Housing: Living On Campus

LIVING ON CAMPUS
By Rebekah

It was a year ago when I was looking at my housing preference form trying to decide what to do. I’m from a small town about 15 minutes from Madison, so I went back and forth between deciding whether to be a commuter or to live in the residence halls as a freshman. I ended up deciding that living on campus was the best way to start my freshman year and I am so happy with my decision… everything worked out perfectly.

I’m in Regina this year, which I admittedly was not too happy about when I first received my rooming assignment… it’s the all female, single room, res hall. However, I LOVE it. I get my own space and don’t have to worry about any roommate conflicts. We have a tight-knit floor and it’s so easy to meet people. I even got so lucky as to have my new best friends living right next to me, making my experience in the res halls incredible.

Besides actual dorm life, living on campus in general is so convenient. It’s nice to always be next to both Phil’s or Wingra (with a meal plan!), and so close to all my classes. I never have to worry about parking or being late and it’s wonderful to be able to run back to my room if I ever forget something, want to change clothes or grab a sweatshirt, or just need to relax between classes.

Living on campus so far has worked out very well for me. I’ve been very pleased with my experience and definitely recommend living on campus.

Housing: Living Off Campus

LIVING OFF CAMPUS
By Liz

One of the biggest adjustments a college freshman will make is the day your parents pack up all your belongings into the car and drive you to the place where you will (hopefully) spend the next 4 years as a college student. This past summer, I spent the first few days of the school year helping freshmen move into their dorms and know first hand the move-in process can be awkward, nerve-wracking and stressful, to say the least. As a senior in high school, I was definitely not prepared for that day. So, because my parents live in the Madison area, I decided to skip that part of the college experience entirely and made the decision to live off-campus.

The best part about living off campus is the feeling of complete independence. Although, in my case I was still living at my parents’ house, I did feel like I had a little more freedom than the freshmen living on campus. I remember driving by the campus on my way home and thinking “all those freshman I had class with today are still there and stuck without their cars, that must be terrible!” Though I learned later that on-campus living isn’t really that terrible, living off-campus still allows you to be a little bit more connected to the outside world. Plus, you get to keep your car and are able to go places anytime you want to. Sometimes, living on campus and taking the same routes, seeing the same buildings and people a few times a day can become monotonous and it’s nice to have the option to get away.

Another part about living off campus is the opportunity to save money. By living at “mom and dad’s,” I saved money on residence hall cost, food, and laundry. And some off-campus apartments and houses also turn out to be cheaper. And if you have access to a car, working part-time is also an option.

Just like anything else, there are pros and cons to both kinds of living situations. It all depends on what options you have and what kind of experience you are looking for.

Winter Break 2009-2010

MY WINTER BREAK
By Kinsey

Coming back from Winter Break is always somewhat bittersweet. It’s hard to leave your family and friends back home and adjust to getting back into the “homework swing.” Then again, it’s nice to get back to the city and your “college family.” I find that Winter Break is about a perfect length of time. I like that I have about a month to work so I can have some cash for the upcoming semester, and I have time to reconnect with my old home life. And right about when I get the itch to leave home again, break ends and a new semester begins. The month off is also a nice time to get rejuvenated from the past semester. After working hard all semester and putting in long hours getting ready for finals, a break is much needed and appreciated.

This semester I was very excited to come back. Last semester was a really good semester for me. I switched majors and finally found the path I wanted to take. I really enjoyed my classes and the outside activities I became a part of. First semester showed me how something as simple as a change of major can change your outlook on everything. I had actually been planning to transfer my freshman year, but settled on a change in major instead. I’m so glad I made that choice. This past semester gave me a reassurance that I had made the right decision and left me with an excitement for what lies ahead. I’m excited for this new semester, for my classes, and… just to be back.

Winter Break 2009-2010

WINTER BREAK
By Rebekah

After having a busy semester and a stressful exam week, of course it feels great to have a nice long break. You finally have time to catch up with friends you haven’t seen for a while, sleep nice and late, not worry about homework or tests, etc. However believe it or not, it is nice to finally come back. I had a wonderful break, but after about two and half, maybe three weeks, I was ready to return to campus. I missed seeing my friends at Edgewood everyday, I missed being downtown, I missed the freedom, I missed my room, and call me crazy, but I missed always being busy.

As happy as I am to be back at school and to be with everything that I missed though, now turning my brain back on to “learning mode” isn’t necessarily easy. Classes have started and I’m getting myself slowly into the routine of thinking again. I’m trying to get myself (of course) to study more this semester, not procrastinate as much, but unfortunately this hasn’t even worked for this first week. Nevertheless, I am very excited to be back and in the swing of things. First semester flew by, I have no doubt that this spring will do the same!

Wisconsin’s First Green Tier University

WISCONSIN’S FIRST GREEN TIER UNIVERSITY

Milwaukee Public Radio recently did a great story about Edgewood College and its efforts to become a leader in sustainability. Click here to read and listen to the story.

Images related to the story are also available here.

Freshman Scholarships

FRESHMAN SCHOLARSHIPS
By Ryan Gebler

It’s getting to be that time of year again. No, I’m not referring to the cold Wisconsin winter weather. I’m referring to “financial aid and scholarship season.”

If you’re planning to enroll as a freshman this fall at Edgewood College (or even if you’re still totally undecided), I recommend sitting down today and applying for financial aid. The March 1, 2010 scholarship deadline will be here soon.

Here are 4 things every incoming freshman should do or know:

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (a.k.a. “the FAFSA”) online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

2. Apply for “institutional scholarships” (a.k.a scholarships offered by the college). If you’re already admitted to Edgewood College, you can complete the scholarship application (a.k.a. the Edgewood College Financial Aid Application) online at http://www.edgewood.edu/prospective/undergraduate/freshman/costs.aspx.

3. Search for outside scholarships. I’d recommend starting with scholarships offered through your high school,  your parent’s work, or your community. You might also find some scholarships worth applying for on the websites listed below. (Note: never pay money to apply for a scholarship!)

www.inlikeme.com
www.fastweb.com
www.schoolsoup.com
www.scholarshipcoach.com
www.collegeanswer.com
www.fastaid.com
www.scholarshipexperts.com
www.brokescholar.com
www.adventuresineducation.org
www.findtuition.com
www.meritaid.com  

4. And finally, I’ll refer you to words of encourage from one of my favorite TV shows, The Office. Here’s Michael Scott quoting Wayne Gretzky:

Edgewood College Magazine: Winter 2009

View the Winter 2009 Edgewood College Magazine online at http://issuu.com/edgewoodcollege/docs/ecmagazine-winter2009.

Housing Brochures!

The new housing brochures arrived today! Housing packets have been delivered to the mailroom and should be in mail boxes next week.

And just when things couldn’t get any better, Bill from Wingra stopped by the Admissions Office with free ice cream (thanks, Bill!).

Housing Information!

The admissions staff put together 600 housing packets today. If you’ve been admitted to Edgewood College for Fall 2010… yours should be in your mailbox soon!

Favorite Professor at Edgewood College: Renee Gouaux

My favorite professor on campus is Renee Gouaux, who works in the Art Department. Professor Gouaux teaches classes such as Sculpture and 3D Design. The thing I love most about Renee is that she is always up for a good conversation and she loves to laugh. Some of the best moments during class are the times when Renee is about to tell a story and can’t seem to stop laughing. No matter what kind of mood you’re in, those moments are guaranteed to make you smile, if not bust out laughing with her. She has tons of great stories and is always really animated while telling them.

Renee is also really flexible, understanding, and has a happy-go-lucky attitude. She’s open to new ideas and allows her students to assist her in creating or modifying class projects. She relates to her students well and there is a very down to earth quality to her. She’s easy to talk to whether it’s class-related or not.

She expects good, thoughtful work and always goes out of her way to make sure her students have necessary materials and are comfortable with assignments and class activities. Renee also seems to like her students to be open-minded and try out new things. Some of the most interesting art projects I’ve ever created have been in Renee’s class, such as a cardboard chair or a dress made completely out of recycled materials.