Final relief and fun!--Pam Pfaltzgraff

Wood Duck Days was a great event this year. The students in PAC worked really hard to make the event successful. They spent a whole morning chopping onions for the homemade curry that they made. I thought it was really good. They cooked enough for 500 students and faculty and that was 50 pounds of onions. I sure am glad that I had class that morning! Don’t get me wrong I love onions; it’s the housework I don’t like. I did end up winning a medal again for Chalk the Walk that was sponsored by The Creative Arts Alliance Club. That was again a cool feat!

I am at my desk, and my desk looks like Mount Everest. It usually does around this time of the semester. My school bags are packed with old homework assignments and notes that I thought I might need sometime and never did. Next week will be spring cleaning for me. Getting ready for my Pottery class should be a breeze. One thing I didn’t think about when deciding to take pottery was how the pottery will get under my nails. I can’t stand the feeling of dry dirt in my nails. I will cut them super short, but still… It reminds me of chalk on the chalk board. My Math instructor, John Gingerich, would have white hands at the end of our class. It just sends shivers down my spine thinking about it. I probably would look dumb putting on a pair of latex gloves before I attacked my projects, wouldn’t I? I wonder if it would work… I may just have to check that out!

I would always get my books from the bookstore at school. My pottery book was $82.50 at the book store and that is a lot of money for me. I never thought of buying them anywhere else, but I am especially broke this time of year. So, I did some investigating. I checked eBay and found a book that I ended up losing the bid on. I found the same pottery book and re-bid on eBay at even a lower price and won. The money came out of my pay-pal account already, and now I wait. Like I said… I have never done this before, and I am scared. I absolutely hate getting ripped off. I really hope this works for me. That’s one thing about the book store is that they have the book you need. You get to inspect the book and not have to worry about if it’s coming or not. But if it does work out… I sure did get a heck of a deal!!

I was really concerned about the grades I would have earned this semester. I thought for sure that I was going to get 3 B’s and 1 A. If you ever had read my previous blogs, I was a stickler about getting A’s. As it turns out, I may have done better than anticipated and this makes me happy! It has been a great year. I have had the time of my life. It’s kind of sad though. I am losing friends that are going to 4-year colleges. This is my first experience at losing friends like this. I guess it sets me up for my career. I am sure that I will be attached to my clients, and I will have to set the mended souls free. I just can’t think of a better more rewarding profession than the one I have chosen. I am soooooooooo excited to see where life is going to take me!

One more final tomorrow and I am done! I get to tutor over on the East Campus until Thursday, so I will still be around. I may look better by Thursday!! HA HA! I was up at 4 am this morning studying for my finals that were at 10 and another at noon. I boycotted my comb this morning. It felt good to throw on sweat pants, brush my teeth, slide on some lipstick, stuff my hair in a bun, and boogie out the door this morning with a great cup of java. I felt like a real college kid that had 2 big finals today! It was cool! Real cool!

Take care,

Pamela

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Etiquette--Pam Pfaltzgraff

Last night, I was able to attend the Etiquette dinner at Jimmy's Conference and Catering on County Road E. It was a most educational experience. I really wanted to go, but I didn't have the deposit money at the time, but Wade Warner from TRiO sponsored me for the event. I had lots of questions and received answered on everything asked. I think it was great that the intern for Career Services appeared at a senate meeting and personally invited clubs to attend. There must have been close to a hundred attendees. It was a great event that I am sure will become an annual event.

Before the dinner at about 3pm, I was at a Phi Theta Kappa general member meeting when I received a picture text from my mother. The picture was of my daughter with a huge space in her mouth. She had lost her first tooth. I nearly started to cry during the PTK meeting. I am sure any mother who misses out on those "first" moments feels slighted, jipped, or robbed from the essence of their child's life. I really had to sit still for a moment and reassess my priorities. I felt, for a moment, that participating in "other" school activities was not worth it. I actually checked out mentally from the meeting, but then conversation at the meeting was going toward Relay for Life. Then the topic moved to Books for Africa. I got engaged again very quickly and offered ideas. I had came to the conclusion that I was glad that my parents were there to offer my daughter the "ohh's and ahh's" of her momentous event. I woke my daughter up this morning at 5am. I jumped in her bed and said that I thought that I had just seen the light of the Tooth Fairy's wand. (Because the Fairy checks the mouths of the children to see if the tooth under the pillow really came from the child's mouth.) She told me that she seen it too. She checked under her pillow as fast as lightening and found her prize. We laid in bed for an hour and talked about how her tooth fell out and how she is growing up into a fine young lady. I may miss some stuff that goes on, but I try to make up for it in other ways. I wouldn't have traded this morning for anything in the world. So, I think it's ok to be as involved as I am, miss some things, and make up for it along the way.

I did end up finishing my scholarship letters. I had asked if students ever win twice, and the lady said yes. I really need to win. Thinking about managing the up-coming year without a scholarship is frightening. I am taking 15 credits in the fall and then 2 interns and an on-line class in the spring. I am a little scared about conquering the year. I twill be a battle, and I am sure that I will miss another tooth. I have to look at the BIG picture. I will be able to walk next spring. I will probably not be able to wear make-up at graduation because I will cry like a baby. It is going to be hard to leave this place, but hey, I wont get crazy now. Spring is far away. I think it would be pretty cool if I was able to blog my whole college experience!! HINT!!!

Today at Century, there is an ice cream social. Even though I am always on a diet (and always trying to quit smoking,) I will be attending the event between 11-1 in the West Campus backyard. Maybe a bit of sweet ice cream and sunshine on my face will lighten the load of finals that are quickly approaching. See you there!

Pamela

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I am starting to feel the crunch but its not hurting!!!--Pam Pfaltzgraff

My plate is starting to get full again these days, but I like it!!! It's been a while since I have blogged and would probably fill a notebook to say what all I have been doing and feeling.

First of all on April 2nd, I was elected to be the VP of the Student Senate for next year! So being the VP will allow me to work on the Long Range Strategic Plan. I am glad that I don't have to hound clubs for reports. It was an experience. A great one. This totally excites me!!! If there is one thing I could say about the senate that pertains to my education, it would be the ability to put my personal feelings aside and represent the majority. This will be a valuable tool in my career as a counselor because what I think is right may not be right for my client!! This is just one of countless ways being in the senate accelerates my education and allows me to experience personal growth.

On April 16th, I was told that I won the "Outstanding Student Member of the Year Award." This really makes me happy! It just proves to me that hard work really does pay off! I am one who likes (needs) continual pats on the back for a job well done and this is a pretty big whack on the back!!!! I received an invitation for a reception "...in my honor." I wonder if my parents will make it. I know the senate kids will be there. Especially the new ones. I am going to personally invite them as my guests because it's a great marker to inspire the newcomers. 5 of the senate kids are moving to other pastures. I will not say "greener" because nothing beats Century!! They have all done a tremendous job representing students' views and putting on events on campus. It hurts to see them leave, especially Ryan Kehoe. He was the one who recruited me for the senate. You should read the blog about that night! It is a funny one!!! The senate is a diverse crowd, and they are enthusiastic about next year!!! So am I!

The new President will get to announce the keynote speaker at the Revolution Conference that is going on today which I will be volunteering at. I think its going to be a great event where students and faculty will have a chance to sit together as one. It just shows again how connected students and faculty get on the same page. It will be a great event, but I will tell you how that goes after the fact!!! (I do get side tracked sometimes....ha ha!!)

The Director of Legislation of the senate, Kary Bowser, was elected VP of the MSCSA this past weekend at the General Assembly. It is going to be an excellent tool to have someone of our own working on the inside. MSCSA rallies for important stuff like lower tuition, childcare, work study, Pell Grants, and the list goes on. Having a student on the inside will prove to keep us students better informed. When I was there, I was nominated to run for Public Relations Coordinator for MSCSA and that was HELL! I prayed to God to ask Him not to let me win, and He answered my prayer! It would have been great financially because it paid $12,000 a year; however, I would have had to jack up my educational plan severely and delay my graduation by a year!! I love Century, but a year is a long, long, long time!!

I still have a lot to talk about but it's 4am, and I have homework like mad!!! I have this crazy assignment where I had to video record a "mock" counseling session and then I have to type up 15 minutes of dialog and note skills that I used. It's Tuesday and it's due Thursday. Granted, I have know about the assignment, but I just recorded the interview yesterday. I think I am getting a B in the class; unfortunately, I will be receiving 3 B's and just 1 A this semester. I have learned that B's are ok, especially, when I am doing a bunch of other good stuff in my life that betters the life of others. Ugh, but B's, that is another blog!!!!

Today..........Revolution Conference......latest adventure....I write for the New Student Newspaper, and I am covering the first keynote speaker today!!!!! ttyl

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Elections this Wednesday!--Pam Pfaltzgraff

I know it's been a long time!!!! I had the most fantabulous Spring Break ever!!!! My parents took my daughter and I to Florida. We hit as many hot spots and theme parks as we could without burning ourselves out. The looks on my daughters face are forever etched in my memory. She had the greatest time. The weather was 80+ everyday with just one day of rain which was still warm anyways. I didn't take any books with me and just relished in the freedom of an actual vacation. It's been a long while since I had been on a vacation and I forgot the pleasures of being other places. It was truly the best time ever. I really enjoyed Epcot the most. The whole being around the world in a day nearly brought tears to my eyes. We ate in France and China. Epcot really opened my eyes to the diversity of our great country and our world. I am a little jealous of one of my friends who is leaving Century to go to the U of M to continue her studies to be a teacher abroad. How gutsy is that!!??

I am afraid to even think about transferring to Metro State because I really don't even know how I got to Century in the first place. Did I ever tell you how I actually got to Century? Well, my Grandma, Dorthy, is buried right next to Century. I took a bus and visited her grave site. A force unknown to myself pushed me across the street to the Admissions Department. I remember talking to this really nice lady who virtually held my hand through the whole process. I remember crying and telling her that I would give my breast to be able to have the opportunity to go to college. I wanted to go that bad. Look at me now!!!! I am well into My second year!!!! I will definitely be going to the counselors' office soon because I am scared to transfer. I really wish Century was a 4-year college, but I am sure with the help of Century's faculty I will be able to make the transfer without a glitch. Century has very caring employees, that is for sure!!!!

Wednesday is the election for the Student Senate Executives. I decided to run for V.P. because of the Long Range Strategic Plan and the Student Life Committee is the main responsibilities for the position. I have a running mate against me, and I would be lying if I said I wouldn't be sad if I didn't win the election. I know I should have an educational plan and that the Senate shouldn't dictate my plan, but it is. I planned on doing my interns in 08-09, but if elected, I think I am going to take a full class load, so I don't have to when I intern which will be a lot easier on my home life and sanity for that matter. If I don't win, I am going to do interns and half a class load and get done with school a semester earlier than if I do it differently! I will keep you posted!

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Planning my summer!!!--Pam Pfaltzgraff

I had a great weekend visiting with my son in Iowa. I didn't have the funds to take him to the normal fancy dancy resort in Des Moines this time, but it was a great time none the less! Friday, we just hung around our hotel room. Saturday, we went bowling, and at night, we went roller skating. I found a coupon for a free admission in the local newspaper. We both were pretty shaky at first! By the end of the night, we were zipping around the corners and skating backwards! I brought my Nintendo 64! He loves Super Mario Brothers, and so do I!
While he played some, I was able to study for a huge test I have this Thursday! The weekend went pretty smooth; considering, I was on a strict budget. My tutoring check covered my being in the RED. Mercy sakes... that was a nightmare! Needless to say...I am going to be packing my own lunch this week, and I am bringing my own tea bags to school. It is going to be a rough 2 weeks.

I received an e-mail from a previous instructor, Dianne DelGiorno, last week inviting me to attend a workshop run by (?) Jeff Fox, I believe. I was given a link to be apart of WIKI in the Century College community. What is WIKI? Well, let me tell you! A person starts to write something. They send it to another person to add and edit material. They send it to another person to do the same and so on. I was really intrigued by this. I love to write and think that this will be a great adventure and experience to participate in. I did just a little investigating about what exactly this 3 hour workshop is going to entail. I heard through the grapevine that the workshop has something to do with personal therapy and poetry. What a combination! I think that this is going to be cool and therapeutic!

I had a nice long talk with my probation officer last week. This was a pretty important conversation. It was going to decide what my summer will hold for me. My parents really wanted me to take the summer off, lay around, mooch off them, go to the beach, hang with my daughter, and basically be a bum all summer. I was shocked when they proposed this idea. It did sound enticing at first!! There were a couple factors that play in. I thought long and hard about the Student Senate. I thought about my educational plan and what classes I still need to take. My P.O. said that she would have to talk to her supervisors about this. While waiting for a call back my mother and I talked about what I should do. We decided that I could take pottery this first summer session. It is a T,W,Th class from 7:45- 10:45 class. I could work as a tutor after class on those days. I could run for a different position in the Student Senate. And the best part would be to have the hottest part of the summer off. I called the P.O. back and told her my plans. It was a win-win situation that I am happy with. Now~ what position should I run for?

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Student Success Day--Pam Pfaltzgraff

I was fortunate enough to have a fun-filled Student Success Day! After arriving at school in the nick of time because of a fresh layer of snow, I was to put on a student forum for the student senate. During the forum, we pretty much shared with the students our job descriptions, and we promoted the up-coming Executive Senate elections for the next year. We asked students about concerns that they may have, and the most discussed topic was about the Century parking lot. It was a great topic that we, for once, were ready for. About a month ago, we asked parking and safety, and the facilities committee to have a written agenda concerning the parking lot. There is a 4-phase reconstruction project that will be started this summer. It is going to add a considerable amount of additional parking spots for students! Yippee! The students were enlightened to see that we were prepared for this topic.

Next, I helped run the Phi Theta Kappa Bake sale. It was a sticky job of cutting and wrapping pre-baked brownies. During the event, I was to inform students about PTK and the benefits that being a member entails. Most people who stopped by didn’t have enough credits or a high enough GPA, and I just mentioned that academic excellence is only a study group away, and then I proceeded to promote peer tutoring on both campuses. Being a peer tutor, I have helped students turn their grades from a D to a B! It brings great pleasure to see accomplishment in other students.

I then attended a dating and relationship seminar. I really needed to hear what they had to say! They talked a lot about healthy relationships. They talked about how previous relationships can help or hinder the present relationship. This seminar helped me to see that I am a “woman scorn.” I have had relationships with some pretty crappy men in the past. I thought that I have taken the baggage that had piled up in my life and filed it away when I was in recovery, but apparently this is not the case. To put it metaphorically…. When things would happen in my life, I would put it in a room. The door to the room was “drugs!” When I started my recovery, the door was down and the walls to the room proceeded to collapse. Everything flooded me at once. I began to sort and file through the dirty clothes in my life. I cleaned and folded all the bad crap in my life. Today, I sit in a very neatly and organized room. But, certain events have happened lately in my life that causes feelings of loss of self-esteem, jealousy, and betrayal. I wonder about my stuff neatly away. I have to ask myself…”What the HELL is that smell?” It’s like maybe there is something that I had thought was clean, that really isn’t! This seminar has made me question the togetherness that I feign. I think I need therapy! The therapist should always see a therapist!!! Today I will call and see if there is a cleaner available! Just when I thought I had my crap together! Oh bessy!

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Events--Pam Pfaltzgraff

It has been a little while since the last time that I had blogged. A lot of events have happened lately. I will start with the most recent event and go backwards. Yesterday was my very first public speech. I had myself all worked up. I was pacing frantically from the moment I woke up yesterday. I was totally out of control. I am sure students would look/hear me and wonder what the heck was the matter with me. I get super-duper test anxiety, so it's no shocker that I was freaking majorly before my speech. When taking a test I HAVE to be the first one done and out of the classroom, or I will combust into minuscule pieces or flames. They both sound like horrid states to me. Well, yesterday I sat outside the room over an hour before class begins to ensure that I would be the very first one done. Thankfully, I was was the first on the list; however, I am having a different stance on being first. I think that I am going for last next time. Just like me to go from one extreme to another! I will keep you posted on that!! I should have practiced more. We will just see, I guess.

The Planning Activities Committee (PAC) gave out Student Safety Kits to Century Students! I thought that was very thoughtful to think of our safety. They had an array of information from drug abuse, STD's, and even sunburns. I thought that was a really cool event. Usually the Peer Tutoring Club does a mid-term survival pack, but PAC was taking the lead on this one. Speaking of clubs. Pi Day sponsored by the Math Club is 3/14. Get it 3.14........!!! They will be giving out pie to students. Last year, I cut the pies, and it was a sticky job!!! The Math Club needs an extra special KUDOS for promoting their event on the East Campus, as sometimes the East gets forgotten about. The fliers are eye-catching, very creative, and posted on the East Campus, too.

Last Friday, Kristy Modrow-Ullah invited me and other students to attend a workshop over at MCTC on Diversity and Leadership. I really had to pull some strings to attend because attendance is mandatory in all of my classes. I am lucky to have instructors who feel that being involved in leadership activities is a valid reason to miss class. I was shocked to see some Dental Assisting students there from Century, as well. I guess I feel that the East Campus gets forgotten about from time to time. But as I saw the students partaking in the workshop were indeed from the East Campus. I wonder what makes me think these thoughts.

My father called me after class today to ask me about 2 Century College girls that got in a fatal car accident on Friday. I haven't had a chance to read the paper as of yet, but my heart is deeply saddened for them and their families. Bless them all......................

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In the RED!!!--Pam Pfaltzgraff

I was flabbergasted when received a recent test score back. I exclaimed, "Oh My God!" So loud that my whole family ran into the computer room to see what was the matter. I had my hand strategically placed on the screen to hide my score from them. After some coaxing, I removed my hand. I got a 78%. I studied for a week and a half for that exam. The exam is about just under half of my total grade. After doing some investigating and asking around what other student's grades were, I didn't feel all that bad. The highest score was a 90%, which is about the score that I had desired to achieve. The instructor for the class is the instructor that I have mentioned about before... the "New Guy." Last semester, in the beginning, I was apprehensive about him at first, but he has really showed the class that he is an awesome instructor. He was really being a smarty pants when he said that our exam could be an open book and open notes test. When he said this, I couldn't help but laugh my head off! The exam was a 100 question exam covering 8 chapters that was to be completed in 75 minutes. Do the math on that one, and you will laugh too! Although he did sound like a "cool" and "lenient" instructor when he said that!! Good for him! If a student didn't know the material... they might get 25 answered correctly by looking up the answers in the time allotted, but what about the remaining 75 questions.

I did some heavy sighing when I heard students flipping through the pages of their textbooks in the beginning of the exam. I didn't flip at all in the beginning, and I was still cutting my time short. After answering all the questions, I then was able to check a few that I had circled. I guess I figured that I either knew the material or I didn't. The test was tricky, as well. You know the tactics that tests consist of to make you freak. They have an a, b, c, then d (which is both a & b) and e (which is all of the above.) I got alot of those ones wrong. The instructor was challenged to decide to grade on a new curve. I was starting to get excited that I may pull a B anyway. However, being an instructor who is challenging and true to his profession, he decided to give our tests back, and if we found the right answer in the book with the page numbers and all, we could receive 1/2 of a point for each corrected answer. After some serious thought, I decided that that would be most beneficial to us students. Learning the right answers is going to be an asset to our knowledge. Boy, is he smart, all the while appearing very "cool" and "lenient!" Ha! Ha!

I am in the RED in my bank account. I could just scream at myself sometimes. I do really good for about 4 months and then wham-mo! I can be so irresponsible sometimes. I am not big-bad in the red, but I am about $49 down. Everyday until I get paid from tutoring, it will increase $7 which is still 2 more days away! I just hate this! Last weekend, I took my daughter to Chuck-E-Cheese, and then I bought her a Littlest Pet Shop bunny that she wanted for ages. I really thought that I had the funds in there! I could just kick myself! I am sure that I am not the only college student to get in a financial bunch. So, I am not embarrassed to share this. It kind of makes me mad. In both of my marriages, my ex's took care of the finances. Credit cards were in their names, and as I was helping to build their credit, mine was going nowhere. So, instead of having bad credit...I have no credit. Someday, I will want to buy a house or a new car. I am going to have to do something to establish credit, and getting in the RED in my bank account isn't probably going to help me out any! AUGH! Have a nice day!

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