An unofficial guide to attending Utah Valley University
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
School Supplies
Slight deviation! I know I said I would talk about study habits, but my last post got me thinking: You need to know what school supplies to get!
Of course, after your first day, you will probably need to go out and buy other things that your professor requires, but this list should be good for general items!
Of course, after your first day, you will probably need to go out and buy other things that your professor requires, but this list should be good for general items!
- Paper! (Notebooks, unbound papers, whatever kind of paper you prefer, just buy it! You will ALWAYS need paper! Notes, quizzes, class work, doodling, you name it! (I prefer the unbound paper, just plain old lined paper. It is cheaper and you don't get what my high school science teacher called "crud" when you rip pages out!)
- Binder(s) or folders (see previous post)
- Pens & pencils (I really like Sharpie pens, but it's your call. Oh, and I really enjoy mechanical pencils. I get really annoyed when people get up to use those loud wall manual pencil sharpeneners.)
- A planner! (Again, I will push the UVU student planner, available in the campus bookstore!)
- Backpack (If you have a lot of textbooks, this will be handy!)
- Stapler (You can get a little tiny mini stapler for really cheap)
- 3x5 notecards (If you don't need them for class, they are great for studying!)
Staying Organized
As August approaches, you will notice that many stores have their major school supplies sales now! I know it is stressful to start thinking about school when you have the summer to enjoy!
One major key to surviving college is staying organized! Being organized will help you to keep track of everything that you need to turn in, everything that you have already done, and help keep you from being too overwhelmed with papers/projects/assignments when midterms and finals roll around.
There isn't a specific way that is best to stay organized, you just have to know what is best for you!
First off, I recommend getting a 3-ring binder or folders for each class. It is important to keep all of your class work separate.
When using a binder, you can use dividers to keep your classes separate (if you are trying to save money, I have even used a blank piece of paper with a post-it note glued on as a tab). If you opt for using a different folder for each class, you always have to remember to bring them on specific days! Binders are nice because you have everything in one place, but sometimes they start to fall apart when it becomes too full/heavy. Also, sometimes the papers rip out of the rings which can get pretty annoying. Folders can be great too, but papers can slip out and you may forget to bring a specific folder to class since your schedule is different every day.
Whether you are using a binder or folder, always keep your class syllabus and calendar in one place. You never know when you will need to e-mail a teacher or when your class calendar will be changed. You need to bring these to class every day! I always punch holes in them and put them and put them at the top of the class pile.
[For the record, I prefer binders. I have a very specific way of putting together a binder so I know exactly where everything is:
You will want to keep all of your graded homework assignments, projects, papers, quizzes, tests, etc. Usually, a teacher does not pass out a progress report (though I'm sure if you are worried, your teacher will give you one upon request). Sometimes, you won't know how you are doing until a final grade is posted once the semester has ended. If something is wrong with your grade (at any point in the semester, not just after finals) you will want to have proof that you did assignments or that you had a different score.
Countless times I have completed an assignment, had it passed back with a score, and then I get a progress report saying I didn't do it. I would just show the assignment to my professor and all would be fixed. I even had an instance when my final grade showed up as a D-. I did some calculations and figured that my grade should be over a B...which it was. My teacher was happy to fix it for me! Don't feel embarrassed to correct your teacher, this is your grade at stake!
Staying organized will also help you keep on top of assignments. I always keep a planner so I can write down homework assignments that are coming up. If I see that I have a day where there are several assignments or tests, I can plan ahead and work on some things early.
Use your planner to plan out how you are going to work through major assignments! Say you have a major paper due. Give yourself set deadlines to finish little bits of the paper. You don't want to be sitting up the night before it is due trying to type out several pages!
I start by sitting down and looking at an assignment then figuring out how long it will take me to do it. It doesn't need to be done in one night! As an English major, I have had to write many papers! They average about 8 pages so I'll use that as an example.
Your homework can get overwhelming at times! If you stay organized and know when things are due, you can prevent having too much work in one day!
Staying organized is especially helpful during midterms and finals. Midterms may not be that stressful because different professors choose to have their midterm at different times (some don't even have midterms). But every class at UVU is required to have a final. You might have a final project, paper, test, presentation, or a combination of any of those (Yes, I have had classes that have all 4)
Mapping out your finals week early will help you when they actually come! And don't forget to schedule study time! The two weeks before finals are always very mapped out for me. I know exactly what I am doing each day. If I start to fall behind, I keep re-writing my plan of action so I can get everything done.
But more on finals week later!
Click here to see my post on general school supplies you will need!
Next post: Study habits!
One major key to surviving college is staying organized! Being organized will help you to keep track of everything that you need to turn in, everything that you have already done, and help keep you from being too overwhelmed with papers/projects/assignments when midterms and finals roll around.
There isn't a specific way that is best to stay organized, you just have to know what is best for you!
First off, I recommend getting a 3-ring binder or folders for each class. It is important to keep all of your class work separate.
When using a binder, you can use dividers to keep your classes separate (if you are trying to save money, I have even used a blank piece of paper with a post-it note glued on as a tab). If you opt for using a different folder for each class, you always have to remember to bring them on specific days! Binders are nice because you have everything in one place, but sometimes they start to fall apart when it becomes too full/heavy. Also, sometimes the papers rip out of the rings which can get pretty annoying. Folders can be great too, but papers can slip out and you may forget to bring a specific folder to class since your schedule is different every day.
Whether you are using a binder or folder, always keep your class syllabus and calendar in one place. You never know when you will need to e-mail a teacher or when your class calendar will be changed. You need to bring these to class every day! I always punch holes in them and put them and put them at the top of the class pile.
[For the record, I prefer binders. I have a very specific way of putting together a binder so I know exactly where everything is:
- Blank papers (you can get packets of 70 unbound papers for really cheap at Target when they have all of the school supplies on sale. I usually buy two packets & that gets me through the semester. I always have roughly 25 blank pages in my binder at all times for notes, quizzes, etc.
- Class Divider
- Class Syllabus & Calendar
- Homework Assignments
- Class Handouts
- Quizzes
- Practice Tests
- Tests
- Next class divider w/1-6 from first example
- Next class divider w/1-6 from first example
- Next class divider w/1-6 from first example
You will want to keep all of your graded homework assignments, projects, papers, quizzes, tests, etc. Usually, a teacher does not pass out a progress report (though I'm sure if you are worried, your teacher will give you one upon request). Sometimes, you won't know how you are doing until a final grade is posted once the semester has ended. If something is wrong with your grade (at any point in the semester, not just after finals) you will want to have proof that you did assignments or that you had a different score.
Countless times I have completed an assignment, had it passed back with a score, and then I get a progress report saying I didn't do it. I would just show the assignment to my professor and all would be fixed. I even had an instance when my final grade showed up as a D-. I did some calculations and figured that my grade should be over a B...which it was. My teacher was happy to fix it for me! Don't feel embarrassed to correct your teacher, this is your grade at stake!
Staying organized will also help you keep on top of assignments. I always keep a planner so I can write down homework assignments that are coming up. If I see that I have a day where there are several assignments or tests, I can plan ahead and work on some things early.
Use your planner to plan out how you are going to work through major assignments! Say you have a major paper due. Give yourself set deadlines to finish little bits of the paper. You don't want to be sitting up the night before it is due trying to type out several pages!
I start by sitting down and looking at an assignment then figuring out how long it will take me to do it. It doesn't need to be done in one night! As an English major, I have had to write many papers! They average about 8 pages so I'll use that as an example.
- My first day would be sitting down and figuring out exactly what I need to do. Brainstorming and setting an idea.
- The next day or two would be research.
- The third day, I would write about a page (my introduction).
- Days 4, 5, 6, I would write about two pages a day.
- Day 7 would be my conclusion and proof reading. I don't want to miss any errors!
Your homework can get overwhelming at times! If you stay organized and know when things are due, you can prevent having too much work in one day!
Staying organized is especially helpful during midterms and finals. Midterms may not be that stressful because different professors choose to have their midterm at different times (some don't even have midterms). But every class at UVU is required to have a final. You might have a final project, paper, test, presentation, or a combination of any of those (Yes, I have had classes that have all 4)
Mapping out your finals week early will help you when they actually come! And don't forget to schedule study time! The two weeks before finals are always very mapped out for me. I know exactly what I am doing each day. If I start to fall behind, I keep re-writing my plan of action so I can get everything done.
But more on finals week later!
Click here to see my post on general school supplies you will need!
Next post: Study habits!
Monday, July 4, 2011
First Day
I know it has been a while since my last blog post, so I apologize, but life has been fairly busy for me lately!
I know that it is still the beginning of July, and really, the last thing a student wants to be thinking about in early July is school, but I'm going to give you some info on what your first day will be like!
The first day of school at UVU is an interesting thing. You will never see as many people on campus as you do the first week of a new semester. (Truth be told, usually by midterms, a lot of people aren't even coming to class anymore).
Your first day can be really scary as an incoming freshman. You don't realize how big a school can be until you are wandering around trying to find your first classroom. So here are some things that you should do/have with you before your first day:
The UVU student planners are helpful for several reasons. The planner contains a student handbook with e-mail addresses and phone numbers for individual departments at UVU; business hours for the library, testing center, etc.; and other important info for students. Probably the most handy thing for a freshman is the map of the school. It has all of the building names and abbreviations. (You'll most likely become familiar with all of the buildings after your first semester; it makes it easier that most people refer to each building with their abbreviation).
When looking at your schedule, your classroom number will be in this format:
LA 001
LA refers to the building that the class is in. In this case, it is the LA building, the abbreviation for Liberal Arts. 001 is the room number in the LA building. Room numbers will always be 3 digits long. The first digit is the floor that you are on- (0 is the basement in the LA building, 1 is the main floor, and 2 is upstairs; in the CS building, 4 is the main level, 5 upstairs, 6 upstairs, and 7 top floor; you'll see that every building is different but all you have to do is look at a room number to figure out which floor you are on). The 2nd and 3rd digits in the room number are the room on that floor. There are signs on each floor that direct you in the direction of the classrooms.
If you have any problem at all trying to find a classroom, there are always UVU employees by each entrance the first week of school that are happy to help you (they also have free maps if you don't want to buy a planner). Don't be afraid to ask for help! They know that UVU can be pretty confusing and they are happy to help!
In my experience, the first day of classes isn't really that stressful. I had this terrible fear that it would be like Legally Blonde and I would walk into my first class and everyone would have read several chapters from a textbook and I would just sit there saying "I wasn't aware we had reading." It's not like that at all!
The first day of classes is used for going over your class syllabus and getting to know your classmates. A syllabus is a paper that your professor gives you that has all of their contact information, office hours, any required and/or optional textbooks you will need, any additional items you may need for class, the objective of what you will learn, the attendance and participation policy, a grading rubric, etc.
A lot of students and professors will refer to the class calendar as a syllabus as well. The calendar outlines every homework assignment, test, quiz, etc that you will have for each day. Your teacher will explain to you what it is that they mean. If you are confused, make sure you ask the teacher to clarify, because there is sure to be another student that is confused as well.
(For example: as an English major, my class syllabus would have a reading assignment next to a date. Each professor has a different idea what that means. It could mean we have to have read the specific reading assignment by that certain date or that was our homework for that night. It is always best to ask rather than come to class unprepared!)
Unfortunately, there are many professors that like to make everyone introduce themselves to the class. It feels very high school, but sometimes it is good to at least know a few people. I was always shy so I hated it and would dread the first day. Things that I have done in college as a "getting to know you" exercise:
As you go through your first day, you may have breaks inbetween classes. Take this time to walk around and get to know the campus! Find the library, go search for Jamba Juice, find all of the restrooms, go read a newspaper (which are free! UVU has several newspapers that are offered to students for free each day! UVU Review (UVU's paper, pretty sure it is weekly), Deseret News (which is a local paper in case you are from out of state), USA Today, and New York Times---occasionally, we have the Daily Herald, another local paper).
The first day of school also marks the beginning of the semester- a chance to be organized! Organization is key to being successful in college. Another reason why I love to have the UVU student planner, it helps to keep things on track!
Next post: Organization
I know that it is still the beginning of July, and really, the last thing a student wants to be thinking about in early July is school, but I'm going to give you some info on what your first day will be like!
The first day of school at UVU is an interesting thing. You will never see as many people on campus as you do the first week of a new semester. (Truth be told, usually by midterms, a lot of people aren't even coming to class anymore).
Your first day can be really scary as an incoming freshman. You don't realize how big a school can be until you are wandering around trying to find your first classroom. So here are some things that you should do/have with you before your first day:
- Log into UVLink and print off your weekly schedule. You'll want to have your class name, section number, time, teacher, and classroom number.
- I recommend that sometime before your first day of class, you go to UVU and walk around to find each of your classrooms. This will save you a lot of time on your first day! There will be a lot of people crowding the halls and if you have a class on the other side of campus, you'll want to know ahead of time.
- For most classes, you probably won't need your textbook for the very first day. But you will want to bring a notebook and pen or pencil.
- Show up early on the first day of school! There will be a lot of people trying to get on campus so the freeway and roads to the school will have heavy traffic. There will be a lot of people on campus and trying to find parking can be horrible. I recommend showing up at least half an hour before your first class begins (and factor in an additional 10-20 minutes of traffic)! If you have an early class (7 or 8 am), chances are you won't have as much traffic, but classes 9am or later will be very busy.
The UVU student planners are helpful for several reasons. The planner contains a student handbook with e-mail addresses and phone numbers for individual departments at UVU; business hours for the library, testing center, etc.; and other important info for students. Probably the most handy thing for a freshman is the map of the school. It has all of the building names and abbreviations. (You'll most likely become familiar with all of the buildings after your first semester; it makes it easier that most people refer to each building with their abbreviation).
When looking at your schedule, your classroom number will be in this format:
LA 001
LA refers to the building that the class is in. In this case, it is the LA building, the abbreviation for Liberal Arts. 001 is the room number in the LA building. Room numbers will always be 3 digits long. The first digit is the floor that you are on- (0 is the basement in the LA building, 1 is the main floor, and 2 is upstairs; in the CS building, 4 is the main level, 5 upstairs, 6 upstairs, and 7 top floor; you'll see that every building is different but all you have to do is look at a room number to figure out which floor you are on). The 2nd and 3rd digits in the room number are the room on that floor. There are signs on each floor that direct you in the direction of the classrooms.
If you have any problem at all trying to find a classroom, there are always UVU employees by each entrance the first week of school that are happy to help you (they also have free maps if you don't want to buy a planner). Don't be afraid to ask for help! They know that UVU can be pretty confusing and they are happy to help!
In my experience, the first day of classes isn't really that stressful. I had this terrible fear that it would be like Legally Blonde and I would walk into my first class and everyone would have read several chapters from a textbook and I would just sit there saying "I wasn't aware we had reading." It's not like that at all!
The first day of classes is used for going over your class syllabus and getting to know your classmates. A syllabus is a paper that your professor gives you that has all of their contact information, office hours, any required and/or optional textbooks you will need, any additional items you may need for class, the objective of what you will learn, the attendance and participation policy, a grading rubric, etc.
A lot of students and professors will refer to the class calendar as a syllabus as well. The calendar outlines every homework assignment, test, quiz, etc that you will have for each day. Your teacher will explain to you what it is that they mean. If you are confused, make sure you ask the teacher to clarify, because there is sure to be another student that is confused as well.
(For example: as an English major, my class syllabus would have a reading assignment next to a date. Each professor has a different idea what that means. It could mean we have to have read the specific reading assignment by that certain date or that was our homework for that night. It is always best to ask rather than come to class unprepared!)
Unfortunately, there are many professors that like to make everyone introduce themselves to the class. It feels very high school, but sometimes it is good to at least know a few people. I was always shy so I hated it and would dread the first day. Things that I have done in college as a "getting to know you" exercise:
- Introduce yourself with a unique fact. If someone in the class has that unique fact , it wasn't unique enough and you have to pick something else.
- Spend time talking to your neighbor and then you introduce them.
- Everyone says their name and then everyone before them (It is just as awful as it was in high school!)
- Introduce yourself with your name, major, and where you are from.
As you go through your first day, you may have breaks inbetween classes. Take this time to walk around and get to know the campus! Find the library, go search for Jamba Juice, find all of the restrooms, go read a newspaper (which are free! UVU has several newspapers that are offered to students for free each day! UVU Review (UVU's paper, pretty sure it is weekly), Deseret News (which is a local paper in case you are from out of state), USA Today, and New York Times---occasionally, we have the Daily Herald, another local paper).
The first day of school also marks the beginning of the semester- a chance to be organized! Organization is key to being successful in college. Another reason why I love to have the UVU student planner, it helps to keep things on track!
Next post: Organization
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Registration: Step-by-Step
I'm taking a little detour from my original plan, but I am told that there is some confusion with how to register :) No worries! Looking over my previous post on registration, I realize that I didn't give you any actual help with how to register!
Probably the most confusing thing to a new college student is registration. Registration for classes usually begins in April (for fall semester) or October (for spring semester). If you are a new college student for the fall, that means you will be registering while you are still in high school.
So, I am going to give you a step-by-step guide to registering for college classes! Please note that some of this info may change in the future as the website changes. I went 3 1/2 years with the same website layout so this is my first time exploring the new page!
**Helpful Hint: If you want to get into all of the classes you want, you'll probably want to get on at midnight the day registration opens for you. Many classes get full very FAST! If you are desperate to get into something, try putting yourself on the wait list. If someone drops, you will get an e-mail saying you have 24 hours to go back into registration and add the class!**
If you want to read more about my thoughts on registration in general, visit my post titled "Advisors and Registration" here.
I hope this helps!
Next post: First Day
Probably the most confusing thing to a new college student is registration. Registration for classes usually begins in April (for fall semester) or October (for spring semester). If you are a new college student for the fall, that means you will be registering while you are still in high school.
So, I am going to give you a step-by-step guide to registering for college classes! Please note that some of this info may change in the future as the website changes. I went 3 1/2 years with the same website layout so this is my first time exploring the new page!
**Helpful Hint: If you want to get into all of the classes you want, you'll probably want to get on at midnight the day registration opens for you. Many classes get full very FAST! If you are desperate to get into something, try putting yourself on the wait list. If someone drops, you will get an e-mail saying you have 24 hours to go back into registration and add the class!**
If you want to read more about my thoughts on registration in general, visit my post titled "Advisors and Registration" here.
- Go to UVLink and log in with your UV ID and password
- Click on the "Student" tab
- Next, Click on "Planning Your Education" on the left
- On the right, click "Add or Drop Classes"
- Select the term that you are registering for (Days that you can register depend on the amount of credit hours you have; again, see the "Advisors and Registration" post)
- Click "Class Search" towards the bottom of the page
By looking at the requirement sheet that your advisor gave you at your first meeting, you should have a general idea about what classes you want to take. Under "Class Search" there are several items of criteria that you can fill out to search for a class. You will search for one class at a time! For an example, I will show you how to register for ENGL 1010, a general requirement for all students.
7. Under "Subject", highlight "ENGL-English" and under "Course Number" Type in 1010.
- Usually, this is all you will need to do before clicking "Class Search" at the bottom. If you have specific changes to make, you can also type in the "Title", "Schedule Type", "Credit Range", "Site", "Part of Term", "Instructor", "Session", "Attribute Type", "Start Time", "End Time", and "Days". These alterations are there for your benefit. You can choose what days you want to have classes on, whether you only want to be on the main campus, what days you will be in school, etc.
8. Check the class that you want and click "Register" at the bottom. (For a detailed breakdown of the class results page, click the image!)
9. Repeat steps 7 & 8 until you have all of the classes that you want. If you have been clicking "Register" consistently, you should be fine.
When you are done, you can click "Return to Menu" at the top. You can click on "Student Detail Schedule" to have a detailed list with your class name, teacher, course number, time, days, etc. Or you can click "Student Schedule by Date & Time" to get a look at how your classes are layed out during the week.
**Remember: If a class doesn't come up in the search, try typing it again and making sure all of your info was typed correctly. If it still doesn't show up, it probably isn't offered that semester, so try again the next semester!**
**Remember: If a class doesn't come up in the search, try typing it again and making sure all of your info was typed correctly. If it still doesn't show up, it probably isn't offered that semester, so try again the next semester!**
I hope this helps!
Next post: First Day
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Bookstore
So, while procrastinating my homework (it is Spring Break after all; I should be on a break), I decided I would tell you a little bit about UVU's bookstore! This is probably my favorite information to share for incoming freshman.
UVU's bookstore is located on the main level of the Student Center (SC). You can buy UVU clothing, souvenirs, jewlery, car stickers, water bottles, etc. There is a ridiculous amount of school supplies: planners (which are super handy...and I highly recommend buying a UVU planner every year), notebooks, binders, pens, highlighters, backbacks (the Dakine backbacks are expensive but super durable and can hold a lot- I've had mine for 2 years now and it has stood the test of mulitple English anthologies at one time!), art supplies, photography supplies...there's a lot! There is a small selection of novels (but not the best selection. It is good for the classics-and for a fairly good price- but I would stick to Borders if you are looking for a wide selection). There is also a small electronics section where you can find headphones, recorders (which actually might be helpful if a teacher gives a study guide lecture), and other various electronic goods.
Personally, my favorite section of the Bookstore is the Apple section. You can buy Apple desktops, laptops, iPads, and all of the various forms of iPods. There is even a student discount on all Apple products! But you have to talk to the salespeople there to find out what kind of discounts. There is also a large selection of Apple accessories and software (as well as PC accessories and software).
"Like" the UVU Bookstore on Facebook to get news on sales! This is actually really great because at the end of each semester, you could get school supplies at a discount. There are also occasional holiday sales where you can buy Apple products at an even bigger discount! http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/UVU-Bookstore/10333431772
But of course, the reason why it has its name, the Bookstore is where you can buy all of your textbooks! [Some teachers choose not to have their books available in the bookstore. Mainly because it can take a while for orders to come in. Or because the order can get messed up. And a lot of the time, Bookstore prices can be more expensive than finding the book yourself.] But anyway, for the most part, you can find the majority of your textbooks here!
It is a fairly simple set-up once you understand it.
Here is the best way to make your Bookstore experience great (read everything from this point to the end of the post, you'll see why!):
This next bit is very important (but really, I think everything I say on this blog is important. So I guess this next bit is super important). While it is great to buy your books 1-2 weeks early so you can beat the lines at the bookstore, sometimes it is better for you to wait until the first day of school to get your books. I know, that seems crazy. A lot of the time, you will get to class and your teacher will tell you that your textbooks aren't necessary. Or they will say you only need one (My first day in one of my history classes, my teacher gave us the option between two books, I returned the more expensive one). So for me, waiting in line at the bookstore is worth it if I don't have to spend more money.
As promised, I am going to give my pledge that buying used books is better. Yes, it is wonderful to have a nice new shiny book, and that is great if you know you are going to use that book forever, cherish it, and give it a special place on your bookshelf. That is what I decided for my beautiful Bevington complete works of Shakespeare book. But really, about 99% of your textbooks, you don't need a nice new shiny copy.
Really, other than the nice new shiny thing, there are only pros to buying used books:
Before I give you my next bit of advice, please know that I love the Bookstore, but I have to make decisions based on what is best financially!
Sometimes, it is in a student's best interest to buy their textbooks somewhere else. I know, I know! I should have told you this before! But really, I think it is important to understand all of your options when it comes to textbooks.
When I say buy textbooks somewhere else, I mean buying your textbooks on http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.bn.com/ (or even at Barnes and Noble or Borders). (But there is also a board near the Muli-Cultural Offices close to the Woodbury Business building that has ads for textbooks...and housing...where you can buy usedbooks from students)
Here is how this works: if you want to buy your books before classes start, go to the bookstore and find your books as if you were buying through the bookstore. On the back of the books (and probably on the info sheet in front of the books), write down the 13 digit ISBN number (sometimes 10 digits). Usually, I come prepared with the course names with gaps inbetween to write the following info: ISBN number, New Price, Used Price, book title. (Do not feel bad about doing this! You will always see people in the bookstore just writing down ISBN numbers!)
When you get home, go to your website of choice. My personal favorite is Amazon. On Amazon, all you have to do is type in the ISBN number in the search bar and the book should come up. On Barnes and Noble, they have a tab for textbooks and you can plug in the ISBN on the textbook page.
Whatever you decide to use, always look at the new and used prices. And for your online purchases, note how much shipping will be. I always have a big sheet comparing all 6 prices: Bookstore New/Used, Amazon New/Used, and Barnes and Noble New/Used. Most of the time, buying a used book on Amazon is the cheapest. It is a lot of work, but it saves me money, which is always my goal.
If you choose to wait to buy online after your first day (because of reasons previously stated), you run the risk of not getting your books in time. A lot of the time, you can get away with borrowing a classmate's textbook or using a reserved copy in the library until you books come in. But if you don't want to share and you can't wait, it is most beneficial to buy the book from the Bookstore.
You can also sign up for Amazon Student (I believe it is free for a year). This makes it so shipping is a little cheaper for you! Occasionally, there are deals where you don't have to pay for 1 or 2 day shipping!
Personally, I always wait until after the first day and buy used books online unless I absolutely have to have the book for class the next time we meet. So while I prefer to buy online, I usually am buying something from the Bookstore each semester.
Wow, that was a lot. And I probably missed something. Oh well, hope it helps!
Next post: First Day
UVU's bookstore is located on the main level of the Student Center (SC). You can buy UVU clothing, souvenirs, jewlery, car stickers, water bottles, etc. There is a ridiculous amount of school supplies: planners (which are super handy...and I highly recommend buying a UVU planner every year), notebooks, binders, pens, highlighters, backbacks (the Dakine backbacks are expensive but super durable and can hold a lot- I've had mine for 2 years now and it has stood the test of mulitple English anthologies at one time!), art supplies, photography supplies...there's a lot! There is a small selection of novels (but not the best selection. It is good for the classics-and for a fairly good price- but I would stick to Borders if you are looking for a wide selection). There is also a small electronics section where you can find headphones, recorders (which actually might be helpful if a teacher gives a study guide lecture), and other various electronic goods.
Personally, my favorite section of the Bookstore is the Apple section. You can buy Apple desktops, laptops, iPads, and all of the various forms of iPods. There is even a student discount on all Apple products! But you have to talk to the salespeople there to find out what kind of discounts. There is also a large selection of Apple accessories and software (as well as PC accessories and software).
"Like" the UVU Bookstore on Facebook to get news on sales! This is actually really great because at the end of each semester, you could get school supplies at a discount. There are also occasional holiday sales where you can buy Apple products at an even bigger discount! http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/UVU-Bookstore/10333431772
But of course, the reason why it has its name, the Bookstore is where you can buy all of your textbooks! [Some teachers choose not to have their books available in the bookstore. Mainly because it can take a while for orders to come in. Or because the order can get messed up. And a lot of the time, Bookstore prices can be more expensive than finding the book yourself.] But anyway, for the most part, you can find the majority of your textbooks here!
It is a fairly simple set-up once you understand it.
Here is the best way to make your Bookstore experience great (read everything from this point to the end of the post, you'll see why!):
- To avoid lines at the Bookstore, about two weeks before classes start (or even a week before), go onto UVLink and print of your schedule with all of your class names (For learning purposes, I'm going to use ENGL1010-001 as my example)
- Go to the bookstore and head to the textbook section (currently, it is located on the north end of the bookstore, otherwise known as the side opposite the door). There is always a Bookstore worker there to help you if you need it.
- The textbooks are arranged by departments alphabetically. So, if you are looking for your ENGL1010-001 textbooks, you would head to the aisle that houses "ENGL".
- Within each section, the books are arranged numerically (There is a little paper in front of each book with the course name). Meaning ENGL1010-001 would be at the very beginning of the ENGL section.
- When looking at your course name: "ENGL"=department; "1010"=course level; "-001"=section number
- Make sure you are looking at the proper section number! Different teachers teach different section numbers, and each teacher chooses their own textbooks!
- Also, make sure you get every book for that specific course. In my English 1010 class, we had 3 separate things that we needed to buy.
- Note that on each sign for books, there are two prices: the "new" price and the "used" price. If there are used books available: BUY THE USED BOOK! (More on that later in this post)
- Then you can go and pay for books!
This next bit is very important (but really, I think everything I say on this blog is important. So I guess this next bit is super important). While it is great to buy your books 1-2 weeks early so you can beat the lines at the bookstore, sometimes it is better for you to wait until the first day of school to get your books. I know, that seems crazy. A lot of the time, you will get to class and your teacher will tell you that your textbooks aren't necessary. Or they will say you only need one (My first day in one of my history classes, my teacher gave us the option between two books, I returned the more expensive one). So for me, waiting in line at the bookstore is worth it if I don't have to spend more money.
As promised, I am going to give my pledge that buying used books is better. Yes, it is wonderful to have a nice new shiny book, and that is great if you know you are going to use that book forever, cherish it, and give it a special place on your bookshelf. That is what I decided for my beautiful Bevington complete works of Shakespeare book. But really, about 99% of your textbooks, you don't need a nice new shiny copy.
Really, other than the nice new shiny thing, there are only pros to buying used books:
- They are cheaper. And to a college student, cheaper is always great!
- A lot of the time, you can find them in nearly new condition. I am that person that sits on the floor of the Bookstore looking at every copy of used books to find the best looking one.
- Sometimes, there are notes already in it (or highlights). Which is an awesome plus. Unless it is like Tom Riddle's diary...
Before I give you my next bit of advice, please know that I love the Bookstore, but I have to make decisions based on what is best financially!
Sometimes, it is in a student's best interest to buy their textbooks somewhere else. I know, I know! I should have told you this before! But really, I think it is important to understand all of your options when it comes to textbooks.
When I say buy textbooks somewhere else, I mean buying your textbooks on http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.bn.com/ (or even at Barnes and Noble or Borders). (But there is also a board near the Muli-Cultural Offices close to the Woodbury Business building that has ads for textbooks...and housing...where you can buy usedbooks from students)
Here is how this works: if you want to buy your books before classes start, go to the bookstore and find your books as if you were buying through the bookstore. On the back of the books (and probably on the info sheet in front of the books), write down the 13 digit ISBN number (sometimes 10 digits). Usually, I come prepared with the course names with gaps inbetween to write the following info: ISBN number, New Price, Used Price, book title. (Do not feel bad about doing this! You will always see people in the bookstore just writing down ISBN numbers!)
When you get home, go to your website of choice. My personal favorite is Amazon. On Amazon, all you have to do is type in the ISBN number in the search bar and the book should come up. On Barnes and Noble, they have a tab for textbooks and you can plug in the ISBN on the textbook page.
Whatever you decide to use, always look at the new and used prices. And for your online purchases, note how much shipping will be. I always have a big sheet comparing all 6 prices: Bookstore New/Used, Amazon New/Used, and Barnes and Noble New/Used. Most of the time, buying a used book on Amazon is the cheapest. It is a lot of work, but it saves me money, which is always my goal.
If you choose to wait to buy online after your first day (because of reasons previously stated), you run the risk of not getting your books in time. A lot of the time, you can get away with borrowing a classmate's textbook or using a reserved copy in the library until you books come in. But if you don't want to share and you can't wait, it is most beneficial to buy the book from the Bookstore.
You can also sign up for Amazon Student (I believe it is free for a year). This makes it so shipping is a little cheaper for you! Occasionally, there are deals where you don't have to pay for 1 or 2 day shipping!
Personally, I always wait until after the first day and buy used books online unless I absolutely have to have the book for class the next time we meet. So while I prefer to buy online, I usually am buying something from the Bookstore each semester.
Wow, that was a lot. And I probably missed something. Oh well, hope it helps!
Next post: First Day
Friday, March 11, 2011
Parking
It's been over a week since my last post! I guess I have been procrastinating this one becasue I dislike parking at UVU. Not that it is a bad thing...it's just very...time consuming.
The most important thing to know: parking passes are required for every car on campus. UVU now has hangtags for parking passes. This hangtag can be taken out of your car and used on any of your vehicles. You are only issued one since you can move it from car to car, and there is a half price fee if you need to replace it.
There are signs in every lot that tell you which pass can park there (and note that there are some lots that have several different parking pass options). Parking Services recommends that you pick up a parking pass at least two weeks before classes start to avoid lines.
There are 5 options for parking at UVU:
1: $0 Pass--Or as I like to call it, the free lot pass (it is purple). And yes, it is required to get a pass to park in the free lot. It is L10 and is the furthest from the actual campus building. But, there are usually a lot of available spaces and there is a shuttle that picks you up and drops you off closer to the school. There are usually two shuttles running at a time (they are big giant UVU busses). The downside to this is you usually have to wait for the shuttle to come and pick you up (the shuttles have stops at designated spots that circle the UVU campus. You can even use the shuttle to take you to different areas-no pass needed). It really isn't fun waiting for a shuttle at 7:30am in the middle of winter. If you aren't up for the wait, you can walk from the free lot to the main building, via crosswalks of course!
I parked in the free lot my freshman year. I didn't really mind it, but it gets to be a hassle if you miss the shuttle by a minute and are already late to class. Another con is the shuttle can get really packed. You usually have to stand (holding on to rails). You get to know the bus drivers too! My favorite was an older gentleman that loved country music. And not just any country music, old country music! It was actually pretty relaxing to hear that every morning (and if you don't like it, pop your iPod in).
2: $40 Pass (yearly)-- This pass is sorty of an orange-y color. For this pass, you can park in L9. To be honest, I don't think this pass is really worth it. Lot Y is in the same spot as the Lot V (the free lot), only it is closer to the shuttle. In my four years at UVU, I don't think I've seen this lot very full. It's actually pretty empty. Not much to say about this one...you can take the shuttle...and be really close to the testing center!
3: $80 Pass (yearly)-- The most common pass on campus! It is probably the most common because this is the closest students can get to the building. And there are a lot more lots for this one! L3, L4, L5, L6, L7, L8, L12, L14, M21, M22, M23, M24, M25, M28 are all lots that you can park in with this yellow pass. Since this is the most common pass, it is also the most competitive trying to get a spot. Every single morning, I see people parked in the rows waiting for someone to leave so they can take their spot. Or people circle...and stalk people as they leave the building. Instead of telling you about this, I found a hilarious video that is SPOT ON with UVU parking (video by Lauren Casper, William McCrery, and Audrey Moore )!
http://vimeo.com/18600945
4: Employee/Staff Pass-- The only way to get this pass is if you are a UVU employee. Pretty much, in any of the lots near the building, the closest rows (other than handicapp and motorcycle parking) are reserved for employees. If you are a student, do not park in these spots! You will get a ticket! Lots specific to employees are L1, L2, L13, M20, M26, M27. There are certain lots that have student parking, but have several rows for employees: L3, L4, L12, M22, M23, M24, M28..
Note: Lot M is right next to the south end of the library. This lot is for employees not students (I have heard several students complain that employees take all of the spots here---it's because it is EMPLOYEE parking)!
5: Visitor Pay Lots-- UCCU Center Visitor Lot, Sorensen Center Visitor Lot, and Lakeside Visitor Lot are pay by the hour lots! No pass needed, just cash. I have seen students park here if they are running late to class and are willing to pay to be close. But mostly, this is for visitors! Admissions Meter Lot is, well, a meter lot---it is closest to the Browing Administration building, home of One Stop. But be warned: you can only put enough change in these meters for 40 minutes! The meters take silver coins...every cent is worth one minute (8 nickels=40 minutes, 4 dimes=40 minutes, etc.)
Also for events, if there is a major event going on at the Events Center, you are okay to park in lots near the UCCU Events Center (L3, L5, L14) without a pass! Such events are, but not limited to, graduation, sporting events, concerts, fairs, etc.
For a better look at a map of parking lots, visit http://www.uvu.edu/parking/images/Large2010Map.jpg!
You can also view shuttle bus stops on this map!
The most important thing to know: parking passes are required for every car on campus. UVU now has hangtags for parking passes. This hangtag can be taken out of your car and used on any of your vehicles. You are only issued one since you can move it from car to car, and there is a half price fee if you need to replace it.
There are signs in every lot that tell you which pass can park there (and note that there are some lots that have several different parking pass options). Parking Services recommends that you pick up a parking pass at least two weeks before classes start to avoid lines.
There are 5 options for parking at UVU:
1: $0 Pass--Or as I like to call it, the free lot pass (it is purple). And yes, it is required to get a pass to park in the free lot. It is L10 and is the furthest from the actual campus building. But, there are usually a lot of available spaces and there is a shuttle that picks you up and drops you off closer to the school. There are usually two shuttles running at a time (they are big giant UVU busses). The downside to this is you usually have to wait for the shuttle to come and pick you up (the shuttles have stops at designated spots that circle the UVU campus. You can even use the shuttle to take you to different areas-no pass needed). It really isn't fun waiting for a shuttle at 7:30am in the middle of winter. If you aren't up for the wait, you can walk from the free lot to the main building, via crosswalks of course!
I parked in the free lot my freshman year. I didn't really mind it, but it gets to be a hassle if you miss the shuttle by a minute and are already late to class. Another con is the shuttle can get really packed. You usually have to stand (holding on to rails). You get to know the bus drivers too! My favorite was an older gentleman that loved country music. And not just any country music, old country music! It was actually pretty relaxing to hear that every morning (and if you don't like it, pop your iPod in).
2: $40 Pass (yearly)-- This pass is sorty of an orange-y color. For this pass, you can park in L9. To be honest, I don't think this pass is really worth it. Lot Y is in the same spot as the Lot V (the free lot), only it is closer to the shuttle. In my four years at UVU, I don't think I've seen this lot very full. It's actually pretty empty. Not much to say about this one...you can take the shuttle...and be really close to the testing center!
3: $80 Pass (yearly)-- The most common pass on campus! It is probably the most common because this is the closest students can get to the building. And there are a lot more lots for this one! L3, L4, L5, L6, L7, L8, L12, L14, M21, M22, M23, M24, M25, M28 are all lots that you can park in with this yellow pass. Since this is the most common pass, it is also the most competitive trying to get a spot. Every single morning, I see people parked in the rows waiting for someone to leave so they can take their spot. Or people circle...and stalk people as they leave the building. Instead of telling you about this, I found a hilarious video that is SPOT ON with UVU parking (video by Lauren Casper, William McCrery, and Audrey Moore )!
http://vimeo.com/18600945
4: Employee/Staff Pass-- The only way to get this pass is if you are a UVU employee. Pretty much, in any of the lots near the building, the closest rows (other than handicapp and motorcycle parking) are reserved for employees. If you are a student, do not park in these spots! You will get a ticket! Lots specific to employees are L1, L2, L13, M20, M26, M27. There are certain lots that have student parking, but have several rows for employees: L3, L4, L12, M22, M23, M24, M28..
Note: Lot M is right next to the south end of the library. This lot is for employees not students (I have heard several students complain that employees take all of the spots here---it's because it is EMPLOYEE parking)!
5: Visitor Pay Lots-- UCCU Center Visitor Lot, Sorensen Center Visitor Lot, and Lakeside Visitor Lot are pay by the hour lots! No pass needed, just cash. I have seen students park here if they are running late to class and are willing to pay to be close. But mostly, this is for visitors! Admissions Meter Lot is, well, a meter lot---it is closest to the Browing Administration building, home of One Stop. But be warned: you can only put enough change in these meters for 40 minutes! The meters take silver coins...every cent is worth one minute (8 nickels=40 minutes, 4 dimes=40 minutes, etc.)
Also for events, if there is a major event going on at the Events Center, you are okay to park in lots near the UCCU Events Center (L3, L5, L14) without a pass! Such events are, but not limited to, graduation, sporting events, concerts, fairs, etc.
For a better look at a map of parking lots, visit http://www.uvu.edu/parking/images/Large2010Map.jpg!
You can also view shuttle bus stops on this map!
Parking Services is located at 936 S. 400 W.
You can purchase a parking pass, pay citations, as well as take care of many other services at Parking Services.
Next post: The Bookstore
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
UVLink
UVLink is a must-know for new students. Using your student ID, you log on to UVLink.
UVLink houses your student e-mail account, an information board, Blackboard (a way for students to get class assignments, take online quizzes, interact with their teacher, etc; I wouldn't worry too much about this. If a teacher uses Blackboard, they will most likely walk you through it on your first day in class), your student financial information, your Wolverine Track (tracks your graduation progress), and much more.
Take the time to get used to your UVLink. There is a lot on there, including software downloads for Corel (a photo editing program) and the Clean Access Agent (which is required to log into the school's wireless network on you laptop, iTouch, etc).
**Note: You must have the Clean Access Agent to log into UVU's wireless network (UVU-open). When logging in to the Clean Access Agent, use your student ID and password**
Since UVLink has your campus e-mail, you should have your UVU e-mails forwarded to your personal e-mail such as Hotmail or Gmail. This way, you don't have to constantly check two e-mail addresses and you won't miss out on important e-mails from the school or your teachers.
Here is how to forward you UVU e-mails to your personal e-mail address:
UVLink houses your student e-mail account, an information board, Blackboard (a way for students to get class assignments, take online quizzes, interact with their teacher, etc; I wouldn't worry too much about this. If a teacher uses Blackboard, they will most likely walk you through it on your first day in class), your student financial information, your Wolverine Track (tracks your graduation progress), and much more.
Take the time to get used to your UVLink. There is a lot on there, including software downloads for Corel (a photo editing program) and the Clean Access Agent (which is required to log into the school's wireless network on you laptop, iTouch, etc).
**Note: You must have the Clean Access Agent to log into UVU's wireless network (UVU-open). When logging in to the Clean Access Agent, use your student ID and password**
Since UVLink has your campus e-mail, you should have your UVU e-mails forwarded to your personal e-mail such as Hotmail or Gmail. This way, you don't have to constantly check two e-mail addresses and you won't miss out on important e-mails from the school or your teachers.
Here is how to forward you UVU e-mails to your personal e-mail address:
- In UVLink, click on "E-Mail" in the top right corner.
- Click the "Options" tab.
- Click "Auto Forward".
- Enter your personal e-mail adress and click "OK".
Next post: Parking
Campus Tours
Before you start school at UVU, you should take a campus tour. This is the best way for you to get acquainted with each building (and the best way to not get lost on your first day). On the tour, you will get a more in depth version of what I am about to tell you.
As I go through each building, I will tell you the name of the building and the acronym that it is known by:
Let's start with the Library (LI). It's, well, a library. It has computer labs, books, movies, CDs, textbooks, magazines...the works. On the main level, there is even a Starbucks (Oh. Yes.) as well as many computers that you can do homework on. Every student starts off with a print credit of $10.00 and you can print things (as well as in any other campus computer lab) for $0.05 a page. You can check out books (like any library). Many teachers will put their textbooks on hold in the library and you can check them out for 3 hours at a time (saves on buying the textbook!) Media has a 3 day check out-and it is not just school related material! I have checked out many popular titles-including Shakespeare In Love and many Disney titles...
Connecting to the library is the Liberal Arts Building (LA). Probably every student will have a class in this building as most English, math, and history classes are here. And if you are an English major, know that part of your English fees pays for use of LA027---which means you don't have to use your print credit when printing off dozens of pages! Just make sure that you go there when there is not a class in session.
In between the LA building and the PE building is the LA Cafe & Jamba Juice...I will talk about these more in a later post.
Connected to LA is the Physical Education (PE) building. And yes, this is where you have PE. There are many dance rooms and work out rooms, as well as athletic courts and a few classrooms. A connection hall leads to the UCCU Events Center.
Connected to the PE building is the Science Building (SB). This building is currently under construction so the walkway is blocked off. Which means you walk outside into the Student Center. So wear a coat in the winter...
When the SB is finished, it will connect to the Pope Science (PS) building. Name says it all---the science classrooms are here. It is also the home of our astronomy room...complete with movie theater chairs and a dome ceiling that has a projection of the night sky.
Pope Science branches into both the Environmental Technology (EN) building and the Student Center (SC). To be honest, I have no idea what the EN building is. All I know is that it branches off the Hall of Flags (Which is a really long hallway with flags of all the countries in the world...and there are a lot of chairs where people stare awkwardly at you as you walk by). So I'll head in the direction of SC...
The Student Center (SC) houses the bookstore, campus connection, UCCU, food court, cafeteria, Grand Ballroom, Center Stage, Regan Theater, and many conference rooms.
**Note: PS, SC, WB, BA, and EN all wrap in a circle around a large grass quad with a waterfall**
The SC hallway leads down to the Woodbury Business (WB) building. It's home to the business majors. But I have had English classes in there as well.
After WB is the Browning Administration (BA) building. This is where One Stop, Financial Aid, Scholarship Office, Human Resources, and the Presidential offices are. Important stuff. Check it out.
BA wraps into the Hall of Flags, which takes you past EN and to PS...see? A circle?
So if you head back over to SC, there is a path that leads you to the Losee Center (LC). I actually don't know much about it...it used to be the library...and I know that people study there. Sorry, yeah, that isn't really helpful.
Connected to LC is the Computer Science (CS) building. Wow, these names are much more descriptive than I have ever realized. This is where the computer science majors are. I had a giant Biology lecture class in there...and it has really awesome elevators.
There is a long walkway on the 6th floor of CS that connects to the Gunther Trades (GT) building. GT has all of the trades...dance, music, art, photography (which comes under art...nevermind), and has English classes. Basically, GT is the furthest building away from the Library.
Connected to GT with 3 giant flights of stairs (which actually go down from GT) is the Sparks Automotive (SA) building. Can you guess what is here? If you said English classes...well, you'd be right. Classrooms here are used as a sort of overflow when there aren't any classrooms available in the actual buildings they are supposed to be in. But really, this building is where the auto rooms are.
SA feeds down into WB (with another 3 flights of stairs). So basically, our campus is one big connection of buildings. When they finish the Science Building, there will really be no reason to go outside except to go to your car...or to try and avoid the traffic of people in between classes.
There are a few other buildings separated from the main building concourse---Parking Services and ROTC are to the East, the Faculty Annex is right by the GT building, and the poor Education Building is to the North---quite a trek for those poor education majors (I took the education pre-requisites so I know what it is like---someone actually suggested that UVU builds a giant moving walkway from the main building to the Education Building; I thought that was perfectly logical)!
One other thing you should know is that each classroom has the building acronym followed by a 3-digit number. Earlier, I mentioned LA027--this means the classroom is in the Liberal Arts building. The zero represents the floor that you are on- in this case, the basement. The 27 is the room number. So if you have GT511, you are in Gunther Trades, 5th floor, room 511. CS410- Computer Science, 4th floor, room 410.
Sometimes there will be a letter after all of that...GT511h...which just means that there are eight different rooms that are GT511...just find the one with the h and you are good!
It's pretty simple to find your way around once you get to know the buildings and floor numbers! You should receive a planner at your freshman orientation (if not, the bookstore sells them; there are also maps in each building) and in it will be the student handbook-complete with campus map!
Next post: UVLink
As I go through each building, I will tell you the name of the building and the acronym that it is known by:
Let's start with the Library (LI). It's, well, a library. It has computer labs, books, movies, CDs, textbooks, magazines...the works. On the main level, there is even a Starbucks (Oh. Yes.) as well as many computers that you can do homework on. Every student starts off with a print credit of $10.00 and you can print things (as well as in any other campus computer lab) for $0.05 a page. You can check out books (like any library). Many teachers will put their textbooks on hold in the library and you can check them out for 3 hours at a time (saves on buying the textbook!) Media has a 3 day check out-and it is not just school related material! I have checked out many popular titles-including Shakespeare In Love and many Disney titles...
Connecting to the library is the Liberal Arts Building (LA). Probably every student will have a class in this building as most English, math, and history classes are here. And if you are an English major, know that part of your English fees pays for use of LA027---which means you don't have to use your print credit when printing off dozens of pages! Just make sure that you go there when there is not a class in session.
In between the LA building and the PE building is the LA Cafe & Jamba Juice...I will talk about these more in a later post.
Connected to LA is the Physical Education (PE) building. And yes, this is where you have PE. There are many dance rooms and work out rooms, as well as athletic courts and a few classrooms. A connection hall leads to the UCCU Events Center.
Connected to the PE building is the Science Building (SB). This building is currently under construction so the walkway is blocked off. Which means you walk outside into the Student Center. So wear a coat in the winter...
When the SB is finished, it will connect to the Pope Science (PS) building. Name says it all---the science classrooms are here. It is also the home of our astronomy room...complete with movie theater chairs and a dome ceiling that has a projection of the night sky.
Pope Science branches into both the Environmental Technology (EN) building and the Student Center (SC). To be honest, I have no idea what the EN building is. All I know is that it branches off the Hall of Flags (Which is a really long hallway with flags of all the countries in the world...and there are a lot of chairs where people stare awkwardly at you as you walk by). So I'll head in the direction of SC...
The Student Center (SC) houses the bookstore, campus connection, UCCU, food court, cafeteria, Grand Ballroom, Center Stage, Regan Theater, and many conference rooms.
**Note: PS, SC, WB, BA, and EN all wrap in a circle around a large grass quad with a waterfall**
The SC hallway leads down to the Woodbury Business (WB) building. It's home to the business majors. But I have had English classes in there as well.
After WB is the Browning Administration (BA) building. This is where One Stop, Financial Aid, Scholarship Office, Human Resources, and the Presidential offices are. Important stuff. Check it out.
BA wraps into the Hall of Flags, which takes you past EN and to PS...see? A circle?
So if you head back over to SC, there is a path that leads you to the Losee Center (LC). I actually don't know much about it...it used to be the library...and I know that people study there. Sorry, yeah, that isn't really helpful.
Connected to LC is the Computer Science (CS) building. Wow, these names are much more descriptive than I have ever realized. This is where the computer science majors are. I had a giant Biology lecture class in there...and it has really awesome elevators.
There is a long walkway on the 6th floor of CS that connects to the Gunther Trades (GT) building. GT has all of the trades...dance, music, art, photography (which comes under art...nevermind), and has English classes. Basically, GT is the furthest building away from the Library.
Connected to GT with 3 giant flights of stairs (which actually go down from GT) is the Sparks Automotive (SA) building. Can you guess what is here? If you said English classes...well, you'd be right. Classrooms here are used as a sort of overflow when there aren't any classrooms available in the actual buildings they are supposed to be in. But really, this building is where the auto rooms are.
SA feeds down into WB (with another 3 flights of stairs). So basically, our campus is one big connection of buildings. When they finish the Science Building, there will really be no reason to go outside except to go to your car...or to try and avoid the traffic of people in between classes.
There are a few other buildings separated from the main building concourse---Parking Services and ROTC are to the East, the Faculty Annex is right by the GT building, and the poor Education Building is to the North---quite a trek for those poor education majors (I took the education pre-requisites so I know what it is like---someone actually suggested that UVU builds a giant moving walkway from the main building to the Education Building; I thought that was perfectly logical)!
One other thing you should know is that each classroom has the building acronym followed by a 3-digit number. Earlier, I mentioned LA027--this means the classroom is in the Liberal Arts building. The zero represents the floor that you are on- in this case, the basement. The 27 is the room number. So if you have GT511, you are in Gunther Trades, 5th floor, room 511. CS410- Computer Science, 4th floor, room 410.
Sometimes there will be a letter after all of that...GT511h...which just means that there are eight different rooms that are GT511...just find the one with the h and you are good!
It's pretty simple to find your way around once you get to know the buildings and floor numbers! You should receive a planner at your freshman orientation (if not, the bookstore sells them; there are also maps in each building) and in it will be the student handbook-complete with campus map!
Next post: UVLink
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Housing
Housing is a really big, important decision. UVU is an commuter university; meaning, we do not have any housing available on campus. All housing is off-campus. You have two options when considering where you want to live.
Option #1- Live at home. I know, it sounds lame to say that you are in college and you are still living at home with your parents. But financially, it could be one of the best options. You will have somewhere to do your laundry, there will most likely be food in the fridge all the time, and you will always have your parents available for advice or help. Of course, there are obvious downsides for living with your parents---but I don't really need to state those, do I?
Option #2- Live in an apartment. There are many options close to campus:
Summerwood Condominiums- Right across the street from UVU. http://www.summerwoodcondos.com/
Village on the Parkway- They have a free shuttle that takes you to and from UVU. http://www.villageparkway.com/
College Terrace- The closest housing to UVU. http://www.collegeterraceapts.com/
Wolverine Crossing- http://www.wolverinecrossing.com/
You can choose to live in an apartment with your friends, or at many locations, you can opt to have new roommates. This is your chance to make new friends! No matter who you decide to live with, be courteous. Be respectful of people's personal space. It is best to set apartment guidelines such as no friends over after 10pm or no loud music. Also, set up a schedule for cleaning. You can set specific chores to specific people or rotate who cleans what.
People commute from all over Utah. I have known people coming from Salt Lake and Spanish Fork. If you plan on commuting from a while away, remember that there is always going to be traffic on the highway. And occasionally, there will be an accident that will make you late to class. Travel, from no matter where you are coming from, gets worse in the winter. Always give yourself enough time to get to school. The best thing to do is the day or two before school starts, drive to UVU at the same time that you will be traveling on a normal school day. That will give you a general idea of how long it will take for you each morning (but I would add about 10 minutes to that time- you will be surprised how much traffic there is with students in the first two weeks of school).
To be quite honest, I chose to stay at home with my parents so apartment living isn't exactly where my knowledge is. Check out http://www.uvu.edu/campusconnection/pdf/CC_Booklet2010-2011.pdf . It has a lot of information on different apartment complexes, what you should look for when selecting an apartment, and other information about off-campus housing.
Next post: Campus Tours
Option #1- Live at home. I know, it sounds lame to say that you are in college and you are still living at home with your parents. But financially, it could be one of the best options. You will have somewhere to do your laundry, there will most likely be food in the fridge all the time, and you will always have your parents available for advice or help. Of course, there are obvious downsides for living with your parents---but I don't really need to state those, do I?
Option #2- Live in an apartment. There are many options close to campus:
Summerwood Condominiums- Right across the street from UVU. http://www.summerwoodcondos.com/
Village on the Parkway- They have a free shuttle that takes you to and from UVU. http://www.villageparkway.com/
College Terrace- The closest housing to UVU. http://www.collegeterraceapts.com/
Wolverine Crossing- http://www.wolverinecrossing.com/
You can choose to live in an apartment with your friends, or at many locations, you can opt to have new roommates. This is your chance to make new friends! No matter who you decide to live with, be courteous. Be respectful of people's personal space. It is best to set apartment guidelines such as no friends over after 10pm or no loud music. Also, set up a schedule for cleaning. You can set specific chores to specific people or rotate who cleans what.
People commute from all over Utah. I have known people coming from Salt Lake and Spanish Fork. If you plan on commuting from a while away, remember that there is always going to be traffic on the highway. And occasionally, there will be an accident that will make you late to class. Travel, from no matter where you are coming from, gets worse in the winter. Always give yourself enough time to get to school. The best thing to do is the day or two before school starts, drive to UVU at the same time that you will be traveling on a normal school day. That will give you a general idea of how long it will take for you each morning (but I would add about 10 minutes to that time- you will be surprised how much traffic there is with students in the first two weeks of school).
To be quite honest, I chose to stay at home with my parents so apartment living isn't exactly where my knowledge is. Check out http://www.uvu.edu/campusconnection/pdf/CC_Booklet2010-2011.pdf . It has a lot of information on different apartment complexes, what you should look for when selecting an apartment, and other information about off-campus housing.
Next post: Campus Tours
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Full time tuition and fees per semester is $2,144. And that isn't including all of that photo paper you have to purchase for you photography class. Ah, so you are worried about how you are going to pay for this college education of yours? Yeah, most people are.
One of the best things you can do is apply for scholarships. And lots of them. First off, I recommend filling out a Free Applicaton for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. You could get (free) money from the government. But most importantly, a FAFSA is required to receive scholarships from your school or for you to be able to get a student loan. Important---very, very important. You can download it here ---> http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
There are many scholarships that UVU offers- freshman scholarships, transfer student scholarships, continuing student scholarships, etc. For more information on UVU scholarships, deadlines, and applications, visit http://www.uvu.edu/financialaid/scholarships/index.html .
If you happen to receive a scholarship from UVU, pay close attention to the things that you must do (you will be sent a letter). Don't make the mistake of forgetting to register for classes, because you will receive a letter telling you that you have lost your scholarship. And yes, I am speaking from personal experience. UVU scholarships have a GPA requirement. Basically, if you keep a certain GPA, you can keep your scholarship--and possibly have it renewed for another year.
While this may not benefit everyone, if you have a parent or spouse that works full-time or as an adjunct at UVU, you can get a tuition waiver. If this applies to you, visit http://www.uvu.edu/hr/benefits/pdf/TuitionWaiverTipSheet.pdf
If you still need more money to pay for tuition, fees, or textbooks, you can apply for a work study. Basically, it is a job-no more than 20 hours a week- that you work and and get paid for. There are many jobs all over campus and you get work experience! However, funds are very limited for work study so there may not be many jobs.
If you don't qualify to participate in a work study, try getting a part-time job on campus. It is great to have a job on campus! You get to interact more with your fellow students. Visit http://www.uvu.edu/hr/ to search jobs with UVU!
For more information on financial aid at UVU: http://www.uvu.edu/financialaid/aid/index.html
If you are still in high school, you have an excellent resource in your hands. Visit your school's counseling office. The counselors should be able to tell you about scholarships available for students your age. I know in my high school, they had a packet that listed scholarships for every month and all different areas. Take advantage of this early! Most of these scholarships offer you money that can be used at your leisure. You could take a check and pay for textbooks, housing, food, whatever you need to help you get through college!
**You can pay your tuition and fees at One Stop, at the Cashier's Office, or online through your UVLink account.**
Next post: Housing
One of the best things you can do is apply for scholarships. And lots of them. First off, I recommend filling out a Free Applicaton for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. You could get (free) money from the government. But most importantly, a FAFSA is required to receive scholarships from your school or for you to be able to get a student loan. Important---very, very important. You can download it here ---> http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
There are many scholarships that UVU offers- freshman scholarships, transfer student scholarships, continuing student scholarships, etc. For more information on UVU scholarships, deadlines, and applications, visit http://www.uvu.edu/financialaid/scholarships/index.html .
If you happen to receive a scholarship from UVU, pay close attention to the things that you must do (you will be sent a letter). Don't make the mistake of forgetting to register for classes, because you will receive a letter telling you that you have lost your scholarship. And yes, I am speaking from personal experience. UVU scholarships have a GPA requirement. Basically, if you keep a certain GPA, you can keep your scholarship--and possibly have it renewed for another year.
While this may not benefit everyone, if you have a parent or spouse that works full-time or as an adjunct at UVU, you can get a tuition waiver. If this applies to you, visit http://www.uvu.edu/hr/benefits/pdf/TuitionWaiverTipSheet.pdf
If you still need more money to pay for tuition, fees, or textbooks, you can apply for a work study. Basically, it is a job-no more than 20 hours a week- that you work and and get paid for. There are many jobs all over campus and you get work experience! However, funds are very limited for work study so there may not be many jobs.
If you don't qualify to participate in a work study, try getting a part-time job on campus. It is great to have a job on campus! You get to interact more with your fellow students. Visit http://www.uvu.edu/hr/ to search jobs with UVU!
For more information on financial aid at UVU: http://www.uvu.edu/financialaid/aid/index.html
If you are still in high school, you have an excellent resource in your hands. Visit your school's counseling office. The counselors should be able to tell you about scholarships available for students your age. I know in my high school, they had a packet that listed scholarships for every month and all different areas. Take advantage of this early! Most of these scholarships offer you money that can be used at your leisure. You could take a check and pay for textbooks, housing, food, whatever you need to help you get through college!
**You can pay your tuition and fees at One Stop, at the Cashier's Office, or online through your UVLink account.**
Next post: Housing
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Academic Advisors and Registration
It is so important to meet with your academic advisor right away! No matter what degree you are working towards, your advisor can help you with planning your college semesters and deciding what classes to choose. If you have any questions, they have the answers for you.
In your first meeting, your advisor will give you a sheet that has all of the requirements for you degree. It has all of the required general education classes that everyone has to take and it has all of the classes that you are required to take specific to your major. Most importantly, they have sheets that give you all of you options for each credit.
If you are coming to UVU straight out of high school, your recent ACT or SAT test scores will help to place you in classes. The only one that I really noticed this was math: my ACT test scores were high enough that I did not need to take a remedial math class and was able to go straight to MATH 1050 (which just happened to be my only math requirement for my degree). If you haven't taken the ACT or SAT, don't panic. You can take a placement test in the testing center. Your advisor can give you information on this.
An advisor can also help you with deciding what classes would be good for you and what teachers you might benefit from (even though I think every teacher offers something different for students).
An advisor will help you figure out what classes you want to take each semester. If you take a little time, you can map this out yourself.
To be considered a "full time" student, you must take 12 credit hours each semester. But my recommendation is you take 15 credit hours a semester. If you take 15 credit hours a semester, you won't have to take any classes over the summer.
But be warned: 15 credit hours can be a lot. Most classes are 3 credit hours, so that would mean taking 5 classes each semester (Of course, there are exceptions to that: my German 1010 class was 5 credit hours; my Health and Wellness class was 2; Math 1050 is 4 credit hours).
**NOTE: A credit hour is how many hours you sit in class in one week. So 3 credits means you are in class for 3 hours a week---the normal 3 hour class is Monday/Wednesday/Friday (MWF) for an hour each---well, at UVU, 50 minutes with 10 minutes before the next class. When you register, it tells you what days the classes are and what time it is at.**
Anyway, like I was saying, 15 credit hours is a lot. I started off my freshman year with 15 credit hours, plus I was coaching a high school dance team. If you are working or you know that you can't handle that much work, you should consider taking 12 credit hours and then take classes over the summer.
Remember: it is common knowledge in college that for every hour you are in class, that means 2 hours of homework. Which means 15 credit hours would be 30 hours of studying during the week. It seems like a lot, I know. But you will get through it!
Follow all guidelines from UVU for registering. Usually, you should be able to register for all of your classes as soon as you meet with an advisor. For every semester after that, you will have specific deadlines when you can begin registering. Registration days are based on credit hours. If you are a freshman (Under 30 credit hours), you will be the last to register. Seniors (80+ credit hours) get first priority because they are closer to graduation so every credit is important for them. Don't complain about this as a freshman. You will be thankful when you need exactly 15 credit hours to graduate and you get your pick of classes.
Registration can be crazy. Every semester, I would sit up at midnight waiting for registration to open so I could get all the classes I wanted/needed.
Here is my philosophy (or philosophies) on choosing classes:
In your first meeting, your advisor will give you a sheet that has all of the requirements for you degree. It has all of the required general education classes that everyone has to take and it has all of the classes that you are required to take specific to your major. Most importantly, they have sheets that give you all of you options for each credit.
If you are coming to UVU straight out of high school, your recent ACT or SAT test scores will help to place you in classes. The only one that I really noticed this was math: my ACT test scores were high enough that I did not need to take a remedial math class and was able to go straight to MATH 1050 (which just happened to be my only math requirement for my degree). If you haven't taken the ACT or SAT, don't panic. You can take a placement test in the testing center. Your advisor can give you information on this.
An advisor can also help you with deciding what classes would be good for you and what teachers you might benefit from (even though I think every teacher offers something different for students).
An advisor will help you figure out what classes you want to take each semester. If you take a little time, you can map this out yourself.
At UVU, we have two major semesters:
FALL- End of August to mid December
SPRING- Beginning of January to end of April
(17 weeks each semester, about 4 months).
Summer is broken into two parts:
SUMMER A-Beginning of May to end of June
SUMMER B-Beginning of July to mid August
(7 1/2 weeks each semester, almost 2 months)
*For the record: If you take 12 hours over the summer (maybe 6 in block A and 6 in block B?) you are considered full time over the summer. Taking 6 credits each block is like taking 12 credits in the Fall or Spring semesters*
To be considered a "full time" student, you must take 12 credit hours each semester. But my recommendation is you take 15 credit hours a semester. If you take 15 credit hours a semester, you won't have to take any classes over the summer.
But be warned: 15 credit hours can be a lot. Most classes are 3 credit hours, so that would mean taking 5 classes each semester (Of course, there are exceptions to that: my German 1010 class was 5 credit hours; my Health and Wellness class was 2; Math 1050 is 4 credit hours).
**NOTE: A credit hour is how many hours you sit in class in one week. So 3 credits means you are in class for 3 hours a week---the normal 3 hour class is Monday/Wednesday/Friday (MWF) for an hour each---well, at UVU, 50 minutes with 10 minutes before the next class. When you register, it tells you what days the classes are and what time it is at.**
Anyway, like I was saying, 15 credit hours is a lot. I started off my freshman year with 15 credit hours, plus I was coaching a high school dance team. If you are working or you know that you can't handle that much work, you should consider taking 12 credit hours and then take classes over the summer.
Remember: it is common knowledge in college that for every hour you are in class, that means 2 hours of homework. Which means 15 credit hours would be 30 hours of studying during the week. It seems like a lot, I know. But you will get through it!
Follow all guidelines from UVU for registering. Usually, you should be able to register for all of your classes as soon as you meet with an advisor. For every semester after that, you will have specific deadlines when you can begin registering. Registration days are based on credit hours. If you are a freshman (Under 30 credit hours), you will be the last to register. Seniors (80+ credit hours) get first priority because they are closer to graduation so every credit is important for them. Don't complain about this as a freshman. You will be thankful when you need exactly 15 credit hours to graduate and you get your pick of classes.
Registration can be crazy. Every semester, I would sit up at midnight waiting for registration to open so I could get all the classes I wanted/needed.
Here is my philosophy (or philosophies) on choosing classes:
- Get your general education requirements out of the way early. My first two years were ONLY general requirements.
- The class that you hate the most, you should do first. If you are HORRIBLE at math, imagine what it would be like trying to take the class your senior year after 3 years of not having math. It is hard. Thankfully, I thought of this and took math my first semester in college.
- Spread out the classes that you know will be difficult for you. If you know that English and history are your worst subjects, take English one semester and history the next semester.
- Always have at least one class that you actually like. You don't want to be doing a full semester of horrible classes. You want at least one "easy" class.
- This is your chance to choose your schedule. If you want to sit in class all day Tuesday & Thursday so you don't have to go to school on MWF, then do it. (Tuesday/Thursday classes are 1 hour and 15 minutes long)
- If you know that you can't get up in time for an 8am class, don't register for one. Choose a class a little later in the day. Or, if you would rather have the rest of the day free, make sure all of your classes end before noon. You choose your schedule. Think wisely.
- Notice when your breaks are. I have had all different ranges of my classes---3 back to back. 3 with hour breaks in between each. 2 classes, hour break, 1 class. You name it. Sometimes, it is good to have a harder class after an hour long break so you can have an extra hour to study.
UVLink makes it pretty clear how to register. You choose your own classes at whatever time & day you want. If there is a class conflict, you can't register for one. The only stress about registering is trying to get the classes you want in the right time slots.
Just be conscious of the effects of the classes that you sign up for. Don't let your workload be too much. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed with classes on one day. Having 3 classes on MWF and 2 classes on TH seemed to be great for me.
If you want to graduate in 4 years, the average length to get a Bachelor's Degree, you have several options:
-Take 15 credit hours each semester (Fall & Spring) for 8 semesters
-Take 12 credit hours each semester (Fall & Spring) for 8 semesters + 12 credit hours for 2 summers (Summer A & Summer B)
-Or a mix of different credit hours (Which is what I chose: Fall 15, Spring 11, Summer off, Fall 12, Spring 12, Summer A off, Summer B 6, Fall 12, Spring 9, Summer A 6, Summer B 6, Fall 15, Spring 16= Total of 120 credits, the requirement for a Bachelor's Degree)
I know, this post was information overload. I'm an English major. I like words. Sorry!
Click here to read my post giving details on how to register!
Click here to read my post giving details on how to register!
Next post: Financial Aid & Scholarships
First Things First...
Now that you have been accepted at UVU, the most important thing is getting to know the campus and any deadlines you will have.
Get to know this website: http://www.uvu.edu/
You will be visiting it a lot in the years to come!
You should have received an e-mail with your UV ID number. Probably the most important number you will need to know at UVU! That ID will log you into UVLink, the Library website, etc. This e-mail will also detail all of the steps that you will need to take in the next few months before you start school. FOLLOW THOSE INSTRUCTIONS!
You are definitely in for a visit to the campus One Stop. You can submit your applications, get your transcript, get a parking pass, pay your tuition and fees, and much more!
For more info: http://www.uvu.edu/students/onestop/
Once you visit One Stop, you can head over to Campus Connection and get your UV One Card (student ID card)! It will have your student number on it so you won't forget it (bonus!) You will use your ID for purchasing tickets to UVU events, checking things out from the library, taking tests in the testing center, and you can even pay a fee to have it as your UTA bus pass as well!
I highly recommend opening a checking account with Utah Community Credit Union (UCCU). There is a branch on campus in the Student Center (SC). If you open an account there, you can have your student ID double as your debit card. It makes for one less card you have to carry (or it could be a big hassle if you lose it; then it would be like losing 2 cards at once).
Also very important: Meet with your academic advisor! Your advisor is your best source for what you need to do in school. He or she can help you plan out your semesters, recommend classes for you to take, and just be there to answer any questions you may have! In your first e-mail from UVU, you should be told who your advisor is--you are required to meet with your advisor before you can register for classes.
In my next post: Meeting with your academic advisor and registering for your first semester in college!
Get to know this website: http://www.uvu.edu/
You will be visiting it a lot in the years to come!
You should have received an e-mail with your UV ID number. Probably the most important number you will need to know at UVU! That ID will log you into UVLink, the Library website, etc. This e-mail will also detail all of the steps that you will need to take in the next few months before you start school. FOLLOW THOSE INSTRUCTIONS!
You are definitely in for a visit to the campus One Stop. You can submit your applications, get your transcript, get a parking pass, pay your tuition and fees, and much more!
For more info: http://www.uvu.edu/students/onestop/
Once you visit One Stop, you can head over to Campus Connection and get your UV One Card (student ID card)! It will have your student number on it so you won't forget it (bonus!) You will use your ID for purchasing tickets to UVU events, checking things out from the library, taking tests in the testing center, and you can even pay a fee to have it as your UTA bus pass as well!
I highly recommend opening a checking account with Utah Community Credit Union (UCCU). There is a branch on campus in the Student Center (SC). If you open an account there, you can have your student ID double as your debit card. It makes for one less card you have to carry (or it could be a big hassle if you lose it; then it would be like losing 2 cards at once).
Also very important: Meet with your academic advisor! Your advisor is your best source for what you need to do in school. He or she can help you plan out your semesters, recommend classes for you to take, and just be there to answer any questions you may have! In your first e-mail from UVU, you should be told who your advisor is--you are required to meet with your advisor before you can register for classes.
In my next post: Meeting with your academic advisor and registering for your first semester in college!
Welcome to UVU!
If you are reading this, chances are you have been accepted at Utah Valley University. Congratulations! You are about to begin your college journey!
Mainly, I created this blog so I could guide a friend of mine as she begins her freshman year at UVU. She suggested I start a blog so I can give my advice to any incoming freshman--because it can be terrifying starting into the unknown. While most of this will be focusing on UVU, there will also be some general advice that can help any college student!
As a UVU graduate (I have an associate's degree and will be getting my bachelor's degree soon), I hope to give you little hints specific to college life at UVU. I am an English major (literature studies emphasis), so maybe everything I write will not apply to you. I am sure that there are questions that you may have that I don't know the answer to--but hey, that's college!
This blog is in no way official advice from Utah Valley University. What I have to say is my personal opinion about what I have experienced at UVU. Always follow instructions from official UVU e-mails and what your teachers and advisors have to say!
I hope this is a little helpful to you--if not, I hope you at least enjoy it!
Mainly, I created this blog so I could guide a friend of mine as she begins her freshman year at UVU. She suggested I start a blog so I can give my advice to any incoming freshman--because it can be terrifying starting into the unknown. While most of this will be focusing on UVU, there will also be some general advice that can help any college student!
As a UVU graduate (I have an associate's degree and will be getting my bachelor's degree soon), I hope to give you little hints specific to college life at UVU. I am an English major (literature studies emphasis), so maybe everything I write will not apply to you. I am sure that there are questions that you may have that I don't know the answer to--but hey, that's college!
This blog is in no way official advice from Utah Valley University. What I have to say is my personal opinion about what I have experienced at UVU. Always follow instructions from official UVU e-mails and what your teachers and advisors have to say!
I hope this is a little helpful to you--if not, I hope you at least enjoy it!
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