Hello everyone! I sincerely apologize for falling off the face of this blog for the past month. Needless to say, things have been a bit busy. And yet that shouldn't be an excuse...we are all busy. Note to self: Early New Years Resolution must be improving my blogging skills. That's a reasonable goal...in addition to the list of eating better, sleeping more, working out more. But we have a month before that needs to be seriously considered, right?
So, where have I been this last month...? What have I accomplished...? Well before Thanksgiving I successfully completed a 10 page research paper on the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and the international theory that motivated France's actions...Then I went home for a lovely Thanksgiving with my family. I ate far too much and unfortunately had way too much homework. I read Machiavelli's The Prince. It was quite interesting, but I wish I could have read it at a little more leisurely of a pace. Then, when I got back to East Lansing I turned in a paper examining Aristotle's Polity and took a Zoology exam before leaving for Philadelphia last Wednesday with MSUIRO (MSU International Relations Organization).
We attended UPMUNC XLV (University of Pennsylvania's Model United Nations Conference). It was a great weekend! We only won 2 awards but that's not bad considering it is the most competitive conference we attend all year. Last year UPMUNC was the first conference I attended with the Model UN team. It was nice to have a bit more experience under my belt this year. My favorite thing we did was take a 20 minute carriage ride/tour around historic Philadelphia...although enjoying a Philly Cheese Steak at the Reading Terminal Market was pretty awesome too!
But anyway, after a long car ride home I'm back in East Lansing. Today I had my last French exam before finals, so I can buckle down and begin the final study stretch. The library is filling up fast, and I have no doubt that the coffee shops across campus are doing well with the amount of caffeine we are all consuming in preparation for next week's exams. I am taking it easy tonight before hitting the books and my mountains of notes tomorrow and the rest of the week/weekend. Wish me luck!
Also, one final note before I sign off from this update. I am currently sitting in the JMC office overlooking the new Case Hall cafeteria that opens January 8th! It is so exciting to see that it is nearly finished. Now I won't even have to leave the comfort of Case Hall to eat! That's going to make certain New Year's Resolutions a bit harder to keep up, but the word YUM pretty much sums it up!
Anyway, enough of my rambling for now. I'll be uploading some pictures of Philly later this week! Have a good night and stay warm!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Distractions Aren't All Bad...
Hello everyone, hope you have all had a great week and weekend! Now that I've finally sat down to write this, I've realized that it's already been another week. I don't know where the time has been going. I wish there were more hours in the day. Last week was a bit disappointing to put it simply. I got some grades I wasn't happy with, and I had a number of assignments that stressed me out. But I made it to the weekend! I caught up with a friend on Friday and then got to cheer the Spartans to victory at Saturday's game. Sunday was homework day...somehow I wasn't as productive as I'd hoped to be but my roommate keeps telling me that I expect too much. She's probably right. It doesn't help to burn yourself out...
I'm typically a pretty motivated person, but I have to acknowledge when I need a break. I do my best to set weekly goals to keep me working hard. It's so much easier with something to look forward to in the future. Turning in my Study Abroad application was one way to keep me motivated. Even though it meant actually finishing the application, it doesn't seem like such a chore when I remind myself that it means I get to spend four weeks in Brussels this summer! I've also set times to go to the gym. I finally kicked the cold I had, so I can enjoy an escape from studying and work at our awesome Intramural building down the road.
Another interesting aspect of my week was the reception I went to last night. JMC is awesome about holding speakers and discussions. Last night we had a James Madison Alumni, Lawrence Scott Sheets, come back and talk to us about his new book, 8 Pieces of Empire: A 20-Year Journey Through the Soviet Collapse. He talked to us about his book but also his life after graduating from Madison and MSU. It was really interesting, and I can't wait to read the book! Here's a link to the book, if you're interested!
But tonight it's back to business. The small distractions have helped, and now I'm ready to buckle down again. I'm meeting my French study group soon to review once more for our exam tomorrow. Wish me luck! Bonne nuit! (Good night)
I'm typically a pretty motivated person, but I have to acknowledge when I need a break. I do my best to set weekly goals to keep me working hard. It's so much easier with something to look forward to in the future. Turning in my Study Abroad application was one way to keep me motivated. Even though it meant actually finishing the application, it doesn't seem like such a chore when I remind myself that it means I get to spend four weeks in Brussels this summer! I've also set times to go to the gym. I finally kicked the cold I had, so I can enjoy an escape from studying and work at our awesome Intramural building down the road.
Another interesting aspect of my week was the reception I went to last night. JMC is awesome about holding speakers and discussions. Last night we had a James Madison Alumni, Lawrence Scott Sheets, come back and talk to us about his new book, 8 Pieces of Empire: A 20-Year Journey Through the Soviet Collapse. He talked to us about his book but also his life after graduating from Madison and MSU. It was really interesting, and I can't wait to read the book! Here's a link to the book, if you're interested!
But tonight it's back to business. The small distractions have helped, and now I'm ready to buckle down again. I'm meeting my French study group soon to review once more for our exam tomorrow. Wish me luck! Bonne nuit! (Good night)
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Never Fear, I'm Still Here...
Hello Friends,
I promise I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. The collective 2-3 weeks that should be dubbed "Midterm Season" can really be killer but we all make it out alive, just severely sleep deprived...I suppose I was lucky that all my exams weren't the same week, but that also allows for the never ending stream of assignments. This week should be a little less stressful, or at least once I finish my Socrates paper and study for my French quiz. In retrospect this week will really just be like any other: busy. Very busy. But I'm counting down for Thanksgiving and then shortly after the calm of winter break!
Amidst my crazy schedule I did enjoy a wonderful Halloweekend. It was nice to unwind and hang with some great friends. I dressed up as Catwoman for one night and then a dinosaur the next. Then last night my roommate and I got to see a bunch of cute costumed children stop by the dorm for trick-or-treating in Case Hall. So overall not a bad weekend, and I even managed to accomplish a good amount of work.
Now to take you on an almost entirely random tangent, I have to confess that I have been one of those strange people who chooses to listen to Christmas/Holiday Music almost 2 months prior. Usually I would never even consider listening to it before the week of Thanksgiving, let alone before Halloween...and yet this year all I've wanted to do recently has been listen to Christmas music (and I definitely had it on while studying last week). Oh well, I refuse to apologize for my enthusiasm :)
Another thing that has been on my mind a lot has been my plans for next summer. I'm getting ready to submit my Study Abroad application for the James Madison program to Brussels in Belgium. I had the opportunity to study in Ireland through MSU as an incoming freshman on a Freshman Seminar Abroad and ever since have been itching to get back to Europe. It'll be amazing to spend over a month there next summer...and if my plans work out I may be able to spend another month in Turkey on another Madison program. So in order to turn my study abroad plans into reality I've started the scholarship hunt and am trying to increase my savings in any way possible. Next summer's memories should make it all worth it!
Hope you enjoyed the update...now it's back to the books and paper drafting for me! I'll report back soon with something more exciting hopefully! Happy November!
I promise I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. The collective 2-3 weeks that should be dubbed "Midterm Season" can really be killer but we all make it out alive, just severely sleep deprived...I suppose I was lucky that all my exams weren't the same week, but that also allows for the never ending stream of assignments. This week should be a little less stressful, or at least once I finish my Socrates paper and study for my French quiz. In retrospect this week will really just be like any other: busy. Very busy. But I'm counting down for Thanksgiving and then shortly after the calm of winter break!
Amidst my crazy schedule I did enjoy a wonderful Halloweekend. It was nice to unwind and hang with some great friends. I dressed up as Catwoman for one night and then a dinosaur the next. Then last night my roommate and I got to see a bunch of cute costumed children stop by the dorm for trick-or-treating in Case Hall. So overall not a bad weekend, and I even managed to accomplish a good amount of work.
Now to take you on an almost entirely random tangent, I have to confess that I have been one of those strange people who chooses to listen to Christmas/Holiday Music almost 2 months prior. Usually I would never even consider listening to it before the week of Thanksgiving, let alone before Halloween...and yet this year all I've wanted to do recently has been listen to Christmas music (and I definitely had it on while studying last week). Oh well, I refuse to apologize for my enthusiasm :)
Another thing that has been on my mind a lot has been my plans for next summer. I'm getting ready to submit my Study Abroad application for the James Madison program to Brussels in Belgium. I had the opportunity to study in Ireland through MSU as an incoming freshman on a Freshman Seminar Abroad and ever since have been itching to get back to Europe. It'll be amazing to spend over a month there next summer...and if my plans work out I may be able to spend another month in Turkey on another Madison program. So in order to turn my study abroad plans into reality I've started the scholarship hunt and am trying to increase my savings in any way possible. Next summer's memories should make it all worth it!
Hope you enjoyed the update...now it's back to the books and paper drafting for me! I'll report back soon with something more exciting hopefully! Happy November!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Victory for MSU!
So in case you haven’t heard, it was a pretty eventful weekend here at MSU! For the 4th year in a row we've beaten U of M. GO GREEN! While it was a little colder than I’d have like, the victory and celebration made it all worth it. Great job Spartans!
Unfortunately, the weekend wasn’t all fun and games…Many of us had midterms to keep us busy. I finished my big midterm yesterday and words can’t describe how nice it is to be done with it…but now it’s back to the rest of the classes that I have neglected while focusing on my exam. The schoolwork ceases to slow down—at least not until Christmas. Speaking of which, I feel like I’ve had an increasing desire for the holidays to hurry up and get here. I’m ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas break! Maybe it’s something to do with the cooler weather, but I don’t think I’m the only one who feels this way. At least we have Halloween to look forward to in a little over a week. We don’t get to trick-or-treat but I’m looking forward to dressing up nonetheless.
I apologize if this post seems a bit dull. It’s been an intense week of studying, but I shall do my best to tell some more amusing stories in my next post. In the mean time enjoy the video below! It makes me so proud to call myself a Spartan! I <3 MSU!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Home Sweet Home
Hello Everyone... I'm back in the land of green and white and am taking a break from my studying to update you on my week. I got back from our IRO trip to NYC on Monday at 3:00 in the morning. It was an eventful and fun filled weekend. The journey there was perhaps a little more eventful than we would have hoped after we blew a tire in one of the vans. But never fear I assisted the boys in changing the tire with the help of my handy dandy flashlight and calming coordination. We got back on the road and all arrived in New York ready for site seeing and intense debate. The conference was fun and the team brought home 4 awards. While I myself didn't get one, I am happy with how I did and am already looking forward to the next conference in Philadelphia!
In non MUN (model UN) related news, it is the week leading up to the most important football game of the season. It's time for our beloved Spartans to slay the Wolverines. Everyone is preparing themselves for this Saturdays game, including the marching band and their traditional "Sparty Watch." They take it upon themselves to guard the Sparty statue from any individuals who may wish to make a mockery of it. So far they are doing a great job! My roommate Becky is there guarding it as we speak (or in all reality, as I type). It's going to be a great game and spirited pride around East Lansing is contagious!
Sadly the curse of midterms is accompanying this weeks festivities. I only have one but it is more than enough to keep me busy. The next couple days will be a compilation of reading, outlining and the smattering of caffeine to keep me operating. Come Monday afternoon I hope that studying will have paid off and and I can begin to tackle the additional tasks on my to-do list such as applying to study abroad programs and scholarships to fund it! Wish me luck and don't forget to cheer for the Spartans this Saturday! GO GREEN!
In non MUN (model UN) related news, it is the week leading up to the most important football game of the season. It's time for our beloved Spartans to slay the Wolverines. Everyone is preparing themselves for this Saturdays game, including the marching band and their traditional "Sparty Watch." They take it upon themselves to guard the Sparty statue from any individuals who may wish to make a mockery of it. So far they are doing a great job! My roommate Becky is there guarding it as we speak (or in all reality, as I type). It's going to be a great game and spirited pride around East Lansing is contagious!
Sadly the curse of midterms is accompanying this weeks festivities. I only have one but it is more than enough to keep me busy. The next couple days will be a compilation of reading, outlining and the smattering of caffeine to keep me operating. Come Monday afternoon I hope that studying will have paid off and and I can begin to tackle the additional tasks on my to-do list such as applying to study abroad programs and scholarships to fund it! Wish me luck and don't forget to cheer for the Spartans this Saturday! GO GREEN!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Sleep is Overrated...?
To say it's been a busy week would be a bit of an understatement, but who really needs sleep right? There is far too much to accomplish and too much fun to be had to waste time sleeping. Although I am sure I will feel differently later tonight. Tonight MSUIRO (Michigan State International Relations Organization) is leaving for our first conference of the year. We embark on our 12+ hour caravan ready to take NYC by storm while we attend Columbia's CMUNNY. It's the first time we've participated in this conference but we have high hopes with some awesome committees and positions.
However, the fun and games of this weekend can only be enjoyed after taking care of all the details that come with missing class and losing a whole weekend in which to accomplish anything school related. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why this last week has entailed late nights, early mornings and lots of yawns in-between (along with ample amounts of caffeine.) My eternal checklist has only just started to disappear for the time being. I checked two major exams off the list as well as over 200 pages of reading! But, I visited the Study Abroad Fair and am really looking forward to a summer spent abroad in 2012. You'll probably hear more about that soon. Also, I got to help hire an amazing staff for MSUMUN XII (the 12 hours of interviewing will be well worth it come March)!
Oh and in case you didn't hear, MSU beat OSU and in other football news, the combat gear has been a huge hit across campus. I am super jealous of my roommate's new hoodie and gloves! ...So despite sleep deprivation, in reality the week wasn't all that bad. Sure I know there will be a growing to-do list awaiting me when I return to East Lansing Monday, but if it means I'm back in East Lansing and am enjoying this beautiful campus, it's all worth it. Can't wait to report back on news from NYC. Wish us luck!
For any of you wondering more about MSUIRO or MSUMUN visit these sites:
http://www.msuiro.org/
http://msumun.org/
However, the fun and games of this weekend can only be enjoyed after taking care of all the details that come with missing class and losing a whole weekend in which to accomplish anything school related. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why this last week has entailed late nights, early mornings and lots of yawns in-between (along with ample amounts of caffeine.) My eternal checklist has only just started to disappear for the time being. I checked two major exams off the list as well as over 200 pages of reading! But, I visited the Study Abroad Fair and am really looking forward to a summer spent abroad in 2012. You'll probably hear more about that soon. Also, I got to help hire an amazing staff for MSUMUN XII (the 12 hours of interviewing will be well worth it come March)!
Oh and in case you didn't hear, MSU beat OSU and in other football news, the combat gear has been a huge hit across campus. I am super jealous of my roommate's new hoodie and gloves! ...So despite sleep deprivation, in reality the week wasn't all that bad. Sure I know there will be a growing to-do list awaiting me when I return to East Lansing Monday, but if it means I'm back in East Lansing and am enjoying this beautiful campus, it's all worth it. Can't wait to report back on news from NYC. Wish us luck!
For any of you wondering more about MSUIRO or MSUMUN visit these sites:
http://www.msuiro.org/
http://msumun.org/
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Ready, set, GO!
So...you know how formal introductions can be really awkward and it's kind of unfortunate. Well, I promise to make this introduction to my blog and me as normal as possible, but sadly I cannot ignore the basic cliché introduction so here it goes!
Hi, my name is Erica Zentner. Like my "about me" section mentions, I'm a sophomore in James Madison College at Michigan State University. I consider the city of East Lansing my home, and I love my huge Spartan family. I cannot stand being bored and fortunately for me James Madison College and MSU offer plenty for me to do. I am double majoring in International Relations and Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy (you will probably hear these majors referred to as IR & PTCD). I am also doing a Western European Studies Specialization through JMC with my foreign language focus being in French.
As far as student organizations go, I fell in love with MSUIRO & MSUMUN my freshmen year and continue to participate in both again this year! MSUIRO stands for Michigan State University International Relations Organization. We are the competitive Model UN team that travels to Universities across the East Coast, Mid-West and Canada. It's an amazing group, and I have met some of my best friends through the organization. MSUMUN is Michigan State University Model United Nations, and it is a Model United Nations Conference run by an all college staff that we host for high school students across the country. Like I said, I love these organizations so prepare yourself to hear about the fun stories that are sure to come! In addition to my MUN (Model UN) obsession, I volunteer and am a coordinator for the James Madison Ambassadors. We show visiting prospective student around the college and show all it has to offer!
And now that we've gotten around to it, I'll reiterate that I love JMC and part of my job with this blog is to show you what the day to day life of a James Madison Student is like. I'd be lying if I said I didn't work hard in my classes, but I can also guarantee you that you have plenty of time to join student organizations, have a job and have a social life. It's all about balancing it and while it's a challenge I sincerely believe the experiences make all the work worth it.
So, here I am in the final few sentences of this first post, and I find I have a few more things to say, one of which is a disclaimer about this blog's title. I don't consider myself a JMC All-Star (those of you who join me at JMC will quickly learn what this term means). I am merely striving to be the best Spartan and Madison student possible, and I am having the time of my life doing so. Feel free to comment and ask questions about anything I mention. This blog is about sharing my stories and experiences with you so that you get a preview of life as a Madison Spartan. I hope you are as excited about reading them as I am about writing them! Farewell for now but never fear, you can count on hearing from me soon!
Hi, my name is Erica Zentner. Like my "about me" section mentions, I'm a sophomore in James Madison College at Michigan State University. I consider the city of East Lansing my home, and I love my huge Spartan family. I cannot stand being bored and fortunately for me James Madison College and MSU offer plenty for me to do. I am double majoring in International Relations and Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy (you will probably hear these majors referred to as IR & PTCD). I am also doing a Western European Studies Specialization through JMC with my foreign language focus being in French.
As far as student organizations go, I fell in love with MSUIRO & MSUMUN my freshmen year and continue to participate in both again this year! MSUIRO stands for Michigan State University International Relations Organization. We are the competitive Model UN team that travels to Universities across the East Coast, Mid-West and Canada. It's an amazing group, and I have met some of my best friends through the organization. MSUMUN is Michigan State University Model United Nations, and it is a Model United Nations Conference run by an all college staff that we host for high school students across the country. Like I said, I love these organizations so prepare yourself to hear about the fun stories that are sure to come! In addition to my MUN (Model UN) obsession, I volunteer and am a coordinator for the James Madison Ambassadors. We show visiting prospective student around the college and show all it has to offer!
And now that we've gotten around to it, I'll reiterate that I love JMC and part of my job with this blog is to show you what the day to day life of a James Madison Student is like. I'd be lying if I said I didn't work hard in my classes, but I can also guarantee you that you have plenty of time to join student organizations, have a job and have a social life. It's all about balancing it and while it's a challenge I sincerely believe the experiences make all the work worth it.
So, here I am in the final few sentences of this first post, and I find I have a few more things to say, one of which is a disclaimer about this blog's title. I don't consider myself a JMC All-Star (those of you who join me at JMC will quickly learn what this term means). I am merely striving to be the best Spartan and Madison student possible, and I am having the time of my life doing so. Feel free to comment and ask questions about anything I mention. This blog is about sharing my stories and experiences with you so that you get a preview of life as a Madison Spartan. I hope you are as excited about reading them as I am about writing them! Farewell for now but never fear, you can count on hearing from me soon!
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