Spring Fever!

It’s about that time of year where spring fever begins to kick in! We’re just over the halfway point in the year, and I’m starting to feel the senior-itis “itch” that comes with the season! It’s hard to believe that I will be walking across the stage for graduation in six short weeks. I didn’t really believe it when people told me that college flies by, but I’m starting to understand the true reality now that I realize that these last four years have come and gone in no time!

With the weather being so nice, my buddies and I have definitely taken advantage of this beautiful sunshine! With late-night bonfires and stargazing, walks, runs, bike rides, lawn games, and other fun outdoor activities we have been staying busy! I absolutely love being outside, and it doesn’t hurt that we’ve been able to get a start on our summer tan in March.

One big event that always happens around this time of year is the Food Drive for the local Food Shelf in Marshall. The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and other organizations such as the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), the SMSU Student Association, and many more clubs and organization have all taken initiative to collect can goods, non-perishable food items, and paper and laundry items for the local Food Shelf. Students have gone and will go door-to-door throughout the town of Marshall to collect these goods.
We’ve learned that some families are hesitant to give their food away to college students (especially big football players), because they think we’re just going to keep it for ourselves; however, we’ve learned that a slip of paper explaining our efforts is usually enough to convince the locals of our right intentions.

It has been so neat to see how much we’ve actually been able to donate as a university to the food shelf. The fact that we get to get out into the community and actually have an impact is extremely rewarding—the weather certainly helps!

Kelly Fitzgerald
Senior - Marshalltown, IA

Spring Break!

During spring break, I did not go to a tropical island where it was hot and sunny; I instead went home to South Dakota. While at home, the weather was beautiful for the beginning of March so it was still enjoyable to be outside. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday morning over spring break I went to the Estelline Elementary School to shadow the kindergarten teacher for my introduction to education class. I enjoyed spending time in the classroom and getting to help the students with homework or other activities they were doing. I read a book to them every morning to get the day started. While there, I also had to teach a lesson plan. I taught a math lesson it was learning to subtract by two. I was about half way through the lesson when the fire alarm went off. After being outside for a few minutes, it took the students a couple of minutes to calm back down. I finished the lesson and had them complete a worksheet. Some caught on faster than others but by the end they were all starting to understand it.

I think that it is a great idea to have SMSU students get out in the classroom right away their freshman year so that they make sure that they know that teaching is really what they want to do. I enjoyed the time I got to spend with the kindergarteners and I know that I am majoring in the right thing by choosing Elementary Education as my major!

Have a great second half to the spring semester Mustangs!

Shawnalisa Reed
Freshman - Bruce, SD

Beating the Summer Slides

Hey Mustangs! As you are all probably well aware, it has been unseasonably warm here and Marshall. Not that anyone’s complaining, right? The sunny days have allowed students to break out of their dorm rooms, catch a few rays of sun, and enjoy a wider variety of outdoor activities. Walking around campus you will notice students participating in things like ultimate Frisbee, sand volleyball, rollerblading, and even just sitting in the grass and catching up with friends. With all of the possible activities, sunshine, and the fact that there is just over six weeks left to the school year, it’s no wonder that some students may having issues beating the “summer slides”. The Summer Slides refers to having a bad case of procrastination, and putting your homework on the backburner because it’s nice out. Here are a few tips to beat the Summer Slides:

1. Try doing your homework outside for a change. It allows you to be productive, and enjoy the weather.
2. Make a to do list and tell yourself that you have to get at least X amount crossed off your list before you can take a break to do something with your friends for a while. It’s also a good idea to order your list from greatest importance to least importance, and by due date. This will ensure that if you do potentially lose track of time then you’ll be more likely to be on top of important projects anyway.
3. Create a routine for yourself. If you know that you have an hour or two between classes, use that time to do homework in one of SMSU’s many court yards. That way you can catch up, or get ahead on your work. Chances are, your friends are in class during that time anyway, so this will allow you to gain more time at the end of the day to spend time with them when they are free as well. Perhaps set a time at the end of the day in which you have to start homework. Maybe find a study partner so you can help each other stay motivated and on task.

There are only 47 days (including finals week) left until Summer. Hang in there and good luck!

Go Mustangs!

Kaelyn Turner
Sophomore - Sartell, MN