like I was almost done… Anyways, I’ll be sure to make sure that pictures from the event are posted on the Multicultural Student Services page soon (www.usfca.edu/mcss). My excitement for graduation only grew after I went to the graduate commencement ceremony. I was really excited for the graduates and I honestly cannot wait until that is me walking across the stage in my cap, gown and regalia. The sooner Spain comes the closer I am to graduation! As for my summer plans, I am just working as a student assistant at the Admissions Office for most of the summer in hopes of saving enough money for my trip to Spain. I also have to make sure my Visa goes through and all my paper work is taken care of for my academic year. I hope to also do some relaxing but so far I can’t complain because it’s all going pretty well. I am really excited about August because I will be a Peer Mentor for the Summer Foreword Bridge Program. I will be a mentor for incoming, first generation freshmen for two weeks. I was part of the Foreword Program when I was a freshman so I am really happy that I was given the opportunity to be part of it again.  By the end of August I will be on my way! Until next time! Ciao!

April 14, 2008 I am back!!!!

Hey everyone. Happy Spring. I know it has been a long time but I will make sure to get you up to date. So I ended my first semester of this year and ended the second semester with enthusiasm. I knew that this semester was going to be a busy one and it definitely has not let me down in that area. I had many things planned for this semester. I had all my school work to do. By the end of last semester, I had applied for an Arrupe Immersion Trip to Nicaragua. University Ministry puts on Immersion trips to a few countries like Mexico, Perú, Belize, New Orleans and this year for the first time to Nicaragua (where my parents are from). I had to finish fundraising for this trip and prepare for it to happen. I knew I could not get excited for my trip until I got of my things done on time and I knew it was all going to happen very fast. I am still taking voice and piano lessons and they are all going very well. I am getting better at both and it makes me very excited. I also got a piano. It is pretty and white and wonderful! I am very excited to have it! YAY! The other news that I have is that this semester I have also decided to study abroad for the next academic year and I put in my application in March.             These past couple of months has been so crazy and everything has happened so fast! School work is going well and getting done. My trip to Nicaragua was during our Spring Break and I still had to turn a midterm the day before I left. I did not pack until the night before I left. I was very nervous because it was my first time flying by myself. The trip went really well and it was a really rewarding experience. I had a great time. There were 10 girls, Fr. Donal Godfrey, Director of University Ministry, and my resident ministry intern Eve. The trip was very eye opening and I recommend that anyone interested in a trip like this to take advantage of the immersion trips that University Ministry offers. I was not ready to come back to school and am still not back to “normal” and I know I will not be but I know that I have to process it all.             While I was in Nicaragua, I had the chance to check my email and I received an email from the University I applied to in Spain to study abroad. I was admitted to the University!! I was sooo excited!!! It has not really hit me yet but it is starting to because come September, I will be in Spain!! IF YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO STUDY ABROAD AND WOULD LIKE TO, DO IT!!!!! You wil  be hearing from me soon with more good news! BYE!

April 14, 2008 One month left!!!

Hey guys! Now I know after you read my last blog, you were probably saying to yourself, "This chick is crazy and always has something to do! It is  true but I love being so active on campus. It makes me feel like my input is valued and wanted. I love being so involved and it is very rewarding. There is one month left of school and I have so much to do that I do not feel like the semester will never be over! I am still the co-chair for the Latino Recognition Ceremony and my committee and I have been very busy trying to get everything done on time. I know that it is all going to be great but it is a long road still to get there. For those of you who do not know, the Latino Recognition Ceremony or LRC is a graduation ceremony planned for graduating undergraduate and graduate latin@ students at USF. I am very excited about our event this year. It is all happening very, very fast.Getting ready for all the paper work for Spain is a hassle but I have to get it done and FAST! The advisors at the Center for Global Education are great and they help out a lot! I am slowly getting excited for my future travel plans. EUROPE HERE I COME!! I am part of a group called the Social Justice Educators Program, which is a group organized and guided by staff members from Multicultural Student Services, the Counseling Center and the Office of Residence Life. I love this group. As students, we are learning how to facilitate dialogue when talking about topics of class, privilege, oppression, gender etc. It is a great group and we are learning to put our skills to practice.  That is  all for now. Until next week! ADIOS!

November 21, 2007 School, School, School

Hi everyone! I hope you all are doing great! I am doing pretty well. I know last you all heard from me I was soooo busy and not getting any sleep. But I’m working on it actually. I am trying to get at least 6 hours of sleep every night and getting all my things done on time. Because I am trying to do that, I can write you all this blog right now...hehehe...Anyways School’s going good. I like my classes I have only missed one class this semester which is great; I am getting my money’s worth. I am also trying to stay healthy I am not trying to get sick (knock on wood) I figure as long as I don’t say it out loud I won’t jinx myself. I just had my midterm for my voice and piano lessons. Let me tell you I was a nervous wreck. First because the person that was going to play for me didn’t really know how I wanted her to play and I really didn’t have the vocabulary to tell her. In the end though it all worked out I got great feed back from the jury (that’s what the people are called that heard me sing and play). Papers are due and so are presentations and if I like it or not so are the second midterms .jeez! There’s no end! Anyways the fam and friends are good staying healthy and close. I just remembered this wee I have to register for classes and I am pretty sure that I’m going to get all the ones that I want. The only one I am nervous about is the science class because I figure lots and lots of non majors are trying to take their science requirement now. I’m trying not to stress out about it I am sure everything will be fine one day at a time .one day at time   Oops gotta get back to HW!...no worries you’ll hear from me soon!

October 03, 2007 School = Busy = NO SLEEP!

Hi everyone! I hope you all are doing great! What can I say title of my blog is the equation of my life right now. As I stated, there are not enough hours in the day to get everything and that’s where prioritizing comes in. My classes are getting much more demanding and I can honestly say they’re kicking my butt. On paper my classes and schedule actually sound perfect but it’s not until we read between the lines that it’s all clustered and chaotic. But what can I say, there’s nothing left for me to do but continue to put my best foot forward and remember that I am here to go to school and get my degree (that sounds so far away!).   Extra-curriculars are still there. StEM is going great we are all bonding and having a blast eating, talking and sharing our stories through things like art and spoken word. I love the group and I am exciting to continue meeting with them (I love you guys if you’re reading this!). I haven’t been able to get into Gospel Choir yet because I can’t go on the day that they meet. SO hopefully they arrange to meet another day so I can finally join! Last week was the first meeting for the University Life Committee for the Board of Trustees and I was super excited. Basically the University Life committee reports and oversees life on campus from things like on-campus housing to clubs and organizations to departments like Student Leadership and Engagement. We heard reports and presentations on housing and services offered to students. In addition to members of the Board, the Committee consists of Jesuit Brothers, professors, one graduate student representative and three undergraduate representative (I am one of them!) which include the Associated Students of USF (ASUSF) president. I felt really important to be on the committee because I am able to be a voice of my fellow schoolmates and inform the committee of student life and the issues at hand. We will meet again in December with a new agenda and I am so excited to go! Now for not as large of a role but just as important, as the Co-chair for LRC, I need to find a co-chair and committee members. So I am looking for students on campus are interested to help organize and plan the event. SO if you are a current USF Freshman- Junior (no seniors because this is your event sorry) looking to get involve please get in contact with Multicultural Student Services.   On a lighter note, non-school related, I finally got to see my family this weekend after two weeks. I know that’s not really a long time but it felt like it. I must go home next weekend because my older sis turns 22! Yay for her right L no I am excited for her actually   Here’s to another busy busy busy week get enough sleep everyone, I know I’m not Until next time

September 25, 2007 Back to school! Yay!

Hello to all out there! It is September and the beautiful weather here in San Francisco is fading sadly!... I’m so glad to be back on campus with my friends and to begin my journey as a SOPHOMORE! That sounds niceeeeee! I moved back in the 3 week of August and I was so anxious to see what my room looked like and who was where on my floor and most of all to see the AMAZING view we have! If you’re not jealous, well you should be because our view is of San Francisco (not the cafeteria)! I was extremely happy about that. I moved in with the help of my cousin and actually only my cousin. The process of leaving home this time was much easy because I already went through it. My parents and I knew that I wasn’t too far and that I was still going to be over all the time. I was and still ecstatic to be back! I was ready to begin all my classes and meet my professors. Basically I was ready to hit the ground running in terms of academic success. I am taking a Senior Seminar Spanish Class, Public Speaking, Statistics, Voice and Piano lessons. My professors are really nice and make me want to look forward to the rest of the semester. Extra-curricular activities are also on my plate and I knew which ones I wanted to be a part of. I want to be in Gospel Choir, StEM (Storytelling to Engage in Multiculturalism remember last year first semester it’s the same thing), and Co-chair of the Latino Recognition Ceremony. It’s not a lot right?! Didn’t think so Either way, I am really trying to be more organized and committed to school this school year and actually be a part of those things that I want to do.  Also some other great new is that I have been nominated to be a part of the Board of Trustees University Life Committee! Isn’t that exciting! I hear there are only 2-3 other students on the committee and we are the voice of the university for the Board of Trustees. Now that’s HELLA cool!   School’s beginning to get really busy with homework, readings and research. Again Time Management is essential. Between all this I have to find time to eat, sleep, relax, and go to the gym, socialize, and call my parents. There aren’t enough hours in the day for a college student! Take care and until next time! Adios!

August 08, 2007 Summer what’s left of it anyway

This is a shout out to all my loyal readers! Heeeyyy! So the last you heard from me I was just getting back from vacation in Mexico awww I miss it! Now I’m just working and being a home body. If you don’t know already I work at a really nice gym in Emeryville called Mavericks Sports Club. It’s a really nice relaxed environment with really, really nice people. In addition, I get a free membership because I am an employee which is really cool because now I’m getting into shape. The sad thing is that I will be leaving here by the 18th to move back to campus and will be returning to my campus job as a front desk worker at the Undergrad Admissions office. I am very excited to go back to school to see my friends and to live in the dorms again. I have to say though that living at home has been nice because I have connected more with my family. Once one returns home, they value the importance of family and the time spent with them. I have a very close knit family and I do appreciate that I have had the summer to bond with them more. I can’t wait to go back to school. I am actually very excited to start school because I’m taking great classes. I’m taking a senior seminar class, voice lessons, piano lessons, statistics and public speaking. I don’t have classes on Fridays (which was something that I really wanted!). I do miss the rush of school and having a busy schedule. I like to keep myself busy.   Now that my first year of college is over and I am beginning my second, I want to have so much fun and make to most of it all. The first year went by soooo fast that when it all ended, I was like “What?! It’s over?!? That was it?!”. I had so much fun though and I can’t wait to keep the trend going when I get back. I’m going to be living with the same roommate, Natalie, in Phelan Hall. We had a great time together so we decided to room together again. We are also going to be living with most of the girls that were on the 8th floor in Hayes on the 3rd floor in Phelan which I am so happy about. Most of them were in Foreword also. Most of the guys that were in Foreword are living on the floor above us. We’re still so close! It’s hard to believe that Foreword has already started and there is a class after us. I know that once their whole experience is over they will appreciate it as much as I did. They are going to have a blast, I’m soo jealous! But I’m glad I was part of it. I will be a year ago tomorrow on the 6th that I met all Foreword students of the Class of 06. Good times, good times. I love USF!   I hope you all will love it too Until next time, when school starts here we go!

July 31, 2007 Nostalgic Vacation

Hi Everyone! Hope you all are having an amazing summer! I know I am, well sort of. I just got back from vacation in Cancun, Mexico and it was a great trip! We had so much fun! We left on a Monday morning. I worked on Sunday night and had to race home to finish packing. I finished at about 12 and we left at 3 a.m. I took a three hour nap before we left and my sister’s boyfriend woke me up with his excitement and showed of his hair cut for the trip a Mohawk. It was very, very interesting. And we were off. The trip started off with 14 of us. Can you just imagine luggage and the pillows and people that were on the way to the airport and then the long line that we just made to check in our luggage? It was quite a sight to see I would have to say. It wasn’t the first time we had traveled in a huge pack. The flight was ok; a little uncomfortable but I was still alive. We stopped in Denver for two hours and the airport there had a really nice art gallery. I got really nice pictures. Then we were off to Cancun and the flight there was ok. The cool thing was that the seat in front of you had a small TV and there was satellite TV on the plane. I watched CSI and the Food Network (my FAVORITE channel). I really enjoyed the flight. Our days consisted of waking up and eating breakfast if it had not passed yet. Then we headed off to the beach to tan and swim. Then we would eat lunch, play some volleyball and then take a dive in the ocean. Once early evening hit we would go and get ready for dinner and get ready for the night. One night we had dinner at a restaurant at the hotel that served Brazilian style cuisine and another night we went to a Japanese cuisine restaurant. They were really nice restaurants and the food was HELLA good LOL! After dinner we would find out where the party was at and go with the entertainment crew of the hotel to the club. There were six of us and it was so much fun. Every night we went out we had a great time. Then I got sick. I was sick to my stomach and had the shivers and a fever. Everyone tells me it was Motezuma’s Revenge. I don’t know what it was but my stomach still isn’t the same.   Back to the good stuff, sorry for the grossness. On Friday we went to Xel-Ha and amusement park built on the Mayan River. It was cliffs and caves and you could swim with the dolphins. We went snorkeling and that’s mostly what you do there on the river. On Saturday, we went to the market and make our souvenir run for our family. We were surprised by my aunt’s parents who came from Florida and then two days later my aunt came with her family from Florida. At the end of the trip there were 24 of us. Yea you read it right 24 That is HELLA people I know. It wasn’t even half of the family actually. We spent our last day on the beach tanning, eating and enjoying each other’s company. It was nice actually. That night was off to packing. I wanted to make sure that I was all packed before I went for a swim the next day. Then I find out that my shoes, my favorite pumps were missing. Turns out someone stole them who I don’t know but I was thinking they are just shoes they can be replaced. But when I was at the airport, I was so upset that I will never see those again   I came home on Monday night extremely sad but happy to sleep in my own bed. I miss the warm sun and the powder soft beach and the clear water. But I’m home and to work I must go. More adventures to come I’ll make sure to keep you posted oh how I’ll miss Mexico .

June 05, 2007 End of the Year

Hi everyone!! Happy Summer, well for most of you. I know it’s been a while but here I am USF can’t get rid of me! What can I say; the two weeks of school were sooo sooo stressful. I had already turned in my Written Communication final; my next worries were three tests I had to take. I was most worried about my Macroeconomics final because it was a challenging class. Luckily, it was my first final. My next final was my Music theory class and I wasn’t too worried about because it is my minor. I went in feeling not too confident because I was so worried about all I had to do but I left feeling very good about it. Not only was I happy about three of four finals but the weather was great that week. So you guys remember the event I was co-chairing? Well if you don’t, I was co-chair for the Latino Recognition Ceremony which celebrates the higher education of graduating Latin@s. The event was the same week of finals so I was a busy bee. I still had one final to go and it was my Spanish final which consisted of three essay questions. It was one of those finals that you won’t know what to write about until you start writing. The problem was I had writer’s block for hours and hours. That has never happened to me before (there’s a first time for everything). So while thinking about everything being ready for the event, I had to think about what to write for my final. The day of the event came and it was so hectic. Everything was set but as usual with any event there are some glitches which were worked out. My committee kicked butt! The event was amazing! Everything worked out so well and the other committees helped us out so much. I was very happy to have been involved with the committee. Shout out to Multicultural Student Services!! Keep in mind by the time the event was over, I had one and a half essays done. So after the event no matter how tired I was I still had to finish my final. I was up until 3 am finishing my second essay. I decided to wake up early to finish my last paper. I had a couple of hours of sleep before I went to writing again. I finished my paper at 10 am. I was so relieved! Once I had finished, I had to get ready for the Committee luncheon that thrown by MCSS (HI MG and Simon!). What a great way to finish the school year, lunch at the Cheesecake Factory! I was sooo happy!   But the sad thing was that once I got back from lunch I had to finish packing It was very depressing My first year of college was officially over. My last final was turned in and everything in my room was almost packed. It was kind of like a walk down memory lane. I flashed back to when I first moved in during the Foreword Program and all the great friends that I have met. I was really sad that I wasn’t going to see them for three whole months. They were my family away from home and Foreword was a really important part of my college transition. I’m going to miss Hayes Healy. The staff is amazing. Then next thing was going home with ALL of my stuff.   Now I’m home and now completely unpacked. It took forever! Now got to find a summer job   I’ll let you know how it goes Ciao!

May 16, 2007 Finals are here.....

The life of a college student is busy. The life of a college student during finals week is CRAZY! I cannot begin to explain how much stuff I've had to do over the past two weeks. Paper after paper, test after test. I can honestly say it is not a fun time, not that it's meant to be. My Written Communications final was the first one I got through. I was relieved that class was finally over because I can say it was the hardest English class I have ever taken. My next hurdle: Macroeconomics. Now this class has worked me so hard since the semester started. The professor's style was hard to get used to but once I did the material was hard to get through. That final was at 8 am on Saturday morning, which was not fun at all. I stayed up until 3 am studying for it. I felt confident because I did know most of the material. Getting through it was the hard part. I have two finals left and I'm not as worried as I thought I would be. But I should be worried. The funny thing is that I am not as stressed as I was last semester. I think it's because I am ready for school to end. The worst feeling is knowing that you don't have any more classes to go to but knowing that you have finals to study for. It's a strange feeling not having things to do. I do have my classes still lingering over me even thought they are over. Maybe I'm just still in school mode.   As far as event planning goes, LRC is going great. Everything is coming together. Oops sorry, I'm just blabbing about LRC and you all may not even know what that is. It is the Latino Recognition Ceremony. It is the ceremony before graduation that acknowledges the accomplishments of graduating Latin@ students. We won't know what it will look like until the day but as of now we have to be completely prepared.   Ok back to studying? Bye!

May 09, 2007 Going Home...

I am very excited to go home this weekend. Because of the musical and school, I haven't been able to go home a lot and be around my family. I was so busy that I knew if I did go home, I would not be productive, but now I miss it. I think everyone who lives close to campus has that phase during the year where you don't want to go home every weekend. But once the end of the semester was coming close, I began to miss being home and not wanting to come back to campus on Sunday night. My godmother had her first baby in December and I haven't been able to see her as much since she was born because of school. I miss her cute little self! She's adorable! I also miss interacting with my siblings and my cousins. They can get annoying, my cousins that is, because they are all boys and being just that, boys. My siblings don't annoy me. It's hard not seeing them everyday like I used to but I'm glad I can take a Bart ride or a car ride to see them. A lot of people don't have that chance like I do so I like to take advantage of that. You know when people say that you will develop relationships with your family members after you start college or are away rather than when you are with them 24/7. Well it's definitely true. I can contend to that. I am happy though and excited for the summer and next semester to begin. I love the classes that I'm going to take. It should be exciting.               As for this semester, I love it, but I can't wait till it's over. We're at the point where we are all just sitting anxiously and counting the days until it's all over. Every one is just like "C"mon let it be over already!?!?. Oddly it all went by soooo fast. I can't even speak too soon because it's not over yet!?!?!? How frustrating!?!? Any who, now that it's out of my system, the end feels sooo close but yet it's sooo far......oh well gotta keep on going right....... I guess.....back to the books.

April 23, 2007 Life after the MAGIC!

Well what can I say, Pippin is over and now... life should be getting back to normal. It's weird though not seeing those people everyday and spending too many hours together. Now you see them in places where you don't recall ever recognizing that person at that particular place in time. I can honestly say I miss everyone!! They were an addition to my family and we took care of each other like family. Oddly enough, you notice that you have grown to know them so well that you get to know each others habits. It's definitely an experience that I will never forget. I am officially a College Player and have completed my first year production!! How exciting!   And the rest of my life you may ask? Well I'm catching up on my reading for my classes and my school work. I am finally going to be able to get some sleep, well hopefully. Also, I am able to see my family more often. I really miss being home considering that it's not too far away. But it's nice to get away and relax and sleep in your own bed. I think it's also because the end of the year is coming up so fast and I am anxious to begin the summer already and go on vacation. Well I have to finish the race first before I can celebrate right?   That's all for this week! BYE!

April 03, 2007 Pippin!

It's finally here! Opening night was on Thursday and we had a small crowd but they were a great one! It was great to finally have an audience that would react to the lines and the dancing and the singing. It was amazing. My first college performance and all the hard work is paying off. It can only get better from here, we know the show and it's up to us to tell a great story, and I'm no one to brag but I think we do an amazing job. But it's not over just yet. We still have six more performances to go. Our job is not quite finished. After our Saturday show we get a break until our show on Wednesday which I am really excited about. I get to go home and eat a home cooked meal, sleep in my bed, spend time with my family, and spoil my goddaughter. I CAN'T WAIT!!!   You may be asking yourself what about all the other stuff she's doing? Well LRC is coming along well. We have a great committee and a great event planned, the outcome is going to be great. School is good; I'm doing well in my classes. But I do have this huge paper due next Wednesday that I have to get a move on; we don't want to leave those kinds of things for last minute. And work well, it's the Admissions office, when are we not busy. I do love my job though. Any who that's all from me for now, you'll be sure to hear from me next week. If you can come see Pippin, our next shows are Friday, Saturday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday all at eight p.m.. Email the College Players at collegeplayers@usfca.edu or call 415-422-6133 for information about the show and tickets.   Have a great one!

March 23, 2007 Back From Spring Break...

And school continues....Now back from Spring Break it's harder to get back into the groove of things. Although I didn't have much of a break between rehearsal and work, it was good not having to worry about getting up and going to class or doing homework (well not a lot at least). Rehearsal is coming along great, WE OPEN NEXT WEEK! How exciting, I know!! So everyone who reads this come watch the show!   This week has been a week of clock work. If it's not one thing it's the next. Yesterday felt like the busiest day of my life. I had class then work and then a half hour break then I had a meeting for an hour and following that I had to go pick my housing for next year which took an hour and a half and the whole time I was worried about being late to rehearsal. Once my day was over as tired as I was I couldn't go to sleep! That's the way things work. You know what they say, work now play later. I can't for the weekend, I don't know what I'll be doing but it will be relaxing. Next week has a lot of plans for me.....until then......Ciao!

March 09, 2007 Spring Break!

It's finally here!! Although I know it might not be spring break for everyone but for me it is. I can't wait to be able to just relax and enjoy my time off. Well not exactly.   Rehearsal for Pippin has been going and going and going. From the looks of it, it is not stopping anytime soon. If anything besides work is taking up my time during spring break it's Pippin. At least I don't have a lot of homework over the break. But it has been a fun experience so far. The show is going to be great, I can't wait until it opens, but now that makes me kind of nervous. I just want everyone to know what I'm talking about when I sing a tune or say a line or chuckle to myself softly. I think I just want everyone I know to see how funny the show is. Unfortunately I can't give away any of the details but there is a .....and we are singing an.... oh and there's going to be 5.....and Pippin's going to..... I'm sure that was a tease, I love it!! That should just make you want to go see the show.   It's been busy though and I must always remember to get rest and take care of myself.  It doesn't help when one person in the production gets sick because everyone starts to fall like a line of dominos. It seems to be a trend that a lot of people get sick before the rehearsal start or in the beginning of the rehearsal process. Usually one or two people get sick right in the middle of it and then there's that odd one out at the end of the production. That's the trend, but ideally NO ONE should get sick during the production only BEFORE or AFTER. I'm one of the people that got sick in the middle of the production. I am making sure to stay away from everyone during my infected stage. I feel a lot better, just in case anyone's wondering. Just no one get the flu, that's all I suggest.   Come see Pippin, we open the first week of April....it's going to be MAGICAL!

March 05, 2007 Sit back and relax!

Ok so here's the scoop, the past two weeks have been so busy doing school work, going to work and attending rehearsal. Remember when  last week I talked about managing your time well, it's the key to success, well guess what? I had a slip up! It's sad but true; it goes to show that we are not perfect and have to keep working hard to get some where. Friday night was a horrible night because, due to living with a bunch of girls that get sick all at once, everyone's bound to get sick at one point, I got sick. Not just sneezing and sour throat, it was the works: body aches, sour throat, headaches, sneezing. To make it all worse, I had to work on my paper for my English class, read 150 pages for my Spanish Literature class and go home and visit my family. So I'm going to be honest. I didn't get it all done. I only partially edited my paper. I read half of the readings and I did go and visit my family for the weekend. Then I had to make it to rehearsal on time. It was a busy weekend and week that followed. I was catching up on all, I mean all the homework I had to do. I studied for my Macroeconomics midterm and my paper was finally due today.               Since all the big things are over, sort of, I can relax and give myself some down time, which I should mention is necessary to keep you sane! I can't let myself slip up like that again. I'm giving myself unnecessary stress. The main idea is not to be lazy. I hate to feel like I'm preaching it but I know it happens to everyone and everyone does it....procrastinates. I found a solution I just can't be lazy and get my things done on time. I need a social life to right, oh and that also keeps you sane. So this weekend its time to chill a little bit with my friends, hang out, sleep in a little. Make up for the sleep I've been missing these last two days. But the musical is coming along great! I hope everyone can come see it. We open the first week of April, and I promise it's going to be a good show. (AND THERE'S THE PITCH!). Anywho, I hope everyone has a great week!   It's finally sunny in San Francisco!!! We've had rain, hail, thunderstorms, and now it's sunny!! You just never know with this weather. I hope it stays sunny at least (knock on wood).   Have fun and sit back and relax...kind of.....

February 26, 2007 Time Management Part II

Hi everyone, I'm back to let you know what it's like a day in the life of a college student. It's been a busy week since I spoke to you all last and I can't believe it's already almost over. Ok so remember how I told you I was a College Player and gave you that whole shmeal on how busy but focused I was going to be...guess what I forgot what it was like! College Players started rehearsals on Tuesday night and I have to admit I was a little nervous because I didn't know anyone except one of my mentors Alvin Thomas, shout out to Alvin!! Last time I was in a show was last spring in high school and it feels like such a long time! But I was excited and couldn't wait to get started. Rehearsal went really well because it's a small cast and a really good one. Strangely we all sound so good together and it's only the beginning. It was a late rehearsal though and they are going to be really late ones so I have to stay focused on the show and school but so far everything has been great!   School work is getting done surprisingly earlier than it should be and that's always a good thing. I worked really hard last weekend to get a head start on one really big paper for my English class and I finished it! I've been compromising the TV for reading and chatting with friends for studying. I have to keep it up. You know I heard it takes 6 weeks to develop a habit (don't hold me to that) and this is a good habit to develop. I have been lacking on sleep which is not a good thing because 1. I love sleep and 2. I need sleep. You know I heard or one of my teachers in high school told me sleep is the best healer (you can hold me to that). No matter how much stuff I have to get done I always have to remember that I have to stay healthy and that must be a priority. The only thing I have to do is keep up the good work in school and in the show and everything will be just fine. Didn't I tell you good time management was the way to go? I love it when I'm right!   Until next week. BUH BYE!

February 20, 2007 Homecoming Weekend

I can't begin to explain how great my weekend was. Ok let's start from the beginning. After working at the admissions office on Friday, I raced back to my dorm to get ready for Homecoming. This is when the Campus Activities Board (CAB), mostly students, put on a concert for the students and it is usually a well known artist either locally or nationally. Also there is a basketball game the next day that a lot of people go to. So anyways, my roommate and I got ready for the concert and the featured artist was COMMON! Yes, you read it right Common, the rapper. I was very excited and could not wait to see him because I heard he was an amazing performer. The concert was in The Market, our cafeteria. Now I know that it sounds kind of weird but it actually worked well. It was an intimate space for all the students to interact with him. The concert was amazing!!!! He is a great performer and had the crowd singing his songs and responding to him. He pulled my friend on stage and sang to her and everything. I was sooooo jealous! His band was cool too; the DJ and the drummer were so tight!! I got really good pictures. It was hot and crowded but it was all worth it. On Saturday, our Men's basketball team played Pepperdine University. It was a group of us that went to the game together ready to watch our team win. So we got there a little late and we weren't down by much. It was a good game. The Dons were fighting for the lead the whole time. But we put up threes and a couple of the guys were showing their stuff and hitting some ally-ops, assists, and some pretty tight dunks. It was a good game and finally one that I go to that they actually won. The Greek organizations that were helping the crowd support the Dons were giving out pompoms, cups, t-shirts by just throwing them into the crowd. I can't wait for up coming games. We are playing Loyola Marymount, UC Irvine and our major rivals, GONZAGA. Now that's going to be a good game. GO DONS!!

February 09, 2007 Time Management

Hi everyone, I'm back! Well it's been a bumpy two weeks and I can only blame it on lack of good time management. I cannot stress enough that it is something we can never really master and have to continue practicing. During high school, I was very good at managing my time because I was a commuter from the East Bay to San Francisco, everyday. One may think that it is easy being a commuter but it does eventually slow you down. Also in high school I was involved in so many activities that I had to make sure my homework was done before I fell asleep with my head in a book (which has happened, and believe me will happen to anyone. Before you know it you wake up and have ink on your face. Believe me it happens!).  Although I was involved a lot in high school, I feel that it helped me stay on track of what I needed to get done. I felt more efficient when I had a busy schedule. I was doing my best academically when I was involved in extra-curricular activities.  But it is very hard to get used to a discipline schedule during college. Not only did we just get back from vacation, once again we meet our new teachers, their teaching styles and new classmates, and the one we love most: HOMEWORK! I know it has been hard for me to get used to the heavy reading assignments in my classes but I know better time management is the only way for me to actually get them done with 100% effort and in a timely manner. I am glad that LRC and College Players are coming up soon because I know I will be giving my full potential in all areas that I am involved in. I know this busy schedule isn't for everyone but I know it works for me. College is about getting to know yourself and under what circumstances you work well. Overtime it's something that will come to you if you continue to practice. We always have to remember to stay healthy and always do what's best for us.   Those are my few words of wisdom! Until next week... Ciao!

February 02, 2007 Welcome Back!

Hi everyone and welcome back to school!   My name is Gabby Tellez and I am a freshman here at USF. I should introduce myself further. I grew up here in the Bay Area and went to grammar and high school here in San Francisco. Shout outs to St. Peter's and Mercy SF! I am a Spanish Major and a Music Minor. My main activities at USF are working at the Undergraduate Admissions office, being the co-chair for the Latino Recognition Ceremony, a ceremony honoring the Latinos graduating in the Spring, College Players, the oldest theatre group west of the Mississippi and being a student.   Although it's a little late in the school year to talk about choosing USF, I just want to say it was the best choice I could have ever made. Its a great school that's smaller than most but has a great community of students, faculty and staff. People here really care and there's help everywhere, one just has to ask. Teachers and staff are always offering their help in any possible way they can. It's great and I love it! Come visit if you haven't already!   Last Semester was great. I had great classes, great teachers, a great schedule but it was a little more challenging than I expected. I followed through and am very proud of how I finished the academic year. In terms of extra-curricular activities, at the end of the semester I did feel like I wasn't involved enough. So I decided to be a part of the College Players and LRC. And the rest is history! I am so excited! It was hard to come back to school from a long break mostly of working but also getting enough sleep. I went to an all girls high school and I'm still trying to get used to the boys and the semester system. By the end of the semester, I will be well acquainted with USF and then I'll be a sophomore!!!   Here we are trying to get back into the swing of things. My classes are too difficult just require a lot of attention with things like reading. The classes for my major and my minor are great and I look forward to going to those classes, I know I said it! Well that's my cue, don't worry you'll hear back from me soon. In the mean time, have a great year!