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The Silver Lining: Finals and All-Nighters

FinalsOn Friday, classes end for the semester, which is certainly a huge relief.  Unfortunately, two and a half weeks of intense studying, paper-writing and finals-taking still stand between us and going home. However, finals “week” isn’t all bad, and I definitely encourage everyone to step back, take a deep breath and look at the positives of finals.

1. Meeting New People Study space during finals week is limited, which means that, unless you are in a cubicle in Lau, you will most likely be studying with friends. In many cases, that means you will be studying with your friends’ friends, too. And there is (arguably) no better time to make new friends than during finals week. Who knows, maybe while you’re cramming for that economics exam you’ll meet a lifelong friend … or, worst case scenario, someone to give you final-exam-memetissues as you cry in a Lau cubicle.

2. Bonding Aside from making new friends, finals week is a time to get to know your current friends better. You will probably spend a lot of time studying together. Like, A LOT of time. And you can learn some interesting things about people at 4 a.m.

3. Trying New Things Finals week offers a wonderful opportunity to try new drinks from The Corp or Starbucks. While your wallet will be lighter, you will be very familiar with the drink list for second semester.

4. Not Going to Class This one is pretty obvious, but in the hustle and bustle of finals and sleepless nights, at least you don’t have to sit through lectures every day. Plus, it leaves a lot of time for “activities.” Although I guess technically all that time is for studying.

5. Watching The Sunrise Whether you are looking out of a Lau window or walking down the hill toward Leo’s, the sunrise on Georgetown’s campus is gorgeous. And I can pretty much guarantee that finals week is the only time around 90 percent of Georgetown students might be awake to see the sunrise. Plus, it looks really cool when your vision is distorted by weariness/tears.

6. Achieving the Satisfaction Nothing feels better than finishing your last final/assignment. When you’re walking across campus in the middle of the night after finishing your last paper, listen to “We Are The Champions” by Queen. It’s unreal.

Good luck on all your finals, Hoyas, and just remember, when you’re feeling really stressed about that 10-page theology paper, there is a silver lining.

Photos: Undergrad.OSU, Wallpapergang
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Three Meals, One Swipe: A Georgetown Study Secret

Leo's StudyLeo’s is the best dining hall on campus, simply due to the fact that it is the only dining hall on campus. But is it also the best study hall on campus? I think it needs to be given serious consideration, for a few major reasons:

1) Outlets

Along the back wall, studious Hoyas can find multiple places to charge their electronics, giving them no reason to need to leave, pack up and find a new location.

2) Ambiance 

Outside of rush hours during lunch and dinner, Leo’s is, for the large part, relatively quiet. However, it isn’t silent, which I view as a huge plus for studying. While a Lau cubicle is sometimes necessary to get work done, silence (at least for me) can add to the stressful nature of studying and suppress my creativity. It’s good to be able to have some human interaction throughout the course of your studying. Just bring some headphones, so you can zone in when needed.

3) Unlimited Coffee

During a busy week, and especially during study days, many students can go through multiple cups of coffee each day. Do that for a week, and you are spending quite a bit of money to keep yourself properly caffeinated. At Leo’s, so long as the coffee machine doesn’t run out, you can refill your coffee cup as many times as your heart desires, with no extra charge.

4) People Watching

While you are, of course, attempting to get work done, it is inevitable that you will get distracted wherever you work. It’s only healthy to take a breather every once in a while. Leo’s is probably the most entertaining study spot to take this break, as you never know who you could see and what they’ll be doing.

5) All You Can Eat

Sure, this can get dangerous. But, as the title suggests, it is possible to get all three of your meals for the day without having to leave your study spot or use any extra money and swipes. Not only is there a “large” variety of meals available, but there are always snack foods like cookies and fruits available to keep you “satisfied” while you study.

Certainly, studying at Leo’s can have its downsides. It can get a little distracting, there aren’t any printers and you will have the “Leo’s smell” to an unbelievable degree. But our beloved Leo’s is certainly an underrated study spot – and a place I would recommend for any weary, overwhelmed Hoya during study days.

Photo: Keyword Picture
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Pack It Up, Pack It In

Pack it up pack it in

With finals coming to a close, only two real struggles of the school year remain: figuring out when all your friends are leaving so you can remember to say goodbye and packing up your entire life and moving out.

If you’ve lived in the same place since August, you probably don’t even realize just how much stuff you have in such a small space. So here are some tips for getting the most into your limited packing space

NOTE: Most of my packing experience comes from packing suitcases for flying cross-country – but I’ve done it A LOT. If your parent is driving down to pick you up, I’m pretty sure you just stuff as much as you can fit into the car until you run out of stuff, which is a lot less complicated than making sure none of your suitcases weigh over 50lbs.

The Basics

  • Actually fold your clothes. Crumpling them up and shoving them into random corners is only to be used in extremely dire circumstances. 
  • When it comes to T-shirts, fold them lengthwise and roll them from top to bottom and pack those last in the little crevices left from other things.
  • Use the pockets. Your suitcase extra has pockets for a reason. Stuff them with whatever fits!
  • Throw away what you don’t need.

Safety in Layers Need to pack mugs or other more fragile things? First, fold your blankets and sweaters and other fluffy-like things, and put the breakable stuff between the layers. That way they don’t take up extra space and your stuff is more protected. The downside of this is that your boxes and suitcases get deceptively heavy very quickly so be prepared to call in reinforcements when you actually have to move them.

It’s All About the Shoes Put all the extra empty space in your boots, sneakers and other miscellaneous footwear to good use by stuffing them full of your socks and underwear. It may seem silly, but there’s a surprising amount of space you aren’t taking advantage of in there that you might as well use.

Overdressed to Impress…ed  I have developed the habit of flying in my Hunter rainboots. Is it horribly inconvenient at security to have to take them off in a timely manner? Absolutely. Do I look ridiculous when I step off the plane in Southern California? The most ridiculous. But the space I save in my limited checked luggage by wearing the rubber behemoths, as well as multiple layers of fleece jackets and cardigans more than makes up for the hassle and embarrassment. It’s about efficiency, not comfort, people.

A Balanced Approach When you pack up your bedding – mattress pad, comforter, pillows etc. – don’t put them all in the same box. If you do, that one box will be nice, light and easy to carry, but any others will weigh an absolute ton. Distribute these so you have a lot of manageable boxes, instead of a few that are nearly impossible and a few that could be lifted with your pinky.

In the end, as long as you are able to get yourself completely moved out of your room or apartment in time, it doesn’t really matter how it gets done. Just zip those bad boys up and don’t think about it again until you unpack at home and find four articles of your roommate’s clothing stuck between yours.

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The Final Push Study Playlist

[8tracks width=”300″ height=”250″ playops=”” url=”https://8tracks.com/mixes/1704051″]

This big playlist is a compilation of songs that’ll hype you up for studying. It’s time to get turnt up at Georgetown. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Lau, MSB, or your room! Wherever you’re studying, just make sure to stay focused and motivated. It may seem like life is tough now, but don’t lose sight of the future payoff:

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’ – Muhammad Ali

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Sixteen Sweet Study Songs

4E’s Study Sixteen from thehoya on 8tracks Radio.

Studying sucks. Luckily for you, music doesn’t. And for those of you whose friends are distracting you by whispering in Pierce (which is forbidden, but by friends are doing it anyway), you probably need a little chill study music to distract you. Look no farther. These sixteen songs are guaranteed to help you focus and get you through finals happily.

Dull to Pause — Junior Boys This song has been on my study playlist for at least the past two years. Great beats that ride the line between monotonous and beautiful. Which, if you ask me, is the ultimate study song.

Hurricane — MS MR If you didn’t discover this song when the Internet was making Hurrican Sandy playlists, now is your chance. Fall in love with her voice. (This is also thematically relevant for me and my studying for my climate science final).

Pull My Heart Away — Jack Peñate I love Jack’s voice. It’s soothing and oozes emotion, but not so much that you start crying from a mixture of desperation and the song’s emotional power.

Slowdance — Matthew Dear This is actually the ideal study song. I actually wouldn’t be opposed to just listening to this song on repeat until I finish my paper.

Brackett, WI — Bon Iver Justin Vernon’s musical melancholy might be a little too depressing for those of you holed up in cube. But this song’s emotion mirrors the winter outside, so it’s a great study song.

Civilian — Wye Oak This song simultaneously makes me focus and destress. It’s a win-win.

Holocene — Bon Iver It always helps to surround yourself with beauty during desperate times.

Heart Skipped a Beat — The xx and Unfold — The xx Every song by The xx is perfectly tailored for studying. Listen to their past two albums on repeat. This playlist contains a dong from each.

The Mall and Misery — Broken Bells I spent all of my time during winter finals 2011 listening to this song and managed to do well. Here’s hoping this song continues the trend!

Runaway — JMSN This is kind of a mix of study music and hipster baby-making music. It’s helped me focus so far.

Bad Religion — Frank Ocean Love Frank Ocean. After his album’s release this summer, no soothing playlist would be complete without his beautiful voice.

Mariana — Bia Krieger This song is Brazilian, so you won’t understand the words (which always helps with focusing). It also comes from Putumayo’s “Brazilian Lounge” album, and Brazilian lounges seem super chill. We’re all in need of a little carefree Brazilian music right now.

Relax, Take It Easy — Mika The title says it all. Also, love Mika. If you ever want to cry in a music video like you do in a romcom, watch this one. Wouldn’t you want someone to tell you that you were the Origin of Love? That’s actually the biggest compliment I can imagine and if that song doesn’t play on my wedding day I’m going to murder the DJ.

Cruel — St. Vincent Yes, finals are cruel. This song will make you feel better.

Pretty Girl From Michigan — The Avett Brothers I’m in Lau, staring at a pretty girl who may or may not be from Michigan.

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What Does Your Coffee Say About You?

It’s that time of year when even the most avid tea drinker feels that the meager amount of caffeine in green tea just isn’t cutting it. Yes, as finals approach, I find myself upping my caffeine intake by a factor of three (read as: twelve) and starting to actually enjoy drinking the coffee at Leo’s. I know, what’s becoming of me. Maybe it’s the 6:45am Bikram yoga I’ve been attending for my stress, or maybe because it’s mono season, but it seems like everyone is a little more tired these days. With seven places to get caffeinated on campus, we know that the art of the bean means something to the Georgetown population.

So, what does your coffee say about you?:

  • Americano: Mmmmm espresso. The name of the Americano lends it an almost paradoxical essence; a foreign name for our own home-town Americana. The Americano drinker has big dreams of Paris and Milan, in fact you’re already practicing your Italian oral exam for your pending study abroad next semester. Como estai?
  • Black Coffee: Either the trek for milk at Leo’s, conveniently placed on the other end of the cafeteria from the coffee, or your hard-edged persona has landed you with the most serious of coffee drinkers. Sugar? No. Milk? No no. You like your coffee hot and your heart is likely steel cold. Just kidding. Maybe. Probably not.
  • Mocha: It’s like the adult version of hot chocolate. The little kid in you smiles when you take a sip. You’re the type of person who still remembers watching Rocket Power like it was yesterday. Plans for winter time? You’re already penciled in some ice skating by the waterfront as a study break from your Biology final.
  • Red Eye: Just as jacked up as Red Eye the 2005 horror movie, you spend your week at Club Lau (minus the club) and your weekends at the night clubs. Maybe you’re saying to yourself – sleep? Who needs it. Yeah, not you, not when you’re drinking a red-eye at least.
  • Vanilla Latte:  Sweet but it packs a punch. With every smile you give, you’ve given an eyebrow raise to match. You’re sassy, your sweet, and with your vanilla latte, sleep will not have you beat. With a Vanilla Latte in hand you’re most likely to be seen on your way into Georgetown cupcakes to get a surprise cupcake for your roommate to help them through the stress of their Organic Chem final. D’awww.
  • Cappuccino: Class and style. You’ve got it. That rich espresso with a slight froth of milk perfectly describes your personality. Drinking coffee for you has become more than a necessity, it’s an experience. It’s all about getting the ultimate enjoyment.  You like to sit back and relax with your coffee in hand, slowly sipping to some Lykke Li playing in the background.
Whatever your blend and whatever your reasons, drink up, Hoyas!

Photo: coffeeuniverse.com

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Friday Fixat10ns: No-Shame Weekend

[8tracks width=”300″ height=”250″ playops=”” url=”https://8tracks.com/mixes/1196755″]

Anytime during the reading week you’re not studying, the feeling of guilt from not preparing for your exam is hard to get over. This is your playlist for the last go-hard, shameless weekend before diving into your studies. These are the songs you want at your pre-game, party, and post-game. Throughout all of the playlists that I have made, I’ve tried to mix up the music styles. I did no such thing here. I put every song that I could think of that I would want to hear on a no-shame weekend. Go ham.

Billboard – S-Type Start your night off right; you don’t have many left in this semester.

Blow Up – J. Cole Just trying to start off the pregame with a couple of hype songs that aren’t too smilar. Let J. Cole bring you slowly into your no-shame weekend.

21 Questions – 50 Cent I’ve realized that a substantial number of pregames and parties here at Georgetown don’t have a lot of dancing. I blame it on the playlist; turn to the 4E for your dancing needs.

M.A.A.D City – Kendrick Lamar ft MC Eiht I tried so hard to avoid this album… but it’s too good, so I couldn’t resist. You’re listening to the future, here. You’ll tell your grandchildren where you were when you first listened to Kendrick the weekend before finals.

Loca People – Sak Noel After the pregame comes the party. Dancing’s gotta be everywhere you go this weekend, so start the party off with a bang. This tune is a sure thing when it comes to getting people  to loosen up and dance. Spanish always gets me in the mood: “Viva la fiesta/viva la noche/Viva los DJs” Good thing I’m bilingual: Viva la noche de no shame

Mercy – G.O.O.D. Music “White girls politicking/That’s that Sarah Palin” – there’s no shame in this playlist, so no need to be politically correct. There are so many reasons to play this song at any party. It’s always a touching moment to see everyone in the party going in on last word of the first few lines of the Pusha T verse… “Plus , yo, my bitch makes yo bitch look like Precious” (I don’t think Kanye really got the moral of the movie)

Big Spender – Theophilus London ft. A$AP Rocky Don’t tire out just yet — Theophilus and A$AP are a couple of New York City rappers that can bring any party to the next level. If you don’t got the cash to bump to this song, just pretend; it’s likely that nobody at the party gets bank. If they did, they wouldn’t be sipping on Sour Apple Burnett’s.

I Love My B*tches – Rick Ross Rick Ross really needs to rethink his position on women and reflect on the effects that these types of songs could have on the youth of the nation. At the same time, this song is catchy as hell, so LET’S DANCE.

F*ckin Problem – A$AP Rocky ft. 2Chainz, Drake, Kendrick Lamar “Yeah, I got finals/I got a f*cking problem” – never said by these four.

School Spirit – Kanye West Maybe it’s best we don’t turn to Kanye for moral support during these hard times: “Told ’em I finished school, and I started my own business/They say, ‘Oh you graduated?’/No, I decided I was finished/Chasin’ y’all dreams and what you’ve got planned/Now I spit it so hot you got tanned/Back to school and I hate it there, I hate it there/Everything I want I gotta wait a year, I wait a year/This ***** graduated at the top of my class../I went to Cheesecake, he was a **********ing waiter there”

Words of encouragement from the great Yeezy himself. Education is the future.

 

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Flex Those Dollars!

As the semester comes to a close, the stress of finals may be getting to a lot of you. Hopefully, your dreams (read as: nightmares) do not only consist of coffee, books, and Lau. Nevertheless, there is no denying that we are almost at the finish line! So besides cramming in those extra study hours…what else is there to think about it?

Flex Dollars. Ah yes…the money that is given to us so that we do not have to eat at Leo’s every day. The amount of flex dollars varies depending on your meal plan, ranging from 50 to 100 dollars, and is just a beautiful thing for us poor college students. Unfortunately, Flex Dollars do not carry over into next semester so if you don’t use it…you lose it. Within the next couple of weeks, think about using your Flex Dollars at these delicious locations:

1.)   Epicurean: Located right next to Darnall, Epi is a delicious buffet-stylized eatery that has fresh Sushi and delicious sandwiches made to order! Check it out and use them flex dollars to get whatever your heart desires and TREAT YO SELF.

2.)   Einstein Bros., Bagels: Midnight Mug is not the only place with delicious Bagels. Grab an Einstein Bagel, coffee, or sandwich and be on your merry way. Look out for meal deals as well! Bagel with Cream Cheese and Coffee-$3.99. 
Sandwich and a Bottled Beverage-$6.00. Located in Regents.

3.)   Starbucks, Cosi, Subway, Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell: Nuff said. Have your fix in Leavey at Hoya Court! Also… 
Aromi d’Italia Gelato is there. Yes. That would be yummy gelato ice cream.

4.)   Dr. Mug: For the science lover in all of us, grab some snacks, juices, salads, sandwiches, sodas and teas, or a cup of joe from Dr. Mug. Located on the ground level of the Pre-Clinical Science Center (next to the medical bookstore)

5.)   Vittles: Yup! Some of your dire grocery store needs can be taken care of with your Flex bucks! Not everything is covered, but it’s a great place to use up flex on snacks!

6.)   Hoya Snaxa: For those late night food cravings, take a study break and hit up Hoya Snaxa…right across the way from Harbin Field.

7.)   Uncommon Grounds & Midnight Mug: The staple go-to coffee location for Gtown students. Use up your flex dollars there since these coffee places are conveniently located all around campus from Lau to Leavy. Perfect for on-the-go studying.

8.)   Faculty Club Restaurant: Remember that place you went with your parents on Parent’s Weekend at Leavey (right next to Hoya Court)? Well, you can use Flex bucks there!! The Faculty Cub Restaurant is a deluxe buffet restaurant and is open to everyone for breakfast and lunch.

I bet you are extremely hungry now….time to put those Flex Dollars to good use!

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Survivor: My First All-Nighter

Well good morning Hoyas! Or, if you’re like me, you’re wondering why it’s so bright out when the night still hasn’t ended. Yes, I have survived my first all-nighter (read as: I’m a freshman taking only 14 credits) but trust me…it wasn’t pretty. I’m going to allow you to re-live my experience and learn from my mistakes, the first of which was waiting to write this paper until last night…or…this morning? I don’t know, I’m sleepy and confused. Hopefully you’ll find this either informative, amusing, or reminiscent of your first all-nighter. Regardless, this is going to be pretty shambly.

12:05am Get out of rehearsal and head to Lau 2, sit with a friend.

Clearly these are mistakes 1 and 2. As much as you try to delude yourself, Lau 2 is not a productive place and friends are poopfaces who distract you.

1:20am Very little has been done, but now I am ravenously hungry. I go to Midnight to get a bagel but am told that they are out of ALL KINDS OF BAGELS. WHAT IS THIS MADNESS. Proceed to cry.

Mistake number 3 is made, but not by me. By all other bagel consumers: why did you take all my bagels. Why? Why would you do this to me.

1:35am Research Grubhub delivery places, contemplate options, be indecisive. Then get convinced that we should make a caffeine run to Midnight then go to Vittles for snacks. But we have to hurry because “Vittles closes at 2”!

1:47am While waiting for our drinks, I run into my lovely deputy editor, Kate Wellde who works at Vittles. I go over to her, intending to ask her to text the person with the last Vittles shift of the day to ask them to stay open for just 5 more minutes. Kate apologetically tells me that Vittles closes at 1 every day…

Mistake number 4= not knowing the hours of Corp locations. Even Kate Wellde couldn’t cushion this blow. Deep sigh…

2:00am Go to Hariri to study anyhow and order pizza from Grubhub to be delivered to the Hotel lobby because my stomach is growling more than a wild Zigoon with no attack moves.

Best decision of the night. It got there in 16 minutes. Delicious. Worth it.

Continue reading “Survivor: My First All-Nighter”

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An Open Letter to Mark Zuckerberg

Dear Mark Zuckerberg,

When you were sitting in your dorm room at Harvard, writing out math calculations on a really cool glass whiteboard that I’m sure you didn’t actually own, (thank you David Fincher for allowing me to once again lose myself in the world of hyperreality) I don’t think you foresaw what exactly your little creation would do to the rest of us.

What I currently need to be doing is drowning myself in population means and Max Weber; instead, I’m rating the girls in my ex’s most recent tagged photos and gagging at the impressive number of chins I have in the pictures my friend added from this weekend. I should mention that I just do not have the time or energy to go through pictures 1-460. Whoops. That just happened.

What’s worse is that I am so uninterested by the prospect of finals that I’m procrastinating by writing an inbox to my mother. In fact, it’s a haiku about how I shouldn’t be doing what I’m doing. The least you could have done was use that extremely large and competent brain of yours to predict that this would be a problem for easily distracted college students like myself and create some sort of application that would remove your dumb site from our computer’s knowledge. I don’t always have the self-control to turn on Self Control.

I’ve sunk so low that my new hobby is poking people with whom I share a very distant and barely friendly relationship. This is fairly amusing and I can objectively (though, really, it is completely subjective) laugh at the awkwardness I know they feel.

In conclusion, I am mad at you.

Please, Mark, change your ways. (Or at least take my Probability & Statistics final for me? Thanks.)

Shannon