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

New to College 5

5 Things I’ve had to get used to as a college freshman

1.     Walking everywhere

Being a runner, I naturally considered myself to be in relatively good shape. But after my first couple of days walking to class on the MU campus, I began to question my physical abilities. I never realized how spoiled I was to have all my classes in the same building in high school. I remember complaining about how my locker was so far away from all my classes and now I realize what a spoiled brat I was. Of course, I’m exaggerating, because walking to classes really isn’t that bad. I actually do enjoy my walks most of the time. Its good exercise and its give me time to talk with and meet new people. It just takes a little more effort in scheduling to add in that 5-10 minute walk to and from class.

2.     Eating at a scheduled time- Now that it is October, I finally think my hunger cycle has adjusted to college life, but boy those first week weeks were hard. Having to rely on a dining hall schedule for my meals definitely took some getting used to. I was always one to linger in and out of the kitchen throughout the day at home, snacking in between meals and always having my favorite choice foods to choose from in the pantry. Now at college, I have got a certain amount of time in between classes and endless amounts of other events to schedule in my feeding time. Sometimes its annoying to have to eat even when you aren’t hungry just because you know for a fact that you are going to be starving later if you don’t eat anything. But it is also nice having so many options! People usually complain about dorm food, but honestly I love it and hate when I can’t eat in the dining hall.

3.     Wearing shoes in the shower- I was lucky enough to have experienced summer camp before entering college. This prepared me in many ways for dorm life such showering with sandals on. I can’t help but think of camp every time I grab my towel and shower tote and walk down the hall to the showers. I really don’t mind showering in the dorms, but I have found it is definitely a perk to have the comforts of your own bathroom when you go home.

4.     Being away from my family- It is really true that you don’t miss really appreciate something until its gone. I know my family is not gone forever, but being away from them really does make me appreciate them and all that they do for me. I still talk to them almost everyday, but there are just little things about actually being with them that I miss. Like hearing the garage door open when my dad got home from work, eating dinner together, the sound of my mom talking on the phone while she does the crossword puzzle and my dog climbing up on the couch with me while I watch tv.

5.     Meeting new people- One of the hardest parts of college so far besides my academic courses has been just trying to find a place to fit in. College is a start of a new chapter in my life, and for me that means meeting new people and trying to create a whole new group of friends. The way I look at it, you can usually get along with people and have fun with them, but truly finding the people you clique with and can trust as a true friend is the challenge. I know as time go by those people will slowly fall in to place in my life, but right now, finding a new circle of friends is still in the beginning stages.

By the Way: I know this blog was suppose to be about the speaker, Sandy Davidson. All the members of High Five KEM attended the speaker, however we didn’t find it very useful or interesting enough to blog about…but we did go! And had ice cream J

Maggie's Five

You’ve probably passed by her open door while she is watching the office on the 5^th floor of Gillett, sporting some type of Chi-O clothing item or seen her studying in the lounge, but what do you really know about Maggie Gengler? Well here are the 5 THINGS you should know about your fellow Gillett resident Maggie!

 

The Family:

Maggie’s full name is Margaret Eileen Gengler.  She comes to Mizzou from Kansas City, MO and is oldest of five kids. Coming from such a large family, Maggie has always put family first. With 3 younger sisters (Katie, 16, Molly 11, Grace, 10) and a younger brother (Charlie, 5), you would think that her siblings might drive her crazy. However, she considers her younger sister Katie to be her best friend .just so happens to be her 16 year old sister, Kelsey. (BTW: you might have even witnessed the Hannah Montana themed birthday party held in the lounge over parent’s weekend to celebrate Grace’s 10^th birthday!) While sometimes its hard being the oldest in the family, she embraces the challenges along with the perks that come with it.

            “Being the oldest blow because you go through everything first. I’m always the one to break the ice with my parents and then everything else is easier for my sisters. Honestly, I don’t mind though because I know I can handle my parents better than them anyway.”

 

School:

From elementary school until her junior year in high school, Maggie attended St. Pius X, a small private school in Kansas City.  For a long time Maggie knew she was unhappy in that environment.

            “I know it sounds cliché, but there were just a lot of really mean girls and I put up with it for as long as I could, but finally I just had to convince my parents I wanted to switch. They didn’t really go for it at first, but they finally caved in and I know it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

            Maggie switched to the local public school, Winnetonka High School, and found herself loving it and fitting in perfectly with her new friends. She found the only thing she missed about private school were the uniforms.

            “With uniforms, it was so nice not to have to think about what I was going to wear in the morning! And you NEVER had to do laundry. It was awesome!”

 

College Life and Future Plans:

Maggie finds herself loving and hating the same thing about college: INDEPENDENCE.

            “ I love being on my own and learning to make my own decisions and take care of myself, but at the same time I just miss my mom doing my laundry!”

            Coming to college, Maggie was originally a journalism major, but three days in to  school she knew it just wasn’t for her. As of right now she is “undecided,” but she knows the direction she is headed.

“I’ve always had a super strong and stubborn personality. I have to get my way and I always argue to prove my point of view. For this reason, everyone in my life (especially my family) have always told me I should go into Law.”

 

 

Other Passions:

Maggie is a huge fan of the Office. She actually watched the season premiere twice on Thursday night! Of all the characters she is most obsessed with Jim, but more importantly, the idea of Jim and Pam together! So if you ever need someone to watch an Office episode with, she is your girl (even though chances are she has already seen that episode 10 times). She loves reading Harry Potter and listening to all types of music.

            “Seriously, I will listen to anything from scrEMO to Beethoven.”

Maggie is also a proud member of the sorority Chi Omega and has a passion for sewing. She has sewn many items of clothing for herself and friends, such as her good friend’s graduation dress. She even helped me fix my dress on one day of rush! So if you find yourself with a rip in your pants, in need of a hem or with a popped button, head her way!

 

British at Heart:

As if this girl wasn’t cool enough already, she actually used to live in England! She lived there with her parents until she was 4 years old because of her dad’s job as a doctor. Although she has not been back since, she did get close when she traveled to Ireland. Maggie is hoping she will be able to return to her homeland to study abroad in Dublin her second semester junior year!

BTW: Because she lived in England, Maggie actually started school when she was 4 instead of 5. So she could quite possibly be the baby of the 5^th floor Gillett, considering she won’t be 18 until December!

 

Alright well that is all for now, but if you want to learn more about this awesome girl stop by room 517! Thanks for reading J

 

~Erin

Katie's Five

After searching high and low for a Gillett resident worthy of the KEM blog, I providentially discovered Katie Stegeman, a freshman living on the second floor. By now you all know the drill—here are the five things you ought to know if you want to get to know Katie.

 

1. Roots

Although Katie’s hometown, Loose Creek, is only 45 minutes from Columbia, Mizzou’s size was a big change for her.  Katie recalls Loose Creek as a “pretty small town, maybe 350 people max.”  Her graduating class at Fatima High School was only 83 students. Although unintimidated by Mizzou’s 30,000 undergraduates, Katie does miss a few things about small town school dynamics, like “getting to know teachers on a personal basis.” She recalls the how it was a much easier to explain to a teacher a missed class, or to get support from them with personal issues.  

 

2. Mizzou Super Fan

About nine years ago, Katie stood beneath the columns on Mizzou’s quad, watching her sister’s graduation. She says that was the moment she knew she was destined for the University of Missouri. “It has always been my dream to come here.”

 

3. So Far

Already a fan of the University, Katie has found a lot to love in the first month or so of school. Her favorite part has been meeting new people and those from, “different backgrounds.” Some aspects, though, have been different than what she expected. “I knew there was going to be a lot of people, but there’s a LOT of people.” Katie said. She has also found she has more free time than expected. Formerly worried about walking everywhere she adds, “Once you get used to it, it’s pretty nice.”

 

4. School

Katie is a business major, hoping to graduate with an emphasis in finance. She hopes to work as a financial advisor, financial planner, a stockbroker, or a bank employee.

 

5. Future Plans

After graduation, Katie hopes to become a successful financial advisor, hopefully with her own company. Making plenty of money is a concern for most recent grads, and Katie’s no different. The most important thing for her, however, is setting her own schedule. She adds with a laugh, “I’m probably going to have to be the boss”

*Mary

Mizzou Top Five

Hey there fellow G-5ers! By now we’re confident you all know a lot about the perks and privileges that come with enrollment at MU. It was tough, but we have narrowed our favorite things about Mizzou to a Top Five:

 

1.     1.Free and New T-Shirts

It’s one of the classic perks of going off to school: free t-shirts. Whether you chose to rush or not, you have probably found yourself bombarded with free tees. This could be annoying, except these shirts are actually cute (or super sick and manly, whichever term you prefer). Shirts for Greek Life, Blood Drives, True Tiger, and many more organizations don’t only show support for charities and school events, they’re the perfect thing to throw on and head to class in.

 

2.     2.Football

Having your school’s football team play on national television regularly would be exciting on its own. Having your team play on national television and actually play well? That’s a whole different rush. We’re not saying that if our Tigers weren’t ranked as high or didn’t play as well, we’d abandon our posts as loyal fans, but having your team discussed on ESPN and hearing rumors swirling about your quarterback winning the Heisman definitely kicks the excitement up a notch.

 

3.     3.Dining

Talking to our friends at friends across the country, we were stunned to discover that many schools, and not just smaller ones, had extremely limited dining options—one or two cafeterias and possibly a to-go place. Gillett alone has two dining options right in the Rollins lobby, with Hitt Street Market, Plaza 900, and Eva J’s right across the street. No one at Mizzou should ever have to “settle” for whatever they can get their hands on—you can eat whatever you want pretty much whenever you want!

 

4.     4.School Spirit

Walking through Mizzou’s campus, black and gold apparel can be seen everywhere. Key word here being apparel—students are not limited to just a simple t-shirt or hoodie. The campus bookstore resembles a Barnes & Nobles or high-end department store. Brands like Nike, Underarmour, and Champion provide fun contemporary designs on fitted t-shirts, jackets, athletic shorts, sweat pants, coats, tote bags, polos, and hats.  If you can’t find spirit wear here that you like, you’re unlikely to find it anywhere.

 

5.     5.Gillett

When most people hear we live in Gillett, they become mildly uncomfortable, responding with “OH.” or even the rarer, “That sucks.” We, however, are quick to dismiss this stereotype—the idea that just because our beloved Res. Hall is, ahem, older, that it cannot be a fun place to live. Gillett is clean (thanks to our great custodial staff!), in an awesome central location (class in Conservation Hall…no big deal.), and has two dining halls. It saves our parents money, has a super-relaxed atmosphere, and a lot of character. Will it be nicer when remodeled? Sure. As classic and fun as it is now? That remains to be seen.

 

Coming next time—what we’re not so crazy about here in Columbia…

KEM

Centennial Top Five

The three of us made our way over to the Centennial Celebration this past week to check out the festivities and to get a few interviews squeezed in along the way. The alumni were more than happy to offer their opinions and just generally express their Tiger pride! In this article we have pinpointed five major ideas that we thought were the most important things that came out of these interviews…

1. Graduates of all ages are more than happy to come back! 
Although everyone interviewed graduated during various times and had different experiences, all were more than willing to return for the Centennial Celebration this past week. Journalism majors from the classes of 1951, 1971, and 2003 all had similar positive experiences and words of wisdom for budding journalists at Mizzou.

2. Mizzou’s J-School has consistently been ahead of all other Universities across the nation. 
According to Jenny Hoff, a 2003 graduate, her journalism degree from MU was beneficial while starting her career because she “didn’t have to go in with a blank slate.”  She recognized that her education at Mizzou left her clearly better prepared for a job in comparison to her peers who graduated elsewhere. While they were struggling to learn the ropes, she knew how to do everything that was asked of her without any on-site training.

Similarly, Nan Bauroth, a gradute from 1971, said that she came to Mizzou all the way from California because she “knew it was the best J-School” and she has never regretted her choice to attend MU.

3. A degree from the J-School will open countless doors in your future.

A consistent theme discussed by interviewees has been that a degree from the University of Missouri opens endless doors, no matter which sequence one chooses or what they decide to do with it.  Nan Bauroth graduated as a broadcast journalist but never ended up in the newsroom or behind a camera. Instead, she worked on Wall Street and as an independent journalist.  However, just because her emphasis area was broadcast didn’t mean that her degree was useless.  She said that her University of Missouri diploma even helped her to get her job on Wall Street. “People respect a degree from MU and know how prepared the graduates are,” she said enthusiastically. 

Jenny Hoff (a broadcasting major who now works at NBC) and Patrick Terpstra (a 2003 graduate with a broadcast degree, now working for ABC) both confirmed Nan Bauroth’s statements.  Despite the fact that the two have jobs relatively far from Mizzou on the east coast, they confirmed that their diplomas most definitely secured their jobs, proving that respect for a degree from the University of Missouri reaches all across the nation.

4. The Missouri School of Journalism is ahead of the curve.

Throughout the years, the journalism school at Mizzou has adapted to the changing times.  When Nan Bauroth graduated in 1971, she said that broadcast journalism was a revolutionary program that didn’t get much respect. She and her fellow broadcast journalism students had to “fight prejudice” against those still stuck in the paper and ink phase, but now the broadcast school is just as well-established as the rest.  Nan feels that the Convergence Journalism sequence is the in the same situation now as Broadcast was in the early seventies.  She said she is “glad to know that the J-school is not fighting the digital revolution.”  So, no matter if one examines the School of Journalism now or looks back thirty years ago, the University of Missouri has consistently proven to be ahead of the curve in terms of their educational standards.

In addition to this, Jenny Hoff stated that even in the few years since she graduated, the University of Missouri has made countless valuable changes to its campus and equipment.  She admired the abundance of new technology and resources at hand for all MU students, and said that the country and the rest of the world can certainly expect great things from Missouri graduates in the years to come.

5. Appreciate the time you have here, and take advantages of all the resources at hand! 

Patrick Terpstra expressed his extreme thankfulness not only for the School of Journalism itself, but also for all of the out-of-the-classroom experience that helped him along the way.  He worked for the Maneater until his graduation in 2003 and said that it gave him the opportunity to experiment with his reporting skills before applying them to a real-world job.  He is now happily an ABC general assignment reporter in Virginia and says that he owes much of his success to MU itself.

Moral of the story, you’re lucky to be here at MU! 
Until later, 
Kara, Mary, and Erin

Erin

Hi, My name is Erin Horn. I’m 19 years old and I’m from Overland Park, Kansas. Being from Kansas, its always been hard being a Missouri fan in a land of Jayhawks, but I’m so happy to finally be here at Mizzou! Currently, I’m a Pre-journalism major, and hope to one day work for a type of magazine or advertising agency, possible taking pictures! (I haven’t decided yet, but I have time!) During in high school I was involved in such activities as Student Council, National Honors Society, cross country, track, soccer and tennis and my two favorite Yearbook and Broadcast staff. I know that’s vague and just so you can get to know me a little better Here are 5 other things about me you probably didn’t care about but can know anyways! :

5 Things About Erin!     

Ice Cream- I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE ice cream! If I could I would eat it for breakfast lunch and dinner! Basically I consider ice cream, my main nutritional intake of  dairy for the day! In addition Mizzou has helped aid my addiction..I am definitely enjoying (and probably abusing my access to) the soft serve ice cream machines in the dining halls!

Harry Potter -I’m proud to admit that I am a Harry Potter Nerd.  I have read all the books multiple times!!! And actually I highly recommend listening to them on tape!  Jim Dale (the voice of the books on tape) = AMAZING! As you can see I went all out with my friends for the movie and book premieres last year! P.S. I was enraged when I found out the 6^th movie wasn’t coming out until this summer! GRRRRR

                                                                           

Photos Photoshop and music -So technically that is three things, but they all go together in one way or another. I like to take photos. My dad has always been the crazy dad on the sidelines of every sporting event with his huge camera set up on a tripod snapping millions of photos. In addition he has so many awesome photos he has taken on various vacations and just in his spare time. We have a gallery in our basement and people often think they are professionally done which is sweet! To say the least his passion for photography rubbed off on me . Throughout high school I took photos for my school’s yearbook and went on random photo expeditions with my dad. I went all out last summer and asked for a Canon Rebel Xti camera (FYI: that’s  really nice one!) for my birthday but  paid for a majority of it. I loved that camera but sadly we were only together for a year because this summer it got STOLEN out of my car L I cried. HARD. That may sound pathetic but its true. I loved that camera so much!!! So now I just snap photos with my small digital hand held camera (which is a piece!) while I save up for another one. But anyway moving on…back when I had my wonderful camera, one thing I enjoyed taking picture of my boyfriend’s band (guitarist Taylor Boyd pictured above) and playing with a lot of the photos on photoshop. (Its so addicting!!! I can spend hours on end playing with Photoshop!) They liked the pics so much that they even let me design the cover of their Demo CD they recorded this summer! If you want to listen to some of their stuff and look at some other pictures I’ve taken their website is www.myspace.com/fairwayholiday

Running (and other sports)- I have always been somewhat of a tomboy and enjoyed playing all different types of sports. I have diagnoised myself with Sports A.D.D. because I can never do the same sport for to long. The way it works is I always find a sport I like, work hard to get good at it, and then after a while I get bored and want to try something new. Through out my life I have played and been competitive in tennis, soccer, gymnastics, softball, track and field, swimming and cross country. Cross country was definitely my favorite high school sport. Currently I am just enjoying running and going to the amazing Rec here at Mizzou. I actually joined the Mizzou Running Club (thanks to Mary, my fellow blog buddy, introducing me to it!) and am racing in a 5k run on Saturday J Wish me luck! But even if I pass out I still get a free t-shirt!

Humor and Pop Culture- Much like most all people on the face of the planet. I love to laugh! I love watching funny movies and tv shows such as (my favorite of all time) Arrested Development and the Office and listening to Stand up comedians such as Jim Gaffigan and Demetri Martin. In addition random YouTube videos are the best! Currently my favorites are the songs done by Bo Burnham such as “I’m Bo Yo” (you should check him out!) O I also love those shows on VH1 such as I Love the 90’s and Best Week Ever! My ultimate dream job is to be a commentator on one of those shows.

 

Alright, thats all for now! Thanks for reading all about ME! :)

 ~ Erin

Kara

Hey everyone,

Thanks for checkin' out our blog...my name is Kara Rose Henderson (I'm the one on the left in the picture...that's my best friend Kayla on the right). I'm from the exciting town of Naperville, Illinois. Okay it's not that exciting, but it's a little more than half an hour outside of Chicago, which has made for some good times.  Anyway, I'm 18 years old and I know I want to be a journalist, but thats about as far as I can see into my future at the moment. Right now, I've narrowed it down to photojournalism, convergence, and maybe even magazine.  It doesn't matter that much at this point because I'll probably change my mind a few more times down the road.  Hey, I'm only a freshman so I have plenty of time.

Seeing as I can't give you a definitive answer as to  exactly what I want to do with my life, I figured I would tell you a few fun facts about myself...5 to be exact! (If you haven't caught on to the whole "5" concept, you will soon.)  I'll try to tell you some things about me that you WON'T have heard in those countless getting-to-know-you exercises we did at the beginning of this year.

1. I love music. I know everyone says that, but if you ask anyone who knows me remotely well, they will tell you that it's one of the biggest parts of my life.  I love going to almost any kind of concert or show, and I really don't function too well unless I have music playing at all times.  So, if you ever want to hear some good music that you've never heard before, I'm your girl!  The whole music theme kind of leads me into talking about the fact that my ideal job would be to work for a music magazine.  I think it would be an amazing job, so maybe that will work out for me later on!

2.  Diet Dr. Pepper is my addiction. Pointless fact, I know, but I can't go through the day without it so I figured it deserved a spot on my top 5. Luckily my parents are stocking up on it when they come to visit because I go through it like water!

3. I've basically been a writer since the day I was born.  I can't do math or science to save my life, but I can basically write endlessly. The margins of my class notes are covered with words, I have about 20 notebooks in my closet completely filled with writing, and I could sit in my room for hours just writing and never get bored.  PLUS I'm a huge poetry nerd, so I spend a lot of my time reading poetry books as well. Don't make  fun of me. :)

4. I love to cook! It's probably one of the things I miss most about being at home.  I'm a huge loser and I watch the Food Network religiously. I love cooking or baking practically everything, but Italian food is definitely my favorite (maybe it's because I'm Italian?).  It's a random hobby, but my friends and family definitely don't complain.

5. I'm generally not a very athletically coordinated person, but I guess swimming is an exception!  My dad was  a swim coach back in the day, so he taught me to swim and put me on a team as fast as he could.  I did it all the way through my senior year--club, high school, and summer teams-- so it was a year-round sport for me. For some unfortunate reason I was good at the 500 free (which is 20 laps for all of you non-swimmers out there), so that made for a very tiring swimming career to say the least.  Anyway, I decided not to do it here at Mizzou though, I couldn't handle any more of the crazy practice schedules every single day.  I didn't want to go through my freshman year being a complete zombie. But I DO love going to the Rec. pool, so if anyone needs a swimming partner, I'm definitely up for it!

Well, there's my top five things that you should know about me....hopefully you all will get to know me better, but for right now that's all you're going to get! Much love,

Kara

Mary

Hey Exploring Journalism G friends! The following is a brief summary of the Top Five topics you should know about me...

1. Basic Info

My name is Mary Alice Peterson and I am from Peoria, Illinois. Peoria is a city of about 300,000 people and is located about five hours north. I went to Dunlap High School (graduating class of about 210), located in a small town about five minutes outside Peoria. I am a Leo and enjoy Chocolate Banana Vivannos and long walks on the beach (Okay, not really. Long walks on the beach make my legs hurt.).

2. Goals

My goals for the FIG include learning more about my major-which as of now is probably Magazine Journalism, although Convergence is tempting-and getting to know the members of Exploring Journalism G (i.e. you all) better. So stop by my room (503) to say hey or hang out or watch crime tv. Or just Facebook me!

3. Hobbies

I wouldn’t say that I have a lot of hobbies, but running is definitely part of my life I couldn’t do without. I’ve been running cross country and track since seventh grade, and it has been the only sport I have ever done with any degree of success (probably partially as a result of being born without coordination). Running is time I take to just relax and release my stress (and burn calories!). at MU I run with the running club. Some other hobbies are shopping, eating (seriously), and just hanging out with my friends.

4. Favorites

I think it’s important to know what people like so you can get them fabulous presents, which is why I am posting this topic. In all seriousness, however, here are some random favorite things of mine: soy coffee drinks, crime tv (just ask my roommate Kara, the K in KEM…it’s a little embarrassing), running, Cherry Coke Zero, fall, music (my iTunes is TOTALLY random. I believe you can creep on it on the shared music on your iTunes, but some favorites are Secondhand Serenade, Breaking Benjamin, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Jewel, and Augustana.), North Face jackets, Cosmopolitan, and animal print.

5. Reasons I Chose Mizzou

There are tons of reasons that anyone from anywhere would want to attend our fabulous university. I, however, chose it foremost for the j-school, before I had even visited. When I did visit, though, I realized we had a really nice campus (the Rec actually made up my mind for good) with a lot of construction and new projects happening all the time. I also got the sense that there was a lot of school spirit here, something that I loved about Dunlap High School. Everywhere I looked, students were wearing black and gold or Greek life t-shirts. And every student I talked to was Mizzou’s biggest champion, including my cousin who’s a junior here. I can definitely say that now I brag about Mizzou too, and couldn’t be happier with my choice.

 *Mary

 

 

  

Hello World

Hello world! 

   We are Kara Mary and Erin and we are the lovely ladies bringing you the High Five KEM Blog! We are all freshmen at Mizzou who live on the 5th floor of Gillett and in the Exploring Journalism FIG with the one and only Chris Spurlock! Through our blog you will follow us through our freshman year here at Mizzou and if you haven't caught on to the theme yet, we will be ranking various topics in our lives in groups of 5! (hints the name High Five!..clever we know.) Hope you enjoy the blog!

   Peace Out, Kara, Erin and Mary aka K.E.M