Summer Reading Recommendations

This summer, take full advantage of your time off by reading a book (or a few)! Not sure what to read? Look over this list to find some of the books that Manor’s faculty and staff recommend. (Just think how easy it will be to strike up a conversation with Prez Peri if you’ve read one of his favorite books!) Regardless of whether you’re looking to expand your knowledge, find inspiration, or relax with an easy read, this list has what you’re looking for!

The Alchemist

By Paulo Coelho

Recommended by: Emily Carroll, Digital Marketing Manager

Born a Crime

By Trevor Noah

Recommended by: Mary Sims J.D., Director of Legal Studies Program

Born to Run

By Bruce Springsteen

Recommended by: Mary Sims J.D., Director of Legal Studies Program

Demographics and Demand for Higher Education

By Nathan D. Grawe

Recommended by: Kim Hamm, Director of Institutional Advancement

The Glass Castle: A Memoir

By Jeannette Walls

Recommended by: President Peri

The Improvement Guide: A Practical Approach to Enhancing Organizational Performance

By Gerald J. Langley, et. Al.

Recommended by: Kim Hamm, Director of Institutional Advancement

Just Mercy

By Bryan Stevenson

Recommended by: Mary Sims J.D., Director of Legal Studies Program

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

By Ransom Riggs

Recommended by: President Peri

Psalms

Recommended by: Sister Cecilia, Director of Ukrainian Heritage Studies Center

Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership

By Lee Bolman & Terrence Deal

Recommended by: President Peri

Tuesdays with Morrie

By Mitch Albom

Recommended by: Sarah Clymer, Marketing Communications Assistant

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

By Lauren Hillenbrand

Recommended by: Cherie Crosby Ph.D, Program Director of the Early Childhood Education Program

Wide Sargasso Sea

By Jean Ryes

Recommended by Donna Guerin MLIS, Library Director

We hope you check out some of these books this summer for self improvement, inspiration, and relaxation. Have a wonderful and enjoyable summer, and feel free to start a conversation with someone about their recommendation when you’re back on campus in the fall!

Have a favorite read? Add a comment below!

5 Ways to Manage your Time as a Student Athlete

As a student athlete you are asked to carry a lot of responsibilities. You are expected to balance practice, homework, workouts, games, and a social life. Balancing all of these is a job in itself, not to mention if you really do have a job. Here are a few ways to help you manage your time.

1. Schedule your time: Try to schedule a week in advance by using a planner or calendar on an electronic device. You want to set aside time for homework, studying, practice, individual workouts, and games. Trying to remember everything without writing anything down or having it digital is hard. Check things off as you go so that you know what is or isn’t done.
2. Set goals: Setting goals for yourself before the season is normal for athletes. Every pre-season, even if you don’t know you’re doing it, you think about what you want to accomplish, such as how many points, hits, blocks, steals, goals, strikeouts, or kills you want to average, even if you don’t know you’re doing it, you think about what you want to accomplish. Setting goals in the beginning of each semester is a great idea as well. Some goals you could start off with are obtaining a higher GPA than you did last semester, attending all of your classes, or turning in all our assignments on time.
3. Get to know your professor: Getting to know your professor and building a good relationship with them at the beginning of the semester will be beneficial to your academic success. Being able to talk to them, tell them you’re an athlete on campus, and your game schedule (especially if you have a night class) will help you be successful in your classes. Professors are there to help you and they want to see you succeed. If you put in the effort to talk to them and build a relationship they will do the same.
4. Avoid distractions: Sometimes in order to be successful you must separate yourself from everything and focus on things you have to get done. Outside distractions can distract you from your ultimate goal and soul purpose of being in school. Derek Jeter, a former professional baseball player, once said, “I attribute much of my success in New York to my ability to understand and avoid unnecessary distractions.” It’s easy to let distractions get in the way of your goals but that’s one of the most important things to try and control.
5. Don’t give up: If you run into problems you can’t give up. If life was a game you would have to excel to higher levels and as you get to higher levels they get harder. This is something in life that you can’t give up on, just like you wouldn’t just quit in a game; you’re just in the next level of life. If you made it to college as a student athlete your coach already decided you were a good enough student and athlete to make it so just like they trusted in you, trust in yourself.

Using your will, determination, and some of these tips, your time in college as a student athlete will not only be fun and memorable, but successful as well.

 

How to Best Prepare for College

When preparing for college, there are lots of things people are going to say you need to do. Here are a few that everyone should try.

Get involved: When you are first are going off to school you should get involved in as many activities as you can, no matter if it’s participating in clubs, sports teams, or in school-sponsored on-campus events. This will give you the opportunity to meet different types of people from all over. Getting your mind off of the stress that comes with school will help your transition be smoother and more enjoyable.

Get to know your professor: Professors are there to help you and wouldn’t be teaching if they didn’t want to see you succeed. Don’t be afraid to get to know them and talk to them. Ask questions when you don’t understand something; teachers are there not only to teach the class but to help you understand the material. Getting to know your professors could even lead to an internship!

Making friends: Try to make friends with as many people as you can. Don’t limit yourself only to people that you think are the most like you. Instead, talk to people you wouldn’t normally talk to. The more people you know the better; it’s all about relationships nowadays. Networking plays a part in every aspect of the world today.

Make the most of every situation: Put 100% effort into everything that you do. Never sell yourself short and say you “can’t” do something; have faith in yourself. Give 100% effort in everything you do so that you can say that you tried your best.

Be true to yourself: When coming in to school, you will be faced with many challenges that you have never faced before. Never change who you are as a person to please someone else.

Show school spirit: Represent your school on and off campus. This could be by wearing school merchandise off campus, going to school sponsored events, or talking about your school to someone who may have never heard of it before.

Using these tips and your own personal touch will put you in the right position to be successful in college. Remember to enjoy where you will be spending most of your time for the next few years of your life!