Think Summer!!

The warm humid air surrounds you and smell the fresh cut grass. It is officially summer
time. You just finished your semester finals are done, grades are in and now you have
4 month until you have to go back. You start to think about your future and when you
want to graduate and you realize that you are running behind schedule! You don’t want
to add on another semester. You heard your friends talking and they mentioned that
they were taking a summer class. You research the topic and realize that it is only a
few weeks; you can take them online, in the classroom or both. Plus you researched
Oshkosh in the summer and you see that Oshkosh is the event city of Wisconsin! They
have Country USA, Rock USA, Lifest, and EAA Air show, just to name a few. You
realize that there are more pros than cons. You decide that you should take the course.
Four weeks late you realize that it was the best decision you made all year.

More Reasons Why Summer Session Is For You!

There are many great reasons to take a summer class at UW-Oshkosh. Some of the good reasons are because it is cheaper, you can get more of your credits done quicker, graduate earlier, and it is probably going to be a little easier than the normal class.

Taking a summer class is cheaper than taking it some other time. If you did not fill all eighteen of your credits you can take a summer class and fill up the missing credits. When you take these few more credits you will be moving along faster than most of the other students. When you take all eighteen credits you will be above the average student and graduate quicker than them. Also what I have found through my past experience the interim or summer classes are easier than classes during the semester.

-Clint Geisen

Student Testimonial

Everyone decides to take summer classes for various reasons, but I decided to take a summer class to ensure that I would graduate in four years. In the end I had to add classes to stay full time, but I don’t regret taking a summer class. I decided to take QBA, which is a business class that uses stats and Microsoft Excel. This is a very beneficial class, but challenging which is why I chose to take the class separately over the summer. I feel that I gained a lot more from the class than those who took it during a regular semester because I was able to focus more on the topics being taught and also was able to get more one on one help than during the regular semester.

Besides accelerating your degree another benefit to taking summer classes is spending the summer in Oshkosh. During the summer Oshkosh has tons of things going on that are worth checking out. A few of the things I have done during my summers here is go to EAA, attend concerts at Country USA, and go on bike rides and walks through the Wiouwash trail and Menominee Park. Oshkosh also has Waterfest and Rock USA just to name a few more!

-Angie Puls

Why Take Summer Classes?

Why take summer classes? That’s a great question. Personally I am normally the type of person who can’t wait for summer vacation but summer classes at UW-Oshkosh can be a great idea for the following reasons.

The city of Oshkosh has some great summer activities. If you are a big country fan or just enjoy hanging out with friends and listening to music there is Country USA in June. Menominee Park is also a great location to visit. Not only is it a park but it is a zoo as well and it’s FREE! You can’t beat that. Oshkosh also sponsors Water Fest which has great food, fun, and music.

There are also academic reasons for taking summer classes. Taking these classes will allow you to get 14 weeks of classes done in just 4 weeks. This could allow you to catch up on credits or get you ahead in credits and set you up for early graduation. Also if you are enrolled in summer classes you are able to visit the rec center for free.

–by Andrea Baeten

Looking for something to do with all that free time?

I hope everyone made it through the first session successfully and to those of you still continuing on through the second session hang in there Just think… in 2 weeks you will be free!!! Speaking of being free-time I thought in this post we could discuss some different opportunities to build up your resume (yes, even in the summer).

Resumes, business cards, LinkedIn, cover letters…I know what you are thinking, come on it’s summer! BUT think about it, the school year is fast approaching and  you want to be prepared so that you can land that great internship or prepare to get a job after graduation. Plus after the next two weeks you will have oodles of free time What better way to use that time than to build up you resume! Here are some quick ideas to help beef up your resume get you prepared for fall.

1. Update your resume- I know this is a huge pain but seriously if you have skills show them! Take the time to think of all the things that employers might be looking for, even the most simple things like the ability to us MS suite are important. We are a techie generation, most of the people interview us have no idea how to create an excel spreadsheet or make a rockin’ powerpoint presentation. Showcase your skills.

2. Get business cards- This sounds dumb because we are in college but really it is a necessity. It is an easy way to exchange information with professionals quickly. Here is a link to an awesome site to design your own business cards, you can even try a sample pack for free!

3. Go digital- Like a said before we are a techie generation , we expect everything to be online. Take the time to create an online profile on LinkedIn. This is a social network that allows you to connect with business professionals all over the world. There is also a place to upload your resume and share basic information about yourself.

Another great way to showcase your skills digitally is to create a blog. This allows you to show off both your writing skills and your personality! Platforms such as WordPress or Blogger are great tools for new bloggers.

Speaking of blogging… UWOSummer is looking for a few guest bloggers to blog about their summer school experience and other various topics. If you are interested please email uwosummersession@gmail.com. Sorry for the shameless plug =)

4. Volunteer- this is an excellent and easy way to quickly build your resume. Oshkosh has tons of opportunities but here are some of my favorites: Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program and Christine Ann Center.

5. Monitor- this can also be a pain but it is important to use your resources. Monitoring sites such as Titan Jobs and Internships.com is important so that you are always on top of your game! Also I have found that Twitter is a great resource, I follow @UWOshbusiness, @UWOCareerSvcs and @InternQueen for posts on new internships and resume tips.

Good luck on your final 2 weeks of courses! Remember if you are interested in guest blogging to email uwosummersession@gmail.com.

Best kept secrets of Oshkosh!

Week 2 down…I think this is reason for celebration or maybe just a little break! I hope everyone that was able to attend Country USA had fun. It was just a little muddy, right? For those of you who didn’t go I wish I had a picture to show you but the weather was so terrible I didn’t even bother bringing my camera. BUT don’t worry I did bring it with me for some other great things I discovered in Oshkosh

I have been going to school at Oshkosh for 3 years now and I am still constantly learning about the little treasures this city has to offer. During the beautiful weather I discovered that there is a farmer’s market on Main Street downtown every Saturday! It runs from 8am-12pm. It is a great event I highly suggest going!

Another place that I knew about but always forget about is Menominee Park. This a little park on Lake Winnebago that is a popular hang out spot of beautiful days like yesterday. There is a beach, bike trail, park and even a little zoo! I love going here with my friends on a nice day. Here are some of photos I took at the farmer’s market and Menominee Park…

 

 

I know this post wasn’t about summer school directly but I believe that you can’t do well if you wear yourself out! So take a break from all that homework for a little bit and visit these great sights in Oshkosh. Or you could even bring your books to the park and study. Feel free to share any spots in Oshkosh you think others would like!

Have a great week

Ohhh and I would also like to point out that we are FINALLY getting summer weather…hopefully it stays this way!

 

Tips for Managing Time

I hope everyone had a great first week of summer classes! My week was definitely a busy one. My assignments for Writing for the Media this week included, reading the AP Stylebook, a lead rewrite, a quiz, a test and 6 hours of podcasts (in fact I am trying to listen to music on my iTunes and the podcasts keep playing on their own, it was funny only the first couple of times it happened…) I am sure most students taking summer courses are also working/interning. I work part-time as an intern, at first I thought getting through this course was going to be a breeze with my schedule but by last week Wednesday I realized I was very wrong. I thought that the struggle to balance everything only a challenge during the semester. Summer, for some can actually be more stressful because of pressure from work and school while still trying maintaining a social life.

Doing great job at school and your job/internship is something that most of us strive to do but can be very challenging. Most of us have to balance school, jobs, a relationship, family, friends and still have a little time for yourself. Time management is key to being successful at balancing your life without going absolutely crazy. Here are a few things I do to help me manage my time:

1. The first and probably the most important (for me) is I write EVERYTHING down because if I don’t I will forget it in approximately 5 seconds. I keep my planner and a little notebook in my bag so that I make lists and write down things I need to do.

2. I make a plan for the week, I start with school stuff (assignments, tests, quizzes, etc.) I plan when I am going to do these things first because they are the most time sensitive. Then I plan things I want to do with my friends! This is so important everyone needs a little break to hang out with friends…make sure not to leave this out

3. I also like to plan to get things done early so that I can have my professor look over my work. Most professors are thrilled to get emails from students asking for help, it shows that you care about and are engaged in your work. Try this, I guarantee you will get a much better grade than you would have without asking for help!

4. Limit your social media! I know this is so hard, I am a social media intern so I know exactly how hard it is to disconnect for even just a little while. I have found that if I close my Facebook, Twitter, blog, etc. I get things done so much faster and my work is much better because I am fully engaged. I know it sucks but just do it, once you do you will see why.

I think those are the tips that help me the most but there are many things that you can do to manage your time. The most important thing to do is develop your own routine and figure out what works best for you! Never be afraid to ask questions or for help, chances are some else has the same question. Make sure to follow #uwosummer hashtag for campus updates.

Have a great week

Summer Session…Worth it?

Is summer session worth it? This is the question we all ask ourselves when thinking about sacrificing our summer to get a few class out of the way; my answer to this question is, absolutely! This will be my second summer taking summer course through UW-Oshkosh and I think that summer session is a very worth it for many reasons.

I will give you a little background knowledge about myself, I will be a senior this year and I have changed my major seven times! I have finally decided (I hope!) on journalism with an emphasis in advertising. That being said, the pressure to graduate on time has been a challenge for me. Summer session has helped me to not fall behind through all of my indecisiveness!

I mentioned before that many of us feel like we are sacrificing our summer for class, but this is not true! Many of the classes offer in the summer are online so you can work on them at your own pace. This is a nice feature if you plan to work during the summer. There are also some traditional style classes that meet in person, most of the time they only meet one to two times a week. Having one of these classes is great because it allows you to get to know professors very well because the class sizes are often smaller and for longer periods of time.

So if you are a freshman wanting to experience college beforehand, looking to get ahead, love school to death, or just indecisive like me summer session is a great idea for you! Join me this summer as I blog about my summer session experience.  I will be taking two courses, Writing for the Media and  Media Photo. I will be posting links to my photo and writing assignments. Please feel free to comment, ask questions, or add your own personal testimony!

Enjoy