Congratulations! You're nearly there! The end of your first semester of college is in sight! How exciting to wrap up your classes, have a winter break to regroup, and then come back refreshed for the spring. Before you get into full relaxation mode, let's talk quick about finals. With just over a week left until finals week, now is the time to start preparing. Below you'll find 5 strategies for getting started with your studying early, an important step in your end-of-the-semester success.

1) Start Early! If you know that you have over a week until your exam, start chunking up the work you need to do in order to prepare for it right now. By breaking up the work, you create more of an opportunity to actually digest and understand major concepts and terns, rather than memorizing them to simply repeat them or list them on an exam or in a final paper.

2) Distribute your time. Instead of cramming the night before, create a study schedule where you can distribute study times more evenly than all in one or two nights before your exam, like below:

3) "Reading" and "studying" are two different things. We should read our material before we start studying, so we know what to hone in on as important key concepts, and where to find that information.

4) Get organized. This refers to your materials and people. When you sit down to study, make sure that you have whatever textbook or course pack you might need, lecture/class notes, and any supplemental reading or articles you've been assigned for class. When it comes to people, you might think about organizing a study group or connecting with one other person from your class to have study sessions with. Studying in groups is a great way to answer any questions you might have that another student might know the answer to, and vice versa.

There are group study rooms on the first floor of the SSC that you can book, as well as those that you can book in Rose and Carrier libraries. There are also first-come, first-served rooms available in both of the libraries. The library website allows you to select the library you want and then navigate an interactive map of each library, by floor, to explore which rooms are available for booking and which are first-come, first-serve. Below you can see what that exploration process looks like:

On the left-hand side of the page you have the option to choose the library you would like to brows by floor. Once you click on the floor you'd like to explore, you'll be taken to the floor plan of that floor, as seen below.

Once on the page showing the floor plan, you can use the key to determine which rooms are bookable and which are first-come, first-served to students. By clicking on the individual rooms, you will be take to a snapshot of the room itself.

A third floor, bookable study room in Carrier

Career & Academic Planning is also offering interview rooms as open study rooms, now that the recruiting season has come to a close....

5) Self-Test. Self-testing can happen individual or in a study group. By asking yourself or others questions about the material, answering those questions, and then looking back at the information to make sure the answers are correct, you're reinforcing the information you're studying. Also, if you know you're going to be "tested" at the end of your study session, it might serve as extra motivation to truly focus when you're studying.

Remember, everyone has a unique learning and study style. What might work for you, might no work for your roommate or your classmates, and that's OK. Just keep in mind a few things that everyone can benefit, no matter their style or preference: Reach out to your professors if you are confused about anything or have a question/need clarification on unclear concepts covered in class or in the textbook. Be mindful of the location you choose to study in and the distractions that could enable you to lose focus. And use your learning style to determine what was of studying work best for you.

Don't forget to balance your studying with self-care as well. To do that, check out some of the neat things happening around campus within the next couple of weeks, starting tomorrow night with...

The annual Tree Lighting on the Quad at 6PM! President Alger and Dr. Warner will both speak, and there will be JMU a capella performances. Come join us for a great night filled with hot chocolate, cider, coffee, cookies, and an inspiring way to kick off the holiday season here at JMU!

UPB is hosting a handful of events this week. Tomorrow, Friday, December 4, comedian Ryan Conner is being spotlighted down in TDU at 8:00 PM, with free campus cookies at the end of his show! Wednesday, December 9th, Brainfreeze Trivia will be taking place from 7-9 PM in TDU. On Thursday, December 10, De-Stress Fest in TDU will provide you with a chance to relax before finals by painting your own mug, coloring, and learning to meditate. As always, the movies showing this week and next are listed on their website.

On Saturday, December 5th, Mad4U is bringing Gina Bondurant, an esteemed gardener and craftswoman to Creative Madison Craftnight. Held in the Club House from 7:30 PM-Midnight, the event will feature centerpiece making with local greenery. While this event is particular meaningful for the holiday season, the Club House is open every Saturday night from 7:30 until the building closes for you to get your craft on!

CMSS, or the Center for Multicultural Student Services, is hosting a campus-wide conversation on diversity and inclusion: Exploring JMU, Our Nation, and the University of Missouri. This event, taking place tomorrow, December 4 at 1:30 PM will be held in the Madison Ballroom, and is meant to provide a space (via small group discussions and through the use of the 8 Key Questions) where students, faculty, and staff are able to process through some of the most recent events occurring across the nation today regarding racial tensions and social identities.The Madison Collaborative is providing pizza and drinks, so come have a bite to eat and engage in some meaningful dialogue. Want to talk diversity, but unsure where to start the conversation? CMSS is also hosting "Diversity Matters" on Friday, December 11 from 2:00-3:00 PM in Madison Union 256. This is an opportunity to learn more about different topics related to diversity, multiculturalism, access, and inclusion.

For those of you looking for your musical fix, there are several a capella concerts coming up! The first is tomorrow, December 4, when the BluesTones sing for us at their CD release concert at 7:00 PM in the Festival Ballroom A. With Madison Dance also making a special appearance, it's bound to be a great night! Tickets are $4 with JACard, $7 without. All proceeds go to JMU Alpha Phi's philanthropy, Women's Cardiac Care. Next up is Exit 245, singing for us this Saturday, December 5 at 6:00 PM in the Festival Ballroom. Tickets for these gentlemen are $5 with JACard and $7 without. Finally, Operation Santa Claus: A Miracle on South Main Street, a holiday themed show featuring a capella, dance, and comedy groups, is taking place Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00 PM in Wilson Hall. There is a suggested donation of $5, with proceeds going to the big Brothers, Big Sisters program for Harrisonburg-Rockingham county.

Basketball more your thing than a capella? With your JACard you get free admission to the men's and women's games. The men play Marshall this Sunday, December 6 at 2:00 PM and George Mason next Saturday, December 12 at 4:00 PM. The women play American this Saturday, December 5 at 7:00 PM.

UREC is hosting their annual Warm a Winter Wish program. This year they are partnering with three local agencies- First Step, Mercy House, and Crossroads to Brain Injury Recovery- to help make wishes come true for community families in need. Stop by the UREC lobby for more information and to pick up a wish tag from the Warm a Winter Wish Tree. Unwrapped gifts with rags are due to UREC by December 16 at Noon. Can't contribute a gift, but want to wrap? They'll be a wrapping party on December 16 at 1:00 PM in the UREC Main Gym, Courts 3&4. All are welcome! Learn more here!

Finally, as finals approach, know that I'll be sending positive energy your way, and that...

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."

~R. Collier~

Happy Week-Before-Thanksgiving! Who knew that time would fly this fast, but in just 5 short weeks, finals will be upon us and preparations for the holiday season and winter break will be in the works! I'm glad to have met with nearly all of you by now, and if we haven't met I'd still love to hear how your semester is going and what classes you're thinking of taking in the spring.

This leads me to registration. Many of you have shared concerns over not getting into the classes you want for next semester. Well, if class registration felt something like this for you...

...my guidance to each of you is that it is now open enrollment, which means students will be adding, dropping, and swapping...all the way until next semester when Add/Drop ends! This means you have a couple of months to be making some changes to your schedule. There may be peak times that this is happening, like when semester grades come out in December, students may decide to transfer and so will drop their course load, and other students will change their major and swap classes. The other peak time for switching classes will be with the first few days of the Spring 2016 semester, when students are attending classes and determining for whatever reason that they would like to drop or swap a class.

Also, some of you may find yourself declaring a major in an effort to get into the classes you need to progress forward and determine if you are certain of the field you want to go into...and that's ok! If you later decide you'd like to switch major, we can chat about that or you can always pick the brain of whoever your new major advisor will be. Hopefully this provides you with some reassurance that your schedule does not have to be set in stone right now, but that if you'd like to still make some changes to it, you might monitor MyMadison pretty closely and opt to use the "Swap" tool to ensure that you don't drop a class and then find yourself unable to add one that you had in mind.

If there are any lingering questions about enrollment, please send me an email or make an appointment with me via Recruit-A-Duke or by calling the office. Now for...

Upcoming Events:

- Tomorrow night, (November 17) at 6:00 PM in Madison Union 206, the DUX Leadership Center presents the Student Leadership Challenge. An overview of how student leaders mobilize others to do extraordinary things, you'll learn 5 practices of effective leaders so you can start maximizing your leadership skills.

- Thinking about living off-campus next year, and looking for roommates? Off-Campus Life is hosting a Winter Roommate Mixer tomorrow night (November 17) at 7:00 PM in the Festival Highlands Room. There will be free food available and an opportunity to connect with some new people!

- Alright, so you're headed to the roommate mixer, but what happens when you find people you'd like to live with? Time to start looking into your housing options! Off-Campus Life is also hosting the Winter Housing Fair, an opportunity to see over 25 different properties in the Harrisonburg area and their student housing offerings. The property managers will even be there to help answer your questions. Not sure what to ask...this blog post has some good things to consider as you're speaking with the landlords/property managers. Keep in mind, you have to do what is right for you and whoever may be helping you start up in an off-campus housing situation (family members, guardians, friends). The Winter Housing Fair will be Wednesday, November 18, from 11 AM-2 PM.

- Registration for Winter Intramural Sports opened up today, November 16th! Start forming your teams and sign up here for 5-on-5 Basketball, Dodgeball, Futsal, Indoor Lacrosse, Racquetball, Team Handball, and Wallyball! Play begins on January 19, 2016.

Now, as you begin to get ready to head home, stay with friends, travel over the break, or prepare a delightful meal in what I hope is the presence of those you love, care deeply for, and cherish, I leave you with this...

Happy Almost Halloween Everyone! I feel like I say this every post, but where has the time gone? It feels like just yesterday I began my work here in CAP and you all began your first years. But yet here we are, knocking on the door of Spring registration! I've met with many of you to discuss your classes this semester, how they're going, and what you're considering for majors (if any) and classes for next semester. Here's some information you might want to consider when you're thinking about registration:

-Spring 2016 class enrollment days for First Year students are Tuesday, November 10 and Wednesday, November 11 with enrollment times spread throughout the day. Open enrollment then opens on Thursday, November 12 at 12:01 AM. You can look at the "Enrollment Dates Section" in your MyMadison account to see your date, but you'll have to click "details" and then select "Spring Semester 2016" to see the actual time during your designated day that you'll be able to begin registering.

- If you haven't completed Cluster One: Skills for the 21st Century yet, you've got to by the end of your first year. And if you're curious about that MREST requirement you might keep hearing about, don't worry! You fulfill that in your SCOM class!

- Also, if there are majors that you're considering, my recommendation would be to look at the catalog (either your copy from orientation or online) and determine if any of the introductory courses for that major (the lower level courses) overlap with any remaining GenEds. That way you can take one class that will count for two requirements! 

NOTE: Some majors are tricky in that you have to declare the major before you can begin taking any of the required major courses, so just be aware of this when you go to register. Pay special attention to courses that have pre-requisites (courses you have to take before taking another) or co-requisites (courses that must be taken at the same time).

- Check out the Major Snapshot page, here's what it looks like! Also, reading about some of the GenEds could help you decide which you want to register for! Find their descriptions here.

- Have more than one schedule created or list of options for courses. Classes fill up quickly, and so its important to have multiple options of courses that you would be happy to take next semester. And if you've got your heart set on one course, keep your eyes on MyMadison. There is always adding, dropping, and swapping that happens!

- View the tutorial for the Schedule Planner and see if you're interested in using it. It's a great new tool on MyMadison that will do some pretty helpful things like...

                      - Block  unavailable times due to practices, work schedules, or other time commitments                         you might need to work around

                      - Produce all available combinations of selected classes for preview and comparison,                             taking into account the reserved periods of time

                      - Lock in favorite selections of courses when generating schedules

                      - Move preferred courses into the shopping cart when ready for enrollment

NOTE: Be careful with the shopping cart feature! Just because you put a course in your shopping cart doesn't reserve you a spot. Others can still register for a spot in that class and by the time you go to register, it could be full...so just be aware of the capacity and if a class in your cart is full before you try and hit that register button!

- Clear any holds you might have with the University. You can't register for the Spring until all holds have been resolved. You can do this by logging into MyMadison, going into your Student Center, and checking the "Holds" box. If there is something other than "No Holds" listed, click on "details," which will give you instructions for contacting the appropriate office to clear the hold(s).

 - Submit any previously earned credit 

- Identify your foreign language placement. If you're interested in continuing a language you took in high school, you can take the Foreign Language placement exam online to understand your score, click here. If you've already taken the test, you can view your scores by clicking on the drop down menu in your MyMadison Student Center and clicking "View Test Scores." Finally, if you're interested in taking a language that does not offer a placement exam, talk to the head professor in that language. To learn more you can can visit the Modern Foreign Language Department's Placement Exam website.

- I'd love to meet with you, but if you really want to chat with someone and don't have time to make an appointment, the Madison Advising Peers (MAPS) are a student group dedicated to helping other JMU students map out their time here, navigate MyMadison, declare or change a major, and tackle those GenEds. They operate from 10AM-5PM Monday-Thursday and from 10AM-3PM on Fridays. Their offices are: Roop 201, RoopG24 (Pre-Professional Health programs), Showker 205 (College of Business office), and Phys.Chem 1216 & 3348 (Chemistry office). No appointments necessary, you can just drop on in!

Now, for some of the events happening on campus during this very exciting time of year!

• Interested in living off-campus next year but have some questions? The Off-Campus Life Office, located in the Festival (Room 1130) on the first floor, will be providing free candy and housing information to those who knock on their door anytime between 1-4 PM tomorrow, Friday October 30th!

• I've posted about Study Abroad before, but if you're interested in studying at one of JMU's partner institutions abroad, you might consider applying for an exchange program. Not sure what that's all about? Learn about the different opportunities related to exchanges, application processes, and the overall benefits of studying abroad here or at any of the following information sessions:
• Tuesday, November 3 @ 4PM in Madison Union 404
• Tuesday, November 17 @ 4PM in Madison Union 404
• Tuesday, January 19 @ 4PM in Madison Union 304
• Wednesday, January 20 @ 4PM in Madison Union 304

The application deadline for the upcoming academic year (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, or AY 2016-2017) is February 1, 2016.

• Want to study abroad, but not sure how to finance it? The Office of International Programs is promoting several scholarship opportunities for JMU semester and short-term programs, with awards ranging from $1,000-$5,000. To be considered, you must have a JMU study abroad program application and scholarship application completed by November 1, 2015 (just a couple days away!) Apply now!

So whether you're dressing up or not, putting on some classic Halloween flicks and hanging out, or checking out some of the festivities downtown I hope you have a fun and safe Halloween!  

It's mid-October and that means that for a lot of you, you're probably taking or facing midterm time. That also means that a lot of you may be feeling run down from studying and maybe even overwhelmed. College just isn't high school- classes and professors are different and daily schedules look wildly different than the structured day of high school. Maybe how you have to study has changed entirely- needing to dedicate more time than you once did or learn how to utilize resources that you never even knew existed before JMU. Perhaps you used to always study at home in your room, but now studying in the residence hall seems challenging and full of distractions (Netflix, roommates, etc.). So I challenge you to ask yourself:

How am I doing? Am I taking care of myself and doing what I need to do for me on a daily basis so that I am successful in classes but also have a balance and healthy lifestyle?

As you think about these things, take note of what your day-to-day looks like and don't forget about some of the following things:

1) Eating throughout the day will keep you mentally focused in class. If you have a tight schedule, plan ahead so that you're not starving in the middle of the day and unable to concentrate on class material.

2) Take time to study...I mean really study. It's a good rule of thumb for college students to dedicate 2 hours of out-of-class studying per credit hour. So if you're in 15 credits worth of classes this semester (5, 3-credit classes), you are looking at 30 out-of-class hours studying. There are so many resources on-campus for you to utilize that will make these 30 hours incredibly productive. In the Student Success Center it's a one stop shop for the following Learning Centers:

Study Spaces in Carrier 

3) Learn about yourself, know your study style, embrace it. If you study alone, but need no distractions, there are some great spots on campus. Carrier Library, as well as Rose Library, have some quiet spaces as you move up the floors. The 4th floor of Rose is particularly beautiful. Before you get into the stacks for the books, the elevator lets you out into a pretty expansive space with a variety of options- tabletops if you need them, comfy chairs if you're looking to do some reading...check it out! If you need group study spaces, you can always request study rooms at either library, and there are also 2 study rooms on the 1st floor of the SSC, with flat panel displays for pulling up a PowerPoint or other media, whiteboard walls, and blinds to pull down over the windows that enclose the space. There are some guidelines for booking the rooms and you can find those here.

Rose Library (East Campus)

4) Manage your time. With such a variety of opportunities for you to get involved with on-campus, it can be easy to race around from event to event or club to club and be so exhausted that it's hard to find the time or energy to study after. By mapping out your day in a planner or on a schedule template where you can see each hour before you, you can discover the empty blocks of time you have that you maybe didn't realize before. Make sure to put mealtimes in there, class times, gym time, and any other commitments you may have. Then you'll be able to clearly see the free blocks of time! Learning Strategies Instruction, also located on the 1st floor of the SSC in the Office of Disability Services, is a free service for students that provides individualized academic coaching, and also may be interested in learning some time management skills/ They can work with you to create a planner/schedule that accommodates your syllabi, buy also including dates for papers, exams, projects, etc.

5) Create a healthy balance for yourself. Let's face it, there are some really cool things happening on campus! Take some time to explore Community-Service Learning, discover all that Student Activities & Involvement has to offer (like Madison Meditates, Open Mic Night, and Tea Time) or take your adventure off-campus and participate in a local 5K. Plus, there's always the upcoming events section...

Upcoming Events

• Fall Service Fair: CS-L's fall service fair is an opportunity for you to learn about different local and national service opportunities with organizations like City Year, Teach for America, and Boys & Girls Club. Come check it out tomorrow, Wednesday October 14 from 10AM-2PM in SSC Room 1075!
• GetDown at SunDown: Held every Friday at 5:30 PM on the Festival Lawn, this weekly event put on by MAD4U programming hosts music, games, treats, and performance.
• Alternative Spring Break Information Sessions are being held next week for those interested in spending their spring break in service to those around us. The session for flying trips is Wednesday, October 21 from 7-9 PM in the Festival Highlands room. The session for driving trips is on Wednesday October 27 from 7:00-8:30PM in the Festival Ballroom.

Finally, some words of optimism as you continue on in the semester and face the midterm crunch...

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started."

~Mark Twain~

Happy October! I hope you were somewhere dry for the JMU Flood of 2015! It doesn't look like we're going to be out of the rain anytime soon, so I wish you all a safe and dry weekend!

In CAP, it's officially Decision-Making month, meaning that we have a ton of programming going on to help you get more acquainted with the idea of that certain major you've been thinking about, to help you decide between the two that keep pulling you in two different directions, or just allow you to explore more about yourself and your future path. Something you might be asking is...

What if I declare this major? 
                                    Can I complete my degree in four years? 

   What if I want to double major or add a minor?

Luckily, in addition to having the advisors at CAP to bounce ideas off of, MyMadison has a really neat feature called the "What If Report." By using this tool, you can choose potential majors, minors, degrees, etc. and see, based on your past and current credits, what you are fulfilling and what you still need to fulfill in order to graduate. For example, if you want to double major you can see what courses would fulfill both majors. As an advisor, I do not have access to running the "What If Report" for you- only you are able to do this, so I've included a tutorial below for you to refer to should you want to try this out: How to Run a "What If Report" on MyMadison.

Hopefully, this helps you answer some of those "What If...?" questions, but you also have meetings with me coming up in the next month as a way to determine what path you think you might want to head down. In preparation for our meetings, I ask that you think about some courses that you think you might like to take in the spring (keeping in mind what GenEds you still have to complete, especially Cluster 1 courses, and also if you're interested in UNST 102), and bring a list of these with you. Thanks in advance! Now, for this week's upcoming events...

Upcoming Events:

• Are you interested in learning about another culture? How about continuing your foreign language skills or even helping others to improve their English? If so, the office of International Student and Scholar Services, in the Office of International Programs, has an opportunity for you! The Conversation Partner Program is designed to:
• Pair international and U.S. individuals
• Engage in weekly conversations and activities/events
• Share and learn about each other's culture
• Practice conversational skills in English or a foreign language

For more information and to complete an application, check out their website!

• The DUX Center -the Leadership Resource Center at JMU- is putting on "Dine & Learn," a program to help you learn how to increase productivity, be a more effective communicator, and build stronger relationships. This workshop series is meant to help you gain valuable communication skills in order to positively impact your personal and professional life- it's also a great resume booster! If you are looking for an opportunity to develop leadership skills, register here by October 4th at Midnight!

There is no cost to participate, and FREE dinner is provided each week, but you must be able to commit to all 5 weeks. The time is from 5-7 PM on the following Wednesday nights: October 14, 21, 28 & November 4, 11. Questions? Email dux@jmu.edu, call 540-569-5901, or drop into Madison Union 330.

• Speaking of an international experience, the Office of International Programs is now accepting applications for all JMU short-term and semester Summer 2016, Fall 2016, and Spring 2017 study abroad programs! The deadline to apply is November 1, 2015. If you've declared your major, be sure to check out your individual program page for additional information and requirements.

• For those of you who love service opportunities, the office of Community Service-Learning offers some amazing opportunities- both longer and shorter trips- that are student-led experiences that give you a chance to travel and address numerous social issues, such as homelessness, disability services, and animal welfare. Alternative Weekend Breaks connect students with local agencies within 200 miles of JMU and are $25 to participate (this helps pay for travel, food, and housing). Check out their trip descriptions here! There two October trips that focus on animal welfare:
• October 9-11th: Rude Ranch in Maryland
• October 16-18: Homeward Trails in Virginia

Also, it's Family Weekend! Whether you're spending it with family from home or your JMU family, I wish you a happy, safe, and dry time together. And remember...

"Family's more than just DNA. It's about people who care and take care of each other."

~ Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs; NCIS ~

Hello and Happy Fall!

It's about that time to start pulling out the sweaters, heading to a pumpkin patch or apple orchard, and sipping a pumpkin spice latte... I know that tends to be the big draw to Starbucks these days and apparently a true mark of the autumn season!

Well, the change of the season also means we're one step closer to registering for next semester's classes! I sent out an email to you all the other day and in it were my instructions for scheduling an appointment with me to talk through some options you're considering. When you're filling out the poll, please follow the prompt that asks you to sign up for certain weeks based on your last name:

Last Names A-C: Week of October 4 (Oct. 5-9)
Last Names D-G: Week of October 11 (Oct. 12-15)
Last Names H-L: Week of October 18 (Oct. 19-22)
Last Names M-W: Week of October 25 (Oct. 26-29)

Aside from my advising note, here are a couple of time management tips for those who might find themselves realizing that college is BUSY and jam-packed with not only classes, but also a ton of great opportunities like volunteering, learning all that UREC has to offer, participating in Greek life, finding a faith community on or off-campus. I know I always post some upcoming events, and have included some at the end of the blog post today as well, but self-care and making sure you are confident in managing the time it takes to be invested in these opportunities is also really important. So, if you find yourself doing all of the things:

1) Use the time you have in between classes- Even if you only have 10 minutes or you're waiting for a bus, you can still accomplish a lot in a little amount of time, like calling home, checking email, reviewing notes/study guide for the class you're going to or coming from, reviewing your to-do list for the day.

2) Make a schedule- Whether it's on your computer, phone, or in your planner, sometimes seeing things written out in front of you can help you to prioritize and see your daily commitments more clearly. Schedules can also be daily, weekly, and semester road maps.

3) Set priorities- There are a lot of ways to think about how to determine what things get done first.
Here are a couple of matrices that help define your tasks, assignment and other events in terms of how urgent they are and how important they are. Give these two a look and see if they might help you organize all that you have on your plate!

IMPORTANT/URGENT MATRIX

Now that you've got some tools to manage your time, here are some upcoming events:

• To celebrate the end of International Week at JMU, CS-L is offering a free family-style dinner tomorrow, Friday, September 25 at 6:30PM in the Festival Ballroom. Cultural performances, food, conversation and sharing will be the focal point of the event. Everyone is welcome to this event, but space is limited.

• Seems to be a theme of food this weekend! The JMU Triathlon Club is hosting the 10th annual Donut Dash 5K Walk/Run fundraiser. Each donut you eat shaves 1 minute off of your total race time...so enjoy yourself! Check out the website for more info- it sounds like a great Sunday morning to me!

• Join the Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS) for their D.E.E.P. Impact Dialogue Series event, "Rethinking Disney: Not a Child's Perspective" on Wednesday, September 30, at 7PM in the Madison Union Ballroom. These monthly discussions focus on engaging students in meaningful dialogue about issues and trends related to diversity, multiculturalism, access, and inclusion. This event uses an identity lens to explore numerous Disney moves in order to reveal connotations, stereotypes, and biases. throughout the program, characters, imagery, and scenery will be discussed to challenge our views of some of these movies.

• Want to explore the Valley? JMU's Office of Off-Campus Life is sponsoring a trip to Waynesboro, Virginia for the Fall Foliage Arts Festival- an outdoor arts show which features painting, printmaking, potter, jewelry, wood, glass, and more. There will be over 200 booths with artists and artisans from all over the country as well as local food and live music. The trip will be held on Saturday, October 10th, from 11:30AM-3:00PM. Transportation will be provided and the cost of the trip is free, but you will need to bring money to purchase and art, crafts, or food. To sign up, stop by the Off-Campus Life Office in the  Festival during their office hours (M-Th 9-8 and M-F 9-5). It's first come, first served and they're only taking 22 students!

Your parting words are echoed from the Eisenhower Box above and hopefully encourage you to take a minute to think about all you have going on and prioritize it as you see fit:

"What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important"

~Dwight D. Eisenhower~ 

Hello and Happy Third Week of Classes!

I hope you all feel as if you are in the swing of things now that the semester is well under way and we're approaching October and the fall weather! Campus will start to change as the season does, the leaves will fade into fall shades and brighten into beautiful reds, and chatter of apple picking, pumpkin carving, and harvest festivals will be abuzz. For now, please enjoy the snapshots that I've included as we slowly start to see a shift in the season.

Below are some dates and deadlines for you to be considering as you move forward:

Deadlines for adding classes with instructor and academic unit head permission:

Semester class:  Thursday, September 17, 2015

First eight-week class:  Thursday, September 17, 2015

Second eight-week class:  Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Course adjustment deadlines (to withdraw with a W grade or change credit or repeat options):

Semester Class:  Thursday, October 29, 2015

First eight-week class:  Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Second eight-week class:  Thursday, November 19, 2015

~After the course adjustment deadlines, you cannot withdraw from a class through MyMadison and you should contact the Registrar if there are any questions~

There is also a date for withdrawing from the university if you decide that JMU just isn't for you. While many love it here, it's totally understandable that some may choose different paths and that's ok. I hope that if this is something you're considering, that you pursue whatever brings you joy :) 

The date for withdrawing from the university with the cancellation of tuition charges is tomorrow, Friday, September 18. If this is something you pursue, there are some steps involved in the process. The first step is to pick up a Non-Returning/Leave of Absence Information Form. You can click on the title of the form listed and it will link you to it, or pick one up from the Registrar's Office. This includes a checklist you must complete before successfully separating from JMU.

Thanks for bearing with me- dates and deadlines are important, but now I get to share some of the exciting things that campus has to offer and that are happening right now around us!

The Frances Plecker Education Center

In case you haven't been, this is my shameless plug for The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum. It is BEAUTIFUL and with the leaves changing color fall is a wonderful time for a visit. Located on University Boulevard (across from the University Boulevard entrance to campus and E-hall and Convo) the arboretum is named for JMU's former first lady and is the only arboretum located on a public university campus in VA. With over 33 acres of botanical gardens and 92 acres of forest, it's a refreshing atmosphere in which to walk, jog, lounge, and take in the wildlife sights. Frequently spotted are turtles, ducks, countless species of birds, and some creepy crawlers too! In the winter months, holiday carriage rides are offered, as well as for Valentines and Mothers' Day. Finally, there's an intricate Labyrinth that is off the beaten path that offers a quiet place to for self-reflection, fashioned after the history of labyrinths as meditative art forms and a PoetTree located near the pond. I'll let you take a guess at what that means, but I also encourage you to check it out yourself and see what I'm so excited about!

A View from the Pond

Upcoming Events: 

1) UPB's Movie this week is Cinderella. For $3...that's right, $3...stop by Grafton-Stovall and enjoy a re-make of the Disney classic. Showings are September 16-19 at 7:00 P.M.

2) Bare Naked Ladies is a student organization dedicated to spreading positivity by promoting healthy body image, self-confidence, and comfort with our natural beauty. If you're interested in seeing what they're all about, their first general meeting is next Tuesday, September 22, at 7:30 PM in Showker, Room G6.

3) Have you heard of the Lip Sync Battles on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon? UPB is hosting it's very own version at Taylor Down Under on next Thursday, September 24, at 7:00 PM. There will be free Campus Cookies AND Shaun Nerney, one of the talented members of Exit 245 (one of JMU's rockin' A Capella groups!), will be your host for the evening...and maybe even have a performance of his own!

P.S. If you haven't heard of any of JMU's A Capella groups, they are AMAZING. We've got some serious talent here on campus. Right now, Notoriety is getting really positive attention for their cover of "Pretty Hurts" which is posted here, as well Exit 245's cover of "19 You & Me." Enjoy :) 

As always, I leave you with some words that I hope are whatever you need them to be for you:

If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.

~Nora Roberts~

Week Two- You're Doing It!

Well, you've done it. You've successfully launched yourself into your college career! With so many exciting things happening across campus, I don't want you to forget some important things. First, Add/Drop ends tonight at midnight, but I really don't encourage you to wait that long to make any changes you need to make. Try and be the early bird and be vigilant about looking for the classes you may be interested in swapping out or adding throughout the rest of the evening so that you can relax and enjoy the second thing I wanted to remind you about: Student Org Night. Unfortunately, last week because of the weather, the event was cancelled. But tonight, on the UREC Upper Turf from 7pm-9pm, the show will go on! Upperclassmen are encouraged to attend from 7pm-8pm, and first-year students are encouraged to attend from 8pm-9pm.

One final note on adding classes. On MyMadison, there is a "Swap" function. This is a great option when considering adding/dropping a class because it eliminates two sticky situations:
1) You drop a class and risk the other class you intend to add filling up in the time it takes for you to click to that screen.
2) Or you already have 18 credits, the number of credits you can have at which point the system will not allow you to add anymore classes onto your online schedule.

In order to avoid this, you can follow the steps below:

          1) Log onto MyMadison
          2) Go into your Student Center
          3) Under "Academics" on the left hand side of the page, there will be a list of options                               starting with "Search" and ending with "My Major/Program." Click on "Enroll" which is                     one of the options listed
          4) Select "swap" from the second row of the 10 purple tabs at the top of the page
          5) This will take you to a page that allows you to swap a class from your current schedule with               another class that you can search for using the "search for class" function. I would                               recommend having the class information of the class you which to switch into/add in front of               you so that you can easily plug it into that search engine.
         6) Follow the steps as indicated by the prompts on the screens to follow and you will have                      swapped the class you no longer want to take for another open class that you want to add                    without having to drop the first class and risk missing the chance to add the second.

So, now that Add/Drop is here, my walk-in hours are wrapping up, and from this point forward it is your responsibility to make an appointment to see me should you have any questions about majors/minors/concentrations/programs, potential career paths, or are curious to explore your strengths and interests to help you figure it all out. Because honestly, there's just so much out there and how are we supposed to know what we want to do and who we want to be?? Also, I've really enjoyed getting to meet several of you over the course of the past couple of weeks and am really looking forward to meeting more of you over the course of this semester!

That being said, to make an appointment with me on Recruit-A-Duke (RAD), which is our scheduling platform), follow the steps below:

• Go to www.jmu.edu/cap
• Click on “Schedule an Appointment” on the left hand side under the Quick Links box.
• This page will describe each of the types of appointments that we hold for students, including but not limited to: 1st time (and follow-up) resume and cover letter reviews and exploration of job internships, graduate/professional school exploration.
• Enter your username and password. Your username is your 9-digit JAC number and your password is what you created.
• Directly under Quick Links on the right hand side, click on “Schedule an Appointment.”
• For type of appointment, choose “Meet with my CAP Academic Advisor” in the drop down menu.
• Select "Student Success Center 3210", my name (Renee Bernier) and click “check availability."
• Choose the meeting date and time that works with your schedule on the right.
• It would be very helpful to provide a few words/sentences on what you’d like to talk about so that I can prepare for our meeting in advance, although it is not required. Click "submit request."
• You will be able to see your upcoming appointments and you will receive a confirmation email in your Dukes account.

Now, there are alternative methods to scheduling. You can always call (540) 568-6555 and schedule over the phone with one of our wonderful receptionists. Or, you can come in to the Career & Academic Planning Office on the 3rd Floor of the Student Success Center and schedule a session in person. However, I strongly encourage you to use Recruit-A-Duke because in the future it will be instrumental when you apply for jobs, internships, and register for Career and Graduate School Fairs (as well as other events that CAP offers, like ResumePREP).

Upcoming Events:

• Study Abroad Information Sessions are coming up! These are for anyone interested in learning general information about study abroad- no appointment necessary! The 30 minutes sessions cover the "big picture" of study abroad and give students an understanding of the various program options. Sessions will be held from     4:00-5:00 PM in Taylor 402 on: September 9, 15, 16, 29, & 30.

• "Meet the Greeks", presented by Inter-Cultural Greek Council (I.C.G.C.), will be held this Thursday, September 10 in the Madison Union Ballroom at 7:00 PM. This is an awesome opportunity to learn more about historically Asian, Latino, and African-American Greek Lettered Organizations. 

• Invited guest Dave Romano will speak on World Suicide Prevention Day, 9/10 at 7pm in the Memorial Hall Auditorium and share his unique story, as well as his commitment to empowering individuals to speak openly about mental health and encourage asking for help. This is a PASSPORT event, and sponsored by the JMU Counseling Center, University Health Center's The Well, & Active Minds.

• Tryouts for Madison Dance, a student run club with four teams are being held on Sunday, 9/10 in the UREC MAC gym. Contemporary (12-2 PM), Jazz 2-4 PM), Hip Hop (4-6 PM), and Street (6-8 PM). Try out for one or all of them. If you cannot make that date, the alternate date for contemporary & jazz is September 8 from 9-11 PM and for hip hop and street, September 9 from 9-11 PM- both of which are in the group fitness studio. Check them out here:

Volunteer Opportunity:

• JMU's Overcoming Barriers allows student from all majors the opportunity to mentor children and adults with disabilities through physical activity. Some of their programs are even offered right here on campus! If you're interested, you'll be paired with a program participant in order to mentor them throughout your time together and you'll receive training throughout your experience to help build mentorship skills. Also, your minimum time commitment to the program is once a week for 1.5-2 hrs, leaving you plenty of time to study, socialize, and participate in any other co-curriculars you're interested in. If you are interested, the initial Mentor Training meetings are:  9/8 from 8:00-9:30 PM and 9/10 from 7:00-8:30 PM in Godwin Hall, Room 353. Please email Dr. Thomas Moran (the Project Director) to indicate the meeting you would be most interested in attending. Also, please fill out the intake form .

That's all for this week! Here's a thought to noodle on as you begin to get into your classes and really figure out what makes you happy:

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

~ John Lennon ~

Your First Week!

Happy first week of classes, everyone! 

I met all of you at our 1787 group advising session with Laura and Cassidy, but I'll use this space to let you know a little bit more about myself and then every week after as a space to share some things to noodle on and some upcoming events as you journey through your first year here at JMU! As I mentioned last week, my name is Renee Bernier and I will be your advisor in CAP, at least until the spring semester, as I help you navigate your first year experience and consider potential majors for the remainder of your time here at JMU.

I graduated from Stonehill College, a small Catholic college in Massachusetts and am now completing my Masters degree in College Student Personnel Administration (CSPA) here at JMU. When I graduate in May, I look forward to work on a college campus in a setting like CAP...or other student affairs offices that serve students! I really enjoy the work I've been able to do so far, and am looking forward to this year working in Career & Academic Planning with all of you. My desire to work with students stems largely from my own experience in my undergrad career. I entered Stonehill undeclared, with a basic knowledge that I wanted to pursue a helping field where I got to work with and for people on a regular basis. (It's not just you! Being undeclared is a pretty normal and common thing!) I spent my first two years undeclared and took courses in a variety of subjects in order to try and narrow down what I wanted my focus and major to be. English? Dietetics? Religious studies? In the end, I declared Sociology. I had taken one course in high school, really enjoyed it, and then after taking a couple in my first year of college, decided that it was for me. Sure, I knew I would probably have to get a higher degree in something like Social Work or Counseling in order to do the work I thought I eventually might want to do. But in the moment, Sociology courses were really interesting and thought-provoking to me, I knew it would allow me to work with people in some form of human services, and the lives that my professors led fascinated me.

My hope this semester is that you all are able to find classes that are thought-provoking and make you question, allow you to find your voice, and potentially lead you to find a future path. As that all unfolds, I also hope you have fun and find your place here at JMU. Coming from a small school to this campus was a wonderful change for me and I've found that even amongst almost 22,000 students I feel a part of a tight-knit community.

Alright, so now for some things to noodle on as you continue this week:

• If you do add a class, make sure to introduce yourself to the professor of the new class and check to make sure you're as up to speed as possible. This means getting a syllabus, knowing if the professor uses Canvas and if they have posted any assignments, and if there has been anything assigned to date so that you can make up that work.

• Create a schedule: Time management will be crucial in managing your classes but also whatever it is that you choose to get involved with this semester, be it work, volunteerism, clubs and organizations, and also your personal time for self-care. Creating a schedule can work or using a planner (there are free ones at the bookstore and UREC right now!)- both are tactics I use and it keeps me organized and on top of my to-do list!

• Show up and stand out! The first step to being successful in class is showing up to that class and showing up on time. Being punctual speaks volumes about your character and what you value. Yes college is a time to explore many different opportunities, but don't lose sight of the education that you've worked so hard to be here to gain. Your professor will appreciate your timeliness and in the end, you will too when you see how prepared you are for your papers and exams. And stand out! Remember at our session when we spoke about participation grades and such. They are real! So don't be afraid to sit near the front in class, speak up, ask questions, and engage in discussion and debate. Being an active learner will not only earn you participation points, but it will also instill great skills for your future as a college student and future intern, volunteer, employee- whoever you decide to be!

• Don't forget- there are resources out there if you need or want them (all of those I am about to list are housed within the Student Success Center (SSC)...
• The Learning Centers (Science & Math, Communication Center, University Writing Center and more!) 
• https://www.jmu.edu/learning/
• The Office of Disability Services (ODS): This office exists in order to make sure that students with documented disabilities have equal access to all that JMU has to offer both in and outside of the classroom. Learning Strategies Instruction (LSI) is also housed within ODS and is available to all students. They help with note-taking, study skills, critical thinking, test-taking, scheduling and time management, and more.
• The University Health Center has 3 components: A walk-in clinic for immediate situations, an appointment clinic, and The Well, located on the 1st floor of the SSC and an office that focuses on overall health education, including but not limited to sexual assault awareness and prevention, substance abuse prevention, intervention, and recovery, and LGBTQ resources.

The Counseling Center: works with students in a variety of ways- workshops on everything from body image and acceptance to stress management, individual and group counseling, and also provides 2 really neat self-care spaces- The Oasis and The Studio. Check out the videos below to see what all the hype is about!

Upcoming Events:

• Add/Drop period ends on 9/8/2015 (next Tuesday!). That being said, you still have time to go to your classes this week and determine if they're right for you or if you want to make any changes. This also means you should be keeping your eyes open for classes on MyMadison that you may want to add to your schedule to see if there are any open spots. This will change daily and several times during the day, so keep at it!

• Student Org Night: This Friday, Sept. 4 from 8-9 on the UREC upper turf! This is a great way to explore different clubs and organizations from across campus that you may want to get involved in, meet some new people, and learn about the tons of exciting activites happening at JMU. Then stick around from 9-11 for Dukes After Dark, where there will be music, food, and giveaways for all!

• Residence Life is sponsoring the "Most Decked Out Room Contest!" Check out the link below for instructions- you could win a $25 gift card, plus show off your style!
• http://www.jmu.edu/news/orl/2015/09/07-room-contest.shtml

• ResumePrep (9/8/2-15- next Tuesday in Madison Ballroom on the 5th floor of Warren Hall) is an annual event sponsored by CAP where you have the opportunity to sit down with an employer to review your resume- a great prep idea for the Fall 2015 Career & Internship Fair coming up later in September. Again, check out the link below to read more about it and the prizes that are also up for grabs at the event!
• http://www.jmu.edu/cap/fair/resumeprep/students.shtml

Phew that was a lot! But I do want to leave you with some parting words before next week. No matter what this week is feeling like for you- just right, slightly overwhelming, a little bit more than slightly overwhelming- keep the following in mind:

"Promise me you'll remember, you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think."

~ A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh~