The University of Blog

This weekend I’m in Lawrence catching up with the family. The drive from Columbia is about 2 ½-3 hours. Not bad at all if looking for a fun outing on the weekend. However, I warn against wearing any Mizzou gear. This will just get into a bit of trouble since the University of Kansas (KU and Mizzou’s big rivals) is housed here. However, don’t ignore Lawrence just because it is supposed to be the enemy: it has a lot of culture and fun activities.

Lawrence has a great music scene. I saw my first concert at Liberty Hall, which is comparable to the Blue Note mixed with the Ragtag in Columbia. If a concert doesn’t work out in your schedule, at least go to Liberty Hall to see a movie. It is beautiful. For a list of activities, visit Lawrence.com.
Another fun thing to do is eating at the variety of restaurants. Ethnic options include Indian, Korean, Thai, Chinese, Mongolian, and American (can this be ethnic? There are lots of pizza options here). I ate at this Tuck away Korean restaurant off of Massachusetts street (main drag) on Friday night. It was pretty crowded (usually it’s not), but the food was excellent. We shared the tuna roll among three and I had the chicken rice bowl. Delicious. I have yet to find a Korean restaurant in Columbia.

Funky lamp at Java Break.

It is great spend Saturday afternoon strolling downtown Massachusetts Street. Stores to hit up downtown include Hobbs, Weavers (old department store), Eco Boutiquo, and Urban Outfitters. My favorite coffee shops include La Prima Taza, Milton’s and Java Break.

Sometimes it can catch up with you to be away from your family. Sometimes everything can just get a little overwhelming. Sometimes you can just feel a little blue for no apparent reason. There are some things you can do that might help with this.

Go outside. If it is nice weather outside, nothing makes me feel better than going into nature. On the outskirts of campus, there is Peace Park with a babbling brook. The grassy knoll by the columns is also a nice spot to study, play Frisbee or just hang out. I have a friend who hosts a wiffle ball game on every Wednesday there.

Get away. Since you are going to class in the same place that you live, it can be hard to separate relaxing time from studying time. I am a big movie buff, so to relax, I really enjoy going to the movies. It is a good idea to get off campus if you can. That way when you are relaxing, you don’t have to be constantly reminded of school or what you have to do. If driving somewhere is not an option, going for a walk is also a nice alternative. Hanging out at a coffee shop or downtown can also help you relax.

Set aside some time for yourself. Participate in your favorite activity at least a few times a week. If you like to read, set aside time each day to read that novel you’ve been dying to finish. Maybe crocheting or painting is fun for you. What about a rousing game of Scrabble? The Craft Studio (located in Brady) offers classes or just a membership ($30 a semester) to go there and do art. My roommate knows how to throw pottery so she always brings back her creations, and I’m always impressed.

Work out. A great way to relieve stress is by releasing some endorphins at the wonderful Rec Center. Several options include treadmill, track, Tiger x classes or swimming. Inclined toward water? There are many options including the lazy river, whirlpool, hot tub, steam room and Olympic size swimming pool.

Still blue? The Counseling Center offers individual and group counseling. The health fee includes 12 individual visits as well as unlimited group therapy. This can be used if you are just a little stressed or feel depressed. Sometimes it’s nice to have someone else to talk to.

For $11 I went to see Of Montreal at the Blue Note. I liked their song “Requiem for OMM” made famous on the OC (series finale is tonight), but they have changed quite a bit since then. Elekibass from Tokyo, Japan opened for them. They were so full of energy it felt awkward not smiling and dancing along. They went through the audience to get to the stage wearing masks and playing their instruments. Got me very much in the mood for Of Montreal.

When Of Montreal came on, they were dressed in equally obscure costumes. (The guitarist was in angel wings and the lead singer wore hot pants.) The concert drew all types: I tried to ignore the guys in front of me with glitter under their eyes and big flower arrangements in their hair.

Of Montreal had a lot of energy and theatrics on the stage, but I felt that it took away from their performance. From their beginnings as an indie band, they have moved toward an alternative dance band, which is fun to dance to but hurt my ears after awhile. I’m glad that I could go and dance along, but given the opportunity, I would have stayed home and listened to the CD.

I have felt what it feels like to have four tests in one week. And let me say, it is not too much fun, but definitely possible with a little foresight. Since I received all of my syllabuses at the beginning of the year, I started studying a week before my tests. On Monday, I took Spanish and Psychology. On the way back from the Shins concert on Sunday, I studied some more for those tests.

Wednesday I had a Cross Cultural Journalism test. It was pretty time consuming. We spent an hour and fifteen minutes on ten short answer questions. Needless to say, my hand felt like it had died. And let me say, what a good way to spend Valentine’s Day! The week was not done for journalism though. I had my Principles of American Journalism test on Thursday. What a full week! Those big journalism classes that everyone takes seem to be weed-out classes, so it is very important to study for those tests. Also in both of the journalism classes, there are only three tests for the entire class and only extra points for the online message boards. Hopefully, I did well. I will find out next week.

I would not use the word fun to describe taking four tests in one week. However, it was definitely manageable with a little planning. Studying for tests is made a lot easier if it is started about a week or a half of week before the test date. Just a thought.

(above: Pic of The Shins)

What a full weekend! Concerts galore. I think that I spend almost all of my savings on concerts. Saturday night Ben Kweller came to Mojos, which is a smaller venue about ten minutes from campus. Amsterband from the Ozarks opened for them, and Ben Kweller (BK) put on a great show. Lots of sha-shas– check it out if you are not familiar with him. I highly recommend the upbeat, happy vocals and guitar skills. I got a pic with him. Too cool.

Last night I attended The Shins concert at the St. Louis The Pageant. Made famous by the Indie movie Garden State, The Shins did not disappoint. The drive is about two hours to the Pageant, and while waiting around, there are a lot of nice shops in the Loop (surrounding area). So worth it. Natalie Portman said in Garden State that “This band will change your life.” They had so much energy playing songs from their new album as well as the greats such as “Caring is Creepy” and “Kissing the Lipless.”

Interested in being a “cool cat”and seeing some sweet concerts? (the fact that I used the term ‘cool cat’ might take away from my cool factor, but still There is a box office in Brady Commons where they sell Ticketmaster. This is easier than online because you get your ticket right there, and gift certificates from the Blue Note can be purchased. Also, Mojos or Blue Note tickets can be purchased at the Blue Note. There is no reason not to go to several concerts since Columbia is a great venue. If it’s not here, it’s in St. Louis or Lawrence. The tickets range from about $15-25. Highly worth it for some great pictures, music and memories.

Yesterday was my birthday and we went out to eat. First my parents took me out to Blufftop Winery and Restaurant in Rocheport, which is about 15 miles West of Columbia. It has a beautiful view of the river. My parents wanted to take me here for parent’s weekend, but it gets very busy around then so make reservations early. Lunch entrees range from $7-15.

After I had waited a sufficiently long time (enough to get hungry again), we went to Longhorn Steakhouse. Apparently they don’t sing anymore, but I did get a free sundae. They have call ahead system before you leave. Saturday was a very busy night to go in, and we waited for an hour and a half. The steak finally came and we ate its deliciousness. High quality food if you have the time to wait. All in all, GREAT birthday celebration!

I wrote on this before, but I went there to listen to Ann Driscoll on Friday night at the Artisan. She lives at Lathrop and I know her through my roommate, and she is a phenomenal artist who writes her own music. I was very impressed with the show, and there were so many people there to provide support. The Artisan provides a great atmosphere to chillax and listen to great tunes. Yes a good study spot, but check out the calendar of events. I know there are other local treasures there too.

I have a very crafty roommate. She knows how to make earrings, necklaces, weave, color, and much more. My friend next door knows how to crochet, scrapbook and cute little magnets. Being surrounded by such crafty people raises my craft-skills by ten points. It is so incredible. I never thought I would learn so much in the dorms.

I learned how to crochet and made great homemade presents for Christmas. It was a cheap way to make gifts, and my family and friends LOVED them! And it is not hard. At all. However, it is much easier to find out how to do it with the help of a person. It is much harder to try to do this by the internet.

And making earrings is not difficult either. It takes one tool, beads and a couple of metal parts. Also they make great gifts.

Crafts are quite great to do while watching Grey’s anatomy. I either blog or crochet while watching TV (I’m a notorious multi-tasker). Learning a craft and taking advantage of the knowledge of those around you is a great idea to create something unique and totally you.

Today I learned what my schedule would be like on Monday and Wednesday. In one word, it will be BUSY. I went to my Stat class at 9, Spanish Conversation at at 10 and Modern World at 11. My spanish class is taught by a real spanish speaker (from Spain). I’ve never had that before! Also, I cannot wait for my Modern World– have a lot of reading, but we get to have a lecture on Hitchcock

After my morning classes, I grabbed lunch and went back to Conservation Hall (the furthest from Mark Twain) for Psychology. I had an hour between that an my next class so I TRIED to get a book. But buying anything from the bookstore is extremely difficult at the beginning of the semester. The lines seem to go on forever. The best time to go is late at night (bookstore is open until 7 p.m.). The last class I have is Cross Cultural Journalism at 4 p.m so I’m done at 5:15. BUSY day to say the least. Goodness.

Meet me, Laura Parkinson, dedicated college student from Lawrence, KS. I began at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO this year. This is actually making me a rebel considering I live in the rival territory. Yes, I crossed the border to attend school at one of the best journalism schools in the country. I am interested in Convergence journalism which is a little of everything. Convergence is using the Internet to connect the various media.

Enough about school, I’ll be talking enough about it. I really enjoy fashion and movies. Lots of movies. I work at the movie theater in Lawrence and like to see movies (did I say that?) They are free and fit in my starving college budget. I also like Hello Kitty. I am 18 and I like Hello Kitty, but hey, I’m a girl and I can be a little crazy and childish.

Enjoy my blog and soon it will be expanded to include your experiences as well. I am a new blogger so welcome, and please, if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. Don’t be a stranger!!