Class Schedule, Homework, and a Visit from an Apostle of the Lord

Wow, I've already been here for nearly a month! Sorry I've been so bad about keeping things up-to-date, but life is fun and crazy!

So as you know, I'm living off-campus in a little basement with 3 other girls. My roommate is Lisa, who I've known since my young women days in Knoxville. It's been really fun! Our other two housemates are Kat and Abby, who are super fun.

Everyone here on campus is super nice! It's wonderful to be in an environment where I can just walk up to someone I've never met before and start a friendly conversation. We are all family here, professors included :) The class sizes are small (about 15-25 students), which allows the professors and students to get to know everyone better. I've had professors come up to me and ask me how my homework assignments are going and they always remember my specific concern or struggle, which is yet another proof of their sincere concern for me and my success as a student.

There is always something fun going on at campus! Many weekends they will have an out-door movie night in front of Main Hall, where everyone gathers on the grass with friends to watch a good movie. They also provide popcorn and water and have vendors where you can buy drinks and snow cones. They also have several dances and social gatherings.

I am currently active in the Irish dance club, which has been a goal of mine all year. I love Irish dance and music, and have always wanted to learn, and now I have the chance to learn for free! It's just one of many fun clubs on campus, and students are given the opportunity to create their own clubs. 80% of all students here on campus are involved in extra-curricular activities, which is phenominal! There is a place for everybody.

So this semester am taking a bunch of "knock-out" courses, meaning that I'm simply getting some graduation requirement courses out of the way... It's all fun and fine, but let me tell you, there is a LOT of reading. Here's a sample of my schedule...

Chemistry Today: 8am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with a weekly lab on Tuesday
Reason and the Self: 10am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Creative Writing: 11 am on Monday and Wednesday

America and the Enlightenment: 12:30pm on Tuesday and Thursday
Classics of Western Literature: 2:00pm on Tuesday and Thursday

Reason and the Self with Professor Armstrong is a philosophy course that will REALLY stretch your mind and the way you think. The reading is fairly light, but be sure to pay attention!
America and the Enlightenment with Dr. Knight is a heavy reading course, most of which is printed off of MySVU, which requires us to pay for the copies in the library. It's 5 cents a page, which can get kinda expensive when you have a 20 page packet. Other than that it's a wonderful course that I really enjoy!
Classics of Western Literature with Professor Lambert is heavy reading but very enjoyable, and we always discuss everything in detail the following class period. We just finished reading Homer's The Odyssey, one of my favorites. Currently we are reading Oedipus Rex.

Last Friday I was in my chemistry class when a special guest walked in... Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stood in the doorway in his exercise clothes and a huge smile on his face! He was here for the weekend to celebrate SVU's 20th anniversary. The First Presidency assigned him here, which is a great blessing. He is so loving and cares for each of us. The bell tower on Main Hall was playing hymns for a half hour to welcome him in. It was truly an amazing thing to spend time with him and to hear his counsel to our beautiful university.

So, overall I am LOVING it here! There are always challenges in good things, but I know that I am here for a purpose and that I will emerge a better person. The environment is so spiritual and is conducive to learning.
This is just a little peek into my life at SVU... stay tuned for more!!

 My roommate and I ride our bikes to campus! Yay for fitness and thriftiness!

We had a fondue party for Kat's birthday! Yummy cheddar with French bread, broccoli, pretzels and hot wings! We also did a dessert fondue with chocolate, strawberries, apples and marshmallows!

Packing for college... Only 4 more days! How I came to attend SVU

Okay, so I can barely contain my excitement right now! I am packing up my room to move to Buena Vista, Virginia to attend the school of my dreams!

 

Many people have considered Southern Virginia University because of the high number of LDS students that attend, but when they see the price tag they decide to opt for something cheaper. At first I was a little worried about the cost as well, but after some careful planning and saving I am now at a position where I can go with confidence.


Scholarships are key with any college education. SVU will award you an academic scholarship upon acceptance depending on your current GPA. This scholarships usually ranges between $2000-$6000 per year. I received my academic scholarship, plus a returned missionary grant of $1500, and that set me in the right path.


I had saved up some money since I was little for college, but that amount wasn't astronomical, so I got home from my mission in March 2016 and immediately applied for two jobs, both of which I got! I nearly lost all my sanity working at a 100 degree dry cleaners in the early hours and then worked evening hours at a local college cafeteria, but I was able to earn a good income in a short 5-month period.


The tuition itself isn't the only expense you will have at SVU. Housing and meals are also a huge part of the ticket price. As a 21-year old and a returned missionary I am eligible for off-campus housing. On the SVU website there are several houses listed for rent for students during the academic year, many of which are much cheaper than on-campus housing. An added bonus of off-campus housing is that I will be in charge of my own meals and costs.


My current weekly budget for food is $25. Hopefully I can get by with less than that, because my parents have taught me the value of food storage. I will probably be eating lots of oatmeal and canned chicken over the next few years, but honestly I'm not worried about that. I'm more worried about getting the education that I want and need while gaining new experiences and friends.


CLOTHING-- When I got home from my mission I only had a few raggedy skirts and dresses. I knew I was going to college, so I needed a tight budget on getting fashionable clothing. In my town of Maryville, TN there is a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which is a consignment shop that has clothes for $1 (Some days they have them on sale for $0.25!) and several other household items for super cheap. Below you can see my boxes of clothes that I'm taking with me. Nearly every piece in those boxes was bought for $1 or less, and a lot of it has name brand labels.
(Converse, NorthFace, American Eagle, Aeropostal, etc.)

Oh, and my mom got me the boxes from the grocery store... They will usually let you take used cardboard boxes for free. That's why I have a bunch of toilet paper boxes :)

So yeah, my room is a mess right now.

Another way I am making this year more affordable is that I won't have a car. I have a bike, which will save even more money on gas, repairs AND I get done with my exercise at the same time! :) I have a pack attached to the back of my bike to allow me to pack in extra clothes for work or whatever I may need. I will get you a pic as soon as possible, but my bike is currently at the shop getting a tune up.

Ugh, I don't have enough time! I'll get back to you soon with more details!

~Krislee