U.G.A. Line
Volume 12, Issue 4, December 2014
Winter Blues
Happy Holidays everyone! It seems like we just started the semester together and were welcoming our residents to their new home here at UGA. As excited as I'm sure you all are to be heading away for Winter Break, we must remember that some of our students will not be able to go home. I encourage you to talk with them about their plans and perhaps discuss ways to celebrate here in Athens.
For those residents who will be going home for the holidays, consider issues that might arise for them while at home. For freshman residents, this may be the first time they will be back in their parents house for longer than a weekend. Your residents have become accustomed to living independently and making their own life decisions and may find it hard to understand why their parents are giving them a curfew, asking them where they are going, and asking a bunch of questions. Having an informal conversation with them about this can help prepare for a successful trip home!
Top Ten Tips to Get Outside this December
1. Bear Hollow Zoo and Memorial Park: visit with some adorable native animals and take a stroll around the lake
2. Botanical Gardens: go on a short or long hike on one of the many trails or check out the beautiful native and exotic species in the garden area
3. UGArden: help out with a harvest or stop by for a tour
4. Ecology Turtle Pond: this local treasure is right on campus and serves as a beautiful place to have a picnic or hang out with friends
5. Lake Herrick and the Oconee Forest Park: this gorgeous area is located right on the edge of campus (accessible by bus or foot!) and has a lot of fun opportunities to recreate outdoors
6. Walk around North Campus: our historic North Campus is a beautiful place to go on a stroll between classes
7. Participate in a 5K or 10K: Athens and surrounding cities host a lot of races in the fall… set a goal to participate in one sometime soon
8. Sandy Creek Park and Nature Center: just a short drive away from campus and you are at a delightful park filled with pretty views and fun ways to enjoy nature
9. Walking food tour: create your own tour or join in on one of the Athens Food Tours!
10. Explore North Georgia: there are some beautiful cities within an hour or so of Athens… check out some of the quaint small towns surrounded by gorgeous North Georgia mountains
Submitted by Jane Diener, Doctoral Intern for SustainabilityThe Race to Final Exams: Top 5 Study Tips
It’s hard to believe that Fall 2014 is almost over! As you prepare for final exams, keep these study tips in mind. Always remember to finish strong!
1. Study without distractions.
It may be hard to stop yourself from checking email, your phone, and all social media accounts while studying, but you will absorb so much more if you don't. Find a quiet space to devote to studying without tempting distractions.
2. Practice self-care
What’s good for the body is good for the mind. Get as much sleep as possible, take study breaks, and snack on healthy foods to keep yourself charged for marathon studying.
3. Find a study buddy or study group
Tackling a challenging class may be easier when you study with others. Schedule study sessions to go over hard material and quiz each other to see how much you know.
4. Don’t cram
You’ve heard it semester after semester. You induce stress and decrease your chances of success when you cram weeks of studying into one night. Study a little bit each day to lighten the load.
5. Reward yourself after a job well done
After a major exam, celebrate yourself and your hard work.
Good luck on final exams!
Submitted by Shanice Christopher, Graduate Resident for Academic Initiatives
December Programs
Make S'more Friends
Encourage residents to Make S’more Friends – give each suite or room a box filled with either marshmallows, chocolate bars, or graham crackers. Residents have to go meet a few of their neighbors if they want to make a complete s’mores! Residents then microwave s’mores in the kitchen or in their rooms.
Larger than Life
Host a game night unlike any your resident has ever been to. It can be quite simple to create a life size version of games such as Scrabble, Guess Who, or even Angry Birds using things in your resource room. Listed below are some DIY guides to these larger than life alternatives.
Guess Who: http://funninja.org/project/life-size-guess-who/
Angry Birds: http://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/994275/how-to-make-a-life-size-angry-birds-game
Kerplunk: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20397395,00.html
For more inspiration, check out this list of life size board games around the world: http://mentalfloss.com/article/29823/26-life-size-versions-popular-board-games
Send Christmas cards to military service men/women all over the world through your local Red Cross location. Provide Christmas cards and envelopes (or supplies to create their own) for residents to come and write a message to spread the holiday cheer. While residents are creating there cards, provide a hot chocolate bar and holiday music to get everyone in the spirit! For more information about Holiday Mail for Heroes, click here: http://www.redcross.org/support/get-involved/holiday-mail-for-heroes
Christmas
Christmas is celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas in the United States brings together many customs from other countries and cultures. Around the world, family members help to decorate the tree and home with bright lights, wreaths, candles, holly, mistletoe, and ornaments. On Christmas Eve, many people go to church. Also on Christmas Eve, Santa comes from the North Pole in a sleigh to deliver gifts; in Hawaii, it is said he arrives by boat; in Australia, the jolly man arrives on water skis; and in Ghana, he comes out of the jungle
Eid Al Adha, the Festival of the Sacrifice
Eid Al Adha is celebrated by Muslims on the 10th day of the month of the lunar calendar to commemorate the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim (or Abraham) to sacrifice his son for God. Today, Muslims sacrifice an animal—usually a goat or a sheep—as a reminder of Ibrahim's obedience to God. The meat is shared with family, friends Muslims or non-Muslims, as well as the poor members of the community.
Hanukkah
Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah, a holiday honoring the Maccabees victory over King Antiochus, who forbid Jews to practice their religion. For eight nights, Hanukkah is celebrated with prayer, the lighting of the menorah, and food. A menorah has nine candles, a candle for every night, plus a helper candle. Children play games, sing songs, and exchange gifts. Potato pancakes, known as latkes in Yiddish, are traditionally associated with Hanukkah and are served with applesauce and sour cream.
Kwanzaa
On December 26, Kwanzaa is celebrated. It is a holiday to commemorate African heritage. Kwanzaa lasts a week during which participants gather with family and friends to exchange gifts and to light a series of black, red, and green candles, which symbolize the seven basic values of African American family life that are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
Three Kings Day
At the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas comes a day called the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. This holiday is celebrated as the day the three wise men first saw baby Jesus and brought him gifts. On this day in Spain, many children get their Christmas presents. In Puerto Rico, before children go to sleep on January 5, they leave a box with hay under their beds so the kings will leave good presents. In France, a delicious King cake is baked. Bakers will hide a coin, jewel or little toy inside it.
Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice occurs around December 21st. It is the shortest day of the year. People all over the world participate in festivals and celebrations. Long ago, people celebrated by lighting bonfires and candles to coax back the sun.
Article courtesy National Geographic, 2009
December Events
Meet the Franklin Hall Advising Staff (Russell)
Kathy Mengak advises all science majors living in Russell Hall and is our offices’ resource person for pre-health professions.
- What she loves about her students: I admire their passion for life and their interest in helping others.
- Interesting fact about Kathy: She used to teach outdoor recreation classes at a small college in Virginia and authored a book about a National Park director.
Cindy Schulman advises intended business majors living in Russell. She also teaches math at Athens Technical College.
- What she loves about her students: I love my students' ambition. They seem excited about achieving their goals, even when they know it will take some hard work.
- Interesting fact about Cindy: On my 35th birthday, I had never been out of the United States . . . . but have now been to 5 different countries . . . and on 4 international mission trips. --- I am also related to the lyrical geniuses who wrote the song, "Red Solo Cup".
Tom Edwards advises AB and Intended Journalism majors in Russell Hall and also works with students in the CARE (Collaborative Academic and Retention Effort) program.
- What he loves most about his students: “I will be retiring this spring and will definitely miss meeting with my first-year advisees. No two are alike - different interests, challenges and aspirations. Diversity rules!”
- Interesting fact about Tom: He spent twenty years in retail bookstore management and is the lead teacher and coordinator of the Athens Zen group.
The Russell Hall advising office is located on the 3rd floor, next to the academic center study lounge and classrooms.
Submitted by Amber Fetner, Franklin College Academic Advisor
Rachel Vandergriff
Email: rkvandergriff@uga.edu
Location: Athens, GA, United States
Phone: 706-542-4810