Bonjour!

In spirit up the upcoming holiday festivities and because my brain has taken off on Thanksgiving Break early, I decided that this week's blog will more lighthearted than usual.

Because Muncie is such a happening place (ha ha), you may often have a hard time finding weekend attractions to keep you occupied. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of stuff to do on campus, but during the weekend it can be hard to find entertainment. I find the best solution is often to make your own entertainment.

And in this logic, I give you my five ideas for creating your own weekend party.

1. Have a cooking party. The food on campus is great, but it's easy to get bored with the same foods, so it's always nice to have some homemade cooking. Kitenettes are usually accessible during the weekends, and you can rent any major cookware you need from the front desk of your dorm. You don't need an excuse or holiday to celebrate, but if you need one, try a few of my favorites, such as the ending of Daylight Savings Time or Stay At Home Because You're Well Day.

2. Have a movie night with friends. Any movie or collection of movies will do, but really good, really bad, and Disney movies are highly recommended. Really good movies need no explanation. Really bad movies are just really easy to make fun of, such as Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. And Disney movies just always make you feel better and give you a break from the cruel world of college (ha ha).

3. Go to a sporting a event. This one may not be for everyone. Although I would avoid any football games for the near future, I'm a huge basketball fan (I know, I'm the stereotypical Hoosier) and I would recommend seeing either the men's or women's team in action. The men are looking to defend their MAC West title, as the women look to improve upon last year and their upset win over Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament. If basketball isn't your thing, there's plenty of swimming and diving action as well as men's volleyball and tennis.

4. Catch a show. There are numerous student music and performing groups on campus, so there's always as show somewhere. In fact, one of the studen't threater groups are putting on Noises Off this coming weekend. Sometimes professional groups and well-known artists, such as Styx and Loretta Lynn, come to Ball State as well. Tickets are cheap for student-run shows, but usually a little pricier for other groups. But other shows are even free with your student ID, so it just depends. But the shows are well worth any price.

5. Playing games, such as Sardines, around campus. This is pretty self-explanatory, but you can put your own spin on it. You can also play this game other places such as Wal-Mart, but I would recommend staying away from Bracken Library. It can also be very fun to play in the dorms if you get enough people to play. Or you can try my personal favorite, putting on a four-square tournament at the Scramble Light intersection. You can play four-sqaure anywhere you can find the space, but the four-square block at the Scramble Light intersection is already there and it makes it that much more exciting (and ridiculously goofy).

So there it is. Some these are quite traditional while others are a little more unorthodox. Regardless, I hope that at least one of these catches your fancy. If you have any other entertaining weekend activities, feel free to comment them. Until next time, bon voyage!

It was my favorite pastime back in elementary school. You could stay up just a little later than usual, but you weren't able to fall asleep even once you finally went to bed. You even got to pack your own lunch, which was often better than what you would have eaten at school. Then the was the popularity contest when it came to picking who's group you were going to be in. Everyone knew who the cool parents were, but if you were really lucky, your own parents came on a field trip. And that was a rareity, at least for me, because most parents don't find it fun to hang out with a bunch of screaming, hyped-up grade-schoolers.

Well I can't say that field trips in college are anything like that. You ride in vans instead of on busses. The only chaparones are your professors, and you have to bring your own money for lunch. The trips often have a more obvious academic lure, and sometimes you even have to take notes!

While it may not sound quite as carefree as those elementary school "field" trips, they are actually quite fun, and if you really pay attention, and try really hard, you may even learn something.

This past Thursday, for my Journalism 101 class, we took a field trip to Conseco Fieldhouse to meet with the public relations director for the Indiana Fever. Now, I'm from Indiana, and it wasn't my first time in Indianapolis. I've been to the RCA Dome before, which shows just how long ago it was, but I can honestly say that I had never stepped foot in Conseco until Thursday.

We got a tour of the fieldhouse, in which we focused on the media rooms and event centers. We didn't get to step out onto the court, but we did get a glance of some of the Pacers from a distance. It was interesting seeing just how public relations can apply to sports, someting I love. I had never really thought about it before, but as the director explained, almost any corporation, company, or any kind of business entitiy has a public relations office, in some form or another. It's just important to find an interest that satifies yourself.

After that. we ate lunch at the Circle Center Mall, which is nice if you like to shop. I however am a guy, so I was only concerned with the food part. And so I move on.

Next, we took a trip to Nuvo, an alternative weekly magazine in Indy. We met with the editors, as they explained how their magzine operated and what kind of stories they published. They also talked about what they looked for when hiring interns and full-time writers, as well as when freelance writers submitted stories to them. They really gave us some good advice on how to hone our skills and become the best asset to a publication. They stressed trying different types of writing, particualarly creative writing, and especially those you aren't comfortable with. They also emphasized the importance of learning how to incorporate photos, video, and other Web devices in our writing.

I had a great time, and I learned some really good tips for future internships. I hope to be able to take another trip again, but until next time, bon voyage!

Hey guys, here is a blog post that I wrote for one of my classes, and I thought some of you might find it helpful. Sorry it's a little more formal than the others, but I hope you enjoy it. Until next time, bon voyage!

                What happens when that “Freshman 15” lingers beyond your freshman year and turns into an unstoppable nightmare?

 Fifth-year senior Jennifer Leeman faced this same problem. “Since my freshman year, I have put on probably 35-40 pounds…and I was tired of it, so I wanted to lose it.”

Jillita Horton, a freelance fitness and health writer, gives four main reasons why the “Freshman 50” syndrome is making a rise in our nation’s campuses.

1.       The food comes with the tuition, which is sky-high expensive, so their reasoning is to eat up and get all they can out of the tuition.

2.       Staying up through the night to cram for exams may cause college students to feel they earned the reward of stuffing themselves at breakfast.

3.       Eating at a table full of other kids can make it pretty enticing to eat as a result of visual cues, rather than hunger cues.

4.       Absent is their mother’s monitoring of eating habits, and now, the college student is compelled to exercise his or her new-found freedom.

While packing on a few pounds may not seem like a big deal, they add up. Although poor diet habits certainly contribute to an unhealthy weight, the leading cause of obesity is inactivity. It is important to exercise aerobically for 20-30 minutes at least 3 days a week. But it is important not to focus solely on cardio exercise, but also to participate in muscle strength and endurance exercises.

Stress can also lead to unhealthy and excessive eating habits. Especially in college, it is hard to balance leisure time with school and work, along with extracurricular activities. This is why it is important to practice stress management techniques, such as meditation or relaxation videos. It is often easier to just grab what is closest and most people don’t often think about the nutritional value of what they’re eating. Also, when watching TV, people tend pay less attention to the amount of food they are eating because they’re more focused on the programming.

So now you’re thinking, ‘okay, say I start my own weight loss program. How do I stick with it?’ The key to maintaining a weight loss program is good goal-setting. Start of by making a behavior contract, listing a specific weight loss goal within a certain time frame. Next, write the pros and cons of this goal. You mostly likely will find that the pros will help to motivate you into taking action. This also serves as a good reminder when things get rough. Also, don’t forget to reward yourself for reaching your goal, although food is not a good option. Instead choose something like buying a new wardrobe, or going on a trip.

Some of the things that Leeman uses to help her throughout the program are keeping a food log to track the foods she eats. This keeps Leeman from eating unhealthy foods because she feels guilty later when she writes them in her food log. She also has a body diagram of her body measurements posted on her door. This also serves as a constant visual reminder of her goal and progress so far.

Finally, here are some recommendations from the World Health Organization to help boost the nutrition in your diet:

1.       Limit energy intake from fats, especially saturated fats and trans-fatty acids. Shift fat intake to unsaturated fats instead.

2.       Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables (5-9 daily servings), as well as whole grains and nuts (good sources of fiber).

3.       Limit the intake of free sugars

4.       Limit sodium intake from all sources and ensure that salt is iodized.

Also, pay attention to portioning and the way foods are prepared. Don’t focus so much on what foods to cut out, but try to prepare your favorite foods in healthier ways with smaller portions.

Following these recommendations and advice, you may not become the next Jared. But you will see an improvement in the way you look and feel.

 “Before the program I would be like ‘I’m taking the elevator everywhere or I’m parking as close as I can. But now it just gives me that extra incentive to take the stairs or park further away; and overall it’s helped by feelings self-esteem wise,” says Leeman. Weight loss is a tremendous undertaking, but the rewards are endless and not only do you lose weight in the process, but you learn valuable skills and mentalities that will lead to success throughout your life. Welcome to college.

It is every college freshman's worst nightmare: laundry

Okay, that was cheesy, let me try again.

When preparing for college, there are so many things to get ready for that it's easy to forget about little things. After spending to three hours doing laundry, if feel it is necessary to impart some of the valuable information that I have learned in my first trips to the laundry room. (Actually, it's more like everything my mom taught me in a crash-course laundry session before I moved in.)

1. Don't wait too long to do your laundry. The smell in your dorm will not be very pleasant, and the task will only seem more daunting the longer you wait. Try to set a schedule for doing your laundry, usually about once-twice a week depending on how many clothes you bring with you. Some dorms have a sign-up list for the laundry rooms, so keep in mind that weeknights are often better because they are less busy.

2.Bring a large laundry bag or some sort of carrier that is easy to store. It is a lot easier than having to carry your laundry basket to the laundry room. They can also hold more clothes, so if you're doing more than one load, you can fold your first load while your waiting on the second one, and a large bag or carrier can fit all of the folded clothes.

3. Always check your pockets before you wash your clothes. It won't be much fun, and it will be nearly impossible, to scrape gunk off of your clothes from that last piece of gum you left in your pocket. Also, you may find valuable things you left behind, like your wallet or ID card. And it's always a good day when you find some spare change left in your pockets to help pay for the laundry.

4. Wash your clothes in cold water and turn your shirts inside-out. These will both keep your colors from bleeding out, and using cold water is also more environmentally-friendly. You can use cold water-detergent if you wish, but it not a necessity.

5. Don't forget to use some kind of laundry detergent. I know, it sounds stupid, but you wouldn't believe how many times it happens. And don't forget that once you start the wash cycle, the washer doors lock. So if you use 3-in-1 sheets, like I do, or something similar, it's too little too late. However, I do find that 3-in-1 sheets are very convenient because they include detergent, fabric softener, and a static sheet.

6. Make sure you have the correct amount and type of change. The washers cost $1.25 and it's $1 for the dryers. The machines only accept quarters, but you can usually get change from the front desk. And watch out for foreign currencies. For some reason, Canadian quarters seem to be popping up sporadically.

7. Don't leave your laundry in the washer or dryer overnight; it will take forever to get the wrinkles out. It can be a long and boring task; the washing cycle runs for 29 minutes, and the drying cycle takes an hour. But in DeHority at least, there is a small corner lounge in the laundry room for you to study, read a book, or even watch TV.

8. Conceal your underwear. I'm not saying that you have to disguise After all, everyone has to wash their underwear, and most college students don't care. But if you still have that pair of Barney briefs, well, let's just say a girl in the laundry room who sees them won't be asking you for a date any time soon.

9. Make sure you don't leave any clothes behind. It happens all the time, and it can be particularly embarassing if, referring back to the previous rule, you leave behind a pair of undies. Plus, someone else may mistake your left-behind socks as a pair that they dropped.

10. Finally, do as much of your laundry at home as you can. I have found that mothers often miss their college kids, so they will willingly do their laundry when they come home. Plus, no one can get your clothes cleaner than you mom. *Disclaimer: ASK FIRST!

Some of you may find this information very helpful, while the rest of you may just think I'm stupid. But hopefully you're in the minority. Also, keep in mind that all of these rules come from my experiences at DeHority Hall. I have tried to include information that applies to all dorms, but it is important that you find the rules for your specific dorm once you get assigned your room. Until next time, bon voyage!

Sorry it's been a while since my last post, but I think college has finally decided to kick into full gear. Professors are starting to assign papers and projects now the the innocent freshmen have got the hang of things. Oh yeah, then there's Midterms coming up, and they're kind of a big thing. Since I have been studying for Midterms, and my computer is mad at me for some unapparent reason, please forgive me if there are some mistakes.

But this past week was actually Homecoming, and it was pretty exciting. The theme for this year was "The Best Week Ever." They had bed races, fireworks, and the Air Jam concert. Styx even came to town, and I would have died if I could have afforded a ticket! (I know, I'm a dork.) I didn't get a ticket to Air Jam because they sold out pretty quickly, which eveidently means it was a popular event, and I have only heard good reviews. I think it's a lip-synching concert with performance from students and faculty. My one suggestion would be to get your tickets early, otherwise you end up like me, the one person on the whole campus who didn't go. And then you really feel like a moron.

But the whole atmosphere was very fun, even if I didn't particpate in any of the events. The football game was awesome, except for the final score of course. I'm still trying to figure out how you can't hold a team off for less than a minute after you score the game-winning touchdown. But I'll leave that question for the sports writers, and so I digress. Oh, and of course there is the Homecoming Parade! Trust me, free candy is worth getting up at 8 a.m. Sugar takes all the groginess away. But you actually have to wave at the people to get candy (as I finally figured out half way through the parade). If you want to check out some cool photos and videos of the Homecoming Week festivities, you can visit www.ballbearingsonline.com and search "Homecoming."

I promise that I will post more often, and I may even start including some advice and Top 10 lists, along with my own photos and videos, so be on the lookout. If you have any questions, feel free to comment me. Or even if you just want to tell me how much of a dork I am, that's cool too. Until next time, bon voyage!

Hello to you all! My name is Eric Marty, and I am a freshman journalism major here at Ball State. With the first several weeks of classes down, things seem to be going smoothly. I live on campus in the newly-renovated DeHority Hall, which is awesome if I might add! The lobbies are nicely furnished and very relaxing, and there are pool tables, ping-pong tables, and yes, lots of checkers! They also have kitchenettes and media rooms on every floor, in case you ever feel the need to make some cupcakes or watch the big game, all after studying of course. DeHority houses most of the Honors students here at Ball State, and living in DeHority gives you a lot of access to your Honors Advisers and staff, professors, and other Honors students as well. This is very convenient since most Honors classes involve group projects, discussion groups, and even film studies, for which to still have to take notes (Sorry!). The Room Assistants (RA’s) and Hall Directors are also very helpful, and the front desk is always open and provides services such as package pick-up, change for laundry, and even spare keys.

And now to one of the things almost every prospective student cares most about; the social scene! Ball State is a very open campus, and professors and classmates are always friendly and willing to help. I didn’t realize just how available and friendly they were until one of my professors actually e-mailed me letting me know that he found my keys! (And just as a tidbit of wisdom, I do not recommend losing your keys, because it’s not fun to have to wait on your roommate to let you into your own room.) The campus provides a lot of social gatherings, such as Late Nite, Quad Bash, and many more! Late Nite is a particular favorite of mine, and it is held in the Student Center (usually) every Saturday night. They provide music, games, a movie, and the best deal of all, free pizza!

And this brings me to my next and final point. The dining here is excellent, and there are several places to eat, such as The Atrium, Woodworth Commons, Noyer Complex, Student Center, LaFollette, and Elliot Hall. They have restaurants such as Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, Sbarro, as well as grills, salad bars, buffets, and, heck, just about anything you can imagine. They even offer breakfast! However, just another tidbit of wisdom, explore and don’t limit yourself to one or two food courts. The Village is also a great place to find food and entertainment.

Well, I hope you found my first blog helpful, and if you did please let me know. I look forward to being your guide and taking you along on my journey! I have to admit, I am kind of nervous, so I’m glad to be taking you along for the ride! If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I will try to answer as best I can. Until next time, bon voyage!