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Academic Recognition CeremonyApril 2, 2017The HandoutApril 2017Vol. 5, Issue 6IN THIS ISSUEACADEMIC RESOURCE MENTORS— YOUR ARM HAS A HANDOUT FOR YOU!by Ruth Williams, Newbury ARMdiately. Asking questions may provide clarityand get you the grade you need on your finals.Never be afraid to ask questions!1The Finals Countdown!2Summer Reading List3Exercise Your Brain!3Graduates—Are YouReady for the Real World?#4. Study with your own styleThis is it! Finals are just a week away and theclock to the end of the semester has begun.Here are some of the most important tips togetting through the final countdown to theend of the spring semester.#1. Review the materialThere are many types and methods of studying. Find out what is your best learning styleand apply it to studying for finals. For example,if you are an audiovisual learner, you shouldwatch videos and review them. Stick with whatyou know and trust your instincts.4Senior Weekend ‘174Departing ARMs5Saying Goodbye510 Quick Study Tips6Don’t Blame It On theAlcohol#5. Find a study partnerFind someone you work well with in your classand schedule time to meet. Make sure to studyalone first, then test each other. This can helpidentify what you are struggling with and mayget you ahead to studying the right material.(Continued on pg. 4)Housing Announcementswww.wcsu.edu/housing/arm.aspReview all the materials of the class. Take allthe notes you had in class and review themafter class. This will allow you to remember and#6. Get Restapply the information you learned. The moreSleep is one the most important aspects ofyou review, the more you will be able to regetting prepared for finals. Rest can give youmember.the energy you need to push forward. Take#2. Make your own study guidenaps when needed and make sure to keep onschedule.In college, some professors provide you withstudy guide but others will not. Professors are#7. Pace yourselfnot required to give students study guides, soYou have two weeks until you have your final.it is your responsibility to create your own.Schedule time to study each day but pace yourHighlight the important points and organizeself. Never cram! Cramming everything in yourthe information based on chapter or topic.head the day before the exam is not effective#3. Ask Many Questionsand creates more problems.If you don’t understand any aspect of what you#8. Go to Review Sessionshave learned in class, ask the professor imme-6
The Handout, V5-#6, April, 2017by Samantha FelicianoFairfield ARMAs summer approaches, now is the time tomake your summer reading list to enjoyover vacation. After looking through several different articles on their top books forsummer reading, and of those who havebeen Pulitzer Prize winning authors, I havecomprised my own list of the top 5 booksfor your 2017 summer reading.#5. A Confederacy of Duncesby John Kennedy Toole“If it doesn’t make you laughyou probably have heatstroke”-Victoria Willian senior subeditiorThis novel by American novelist John Kennedy Toole reached publication in 1980,eleven years after Toole's suicide. With thehelp of Toole’s mother and writer WalkerPercy, this book became considered a cultclassic, then a success among many. Thebook then garnered the 1981 Pulitzer Prizefor Fiction (posthumously). After reading afew summaries, it is clear this book is onenot easily described without picking it up. AConfederacy of Dunces is known as a picaresque novel, “meaning it's a bunch of episodic adventures” sprawling across the(mostly) seedier side of New Orleans. Thisbook, with its tangled plot and tricky list ofcharacters, will definitely keep you busythis summer.#4. Anything is PossibleBy Elizabeth StroutElizabeth Strout is the Pulitzer Prize-winning authorand has been a New YorkTimes best seller over 7times. “Her short storieshave been published in anumber of magazines, including The NewYorker and O: The Oprah Magazine. Elizabeth Strout lives in New York City.” This isan interesting read for the summer asmany of you will be returning home for thesummer or re-visiting places of home whileout of school, similarly to the main character of this novel. The story follows a fa-mous author who returns tothe Midwestern hometown ofher childhood. Her life is told bya series of connected stories“narrated by those who knewher—memories of trauma andgoodwill, resentments smalland large, and the everwidening gulf between havesand have-nots.” Elizabeth Strout’s writingwill draw you in as if you known her characters yourself.#3. The Underground Railroadby Colson WhiteheadThis year’s Pulitzer Prize forFiction is the sixth publishednovel by American author Colson Whitehead. Beyond thisaward, this novel has achievedthe 2016 National Book Awardfor Fiction and the 2017 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence.Here is a summary review from Oprah Winfrey’s book panel:“In his dynamic new novel, ColsonWhitehead takes the Underground Railroad — the loosely interlocking network ofblack and white activists who helped slavesescape to freedom in the decades beforethe Civil War — and turns it from a metaphor into an actual train that ferries fugitives northward.”This addition to the list gives a personaltouch to fiction with characters that depicta the serious truths of our history.#2. The Goldfinchby Donna TarttThis is one book on the listthat I can’t wait to read assoon as I can after reading thissummary I found:“Told in first-person narrationby ‘Theo’ Decker, this is thestory of a thirteen-year-old boy in NewYork City. Theo adores his energetic, beautiful mother—as do many other people inManhattan. He thinks of his father, whohad walked out on them a year earlier, asan alcoholic, abusive thief. Theo's life isturned upside down when he and his mother visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art tosee an exhibition of Dutch masterpieces,including a favorite painting, Carel Fabritius's The Goldfinch. There, he falls in loveat first sight with a red-headed girl who isaccompanied by an elderly man. A terroristpg.2bomb explodes, killing his mother and other patrons. In the rubble, Theo encountersthe old man, Welton ‘Welty’ Blackwell, whogives him a ring and an enigmatic messagebefore dying. Believing that Welty is pointing at The Goldfinch, Theo takes it duringhis panicked escape. The taking of theseitems is done by Theo in a state of terror,concussion and shock, and he has no understanding of how these seemingly minoractions will influence the rest of his life.”The painting of importance is an actualpainting, and was the inspiration to gettingthis novel by Donna Tartt to come to life .This excerpt alone left me needing to knowmore, and I hope you too find joy in reading about what happens next to TheoDecker this summer.#1. In Other Rooms, Other Wondersby Daniyal MueenuddinFinally the number onesummer read book pickwas one I recently finishedreading myself.Written by PakistaniAmerican author DaniyalMueenuddin, this book haswon The Story Prize, theCommonwealth Writers' Prize and otherhonors and was a finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize and the 2009 National BookAward. This book is made up of the following series of stories:"Nawabdin Electrician", "Saleema","Provide, Provide", "About a Burning Girl","In Other Rooms, Other Wonders", "OurLady of Paris", "Lily" , "A Spoiled Man".These 8 stories are linked to each otherand all take place in Pakistan in the 1970s,'80s and '90s, and describe Pakistani culture from within. “The stories uncover avariegated society in which people's socialstatus and expectations are understoodwithout being explained, and in which theclass system and poverty are shown toinfluence any decision made at a criticalmoment in the characters' lives.” Althoughthe location and time period may be in thepast this book to me also represented thechange in what’s happening in the worldtoday, and it brings enlightenment to whatwe may forget to be grateful for and thethings that can be stopped that are alwaysaround us.Enjoy your summer 2017 and keep reading!
By Jamie MaitlandPinney ARMGRADUATES:Are You Ready For TheAs graduation quickly approaches, some of us seniors are left with uncertainty anddoubt. We’ve been at school for at least the last four yearsand now it’s time to start something new. For some of usthat means moving back home and working, while for others it means moving out of state for that dream job. Eitherway it can be a stressful time, so here are some tips tokeep you sane throughout the next few weeks.by Nadia Orjiugo, Centennial ARMSummer can be great time for physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Seeing that we plan our summers to be eventful and fullof activities such as swimming, vacations, sleeping and (for somepeople) working may be a part of these plans, we tend to findourselves unprepared for the fall semester. Some of us even tendto relax so much that when it is time for school we can’t evenread without checking our phones every few minutes. I admit Ihave been guilty of this as well, but this is why I am here—so youcan avoid the feeling of being unprepared with a few tips!One way that we can exercise our brain this summer is byreading. Yes, I know not everyone enjoys doing this, however it is a great way to keep the brain working. Readingallows you to activate your creativity and imagination aswell as assists in critical thinking.Another way to exercise the brain would be to remain socialand network! Try to make local networking events thatare in the field that you are pursuing. In general, at school,you make friends who have similar goals as you, it is important to continue this networking outside of school aswell.Lastly, simply exercising will also do the trick! I know whensummer arrives, working out will not be a priority for everyone as the goal is to relax and have fun. According toresearch, when you exercise, the brain chemicals associated with happiness and relaxation increase. Even the smallest amount of exercising, such as walking, can do the trickas well.Hopefully you all can keep these tips inmind as we head toward our summerbreak during these next few weeks. Remember to stay safe, enjoy your timeoff, and exercise your brain!The Handout, V5-#6, April, 2017pg. 3Embrace change—Yes, you may have some uncertaintywhich causes you to stay up at night second guessingall of your decisions. However, you are about to be acollege graduate. In a couple of weeks you will receivethat degree, making all of those sleepless and stressfulnights worth it. Be proud of yourself.Forgive—everyone’s college experience is different. Youmay have started college with a best friend youthought would be at your wedding. However, something happened and the two of you are no longerspeaking. That’s okay-but don’t start the next phase ofyour life angry and bitter. You two don’t have to befriends but forgive him/her for the hurt they havecaused you and move on.Do your research—If you’re job searching or even looking at what graduate school you want to accept, doyour research first. See what they have to offer youand if it’s what you really want. Ask questions, talk topeople who are currently at the job or who have goneto graduate school at the school you’re thinking aboutattending. See if it’s a right fit for you.Loans—A majority of college students have to take outloans. So as graduation approaches, it’s time to startthinking about how you’re going to go about payingback your loans. Don’t freak out yet—repaymentdoesn’t start until six months after graduation so youhave some time to come up with a plan, but don’t waittoo long.Family—So you have been out of the house for a whileand now you’re going back to live with your family.You’re thinking to yourself— how do you adjust tobeing back home? Once you get settled in at home,have a conversation with your family about householdresponsibilities, privacy, bills, etc. to make sure that allof you are on the same page.Have confidence—you are about to be a college graduate and that’s a big deal! Once you start your new joband/or graduate school, have confidence that you’readequately prepared for what you’re about to do. Youhave worked so hard and now it’s your time to shineshow them what you’ve learned.Keep in touch—Just because you won’t be living downthe hall from your friend anymore doesn’t mean thatyou still can’t be friends. Make sure that you keep intouch and, depending on how far you two live fromeach other, plan to meet up sometimes and catch up.The same goes for any mentors, advisors, bosses, etc.you may have had while in college. You can alwayskeep in touch.
WCSU SENIOR WEEKEND ‘17Friday, May 12Event: Midnight Cruise in NYCPickup Location: WS Campus CenterDeparture Time: 9:00 pmDescription: There will be a DJ, dinnerbuffet, free juice and water, cash bar, dancefloor, outside games/activities, outsidelounge area, sight-seeing (Empire StateBuilding, Statue of Liberty, etc.), over 2000in raffle prizes, and more! We will board thecruise ship between 11:30PM-11:45PM. Thecruise duration is from 12 am-3am, then thebus will take everyone back to the WS Campus Center at 3 am.*Everything listed above is included in theticket – except cash bar.**You MUST take the bus service providedto travel to the cruise. There will be a busservice taking everyone back to the WScampus, but if you do not wish to take thebus back to campus, you are not required to(if you want to get a hotel room instead,totally up to you!)Saturday, May 13pg. 4Tips/Reminders for Residents:If you currently live on campus, fillout a stay form to make sure you areallowed to stay in the hall during thatweekend.Last day to move out:Ticket for cruise only—Saturday, May 13 by 4 pm.Ticket for casino—Sunday, May 14 by 4 pm.Event: Picnic & activities & raffle prizesLocation: Alumni Pavilion (Right acrossthe football field)Time: 1:00 - 3:00 pmDescription: This will be a great networking event to get to know your fellow classmates or alumni who already graduatedPack your stuff home early!from WestConn. Southern fried chicken andPACK your stuff home early!!TACO BAR, fun activities include, but arePACK YOUR STUFF HOME EARLY!!!not limited to a pie eating contest, applebobbing, and some board games available,raffle prizes are included as well!Please email Qin Lin:lin024@connect.wcsu.edu or MelanieMangco: mangco001@connect.wcsu.eduSaturday, May 13for any further questions.Event: MoheganSun Casino TripPickup Location:Three of our ARM staff are graduatWS Campus Centering this year!Departure Time:Jamie Maitland has been6:00 pman ARM for 4 years! SheDescription: You are on your own to havehas served in Litchfield,fun after the arrival! A food voucher will beNewbury, and Pinneyincluded in the ticket price. The bus willHalls. She never stoppedtake everyone back to the WS Campus Cenlooking for new ways toter at 2 am.help! Jamie is graduatingwith a nursing degree, and we can’tTicket Information:thank her enough for all she’s doneLast time to purchase tickets: Friday,for us and you over the years!May 5Qin Lin (Seven) is finishTickets will be on sale at Grad Saluteing her second full year as(Wednesday, May 3, 3-7 pm atan ARM, both years in PinO’Neil Center)ney Hall. Not only has shePlease refer to flyers around campusdone a terrific job with us,for ticket prices.she’s been hard at workwith the Ancell LearningCommons, SGA, and the SeniorClass. She’ll be starting her newjob at the end of the summer! Bestof luck!MOHEGAN SUNCASINO NIGHTCHELSEA PIERCRUISEThe most exciting events of the year arecoming! WestConn is having senior weekend events on Friday, May 12th and Saturday, May 13th. If you are a graduating senior, these are the events designated foryou! Take advantage of this awesome opportunity to create wonderful memories asthe way to bring your time at WCSU to anend. If you are not graduating, you are stillmore than welcome to participate in theevents! As you may be eager to know more,here are the details regarding all the events:SENIOR PICNICby Qin Lin, Pinney ARMThe Handout, V5-#6, April 2017The Finals Countdown—cont. from pg. 1If the professor has a review session, attend it. They couldprovide vital information that would be on the exam.Make sure that you take notes and apply them to yourstudying time.Applying these tips can help you get through finals thisyear. Remember to study hard and focus. You will dogreat!A message from Ruth:This is actually my last semester in college and my final article for The Handout. I hope thatmy words over the years were helpful and gave you the confidence to tackle the challenges of college. Just remember—getting through college is obtainable and it is your opportunity to make the most of it.Ruth Williams finishesout a year and a half asARM, serving in Pinneyand now Newbury. Alsoa nursing major, Ruth isready to take on theworld . Her patience andopenness with residents is boundless! We’ll miss her energy and bigsmile!Thanks, too, to John , Nadia, andSamantha, who are leaving us thisspring, and to Melanie, who returnsin the fall!
had, and take a few new pics toit or not, the staff of your building lovesmemorialize this moment.what they do, and it’s very hard forDon’t forget to make sure youthem at the end of the year to saymake plans to still text or call,goodbye. Some of them are graduat-and maybe even meet up overing. Some will also be going to a newthe summer or after they startbuilding next fall. RDs may move, ortheir new jobs!they may be leaving to start a new job.It’s time.Some of you will also be coming Things do a lot of changing over thesummer. Be sure you’re ready for it allback next year. Try to stay in touchIt feels like August was just a few dayswith your new fall roommates so thatby taking the time now to honor whatago, and now here you are at the brinkyou can make plans about moving inyou had.of May, looking at the end of the yearlater in August, and who will be bring-So—get your planner/calendar out,just a few days away.ing what to your new digs! If you’re ablock out the times for study and finalsnew student this year who’s moving toprep. Mark off the end of the yearWestside next year, remember thatevents you have to attend. And buildyou’ll have a bunch of new space toyourself a “goodbye tour” scheduleoccupy, and that will require a littlewhile you’re at it.more in terms of cleaning supplies,Best of luck on your finals! Thanks,dishes, and other “household” items.Grads, for all your time spent living withships still to be secured. CeremoniesIt’s also a time to celebrate the yearus at Western. Returners—we lookand banquets to attend. Moving plansyou’ve had with your friends and fellow forward to seeing your smiling facesAlthough you feel like celebrating—warm weather and the beach calling toyou—it’s also a time of high stress.There are papers to be researched andwritten. Study groups to join. Presentations to give. Summer jobs or intern-to finalize. The list is endless, and every residents in your current building. Your again in August!floors will be having a few “end of theitem on it is important.But while you’re working on all thosethings, there’s something importantthat you need to make sure you add toyour list—Make time to say Goodbye!Some of your friends will be graduating.It may be quite some time until you seethem again. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to scroll through your memories from WCSU with them. Pull out thephotos and recall the good times yousemester” moments over the next fewweeks—floor superlatives, video memories, maybe. Make some time to takepart in these festivities, too. You’velived with these folks for nearly a year,and you’re sure to have made somegreat memories over that time. Cele-brate it!Don’t forget to take some time withyour RAs, ARMs, and RDs, too. BelieveTen Effective Steps for Exam Preparation from the Dartmouth College Academic Skills Center (2001)1.Start now (TODAY!)6.2.Be clear about what the test will ask youto know or do.Create study/review sheets of key information.7.Do practice problems/essay questions.8.Study/practice with others.9.Be confident. Think positively.3.Schedule specific times to prepare eachday (earlier in the day is better!)4.Review notes from your class.5.Review/skim your readings.10. Sleep. Eat well. Exercise.The Handout, V5-#6, April, 2017pg. 5
by Melanie JonesCentennial ARMAs college students, we are exposed to awhole lot of new things. Alcohol is one ofthose “things” we are exposed to, if wehaven’t been exposed to it before! Drinking(even if we aren’t 21) happens. We all knowit does. At the end of the year, the pressureof being around friends who are older ormore mature can take precedence over logical thinking, especially in the mind of a college student. The best way to be safe is bynot drinking if you are under 21! If you are 21or over, drink responsibly! If you do decideto drink, remember these few facts and tipsto have a safer alcohol adventure.1. College students are more likely to engage in risky behavior while intoxicated. This occurs due to peer pressureand the need and want to feel acceptedby peers. These feelings are heavilyheightened by alcohol. According to theNational Institutes on Alcohol Abuseand Alcoholism, more than 1,800 college students lose their lives each yeardue to accidents from dangerous behavior. Don’t become a statistic! If youchoose to drink, make sure you do soaround people you trust and havesomeone around who is responsibleand sober!2. Remember the consequences whenyou choose to drink. When hosting parties, you can be charged some heftyfines and even criminal charges if a minor attends and is caught drinking. Ifyou choose to drink on campus and getcaught, you can face a judicial hearingand potentially lose your housing . Youcan also suffer academically due tomissing classes, forgetting about assignments while you are intoxicated orsuffering a hangover, or even missing afinal exam.3. There are a lot of physical damagesthat alcohol can cause as well as social.As most of us are aware, alcohol affectsthe functions of the brain, liver, heart,stomach, and countless other organs inthe body. Depression and anxiety canThe Handout, V5-#6, April, 20174.begin or be worsened by the consistent use of alcohol. Alcohol dependency can create financial issues as well!Having to purchase alcohol can create ahefty dip in your wallet.Be on the look out for symptoms ofalcohol poisoning. The signs may looklike simple intoxication, but alcohol poisoning can be deadly if action is nottaken quickly. Pale blue or purple skin,excessive vomiting, slow breathing,extreme confusion, slurred speech, andfeeling cold are all common symptomsof alcohol poisoning. Call 911 immediately if you witness this. “Sleeping itoff” is not always a good idea in thesesituations, especially if the person haspassed out. Good Samaritan laws are ineffect and you shouldn’t be afraid ofgetting in trouble if you are underage!Bottom line, just be safe. Be smart. Be responsible. We are in COLLEGE! We are supposed to have the time of our lives, but whyhave fun if you can’t remember it the nextmorning? Know your limits and stick tothem. Know when to cut yourself off andlook out for your friends. Have a plan beforehand and backup plan just in case. Always have a designated driver or the Uberapp ready to go. Think before you drink!Housing Announcements:It’s time to get ready to move out forthe summer. Please make sure to attend meetings and read all informationyou’re sent regarding check-out for thesummer. While the process may be abit different from building to building,you will ALWAYS need to: Check out with a staff member Clean your room, suite, or apartmentSign your room inventory form(RIF) Return any room, bedroom, ormailbox keys.Your check-out time should be arranged to be within 24 hours of yourlast exam (or by Friday, May 12th at 6pm, whichever is earlier). If you’re staying for senior weekend, you must havepre-purchased a ticket AND completeda Request to Stay form at your infodesks (they’ll be there late in the dayon Monday, May 1st).24-Hour Quiet Hours begin on Wednesday, May 3rd at 11:00 pm and continuethrough Friday, May 12th at 6 pm.Please be considerate as you move outand say your farewells to your neighbors who may be studying . Violatorsof quiet hours will be warned, and youwill be asked to leave if you aren’t quietor if you violate other university or residence hall policies.Any questions, please speak to yourRDs right away.Finally—good luck on your exams.Have fun at the graduation activities,and returners, we’ll see you in a fewmonths!** Don’t forget to look for campus events in theWOW email each Thursday! **WHAT DO YOU THINK?pg. 6The Handout is a publication of the Department of Housing & Residence Life at Western Connecticut State University. It will be published several times each semester, and distributed via email, on the HRL website (www.wcsu.edu),and via the departmental Facebook page. (WCSU Housing & Residence Life).What do you think? Have somethingyou’d like to share about this newsletteror other housing issues? Want to give asuggestion for a topic you’re interestedin knowing more about? Let us know.Drop us a line athousing@wcsu.edu
summary I found: “Told in first-person narration by ‘Theo’ Decker, this is the story of a thirteen-year-old boy in New York City. Theo adores his energetic, beau-tiful mother—as do many other people in Manhattan. He thinks of his father, who had walked out on them a yea
