Erin's 5 Things About Obama

1.The line was HUGE! I honestly heard that people started lining up in the early afternoon even though Obama didn’t actually speak until 9. That is an insane amount of time to be waiting in line! But hey, at least they are dedicated! Many classes, such as my Psych class let out early so students could attend the rally.

2.   2.The setting of the rally was really intense. Besides the huge “Missouri For Change” letters that ran across the quad, all the media coverage, political merchandise vendors and not to mention security made the whole atmosphere invigorating!

3.   3.Other Democractic speakers spoke before Obama. Although I didn’t know all of them, they all seemed to have something in common. They strongly encouraged us to vote, emphasizing the fact that the election was only 5 days away and that our support was needed in order to make a difference.

4.   4.Again it was crowded! Personally after waiting for so long in line I expected to at least SEE the future President of the United States. Sadly all I could hear was his booming voice over the microphone, but that was better than nothing!

5.   5. What Obama touched on: Obama spoke about many topics including education, health care and foreign policy. He repeated his promise to cut taxes for 95 percent of working American families and also promised to provide tax breaks to companies that invest in the United States. In addition he pledged to create 2 million new jobs to renovate the country's infrastructure and 5 million new energy jobs. But overall, the crowd cheered loudest when he talked of ending the war in Iraq.

Top 5 YouTube Videos

Being a couple months in to our first year of college, we have found that we spend endless hours in front of our new laptops. Of course we only use them for studious tasks such as researching, reading, e-mailing teachers and taking notes right? YA RIGHT! While we do use our laptops for school related things, when its time to take a break from some long hours of studying and writing papers surfing the web is certainly one of the top activities among college students. Admit it. Afterall, how many times have you logged on to your Facebook today? And even when you aren’t just taking a break, the internet is an enjoyable pastime. On many nights I often find myself crowding around a computer screen with all my friends, watching the latest youtube videos. For that reason I would like to share with you, 5 of my favorite youtube videos. This way if you are ever bored or taking a break from studying you can have something to watch! ENJOY!

1. I’m Bo Yo – previously mentioned in my introduction post. It’s a sweet rap and he has many others that are just as entertaining!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-ap5Fp2T6c

2. Wheels the Movie- a funny movie trailer for a fake movie. I’ve seen it so many times, but I still laugh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWB7Ub21c1U

3. Charlie Bit Me – most likely you’ve already seen this but it is so funny! I mean who can resist such a such baby (with an british accent!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM

4. Amy at the Club – not enough people appreciate this. But it is the defnition of every annoying girl I have ever encountered!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFSy2Gl8YnM

5. “Grape Lady Falls” – The title pretty much explains it, but its just good simple humor. Someone getting hurt (that isn’t you) always equal a good laugh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vFVnTMwt3w

5 Ways to Beat Stress

Starting a new life at college is a life changing event, something most teenagers look forward to for years. Once at school, however, many students discover that between clubs, classes, exams, and social events, there are a lot of new stressors to deal with. We at k.e.m. have compiled a list of five (!) simple stress-busters.

1. Exercise

Running around between classes, studying, and going out may seem to leave little time for exercise. Regular exercise, however, releases endorphins which help to relieve feelings of stress. The calories burned can help to offset the dreaded Mizzou 22, which would definitely increase stress levels! If you choose to work out at the Rec, it's also a good place to meet new friends or workout partners which can keep you motivated. The Spa in the lower level also provides relaxing messages (can you say student charge?). 

2. Eat Healthy Foods

One of the best aspects of MU is the variety of dining options. No one on campus should ever be hard pressed to find healthy, delicious meal options. By eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat protein sources, you can improve your health and increase your energy. With this energy, you may find it easier to manage that insane schedule. 

3. Sleep

It's easy to get caught up, especially late at night, with distractions-facebook, mojo, parties, and friends all make the list. Getting enough sleep (about eight hours) is crucial for optimal focus and learning during class. Additionally, not sleeping enough can lead to a vicious cycle of caffeine consumption and napping. Monitor your caffeine intake throughout the day, limit naps to an hour, and try to wake up at the same time each day.

4. Studying

It may seem counterintuitive to stress prevention, but studying definitely keeps stress levels at bay. Many students fall behind in classes and become overwhelmed before an exam. Cramming the night before also leads to stress-brought on by fatigue. Just reviewing notes and keeping up with assignments helps you feel less overwhelmed and more productive. 

5. Having Fun!

Everyone deserves "me" time, a chance to blow off steam. Anything that you have fun at-hiking, clubbing, watching movies-can counteract stress. It's also a great way to meet people and explore CoMo!

until next time, G-fivers,

*k.e.m.

Our Super Awesome Scavenger Hunt!!!

This week out assignment was to go on a scavenger hunt around the Mizzou campus. Let me tell you, it was super fun! It was exciting, interesting and educational all at the same time! Chris Spurlock really knows how to spice things up for his little figments! The clues were so tricky, but luckily we are intelligent college students who can decipher the intricate word puzzles! First off, the hunt led us to the student health center! We rode the elevator all the way to the 4^th floor! Did you know that that elevator can hold up to 28 people? That is quite the party! At the student health center we found all types of useful information in the pamphlets displayed on the wall. Mary especially found the pamphlet on STDs and oral sex helpful! Now that we are away from our parents its important that we know how to take care of ourselves and we can do just that with the help of the student health center! After that we headed to Pershing. I had never been there before, or knew it existed!  Thankfully, I had my fellow teammates Kara and Mary to tell me about how sweet it was! I will definitely be hitting up that hot spot soon! Up next to trotted over to the Stankowski field! Mary referred to it as “Stank” and I can see why. This is the place to work up a sweat! But if you don’t wear deodorant you will most definitely “stank.” Kara displayed some hardcore stretching techniques for us. I’m pretty sure the male soccer players on the field thoroughly enjoyed it. Our next 3 stops were all important buildings that will have a great impact on our academic careers over the next 4 years. We visited the Math building, Strickland (where many of our classes take place) and the student success center! I really liked the Student Success Center; the guy at the front desk was really nice. And now I know where to go if I ever need help in my classes. After that we headed to Gannett and Peace Park (don’t worry we threw up the obligatory peace sign in our picture). Lastly we headed to the down town area to visit Shakespeare’s pizza (so yummy!) and WhichWich. Boy, those last two stops really got my salivary glands going! Upset that our adventure was over we headed back home to Gillett. This scavenger hunt was so fun and useful because we got to see so much of the beautiful campus and learn more about all the useful facilities that surround us everyday! Thanks Chris, you’re the best!

5 Things To Do In Downtown Columbia

5 Fun Things To Do In Downtown Columbia

Being freshmen, I know we have a lot going on in terms of school.  But sometimes you just need a break from it all to go out and have some FUN! So I came up with five things that I've enjoyed..try them out sometime!

1. Just Walk Around!

I know that most of us do a lot of walking and it can get tiring, but get off your butt and get out there! There's usually something entertaining/ funny happening downtown, and you need to check it out! There are a bunch of free shows and cool shops to look in, and I have seen my share of hilarious people down there.  I walked around with my camera one day and got some of my best pictures ever because there was so much going on! 

2. Get Lost Book Shop

My friend Kayla and I were walking by one day and we had to stop in, and I'm glad we did! The little store is absolutely PACKED with new and used books of all kinds! And the good news is that they're cheap, too! Most of them are around $6...it doesn't get much better than that!

3. Vintage Stores

There are 2 vintage stores downtown and both of them are so much fun! I love going in there with my friends and joking around, and trust me, there are PLENTY of things to play with! Plus I got some awesome sunglasses there for $10 so I'm definitely a fan.

4. Sparky's

If you're an ice cream lover, you need to hit this place up! Their ice cream is sooo delicious...I cure my chocolate cravings there :) They also have cool pictures up on the wall from different photographers, which I think is great!  And if you friend them on Facebook, you get free ice cream at your next visit...how can you pass that up?

5. Ragtag Cinema

This place is so cute! It's an indie movie theater, which is right up my alley, and they show movies that you probably wouldn't see in most other theaters. They have a coffee bar and the atmosphere is great, so if you need some relaxation time, this is definitely the place for you! You can look up movie listings at www.ragtagfilm.com

So there you go! Hopefully instead of laying in bed and sleeping when you need a break, you will go downtown and see what Columbia has to offer! Much love!

kem

Jake's Five

Jake’s Top Five

Hey G5-ers! So, I recently ventured off the fifth floor (gasp!) down to the fourth, and I met the great Jake Gonzales in the process! I know he’s not on our floor, but he’s a really cool kid from Illinois (just like me!) with great taste in music (so you know he already has an A+ in my book). So, what better way to get to know someone than a one-on-one interview?  Here’s Jake’s top five!

1.     He’s a busy guy!

Jake is here to study journalism, but he’s definitely multi-dimensional.  He is already busy writing articles for the Maneater and working for KCOU (the radio station). And, like most of us freshman, he’s still trying to get a handle on all the homework and studying that he has to do, work out regularly, and have a few good times in the process.  It hasn’t been an easy adjustment, but it seems to me like he’s doing a great job considering how much he’s already got on his plate!

2.     He’s got his head on straight

Jake already has definite plans on what he wants to accomplish here at Mizzou. “I want to be happy, first of all,” he says, “and then I want to have a GPA over 3.4.” In addition to those last two goals, Jake is also hoping to get some preparation to become a radio show host or analyst.  “I also would like to have some fun somewhere in there,” he laughs, “but everything else comes first.”

3.     He knows what he wants to do with his future (which is more than I can say!)

Jake knows exactly what he wants to be after he graduates—an ESPN Radio talk show host.  That job combines sports and radio, a near perfect combination for him!

4.     His friends are really important to him

Although it’s hard to keep in touch with his old friends, Jake is definitely making an effort to do so.  “I love my friends back home,” he says.  “We know who we are, what things we love and hate, how the other will react in situations.”  That isn’t to say, however, that Jake hasn’t made friends here.  He already has a pretty close-knit group, and hopes that their bond will hold.  If nothing else, they’ve had some good times, which makes the transfer from home to college a little more bearable. 

5.     He’s going through some typical Freshman- year trials/ Just like everyone else, life is different here than it was at home

Just like a lot of us, Jake recognizes that moving to a new environment requires some getting used to.  “People are still in this shell of who they really are, not showing enough to know them, just showing enough to like them,” he says.  Jake hopes that with time people will open up a little more and show who they really are. Adding on to this is the “privacy” issue.  Jake doesn’t really have any time or place to just be along, which he “loved about being back at home.”  It will take some getting used to, but he’s confident that time will help iron out some of the problems he’s having.  Personally, I’m sure he’ll be more than fine!

That’s all for this week! Much love,

Kara