The Sophomore Year Experience at TCNJ

The day has come. Finals are upon us and you have been studying hard to prepare for them, so take a moment and laugh at some great Youtube finds because not only does laughing boost the immune system but it also relaxes the whole body- a good hearty laugh will leave you relaxed for 45 minutes¹!

This guy knows how to have fun at work-Dancing Weatherman

In case you are already sick of Christmas music-Christmas Can Can

An oldie but always a great laugh-Evolution of Dance

Dancing Wedding

Dancing Divorce

Good Luck on your finals! Have a safe and relaxing break so that you can come back ready to tackle the spring semester!

¹ http://helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

By Gwen Rajski, Residence Director of ABE & Centennial Halls

Finals are upon us once again. It’s odd how that works–just when you’re getting the hang of the class, it’s now time to show how much you have learned in a semester. And that brings about the dreaded cumulative final exam and while, yes, it is a little daunting to think of taking a test that covers all of what you learned in the semester there are some easy dos and don’ts that you can use when studying for your finals.

Do: Study in short spurts. Staring at the same book for hours on end will not help you learn the information faster–it just puts information overload on your brain. A good rule to follow is for every 40 minutes of studying you take a 5 minute break. This way your brain is getting the break it needs to sufficiently process information. 

Don’t:  Cram. Yes, this means that some planning is involved with this tactic. But even starting studying today for a test on Wednesday rather than waiting until Tuesday night will work out better for you in the long run. 

Do: Find ways to reward yourself while you study. Things like: going out to dinner with friends, going out to a movie, buying a new game or DVD you’ve been staring at–whatever keeps you motivated. Save the rewards until after you’re done with finals (so you avoid the guilt of not studying “enough”), these rewards will keep you going while you study and will help you avoid brain fry because you have an end goal in sight.

Do: Find a study buddy. You may understand a section better than they might, so you can help them, and there might be a section that they can help you understand.

Don’t: Rely on just reading to learn your material. There are actually three methods that people use to learn and most of the time we don’t know they’re being used. The methods are visual (learning by sight), auditory (learning by hearing), and kinesthetic (learning by using one’s hands). Finding ways to study by using more than one of these methods will help you retain what is being studied.

Do: Eat healthy foods while studying. There are a whole host of foods that you can eat that will help you. For example: A handful of almonds will help with nervousness, or a cup of yogurt will keep your nerves communicating effectively. There are so many more foods that you can eat that will help you in your studying. For more finals-friendly foods this is just one place that you can check.

And finally:

Do: Get a good night’s sleep before your exam. Staying up all night may help you learn one more bit of information before the test but how much use is that new knowledge if you fall asleep during the test, or if you’re so tired that you can’t focus on anything?

Congratulations on making it through the first half of your sophomore year! One more semester and you are juniors!

Sources:

Preparing for Exams: The Dos and Don’ts of Study Methods

Effective Studying–and Avoiding Sleepless Nights!

Gwen Rajski is the Residence Director for ABE and Centennial halls. While as an undergrad she was an English AND Psychology major and knows the challenge of cumlative finals. While studying she would rock out to Josh Groban and Broadway tunes that would keep her from overloading her brain.

By Kelly Hennessy, Director of Residential Education

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.” ~Gail Sheehy

 Hello Sophomores!  My name is Kelly Hennessy and I have just joined the TCNJ community a few short weeks ago as the Director of Residential Education.  Ultimately my goal is for all students that live on campus to live in an environment that helps them grow and develop as individuals.  The way Residential Education does this is by creating safe and healthy communities that engage students in learning, are student centered, and that appreciate each member’s uniqueness.  I am proud to say that the Sophomore Year Experience staff work hard to get to know every student, create environments that are reflective and engaging, and host programs and events that support students during their sophomore year.  I look forward to being a part of that community and welcome you to my office in Townhouse South 1 to meet me or share your experience with me.

I can remember back to my sophomore year at the University of Buffalo and how impactful is was on my future.  The University of Buffalo has two campuses about 5 miles apart.  During my 1^st Year I lived on the Main Street Campus, in one of the smaller halls where everyone knew everyone.  We often made 2am runs to the grocery store across the street and stayed up all night building some of the best friendships.  Those 1^st Year friends are still some of the best friends I have in my life.  However I also played lacrosse for UB, where practices were at 6am on the North Campus, 5 miles away.  One of my teammates and I decided to leave all of our 1^st Year friends on the Main Street Campus and move to the North Campus for our sophomore year so getting to practice would be easier.  This would be the move, unbeknownst to me at the time that would place me on career path in student affairs. 

Moving campuses required me to switch jobs from working at the Main Street Campus Rec Center to becoming a Student Assistant in the Residence Life Office.  Working in the Residence Life office was a job that introduced me to a mentor, who still plays a role in my professional and educational life.  Working in the Residence Life Office during my sophomore year also opened doors for me to become a Resident Assistant, as well as a Peer Leader in the Leadership and Development office.   These opportunities introduce me to the world of student affairs.   My sophomore year proved to be a busy one with lacrosse, jobs, selecting a major, and visiting my friends on the Main Street Campus.  However, despite how busy it was, I continued to make lots and lots of new friends in my new residence hall, who equally became important people in my life.

It has been in those moments of change in my life where I have grown, learned and accomplished the most.  Sophomore year was no different.  Embrace the changes, the new opportunities, the new friends, new classes and living in the Sophomore Year Experience.   I wish you the best of luck during your sophomore year and hope that your experience living in our residence halls help you find areas that you are passionate about in the world and take strides towards those passions.   

 “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~Mohandas Gandhi

Kelly Hennessy is the Director of Residential Education at TCNJ. Her office is in Townhouse South 1.