Tag: Dr. Munson

Always Go For the Gummy Bears

The beginning of every semester is always extremely overwhelming.  After going through it twice before, I am again finding myself dazed about the entire semester. I find myself looking back at my first semester last year a lot and how I was just so confused about what the best routes were to take to get to class, what days I should go to Greens to Go in Trabant versus what days I should go to the panini stand in the Scrounge, or even who is free for lunch when I am! It all just got so complicated! However, looking back on my first semester of freshman year in the Honors Program, I don’t think I could have done it any better.  So, I decided I shouldn’t keep my secrets to myself and instead I am here to share are my quick tips on how to make your first semester one of the best ones you will ever have:

  1. Stay on top of your schoolwork! For most of us, college is the first time we are away from home for an extensive amount of time, and therefore it is the first time we are given such a luxurious amount of free time.  Don’t waste it! We are all in the Honors Program because we had a great work ethic in high school, so don’t slack off now! Schoolwork can get away from you super easily. Explore campus and find a favorite place to study. My favorite place was the Quiet Study Lounge in my residence hall. Perfect atmosphere to study, but also to be social when you are ready for a nice break now and again.
  2. Go to Dr. Munson’s Study Breaks! Dr. Munson has pretty much been the face of the UD Honors Program for decades now and he so generously brings snacks to the Honors lounges every Wednesday. Getting free food, talking with an adorable elderly man, and meeting new friends in your hall – what more could you ask for? Some of my favorite memories last year were at Dr. Munson’s Study Breaks. The gummy bears are a must!
  3. Get involved! Activities Night has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still join one of UD’s 300 RSOs! Clubs are some of the best ways to meet friends beyond the ones in your classes and halls, and you’ll connect with people even better because you’ll already have a similar interest. My suggestion: Blue Hen Ambassadors.  The campus tour guides are some the best students on campus, which is an obvious bias statement given the fact that I am one of the lucky members.  However, if you are energetic, obsessed with the University and like to have fun in a cool UD polo and name-tag, then check out the Blue Hen Ambassadors Facebook page for more info and the application! Applications are due at 5:00 pm on September 12, 2013!
Blue Hen Ambassadors on the steps of Memorial Hall.

Blue Hen Ambassadors on the steps of Memorial Hall.

 While I could go on and on with tips about how the make your freshman experience the best, it all really comes down to doing what makes you happy and the most comfortable! I wish you all the best of luck!

~Hannah Tattersall

“There’s No Place Like [Russell]!”

Congratulations to Dhara and Heather T for coming up with the movie my last post title was from (Casablanca)! Any guesses for the origin of this week’s title?

While my time in the Honors Program has been rather short, I have already been able to see the perks of being a part of this community.  There are so many advantages of being in the Honors Program, one of which is the fact we get to live in the Russell Complex with all of the Honors students during our freshman year.  While the first two weeks were unbearably hot because of the lack of air conditioning, I absolutely love living in Russell.  As I begin to look into housing for next year, I can’t help but revisit the reasons why I am so happy I was able to be in the Honors Program and the many perks of living in Russell for my first year at UD. Here are what I consider the most important perks:

Hannah’s Russell floor hanging out in the halls during the Fall Semester

1. East Campus is the best – I may be biased since I have only lived on East Campus, but I find that this part of campus is the most convenient.  Not only is East Campus where many freshmen live, but it also has Perkins Student Center, is only a short walk away from Trabant, is in close proximity to the Green, and the facilities are the best on campus.  It has the best dining hall, beach volleyball courts, a huge turf, and a gym with the Harry Mart right next door for those not-so-healthy snacks you crave after working out.

2. Dr. Munson’s Study Breaks – Anyone in the Honors Program can vouch for me with this reason.  Every Wednesday Dr. Munson, a chemistry professor, comes into a Russell lounge to feed us all snacks (mainly Gummy Bears) as we break from our homework. It is so welcoming and frankly, absolutely adorable, if I do say so myself.  Once the clock strikes 9:00 P.M on Wednesday, I almost always find myself on my way to Dr. Munson’s Study Break because a) I don’t feel guilty not studying because a professor is there encouraging us to take a break and b) I’ve developed a love for Gummy Bears.

3. The Small Community Feel – One of the reasons I chose the University of Delaware was for the closeness the Honors Program has. It makes the University of Delaware, which has over 16,000 undergraduates, seem immensely smaller than it actually is.  The Class of 2016 has roughly 3,800 students.  Out of this, about 445 students are in the Honors Program and living in Russell with me.  While this number is still over four times bigger than my high school graduating class, I still feel like I know and recognize a large amount of students because we live so close to each other. I see many of the same people a lot of the time, through the lounges, dining hall, Perkins, etc.  I’m not positive about the other residence halls, but I know in Russell there are always people around in the hallways before quiet hours are enacted (and sometimes after).  My favorite memories so far have been when essentially my entire floor just hangs out in the hallway talking for hours.  It really helps form strong relationships with the people you live with.

What did you like best about living in Russell? What are some of your favorite Russell memories?

~Hannah Tattersall

 

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