World AIDS Day is Tomorrow

" According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2007 some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.

Around 95% of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world.

Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done." - Avert.org

Tomorrow marks World AIDS Day. This is serves as a reminder that there's things more important out there than door-buster sales and holiday calorie counting. The world still needs our attention.To commemorate World AIDS day, you can wear red, get yourself a little red ribbon somewhere or donate to charities benefiting AIDS awareness.

If you celebrated national Talk Like A Pirate day, I'm pretty sure you'll have to problem with wearing a ribbon around for a day. Besides...this is college. This is the time where we are suppose to open our eyes to the world and expose ourselves to what is reality. AIDS is real. This is prime time to be reading into causes and helping the world out. With a little effort, we can make change happen. Heck, look at the election! That was just one day! Imagine what we can do for AIDS in a day...or a month...or a year!

Help bring awareness to Berkeley by wearing red. And if it's not in your ensemble plans for tomorrow, just bring it up in conversation. The worst thing we can do is ignore it.

Have a Happy December 1st, Everyone!

Quick Post before the Multicultural Festival

The Multicultural Festival is in about a half hour. I finished all my homework for the day and I didn't eat a thing all day so I can hound on some international goodies. The food festival is a celebration of the diversity we have here at the Berkeley College Garret Mountain campus. We have a little bit of the entire world on one campus. Its great. You know what else is great? International food!

The plate is only $3. Donations are welcome though. All the proceeds will be going to the American Conference on Diversity.

Not only will there be food, but there will also be a fashion show! Music from around the world will be the soundtrack for the night.

There's more info right HERE on the Multicultural Festival's FACEBOOK page. (That's right, we're cool enough to have it as a facebook event.)

See you guys there!

Yes, We Can!

I don't know about you but I feel like my voice was heard yesterday, and I feel that I played a part in history! According to new sources all over, the young vote is what turned this country blue. I'm just glad that there was a young vote to begin with. The line at my local voting polls looked like a high school reunion. There was a huge line outside, and more than half of those in line had to have been 25 or younger.

Our generation was getting a bad reputation, being named "Generation Who Cares?" As of yesterday, that's changed. We are now looked at as proud, young Americans who can really bring change to the world. And it all starts with picking a leader that we felt represented us, President Obama.

So high-fives all around everybody! Whether you voted republican or democrat, we were heard! We made a difference!

I included an MSNBC report on how much of an impact we had on this election.

Surprise! November Midterm Time

This week is a busy time for Garret Mountain. There's flyers all over the place including the library, student center and hallways. I don't have class on that Wednesday but I'm definitely gonna make it to the scholarship seminar. If there's one thing I'll wake up early and commute for 2 hours for, its the opportunity for scholarships. I'm coming up on intership time so I'll be needing all the help I can get with finances!The Accounting / Finance club is perfect for those who have no idea what to do after graduation. I have a very...fuzzy...vague...idea so I'm gonna try to make this meeting also.

But don't forget. Its week 6. Midterm time! I have general overview of my assignments and exams. A few papers here. A test there. Nothing too overwhelming, thanks to the online classes. The whole "study on your own time" lets me finish things early and also gives me extra time to work on things I might need a little study time with. For example, I usually finish my marketing homework early because I find the subject a little easier to understand. International trade, on the other hand, requires 2 or 3 days of studying before I can start the assignments. So I get to take my time on whatever needs more study time.

I'm telling you, take the Online Efficiency exam so you have the "online classes" option open. It's the best decision I made this year at Berkeley.

Get Ready for the New Look

I've been working on a new layout for the good ol' blog here. If you've been to the new Berkeley websites, you've noticed all the cool new links and flash testimonials on the front page. I'm hoping to do the same with this blog. Also, I want to make it more interactive. There's nothing better than getting feedback from you guys. Freshmen, persepective students and current students email me every week with questions and comments. I want to thank all you guys for that and would appreciate it if you kept them coming!

As for school, its been pretty dandy. I'm officially a huge fan of online learning. I feel that I have a much better understanding of the subjects since I'm responsible for all the reading and comprehension.

My Feminist Theory and Political Science are also pretty cool. They're critical thinking courses where you have to read some essays and stats and make your own opinion based on the readings. In feminism, I get to read about women in the past who fought for my right to vote, choose and say what I want. And what better time to take Political Science than September to December. I get to learn about the government during the biggest political event in our young lives! This is my first time voting and I can honestly say that my vote will me an educated choice. :D

Speaking of voting, I'm actually anxious about it. The closer the date comes, the more nervous I get. I'll admit that I'm still undecided. I still have about 2 weeks to make a decision but wowee...I'm still in a tossup.

In not asking who you're voting for, but is anyone else in the same boat? Don't know who to vote for yet? I mean, there so much pressure right now for all of us to choose one of the other. Sometimes, its hard to cut through all the propaganda and make our own decision. It's a lot of pressure, you know?

Leave your opinions in the comments section or send me an email. I know I can't be the only one super excited/freaked out about voting.

Studying Makes a Difference

I'm not gonna lie. I'm not one to study. It's never been " my thing". Usually, I would just listen to what goes on in class and get all my information from there. But lately, that hasn't been working.
Why?
Two words.
ONLINE CLASSES.

These classes are entirely up to you for learning. You are in charge or reading the chapter and you're in charge of making sure you have a grasp on all the materials you'll be tested on.

The first week, I thought I could pull off a good grade by skimming the chapter, getting the key terms and reading the chapter summary. Boy, was I wrong! I got a 55 on my graded (and timed!) assignment. It stunk.

The next week, I stayed in the library after all my classes and got down to actually reading the whole chapter. It only took my an hour. (Remember, I'm not much of a studybug so this short time of reading kinda surprised me.) Then, I did some of the review questions at the end of the chapter to make sure I can all the materials down. The next graded assignment, I didn't even need the book to refer back to! I got an 85 all by myself. And yes, I did give myself a pat on the back.

So, studying made a HUGE difference.

If you're not much of a studybug either, I suggest trying to stick to the Berkeley Library for studying. There's tons of cubicles here in the Garret Mountain campus where you can cut off the rest of the world for an hour and get some work done. It makes a really big difference. Trust me. ;-)

Wake Up and Register!

Alright guys. We have until the 14th of this month to register. If you haven't yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

If you're not too sure on how to register, I'll break it down for you...
-Go here. (www.rockthevote.com)
-fill out the questions
-print it out
-send it through snail mail.
DONE

You don't even HAVE to vote in November but its a pretty good idea to register anyway. If by chance, one day you wake up with the sudden urge to choose our new President, you'll have the option to do so.
Remember,
IF YOU DON'T REGISTER, YOU CAN'T VOTE.