The Rock Blog

Something’s been on my mind for a few semesters—maybe it’s time to reconsider policies regarding part-time students.

Why can part-timers have a 4.0 QPA and not be recognized or congratulated?

Why are some organizations not available to part-timers?

Why are there less scholarship opportunities?

I believe the difference in treatment is often based on the supposition that part-time students have it easier. I find that ridiculous. Just as it would be foolish to assume that all full-time students are challenged to the full, it is also silly to assume all part-time students are coasting. There are full-time students who just have to go to class. Others have to work a part-time job. Some have it really hard as they may have more than one job and carry responsibilities at home. But, this is the same with part-time students. Some part-timers have lots of free time and simply choose to take a class or two. But, many are people who have great demands on their time, working full-time jobs, caring for homes and family, and squeeze in classes, too.

Why not recognize and involve part-time students, at least on some sort of sliding scale? Maybe they can’t be on the usual Dean’s list, but why not a Part-time Students Dean’s list? Why not offer smaller scholarships for students carrying less classes? Or, maybe more scholarships could be offered based on financial need, including part-time students. And, if a program has requirements for full-time members such as hours of service, couldn’t the program allow part-time students in with a service requirement proportionate to a part-time schedule?

Separating students by the number of classes they are taking leaves the part-time students at a disadvantage. Hopefully, we’re all here to learn and experience as much of what the university offers as possible. It doesn’t seem fair or logical to exclude the part-time student who is often a non-traditional student just trying to get a quality education.

LaurelP

Thanks to the Hispanic Latino Cultural Series, this past Monday and Tuesday SRU had a visiting writer. On the 26th, Silvia Nanclares from Spain gave a public lecture which I was not able to attend–“I write therefore I am.” She was also a guest speaker in several Spanish classes, none of which I was enrolled. But, I was invited to the writer’s workshop on the 27th and was able to attend. It was an excellent workshop. In an hour and a half, Silvia shared with us techniques to jog our memories and help us become more creative. The exercises were so simple, but immediately effective. As we left the classroom, I heard more than one student saying that it was fun and really good. For me, any time I can sharpen my writing skills, I’m a happy camper.

There is so much constantly going on at SRU, if I lived closer, I’d be going to something all the time. Plays, sports, dances (salsa this Thursday as part of the continuing Hispanic Latino Cultural Series), visiting speakers on a wide variety of topics, monks, movie night, and on and on. These events are free or very reasonably priced for students. We’ve got it good!

If you haven’t already, check out the SRU calendar to find things that interest you. http://calendar.sru.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx

- Laurel P.

I knew the past spring semester was tough, but I didn’t realize how tough until I experienced my summer of contrast. I went from working full time (in four different departments), carrying two classes (one with tons of reading and writing assignments), participating in SRU’s research seminar, and pinching pennies to buy more and more heating oil just to keep the house at 55 to 60 degrees. There were also unusual stressors such as raccoons in my basement and a couple of good spins in my car in an icy intersection.

Now, I’m not crying the blues. I’m actually celebrating the contracting, revitalizing summer. Work was reduced to part time. I had no classes. The raccoons are gone. And I had no need for heating oil. Ahhhhh. How wonderful!

I was able to get things done around the house, enjoy my property, stop and appreciate the plants and flowers. I read books and articles by choice and only when I felt like it. I didn’t do anything special, but I noticed many everyday things, minus the tension, were quite special.

I really appreciate my home, my land, my work, the opportunity to finally get my degree. And, I find more enjoyment in the sensations of life – a cool breeze, warm sunshine, pleasant shade, a chat with a friend, a tasty dinner—it’s all good. I’m renewed and refreshed and ready to dive into another semester.

I’m ready to ROCK. I hope you are, too.

- Laurel P.

I’ve noticed that lots of students are experiencing stress. I guess it’s sometimes part of the package. I know for myself, I feel stress occasionally–too many assignments due at the same time, conflicts between personal and scholastic responsibilities, or some strained interpersonal situation. When we feel stress, we can be sure that we’re not alone. The New York Times recently published an article revealing that stress levels of college students are at an all-time high. You can check it out at the following link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/education/27colleges.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=record%20stress%20level&st=cse

When we feel stress we need to take care of business. What we do about stress depends on what’s causing it. Figure out the source of the stress and do what we can to solve it. And, of course, once we’ve done what we can, we have to let go and trust that it will work out.

Another thing we can do is to make sure we are paying attention to basic needs such as eating healthy foods, sleeping the important eight hours, and including a balanced amount of recreation in our schedule.

For me, making a list really helps. I mark down all the things that are due and start working on them in the order of what’s due. If it’s something big and involved, I might work on that between the other items that are due sooner. Sometimes, depending on what the stress is from, I may talk to a close friend and get another viewpoint or at least vent a little. Looking at the positive side is always a good strategy. Not that we want to be unrealistic, but it’s important to see the good in situations. Where it applies, talking to the instructor is good. He or she doesn’t know what’s going on if we don’t communicate. An instructor may have a simple solution that comes from years of experience—something we might not see.

Dealing with stress is just part of life. Sometime it can feel like a serious rollercoaster—hang on and enjoy the ride!

Laurel P.

Es schneit! Esta nevando! It es snowing! Sta nevicando! It’s snowing!!!

I’ve always wondered why spring semester is called such when it includes the coldest, snowiest months of the year. Has anyone looked outside lately? Spring semester has begun and we have been covered in the white stuff. I got 6 to 8 inches at my place last Friday. And a few mornings were minus 18 degrees! Thankfully today is warmer; it may even go a bit above freezing. 

Snow is a challenge for me. I live north of I80, so the commute can be a white-knuckle experience. Along with the scary commute are the higher heating bills. So I guess you could say the snow makes me a poor coward. (Get it?) hahaha

I think snow is great when you don’t have to go anywhere. On those days when everything is quiet and still, the snow can line each tree branch with its white, sparkling beauty. It’s the real life making of Currier and Ives. (If you’re not sure what I’m referring to, check out www.currierandives.net.) It’s so beautiful and peaceful.

Two Australian students in one of my classes have just experienced snow for the first time in their lives. One of them described it as “weird,” but in a favorable way. Snow means different things to different people—skiing, snowshoeing, traffic accidents, beautiful scenery, relaxing by a fireplace, shoveling. Like anything else, it has its good and bad sides.

Several more weeks and it actually will be spring. I’m ready–lower heating bills, easier commutes, warmer temps, spring bulbs—yep, I’m ready!

Laurel P.

Here we are…back again. At times like this, I hear a voice in my head saying that I must be insane, that surely I had enough last semester, and why would I sign up again for more punishment. Yep…the voice is back.

Yes, I work full-time and two classes take a lot of creative time management. And, this semester my evening class is even later than usual. By the time I finish and drive home, it will simply be time to go to bed. I’ll sleep and come right back to campus. This only accounts for my day job and my classes. It doesn’t take into account all the other responsibilities that I have as a single person, homeowner, pet owner, person with poultry, and person trying to start or keep alive a small business. Woe is me! Then there are all those other time-consuming things like vehicle maintenance, physical check-ups, snowy roads, and the occasionally emergency repair of something. Now that it’s all listed, yes, I think I am insane!

So, each semester, I end up asking myself why I do it. The answer is what keeps me going. I want the degree. I want the education. I want the exposure to instructors, knowledge, programs, and organizations. I want to continue to grow. This is one way to accomplish all that. And the fact that I’m nearing the finish line helps spur me on, too. I don’t enjoy the pressure due to time constraints, but I do enjoy the learning. The education is worth it.

So, here I am…a semi-insane woman having another go-round with one more semester of higher education. Even though it’s a challenge, I’m sure I will have a smile on my face most of the time.

- Laurel P.

When I was growing up, I often lived “in my own world,” not always aware of what was going on around me (unless we’re talking ants, butterflies, gardens, or other things like that. I was happy, but not always aware of what was going on around me.

In some ways, that’s still true today. I choose not to focus on some things. Some things I miss out on because it involves some aspect that involves spending money that needs to be spent on something else. Some things I miss because I’m just not connected enough. Other things are crowded out by things that are important to me.

The visit of the Gaden Tibetan monks to our university comes under that last category. Twice, I saw a small group of people in red robes walking along a campus walkway. I remember wondering what was going on, but didn’t think much more about it. I’ve had lots on my plate lately, and just continued to focus on what I was doing.

Today, I had a moment to take a breath, and started scanning The Rocket. That’s where I saw what I missed. The people I saw in the robes were seven monks, most from the Gaden Shartse Monastery in Mundgod, India. They are Tibetan refugees and concerned with keeping their religion and culture alive. SRU was on their tour of United States.

Had I been more aware, and if I had the time, I would have like to visit Carruth Rizza Hall to see them create the sand mandala. The description and photo in The Rocket sounds quite interesting. Of course, I missed the “dissolution ceremony,” too. They create that beautiful art work and then sweep it up, giving some away and releasing some back to nature. I like the idea that it is a lesson in the impermanence of life.

I believe that the world, the place I live, is much greater than the sum or value of humans and the things we make or do. I believe there is so much more in a spiritual sense or an intangible sense. I also believe that, in general, most Americans, including myself are too busy, too fast, too preoccupied to truly appreciate and connect with that part of the world. In a sense, the monks’ visit was all about awareness on so many levels. I’m smiling…

I might just have to do something about that.

Laurel P.

SRU’s Summer Book Program is reaching its culmination. Every year a book is chosen for students to read and discuss. This year the book is “the perks of being a wallflower.” The book was distributed to all first-year students, discussed in classes, and later, posters were created to display student reactions to the book. And now the author himself, Stephen Chbosky, will be visiting campus this coming Monday, Oct. 4.

His visit will include a one hour meet and greet with student leaders and other students who were involved in the Summer Book Program. Then there is a special university reception for faculty and staff who took part in some facet of using his book or making his day on campus a success. From 7 to 8:30 p.m., students, faculty, and staff will be able to discuss the book with Chbosky and listen as he shares his opinion about censorship and the controversy his book produced in the Wisconsin public schools as well as the emotional impact his work has created. Afterwards, there will be a book signing.

Chbosky is from the Pittsburgh area and attended Upper St. Clair high school. His book is set in Pittsburgh. As a matter of fact, they are making a movie from his book, and will be filming it in Pittsburgh this fall.

I have been invited to one of the early events and will be able to attend between work and an evening class. I’m really looking forward to it. If you haven’t read the book yet, it’s an easy read. And it certainly causes one to think about life in general as well as how our decisions and interactions play a part in the way our lives unfold.

Laurel P.

It’s been a long week with work, classes, and everyday life. It feels more like ten days instead of just five. But, now the weekend finally is here.

The first thing I’ll be doing is meeting my friend for dinner and conversation. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her—maybe even a year. She’s bringing me a gift of hijiki—my favorite Japanese food. Yum! To me, it looks like something that fell out the bottom of a lawnmower, like a green clump of grass. It’s actually a kind of seaweed with a few other little goodies mixed in. I love Japanese food–daikon, vegetables in tempora, umebushi plums, little pastries with beans inside, those brown beans that go so well with green tea ice cream—it’s all just so delicious.

The rest of the weekend will be home improvements and homework. I’ll mix it up and in the blink of an eye it will be Monday! Have a great weekend!

Laurel P.

The weekend is here. Yeaaaa.

The weekends are always a mix for me. They can involve any number of activities, including Toastmasters club meetings, shopping, caring for my birds, maintaining my home and property, visiting friends, reading, or studying. I usually do so much of one thing and then switch to another. I don’t think my attention span is all that long. I would like to get more skating and hiking in, but they always seem to get pushed aside for the more important things.

Lately, I am trying to get the house upgraded before the cold weather sets in. I have shelves to sand and stain, post and shelves to install, and woodwork to paint. If I get those three projects completed before winter, I’ll be a happy camper.

I’m enjoying my two classes so far. In creative writing, we had to write any style of poem we wanted and then a sonnet. That was fun. And, in Communication Research Methods I have been mulling over what I would eventually like to do the research on. This is exciting to me because I am hoping to research something that will have an effect on my career potential and give me some ‘bragging rights.’ Not to mention that it would be great if my research could somehow make a difference. I’m looking forward to getting more deeply into both of these classes with hopes of sharpening my skills and creating credentials.

So, this weekend will be another one of the usual mix. Home repair, cleaning the coop, and reading and studying are at the top of the list. I’m sure it will go fast, and I’ll be back here Monday to start again.

Enjoy your weekend,

Laurel P.