Diversity

Another reason I love the campus at UCO is because of the diversity of the student body. The cost to attend UCO allows a diverse selection of students, who may not be able to afford a higher tuition at a state school, an opportunity to have a great college environment.

We have many foreign students who are on studying abroad here in Oklahoma. We have low-income students. We have high-income students. Students on scholarships for football, baseball, and other sports. There is a plethora of students at UCO. The chance to experience the culture and community of these various students through the activities the university allows is also very exciting. There seems to always be something going on in relation to a different student group.

If you are considering college, don't hesitate to consider the University of Central Oklahoma.

Failure

I've learned a lot in college. Not only have I learned many things academically speaking, but I've also learned some great "life" lessons, if you will. One of the very best things that I've learned through my time at UCO is a little something about failure.

In the design courses here, they encourage us to fail. I know, you're thinking: "What?!? Why would they encourage you to fail?" Well, it's not quite what you might think. They encourage us to take risks. To be on the edge. To fall down. To fail, and to fail miserably. Because, in a sense, it's better to fail miserably and know why you failed and how to reign your ideas back in then it is to "play it safe".

Of course, like many things in academics, this can be said of failures in your day-to-day life as well. If you never try, you never know what might be. What didn't work. What might work the next time. You get the picture.

Sometimes, you might just have to fail to succeed.

Why I chose UCO

It's nasty outside today. The streets are slick, and freezing rain is falling. UCO has cancelled classes for this afternoon/evening. And for that, I'm very grateful. 

A lot of people have asked me why I chose UCO over some of the other colleges around. We have OU in Norman, OSU north in Stillwater, and UCO of course here in Edmond. For my specific degree, UCO was relatively a no-brainer. 

I've heard great things about OSU's design program, but I wanted to live at home and make the commute to college. While I'm sure college life (living in the dorms, being a few steps away from classes, the numerous on-campus events, etc.) is great, I had goals and friends that would require me to save money living at home and commuting. UCO is the premiere school in the metro if you want to get into the design industry.

Not only does UCO have a great faculty, but they push you hard to think and be creative on your own. They are there for you when you need someone to bounce ideas off, but they by no means will hold your hand. I truly believe that some of the aspects of my life have changed dramatically because of the design department at UCO. 

Before taking a single design class at the school, I was afraid of various things. Public speaking, failed ideas, risking my reputation, etc. In other words, I was pretty scared of getting out on a limb...even if the limb was only a few feet off the ground. The faculty at UCO pushed us like no other, making us realize that we were responsible for our growth and that we all had great ideas, they just needed to be coaxed out. 

Not only is the design department great, but the staff and overall campus experience has been great. The campus is beautiful, and everything is within fairly short walking distance. There is a variety of events both on-campus and off that I can participate in, restaurants and stores that I can visit, and other community-related activities in Edmond. 

If you are a college graduate considering where to continue your studies, UCO has a great graduate program. The Jackson School of Graduate Studies offers plenty of degree programs from a Master's in Design to a Master's in Biology. 

Or, if you're just now researching where to go after high school or looking to go back to school, UCO is a great college that I recommend wholeheartedly. 

Saving money on textbooks

I'm always looking for a new way to allow myself to save some money. Buying books at the college bookstore is probably the best way to see all your hard-earned cash quickly drained from your account. That's where Chegg.com comes in.

For those of you unaware, Chegg is a website where you can rent your textbooks. Yes, I said rent. The savings are pretty substantial. Usually the price to rent a book is about 50-60% off what you would pay at the bookstore. Of course, if you need the book long-term, it would be best for you to buy it outright. But if you know you'll never crack open the book again, Chegg is a great place to rent your books next semester.

Managing it all

My typical week keeps me pretty busy. Okay, that might be an understatement. I am always busy.

Just to give you an idea of my week, here is how it breaks down:

• 12 hours of classes
• 25 hours working part time for the State of Oklahoma
• 20+ hours working part-time for the Jackson Graduate College

That is just the hourly time investment my week requires. Not to mention actually doing homework, studying, spending time with my girlfriend, and volunteering at my church. I say all this not to brag, but to maybe help some of you out there with some time management tactics. A few things that I've found very helpful to me follows:

• Process and prioritize everything once a week.
  Your bills. Your homework. That voicemail you forgot to return. Buying groceries. Changing the oil. No matter how insignificant something may be, processing and prioritizing next steps (actions) is a key to keeping your sanity.
  
• Focus on the task at hand.
  Most people think they can multi-task. The truth is, most people can't. Really push yourself to finish the task at hand, unless of course it is a huge assignment or project that has multiple aspects.
  
• Break it down.
  This is for those big projects or assignments. Take an aspect of that project and get it done. Outline your paper. Gather research. Set up an apointment. Whatever it takes, just try to do it one bite at a time.

I'll have more to add in the coming weeks. For now, try to keep up at the beginning of the semester so you don't spiral out of control when the much bigger projects come later on down the road.

Collegiate - What is it?

Welcome.

You're probably curious --- what is this random blog about? My name is Cody, and I'm a senior graphic design student here at the University of Central Oklahoma. I also work for the department of Graduate Studies. During the winter/spring of 2009, you can follow this blog to find out about life in college...in particular, my life in college. I'll be blogging about random thoughts, tips, preparation ideas, and anything else that may cross my mind as I look ahead to graduation.