3 Tips for Passing the VTNE

Preparing for the VTNE can be an incredibly stressful time for any aspiring Vet Tech. It can be overwhelming when trying to figure out what to focus on, how much time you need to study, and the pressure you may feel to pass. Know that you are not alone, and many Vet Techs before you have been through this exact struggle. Preparing yourself for the VTNE will help you pass this exam with flying colors!

Tip 1: Study Tools

The unknown of what is to come on the VTNE is daunting. Having an idea of what lies in store is key. There are several tools available to help familiarize yourself with the structure of the test, as well as topics that may be covered. AAVSB offers 4 different VTNE practice test for a small fee. These practice tests have been known to be incredibly helpful in preparing for the VTNE. There is no better way to know the structure of an upcoming test, than to take a practice test offered by the organization itself. Aside from the AAVSB practice test, there are many other options when it comes to VTNE preparation. Immerse yourself in as many VTNE preparation options as you can, and you will be ready for anything this exam throws your way. Here are a few options for you:

• AAVSB Practice Tests
• Pocketprep.com
• Vettechprep.com
• Mometrix.com
• Review Questions and Answers for Veterinary Technicians

Tip 2: Study Your Weak Subjects

Never rely on your strength in one category to make up for another. There are nine domains that you will be tested on in the VTNE. (Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine/Critical Care, Pharmacology, Pain Management/Analgesia, Dentistry, Laboratory Procedures, Diagnostic Imaging, Animal Care and Nursing, Surgical Nursing.). You can use books for vet techs that you had prior to the VTNE to study certain subjects. It is pertinent that you study each domain, and make sure you feel comfortable in your weakest areas. If there is a certain domain that you struggle with, try studying this subject more often. Every single question counts, so you want to make sure you have a fighting chance in the categories that you struggle with.

Tip 3: Study Time

This is not an exam that is well suited with cramming and procrastination. It’s recommended to give yourself at least 3 months to study for the VTNE. When you set the date to take the exam, sit down and make yourself a study plan. Figure out the time you are going to set aside each week for studying, and stick to it! If you write out a study plan, you are more likely to hold yourself accountable and follow through. When you are making your study plan, include as many different study strategies as possible. You can make flashcards, study with a friend, take practice exams, or any other method that has been most helpful to you in your journey to this point. No matter the method you use, take your studying seriously!

Summary

It is so important that you choose your time leading up to the VTNE wisely. There is no better way to combat those exam nerves than to be as prepared as you possibly can. Your time in school has led you to this point, and you are equipped with the tools needed to pass this exam. Take a deep breath, and start preparing!

Guest post article by I Love Veterinary. Project dedicated to supporting veterinary medicine and sharing information in the veterinary community.

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Student Advocacy Day Trip to Harrisburg

by marketing intern William F. Rodebaugh III

On Tuesday April 9th, I, along with two sophomores Kedliany Ramirez-Rodriguez and Chelsea Phraner, got a chance to step away from classes at Manor for a day and experience a day in Harrisburg for Student Advocacy. We were selected because we were accepted into a financial aid program called PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency).  The two purposes of this trip was get legislators familiarized with Manor, and to tell the stories we had about how financial aid impacted us. The organization that sponsored this day was AICUP (Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania). This trip was headed by Vice President of Advancement Kimberly Hamm, and joining us on the trip was Vice President of Enrollment Stephanie Walker.

The exciting day began with a rally on the capitol steps. This rally was led by Tom Foley, the President of AICUP. All of the students would stand on the steps listening to the stories from three college students on how financial aid impacted their lives. It was so cool to hear those stories as we worked to expand it on our own campus. After the ceremony we would then go on to visiting the offices of the leaders.

The first person we spoke to was Attorney Benjamin V. Sanchez from District 153. I met him previously because he was the keynote speaker for the Founder’s Day 2019 event. Every time we met someone we would give our elevator pitch – this is a short introduction on who we are and why we think Manor is important to us.  I was the one to talk about our four year bachelor program; this was because I am continuing my education at Manor for Business. I also discussed what I enjoyed about Manor. I explained that the small size is what made me like it. We then made sure that a picture was taken with everyone we had an appointment with.

Next we would meet with a staff member of Christine M. Tartaglione the State Senator of Philadelphia county named Geoffrey Mock. Her office is actually located right around the corner from where I live. After meeting with Geoffrey Mock we took a break. During that break we got a chance to see the floor where the house members were working on passing a bill. We actually got to see that bill be passed, which was inspiring to witness. After the break we met with other colleges like Juniata to talk to State Senator of Montgomery County Art Haywood. The schools gave reasons and statistics as to why they are in need of more financial aid funding.

An exciting part of the trip was meeting with two representatives I already met previously. One of them was attorney and representative of Philadelphia County District Joseph C. Hohenstein of District 177. I knew him because while he was campaigning he coached my youngest brother Luke in soccer. He also has had polls set up in a coffee shop my parents own called “Great Awakenings.” The other one was Representative of District 202 and Lawyer Jared Solomon. He shared his story with us on why supporting Financial Aid was important to him. I knew him because he came to many events our family coffee shop hosted.

After lunch and a walk we went to the final office in another building.  We met a staff member of Senator Pat Toomey named Larissa Bailey. The Senator still went above and beyond, providing gift baskets for a Manor fundraiser taking place on April 11th. Each time we met with a representative, I felt more comfortable introducing myself with my elevator pitch. This whole trip to me gave me experience to what it is like interacting with others in the real world.

This trip at the end of the day left me with a big smile on my face. I have Kimberly Hamm to thank for making this possible. This was an honor for me to be asked to advocate for this issue. I am very glad we got support for making this plan a reality. I would also like to thank Stephanie Walker, Chelsey and Keliany for coming with their experiences as well. Walker had these words to say about the trip: “the advocacy day in Harrisburg was an amazing experience.  I was happy to share the day with three Manor students who told their stories and advocated for sustained financial aid in the state of Pennsylvania. I was proud to see our students speaking directly to State Representatives and Senators and engaging in conversations that will support of higher education.  It was an unforgettable experience!”

I would like to close with a statement from Kimberly Hamm: “It’s a great honor to stand with our amazing Manor College students as they share what our campus community means to them with our Pennsylvania legislators. It’s important that we share our Manor Stories so that everyone knows the great work being done here at Manor College. “

If you have any questions about my trip or this article you can email me at Wrodebaugh@manor.edu and I will be glad to answer your questions.

An Introduction to Rotaract: a Club for Service

by William F. Rodebaugh III

Students who enjoy engaging in community service and helping other people: Rotaract is for you. There is a philosophy for Manor that states, “Service above self,” and that is evident here. For those who enjoy being social and meeting other people, Rotaract provides opportunities to network with other members.

Rotaract started up in 1968. It was established as an inspiration for young leaders to “take action” to make their country better. Even though the world and the interactions of students has changed, the underlying values, and the elements that attract people to it have not.

Rotaract has been successful in raising money and awareness for different causes. For instance, campaigns were launched for international humanitarian causes like lupus. The leader of this club is Mary Sims, who teaches law and criminal justice courses at Manor. Sims says she enjoys “giving service to the community along with the Rotaract clubs.”

Sims explains why she decided to start up Rotaract at Manor.  “I was actually brought in with Norma Hall to start it up with her. I like to work with students on projects and community events.”

Rotaract Mingle Event

In this club the students make up the officers. Presently FA18-SP19 are: Mariah Hardmon as President, William Rodebaugh as VP, Meg Davis as secretary, and the Treasurer is Cindy Windfelder. On April 2nd, new members will take these roles.  The new officers for FA19-SP20 will be William Rodebaugh as President, Mariah Hardmon as VP, Ashley McDermott as secretary, and Meg Davis as Treasurer.

Currently Rotaract has a small membership (about 10 to 12 active members) on campus. There is hope that, in the coming semesters, Rotaract will change and expand in the future. “I’d like to see more students involved in it; we’d like to get more students into the club and the service projects like NORC and working with the Sponsoring Rotary Clubs, Jenkintown and Northeast Philly.  Also, more students coming to service events to make connections and meet people.”

Sims explains that changes to the club may help improve participation. “We don’t have to have too many meetings because of the events we do and students’ work and school schedules. I think the people who are in it like doing it and being involved in it. I would also like to see more people go to the RYLA conference in the Summer; it is funded by our Sponsoring Rotaries and gives students a chance to meet people in Washington, DC from all over the world.”

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  Court visit – Judge McHugh’s office

Spring has seen exciting events for the Manor College Rotaract. The spaghetti supper was on March 28th, the Justice Conference was on April 2nd, the Civil Rights Presentation was on April 4th, and the Pancake Breakfast was on April 6th. The club will also have an end-of-semester party the week before finals.

”I think that Manor has a lot of good clubs on campus, and I am the advisor of two of them. I think it helps students get out of the classroom environment and meet others and make a difference in the world by making a difference in our community. Whether it’s with NORC or other groups like the Covenant House, we really can do a lot when we do it together with others,” says Sims.

If this program interests anyone, feel free to Email Mary Sims at msims@manor.edu.

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  Montgomery County Commissioner, Val Arkoosh installs new officers

Sources

https://www.rotary.org/en/rotaract-through-decades

https://manor.edu/student-life/student-engagement/student-clubs-organizations-2/service-clubs/

Get to Know the Manor Basileiad Library

Everyone knows the library – even if they don’t know how to spell it! – but how well do you really know the library?

The Manor College Basileiad library was formed in 1968. Before that, it was located in a building right next to where it is now. It was called the Thomas More library. The library serves many different purposes. Students are able to check out books, do schoolwork, and study for upcoming exams. They can also hang out with fellow students and engage in conversations. Here’s a few things you should know about the library and what they have to offer as well as the upcoming events.

Second Annual Edible Book Contest

One fun event that is upcoming at Manor is the second annual edible book contest. This will take place On Friday, April 5. This is something that any students, professors, or staff and faculty members can enter. The purpose is to recreate an aspect of a piece of literature. This could be a book cover, plot, character, or even the title of the book. The book that the piece was inspired by would need to be either brought from home or borrowed from the library. Also, more than one entry can be brought by the contenders!

Poetry Contest

Another fun upcoming event will be the poetry contest. Any Manor student can enter this contest. The last day of acceptance is Monday, April 29. This poetry will be judged on how original and creative it is, along with its artistic quality. Contestants can submit up to two original pieces of work. It should be noted that when submitted, Manor College can publish these poems on the website and places around the campus. The first place winner will be announced on Wednesday May 1 and will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. In the entry, no curse words or anything vulgar should be included. This event is to celebrate National Poetry Month. A similar contest was held on Valentine’s Day.

Flash Fiction Story Contest

A past annual event on Campus was the annual “Flash Fiction Story Contest.” This is an opportunity for students who enjoy creative writing to create their own stories for the Halloween season. Students are also invited to reflect on their experiences. Any Manor student would be eligible to enter to write an original story. This would have to be scary but not include anything vulgar or include curse words in the respect of a general audience. We hope to see this event again!

The Website is Useful for Our Courses

The Basileiad website is filled with resources to help students with homework and other projects. For example, there are plenty of sources available for those taking the Philosophy course. The sources are divided into categories like christianity, existentialism, and an introduction to what philosophy is and why it should be studied. On these pages you can find videos as well as links to articles. One video on this page is a brief introduction to philosophy by a professor from a CUNY college. Also, there is a website from the American Philosophical Association that gives a quick guide about Philosophy to undergrads, and a tab filled with podcasts and videos on philosophy. There are links for “Youtube” channels like one on “Wireless Philosophy, and a list of general philosophy links. For example, there is one called “Philosophize This!” This one is all about covering philosophers and the ideas they have in chronological order.

The Basileiad library is a place for books, studying, and participating in events such as those listed above – among other things. What do you love the library? Let us know in the comments!

By marketing intern William F. Rodebaugh III

5 Things You Might Not Know About Manor

Manor College is a wonderful school, and there’s more to it than meets the eye. I have five interesting facts about the college that you may be surprised to hear about.

1. Why the Sisters Came to Philadelphia

In 1911, the sisters received an invitation from the Most Reverend Solter Ortynsky to come to Philadelphia. He was the first Ukrainian Bishop in the United States. Their mission in Philly was to open an orphanage and school  at North 7th and Parish Streets. In addition to Manor, St. Basil Academy was established in 1931. This is a private Catholic High School for girls. You can see this school right across the street from Manor’s campus. The sisters actually lived in the farm house, which is located right next to the barn at Manor. There are many other foundations of the Sisters of St. Basil. To name a few there are Poland, Argentina, Bosnia, and Italy.

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2. Manor College Was Not Always Manor College

When Manor College was formed in 1947, it wasn’t called Manor College. It was originally called St. Macrina, and it was an all girls’ school. The Sisters of St. Basil the Great formed this college. The Sisters of St. Basil the Great were founded by St. Basil and his sister St. Macrina, who were from a traditional family of leaders in the community. They were also the ones who established Eastern Monasticism. In other words, they were supposed to be co-workers with God in developing education. In its first year, the school opened its doors to a total of eleven girls.

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3. Manor College Classes Were Televised

Who knew that Manor used to televise their classes?  Beginning in Fall 1996, Manor College had a distance learning program. They were established with students who did not attend full time in mind. WHYY Channel 12 offered these programs.  The first course offered was called “Introduction to Psychology” and was taken by six students. With the success that came out of it, it was available to the whole student body a year later. The lecture comprised of 26 hour-long lectures airing twice a week over the course of a 13-week semester. They would be broadcast between the times of 1-5 and could be recorded for a students’ benefit. The class would only meet together three times the whole semester. This would only be for orientation, the mid-term, and the final.

Source

4. There Was a Class Designed to Teach Students in Three Colleges at the Same Time

Manor College, starting in 1998, had a cultural diversity program where students could be in three different places at the same time once a week.  This would work simply with a television screen and cooperation with two other schools. The two other colleges were Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, Indiana and a college in Aberdeen, South Dakota located on a Native American reservation. The program was called “Diversity Link,” and it was a program meant to teach about cultural diversity.

Source

5. Manor Had an Annual Ukrainian Festival

Manor used to host an annual Ukrainian Festival, and almost 4,000 people came to this event each year. The purpose was to honor the culture, arts, as well as traditions of Ukraine.  This took place on the parking lots of Manor. There were performances from authentic vocal groups and dance troupes from the Ukraine. Attendees were be educated, entertained, as well as enjoyed delicious foods like Kowbosa (a type of sausage).

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I hope you found these facts fascinating! Let me know if you know anything interesting about Manor College that may surprise us.

By marketing intern William F. Rodebaugh III

5 Fun Things to Do Near Jenkintown

After a busy day here at Manor College with classes, assignments, exams and more, students may need some time to unwind and have some fun. I compiled a list of five places you could attend close to campus in the Jenkintown area. After reading this, let me know if you have any further suggestion of what you consider to be a fun activity.

Alverthorpe Park

Not that far from the campus is a beautiful park called Alverthorpe, located on Jenkintown Rd and Forrest Avenue. This park gives free membership for students, teachers, and faculty at Manor College with the ID badge. Right now it is open from 8am to 5pm, but starting March 4th it will be open until 8pm. There are many different activities you can do here. One thing you can do: play basketball at the basketball court. This is good for those on the basketball team who want to practice in an outdoor environment. It is open all year round. This is a gorgeous place to take a run or walk with the beautiful trees, and animals that run around. Also, for a $15 fee you could have a relaxing night and go camping. When I have gone on a run in the past I saw several deer. Additional activities that come at a price are: tennis courts with a 1.5 hour limit, fishing, and Par-3 Golf. You can also reserve picnic tables for $5.00. For more information, visit the Alverthorpe website.

Abington Art Center

For those who have an appreciation for art and want to find something free to do, the “Abington Art Center” in Jenkintown is for you. You can find this on a 27 acre campus that is located 10 miles away from Center City. This is located on 515 Meetinghouse Rd. The Winter Gallery is open until March 23rd Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10am to 8pm and Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.  It is closed on Sundays, Mondays, and Fridays. The sculpture park which looks like is getting work on right now is open each day from sunrise to sunset. For more information, visit their site.

The Austrian Village

If you want to go some place for lunch or dinner with food from another country, I would suggest the Austrian Village on 321 Huntingdon Pike. This is open from Monday to Saturday from 11am to 10pm. An example of something Austrian you can have here is a schnitzel, which is a type of breaded pork cutlet. You can also get a variety of salads, burgers, and sandwiches. For more information, visit their website.

Joseph’s Pizza

For those who enjoy pizza I would recommend “Joseph’s Pizza” which is not that far off from the Austrian Village, located on 7947 Oxford Avenue. They have a unique pizza made from “signature fresh dough” with their special sauce with mozzarella cheese on the top of it.  For those who want something besides pizza there is also pasta, salads, wings, and sandwiches. For students or those on campus who want to bring something on campus to share or eat alone, they have a take out option. For more information on the foods they have, or the history of the restaurant, visit their website here.

Hiway Theater

Wouldn’t it be relaxing to go to see a movie after a long day of work and classes? Try the the Hiway Theater on 212 York Road. This week, there are two movies showing. One of them is “The Upside” starring Philly-born Kevin Hart (let me know how it is if you go and see it). The other one is called “The Favorite” starring Olivia Coleman. Find the most current schedule on their website.

I hope you take some time to look at these Jenkintown gems!

By marketing intern Will Rodebaugh III

Finding the Balance: School, Soccer, Parenthood and Work!

When I started school, I remember joking around with my friends and family about becoming a soccer player. You may think some girls just play soccer for the cute uniforms. Well, guilty as charged, because originally—that was me! Later that year, around August, Manor College’s soccer coach wound up reaching out to me, and asked me to join the team. I thought this was a joke, or I was on the show Punk’d, because I never talked about soccer with anybody at school, and I didn’t know any soccer players.

Well, fast forward to September when the season started. Being on the soccer team taught me to watch the opponent’s feet. If you have time one day, just watch a basketball player or football player on the field or court, and observe their posture and their body weight. You see that if they lean to the left more so than their right, then 9 times out of 10 they’re going to go right, and visa versa. When my coach had me out there on the field, he pushed me to run more than what I would do on a regular run; he pushed me more then I would push myself. I wasn’t the best player, but I was fast!

The soccer team was down to earth; it was a couple other girls that never played before, and some that you can tell soccer was their life. In the beginning, it was good; I was a cheerleader from middle to high school, so I knew about the obstacles that came with it. However, college was a totally different experience, with practice every day, then class at 6:30pm at night. Pet peeve: I hate sweating and being dirty, and going straight to class after the workout was just…ewwww.

My social life was another story; friends and family complained about not seeing me. My life was basically being a working mom, full-time soccer player, and school full time; plus, my son was in football. So, talk about a chicken running with their head cut off!  My grades were good, but the days I had games were the days I had my hardest class. I was thinking: I can do it, I’ll get my grades up and work turned in, in no time. Nope: I failed.

Being a mom while playing soccer was hard for me sometimes. I felt like I wasn’t giving my son enough attention. However, when I thought about it, I knew that was me just telling myself that I need to quit. That right there made me realize: I can still do what I want and still have time for my son and do what I need to do for him. I brought my son to the practices; I brought my son to the games. Yes, it was hard, but I managed. If my son did not have his tablet or phone, he would play with the soccer ball or my coach would let him play with us doing practice.

In other words: I put what I learned in soccer into practice. I pushed myself harder than I ever would have before. It took me a while to learn the right balance for my life; for now, I’m taking a break from the soccer team and concentrating on academics. That doesn’t mean you can’t balance work, sports, socializing and school, but here’s what I learned: part of being an adult is finding what works for you.

Sheresa Palmer is a Criminal Justice major at Manor College.

What’s Varenyky? Learning to Cook the Ukrainian Pierogi

Last week at Manor College, we celebrated our fifteenth annual “Founders’ Day,” a series of week-long events that students, professors, faculty and alumni participate in. This was the first year where Founders’ Day was celebrated over the course of one week. The week consisted of community service, food creation, social media events, awards, and celebration. One particular event was a food making event where we created “Ukrainian Varenyky.” This is like a pierogi.

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I was very happy to participate in making a handful of these delicious pierogi. Making it was not as difficult as I thought it would be. In creating this dish, very few ingredients were needed to make the shell. Only flour, salt, oil, and water were required. I started by combining flour and salt and putting it into a bowl. I added oil and water and stirred it to mix it up. Then I did the part I thought was the most fun. I put the dough on a mat for five minutes and rolled the dough with my bare hands until it got smooth and soft. I enjoyed this because it allowed me to get all my strength in the dough and improve my coordination skills. I always enjoy opportunities for doing that.

After that, I took a brief ten minute break in order to let the dough rest on the mat. Then I rolled out half of the dough with a roller until it was ⅛ inches thick. After rolling, I used a tool to make small circles out of the dough. I was able to make nine small circles out of it. Then it was time to fill up the circles with the fillings. I had a couple of different options to fill them with. The ingredients were mashed potatoes, shredded cheese, and sauerkraut. You could also put sour cream and fried onions on top of them.

Personally, I thought filling and rolling the varenyky was the most difficult part for me. I needed to put a spoonful of filling into the circle. It turned out on a majority of them I ended up putting too much mashed potatoes and cheese in them. Pretty much if anything stuck out while it was baking it would pop open. This was soon corrected with help. I needed to fold the circle in half and keep giving them small pinches. I wrapped the process up by taking my nine pirogies to the kitchen and boiled them for five minutes. In the end, they looked a bit soggy, but I still think I did a good job. I realize that if I keep making these I can do a whole lot better.

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It turned out that there were trays and trays full of Ukrainian varenyky. I thought they tasted really good. It was an awesome idea to learn how to create this food. Something cool about the varenyky is that you can put any food you want inside. It can be beef, chicken, or even a something dessert-like, such as fruit.  I really enjoy learning how to cook things even though I have not done it so much. I hope it is something that I will keep on improving as time goes on.

Will Rodebaugh is an intern in the Manor College marketing department.

A Letter to Incoming Freshmen

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When entering college, what’s the first thing that comes to mind as a freshman? The hot guys or girls; do they have a sorority or fraternity; or what type of clubs/sports they have?

You may start to believe that college is like what you see on tv/in the movies. Well, if that’s the case, let’s just say: you will be completely shocked.

My first day as a freshman was January 17, 2017. I was excited because I was so ready and nervous at the same time. I was thinking: what if the professors do not like me, or what if they are complete jerks? I was so overwhelmed that my mind was racing a thousand miles per hour like a race car.

However, my experience was the complete opposite of my fears. The professors/advisor I have had so far love me, and actually helped push me to become the best I can be. I’m not saying that school is easy breezy, because if that’s the case, everybody would be passing with flying colors and wouldn’t be stressed about midterms, etc. But: you will become more mature here, and you will succeed if you make good choices.

I am going to say this to the up and coming freshmen: relax, breathe. The professors are so welcoming. Some are stern and it’s going take a cold day to get them to smile, but they want the very best for you.

Please, do not come to college and skip class because your friends are not in the same class as you, or because you do not like a teacher. You are in college now, where “What you do today, will affect your tomorrow.”

My top tips for first year students:

• Take advantage of all the help that’s given to you.
• Check your emails.
• Network — reach out to people, help out with different organizations.
• Take advantage of your education.
• Study and get a tutor, even if you feel like you do not need one.

Your first year is your easy year. Join a study group, or make one. Don’t be a procrastinator and turn in the assignment at the last minute. If you like to work under pressure, then go for it, but for most others, don’t. In other words: know yourself and how you thrive. Do not keep putting stuff to the side because you want to have fun or be with your friends. Better yet: make sure you have one friend that’s going be on your case and motivate you and everyone in the group to stay on top.

I’m ending this blog with a thought.

I pray that y’all have: No distractions, no unnecessary interactions.

It’s focus time.

It’s grind time.

Sheresa Palmer is a Criminal Justice major at Manor College.

Advice to Freshmen by William Rodebaugh

Dear Freshmen,

My name is William Rodebaugh.  At Manor College, I go by Will.   I am a Sophomore. I thought I would take this time to offer you advice as you go into your first year at Manor College.  The goal of this post is to give my experience of how I got through my freshman year. I hope you find it helpful!

Stay Diligent

Staying on top of everything is something that might come as a challenge, but can be done. In my opinion, the work is manageable, but you just have to make sure you do it.  Also, I remember during my first year, I still had time left over for extracurricular activities. For example, my freelance writing job and reading.

Something that served me very well last year was choosing classes that were the earliest in the morning.  That way I had plenty of time to study and do the assignments. While that might not work for every required class, I encourage you to pick morning classes when you can.  

Get Involved

I enjoyed how much I could write while a freshman at Manor.  Many of my courses required that I write a lot of papers. One of my favorites was at the end of the first semester where I had to write a “Last Lecture”. I enjoyed it because I got to tell my story and share all my strengths and weaknesses. Also, aside from classes, I entered a contest in the first semester where for Halloween I wrote my own version of a scary story. With all that being said a piece of advice I have is to use your skills and gifts to help you through your freshmen semesters.  Get involved in campus activities! It’s a great way to meet people!

Something I really enjoy about this college is how interactive it is. I enjoy the small class sizes; it makes it easier to give input on the class and share ideas. Also, it made it convenient to engage in conversations with others. I encourage all of you to engage with the class and meet someone new as well.

Stay Positive

One more thing I would recommend is to never be stressed. The first couple of weeks I got stressed often, but I felt my anxiety level really got better as the year went on.  I encourage you to take every moment as it comes. When an exam or assignment comes, take your time and tell yourself that you can do it. I hope you have a wonderful first semester at Manor College!

Sincerely,

William Rodebaugh