Goodwill will be accepting donations.

The 25-foot Goodwill trailer will be parked by the apartments next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and will be collecting items such as clothing, kitchen items, bedding, and furniture.

The goal of bringing the Goodwill truck to campus is to encourage students to donate, instead of throw away, items that they no longer need once the semester finishes.

“We want to help students make sustainable choices:  Reduce, Reuse, or Recycle.  Donating items that can be reused helps others and helps the environment,” said Peggy Lauer, director of the Center for Sustainability.

This is the first year Goodwill has come to Maryville. Previous years, the university has had clothing drives and food donations to help others. This year students, faculty and staff can donate much more than clothing and make a bigger difference in the community.

This is how some college students may feel during finals week. Image courtesy of Google.

Focus on What’s Important

The best thing you can do to end the semester is to focus, focus, focus!

“Focus on doing the important things; don’t get sidetracked,” said Dr. Barbara DeSanto, professor of communication. “I psych myself up by saying that I only need to sit in my office chair for 30 minutes to get started.  Once I’m started, it’s easy to continue.”

While it may be easy to get sidetracked, it is important to stay on task so that you do not have to rely on pulling an all-nighter to finish your assignments. Lack of sleep contributes to illness, something that you do not want to have to deal with during finals week and winter break.  Also, it could make you miss your final exam if you suddenly crash or sleep through your alarm on the morning of the test.

Make a Master Calendar

One suggestion might be to make a calendar or some sort of checklist to keep yourself on schedule with your long list of assignments and also to remind you when to return your rental books back to the University Bookstore.

“Make a master day-by-day calendar that has the due dates of remaining projects,” suggests Dr. DeSanto. “Work backward from each due date to schedule the pieces that make up the “big” project/paper and stick to doing those pieces on the days you have assigned them.  You eat an elephant one bite at a time.”

Adhering to the calendar on a day-by-day basis can also keep you from feeling overwhelmed with everything at once.

“Sometimes I remind myself that I just have to get through today.  Thinking ahead can sometimes overwhelm me,” said Dr. DeSanto.

Keep a copy of this master calendar in your folder and on your desk in your room.  That way you will be able to find it easily so you can always know which assignment is due on each day and it can help you keep from procrastinating.

It is important to not procrastinate during finals week. Courtesy of Google Images.

Budget Your Time

“Don’t procrastinate!” said Peyton Bond, a sophomore. “I did that last semester and I was screwed!”

Procrastination is something we all may be guilty of at some time or another, but as easy as it may be to fall into it is important not to procrastinate because you do not want to save everything for the last possible minute.  Saving things for the last minute damages the quality of the work and may tempt you to plagiarize, which is something that will get you in trouble.

Use your master calendar to plan out what you want to finish and when you want to do it.  Making a list ahead of time and adhering to the schedule will help you finish everything BEFORE it’s too late.

Organize Your Workspace

Your calendar will be a great tool, but if your desk is messy then how will you be able to find it? Sort all of your course materials into a pile for each class.  Also, keep some extra paper, pencils, highlighters and Post-it Notes handy to jot down quick notes about assignments.

Since most professors utilize D2L, it may be helpful to create a folder on your desktop for each class with final project directions, study guides and class notes.  That way you will be able to easily access the information for each class, separately, so that you won’t feel overwhelmed.

Eliminate Distractions

You can still get distracted even if your workspace is clean.  Remember this is a time to get homework finished and that summer break will start in a few weeks.  While it may be easy to get distracted with friends and family coming back in town, remember that you will be able to talk to them more after finals week.

Only check your email a few times a day and stay off of Facebook and Twitter, huge time wasters.  Also, maybe turn your cell phone on vibrate or on silent if you are studying.  Let family, friends and your significant other know that during these last few weeks you will be studying and completing assignments and won’t be available to talk as much.

Take Breaks

While studying is important, it is also important to get away from the books and notes for a few minutes.  Taking breaks are important to help refresh your mind and relax your body.

“Allow some time to let your mind and body rest,” said Dr. DeSanto.  “Build in breaks.  Coffee and chocolate are great stress-relievers for me, as it petting my cat.”

Doing exercise, drinking lots of water, eating snacks high in protein and meditating are all good break activities that can rejuvenate your body and help focus your mind on the rest of your work.

These suggestions are just some of the many ways that can best help you prepare for the stressful end of the semester.  Focusing on the important things, making a master calendar, budgeting your time, organizing your workspace, eliminating distractions and taking breaks are all good suggestions for just finishing up your course requirements but also realize the other benefits of ending the semester on a good note.

“Remember why what you are doing is important,” said Dr. DeSanto.  “Important might mean anything from passing a class to that feeling of satisfaction that you really worked hard on something.”

Photo Courtesy of NewCellPhonesBlog.com

In today’s high-paced world, our handheld mobile devices, such as our smartphones, MP3’s, or tablets, help keep us connected and up to speed with the world around us. However, as convenient as they are, there is a growing security risk for anyone that owns and uses a smartphone or other personal device.

Imagine all the information saved on your smartphone. Your smart phone would potentially allow a thief access to your passwords, pin numbers, social media account, and possibly even damaging pictures or your home address. All of these things can be stored on your mobile device, and any person that manages to steal your phone can use any of this information against you.

There are several things you can do to prevent this from happening. The simplest thing to do is to make sure your device is always password protected and to include a small laminated contact number on the back so that in the event that you lose your phone whoever finds it can return it to you.

Yet even if you do take preventative measures to ensure that your phone never gets lost, there is always the chance that it will.  And if that happens you need to know what to do.

1. Change passwords- Go online and change the passwords to any accounts that your phone has access to such as an email account or an iTunes account.
2. Call your phone company- Your phone company can suspend the account tied to your phone to keep whoever has your phone from making any fraudulent purchases.
3. Track your iPhone- Apps such as the free “Find my iPhone” app will allow you to track down the geographic location of your phone.
4. File a police report- For both the purposes of getting police assistance in recovering your phone once it has been located via an app or for filing a claim with your phone and insurance companies, filing a police report should be one of the first things you do when your iPhone turns up missing.

Youth interact with an organization at the Youth & Family Volunteer Fair at The Magic House. Image courtesy of Simone Bernstein.

There were 27 agencies in attendance at the fair this year, including several non-profit organizations in the greater St. Louis area.  Among these agencies included Autism Speaks, Making Music Matters, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis Crisis Nursery, Therapeutic Horsemanship, United Way of Greater St. Louis and Webster Community Arts Foundation.

VolunteenNation co-founders Simone and Jake Bernstein created St. Louis Volunteen.com in July 2009 after they were frustrated with the lack of information about volunteer opportunities in the area for students under age 18 that wanted to get involved in the community.

“I was extremely frustrated at the age of 12 finding volunteer opportunities in the St. Louis area,” says Simone Bernstein, co-founder of Volunteen Nation.  “So I decided to create a website about a year and a half ago.  The mission of the site is to help kids find volunteer opportunities that fit their interests.”

In March 2012, St. Louis Volunteen went national and became VolunteenNation.  The organization strives to spread the spirit of volunteerism for youth and families across the nation.  Their goal is to add 35 hundred positions to their growing database of volunteer opportunities across the nation.

Youth interact with the different organizations present at the fair. Image courtesy of Simone Bernstein.

“Teenagers are ready to take action and dive into solving problems in the community,” says VolunteenNation.  “Anyone can volunteer at any age. Everyone can make a difference. ”

The Annual Youth Volunteer Fair is just one of the many events VolunteenNation holds each year.   VolunteenNation also held a 9/11 Remembrance Day service event trail and park cleanup and a tennis clinic for children with autism last year, with more events planned for this year.

For more information about VolunteenNation, check out their website here or email info@volunteennation.org.  You can also find them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for the latest updates and to find volunteer opportunities for youth and families.

Here is the newest episode of Saints Talk!

In our first segment, we review the last week in Saints baseball action. Also, we interview assistant coach Robert Huckstep and pitcher Pat Jacobs.

In our second segment, we talk about the men’s and women’s golf teams. They’ve been inactive for the last week but will be in action this upcoming weekend.

During halftime, Kim Gebken lets us know what’s going on this week on campus.

In our third segment, we review the week that was for the Saints softball team.

In our fourth and final segment, we discuss big wins from the men’s and women’s tennis teams as well as the Saints track and field team.

Follow the link to listen to the newest episode of Saints Talk!

You wore me out so many nights, and I often slept like a baby.  You also kept me up many nights, and I blame my Starbucks addiction on you.  Like any progressing relationship, we had our good times at parties, the friends we made, and of course we will always have the memories.  We had our bad times too, but we grew and we grew strong from them.  And when I go on, I believe it is safe to say I learned a lot from you.  I learned how to stay organized and be on top of things when you were giving me more than I could handle.  I learned how to be patient and not to worry so much about the things I could not control, because they were going to happen.  I learned who I was as a person and what direction I wanted to go in.  I learned what to do in my next relationship and exactly what not to do.  And more importantly, to take it all with me as I go.

So I want to take one last final moment here before I step out into the real world and have to put on my big girl pants (well in my case skirt) and thank you, college.  Without you, I would not have the strength to begin my new challenge.  And this is our end.  But it is my new beginning, and you are now the new beginning for someone else.  So goodbye late nights of studying, writing countless papers, Ramen noodle diet, and weird schedule.  I am ready to excel at something new now.

So here’s to you. Our time is up, but you always must remember it’s not you, it’s me.

Jeff Miller, the Vice President of Enrollment, provides details on Maryville’s plans for growth and to answer many of the questions of students on campus.

Why?

Why is it that there is a need to grow the student population at Maryville? According to Miller, in order to have a sustainable financial future, most colleges set a benchmark of having an enrollment of 5,000 students. So, in order to keep tuition rates low and maintain Maryville as a stable and well-funded institution, there was a need for growth and development to attract more students to the campus.

How?

While there are plans to launch online classes starting in May of this year and to grow the graduate and undergraduate programs here at Maryville, there is more concern with the physical development of the university. There are four main projects the university will be fundraising for and working on in the next several years: renovating the Health Professions Building, expanding and improving the Simon Center, expanding the Art and Design building, and adding a new residence hall.

At what cost?

What will be the cost to students, both in the inconveniences of construction and in possible raises in tuition.  Here is the best news of all: While some renovations to the school such as updating the science labs are funded from the school’s budget, some programs to grow attendance to Maryville are not. These changes are considered to be outside the budget, meaning that all the money for these projects comes from fundraising, and that no tuition money is being used for these projects.  Expanding the campus won’t cause any change to tuition rates. However, there is only one downside to fundraising all of the money for these projects, and that is the matter of time.

When?

None of these projects will be paid for with the school’s money, meaning the fundraising must be at least mostly completed before construction can begin. That is why the completion date of these additions is only known to be “in the near future”.

In the words of Miller, “If the mega millions winner… funded Maryville we would immediately start building all four.”

So while the future may remain slightly unclear, what is certain is that Maryville will continue to grow and evolve for the betterment of the students that go there.

“The current presentation started out as a promotional display for a class this summer CRIM 297.01 From Murder to Trial and then the Peeps took over,” said Sandy Reeder, College of Arts & Sciences Assistant.

Easter Peeps have taken over the Arts & Sciences display case as a promotional display for the Forensic Science, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies programs at Maryville. Image courtesy of Alexandra Gresick.

The display was created under the influence of Dr. Tom Spudich, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Forensic Science; Geriann Brandt, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology; and Mary Carol Parker, Assistant Professor of Legal Studies.

“Our overall goal is to promote the Forensic Science, Criminal Justice/Criminology, and Para-legal majors on campus using the Peeps,” said Dr. Spudich.

The three professors decided to incorporate the Easter theme marshmallow Peeps to create displays promoting criminal justice, forensic science and the law system.   The Peeps have become actors from various scenes in history as well as parts of the law-making process and various issues that arise from laws.  The Peeps will be analyzed forensically to determine which Peep is found guilty of the crime.

“As we were talking about the display, we couldn’t discount (at the time) the pending Easter holiday. So we incorporated “Peeps” as actors, and I believe that Dr. Spudich will be using forensic instrumentation to ‘analyze’ the peep structure,” added Brandt.

Dr. Spudich wished to use electricity but has instead planned to use visible spectrophotometry to analyze the dyes in the sugar to identify the guilty Peep.

“I was trying to update the case with electricity, but that cannot happen, so I am working on my plan ‘B.’,” said Dr. Spudich.  “We are using visible spectrophotometry to determine which Peep committed the crime by using the dyes in the sugar as the identifier. It will be much easier to see once the data is displayed (on the top shelf). I will/should have the data identifying the “Peepetrator” posted by Tuesday,” he adds.

Image courtesy of Alexandra Gresick.

Scenes in the Peep displays include #1 Supreme Court Peeps, #2 Jailhouse Peeps, #3 Tactical Ops Peeps, #4 K-9 Peep, #5 Peep-Gang, #6 Same Sex Peeps, #7 Cops and Peepers, #8 Peep Patrol and Peep-a-trator, and the Montgomery City Bus Rosa Parks Memorial Peeps.