You applied for college and got accepted into your top choices!! Congrats! The next thing that comes to your mind: how am I going to pay for this? That is where the FAFSA may be helpful. FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. More than 70% of students that attend UW Oshkosh get some sort of financial assistance to help pay for college. Besides scholarships, the only way you can get federal aid is by filling out the FAFSA form. Some people may find it confusing to fill out, but don’t let that stop you! I’m here to help with some advice that will hopefully make the process easier.

Before starting the online application process you are going to want to complete your taxes. Once you have that done, you’ll need to get a Personal Idenfication Number (PIN) and set up your password. To do this go to pin.ed.gov. Make sure to keep these in a safe place so you don’t forget where they are!

The Department of Education says that you can complete the FAFSA form in less than an hour as long as you have all the necessary documents at hand. A little planning can help the process go a lot smoother. Here are the documents you’ll need:

• Your most recent income tax return (and your parents’ if you’re a dependent)
• Your current bank statements
• Your current investment records (if any)
• Records of any untaxed income you may have received
• Your Driver’s License (if you have one)
• Your Social Security Number
• If you are not a U.S. citizen: your alien registration or permanent resident card

After this, filling out the FAFSA form is pretty self-explanatory. They walk you through each part step by step.

When you fill out the FAFSA make sure to indicate that you would like UW Oshkosh or any other schools you are applying for to receive the information. (UW Oshkosh’s school code is: 003920) UW Oshkosh’s priority date is March 15 so you’ll want to make sure to get it submitted by then to maximize your chances of receiving all the aid you’re eligible for. The earlier you get your FAFSA in the better.

Based on your FAFSA you may receive aid in the forms of grants, loans and work study.

• Grants are need-based funds from federal, state or private sources that do not need to be repaid, provided that the enrollment period is completed.

• Loans are borrowed funds that you will need to pay with interest after you are no longer a student. There are tons of loans you can receive so make sure to pay attention to the specifics of the loans you are awarded.

• Work-study money is also given based on your FAFSA. It is a federally sponsored employment program for undergraduate and graduate students so they can get a job on campus. You don’t need work study to get a job on campus, but it opens up your job prospects if you have it.

If you want to practice filling our the FAFSA you can download and fill out the “FAFSA on the Web Worksheet.” It lists all the FAFSA questions in the same order as they appear on the official FAFSA.

If you have any questions after that you can go to the UW Oshkosh Financial Aid Website, which is packed with information and can assist you with filling out the FAFSA.

Here are a few direct links to point out from this website:

FAQ: This provides a list of frequently asked questions including how to apply for aid, when to apply, direct lending, canceling aid or changing aid and much more.

Financial Aid Guide: This online guide is simple to use. You can click on any chapter heading in the table of contents section and it will take you to the page with the desired information!

Important Dates: It’s always recommended to keep a list of important dates readily available as to not miss any.

You can also attend College Goal Wisconsin.

College Goal Wisconsin is a free event held at various locations across Wisconsin and is mean to assist families by providing information and assistance in regards to the FAFSA. This year it will take place Feb. 23-24 at various locations around the state, one of which is UW Oshkosh!

Hope that helps!

I hope things are going well with everyone! Second semester started at UW Oshkosh, so students are trying to get back into their routines. The biggest struggle for me is waking up for my morning classes. For the last month the only things I had to worry about were playing basketball, eating and sleeping. So it’s taking me a while to get back into the swing of things.

Classes

One of the classes I’m taking this semester is WBIS (Writing Based Inquiry Seminar), which is just a fancy term for an English class. Right now we are talking about the book “The Hobbit” and the life lessons you can take from it. Here’s something you might not know: The author initially wrote the book for his children. He wanted a fun, adventurous story that his children could follow and learn life lessons from. Pretty cool, huh? Other than that, I’m taking a math, art, and music class.

Basketball – Almost the End

We only have three games and five practices left of the season. It is crazy to think it’s almost over! It’s been four long months and 68 days of training and games. Our record right now is 6-16. It might seem not seem that great, but the progress that we’ve made this year is what really counts. I’m looking forward to next season already. I believe the team is going to improve a lot with everything that we’ve learned.

So to wrap it all up life right is pretty good. I still can’t believe the basketball season is almost over and I’m in my spring semester of my freshmen year. Time is flying by! I just have to take one day at a time and try to make the most out of my time here. Until my next post, take care everyone!

Many of you probably made some resolutions on January 1. Maybe you want to work out more… make more money… or fix a bad habit. All these things are great! (And I hope they are still going well for you.) But, as you’re nearing the end of high school, allow me to suggest a few things that will help you prepare for your new life at college.

Sure, it won’t start for another nine months or so, but if you start prepping now, you’ll be glad you did.

1. Get organized.
   High school is usually a pretty structured place. Your classes are laid out for you, your schedule is very typical and you have a lot of people to help remind you about assignments, tests or projects. In college, you will pick your classes, pick your schedule and don’t have as many people staying on you to study, do homework or show up to class. It sounds scary, but it’s not bad if you are prepared for it and know your resources.Get organized now by getting a planner and writing in assignments, club meetings, etc., — even if they are routine, or you don’t think you’ll forget. Make it a habit now and it’ll be second nature to you later.
2. Remember to study.
   In high school — and college, I guess — it’s cool to say that you aced a test without studying. I get it. But, unfortunately, it’s a lot harder to say that in college. You might think it’s enough to just go to class and take notes. It’s not. You actually need to read the book, study your notes and go to class. There is no easy way to get good grades. You need to put in the effort. This is blunt…but even if you manage to pass a college class once or twice with minimal effort, it won’t work like that very long. To help with this now, practice studying for exams more often. Take notes and ask your teachers how they recommend you study. Even if it seems redundant or a “waste of time,” it is still better to practice and sharpen your study skills.If your classes are too easy, look into taking more difficult ones. See if your high school offers AP, CAPP or Youth Options courses. Or try taking some classes at a local community college. Don’t let yourself take an easy road because you’re a senior. If you took a year off a sport and just played video games every day, do you think you’d still be a star player a year later?  (Probably not.)
3. Step out of your comfort zone.
   College is going to present a ton of opportunities in academics, athletics, internships, clubs and social life. Get yourself mentally prepared for this by going out of your way to do new things in high school. Try being in a musical. Or go out for a sport you’ve always wanted to try. Take harder classes or volunteer in the community. Don’t do so much you stress yourself out… but trying new stuff now will make it less scary or intimidating later. And you’ll get better at meeting new people.
4. Be clean.
   Unless you’re going to be commuting to college, you’ll probably live in a residence hall. And you’ll probably live with another person. In a shared space. Unless you like living in a mess, you’ll want to start getting used to cleaning now. I recommend doing the small things: throw away food wrappers, do your dishes (or at least put them in the dishwasher), make your bed, take out garbage, pick your clothes up off the floor and do laundry once in a while.I’ll be honest, I don’t know many people that regularly washed windows or dusted. (And you won’t have to worry about any bathrooms to clean.) But when space is at a premium in your room, you’ll want to make sure the floor in your res hall room is clutter-free, your room doesn’t smell (garbage/dirty dishes) and that you have clean clothes. If you have a loft you might be able to get away with not making your bed… it’s less noticeable up high.

   A hint… many arguments start between roommates over cleanliness issues. Seriously. If you can start some good habits now, you’ll be golden.

5. Learn how to manage money.
   This is a resolution for life, really. To keep it short: money is limited. Save it, be wise with it and make good decisions. If you want to spend a lot, make sure you get a job. Want to go on a trip during college? Save up! You can work on this by getting a job, watching your spending habits and starting a savings account. Also, identify some hobbies or interests that aren’t super cost-intensive. A lot of entertainment at UW Oshkosh is free for students, which is really nice.

Those are a few of the more general resolutions I can think of. Depending on your personality, future ambitions or individual situation, you might want to add a few more to your list.

Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of all these? Space them out throughout the year. Start small and add on as you feel comfortable. Or, do the most time-sensitive ones first. (Like the academic ones… since you only have a little time left.)

Good luck and cheers to 2013!

Well, I made it! Next week I’m graduating a semester early. When I look back at who I was when I entered Oshkosh, it’s hard to believe Freshman Samantha was even the same person as Graduating Samantha.

On my first day of college, I was terrified, shy, and not so sure I enjoyed college at all. I couldn’t rely on my core group of friends from high school anymore, which was a scary experience. And I wasn’t used to making new friends; I had grown up knowing my friends back home.

I also had no idea what I wanted to major in. I knew I wasn’t alone in this; nearly a third of incoming freshmen don’t know their major. But it still felt like I’d never know what my passion was. I envied the people I met who had known their major since middle school.

This all changed when I started to get involved on campus. It began when I was a freshman and auditioned for a theatre show on a whim and was miraculously cast. I met people there who I could really relate to, and it made me realize the best way to fall in love with college was to get involved.

From there my involvement grew into attending leadership conferences, helping my Community Advisor plan programs, and helping out at the theater. Suddenly I felt like I not only belonged on campus but I was actually an important part of it.

But where things really fell into place was when I attended my first Film Society meeting. I had never considered filmmaking before, but I was absolutely hooked from the beginning. I found a passion I had never known existed, and I’ve been devoted to filmmaking ever since. I found my calling in screenwriting and I’ve never looked back.

To this date four of my short films have been produced. I’ve directed my own short film and written for telethons, public service announcements, TV shows: everything imaginable. A script I wrote for “The Walking Dead” even won a national award.

But it’s not only my accomplishments I’m proud of, it’s also the amazing friendships I’ve made. Friendships built not on simply being thrown into the same school together, but instead on shared passion and a love of working together. I graduate with not only an arsenal of writing and filmmaking skills, but also with a network of people I know I can trust and depend on.

I’m proud that I’m a different person today than I was my first day of college. And I have some advice that I certainly hope you’ll take.

First, get involved. I know you hear this all the time, but that’s because it’s true. College is only partly about what you learn in class. Getting involved is a chance to actually apply your skills and get experience.

Second, never stop trying new things. Who knows what would’ve happened if I hadn’t decided on a whim to try filmmaking?

And third (and probably the most important), don’t give up. I was scared and uncertain at first, too. But one day you’ll wake up and realize how fantastic college is, for much different reasons than you see on TV.

So that’s my advice for you. Trust me, it’s valuable, and it’ll ensure your college experience is as fulfilling as mine was. I leave UW Oshkosh with incredible friendships and experiences. And I have no doubt that what I learned here will help me continue to succeed in the career world. So take some chances, and don’t give up. Then find me afterward and let me know how it goes.

Bye, Oshkosh!

-Samantha

So you’ve been accepted to multiple colleges? Congratulations! Now comes the really tough part. Choosing one.

We put together a video blog on this topic a little bit ago, but thought a hard list might be helpful to have as well.

1. Look at the campus itself. Make sure to tour your top choices. Seeing a campus in person is a lot more impactful than seeing it online or in pictures. Talk to current students and ask good questions. This is a good chance to see if a college fits your personality and feels like home.
2. Make sure your choice has the academic program you’re interested in studying!
3. … And that it has a few backup programs as well. People change their minds all the time. It happens!
4. Check proximity. How far away is the college from your hometown? Do you want it to be close to home? Or far away? On your doorstep or across the ocean? How close is the college to everything else? Check to see there is stuff nearby that interests you: jobs, shopping, restaurants, etc., As well as campus amenities. What can you do right on campus? What services are provided? Academic and disability services, career advising, clubs, etc.,
5. Consider the size of the school. Both in student population as well as actual size. Do you feel lost or comfortable? Do you want a short walk to class or not mind getting on a bus and trekking a ways to class?
6. Check price! If everything else is pretty even, consider finances and go with an affordable option.

This is just a super brief list of some ideas of the big things you should consider. These things might be weighted differently in your mind. Your perfect school might not actually exist… you might have to sacrifice a few things to get what’s really important to you. Just keep an open mind and you’ll be fine!

Happy “super-late” Thanksgiving! I totally forgot to say that in the last blog (how rude of me). I hope all of you stuffed your faces full of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and all that other good Thanksgiving food! I’m thankful for this wonderful job (haha!), being on the basketball team with a great group of guys and being a Titan!

I’m going to talk about my Thanksgiving break/Black Friday experience,  how classes are going and extra bits of insight.

The Break and Sad Black Friday Experience

My break was pretty short. Short, but good. I had basketball practice Wednesday morning, so I stuck around while all my friends left on Tuesday night, which is when break started.

Once practice was done on Wednesday, my mom came and picked me up to take me back home. Once I got home, I went straight to my best friend’s house because I haven’t seen him since he left early August. I stayed at his house for about four hours and then I took my brother to get our hair cut. My flat top is now standing at 3.5 inches [:D.

Thanksgiving came around and boy was it good! We went to my little brothers friend’s house. They had a 26-pound turkey! That was was the only thing I cared about, but they also had other traditional Thanksgiving food.

Now to the really sad experience. My best friend called me and asked if I wanted to sit in line with him at Best Buy. He wanted to get this really good deal on a 50-inch TV. Me being the good friend I am I said, “Sure, why not?”

If you can remember that far back, it was pretty warm on Thanksgiving! So it was not a big deal to wait outside at first. But… as soon as we got there, Mother Nature did a 180 and all the sudden it was 30 degrees outside and windy! We waited outside in the cold… and my friend didn’t even get the TV that he wanted (waited three-and-a-half hours for nothing!!)

Once we failed to get what we wanted from Best Buy, my friend and I still wanted to get the full Black Friday experience. We went to the Target right down the street. As soon as we got there, it was chaotic. Everyone was running around. Someone even hit me with their cart and tried to blame me for being in the way! After that my friend and I had enough and decided to stop at the mall, which was seriously a high school reunion. We saw everyone from high school. It was a good time.

I came back to school Friday night because my break was over. I worked at the first playoff football game, which they won  — congrats! And I also had basketball practice later that night.

So that was my break. Exciting, right??

The Classes and My Thoughts

Classes right now are getting a little stressful since final exams are coming up. I have been buckling down and trying to study. I think I’m pretty prepared for most of my finals, but sociology is going to be a struggle. Basketball is going good as always.

Oh and those shoes that I said I was going to get in my last post… I decided not to get them. I need to save money because the basketball team is going to Las Vegas over winter break! WOO!

Well, all and all I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! Any Black Friday shoppers out there get any good deals? (Or the TV we tried to get??) Talk to you guys in my next blog.

Keep it real spotted seals.

Andre

Applying to college is one of the most important and life-changing tasks you will complete. How can you make sure you’ll get accepted into the college you really, really want to go to? I’ve chatted with the admissions counselors at UW Oshkosh and got some exclusive tips for you on what gets students accepted to or rejected from UWO.

Here’s a list of the Do’s and Don’ts of applying for college.

DO:

Meet deadlines. Missing a deadline can be the difference between getting accepted and not even being considered. Make sure to have all application deadlines clearly marked in your planner.

Be Proactive. Plan ahead. Understand the different decisions you can make when applying to colleges. Take campus tours and complete research before the applications are due – knowing more about the college can help when you’re writing about how you’ll fit into the campus. Being proactive will help when it comes to filling out paperwork that follows being accepted, too.

Be Unique: Write about what makes you different from the other thousands of applicants. Really think about this one. How did your experiences as an athlete define who you are? Just saying you were in a sport might not be enough.  Same for musicals… community services… part-time jobs. Think big picture. What puts you ahead of the crowd? What experiences set you a part from others?

Submit Letters of Recommendation. While letters of recommendation are not required for UW Oshkosh, they are a helpful option for students that may be “on the fence” for admission. Having a recommendation can show you’re right for UWO and increase your chances of being accepted. It is important to make sure these letters are from professionals in your life, like teachers, not from family, friends and non-academic coaches. Letters of recommendation are great for students that may have an average GPA or ACT score.

Go Beyond Standard Explanations. Everyone, or at least most people, probably wants to attend to college to pursue a degree, get a good job, meet new friends and be successful. Go beyond that standard explanation. Take the time to understand what attending college truly means to you and what you could mean to UW Oshkosh. What things do you hope to accomplish for yourself and the community?

Be Sincere. Admissions counselors read thousands of applications. They can tell if you’re being sincere in your explanations. If you had a bad semester, sincerely answer why your grades fell. Our counselors understand that “life happens.” If there was a reason for your drop in grades they want to know why. You don’t have to get overly personal, but if you don’t address your grades or other academic issues in your personal statement, counselors can only assume you just stopped trying or didn’t care.

Provide All Information Requested. If you took AP classes or enrolled in classes at a university for credit, make sure to send all that information to the Admissions Office. This includes AP test scores and transcripts from the colleges where you took classes. Also, don’t forget to list the courses you plan on taking senior year. Basically, just don’t leave anything on the application blank.

DON’T:

Don’t Mistake Quantity Over Quality. When looking at involvement counselors are interested in the quality of your involvement, not the quantity.  It’s better to have held leadership positions in a handful of clubs than have been a member of 30 different organizations. Likewise, it’s fine if you weren’t involved because you had to work 30-40 hours a week. Just remember to share what you learned from your experiences.

Don’t Forget About The Core Requirements. Many students are not accepted because they don’t meet the core requirements. When your counselor insists that you need four years of English and three years of Math, Science and Social Science, they aren’t joking. Make sure you complete the requirements and that all your classes count towards them. Sometimes students take a journalism class their senior year instead of an English class. Typically, journalism classes will not count towards the core requirements and then students don’t meet the minimum standards. If you are ever questioning if a class counts towards the core requirements, call our office before enrolling. We answer questions like that all the time.

Don’t Be Vague. Details, Details, Details! Be specific in your applications. Details are what will set you apart. Counselors want to get to know you; details will help them get a better picture of who you are.

Don’t Slack Your Senior Year. A big part of reviewing applications is looking at the student’s curriculum. Counselors would rather see that you challenged yourself senior year and received B’s, over someone that took easy classes and received A’s. Don’t be afraid to take college courses and get ahead. Remember your senior year is your last year to “practice” before college academics. Don’t take a break.

Don’t Get Your Applications Mixed Up. One of the biggest mistakes our counselors see is a student using the wrong university name or mascot in their essays. Make sure you double-check what applications you’re sending to what universities. While making this mistake might not prevent you from getting admitted, writing you can’t wait to be a ___________ (insert incorrect mascot) isn’t going to impress anyone. If you plan on applying to a bunch of schools with a slightly tweaked application statement, your best bet is probably to leave university names and mascots off your applications.

Don’t Think Words Speak Louder Than Actions. Students constantly write statements like, “I’m going to work really hard in college,” “I’m ready for college,” “I have a lot to offer,” “I now know how important grades are and that they should come first,” etc., But, as you’ve heard time and time again, actions speak louder than words. Share stories that prove you have these qualities or you’ve learned something. Don’t use cookie cutter statements you think admissions counselors want to hear.

Don’t Forget About Grammar. Have your friends, family and teachers proofread your essay. Make sure to look over your essay numerous times. Check for spelling errors and incorrect word use. Don’t spend forever writing the “perfect” essay and slack off on the details toward the end.

Because I love breakfast, and I don’t like to go outside early in the cold, I chose to make Breakfast in a Mug. Eating breakfast is proven to make your brain more efficient for class. I’m not the biggest fan of waking up super early for breakfast… Which is why I learned how to make a full breakfast in under five minutes. Intrigued? Keep reading.

Here’s what you’ll need:

A microwaveable mug
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon milk
2 eggs
Bacon bits (to taste)
Shredded cheese (to taste)
Salt and pepper (optional)

STEP ONE: Put the butter or margarine in the mug and microwave it for 30 seconds or until it’s melted.

STEP TWO: Take it out and add eggs and milk. If you want salt and pepper, now’s the time to add those, too. Whisk it all together.

STEP THREE: Microwave for 45 seconds. Take it out and stir it a little, then microwave for another 50 seconds or until the eggs have hardened.

STEP FOUR: Take it out to cool off for about 2 minutes. While it’s cooling, add bacon bits and cheese. The heat from the eggs will make it all and melty and delicious.

And that’s it! Yum.

It’s so easy you can make it while you’re getting dressed. You can also experiment a little and add spinach, mushrooms, or basically whatever you want. Now you’ll have no excuse to go to class hungry. Happy eating!

So, this is the second blog of mine and there is just so much to talk about! To keep it simple, I’ll focus on the food around campus, res hall life and the upcoming events in my schedule.

The Food

The food around campus is pretty good. I toured about seven schools last year and out of all of them Oshkosh by far has the best food. You can either get the 15 or 21 meal plan: 15 meals a week or 21 meals a week. I’m on the 15, but you should get the 21 if you eat a lot like myself. (I’m upgrading at semester!) Monday through Friday people typically eat at Blackhawk or get food from the “To-Go” room. Tuesday and Thursday are the best days to eat “To-Go” because they have the buffalo chicken sandwiches or buffalo chicken wraps (they’re the best!).

On the weekends I either eat at Scotty’s or Reeve and they have delicious food like Pizza Hut, subs, salads, and tacos. If you want to eat off campus there are a ton of places nearby, like Polito’s, Subway, Toppers, or Papa John’s. You can’t complain about that.

Res Hall Life

In the residence halls everything is really easy-going. Most of the time people have their doors open and you can just stroll along and say “what’s up.” There are lounges on each floor that you can study or do homework in as well. The CAs are really understanding and laid back. So your res hall experience is a blast.

I’ve found myself meeting all types of people. I also find myself playing tons of music in my room, pretty much having a dance party. I bring out my boombox from time to time and start on the 10th floor of North Scott and go floor to floor jamming out to music.

My Schedule

This last weekend we had we had three basketball game in a row. I started all three games, which I’m honored to be able to do because I am one of three “true” freshmen on the team. We played St. Norberts on Thursday, we lost the game by 79-49. I had 4 points and 3 rebounds. It was our first game of the season so the game was more of a learning process for us. The next day we played Ripon college and lost 66-53. I had 7 points and 9 rebounds. The last game was a different story though. We played Edgewood College and we won in overtime 64-54! I made two free throws that tied the game with 15 seconds left in the game. I had 2 points and 5 rebounds. After these three games I’m leading the team in rebounds with 17.

Now that it is Thanksgiving weekend I cannot wait to get back home and start eating for two days straight. I’m also going shopping on Black Friday! I’m getting two pairs of shoes (I own eight pairs here at school and 13 back home) and I’m seriously pumped to get them! (I put a pic of them in here.)

After I shop till I drop, I’m coming back up to UWO to work at the second round playoff game for football. Then after work I have practice. So overall a busy weekend but fun!

Talk to you all later! Happy Thanksgiving!

Some of you might recognize me from the video blogs I’ve been in lately. In case you can’t tell, I have a total ball doing them – but I’ve decided to try a little something new in addition to the video blogs. So, from here on out, I’m going to give you an inside look at the life of Andre.

Why my life? Well, for starters I’m a freshman. So I just thought it might be cool to show you what life is like as a freshman at UWO. What can you get involved in? What is playing a sport like? What about classes, friends, res halls…? Plus I have a lot of fun. And I hope you’ll find my posts a little entertaining!

Before I start, though, I want to give you a little look into my background and how my life has already changed since I started at UW Oshkosh in September.

WHY UW OSHKOSH?

People always ask me: “Why did you pick UWO?” And there are three key reasons.

1. Oshkosh itself. The area is pretty similar to my hometown of Sun Prairie, so I felt the homey city-boy vibe as soon as I got here. It has a good balance of city and small-town, so even though I’m nowhere near “outdoorsy” I can still have the opportunity to be a little more laid back.
2. The men’s basketball team. I heard about the new coach, Pat Juckem, and thought he was an awesome coach. He knows a lot about the game – and every player wants to have a coach like that, especially on the collegiate level. All the other coaches for the team are awesome too! (I’m on the team, by the way.)
3. Campus life! Everyone on campus likes to be involved. Not to mention they’re all pretty cool and open. For example, during Taste of Oshkosh (a big club/organization fair that happens the Tuesday before classes start) I found myself outside with my boombox jamming out with all the students that were at the fair. (Which was pretty much everyone.)

AFTER GRADUATION, BEFORE THE BIG LEAP

Once I got my diploma I was like every other graduate. I just wanted to go to college. Have the freedom to do whatever I wanted. Go wherever I wanted. Meet new people. Meet my roommate. And meet people from all over the region. And so far, it’s been a blast. Just like I hoped it would be.

WHAT I’VE DONE SO FAR

I think it’s important to mention that when I was coming into college I knew one thing: I wanted to be known. Which, to be completely honest, wasn’t going to be that hard. Especially because of my flattop haircut. (Gerald from “Hey Arnold!” anyone??) Oh and I’m also 6’5”. I wanted to be known as someone fun; someone that everyone loved being around. And I’ve been really lucky. Here are some of my favorite things that have happened so far:

1. Bringing out my boombox at Taste of Oshkosh and having tons of fun with everyone.
2. Getting a job in the Admissions Office, having tons of fun and doing some interesting things in public…. (Gangnam Style!)
3. Playing the sport I absolutely love with 15 other great guys and three awesome coaches.
4. Attending tons of sporting events. (Our football team is undefeated AND WIAC champs!!)
5. Meeting tons of new faces in all my classes.

All these things are things you could do too, when you get here. You just have to have confidence and put yourself out there. Don’t be scared!

THE NOW

Now that I’m settled in, everything is going great. A lot of people know who I am and talk to me. My every day routine is pretty simple: class, work, school, practice and then homework. And I know. That sounds really structured and boring. But it really isn’t. I always find myself doing other activities in there and getting to know new faces.

On Wednesday night the UW Oshkosh men’s basketball team played the Wisconsin Badgers! Even though we lost 94-44, it will be something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Here are a few reasons why:

1. I got to play against my favorite college basketball team (More than 15,000 people were there to watch us play. That’s crazy!)
2. I guarded Jared Berggren (6’10”), Evan Anderson (6’10”), Frank Kaminsky (6’11”) and my “twin” Ryan Evans (6’6”) (if you guys were wondering my flat top did look better!)
3. The looks that I got when I was guarding Evens were priceless. It was definitely a battle of the flat tops (I think I won that battle).
4. I scored three points, made a 3-pointer late in the shot clock and I also drew a charge!

For my first game as a college basketball player I thought I played well and I’m excited to see how the rest of the season goes!

I think I probably talked more than enough for now. If you have questions you’re wondering about or things you want me to talk about, let me know on my Facebook page. Otherwise check back every week and see what I’m up to!

Thanks for reading!!

PS: If you haven’t seen my video blogs yet… here’s one of my favorites: UW Oshkosh Gangnam Style