Winter on the Stage

So one of the great things about living in Milwaukee is the arts.  We have many theaters in the area putting on shows celebrating the Christmas season.  I know many of you are getting ready to head home for the holidays, but think about stopping in with your family at a show on your way out of town.

The Marcus Center currently has Milwaukee Ballet performing the Nutcracker until December 27.  Milwaukee Ballet's website describes the show as "...a dream...dancing flowers and snowflakes...Toys coming to life! 'The Nutcracker' is also a journey of familiar feelings and a sense of child wonder."  It's a show that brings life to a children's playground and wonder to a child's eyes while at the same time allowing the adults to take a step back in time and become a child all over again.  This magical show is perfect for all ages.  You can visit the Milwaukee Ballet website for more information, show times, ticket prices, and even a sneak peak from a behind the scenes rehearsal.












On the other hand if you are looking for a show with a few more words that will remind everyone to appreciate each other during this holiday season, "A Christmas Carol" is playing a Milwaukee Pabst Theater.  This show will keep you and your family laughing and remind you of the true meaning of the holidays.  The show is playing until the 24 of December and ticket prices and the detail whatnot's can be found on the Pabst  Theater website.

I can speak from self experience saying these are wonderful shows.  As a dance major at UWM I ca appreciate the performance on the stage.  But what is even better about this show, is even those unfamiliar with the performance world will have a smile placed on their face after the show.  Either way enjoy your Holidays!!

Make it Out Alive!

Aside from my exponentially increased caffeine intake and lack of sleep I would never have guessed that it's almost time for finals yet again. The semester flew by so fast, it feels like just yesterday I was meeting all of you at New Student Orientation. This semester has brought many lessons in and out of the classroom as many students are living on their own for the first time ever and learning how to manage their lives. In a couple short weeks grades will be out and the bounty of your efforts will be revealed. But what will you be doing when you find out your final grades for the semester? The answer for most of us is back under our parents' roof, the very same roof we plotted to escape the last 18 years. However, there's a good chance that you won't be returning to the same situation you left in the Fall.

Leaving for college has implications beyond the student. Your family has probably made some changes to the house and their relationship with you now that you're out on your own. A lot of students get closer to their families once they move out and going home for break is a relaxing, enjoyable time for all. Then there's the rest of us, who may or may not have good relationships with their parents, and the thought of going back home causes anxiety and stress. Rest assured that there are some simple steps you can take to make the break as peaceful as possible for everyone.

Try to keep in mind that there are two sides to every situation, in this case it's your side and your parents' side. The added freedom you've grown accustomed to is typically the biggest struggle when going back home; now that you've gotten a taste you don't want to give any up. Your parents were young once and should be able to understand this feeling, but that won't stop them from doing what they have for the last 18 years. Be a sport and let them parent you a little, even if you think it's stupid. Let them know when you have plans with friends so they know when they can expect to see you, spend some quality time with them and let them know how you're doing out on your own, have a real conversation with them, do some chores around the house. All of these can help ease the potentially rocky transition back home and require minimal effort. 

The first semester out of the house makes you grow in ways that you probably haven't even realized yet. Going back home for a while can provide valuable insight to what changes you've made in your life. Take this time to evaluate what changes you've made, whether or not they are changes for better or worse, and set some new goals for yourself! Regardless of what you're doing with your winter break, make sure you relax and have some fun!

Eric

Stop Stressing Out

Let's talk about Finals...

Wanting to rip your hair out?  Can’t drag yourself out of bed?  Feeling the urge to cry for no reason?  Don’t fret, you’re not alone.  All of these and many more feelings occur at this time of year due to stress.  You have already made it this far, now it is time for one last push and you’ll have completed the semester.

Need some help?

First identify what kind of person you are, and be honest with yourself…you don’t want to grow a Pinocchio nose.

1.                     Procrastinator- At one point or another, we all have been here with a deadline at midnight and the project started at 11:30 PM.  If you are procrastinating, lock yourself away from social gatherings, Internet, and any other distractions.  Take time to focus on just your schoolwork.  As you complete each assignment on your list you’ll start to feel better and better.  Ask a friend to stop by and check on you in an hour to make sure you hold yourself responsible and stay on task.  And DON’T let them become another distraction. This is crunch time.

2.                    Physical Exhaustion- do you find yourself falling asleep in class, feeling kind of sick, or just not at 100%?  Then your body is trying to tell you something.  Take it easy!  Treat yourself to a night of caring for your body.  Eat a good, healthy dinner and enjoy your night.  Maybe take a nice, long, hot shower, read your favorite book, or watch your favorite movie.  Whatever you do don’t stay up late!!  Most importantly give your body some well-needed rest.  You’ll wake up the next morning feeling good and ready to conquer the rest of the semester.

3.                   Mental Exhaustion- Have you been working hard on studying and papers and homework?  Maybe too hard?  If you feel like your brain is so fried you have to think about what your own name is, take a break.  Spend a couple hours catching up with a friend, chilling on the couch and watching some television, or releasing energy through shooting some hoops.  After a few hours of freedom your brain will be happy, and you will be able to get back to work.

Remember all the work you have already done and how far you’ve already gone.  Don’t give up now!  Finish the semester strong!

No Panther Left Behind

This was an exciting weekend for many new Panthers as contract access was rolled out and they were able to take one more big step in the process of coming to UWM! However, there are undoubtedly a few  students out there who are having trouble finding the e-mail with the instructions. This e-mail could have been sent to your personal e-mail address or your new UWM e-mail address. If you think you should have received the e-mail detailing how to fill out your contract, but you did not, the first two places you should check and your "Junk" and "Spam" folders in your inbox. If it's not there go ahead and shoot us an e-mail at university-housing@uwm.edu or call (414)229-4065 and we'll figure out any problems you're having!

Once your contract is completed please allow 3-5 business days for the deposit charge to appear on your PAWS account.

If you think you should have access to the contract, but have not received the e-mail you can always log in to MyHousing@UWM to check whether or not the contract link is there. If it is, it will be a blue link towards the bottom of the page (above the Kenilworth Square Apartments header). Make sure to check out University Housing on Facebook for even more tips and tricks about housing contracts and so much more!

Eric

Hungry Hungry Residents!

With contracts coming out soon I'd like to take a minute to explain the meal plan in more depth to clear up or prevent any confusion that may be surrounding the topic. Any resident that does not have a kitchenette in their suite is required to have a meal plan. When filling out a housing contract, three meal plan levels will be available to choose from. Level 1 is the lowest dollar amount and level 3 is the highest. Anyone assigned to a room which requires a meal plan but selected a no plan choice will default to level 2, if necessary. Each plan also includes (within the cost posted) a Dining Administration Fee which traditionally has been equal to the base amount of meal plan level one. This fee enables Restaurant Operations, who controls and coordinates all food related efforts, to provide the great service and convenience our residents become accustomed to throughout their time in University Housing.

The best place for residents to use their meal plans is in the cafeterias (Cambridge, RiverView and Sandburg plus Palm Gardens in Sandburg) because food purchased with a meal plan at those venues gets a 50% discount! Spending the meal plan money in the cafeterias is the best value for the price and helps you recoup the admin fee.

Everything available for purchase in the cafeterias being a la carte, so each transaction is only for the exact food purchased. There are no buffet-style cafeterias in University Housing (and you don't swipe or pay just to be able to enter the facility).

It is unlikely anyone will spend their entire meal plan in the cafeterias, but this is good information to be aware of and take into consideration when trying to budget out how to spend the meal plan.

"Eric! Help! There's still a month left in the semester and I don't have any more money left on my meal plan! Do I have to starve for the rest of the semester?!"

Absolutely not! Residents can add money to their meal plan online at Managemyid.com or in person at the cafeteria Cash Value Center located in Sandburg. On the other side of the fence, there is no penalty for not using the entire meal plan amount. Any balance at the end of Fall semester is carried over into the Spring semester, and the balance at the end of the contract (end of Spring semester) is refunded back to the resident, less a ten dollar processing fee.

If you have any questions about meal plans or if you would like to change your meal plan level, you can call or email our office at university-housing@uwm.edu.

Hopefully everyone understands meal plans a little better now!

Eric