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Hey Everyone!!

Hope everyone had a great and not too stressfull finals week. The great part about being done with finals is that you get to relax over break…. and when you come back you get to start all over with new classes, teachers, schedules, grades, and a chance to even meet new people. It’s important to be prepared and ready for the new semester so that you can make the best of it!

I hope everyone enjoys their three weeks off and has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It’s natural for some homesickness to accompany your first two or three weeks of adjusting to college dorm life. You’re in an entirely new environment. On one hand, there are no more curfews, no constant reminders to do your homework, no questions about where you’re going, or who you’re going to be with.

On the other hand, you’re on your own for what might be the first time in your life. No one’s cooking your meals, except maybe the cafeteria staff. No one’s making sure your homework gets done or that you get up for class on time. No one’s washing your clothes. The freedom accompanying college dorm life can be both a blessing and a curse. However, during this major transition, many students find that the biggest hurdle they face in their first college dorm life experience is homesickness. Make sure
you are sharing your exciting and/or trying experiences with people from home can help dispel feelings of isolation and loneliness. You may actually learn that you’re not missing much. However, if feelings of homesickness and depression persist as a result of college dorm life, make sure you talk to someone about them.

Hi Everyone!

First off Happy Friday! I know all the students at Lewis are happy today because after today winter break officially starts. This week was pretty busy and stressful with finals but we all got through it! Many students on Saturday took the night off of studying to attend the Men’s and Women’s basketball games. The games had an ugly sweater theme and a lot of people came to show off their sweater. It was a lot of fun! Another study break I took advantage off was the Late Night Pancake breakfast. The Sunday night before finals week each semester, Residence Life and Campus Ministry put on a breakfast. Brother James and other faculty come to serve breakfast to students from 9:30-11:30. The breakfast is free which is helpful to many students who have run down the money on their ID cards. It is a nice event they put on to show appreciation to the students at Lewis.

I was lucky this semester because I only had one final. The rest were take home essays or presentations. Finals are distributed or assessed are based on the opinion of the professor. I have friends at other schools where they have to be given a final. I really like how Lewis leaves the decision up to the teacher because the material you covered might not make sense assessing it in a test form. For example, for philosophy my final was to write a few essays responding to topics we discussed over the semester. I really value the personalized learning attention there is at Lewis because of our size because it allows each class to experiment and change to fill the students’ and professors’ wants and needs.

I hope that you all have a great holiday and relaxing break!

Since it is the holidays and we are all prone to staying in watching movies, making cookies, cutting out snowflakes and of course studying for finals, I thought it would be appropriate to add a few tips on how to not gain the Freshman 15… even if your not a Freshman.

1. Take the stairs. Most all of the buildings here at Lewis have stairs, but many of them also have an elevator too. If you take the stairs versus the elevator, you add a little more excercise to you day and you can burn some of the calories you got from the cookies!

2. Choose water at meals. Water is obviosly better than pop, but it is also better than the sugary juices. At Lewis, if you get water at the fountain, they do not charge you, where as pop, tea, lemonade, or any bottled drink is charged.

3. Walk to class (and other events). Not that students can really drive to class on the Lewis campus, some people do drive to a closer parking lot when they go to dinner or a game at the Rec. Center. If you’re not into always walking, many students bring skateboards and bikes and ride them to class. There are bike racks for bikes in front of the library and by some of the dorms. When it’s cold, you will also walk faster, burning more calories and keeping a bit warmer too!

4. Going off of number 3, take walks! Yes, during the winter months, it is cold, but walking is really good for you, especially after you eat. The campus is very safe and well lit. I feel totally comfortable walking by myself at night and during the day. It will help you relax and gives you a good excuse for a break from studying. Not to mention, during the Christmas season, the campus is decorated beautifully!

5. Don’t stress. I know that not stressing is a lot easier to say than actually do, but a lot of the time, stressing makes us want to eat more and then we gain weight while worrying about everything else. Of course sometimes it works the opposite way, but that is not really healthy either. Make sure to take deep breaths and be conscious of what you are consuming.

6. Going off of 5, eat healthy. Charlie’s Place and The Courtyard Cafe both offer salads. The Courtyard has many varities of salads, plus a ‘make your own’ salad option. Charlie’s has a salad bar. Both options are very good.

7. Make use of the Rec. Center. Any Lewis student is allowed to use any part of the Rec. Center. You just need to show you student identification beforehand. There is a wieght room where you can run on treadmills, bike, lift weights, and do abdominal workouts. The field house is also open to students when practice is not occuring. The pool is also open for students during free swim times. The Rec. Center is always kept very clean and nice to use.

8. Related to number 8, get involved with the excercise programs affiliated with the Rec. Center. There are a step, yoga, pilates, kickboxing, and spinning classes. They are offered at different times to accomodate different schedules.

9. If you are a commuter, park in the far parking lots from your classes. This will allow you to walk further to and from your car and in turn, burn more calories. As a side note, the further parking lots are less hetic for parking.

Hopefully these few tips will help you stay healthy not only during the holidays or freshman year but throughout your college career. Lewis offers many ways to help avoid the Freshman 15, and I personally have use many of these tips and resources myself to help keep me on track. Hope everyone has a great finals week and begining of their winter break.

As your going through your last year of high school and are preparing for what might be your first year of college dorm life, you probably have a lot of questions and concerns. You may be facing the first time you’ve ever shared a room, especially with someone to whom you’re not related. What if you don’t get along?

For many of you, this will be an entirely new experience. First off, relax. You’re certainly not alone, every other freshman in the dorms will probably have the same fears and concerns. Take advantage of the time before school starts to prepare yourself.

When I first walked into my dorm room on move in day, I met my roommate, someone who I had never met before. I was scared and excited about living together. At first we both did our separate things and had separate friends. As time went on we spent more time together in our room and outside. We started to have the same friends and same interests. Now that we have been through almost half of the school year together I have found that we have become best friends. I have learned that you can only have a successful stay in the dorms if you and your roommate get along. I am not saying that you have to be best friends but try to get along. A good way to do that is by just talking to your roommate. Make sure you always say hi when they walk in the room and maybe start a conversation. When you are going to get lunch or dinner make sure you invite your roommate every once in awhile. I know that you and your roommate are not going to like all of the same things but try to comply with some of their needs and wants, just like they should do with you. Make sure you are honest with your roommate and tell them how you feel, especially when you are bothered by something they do. Try to get to know one another, maybe tell them stories about your life and interests and then they do the same.

I know from seeing other people that are unhappy with their roommates that they can feel uncomfortable in their room, which should never happen because it is both yours and your roommates dorm room. It is possible to change roommates but try and make the roommate you have work. It needs to by a two way thing though, both of you need to try to make things work. If you are both not into making each other feel comfortable it will never work. Just make an effort to get along with your roommate.  It will help you in the end, and you might be able to start a great bond that can last forever.

 After an afternoon of studying for finals, my friends and I decided that we wanted to have dinner together. We weren’t in the mood for anything in particular but wanted to have a good meal together. So naturally, we went to the place on campus with the biggest selection: Charlie’s Place.

Charlie’s has the feel of a food court with the wide variety of food stations. On one end is the Sub Connection where you can get sub sandwiches made to your liking. I’ll sometimes go there for lunch when I’m craving a 12 inch buffalo ranch sub. Pasta Pronto is another station where they will make Italian pasta or Asian Wok to your liking. Next to them are two food stations that change every day. Last time I remember, they were serving steak, with green beans and mashed potatoes. During lunch hours, you can get hamburgers and fries as well.  Since it is conveniently located near the academic building, I will stop by between classes and grab a doughnut and a cup of coffee if i get there early enough for the breakfast buffet.

 This afternoon, however, was a special one because it was the night that Christmas dinner was being served. It was held in the swanky University Dining Room (which is connected to Charlie’s) and the buffet style of the dinner was accented with flowers, table cloths, and Christmas decorations. After grabbing my side dishes, I hurried over to where the chef was slicing freshly baked ham and turkey. I loaded up my plate and grabbed a piece of cake from the dessert table before checking out.

 The large tables and booths at Charlie’s accommodated my group of friends nicely. We were all very comfortable as we enjoyed our meal. The stuffing was nicely seasoned and the potatoes were flavorful and steamed to perfection. The turkey and gravy complimented each other very nicely. I cleaned my plate and moved on to dessert. I had to go back to grab a cup of hot chocolate before starting on my cake. The cake was moist and delicious. It was a real treat for me because I haven’t had cake in quite a while.

 Final Verdict:

 Atmosphere gets 4 out of 5 Bedchecks. It is a great place to go for a good meal, whether it be a breakfast study session, or a hearty dinner with your best friends

 Cleanliness gets 5 out of 5 Bedchecks. The kitchen staff all wear gloves and the tables are wiped down regularly.

 Food gets 4 out of 5 Bedchecks. The food is consistently good, and even if there is something that doesn’t hit the spot, there is plenty more to choose from.

 Service gets 4 out of 5 Bedchecks. The employees are good at their jobs and won’t delay in getting your food for you.

 Prices get 4 out of 5 Bedchecks. They are a bit high, but that is to be expected from a college food service.

 All in all, I give Charlie’s Place 4.5 out of 5 Bedchecks. The food is great and can meet the needs of any group of friends!

First off, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving with your families! Since break it has been really busy here with classes winding down and finals coming up, however it has not been all study! In my philosophy class we participated in the food drive that was hosted by Campus Ministry. Our professor gave us the challenge of if as a class we totaled 96 items (3 per person) she would give us enough extra credit to raise our grade 4%. The last day of the drive was Tuesday, and our end total was 100 items! One thing I like about Lewis is the small class sizes because there are so many opportunities available for things like this. The numbers make it so easy to interact with on a one-on-one basis with every student and the professor. Not only were we working to help a good cause, but it was fun challenge to come into every class in November to see how many more items we had. 

Next wee,k if you love Christmas music the theatre department is hosting their 6th Annual Holiday Spectacular. This show will consist of songs, dances, skits, and all sorts of other holiday entertainment. The show will be running from December 9, 10, &11 in the Phillip Lynch Theatre. I went to the event last year, and it was the funniest event I have ever been to on campus. It is the weekend right before finals for us, so it forces you to take a break from studying and have a laugh while putting you in the Christmas spirit! The show is open to the public and you can call the box office at (815) 836-5500 for tickets. I have many friends performing in it this year so I can’t wait to see them and all the other acts! Hope to see you there!