Top Three Places to Study on Coe College Campus

 Need to finish up studying for finals? Below is a list of the top three places to study on campus!

MJ Meiers

#3. Struve Communication Center

This small academic building is nestled between Douglas residence hall and the old gym. Since its located far from the other buildings, it is often overlooked as a studying spot. As such, one can usually find open classrooms to study in. If you are looking for a more casual study environment, there is a couch in the hallway which is perfect for catching up on reading assignments. Struve is one of my personal favorite places to study, but since it is an academic building, there are sometimes classes occuring in the building, making it best to study there in the afternoons or evenings. When this building is available however, it is a very quiet study space!

#2. Coe College Writing Center

The Coe College Writing Center is a perfect place to work on writing assignments. The space is cozy and welcoming, and includes a couch, recliners, and tables for studying. This mix of seating means that students can feel comfortable while busy studying. On weekdays, the Writing Center is open 8AM to 11PM, giving students a long window in which to study. The biggest benefit of studying in the Writing Center is that it is staffed with consultants who are eager to help students with brainstorming, revising, and generally improving their work. It is also a pretty quiet place during the day. The only reason why the Writing Center is not ranked number one on this list is pretty obvious, at least to me. The Writing Center is a great place to study when specifically completing writing assignments, but it may not be the best choice to complete things like math homework. Despite this specificity, it is still a great place to get some work done on your next paper. 

#1. Peterson "Treehouse"

On the top two floors of Peterson which face College drive, there are study rooms with floor to ceiling windows, tables, chairs, and whiteboards. The floors even have live plants. This is a great place to study any kind of work, and is especially good for quietly studying with friends. In my own experience, I've found it to be a pleasant and centrally located place to complete homework. Some students refer to these rooms as the treehouse, probably because of the elevation of the rooms. There are a couple of reasons why the treehouse is ranked higher than Struve or the Writing Center. For one, the treehouse is available more hours during the day than the other two locations. There are not classes held in these rooms, and if you get to one before the academic buildings lock, you can stay as late as you like. Another reason is the aesthetics of the space. I always find it more fun to study in a pretty room compared to a boring classroom, and the treehouse is one of those fun and unique spaces on campus. Lastly, is the amount of space available. The top two floors of Peterson have a corresponding study room overlooking college drive. This means that several groups could be working in separated spaces at the same time. If studying alone, there is also enough space of every floor that another student studying across the room from you does not feel cramped. Overall, I find the treehouse to be the best place to finish up studies on campus. 

Starting a Research Project (By Sienna Stucke)

How do you start a research project in general?

Whether you are choosing a topic for a presentation or a long experiment driven project it can definitely be tough. Research projects are difficult to think of because sometimes it (especially most STEM research) can be expensive or very open ended. Many times I start by brainstorming a list of interesting topics and looking up different past research that I could reference or build off of in my projects. 

It is very important to take the time to brainstorm because when rushed it is more difficult to find sources and connect the dots of your ideas; this is why I enjoy brainstorming conferences so much, because a good foundation is key when it comes to research- or any writing for that matter.

Once I find a topic that interests me I dive in deeper and find as many articles as possible to help me set up. When you have a topic narrowed down and some background information you can develop your research question, what do you want to find out? How are you going to find out?

How We Came Up with Our Research Idea: Hot Take: What Professors Really Think About the Writing Center

In the past month Mackenzie and I have been working on our topics research project to present at the IWCC on April 8th. We wanted to look into the perceptions of the writing center held by different professors across multiple departments so that we could address any misconceptions and build a stronger relationship with our professors as consultants. In Topics class we were brainstorming different research topics when this idea came to me. I was thinking about how some professors require conferences much more than other professors and that it would be interesting to talk to them and see why they require or don’t require them. This then prompted thoughts into how these answers would possibly differ by department and types of writing. Our research question was: how do professors perceive the writing center and how can we build our relationships to be a better resource for everyone?

What should we ask?

We decided that we wanted to interview a few different professors to see what they thought about the writing center:

• how they envisioned a conference happening

• why they required or didn’t require conferences for certain assignments

• if they have taught FYS and used a writing fellow and their experience with that

• if they had any suggestions on how we as a writing center could build a stronger relationship with faculty. 

How we went about our research- The interview process

After completing the IRB certification and writing a proposal, we reached out via email to a number of professors from multiple departments. We reached out to Dr. Cozine and Dr. Christensen from the biology department, Dr. Brown in psychology, Dr. Miller in math, Dr. Johnson in African American studies, and Dr. Hausknecht in writing. Jane also provided us with a round of interview transcripts from a similar topics research project from 2003. First we read through the past interviews to get a feel for the questions that they asked and which ones we would want to ask in our own interviews. Once we had interview times set up with each of the professors we finalized our list of questions. When we were interviewing the professors we recorded the interview so we could type up a transcript and we took notes on their answers to our questions. 

How did this process go?

Overall the starting process of this project was very smooth. The questions that we came up with produced a lot of conversation which was the goal and our interviews were productive. I think we went about starting this project in a good way and our starting process made the research itself much easier.

Studying Abroad at the University of Oxford

    Hello from Oxford! I am currently on my Easter break from the 12th of March until the 24th of April. I KNOW!!! Isn't it great...

    Well, it's not exactly a full break from school. Most students now are studying for their collections (basically their final exams) that take place in their Trinity term. Others (like me) are working in labs and completing larger projects that are required for their course of study. 

    Here at Oxford, they use an adapted trimester system in which their 3 terms (Michaelmas, Hilary, and Trinity) are only 8 weeks long, with over a month break between them. This means that their terms are short and intense. My experience included a blur of early mornings, all-nighters, and plenty of caffeine to keep the party going. 

    My course is in chemistry and includes 2 classes in chemistry for each term. The classes emphasize self-learning and very individualized study. The meat of the courses are undertaken in tutorials (students here abbreviate them as tutes), where students meet with their professors (tutors) about the topic of the week. Students spend many hours preparing for each tute, either writing papers or finishing up problem sets. Tutorials can take place all over the campus at different colleges with professors of different colleges as well.

    There are 45 different colleges under the University of Oxford. Each is a self-governing institution with its own history and culture. I study at St. Edmund Hall, which we all call teddy (our mascot is a bear!!). We are known for being a small, friendly, and tight-knit community. With under 1000 students, we are one of the smaller colleges with a smaller campus. What teddy lacks in towering buildings and sprawling quads, it makes up in charm. It reminds me much of Coe!

                        Pictured: St. Edmund Hall library and garden

                        Pictured: St. Edmund Hall main quad

                                    Pictured: Inside the St. Edmund Hall library

    Tutorials vary depending on your tutor who can structure their tutorials in any way they choose. In my case, I completed the weekly problem set and turned it in 24 hours before my tutorial. During tutorial, my tutor and I went over my weaknesses and discussed the topic at hand. 

    I found similarities between the tutorial system and the consultations that occur at the writing center each and every day. In this case, I am not the consultant but the consultee. I bring my work to my tutor and he/she probes my knowledge to ensure that I have learned what is required. They ask me new questions that did not appear on the problem set and we have open-ended conversations over the given topic, which is exactly what we do as consultants!

    There are some differences. First, tutes do not take place between peers, but instead between a student and a professor. The professor is not ONLY trying to get you to refine your own knowledge and express it in your own words; they are also interested in assessing your level of knowledge, which is reflected in your grades (hence why these tutes can be pretty stressful in the moment). 

    By the end of the 8 weeks of Hilary term, I found that I had learned more than I ever could have imagined. The intense terms mixed with the tutorial system create an environment in which students are capable of intaking large amounts of information efficiently, largely because there is no other choice for the students but to sink or swim. That's not to say that your tutors and college are not immensely helpful and supportive; they are and they do accommodate any of your needs. But the amount and level of work expected from the students just forces students to get down to it, and spend large amounts of time reading and reflecting. Ultimately I found that my knowledge was more refined, as I not only had to be able to write about what I learned, but also have a conversation about it with someone who is a leading expert in their field.

    So far I have really enjoyed my time here. I think it is a real privilege to be at Oxford and to study in an environment where the expectations may at times seem too high. From the conversations I've had with other students, this is typical. Sometimes the pressure feels like too much. But in the end, what they say is true...

Pressure makes diamonds.

 

                                    Pictured: High Street, Oxford

              Pictured: Radcliffe Camera - One of the most famous libraries at Oxford

             Pictured: My friends and I drinking coffee and studying at the Oxford Union

you're unbeleafable

One of the many things that the writing center is known for besides its marvelous tea, warm lighting, and of course its amazing consultants is the various plants on the windowsills. I chose to rate some of the plants within our writing center based off of their color scheme, leaf shape and texture, size, and what they remind me of. I also received feedback from fellow consultants on what their favorite plants were and why. However, don't be envious of the plants shown because you may have the opportunity to have one of your very own. Our director Jane is the propagation queen and often hosts potting parties where she distributes the wealth of plants to anyone who wants one, so be on the lookout for our next one!

Moses in the Bulrushes

Rating: 7/10 

• This plant has a great color scheme between the deep green and fuchsia hues within the leaves. It provides a tropical escape within the writing center due to its wide leaves and small flowering sections.

Chlorophytum comosum 

Aka. Spider Plant

Rating: 9/10

• The adorable baby spider plant in the picture is why the rating is so high. I personally have one of these plants in my room and its long striped leaves add movement to any space. Although I am not a fan of spiders by any means this plant is one of my favorites. 

Jelly Beans 

Rating: 8.5/10 

• This cute little succulent received a high rating due to its cute little nubbins. If this plant had a former life I feel that it would have been a pine tree as they take similar shapes. 

• Fun Fact: this is CWC’s SUPERSTAR Ally Roeker’s favorite plant 

Epipremnum aureum

Aka. Golden Pothos

Rating: 8/10

• This pothos is a star behind the scenes here in the CWC. The broad patterned leaves are show-stopping, while the plant itself is not the star of the show. Its small size and few leaves allow it to attract a select crowd based on its beauty. 

• Emerson Porter’s Favorite Plant - “it reminds me of an ugly vegetable surrounded by favorable ones and that’s why I love it” 

Tradescantia chrysophylla

Aka. "Baby Bunny Bellies" or "Speedy Jenny"

Rating: 12/10

• This plant is by far my favorite plant in the writing center. Its drawn-out vines and dichromatic leaves make this plant a vision. It is also a crowd favorite when it comes time for the CWC planting party.

• I have a clipping of this in my room which has grown beautifully and is beginning to drop off of the lips of the pot it is in.

 

Sleepy? Top Three Places to Nap at Coe College!

     We have all had those nights where we can barely keep our eyes open during an intense study session 5 days before a big test (in my case). However, we all have the privilege of experiencing one of life's most beautiful processes - sleep! Sleep allows us to regenerate our brains & body, and it is what I look the most forward to at the end of a very, very, long day! I don't think I have ever spent so much time napping than since I came to Coe.

    Coe College is not notorious for having a lot of private sleeping areas, so I scoped far and wide to bring y'all these top three best napping places on campus! Sweet dreams! 

3. The Tennis Player Lounge 

    The Kohawk tennis player lounge is located on the second floor of the newly renovated Clarke Racquet Center! It is equipped with two very comfy coaches, a huge fridge to store snacks, and a TV to put on your favorite show! However, it gets the third place spot because there is a passcode to get in! You can just ask me and i'll tell you, but don't tell anyone I sent you. ☺ Typically, it is only tennis players allowed here, but as long as you are there by association, I don't think anyone will mind! The whole tennis team is very chill (not me though... just kidding). 

    Overall, I would rate the Kohawk tennis lounge 💤💤/ 💤💤💤💤💤! 

2. The Writing Center 

    I don't think I would be doing the Coe Writing Center (CWC) justice if I didn't say it is not an amazing to nap! It's not unusual to see someone taking a quick nap during a shift, and it's unofficial universal code to just let them be! The couch at the CWC is so comfy that even if you weren't sleepy before, you will knock out in less than 10 minutes if you aren't careful (just don't go doing that during a shift)! There is also blankets and 3 huge pillows that I am pretty sure the couch was designed for nappers! The only downside is that it is not very private, since there is usually conferences in the room, and there is at least a couple of centaurs working at all times. However, it's definitely not a problem at all. 

Overall, I would rate the CWC a 💤💤💤💤/ 💤💤💤💤💤! 

3. The Chemistry Library 

    In first place, in my personal opinion, the best place to nap at Coe College is the chemistry library in Peterson Hall! It's located on the second floor of Peterson, and it has everything you would ever need. I would live here if I could! It is equipped with a fridge, multiple chairs, lots of chemistry and non-chemistry board games, and two TVs. I can definitely say that I have made a PB & J here, and it was the best sandwich I have ever had in my life. It gets an added point because of the privacy offered. because you can close the door behind you and no one should bother you. I have personal experience of napping in this room after a long session of O & E kahoots, so I definitely recommend. 

Overall, I would rate the chemistry library a 💤💤💤💤💤/ 💤💤💤💤💤!

Hopefully y'all will find this list helpful on your next sleeping endeavor at Coe. Happy napping! :) 

My Freshman Year Experience: Expectations vs Reality

Class of 2025

I was beyond ecstatic to move into Coe's campus back in August. I had prepared a dorm list, had figured out who I wanted to room with, and was set on what major I wanted to pursue all before classes were to begin in the fall (I was trying to be ahead of the game by having set a plan; plans = success in my book). I was ready for this...…. until I wasn't. Everyone has high expectations when it comes to moving into college and starting your first year at the university of your choice ( In our case Coe College). Here are my experiences of what it has been like for my first year, vs the expectations that I had given myself, as it is soon coming to an end.

The Inner Thoughts of Writer's Block

     What should I write about.....

    This question has been in my head and there is no answer. Why, because I have caught the wort thing any writer could ever get. An illness that could kill my brain and keep me for ever being able to put words on paper ever again. I have Writers Block!

Monday

    Okay I need to write something. Anything! It can be anything that seems creative and interesting. Something to catch the eye of my fellow writers at my job. I have to be able to show them that I can come back and still be the same person I was before. But, I'm not. I have change since the last time they saw me. This will be the first creative writing assignment that I do. I have changed and become a better version of myself. So do I show them that or do I keep hiding behind the mask I created and worn for years? All I know is that I have to write something......

Wednesday

It has been a couple of days and still i have nothing. My assignment is due Friday and there are no words coming into my mind. It is time to focus. The time is now 7 o'clock and I'm going to start writing

(3 hours of procrastination later)

Well I got a lot done tonight. Did some math and physics notes. I believe I should get a good night's sleep.

Thursday Morning

    Its 7 am and I nothing. I waited until the last minute again to do anything. What is wrong with me! I could write a paper in 2 hours or less and get a B or better. Yet it's taking me days to write a simple blog post. I was given some idea on what to write about, but I was not feeling it. If I am going to write something, I want to tell as story and make it have meaning. I want to tell a story and give people something to think about. I don't want to be stuck writing about lamps and plants. I feel like a fish. But not just any fish, the one from the Childers's book. Basically the story goes that there is a fish with these shinny scales and throughout the story he gives them away one by one until he is no longer special. Have I run out of ideas just like the fish ran out of scales. Have I as a writing consultant in the Writing Center given too many conferences to the point that I no longer have ideas for myself? Is that even possible? I guess there is only one place to go to answer this question, the Writing Center. If that fails then I will just write about plants.....

       The story continues after going to the writing center. I realized that maybe I haven't lost it all. The fish still had one scale left at the end of its story why can't I have one more idea.

Four Reasons Why It’s Normal Not to Like Your Own Writing:

I’ve never met a writer who likes what they’ve written. I know a couple who’ll say they do, but as soon as you start to read it, they’ll correct themselves slowly by saying the first couple chapters are slow, or their beginning isn’t finished, or they’re still figuring out how to word a specific idea. This gets especially bad when it comes to writing that’s creative, or being used as a form of self expression.

Now I’m not shaming these people - I’m one of them! And that’s not only perfectly fine, but it’s also the way that things are set up to be, for many different reasons. 

Here’s the four clearest that I could think of.

1. The vast majority of writing that you can compare your work to has already been not only published, but overseen by teams of editors.

Because of this, in comparing your own work to the things you like to read, you’re making a false comparison. That book sure as anything didn’t look like that when the original writer first finished. The writer themselves had a pretty arduous revision and rejection process that they likely went through prior to getting their work edited by people who would maybe publish it. I think a lot of times this sets people up for failure when it comes to confidence in their own work. What you’ve written is great! It’s called a work-in-progress for a reason!

2. You have already read it.

Even our favorite stories become dull when we read them for the umpteenth time! If you’re really burned out from something you’ve written, the best thing you can do is go write or read something else for a while, before returning to your project with the vigor you had when you started it. It’s not that the writing is suddenly bad, it might just be that you’re bored.

3. You know what comes next.

You know where that cliffhanger leads, you know the protagonist ends up okay, you who wins at the end of the story, and you know the next idea you’re presenting! Because of that, a lot of the tension that exists for audiences won’t be there for you, especially on your third or fourth read through. While this can’t really be solved by taking a break from the piece (I’d hope you wouldn’t forget your story/content that easily), it can be solved by letting other people in! Whether it be a writing consultant (we will help workshop creative pieces!), a close friend, or even just a community online, hearing feedback from others is an essential step in the writing process. Don’t be afraid to let your voice be known!

4. You’re looking for errors.
   

When you're editing a story or other work of writing that you’ve written, you’re looking for mistakes. Due to that, you’re being blinded to a lot of the good that your writing has in store. You need to remember that most audiences won’t be so critical, and are looking to enjoy the story/characters/emotion that you’re sharing with them, not to critique how well your sentences are divided.

All in all, it is perfectly normal not to like your own writing, and it doesn't mean that you’re a bad writer. The only thing that could make you a bad writer is if you quit writing because you think you’re bad at it. So keep writing, and know that there’s always going to be people ready to read what you’ve written!

We Don't Talk About Grades!

 

We Don't Talk About Grades!

By now I hope you have all seen the absolute masterpiece that is Encanto, or at least have heard the chart topping "We Don't Talk About Bruno."I have seen the movie probably thirty times as its catchy tunes and beautiful graphics are rather comforting

for me. For those who are a little more sane than I and maybe haven't seen the film at all,

first of all… 

SPOILERS!

Second of all, here is a brief overview of the movie's premise. 

Mirabel is a part of the family Madrigal, who's matriarch was blessed with a miracle that

gave her family a magical home and magical powers that they use to help their town.

In this way, a person's worth begins to directly correlate with the acts of service they can complete.

Mirabel is the only grandkid to not have been granted a gift, therefore

she can not help the town in the same way as everyone else, and is often seen as

more of a burden than a bonafide family member. 

I love this movie because I feel like all of us can relate to Mirabel, and I think one instance of this feeling

of not being worthy we have all experienced comes when grades are attached to our writing. 

Sometimes I will work so hard on an assignment and think it went pretty well only

for it to be given a lower grade than expected, making all my work feel a little worthless.

Or I will be so worried about how my professor will grade my work that I will be

overly critical of my writing and never be satisfied with the work that I did. 

Those feelings are something that the Writing Center is here to help you avoid

because at the Writing Center…

"We don't talk about grades." 

At the CWC your worth as a writer isn't tied to your end product.

We value the writing process more than the final result.

Don't get me wrong, we of course want that final product to be as good as possible,

but we recognize that what really matters is that with

each writing assignment your writing gets a little better.

Let's imagine a scenario, 

Maybe the first time you come in we fix up some grammar, and talk through how to avoid those errors,

then the next time you come in,

there are little to no grammar issues because you learned to recognize them on your own

and we can now focus on making stronger thesis statements. 

That scenario is an A in our book (IF we talked about grades here, which we don't).

The Writing Center cares about growth, because that's the mark of a promising writer,

not always getting straight A's, and I think sometimes we all need to be reminded of that,

even us consultants.

So come in and grow with us, and after you learn to value growth over perfection,

then MAYBE we can talk about grades

(but probably not because this isn't like the song and we REALLY don't talk about grades at the CWC)

(Like ever).

Other ways to continue this growth outside of the four cozy walls of the Writing Center are: 

Going to Office Hours with Professors 

Most professors are more than happy to help you better understand the writing they are looking for

and will talk about assignments with you. Growth comes with clarification on what you need to do.

And once you receive that clarification you are more than welcome to bring that

new knowledge back to the Writing Center!

Making Time For Personal,  No Stakes Writing!

That may be journaling about your day, utilizing goofy writing prompts, creating fan fiction,

or working on that story you have always thought about writing. Heck, maybe start a blog!

Practice makes perfect so the more you write in general the more growth you will see.

And if you are worried about being too busy, I promise you that if you love writing there is

ALWAYS time in the day for you to do it in a way that makes you happy and proud. 

Reminding Yourself That We Are Not Seeking Perfection.

This is something I personally have to do often with all of my hobbies.

Before I paint or crochet I have to remind myself that

this project is a stepping stone in my path for growth, not the end all be all, and it's the same with writing. Even though you are technically handing in a

"completed assignment," that assignment is a stopping point on your writing career,

not the finish line.

 Maybe before you start writing, or after you turn in an assignment you could try reciting that mantra,

this project is a stepping stone in my path for growth, not the end all be all,

just to take some pressure off and remind yourself that writing and the way you write

is more important than the grade you ultimately receive. 

In Conclusion, 

Don't let grades steal the joy of writing away,

and don't let your magical family tell you that your lack of magical powers makes you less worthy

because you and your writing are both doing great!

Keep growing!

(and go watch Encanto!!)