Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Car and Finals

The saga with my car continues. I have heard from my insurance company and they are settling my outstanding note on the car and refunding me the difference. Trust me, it is not a lot. I was hoping for a bit more to use towards a down payment on a new car. Ok, not new…used. But then again, things could have been worse, and I could have had to pay out of pocket to pay off the loan. I am glad about that one thing.

On a separate note, I finished my last, in-class final in my degree plan today. My grade on it was not what I wanted, but it was good enough. I am wondering what my final grade in the class will be for the semester. I know that I want an "A" to boost my GPA, but think it may be more in the range of an "A-" to a "B+". I do have an out-of-class final left to complete by Monday of next week. I have started on it and completed one of the five questions. I hope to have an opportunity to work on that tomorrow. Additionally, I have a project due for the same class on the same day as the final. It is still going to be a long week, but that is to be expected in graduate school.

I wanted to wish the graduating class from spring of 2009 lots of luck in future endeavors. I am a bit jealous that they get to walk when they graduate. I will graduate over the summer and when I do, I will need to wait until December to walk in commencement. It will seem like I have earned something with the payoff. I guess I am all about instant gratification. I should not be so selfish. I am happy for everyone that has worked their tails off to get to this point. My fiancé is part of this coming graduating class in May. I am so proud of you and I love you babe (P.S. you can read this one).

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Rain, Rain, and Awards

With a title like that, you do not know what to expect for my blog this week; do you? Well, let’s start with the good news. Friday night was the Student Leadership Banquet. It was held at the Nassau Hilton here in Clear Lake. SGA was recognized with an award for outstanding leadership organization on campus this year. It has been an honor to work with such a dedicated team of individuals. The outgoing SGA Executive Council has been great to work with this past year. Additionally, the new Executive Council was sworn in at this banquet. The new members are Patrick Cardenas – Student Body President, me – Vice-President Committee Coordinator, Amanda Schoolcraft – VP of Communications and Student Outreach, and Chris Greenfield – VP Administration. Congrats to all. I look forward to working together as a team to and bring SGA to even a higher level in the upcoming school year. Teamwork, teamwork!!

Now to the not so great part of the night…on the way home from the banquet, I was driving and hit a “wall of water”. My car was submerged and was flooded. I was very upset and shocked when it happened. The car was not movable and I had to be rescued by a friend that was following me in a 4x4. Thanks Rebecca. AAA towed my got car back to the house the next day. I had to meet with the adjuster and they proceeded to take lots of pictures of mud lines inside and outside of the car. Then they told me that my car was totaled. Today they are towing my car away from the front of the house. My next step on Thursday is to start fighting for money. Insurance people and money…how fun. I will have to keep all of you up to date on my progress.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Committee Reports

My duties with the Student Government Association as the Vice - President Committee Coordinator include having student representatives report to the SGA General Council over any activities within various committees on campus. One of the committee reports came to me earlier in the week and it had to do with a very sensitive topic…student parking on campus. The Parking and Traffic Sub-committee voted on the removal of seventy-nine student spots for the faculty to expand their parking area in Lot D. Yes, you heard me correctly…students will be losing seventy-nine parking spots. While both the graduate and undergraduate student representatives voted against the proposed expansion of the faculty lot, the motion passed and it is now being sent to the next committee. The next committee in the chain is the Facilities Support Services Committee (FSSC) where the measure is up for a vote. SGA does have a different student representative on that committee that is speaking up for the student body in opposition to the expansion of parking for faculty. After the FSSC votes, the information is then forwarded to the President of the University and University Council for discussion. The ultimate decision does lie with President Staples and the Council.

I know that some you are thinking, “Have we added to the number of faculty on campus?” The answer is “No”. So, why does the faculty need additional parking? I may not be a statistician, but I don’t see these numbers adding up. Perhaps there is some formula in which this makes sense. If you have it please let me know. Is a parking garage the answer? How would the university pay for it? Please feel free to drop me your opinion on this HOT TOPIC. You can email me directly at steiner@uhcl.edu. SGA and I want to hear from you. Students on this UH campus have a voice and that unified voice is even stronger through your SGA.

Look for more information items of great importance in the future. And as always, keep reading…knowledge is power!!!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

San Antonio and More

The trip to San Antonio was great. We got to see my mom and her husband. As predicted, everything between my family and my fiancé was also wonderful. We did a little sightseeing, some catching up, and of course we ate at a few restaurants on the Riverwalk. Sorry to all of you expecting a funny “bat story”, but the worst that happened was that my mom’s husband spilled his adult beverage on my fiancé. My mom was insisting that we visit in August. I think that we may just need to take a flight up to Pennsylvania before classes start back up for the fall semester.

On a different note, classes for the spring are quickly coming to a close. I have projects, papers, and lots of studying to do. Moreover, SGA is coming to a close for the semester as well. That means tying up loose ends and getting ready for the Student Leadership Banquet. With all of this on my plate, I have been finding it hard to buckle down and start on the paper for one of my classes. It is a case study, UGH. I am not fond of having to “therapize” a piece of paper. We are required to pull two theories of psychotherapy into the paper and then explain how we would use them. Then there is the project. It is for Advanced Social Psychology. My dyad has decided to present on the topic of diffusion of responsibility. If you have ever worked in a group, you most certainly know much about that topic.

Graduation is right around the corner and I have to extend a huge congratulation to all of the graduates. I wish each of you the best in your future endeavors. I know that my graduation is only a summer away and cannot wait to put those letters “M.A.” behind my name. It is more than just the credentials; it is all of the hard work that has gone into those two simple letters.

Oh, keep a close watch on the website for more photos of yours truly. We have been doing photo shoots on campus to update the website. Who-hoo!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Hectic

Tomorrow is the big day. It is the first time that my fiancé will meet my mother and her husband. I am so excited. Today has been a day of preparation. I have had to get my fiancés car up to par for the road trip to San Antonio. Road trip, road trip! I had to replace the battery as it was on its last leg and also had to replace the headlights. Only one was burned out, but I wanted to be sure that they matched. I am not a fan of one white and one yellow headlight on a car. That is the obsessive side of me, I guess. I have had to get all of my SGA items ready for next week's Shared Governance elections since I will not be around for the next few days. I want to give a special thank you to Patrick Cardenas and Connie LaFayette for all of your help today. After I installed the battery and lights, I had to get laundry completed. We are going to need some of those clothes to pack (you’re welcome, dear). I have to get our suitcases packed tonight.

Now, I sit here typing away on my blog.

It has been a busy day. Tomorrow I have to work a half day at my internship and then we are off. Exciting, yes. Hectic, heck yeah. Worth it, you bet!! Look for my blog next week to tell you how the meeting of mom and my fiancé went. I know it will be fine and a lot of fun. I am sure that there will be some funny story to tell. After all, the last time my mom was in San Antonio was back in 2001 and a bat flew out of building and she thought that it got stuck in her hair.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Excited

It is almost the Thursday before Easter. My mother and her husband will be flying into San Antonio. I am excited to see them. I have not seen either of them since July of last year. At that time, we met in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for a week. Be sure to read up on thin is one of my first blogs to see more about that trip.

So you ask, what is the plan for this trip? It will be a short one. They are flying in for only a few days. We plan on eating out, enjoying a few adult beverages, and doing some sightseeing. We will probably hit the River Walk and the market area. I have seen the Alamo; so, I would have to say that we are not going to be taking that tour. The rest of our time will be spending time in just simply “catching up”.

This trip will be the first time that my fiancé meets my mother. I know that I will be a great meeting. I am excited about that as well. They have talked on the telephone, but have never met face-to-face. After all, there has been a great physical distance separating me from my family. I look forward to the meeting of two very important people in my life.

Traveling is one of favorite things I like to do. I love to visit new lands and go back to ones that I have thoroughly enjoyed. Some of my favorite trips have been to (can you guess) London, Venice, Cannes, and the Cayman Islands. I love the beach and getting a tan in the Caribbean. I have been looking into a cruise for my fiancé and me. I just wish that finances were better at this time. Where is my stimulus package??? Either way, San Antonio will be a nice short getaway from Houston and a chance to see some different sights. There are so many exciting things coming up in such a short period of time. Till then, Steve-o out!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Finances

I know that this is a hard topic for anyone to talk about, but the term “starving student” comes to mind. Times have gotten tough in the economy and students are being equally hit with this credit crunch and the ongoing recession. It has been hard lately not to be worried about inflow of money. I used to work and knew what money was because I started school after already having a career. I am currently at an impasse where nothing seems to be going in the right direction (financially).

I know that the university is imposing the minimum rate increases allowed for the fall, but it is at a time when every dollar counts. This semester and over the summer are going to be tough. I have to clock a certain amount of hours for my internship (which is unpaid) and attend classes. There is no time for a part-time job at this point to attempt stabilization. I know that I will be attending UHCL in the fall of 2009, but will need to cut my course load down to two classes at night and work during the day to support myself and my fiancé.

I can only hope that this economy turns around and the Federal and State governments start placing more emphasis on higher education. It is an important aspect to us as students and to the overall community as a whole. I have heard this many times from the administrators on campus and I believe it to be true— Give the school more money and they will attract more prospective students. Those students are more successful (on average) and increase the tax base to put back in to the cyclic governmental system. That is a pure and simple feedback loop that the legislators need to look at when making decisions on budget cuts for higher education.

I will step off of my soap-box for now. Have a great night!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Most Memorable Moments

I was asked just the other day by a cohort of mine about my most memorable moments here at UHCL. There have been quite a few. Coming up on graduation, I have a lot to reflect back on. The first was my first day of class here at this campus. I left extra early my first day to be sure that I knew where I was going. It did not help. I still got lost, but at least I was not late to class. I found the maps by the elevators in the Bayou Building to be most useful. I did feel foolish stopping there, but knew that it would take some time to find my way around.

A second thing that was most memorable was being asked to complete an application for SGA and then being voted into my current position as the Vice-President Committee Coordinator. I remember being sworn in at the Student Life Banquet in April of this past year. It was a fun event that I have the pleasure of repeating this year. Not only will I be attending as an outgoing VP, but I will be returning for a second term. I was re-elected to my position. With the approval from the Office of Admissions, I have decided to run again. It is a position that I enjoy and I know that I have the students’ best interests at heart.

The last of a multitude of many memorable moments at this campus also includes one related to the organization in which I am currently a member/officer, CPSA. We decided to hold a CPSA Summer Fling Party last year. It was a way for all of the cohorts to come together and mingle outside of an academic environment. It was held at my house and it was such a great time. To all my Clinical Psychology people— you will be missed. I look forward to the day that I see you as a professional out there in the working world. We don’t have long to go!!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Sleepy

I am so tired at this time. I just finished with my with my last midterm exam last night and went out afterwards to celebrate. While it was not a super late night, I had to work at my internship bright and early this morning. I could use a nap right now. I know that I need to work on laundry tonight, but feel that I might just push it off for a day or so. Spring break is coming up fast and I am so looking forward to the time away from my class work, SGA duties, and my internship.
On a side note: I am graduating with my Master’s in Clinical Psychology over the summer. I have decided to stay at UHCL to obtain a second Master’s in Cross Cultural Studies. I feel that both degrees lend themselves well to each other. In turn, I have decided to run for a second year on the SGA Executive Council. I am running unopposed and am looking forward to the elections on March 24, 2009.
A friend of mine from Tampa sent me a friend request last night. I have not spoke with him in about 14 years. He was amazed that I am in school and about to attempt my second masters. He was equally shock to find out that I am engaged. In speaking back and forth, I found out that he is now the Director of Financial Aid for the University of Tampa. I have to give him kudos for working his way up the corporate ladder.

I know that I have been all over the place in today’s blog, but it is evident that I am tired. After Spring Break I want to come back refreshed and ready to go. After all, it feels like it was January just a week ago. Time is flying by. Next thing you know, I will be graduating with my first Master’s. One chapter will close and the next door of my life will open.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Meatloaf

My friend and hairdresser, Lisa, made dinner last night for me and my fiancé as well as another friend of ours. Oh my goodness, it was the best thing ever. It was typical meatloaf with a Worcestershire sauce, ground hamburger meat, bread crumbs, and ketchup…then she added a layer of Velveeta cheese in the middle of it and topped it with a brown sugar and tomato glaze. Coupled with her homemade mashed potatoes (she leaves the skins on) and steamed asparagus with grated cheese on top, it was a perfect comfort meal. It gets even better. She made fruit parfaits for dessert. They had raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries and (of course the best part of it all) the cool whip topping in them. It was a welcomed change that I did not have to cook.

Now, as I sit here typing away, I am getting hungry for some food. Then I think, hmm, what sounds good for dinner. I also just thought about getting my hair cut. My hair is getting too long to manage and I have not been able to “put it up” into a faux-hawk. I also need to shave off my goatee as it is getting long and driving me insane.

Back to the topic at hand; I do believe that we will go out and grab a bite for dinner tonight. It sounds like a plan. Hmm…now I have a second dilemma on my hands. Where to go for dinner? Italian sounds great, but then again so does Mexican. Actually, at this point anything sounds great. Just keep me away from most of the leafy green veggies and I will be just fine. I have already spoken with my fiancé and there is no opinion on where or what to eat. I guess it is time to go. I have a decision to make.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Busy Week

It has been a busy week on and off campus for me. I have had to work at my internship, attend meetings, and be a student. It has been hard as I was just shaking off the tail end of a cold. My internship has been getting a lot better. I am learning the ropes of the business side of the mental health profession as well as the application of my undergraduate and graduate classes. The dynamics of the mind are complex, but when a client leave smiling after weeks of tears, you know that it is working. Meetings, meetings, meetings. This week I attended four meetings on campus. They were very interesting, yet time consuming. Then there are my academics. I am behind in my reading for classes and need to catch up over the weekend. Even that might be hard to do. I have to attend the UHCL Open House on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. After that ABASO has the carnival on campus. SGA will be hosting the first aid station at the fair.

I want things to slow down just a bit, but know that I just need to catch up on everything. Right now, it has been a long day and I know that I need to take a break from everything and just relax for a little while. I look forward to enjoying a dinner with the number one person in my life. Oh, I almost forgot. My fiancé and I are going to London for Spring Break. It is going to be a great week away from the States and over the pond. I will let you know all the details when we get back.

Till then…keep on reading. I appreciate all of the feedback from students, faculty and administration. While on the subject of feedback: I am not from the country of Lebanon. I am from Lebanon, Pennsylvania (originally).

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Senioritis

I just had a thought. Does senioritis strike graduate students? Sure it does. I am taking my last physical classes at UHCL and performing my internship. While my internship will run throughout the summer, this is it; the last of my classes. I am finding it hard to focus in my classes. The end is in sight. The light is bright…maybe too bright. I am sad that that I will not get to walk in commencement until December of this year.

While I am waiting on word regarding my application for the PhD program at UH, I find myself almost at a point of being finished with my education for now. If I get accepted, I will need to re-light the fire. I called today and they stated that they sent out letters today. Cross your fingers. I am hoping to be accepted.

If I do not get accepted to the program, I will need to re-examine a few things about my life. I will need to decide whether I will continue on for a second Masters degree, move out of state, apply for another PhD program somewhere else, or obtain my licensure with the state. The decision is not mine alone. My fiancé and I will need to sit down and talk some things through.

A dream of both of ours is to move outside of the country. The best bet would be to move to London. Neither of us would have to learn a new language. What a plus that would be. The downside to the equation is that it is so expensive to live there. We will have to take that into consideration. What does the future hold for each of us? Who really knows? Even with careful planning we may wind up in a place that we never thought we would.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Stop

The University has implemented a new four way stop sign on the corner of Bayou and University Drives. I am not seeing the benefit of such a stop sign. I would like to see the statistics that were reviewed for the University to make such an implementation. Did they do a cost and benefits analysis? For many years, cars entering from Entrance 1 have not had to stop at the intersection. While understanding there was a recent accident at this intersection, I have to wonder if the University Life Council made a knee-jerk reaction to this situation. Accidents do happen from time to time. Don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to minimize the loss experienced from that or any accident on campus, but are there better solutions to rectify the situation? On Tuesday, the UHCL Police Chief spoke about the fact that this was a fix that was being investigated for 30-days. This is the time to let them know if you agree with the four-way stop or not.

SGA is deeply committed to the voice of the student body and wants to hear from students. The information will be passed back to the University Life Committee at their next meeting. Please be sure to drop SGA an email with your comments on the stop sign. There were many issues addressed in regard to this issue. They are: How does the stop sign affect traffic flow? Would building out a protected turn lane be effective? If a turn lane is installed, what are the environmental impacts to the university? Could a traffic light be installed? Is there a large back up of traffic due to this? These are the type of suggestions that we are looking to pass along to the Chief of Police and the University Life Council. We want to hear from you! Send your comments and concerns to your Student Government Association at sga@uhcl.edu.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

SGA EC

Things are back in full swing for the semester and things are going really fast. Student Government Association is going full steam and we are currently accepting application for the next Executive Council. It seems like it was not very long ago that I was applying for my position. I sat down with the Vice President of Administration at the time, Patrick Cardenas. He is now the SGA President. He encouraged me to apply for the VP – Committee Coordinator position. I ran against two other individuals and won my position. We jumped in and started our new campaign of advocacy for the student body. I can only hope that our council can pass the torch to the new council. While passing the torch to a new council is inevitable, I know that it will be a sad day when we step down. Do I get secret service? Ha ha…just kidding.

Do you want to apply? I would encourage any interested party to stop by the SGA office at SSCB 1.205 to pick up an application and talk with one of the existing SGA EC members about the responsibilities and benefits of being the backbone of the organization. Applications must be received by March 5, 2009 at 5 p.m. The new members will be installed on April 24, 2009 at the Student Organizations Banquet.

I can say that my time with SGA has enhanced my university experience. It has been life changing literally. Think you got what it takes…apply today. As always, if any student has an issue, question, or concern, please get to SGA. We can be reached in person or on the web at www.uhcl.edu/sga or via email at SGA@uhcl.edu.

This blog is dedicated to the new applicants and the wonderful experience that they will encounter for the 2009-2010 academic year. I know that it will change your life…maybe not to the degree that it changed mine.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

It's Been a While

It has been a while since we have all blogged and I have been stopped in the halls of the university many times over the course of the past few weeks and asked many questions about my previous blogs. I have been asked by many of our new international students if I am the person that blogs for the university. Some of them have read my blog from as far away as India. Welcome to all of our new faces at UHCL. I have also been stopped by faculty, staff, and administration of the university to see when the next blogs were coming out. Well, here they are…just another semester in the soap opera that I like to call “my life”. Then there is the burning question that I have been asked. Am I now engaged? Here comes the story on that one.

It is mid-December 2008 and we are being driven to the airport by a friend. We are leaving from Intercontinental Airport to go to London. I know that it is going to be a long flight and I know that I will be proposing to the person that I love when we get there. All of our friends know what is to come. The person that I love knows nothing. I have been good about telling people to keep it to themselves. The overnight flight to London was quite interesting. I had a hard time falling asleep on the flight because of the burning question in the back of my mind. I have rehearsed my lines with friends over the past few weeks and I have it all planned out.

Long story short, the plane lands and I am getting more and more nervous. We buy tickets for the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station. We get to Paddington Station and pick up a black cab to the hotel. My nervousness is mounting. We get to the hotel to check in and I am asked what I want to do for the day. I repeat the fact that I want to go to Trafalgar Square (for the sixth time that day). I go to the restroom and pull the ring from my carry-on luggage and put it in the camera bag.

We leave the hotel and are walking toward the square (it was only a block away). I am shaking with nervousness at this point. We get to the square and begin to look around. There is a monument in the front of the square and the National Gallery in the background. In between the two, there is a huge Christmas tree with a small riser (stage with steps leading up to it) in front of the tree. We walked up and sat on the stage and I started my speech. What came out was not what I rehearsed as I was stumbling on my words. I then went down one stair and got on one knee and finally asked, “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but will you marry me?”
The response took all of about 20-seconds, but it felt like an eternity (okay, at least 20 minutes or so). The answer was, “Yes, yes. Of course baby”. Afterwards there was a period of shock and we walked around aimlessly for about two hours. Afterwards we went back to the hotel and lounged. I sent one text to two close friends and the next thing you know, there were a ton of text messages from the U.S. giving congratulations.
There you go…want more. Stop me in the hall for all the details.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Semester End

With the semester ending this week, I have papers coming due and I have to study for tests. This morning I completed my case study for clinical practicum. I had to give background information on my client, transcribe part of a recorded session, discuss possible diagnoses, and explain what therapy style I used (as well as how I grew from the experience). It was a very introspective paper, which made it extremely hard to write. I have a final in Behavioral Medicine that is due next week (online) and one final in class for Intellectual Assessment. I am not too stressed, but know that I have a lot of studying to do.

This week I am also attending the UHCL President’s Dinner at the Bay Oaks Country Club, have a meeting with the Provost about upcoming SGA projects, and the SGA Project Leaders Holiday Party. It is going to be a busy week, but at least SGA meetings are over for the semester. Just one more week and then finals…wow, it has been a crazy semester.

I am getting super excited to go out of town. I think that it will be a great trip. There are so many things to do in London. This will be my third trip there. The first time I went was in 2004. I needed to burn the last four vacation days I had left before I started undergrad and left my job. The last time I was there was right after Christmas last year. I remember how cold it was. This year we are going to be prepared. We bought new wool coats for the trip. They have not arrived yet, but should be here by the end of this week.

Good luck to everyone on their finals…I know that I might need a little bit of luck myself.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Orlando

I am currently sitting in our hotel room in Orlando, Florida (yes, at Walt Disney World) and writing my blog. The SGA Executive Council (Patrick, Jessica, Connie, and me) was sent to the 2008 National Conference on Student Leadership. We have attended many of the workshops and seen many guest speakers over the past few days here. One of the speakers has visited our campus in the past. Nancy Hunter Denney was at the 11th Annual UHCL Leadership Conference just a few weeks ago. She remembered us quite vividly. That is always a nice feeling when someone that deals with thousands of people can remember you and your campus. It makes you feel that you have made a lasting impression with that person.

Nancy’s workshop dealt with becoming the person that is both a great student leader and also a well balanced go-getter in life in general. Some of the questions dealt with who you were five years ago and where you are now. Then we looked at goal setting for five years from now. Looking back five years ago, I saw a very different person than the person I am today.

I worked for a local health and life insurance company as their customer service and claims manager. I was a (young) 29 year-old and only had a high school education. I lived in town and had not even started college. Wow – it seems like a lot has gone on since then. I have obtained my undergrad degree. I am working to complete my Master’s and I just got through applying for PhD. Scary! I have my hopes pinned to fact of acceptance. If I do not get in for my PhD, I may try to obtain a second Master’s from UHCL.

I have never been one to live in the uncertainty of life. With all of this hanging in the balance, I know that I feel somewhat scared. There is, however, that one source of stability in my life. I should say that person that is with me and wants to stand by my side— no matter what decision I make regarding my next step in education. This blog is a not-so-long-distance dedication to that person. Thank you for being there. Even though you do not read my blogs at this time, I want you to know just how much I appreciate all that you do for me. I know that you will start reading my blogs after our December trip! By the way readers, I purchased the ring this week. It is going to be hard to keep this quiet for the next two or three weeks.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Clear Skies

Today I am going to write in a totally different style. This blog is what I would call a stream of consciousness.

Last night was a brisk evening. I looked up at the sky and noticed how clear the stars were shining in the dark midnight blue sky. I had a moment of clarity. Have you ever had one of those moments when everything that you rush by every day stops and you take notice? This was one of those moments. I realized that I was outside and I would be going in soon to curl up on the couch with the person that I love. We would watch television and I knew that I was content with that. I also realized in that moment that this semester is almost over. I thought about the work that I still needed to complete for my classes. It did not stress me out. I put everything in logical, step-by-step order. Then I shifted to where I was a year ago. I thought of looking up at the same sky, but now it seems different. I thought about where our lives would be in a year from now and all I could picture was happiness and contentment. I saw me with a big smile on my face and then I saw both of our hands with rings on. It brought a smile to my face and almost a tear to my eye. I thought back to the first time we met. I remember exactly what the person that I now love was wearing that day (even though they did not notice me). I remembered all of the flirting and playfulness that led to the point of us dating and where we are now. Again, smiling from ear to ear, I debated going inside. Just then I thought…never forget this moment. It is not very often that we take the time to stop and truly enjoy the people and things that surround us in our lives.

I also wanted to give some endings for blogs that I have left hanging out there. The engagement is still going to occur. I thought about the Christmas tree theme, but have decided to wait until we go on our trip to London. I have picked out a ring and have to purchase it this week. I am getting very anxious. Also, I have chosen my classes for the spring semester. They are just what I wanted. I have an interview for my internship on Wednesday. Last by not least, as the semester winds down, SGA is taking a trip for a conference in Lake Buena Vista, Florida on Friday. This will be a busy trip, but hopefully there will be time for fun. Stay tuned.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Zoo

I realize that I talk a lot about how stressed out I am regarding SGA commitments and classes. Although that may be the case, I would like detour from the norm this week and talk more about what I do on my personal time (even though there is not much of it lately). This past weekend we went to the zoo with a friend of ours. It was my first time going to the Houston Zoo. I had a nice relaxing day walking around and seeing all the beautiful animals. Some of the more interesting animals were the giraffes and the cougar with only three paws. There is an interesting story for you. Apparently, this cougar got into a fight with another cougar and lost its paw in the battle. It managed to hobble along quite well, but I thought it was really quite sad.
Another animal that was quite the character was the Okapis. I know that most of you do not know what this is. I know that I did not. It looked like a cross between a zebra and horse. Just when you form that opinion, it sticks out its tongue to swat away flies and you realize that it may be related to a giraffe. Well, I was right. It is a forest giraffe. It was a stocky, yet beautiful living thing.
It was truly an adolescent type of day with cotton candy, popcorn, and even a hot dog. By the time it got dark, I felt like a little kid again. Isn’t that the point of life sometimes? You just need to let go and have some clean old-fashioned fun. I have not been to a zoo since I was 18 years old; and even then, at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., it was the dead of winter and many of the animals had been put away for the season. I feel as though I have grown educationally and professionally so much over the past few years, but it is always good to put everything on the back burner and enjoy being a carefree unworried individual…even if it is only for a little while.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Bloggers’ Therapy

Elections are over and a new president-elect has been chosen. That is all I am going to say about that topic. I feel like all of the other bloggers will talk about their like or dislike for the decision made by the American people. Not me. Unfortunately, I was not able to vote due to the fact I moved and did not move my voter registration to the new county. I wish that I could have gotten the chance to participate this year.

Switching gears…I had to leave my job on campus at IISS. After only about two weeks in the office, I decided to leave based on the fact that my grades were slipping. My commitments at school include being a student first and foremost, being an elected officer for SGA, being an appointed officer for CPSA, and my commitment to other organizations on campus such as HASE and Psi Chi. With my plate this full, there was something that had to give and it was the commitment to IISS. I am not one to start a job and not follow through, but I have to focus and center my attention on being a student for the rest of the semester.

I cannot wait until the winter break. Vacation, vacation, vacation. As I mentioned before, we will be flying both internationally and continentally to different locations. This will be my chance to get away from the stresses of school. Though stressful, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. With the new spring 2009 schedule out, I see that I have one required class that will fall on a Tuesday from 4 – 7 p.m., a clinical internship, and an extra class that I have wanted to take (Advanced Social Psychology). After that I only have the continuation of my internship and then I graduate. Yeah 

I am currently in the process of applying for a PhD program and am hopeful that I can get in. Otherwise, I will be testing for my LPC and looking for work come August. This leaves a bit of ambiguity hanging out there and with ambiguity comes doubt and fear. Doubt and fear cause anxiety and I can see that my anxiety has been rising the past few weeks. Waiting is something that I do not do well. I guess I need to just sit with my feelings and emotions for a while and incorporate them into my daily life. When the decision on the application for PhD is made, I will feel a sign of relief either way. I have to say that this blog, similar to a journal, has become very therapeutic for me.

Have a great week y’all.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

SGA Day and Time Away

This has been another crazy week on campus. Tuesday was SGA Day and our meeting was held in the Bayou Building Atrium. It was a great success and improved SGA’s visibility on campus. It was also the beginning of our 2008 SGA “You CAN be the Hero” canned food drive campaign. At the kickoff event at SGA Day, we collected over 550 cans. That is almost 10% of our 7000 can goal. With help from students, faculty, staff, and administration, we know that we can make a difference. We decided to donate all of the cans to two local food pantries. We decided to support our local community that already gives us so much as students.

SGA also rolled out our new logo. It was designed by Jessica Williams, our VP of Communication and Outreach. Great job Jessica!
The rest of the week will be calmer, but I feel like I live on campus sometimes. I have class tonight and I have to work on Thursday and Friday. Friday is also Halloween and SGA is participating in the Oktoberfest Events here on campus from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. I think that Saturday and Sunday will be days away from campus this week. I would like to go shopping for some new clothes and I also have to go to the grocery store. I am also going to pick up “the ring” this weekend.
Seeing my friends outside of campus has been very hard lately. With assignments being due and the involvement in campus events, I feel like I have not seen them since Hurricane Ike. I cannot wait until December. I will get a chance to take a breath, enjoy family and friends, and just relax. I am taking a much needed vacation to London and Paris. Until next week, peace out people.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Dinner

In the past few weeks, it has been hard to make time to cook dinner at night. My other half is either in class when I get home or I have been too busy with classwork. Even though I have dropped my course load to three graduate level classes, it has been a lot of reading, homework, and of course— tests. In previous semesters, I have taken four or five graduate level classes. (By the way, three is considered full time at the graduate level.) I found my previous course loads to be less taxing than the one I have now. Needless to say, my diet has also taken a hit this semester. I do not cook for one person and enjoy having a nice conversation over dinner.

Tonight I made glazed pork chops, rice, and corn. It was yummy. It is almost time to go to the grocery store though. Food reserves are starting to run low. I guess tomorrow night will be chicken night and then a pasta night on Sunday. Friday night and Saturday night are taken care of. First, there is a flag football event sponsored by the UHCL Sports Association and SGA will be participating. After that, the SGA Executive Council is going out for a bite to eat. Saturday night SGA will be attending a formal event on campus that is designed to honor distinguished alumni from the UHCL campus.

Most of my weekends have been busy on campus as well. Last weekend I took a day off and spent the day at the Galleria shopping and having lunch at Nordstrom. We made some purchases…mostly clothing and a new iPhone. I am wired to SGA and my personal email. I thought that maybe it was time for the person I love to have one too. I had a truly relaxing day away from the campus. Just as it is important to be involved on campus, it is also true that sometimes you just need a day away.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Blog for the Week

I do not know what to blog about this week. There has been so much going on that I have not had a chance to breathe. In addition to my regularly scheduled classes, I had an interview in the IISS Office last week and I got the job. Who-hoo! We are going to sit down and discuss my schedule later this week. Also, I had a lot of SGA commitments this past week. SGA and the University President’s Office hosted the (once per semester) SGA President’s Luncheon. It was a great event where student organization representatives, much of the university’s administration, and SGA came together to hear the UHCL President during a regularly scheduled meeting (with food…yum). The headcount was at least ninety-nine people. Moreover, the Student Life Council met today, and the SGA executive council will be meeting PASA (the UHCL Professional and Administrative Staff Association) tomorrow. Additionally, University Life Council will be meeting tomorrow in the afternoon. Let’s not forget about Friday— SGA will be taking our UHCL delegation to the Texas Student Association Executive Planning Committee Meeting. This meeting is being hosted by Stephen F. Austin University. And on Saturday, I have to work on an IQ protocol for my class on intellectual assessment. That means that I have to drive Pearland to give a child an IQ test.
Next week shows very few signs of getting any better. I have all the same classes, but also have a meeting regarding the 2010 UHCL fiscal year and a dinner for the induction of Distinguished Alumni for UHCL. Then there are all of the regular SGA meetings and now work. I have to work on a presentation for my Behavioral Medicine class and also complete a test for that class.
Wow – stress is kicking in. Maybe I should make an appointment with a counselor on campus. Career and Counseling Services offers students free counseling. I am kidding…I do not need to see a counselor, but they are free to students through the SAP. Things will turn out to be just fine.
Believe it or not, writing my blog this week has been very therapeutic. It gets all of those anxious feeling out on the page and expresses them in a healthy manner. There goes the clinical side of me. I am going to get my hair cut now. Check out the picture below to see just how long it has gotten. Have a great week everyone!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Changes

***Special note: If you are the person that I love more than anything in the world – STOP READING NOW. ***

I have made a decision to propose to the person that I love. I have decided to get down on one knee to make a lifelong commitment to this person. While the other party knows that I am going to do this and I am sure that they will accept; they do not know when or where. I have decided to do it in front of the Christmas tree when we are putting it up this year. I thought I might tie the ring to one of the ornaments and then make my proposal.
Yes, it is a big commitment and I think I have planned the perfect time to do so. I am nervous about the outlay of my proposal and what I will say. Are there any words necessary other than the all important question, “Will you marry me?” I’m not sure. I would enjoy being romantic about it, but do not want to have a long drawn out speech that I would stumble over trying to get it out or remember it. I am not scared of the answer that I will receive. I know that it will be a “yes”. I know that I could stand to stare into those beautiful brown eyes every morning when we wake up for the rest of my life.
The date of the wedding will need to be determined. In passing, comments have been made about perfect days, but I think that the date does not have to be of numerical significance. I know that 7/8/09 would be a date to remember. Also, 9/9/09 would great as well, but I would like it to be over a weekend and then our honeymoon would be for another week or two elsewhere. Cross your fingers for Tahiti. I have always wanted to stay out on the waters of the Pacific in one of those hut type houses. There is also the option of a trip around Europe. Being out of school for such a short time before the wedding, we will have to take a hard long look at finances (I graduate in August of 2009).
I think I may have the perfect location for the ceremony. I know that it will be chore to get all of our friends to the location. One of them is an international location and the other is a place of significance in California. There is still so much to think about, but taking it one step at a time in a logical forward motion may prove to be the best manner. The first thing is the proposal. Thereafter, the decisions will need to be made by both of us.
Have you ever wanted a storybook wedding? I have and I know that I will provide that for the person that I love. Stay tuned for more updates.

All pictures in this blog are courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Feeling Better

My best friend got me sick. I am the biggest baby when I am sick. I whine, I am lazy, and I do not want to move. It is a horrible feeling that I have not had to endure for the past three or four years. The last time I had a cold like this I was a sophomore in undergrad. For this cold, I have been taking cold medicine, allergy pills, and lots of ibuprofen. I usually wake up, take all my meds, and then get to school a bit spacey. As the day wears on I feel better. Finally, yesterday I started feeling as though I was shaking this thing. It was perfect timing as I have a test coming due for my Behavioral Medicine class. They are not the easiest tests in the world…if you catch my drift.
Now that trees limbs and fences are starting to be picked up in our neighborhood, things are slowly returning to a sense of normalcy. People are coming out of their post-Ike daze and looking more like the people we knew before this terrible event hit our area by the storm (no pun intended). The neighbors across the street came over to discuss their losses. Apparently, they only had some limbs that were downed in their back yard.
Business in the SGA office is slowly getting back on track and I submitted an application to work in the Intercultural and International Student Services (IISS) area. I wound up having a car payment after my old car was destroyed in the hurricane. This job would really help with my monthly bills. Finances are tight since the hurricane. As I stated in one of my previous blogs, part time student work is the only option for me. Most departments on campus are willing to work with your class schedule, but they also are willing to work with my SGA commitments.

Monday,September 29, 2008

Hurricane Aftermath

Wow – this has been quite an interesting past two weeks. The hurricane hit and I don’t think that any of us thought that it would be as bad as it was. Luckily, I had power and cable throughout the entire storm. The fence blew down in the back yard, but there was no damage to the house. My car was destroyed and I had to file a claim with the insurance company. I have had to go out and get a new car last week.
I guess we fared better than others. We went exploring the day after the hurricane and noticed that there was a lot of damage around Clear Lake. There were boats on the road, water everywhere, and destruction all around. To watch it on the news is one thing, but to get out there and actually see it is quite another. I took some pictures of the area and they do not even do it justice.

My mom was worried during the storm. She could not get in touch with me by email or phone. Cell phone lines were up and down and email was completely down. She kept an eye on the news and saw the devastation from Pennsylvania. The down side of the hurricane for me has been the poor air quality in the Houston/Galveston area. I have been sick since the hurricane and just want to feel better.
Getting back into the swing of things at school has been super hard. The first few days we were back, I felt like a walking zombie. I did not know what to think, do, or say. Some of my classmates had been displaced due to the storm. I was not functioning at my best. As an up and coming counselor, I thought that I would have been more attuned to a better way to dealing with others, but I was not. This storm has brought up a lot of feelings and emotions that I usually do not think of or feel. It makes you step back and take a good look at the life you have and the people around you that love and care for you.

Wednesday,September 10, 2008

Favorites

I was sitting here in the SGA office talking with one of my best friends in the entire world and we got into the discussion of favorites. It is sometimes hard for others to put their favorite things into words. It is all based on experience and the perception that accompanies the tastes, sights, touches, sounds, and smells. Without experiencing something there is no way to know if you will like it. Sorry, getting a little philosophical/psychological/physiological.
I love cotton candy from the fair. I eat it until I get sick from the sugar. I love to travel to far-away places that I have never been. Sometimes they are not what I expected, but the favorite part of that experience is always the anticipation for me. On a simpler note, I love pistachio ice cream and pudding. I love my mom’s mashed potatoes and gravy. I love mint tea (sweetened and iced).
I have lots of favorites (just too many to list), but am always willing to try something new. After all, he (my best buddy) and I are going to go skydiving. I have never done it before; so, I do not know if I will enjoy it or not. There is only one way to find out and I am looking forward to it. Maybe we will do it for my birthday. It is next week. In some ways it is not a big deal, but it is my day. My birthday.
Another friend walked into the office and she took over the whole conversation. She works at the University, too. She came by to vent and relax on her break. She is a bundle of energy. Friends on campus make classes and work seem easier.
My next blog will have to do more with what happened on my birthday. Stay tuned.

Wednesday,September 3, 2008

Welcome Week is Over

It is now the second week of class and the reading is beginning to pile up. I had six chapters to read for my Behavioral Medicine class. Wow, that was rough. I also had to read a lot for Intellectual Assessment. With the Welcome Week events behind me, I can focus a little more on my academics. I am going to need to crack open the books if I want to get my GPA up this semester.

Now that I have participated in my first UHCL Welcome Week, I can tell you about some of the experiences that I had. I was an Orientation Leader on the Saturday before classes started. We served coffee and grab-and-go breakfast on Monday morning, and of course, there was the big Friday night event where some of the organizations on campus came out for a street fair type venue then followed by an outdoor movie. This year they decided to screen Ironman. While we are all hot and sweaty while the sun was out and we were eaten by mosquitoes after dusk; all in all, the events were extremely fun. Check out the picture of me and one of the other bloggers Patrick on our way out to the Friday event.

I have to say that being so involved on campus shows me a different side of the university and also the students that attend there. Interestingly enough, I got to see some friends that I knew and even made new ones. It is amazing how relationships develop in the university setting. As I stated in a previous blog, I still speak with and get together with some of my friends from undergrad. I feel that when I graduate from UHCL, I will also have the same experience. Moreover, the connections that I make in psychology will be my network of piers in the community.

Well, it’s time to get back to studying…

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

From Slow to Busy

Wow – what a difference a week makes. This is the first week of class and things are hectic. There have been so many activities going on around campus and SGA is a big part of most of them. We have participated in the IISS New Student Orientation, Graduate and Undergrad New Student Orientation, SGA Council and Executive meetings, and Welcome Week Events. Oh, I almost forgot. I had to attend class, too.
I actually had the first day jitters on Monday. Being a clinical psychology student, I know that a little bit of nervousness is normal. Actually, slight anxiety is usually helpful, but there is a delicate balance in that equation. My first class was Intellectual Assessment. I don’t know why I was so nervous, but I can say that it felt like I was going to my first day of classes ever. Once I got to class, I realized that I knew almost everyone in the class. We played “catch-up” and discussed what each of us did over the summer. Some people told stories of vacations, while others stated that they attended summer classes on campus, and others explained that they worked on or off campus all summer long.
The first day of class was actually a lot of fun for all three of my courses. There is always this looming ambiguity about the requirements of the course until the syllabi are distributed. From then on, you know when lectures are scheduled, presentations are due, exams are administered, and projects need to be completed. You will also know exactly how the grading scale works for that class. I am a little bit obsessive about my grades and I like to track them myself in Microsoft ©Excel. This is the way that I can keep myself abreast of my situation and know exactly where I stand without having to pester the professor for my grades.
I wanted to thank two new students that stopped me this past week to tell me that they recognized me from my blog. They did not want me to include their names in the blog, but I did want to give them a “shout out” to say hello and thank them for reading. It is great to get feedback on your blog. I now know that people just like you are reading this and getting to know a little bit more about me.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

University Lifestyle

I recently set up a Facebook© account and found many people that attended the same high school that I did. Some of them were friends, but many were just acquaintances back then. It is amazing to see how most of them recall our days of high school as joyous and wonderful. I was on the D-list back then. I was not in the popular A-list or jock-crowd. I was also not in semi-popular B-list or the academic overachievers pack. I knew people in each clique, but was friends with a select few that I like to look back on as the D-list. High school was not the most positive experience for me. It was outright difficult. Everyone was striving to find themselves and where they fit into the food chain. Everyone was measuring their worth again the various cliques in the school.

Before my first day in college, I was nervous. I thought that this would be just like high school all over again. I was quiet and tried to keep to myself for the first few days. I quickly realized that this was nothing like high school. It was extremely different. People wanted to be there to obtain knowledge and that was the common thread that kept us all together. Most of us were not forced to attend by our parents (after all I was the 30 year old freshman). People were friendly. They would stop in the hallway to see how your day was going. Professors seemed to care about how the students were performing in their classes. Don’t get me wrong; there was a lot of studying for tests that were sometimes ten times harder than our exams in high school.

As I believe I have already mentioned in another blog, I did attend another UH System university for undergrad. It was a wonderful experience. I got to know a vast amount of people. They were people from different cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds. I am glad that I now have the opportunity to call them my friends. I do keep in touch with many of them and we try to get together from time to time. Wow – this was so much different than high school.

Here at UHCL, the experience has been the same. Students stop you in the hallway and they say hello; some just give you a nod as you walk by. Most people on campus will even give you a smile even though you do not know them. They also inquire about how your day is going. Above all, the administration of the university and some of the professors will give you a wave or ask you about your life. It is a great feeling to be accepted and it transcends the university experience to a completely different level. It’s amazing how different it is from high school (have I said that before).

On a different note, I wanted to ask a few questions about some of the art pieces that I have seen on campus. There are the big spherical structures that are located at the front entrance of the bayou building. What are they? I have never met anyone on campus that knows what the “Spirtus Mundi” is supposed to represent. There are some other interesting displays throughout the campus. There is one that is cut out of wood and looks like it dates back to the 1970’s. I guess they must be a form of abstract art. Can anyone tell me the story behind them? What was the artist’s inspiration when they were crafted? I only wish that I knew.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Waiting for Classes to Start

The first day of fall is almost upon us. Are you ready? I know that I am. I have been getting projects done around the house to be sure that I can devote my time to reading and studying. My GPA is not where I want it to be. I know that I need to make all A’s this semester to bring it to a level where I would graduate Summa Cum Laude. This is my second to last semester at the University and I know that I have limited time to do what I originally set out to do.

On a semi-related note, I was stopped by a fellow student just a few days ago and asked, “Why did you choose to pursue a degree in psychology?” I didn’t have to think very long, but came to a very profound answer. When I was in high school I took a class in psychology/sociology. Half of the year was dedicated to psychology and the other half was devoted to sociology. I remember my teacher was a psychologist who also worked at the local mental hospital part time. She would give us examples from the clinic about patients that were there for treatment (Yes, for all of you psychology buffs out there, the year was 1990 and they were still called patients back then). She had an exuberant amount of information to share about psychology and how it is applied in the real world. She was the reason that I became so enamored with psychology.

When I graduated high school, I entered the workforce and was very successful. I climbed the corporate ladder and finally hit a glass ceiling at my work place. I could scale no further without a college degree. I was dumbfounded. Heck, I was mad. I could do the job of any vice-president in the company with ease. I simply did not have a college degree.

I decided to leave my job to start school as a first time freshman in August of 2004. Many of my coworkers were astonished by my choice. Many of them figured that I would go to school and return to the company with a shiny new business degree. This was not the case. I decided to pursue a degree in psychology. I thought back to the instruction of my high school psychology teacher. This was my dream. It was my goal. I am still chasing that dream and achieving my goal by obtaining my Master’s Degree from UHCL.

Deep down I know that a degree is simply a piece of paper that hangs on the wall or a reference line in an application, but if you dig a little bit further, you will realize that it is a dream coming true for many of us. It is more than a piece of paper. It is the facts, figures, accumulated knowledge, and practice of the discipline that you chose to peruse. It is reaching that goal at the end of the road. In the end, you know what got you to the point of being able to graduate and that is more valuable than the token that will be hanging on your wall. Now, I ask you…What is your goal?

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Slow Week

It has been a slow week for me regarding my campus life and events. We had a SGA Agenda Meeting on Wednesday to get everything in order for our meeting the following week. SGA meetings are held weekly during the fall at 11:30 a.m. in the SSB Lecture Hall. Make a plan to stop by for a visit some time. This past week, I spent some time on campus gathering information about how to train my new committee representatives in September. While I was on campus, I took some random shots from the SGA office. Take a look

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On another note, the picture to the left is an egret. Did you know that the egret is the official mascot of UHCL? Most believe that the “Blockie” is the mascot, but he is not. I found out about this about a week ago when we went to Austin for the TSA meeting. The Egret is also a publication put out by the Office of Communications.

I know that my blog this week is a bumpy ride of many different subjects and ideas, but I thought that an entry that was a little less cohesive would show a different side of me. Maybe a softer side (sorry Sear’s…not trying to steal your motto); maybe not. If you catch me on campus, stop me and tell me your thoughts.

On yet another tangent, I am also working as a research assistant for the Human Sciences and Humanities Dean’s Office. It is a once a year position that lasts about a month. I get to contact recent graduates and have them complete a survey about their experience with the Clinical Psychology M.A. program here at Clear Lake. While I cannot share the information obtained, I can generally say that a clear majority of graduating students are happy and prepared to enter the workforce once they complete the program. If you are looking for employment that will work with your school schedule, look to the University. Most departments are willing to work with you and your busy class schedule. Myself – I found it to be the only option out there other than working in food services or bartending.

Until next week - Steve

Austin

As I stated in my previous blogs, I am not taking classes this summer, but I am on campus from time to time for important events and meetings. This past weekend SGA went to Austin for the first meeting to revive the Texas Student Association (TSA). This was a historic event. The 18 state universities from across Texas came together to form a unified voice for students and their concerns. A big topic of discussion was keeping enrollment high and price points for students low, access to public institutes of learning, and possibly working together to attempt a repeal of textbook tax. The afore mentioned price points include reasonably priced tuition and keeping new and used book prices in check.

This was a fun day trip (Road trip! Road trip!). We actually met in the capitol building. Many thanks to Senator Rodney Ellis and his staff for setting up the facilities. Be sure to check the Houston Chronicle, UH Daily Cougar, and USA Today as all were there to cover the story. Look for more great news about the organization being reestablished to protect your rights as student in later blogs.

I want you to become involved in some activities on campus. I believe that it is key to a more enjoyable experience overall. As usual, if you see me on campus, stop me and say “Hey”. We want to get that picture of you and put it up on the blog.

‘Till then – later!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Vacation

I just returned from my summer vacation on Saturday and thought that I would write about the difference between Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (PV my vacation destination) and Houston from an educational standpoint. My blog is not intended to put anyone down or disregard the educational system in Mexico, but rather show the differences.

One day, we were driving to the town of Tequila and I saw a sign advertising the University of Guadalajara. I was intrigued and thought about what they might offer to their students. I knew that I had to keep it in mind to research when I got back. I also noticed that there was a satellite branch in PV.When I returned, I looked up the University and noticed that they had a limited number of programs for their students. There appears to be 9 bachelor programs and 12 professional programs. UHCL offers over 80 degree programs to their students. Keep in mind that UHCL is part of the larger University of Houston – System with an even broader base of curricula.

To switch gears a bit, I wanted to also touch on one of the best experiences that I have had since starting at UHCL. I was a presenter of my research in the 2008 Student Research Conference. My project was for a class, but took on a life of its own after having to work on it for close to one year.

The story was covered by the UHCL student publication, The Signal and the UH – Victoria student publication, The Flame. The objective of the conference is to show students original research and creative arts to other students, faculty, administration, and visitors. It was truly on of the best experiences that I have had on campus and I would suggest that you pursue it as well.

As I stated in my last blog, there are many ways to get involved on campus. I am the Vice President – Committee Coordinator for the Student Government Association and I am currently seeking applicants that want to get involved in the university experience. SGA will be holding elections for General and Advisory Committees in just a few short weeks. You may have seen my advertising on the televisions around campus. Stop by SGA. Get to see who we are and what we do. Fill out an application for one of these positions and enrich your experience on and off campus.

I hope that you have found my blog to be informative and entertaining this week. Again, if you see me out and about on campus, stop me and say hello. You might just be featured in my next blog!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

My First Blog

In my first blog, I want to start off with a “getting to know you” entry. This will allow you to step into my shoes prior to and throughout my student career. It is not going to be happy, happy gumballs and candy the whole way through. This is an honest account of what I went through at the University of Houston – Clear Lake. I feel it is important to get all of the facts out there. Otherwise, when you (as the prospective student) get here you may experience the same things and repeat some of the mistakes I have made.

The year was 2005, and I would finish my undergrad within a year. I had completed my GRE and needed to finish getting my applications out to graduate schools. I bought the published guide to graduate schools and looked it over to try and find the specialty in psychology that I wanted to follow. I knew that I did not want to leave the Houston area. I made some tough choices, but decided to pursue clinical psychology instead of neuropsychology. Now, I had to narrow down the schools. I was looking at either a Ph.D. program or two master’s programs in the area. Again, it was decision time. I applied to all three and decided to see how the cards would fall. I was accepted to all three programs; now I had to look for the best fit for my situation.

I compared the three schools on cost of annual tuition, number of years to complete the program, and quality of the program. The University of Houston – Clear Lake topped the list for me for many personal and financial reasons. First, UHCL was a public university that kept the price-point reasonable. Second, I would be able to start classes in my program sooner than a Ph.D. program by entering into the general psychology M.A. program and then re-applying to a clinical program. There was an overlap for just enough classes that allowed me to start in the first semester after my December 2006 graduation. Lastly, the time spent in the program was a fiscally reasonable. I left my job in 2004 to start college as a freshman. In undergrad, I doubled up my course load and enrolled fulltime over the summer to graduate in only two and a half years. I wanted to keep that momentum going. This way I could re-enter the workforce utilizing my degree in the shortest amount of time possible.

I started as planned in January of 2007. Shortly thereafter, I interviewed for the clinical program and was accepted. I was in and doing it. Everyone that I knew was so proud (including me). I still have about one year left at the University before I graduate. I feel that potential students will appreciate the experience that I went through when applying to the university, but will also understand what has transpired over the last year and a half.

During my first two semesters, I found it hard to acclimate myself to the campus and the people in my degree program. In the beginning, I attributed it to moving to a new campus and not knowing a lot of people. I should have known better than that. During my undergrad years, I was active within student government, sat on many committees — including the First Year Advisory Committee, and was also an orientation ambassador. What is the first thing that both of these positions teach? Students need to get involved to make their college experience a fulfilling one. I was not involved in any organization on campus at Clear Lake. I went to class and went home. I was your typical commuter student.

Now, I am involved in the Clinical Psychology Student Association (CPSA) and Student Government Association (SGA). As an officer for both organizations, it pushes me to a new realm at UHCL. It lets me to socialize with so many people and gives me an opportunity to share and utilize skills that I have learned from the workforce and my university training. The past semester has been great.

While I am not taking summer classes, I am on-campus for SGA meetings throughout the summer. If you see me on campus and have read my blog, stop me and say “hey, I read your blog.” I would love to hear your opinions. I may even ask to take a picture of you and ask you for a quote to include on my next blog. Also, in future blogging episodes look for more information about how to get involved on campus.

‘Till then, Steve-o out!