Maryville University- Weekend and Evening College. “Nontraditional classes” Photo Courtesy of Maryville University.

Eight-week classes and eight reasons you SHOULD take them

Maryville offers both traditional and nontraditional classes for their students to take. Traditional as in going to class a few times a week for each class for about an hour at a time drawn out to sixteen weeks. Nontraditional classes are the ones that last eight weeks long and you only have to go to class a total of eight times for three hours each time! Sometimes they are in a sixteen week format and class is then usually held every other week so it is still only eight classes that the student attends.

When I first started taking eight week classes I remember thinking, “How am I going to be able to sit there for three hours only eight times and actually learn something?” With only a month more to go until I graduate, I have only taken the so-called ‘normal’ traditional classes at Maryville one semester and every other semester of mine consisted of these nontraditional eight-week classes.

Since I am a big fan of these nontraditional classes I am giving you a list of eight reasons to take these eight-week classes.

#8- You only have to go to class eight times!

#7- Overall, you have less homework.

#6- Because you can split up your course load to two or three classes every eight weeks therefore, you can have a life and still be a full-time student.

#5- If you live off-campus, you can save gas money!

#4- You will have very few tests, and when you do they are usually taken online.

#3- Who wants to go to the same class two or three times a week? Why not just get it over with in one meeting?

#2- If you live off-campus, you usually don’t have to waste your time sitting in traffic.

#1- You can have a full time job to help pay for the big price to attend Maryville.

*Bonus reason- There are two other campuses you can take classes at other than the main campus!

Check out programs offered in this nontraditional setting here.

The post Eight reasons to take eight-week classes appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis at the Kiener Plaza. Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

Will Ferrell and Zach Galifiankis were right here in St. Louis!

As part of their so-called ‘Whistle Stop Tour’ to promote their new movie “The Campaign,” the pair was right here in St. Louis at the Kiener Plaza Tuesday, July 17. Thousands of fans crowded around to see both Will and Zach.

Clydesdale feeding. Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber

Sportscaster Joe Buck interviewed the pair and also helped them feed Yankee, the Clydesdale that was awaiting their arrival in this heat! St. Louis Cardinals representative, Joe Clark, gave them both personalized jerseys. Representatives from the St. Louis Rams and Blues also gave the two comedians jerseys. Mascots of these teams were also running around before and during the event for entertainment. Along with all of this, Mayor Francis Slay of St. Louis declared Tuesday July 17, 2012 to be the official “Will and Zach Day” in St. Louis and the comedians received metals.

When a fan offered them pineapples, which the two proudly accepted, everyone started to chant “Free pineapples for all!” Galifiankis proclaimed St. Louis to be “Pineapple City.” Galifiankis also asked if anyone had a cheeseburger; sure enough, someone did!

Ferrel and Galifiankis had no problem keeping the crowd entertained in this 100 degree weather. Ferrell suggested that we have Universal Healthcare… for anyone older than 96! Galifiankis suggested that it be legal to make left turns on red, and some of his final words to the crowd were about just trying to make a left on red! I have to say, while sitting at traffic lights on my way home I contemplated it!

Watch the official trailer for “The Campaign,” which opens nationwide August 10, here:

Check out more photos below.

Yankee waiting for the men to arrive. Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

Will and Zach with their Blue’s Jerseys. Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

Will and Zach. Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

Will Ferrell. Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

Zach Galifianakis. Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

Fans at Whistle Stop Tour. Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

Joe Clark giving Will and Zach their Cardinals Jerseys. Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

Rams gear for Will and Zach! Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

The post “Will and Zach Day” in St. Louis! appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

Real camels in Aladdin at The Muny, July 2012. Photo Courtesy of Caitlyn Jane.

Located just twenty minutes from Maryville University is America’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre, The Muny. If you have not been to the Muny yet I advise you to go at least once! But if you are anything like me, going once will turn into going to every show you can! Below is a list of the shows that will be playing for the rest of the summer along with information about purchasing tickets and prices for tickets.

**All performances begin at 8:15pm

Showtimes for the 2012 Summer Season are listed below:

Dreamgirls: July 16th- July 22nd

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: July 23rd- July 29th

Pirates! (or, Gilbert & Sullivan Plunder’d): July 30th- August 5th

The Kind and I: August 6th- August 12th

Tickets:

To obtain tickets to the Muny you can either order online at www.metrotix.com , call 1-314-534-1111 or order them in person at The Muny Box Office in Forest Park. Another option is to mail with the Muny’s single ticket order form, which is available here: http://www.muny.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=768&Itemid=100218

The last nine rows of the Muny’s theatre are free. There are about 1,500 of these free seats and they are available on a  first come, first served basis. To visit the Muny and sit in the free seats, the gates open at 7 p.m. each night before the show. It is in your best interest to get there early to ensure you can take advantage of these free seats.

Ticket prices range from $10 – $70 a piece based on the seats purchased. Obviously the tickets that cost $70 are going to be among the best seats in the theatre!

*If attending in a group, group discounts are available. The Muny also offers military discounts.

The post The Muny, America’s Oldest and Largest Outdoor Musical Theatre is in St. Louis appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

TIP- If you want to take FULL advantage of the ‘FREE’ aspect, be prepared to walk a distance to get to your destination and to not have access to all the attractions within the  facilities.

Grant’s Farm

Goats at Grant’s Farm. Photo Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

Located on 281 acres and housing more than 100 species of animals, Grant’s Farm is a must see for any animal lover. Admission to the farm, tram rides and all shows are free, but still some attractions you or your family may want to engage in cost a small price. These include: riding the Carousel, goat feeding and feeding other animals. Before you leave, make sure to enjoy your 2 free complimentary Anheuser-Busch products and check out the Clydesdales located near the parking area!

Summer Hours (May 1st- August 12th): Tuesday-Friday: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Saturdays: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays: 9:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. Closed on Mondays. 

Fall Hours (August 17th- November 4th): Fridays: 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Saturday and Sundays: 9:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.

Location: Grants Farm
10501 Gravois Road
St. Louis, MO 63123
(314) 843-1700

Saint Louis Zoo

Penguins at the St. Louis Zoo. Courtesy of Crickett Leber.

The Saint Louis Zoo, located on 90 acres and housing 655 species of animals, is one of the few free zoos in the nation! Even though admission to the Zoo is free, some of the attractions within the zoo are not. Some of the attractions that have a small fee are the Children’s Zoo, the Zooline Railroad, movies, Stingrays at Caribbean Cover featuring sharks and the Conservation Carousel. None of these attractions cost more than $5 per person, so attending one or a couple is not going to necessarily break your bank. Visiting the zoo FREE and not paying to see any extra attractions can still be an all day affair! From May25th- August 31st 2012, on Friday evenings starting at 5pm, there are FREE ‘Jungle Boogie’ concerts for everyone to enjoy!

Summer Hours (May 25- September3, 2012): Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday-Sunday 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

For Fall Hours call: 314-781-0900

Location: Saint Louis Zoo
One Government Drive
St. Louis, MO 63110
(314) 781-0900

Tour of Anheuser-Busch Brewery

Take a complimentary tour of the oldest and largest Anheuser-Busch Brewery located right here in St. Louis! On this tour you will see first-hand the steps of their brewing process! As long as you are 21 years of age and older you will get the opportunity to taste some of Anheuser-Busch’s products! You will also get to meet the famous Budweiser Clydesdales that appear in the Super Bowl commercials! Not only are these offered on this complimentary tour but you will also be educated on the practices and initiatives that allows Anheuser-Busch to recycle more than 99% of the solid waste they generate, feel the cool Lager Cellars, see some of their kettles they brew in and hear the loud ‘thunder’ of the cans and bottles flying by on the high-speed packaging line! Remember to wear your tennis shoes because you will be WALKING from building to building, totaling about seven blocks of up and down hill! If you want to receive a more in-depth tour of this process or attend Beer School you will have to pay a small price. One perk to this FREE attraction is that parking is also FREE! This tour is offered all throughout the year but to make sure you are not wasting money on gas, make sure to call in advance to get the times and availability of the tour: 314-577-2626.

Location: Anheuser-Busch Brewery
12th & Lynch Street
St. Louis, MO 63118
(314) 577-2626

The Art Museum

Visit the Art Museum in Forest Park for FREE every day of the week, and, on Fridays, take advantage of the free admission to featured exhibitions! Tuesday-Friday at 10:30 a.m. and Saturday-Sunday at 1:30 p.m., free one hour tours are offered of the collection. There are also free tours offered on Sundays for families that include different art projects each week, concerts, festivals offered from time to time and other opportunities for everyone for FREE. Activities like the Study Room Seminars are not free. Call or check their website for a calendar of events and pricing.

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and on Friday they stay open until 9 p.m.

Location: Saint Louis Art Museum
One Fine Arts Drive
Forest Park, St. Louis, MO 63110
(314) 721-0072

The History Museum

Visit the History Museum in St. Louis for free and explore museum exhibitions at your own pace! Parking is also available at no charge. Visiting special exhibitions, receiving guided tours, having private curator talks and attending a program in their theatre may cost a price. Call or visit the Museums website to learn more about events and pricing.

Hours: Monday-Sunday 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. and on Tuesdays they stay open until 8 p.m.

Location: Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park
5700 Lindell Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63112
(314) 746-4599

The Science Center

Visit the St. Louis Science Center for a thrilling yet educational experience. General Admission to the Center is Free but if you want to attend special exhibitions, the OMNIMAX Theater, the Discovery Room, the Space Show, Lego MINDSTORMS or Segway courses you will have to pay a price. Don’t forget your college ID here because you can receive a small discount for certain attractions with it! If you decide that you don’t want to pay for special attractions or just can’t, don’t worry- you will still be able to explore many exciting attractions. Make sure you cross the bridge over the interstate and watch the cars go by! Call or check out the calendar on their webpage for a list of events, times and pricing.

Summer Hours (May 26- September 3rd): Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and on Saturdays OMNIMAX and Special Exhibition stays open until 7 p.m.

For Fall hours call: 314-289-4400

Location: Saint Louis Science Center
5050 Oakland Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63139
(314) 289-4400 

This is just a short list of FREE places to visit in St. Louis, visit http://stlouis.about.com/od/freethingstodo/Free_Things_to.htm for more!

The post What to do for FREE near Maryville University appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

Courtesy of Allied Media

On June 29th 2012, creator of  Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane’s debut feature film, TED opened in theaters. For the first time as writer & director, MacFarlane brings his Family Guy humor to the big screen with a story that involves a bromance or should I say, brobearmance. For people who enjoy such banter this movie is hilarious yet surprising emotional at times.

Running at 106 minutes, with a life-like teddy bear named Ted, there is never a dull moment. Ted is nothing like your average teddy bear but instead he is verbally and physically filthy. He drinks alcohol, gets high, parties with hookers, snorts cocaine and even sleeps with women. TED is obviously rated R for many reasons.

TED follows the story of John Bennett, a grown man who as a child had no friends. One day he made a wish that his teddy bear would come to life so he could finally have a friend. It was said to be a miracle, but his wish sure did come true! They instantly became best friends and stayed this way as they grew up together. Now that John is a grown man he has to choose between his filthy best friend Ted or his girlfriend of 4 years, Lori. Over the 4 years together Lori has been very patient with the extremely inappropriate teddy bear but she now feels that John should be able to commit to her and be less attached to his childhood teddy bear. John must now figure out how to let go of his childish behaviors and ‘grow up’ to continue his future with Lori. This movie follows John’s relationship with both Ted and Lori along with his struggles of growing up and letting go of his partying lifestyle to become the responsible and reliable man his girlfriend wants him to be.

Mark Wahlberg plays the role of John Bennett, the 30-something year old man who just cant get let go of his childhood teddy bear. The one and only Black Swan star, Mila Kunis, plays the role of John’s beautiful girlfriend Lori Collins. The voice of Ted is done by the writer & director himself, Seth MacFarlane. Other stars that play main roles in this movie are Giovanni Ribisi and Joel McHale.

TED is completely aimed for audiences who enjoy Family Guy type of humor.  Since I took it upon myself to go see this movie I had to try and put all of my criticism of this type of humor to the side. If you are like me and don’t find child-like characters being extremely inappropriate humorous, then don’t waste your time or money to ever see this movie. At times I was completely appalled and disgusted with what was said and done by the cute life-like teddy bear. It did seem, however, like most everyone else in the theatre viewing it at the same time as myself thought it was wildly humorous. If you do enjoy Family Guy and that type of vulgar humor then you will most likely want to put this on your list of must sees!

The post Movie Review: Ted appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

The post Movie Review: Snow White and The Huntsman appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.