Welcome back, Captains! Winter break will always have a special place in my heart, since it’s the only break in the school year where we don’t have to spare any stress over assignments, projects and papers. The general consensus is that it never lasts long enough, but the great thing about starting again is tackling news goals and challenges. Even cooler: as you move through your time at CNU, you start to see your goals come to fruition!
So, what do you plan to tackle in 2014? Whether it be getting good grades, forcing yourself to go to the Freeman Center or being more adventurous, CNU has plenty to offer for you to accomplish each one!
While I’m the first to admit that numbers and grades aren’t everything, I can’t deny the satisfaction that a good grade on a test or paper brings. Although it takes awhile to get back into the swing of things, there are a few things you can do to make sure this semester is successful. First, I always swear by planning ahead. Not to give out my precious secrets, but keeping up the readings (and even reading ahead!) can give you ample time to devote to other classes. Good note-taking is always an effective way to engage the material—not only are you doing critical thinking on your own, but when you get to class you are better prepared to understand the material! Visiting your core adviser or the folks at the Center for Academic Success are also sure ways of finding new strategies to thrive in class.
For those of you determined to follow through with fitness resolutions, The Freeman Center offers plenty of classes from cycling, yoga and Pilates to get yourself into high gear. If group classes aren’t your thing, the personal fitness training program is a great way to start learning the basics—after all, safety first in the gym, Captains! A quick tip: my favorite times to head to the Freeman are between 11 a.m. and noon; there is literally no one at the gym at that time.
And for the adventurous, what better way to embark on a new journey than exploring study abroad options! Whether it be traveling to New Zealand, Israel or England, there is really no better way to expand your horizons than by experiencing different walks of life. Although I’ve personally never done a study aboard program (which I vehemently regret), I know of many Captains who have had enlightening and exciting journeys in various countries across the world.
There, with all these resources, you now have no excuse not to ring out spring semester with a bang! Good luck with your endeavors!
