Lewis University Navigator Blogs

The semester is really starting to wind down, and let me tell you it’s been one crazy ride. The countdown has really begun for our students; from our freshmen eagerly awaiting the title of “Sophomore” to the seniors getting ready to walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, summer fever truly is in the air on campus. The only problem? With summer lurking around the corner, the motivation is starting to really drop!
I know that I’m SWAMPED with things to do for the next two weeks, from a 7 page research paper for Philosophy to 2 essays for Ethics to 2 BIG tests in Biochemistry and Physics… Not to mention the scary fact that finals are so close as well! It’s becoming extremely difficult to stay on task, knowing that classes are so close to being over! But one thing that every student (including our prospective students!) should know: slacking off now won’t make your grades better…. it probably will make them worse!
I’ve found that setting a to-do list and planning out my days has really helped me to stay motivated and keep me through the tedious work I have to get done. It’s so rewarding to be able to cross YET ANOTHER thing off my list once I’ve completed it! Also, procrastinating a large paper won’t help anything. I’ve learned that writing a page or two every night until the deadline really helps to breakdown the paper and make it less stressful to write. Not only can you guarantee that your writing makes sense (and isn’t filled with the late-night groggy typing we’ve all done before!), but it makes the paper feel shorter than it is
But even if some of these tips can’t help you to stay focus, I recommend taking a quick break, get some food, hang out with some friends, watch TV, or even go for a jog around campus. Lowering your stress levels will help you to re-structure your focus on the tasks at hand, and get you through the weeks
Well, I’m off to start studying for my Biochemistry test that’s tomorrow, until next time!
-Emily

This week has really been one roller coaster of events. I mean, I’m taking a break from my Physics homework and Biochemistry work to sit down with some guacamole and chips to write this blog for our lovely readers! But by no means am I complaining; in fact, THANK YOU! You’re saving my sanity
This week has been so long for so many reasons. I had a huge midterm for my Analytical Chemistry class (for those of you who don’t know or aren’t science majors, Analytical is basically a General Chemistry class but more in depth and more information), which was 10 long worked problems and 22 multiple choice problems as well. The good thing about this midterm? It was open book AND open notes; the downside is that there really is no reason you shouldn’t get a perfect grade (at least on the multiple choice!! )
But the very next day, I went on a field trip with my Biochemistry class to BP’s Naperville campus to see a really cool chemistry instrument in action. The machine is called NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) and is used in CAT scans and airport security. This field trip gave me a chance to get some real world experience, and to start networking in the industry field. The guy we were with even had us make the samples for him, which was fun for us (again, industry experience!). The machine was SO COOL, and I learned so much, not only about the NMR machine and its functions, but also what it was like to work as a professional chemist in the field. It was so amazing that our professor was connected and able to have us visit this company, which really shows that our professors want us to get connected and make acquaintances so that come graduation and we’re applying for jobs, people will recognize us and realize that we have potential.
Well, I have to get back to my homework and the Jersey Shore reunion . Until next time!!!

Hi guys! It’s been a while since the last post, and boy have things changed! I’m loving the new semester, even with all the crazy stuff I have to do. Good news though… The BRAND NEW science center is finally open!!!
As a chemistry major, this is probably the most exciting thing to happen to us. The new building is BEAUTIFUL and its environmentally friendly too! The building was made out of recycled materials, has energy efficient systems, occupancy sensors for the rooms, and elements of solar and wind power. It truly demonstrates some of the best parts of science, with “green science” becoming a more prominent field.
The new building has 3 floors, each devoted to a specific major. The top floor is biology, the main floor is chemistry, and the bottom is physics. The professors offices line the glass side of the building, making them easily accessible to the students. There are brand new labs, prep rooms, as well as research labs on each floor, with the labs functioning as well as classrooms. The building is amazing and I love spending most of my days there! And most of the incoming students will be able to experience the beauty of this building, regardless of their major. As part of the general education requirements here at Lewis, 2 science courses (including lab!) must be taken. And even though some people may strongly dislike science and all that has to do with it, there are PLENTY of options that students can choose from. (And if you can’t find one, just take in the beauty of the building )
And on that note, I have to go finish my lab report for Analytical Chemistry. Until next time!
-Emily

Finals week is here and as everyone knows that means that stress levels are high, hours of sleep are low, and anxiety is through the roof. It’s amazing that anyone can survive this awful week, but we do… Somehow. For me, finals are probably the most nerve wracking thing to exist. I mean, a test on something we learned just last week is fine and all… But testing me on stuff from the beginning days of the class and that new material? Now that just isn’t nice!
But one thing I’ve come to appreciate in this stressful time are the study guides. All of my professors told me at the beginning that our finals were cumulative. And as finals week slowly crept up on us, they started telling us that we would have a study guide, and everything on the study guide would be on the final! PLUS some of my professors let us have sheets of paper with equations and formulas, a safety net of sorts for our comfort. And boy do those come in handy! You will be amazed at how small you can write when you have an insane amount of equations to put on one side of a sheet of computer paper. And with those, the cumulative finals aren’t nearly as scary anymore.

A good part of finals week is the teacher’s increased willingness to help you in any way they can. Some will have study sessions before the final, others will extend their office hours. And still some others will answer those late night emails you might send regarding how to work out one of the problems from an old test. The professors here want you to succeed and they are dedicated to helping you in any way possible… Even if that means spending a couple more hours explaining a topic to you or reviewing that old exam that you didn’t do so hot on.

Finally, the library is open 24 hours right now. So this means that (if you’re one of those last minute cram session types of people) you can cram as much knowledge from the semester into an Amp-filled, sleep deprived, and (with the right amount of lack of sleep) hilarious nights with other people from your class. I didn’t have to have one of those sessions this year, but I don’t doubt that I will have one in the future! So when you can’t study in your room because the season finale of your show or the big game is in and your final is over things that you can’t quite remember learning, change the pace and head over to the library! I guarantee you’ll find people in the same scenario as yourself

Well I’m off to go study some more for my last final tomorrow! Hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday and see you in the new year! -Emily

I can’t believe we are down to the last few weeks of the semester! This past week has been anything but relaxing.

The common phrases of the week? “I don’t have time to do all of this!” “The project is due when?!” “I guess me and my bed aren’t hanging out tonight.” “I’m going to lose my mind” From now until the end of the semester, I have something due every single day. And it’s not really small, busywork assignments either. Suddenly, big projects that professors forgot to assign at the beginning of the semester are showing up and due soon! As a college student, it’s really common to feel stressed and overwhelmed by the time the holidays roll around. It’s like a seasonal change; everything is calm, and one the weather starts getting gross, the work starts piling on. The best way to keep everything in order AND remain calm? Two words: TIME MANAGEMENT. (or DAILY PLANNER. that one works too for me )

Managing time and breaking big projects down into smaller pieces makes everything better. The huge, terrifying projects suddenly don’t look nearly as bad when you only have to do one or two pages of a paper or a slide or two in a Powerpoint presentation. Over time, the project gets done, and you keep your sanity!

And with finals coming up so soon, studying has become my new hobby. The super study has started in the library, and I can guarantee you that I will probably be there until the early hours of the morning, studying and reviewing information I learned at the beginning of the semester (which I might not be able to remember at this moment….). Take advantage of the library, it’s every college student’s best friend.

Well, I’m off to study! See you again soon!

Now that the weather is starting to get colder (and the days are getting shorter!) it’s starting to seem like the semester is winding down. But that doesn’t mean that the work or the stress is winding down too! If anything, most students (including myself) are working harder than ever on papers, presentations, tests, homework,  etc. With everything once again seeming like it’s due all at once, it’s hard to keep your head up. And sometimes, it feels like your drowning in papers. But it’s extremely important to remember to have some fun. College is supposed to be fun too, right?

So what do I do to make myself happy and take a nice break from studying? Well, I get out of the library. There’s the first step

But in all honesty, I like to spend time with my friends, watching the next episode of our favorite shows (I’m currently ADDICTED to FX’s American Horror Story!) or getting some dinner at the Den or the Courtyard Cafe. And when the weather is gross, and I’m not planning on leaving my room for a while (who really wants to go ANYWHERE when it’s freezing, raining, AND windy?) I have some nice relaxing time to myself, watching a movie with a cup of tea

But then, once I’ve de-stressed a little, had some fun, and taken a decent break.. It’s back to the books. I recommend always taking at least a half hour break when you have a super study session going. Once you’re done with your break, you’ll find that you can focus more and are much more productive once you’ve had a little fun.

After last week, I swear I’ve never gotten less sleep or had so much to get done. I was up at all hours doing my homework and working on my biggest lab report I’ve ever written (it turned out to be 48 pages long!). If coffee wasn’t my best friend before, it sure is now!! My problem wasn’t procrastination, it was just the fact that (like I mentioned in my previous blog) I swear my professors teamed up and made sure EVERYTHING was due last week. Hopefully this week will be a lot better

Overall, my classes are going well! I don’t think I’ve been on my computer so much… Typing out lab report after lab report and constantly checking Blackboard to see if my professors have posted any new work for us. Blackboard is an awesome tool in my personal opinion. It’s easy for your professor (if they choose to do so) to post your homework, Powerpoints, quizzes, grades, etc. Since most of us are on our computers anyway, it makes sense for us to utilize this It can be easy to forget about Blackboard, especially if you aren’t keeping track of your due dates. So if your professor loves Blackboard and posts a LOT of stuff, make sure to check at least once a day for any notifications from them!!!

Speaking of quizzes, I’ve got some final studying to do for mine! Until next time!

Fall is officially here at the University, with the leaves falling and the trees changing to beautiful colors! Even though the temperatures aren’t typical of a fall day in the Chicagoland area (I’m not complaining!!), every student on campus is starting to get the squeeze that comes with fall.

We just had our Fall Break, which denotes about the middle of the semester. And with the knowledge that the semester is half over, students are starting to feel really stressed. With papers, tests, presentations pretty much all due at the same time (any student will SWEAR that professors are teaming up against them to make everything due at once!), many students are learning the hard way that procrastination is a bad thing. I know that I’ve done my fair share of putting off that lab report until the night before, and then freaking out about it as I’m running out of energy at 12:30 in the morning.

I know this is going to sound so motherly because I’m sure all of you have heard this once or more in your lifetime, but procrastinate as little as possible in college. Get your work done early if you can, and make sure you do it to the best of your ability. In college, you don’t have your parents forcing you to do your homework before you go out or play video games or watch House on Mondays (my personal favorite distraction!); it’s all on you to get your work done on time.

My recommendation? Get a little bit done everyday, keep track of due dates, and KEEP A PLANNER! It’s really important to manage your time wisely, and by keeping a planner and turning the TV off to do some serious studying, you will find that you are keeping up with your work, and maybe you’ll find yourself ahead of schedule!

And on that note, I have to get back to my studying for Physics and Calculus… Until next time!

Hey everyone, it’s me again! School is truly in full swing, and boy have I been unbelievably busy! Being a science major has a LOT of time and energy commitments that some may not realize! So for those of you out there, who are considering a science as their major (and by science, I mean like chemistry, biology, pre-professional, physics, etc.) here’s some tips on how to survive college as a scientist!

1) 18 credit hours will be the normal each semester: basically, you will average 5 to 6 classes each semester. That may not sound like a lot, especially compared to high school, but you’ll find that you’ll be busy a LOT.

2) Talk to your professor! They know what they’re talking about! Most of our faculty bring in real-life experience to the classroom, which is awesome! The professors help their students look for possible careers after graduation, that concern their major. Most also have connections, which mean that a recommendation from them will look good to employers Make sure to get to know your academic adviser, and make the effort to make sure your professor knows you

3) Lab reports: they aren’t the same as the “reports” you did in high school. Your professor wants your report to be as thorough as possible, and extensive. You’ll find yourself writing professional level reports, which not only will get you a good grade in the class, but you’ll find yourself writing at a much more sophisticated and professional level. (Can you say AWESOME!?)

4) Hands on experience! Our students conduct their own research projects at some point in their career here at Lewis. That looks so good to potential employers! People want to know that you have had experience in the lab, performing independent experiments, and be able to handle the challenges that come with being in a lab. Plus, some of our students have internships with local major laboratories, such as Argonne!

Last, but not least….

5) Make sure to balance your intense academic sessions with some fun! Every current science major here at Lewis will tell you the same: even the most studious of students needs a break every so often! So remember to put away those organic, calculus, and physics books at some point, and go check out a Volleyball game, or hang out with some friends over dinner, or even go check out a new club or two!!

Until next time!!!

Hi everyone! I’m new to this whole blogging thing, so please bear with me as I try to figure this out But I will say that I’m really excited to be telling you guys all about the life of a student here at Lewis! First off, though, I’ll tell you a little bit about myself!

I am from Orland Park, but I am a resident on campus. I am a junior Chemistry major, and I have no idea what I want to do with that degree! On campus, I am a co-Captain of our Navigators, President of the Lewis University Chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and over this past summer I was an Orientation Group Leader. I am also a student worker for our Admissions office. As you can see, balancing 18 credit hours with all of the extracurriculars I’m involved in is pretty tough, but somehow I manage!

Well, I think that pretty much sums me up! For a first time blogger, I don’t think this is too bad  Bye everyone!

-Emily