Recently in Eric Category

I think that my favorite part about each semester is registration time!  There is just something about looking up all of the classes and figuring out your schedule.  I think part of that has to do with organization.  You need to check with all of the course pre-reqs, degree requirements, and of course, MEET WITH YOUR ADVISOR!!  It is very important that all students meet with an advisor so that you can make sure that you are meeting all of the requirements.  There is always the chance that the requirements have changed and you will want to make sure you are following to correct track.  It is a simple 30-mintue appointment.  If you do not want to come into the office, we have online advising or you could even take a phone appointment.  There is really no reason why you could not meet with an advisor

The cool thing about registering for the fall is that I get to register at the same time!  I have recently been accepted to Indiana University's Higher Education and Students Affairs (HESA) doctoral degree.  I will be starting in the fall and am pretty pumped.  I am currently looking up all of the classes that I get to choose from, and once again, I get excited thinking about all of the degree requirements and finding out what I need to do to reach the goal of getting an Ed.D (Doctorate of Education) degree.  I feel like a freshman all over again.  There are so many things to learn and people to meet.  I am excited that some of the classes will be taught in Bloomington which is a beautiful campus.  Now I will feel that pressure that all of you feel when you are given assignments and have papers to write.  But it is important to stay focused and do your best!

Enjoy this nice weather!  And MEET WITH AN ADVISOR before you register!

I am sure that we all know how time flies.  It is hard to believe that I have been working in Kelley for one whole year.  It seems like yesterday that I was anxiously waiting for my first day and excited to meet new people.  Not going to lie.  It was hard leaving friends and colleagues that you have worked for and with over the course of four years.  I remember being really excited about meeting new people and wondering how I was going to fit in with the office.  But any nerves that I had went away VERY quickly.  I just seemed to click with everyone which really made it easy to transition into a new position. 

Working at IUPUI has been such an eye opening experience.  My last job was working on the Southside of Indianapolis in a school (University of Indianapolis) with a TOTAL enrollment of 4,000 this includes ALL students (full-time, part-time, graduate and undergraduate).  To come to a school of over 30,000 had been a culture shock!  But I soon realized that everything is school focused.  Sure there are around 30,000 people but I do not seem them every day.  I only see that Kelley students.  So it feels like there are only hundreds of people on campus (until I come to campus to find a parking space and then I realize that there are thousands of people on campus ☺).

It is hard to believe that the holiday season has approached as quickly as it has!  We say this every year but I really think that that time has just flown by!  I think that this is my favorite time of the year.  I love seeing the snow (only for a couple of days) and just the thought of getting bundled up to go outside or lighting a fire in the fireplace.  This will be our first winter in our new house.   My wife and I enjoy watching all of the kids play in the street and we can only imagine what the winter season will bring!  I have to admit that I am looking forward to seeing all of the little kids dressed up in their snow suits.  I enjoy the snow suits because I think that it is cute to see little kids in snow suits that do not allow them to put their arms down (they just stick straight out of the sides).  It makes is hard for them to throw snow balls but I just get a kick out of watching them.  In our house, we do celebrate Christmas and I cannot wait to put up all of the decorations.  I am trying to convince my wife to let me put up Christmas lights on our gutters but she did not seem too excited because I am not the most graceful person.  But we will have to see who wins that battle! ☺  Enjoy the holiday season and stay warm!  

I can tell that Thanksgiving is quickly approaching!  The campus is starting to thin out and some of my colleagues are planning on taking next week off.  As I walk down the hallways I hear students talking about their Thanksgiving plans and what they are looking forward to.  I remember in my undgrad my dad found out about deep fried turkey.  I thought he was crazy in the beginning, but I was wrong!!  That is now the way that I prefer to eat my turkey!  You can find all kinds of flavors to inject it with to see what the flavors are going to be!!  A deep fried turkey is moist and juicy!!

As the semester comes to an end, I reflect upon my first time teaching an X103 (Business Learning Community) class.  It was fun to have some of the first year students learning about the business world and seeing their reaction to some of the homework loads.  A Learning Community does not have a lot of work, but it does keep you busy throughout the semester.  I like the smaller class sizes because students really get to know the others and can really make some friends in the classroom.  One thing I have noticed is that I have some students who take the class VERY seriously, while some others do not take it seriously enough.  I think you need to have a balance.  You should take all of your classes seriously but have fun!  College is hard work, but you have got to have fun with it as well!!  So I am glad that the students get a nice break before the semester ends.  So take some time to relax and eat lots of food because when you come back, it will be FINALS!