Uncategorized – Page 10 – University Honors Program Blog

#Honorsproblems – Buying Textbooks on the Cheap

November 22, 2013Uncategorized1 Comment

Today’s #Honorsproblems post is written by SPA Michelle Stuhlmacher, a junior majoring in geography.
We’ve all had classes that require bazillions of books and therefore result in spending a disagreeable amount of money before the semester even begins. While some students might be happy to skip buying the books at all, UHPers tend to actually do their readings thoroughly — so having the books is important. But fear no more! Here’s six pointers to help you spend less on books so you can save it for important things, like brunch.
1) Just say no
The GW bookstore is so convenient: you don’t have to prowl the web for the correct edition, wait for shipping, or stand in line at package services. But this convenience shows up in price, so choose carefully! Once in a blue moon you can find a really great deal at the bookstore, so do keep an eye out.
2) Bigwords
So what are the other options? There are magical websites like bigwords.com, booksprice.com, and bookfinder.com that will search a bunch of different online book sellers and tell you which one has the best price. I’m a dedicated Bigwords user so I’ll explain that site in a little more depth.
First figure out the ISBN number of your assigned book and type it into the search bar.

Pick the “buy or rent” option which will put the book in your bookbag. Repeat.

Once you have found all of the books click the “Start Price Comparison” button. You’ll end up with a page like this:

The side bar gives you all sorts of ways to narrow down the book type. You can rent, choose to include used/digital copies, or consider buyback value. Bigword includes coupons when analyzing prices (way awesome!) for this reason I recommend that you try to buy your books all at once so you’ll qualify for “Buy $50 and save 5%” type coupons.
Receiving the books you ordered online can take awhile so make sure you plan ahead…but we’re honors kids so planning is what we do best!
3) Renting
If you know you will never need to reference that $187 textbook again renting is a good option. Lots of online booksellers (Chegg, Amazon, Barnes and Nobel) and the GW bookstore rent books with the college semester in mind. Pro tip: read the rental agreement so you know when you have to return the book!
4) eBooks
If you don’t mind reading off screens consider buying eBooks. Digital textbooks are always cheaper than the print version. They come in a program that allows you to digitally highlight, write notes, and bookmark the page. If you have to buy novels for a class check to see if the digital version is cheaper than buying it used. If you don’t have an eReader most companies have apps that you can download that allow you to read the book on your computer.
5) Book sharing/swapping
We’re all in the honors program and take a lot of the same classes. Your UHP peers can be booksellers and buyers. Buying from other students is cheaper and you don’t have to pay shipping! If you’re not already following the UHP on Facebook and a member of the student UHP group, you might want to get on that.
6) Selling back
At the end of the semester you can go back onto Bigword and sell your books. You can also sell books back to the bookstore and to those random carts that pop up during finals week. Keep in mind that online book buybacks should always pay for your shipping by giving you a label to print and tape to the box.
Now, my book buying apprentices, I have taught you all I know. This spring will be your first test; may the force be with you.

Whovian Takeover

November 18, 2013Uncategorized

Hey! You! I know you. You just finished watching something amazing on Netflix. You missed two classes, an essay, and a homework assignment. You haven’t slept in two days. Why? Because, like many fantastic people, you have discovered the wondrous, intelligent, unbelievably British creation that is Doctor Who and JUST. CAN’T. STOP. WATCHING. You should be social, but there are more pressing matters than what fellow students are doing. Like will the Doctor actually die in a dungeon, IN CARDIFF? And why doesn’t Amy remember the Daleks? And how the heck did Jack get a gun from his… maybe we don’t want to answer that one. Defabrication gets pretty messy.

I have a solution for all of your pressing needs: Come to Columbian Square on November 23rd around 1:30. Meet other GWU students who, like yourself, absolutely love Doctor Who. Come out from behind the Netflix screen and celebrate the greatest anniversary in all of time and space, The Day of the Doctor, with friends who you just haven’t met yet. The Whovian community at GWU will band together in pursuit of friendship and love and, most importantly, curiosity. Because, seriously, who the freaking frak is John Hurt?!? What the bloody hell [editor’s note: this is the USA so we’re going with that phrase being okay] is going to happen when the 10th and 11th doctors meet (answer: the universe will explode from how gosh dang adorable and beautiful they are together)?!? And, WHAT IN THE NAME OF GALLIFREY IS MOFFAT GOING TO PULL NEXT?!?!?!

Bring friends, bring conspiracy theories (plot twist: it was all K-9’s dream), please bring food to share (I’ll be making cookies and bringing bananas but there are only so many bananas a GWorld card can buy), but most importantly, bring the love and curiosity that defines the Doctor Who fandom. Allons-y!

Spot Lil' Franny Dee, Win Money

October 30, 2013Uncategorized

Are you familiar with a little black-and white image of our favorite owl, Franny Dee? Franny Dee sits on a the “Make an Appointment” button on our website — but there’s another version that’s tiny, and black and white.
That’s Lil’ Franny Dee!
If you spot her, you can win a $10 giftcard.
Here’s how to win:

Look for Lil’ Franny Dee in UHP content (she’s a little owl, and is always black and white).
When you see her, go to our Facebook page.
Be the first to post “I Saw Lil’ Franny Dee in ____________!” on our wall. Make sure to include where you saw her, so we know you’re not just really, really, slow about reading the NewsFlash or something.
The same person can’t win twice in a row.
Old Lil’ Franny Dees don’t count! Each one can only be won once.

Lil’ Franny Dee could show up anywhere from in the text of an Honors Program newsletter to blog posts to photobombing pictures on Facebook or Twitter. Keep your eyes peeled and you can win!
So put on your best detective hat, and don’t miss her!

Hold Removals, Walk-ins and Food!

October 21, 2013Featured, Uncategorized

Got a hold? Got a question? Got a hankering for pizza? The UHP is holding some special registration season events to help!
Catherine can lift your hold and make sure you’re ready for the bright dawn of registration day at Hold Removal (and advising) Parties. CCAS students can get their advising holds lifted by Catherine, and everyone can use some excellent advising. Something else everyone can use: brunch and pizza!
–Sunday, October 27th from 11 am to 1 pm: brunch at Pelham Commons on the MVC
–Monday, October 28th from 12 to 2 pm: (FREE!) pizza in the Club Room on Foggy Bottom
–Thursday, October 31st from 12 to 2 pm: (FREE!) pizza in the Club Room on Foggy BOOttom
Second, we’ve got walk-in hours, where you can meet with Catherine sans appointment. In fact, you can’t make an appointment even if you wanted to, and that’s why all her times are unavailable online. Rather, come on in to the Foggy Bottom townhouse, hang out with SPA, Jared, and student staff in the lobby and wait for your chance to see the Wizard. Note that all walk-ins are on Foggy Bottom from 10am to 4pm.
– Monday, October 28th
– Thursday, October 31st
– Friday, November 1st
– Monday, November 4th
Third, here is a GIF of Honey Boo Boo ringing in the fall season. Don’t let registration questions and holds come crashing down on your head. Get out ahead of it with the fun events listed above!

#HonorsProblems – 5 Tips for Stress Management

October 16, 2013Uncategorized

It’s Midterm season and everyone is starting to get stressed OUT. Here are 5 quick tips to help you when you are getting overwhelmed with test and papers.

1) Breathe

It’s simple, but important. Take a breath, count to 10, and calm down to conquer the next project.

2) Come up with a schedule

Prioritize what is most important and what needs to be done quickest. Make a schedule filling in the most important things first, and then figuring out the rest. Remember to leave time for eating, sleeping and breaks!

3) Use positive reinforcement

When talking about a project or studying for an exam, try to use positive words and positive thinking. Honors students especially tend to exaggerate about how horrible everything is and that type of thinking just allows for negative feelings to become associated with a subject.

4) Meditate

Take breaks while studying and make sure to be calm when working. Panicking results in worse work than taking an extra minute to calm down and rethink a problem. If you are using a computer for long periods of time, remember to do the 20-20-20 rule: For every 20 minutes looking at a computer, stare at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

5) Find something you enjoy for after

If you have something super stressful coming up, try to do something fun afterward to de-stress. Maybe plan a trip to the Kennedy Center or go to Baked and Wired for cupcakes! Try to get out of your dorm room/the library and take a well deserved break!

Now enjoy this gif of baby pandas and get to work!

–This post was written by Student Peer Advisor Sarah Rood.

In Defense of Math [Good Article]

September 20, 2013Uncategorized

The Honors Program encourages a well-balanced liberal arts education, but more and more undergraduates leave college just as scared of math as they were when they arrived. As any petulant high schooler can tell you, it’s hard to imagine when you’ll ever use things like calculus in real life. But this article in the New York Times argues that math is more than just the functions on a calculator. Math is artful, beautiful and worth appreciating in and of itself.
As the author argues, “many profound mathematical ideas don’t require advanced skills to appreciate. One can develop a fairly good understanding of the power and elegance of calculus, say, without actually being able to use it to solve scientific or engineering problems.”
Whether you are a future mathematician or you are struggling through Math and Politics, the article is worth a read. A compelling and well-written defense of math is hard to find, but UMD professor Manil Suri manages to connect numbers, equations and variables with something resembling art, literature and even, as the title promises, love.

#HonorsProblems: Studying Abroad

September 17, 2013Uncategorized

Be honest, if you could study abroad anywhere, it would totally be Hogwarts.

Today’s #HonorsProblems post is written by Ali Tran, a senior and SPA who studied abroad last fall at Peking University in Beijing.
Studying abroad will change your life. Period. Most students who have studied abroad will agree – there is no substitute for going to another country and living there for an extended period of time. No matter where you go – whether it is London or Beijing – the experience will teach you life lessons. Being in another country gives you the opportunity to see different points of view on history, culture, religion, politics, and more. You will create life-long memories, make close friends, and learn invaluable lessons about the world and yourself. Even better, you’ll have the opportunity to travel to places you normally wouldn’t have time to go to. The Office of Study Abroad (OSA) offers a plethora of programs and destinations to choose from, ranging from semester- to year-long programs during the fall, spring, and summer.
If you’re worried that taking classes abroad will mess up your busy Four Year Plan and prevent you from graduating on time, don’t worry! Many programs include courses that can count for your major’s requirements, and you can transfer credits from your abroad university to GW. The OSA study abroad advisers (not to mention the UHP’s resident adviser, Catherine!) are experts and can help you schedule your study abroad period into your Four Year Plan. The UHP SPA will also be offering a Study Abroad Workshop later in the semester. If you want to talk to students who have already studied abroad, check the SPA bios to see which SPA have a study abroad advising specialty, or just ask an OSA study abroad adviser for some contacts.
Wherever you go, make sure to stay in contact with the UHP! Send a postcard – or even better, write a blog post about your experiences. Keep calm and go study abroad!
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Interested in Joining Panhellenic Greek Life?

September 6, 2013Extracurricular Opportunity, Uncategorized

Announcement for Women in the Honors Program!
The GW Panhellenic Council will be hosting and Information Session about Recruitment this week! Come to learn more about how joining the GW Greek community can help you to build lasting friendships, make strong networking connections, and be a part of one of GW’s largest student groups! This is a great opportunity to speak with women who are in the Honors Program and Greek life to learn more about how rewarding being a member of both organizations can be.
Who: Any woman interested in joining a Panhellenic Chapter
Where: Eckles Library on the Mount Vernon Campus
When: Tuesday September 10th, 7 and 8:30 pm
See you there! If you have any other questions email Lauren Cortese (one of our very own UHPers!) at pnmcommchair2013@gmail.com!

#HonorsProblems: Surviving Your First Few Weeks of College

August 28, 2013Uncategorized

Welcome to #HonorsProblems, a new monthly column written by your Student Peer Advisors tackling some of the most common issues we all face as college students and especially as University Honors Program members. Our inaugural post is written by UHPer and SPA Communications Chair Jess Burnell, a senior in the Columbian College majoring in economics.
—
Welcome, Class of 2017! You’re here. You’ve made it. You are, officially, college students. But I know that even though you’ve unpacked all your stuff in your dorm room and figured out where your classes are (I hope), you’re probably still feeling incredibly overwhelmed. College is an experience unlike anything you’ve ever faced before, and if you’re having anxiety over the idea of making new friends, doing well in class, and generally worrying about how to make the most out of your time at GW, you’re not alone. Trust me, we’ve all been there. With that in mind, this #HonorsProblems post aims to give you a few tips to help you get your sea legs under you:

Tip #1: DON’T PANIC.

Transitioning to college is hard. Making new friends is hard. Sometimes (but not always) getting through a class will be hard. Learning how to live away from your family if you’ve never had to before (or learning to live with a roommate if you’ve never had to before) can be very, very hard. And as difficult as it might be to not worry about these things, try as much as possible not to panic. Know that it will take time to adjust to living in this new place and interacting with new people. Don’t panic when it feels like everyone else is making friends right off the bat the first week and you haven’t really connected with anyone yet. Don’t panic if you fail the first quiz. Don’t panic if you have no idea what you want to major in. Things will fall into place if you give them a little time. And most importantly, learn to trust yourself. You can handle anything college can throw at you.

Tip #2: Get out of your room.

Parachute-Children-Sports-Toy — Try doing this.

All of that being said, nothing will fall into place if you spend all of your time outside of class alone in your dorm! Putting yourself out there and actively seeking new friends and new experiences is the key to establishing great relationships with people and having a great time during your four years at GW. Student orgs are the best way to meet people who share your interests. Get involved in Greek life, a club sport, an acapella group, or whatever floats your boat! Stay tuned to the UHP blog for upcoming posts where SPA highlight the orgs they’re involved with outside of the UHP if you’re searching for inspiration. In addition, don’t forget that the UHP hosts some pretty fun community building events of its own throughout the year where you can meet and bond with your fellow UHPers!

Tip #3: Take advantage of the UHP resources available to you.

keep-calm-and-love-college — You’ve got this covered.

You have an awesome network of people at your disposal already built in to your GW experience: the staff and students of the UHP! Make an appointment with Catherine when you need advice on declaring a major, working out a four-year plan, fulfilling Honors requirements, or anything having to do with academics. Your SPA are always here for you as well; all of our bios will be posted here on the blog, and you can meet us in person at the Honors Advising Workshop in Ames Hall on the Vern this Friday from 2-4pm. Friend us on Facebook or email uhpspa@gwu.edu to talk to or ask questions of any of us about anything at all (my personal favorite topics of discussion include cats and the BBC show Sherlock, for example).
We’ve all got your back. So are you ready? Let’s do this.

Honors Contracts Due Soon

August 27, 2013Uncategorized

Faust2 — Faust’s contract was a little more serious than ours. But ours is still serious, too.

If you’re taking a contract course, make sure to complete your Honors Contract!
How do you know if you need to complete an Honors Contract?
Fill one out if you plan on:

Internship for Honors credit,
Undergraduate Research,
Research Assistantship,
Senior Thesis (Other than Special Honors in your degree — that’s a different form found here)

Get the RTF-EZ here and the Contract Form here. Don’t forget your proposal!
You’ve got until COB Friday, September 13th, 2013.
Confused? Make an appointment.