The Commute

It’s that time of year again!  The Spring semester is ending and Finals will be coming before we know it!   To help you prepare for your

http://litstack.com/this-week-in-books/

finals, we will be hosting our second annual Spring Finals Study Session. We will be hosting two sessions to make sure you get the chance to prepare as much as possible, and there will be upperclassmen (including Learning Center coaches) to help you with the subjects that are troubling you the most.  The first Study Session will be on Wednesday, April 24 and the second will be on Sunday, April 28. Both of these events will take place from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM in the Commuter Lounge. Complimentary pizza and snacks will be provided for you to help you concentrate on your studies, and when you’re ready for a study break, there will be Apples to Apples and other board games there for you to play to give your brain a rest before you get back to studying.  This will be a joint event with the transfer students, so this will be a great opportunity for you to get to know more of your fellow students on campus.  For more information or to RSVP to this event, please email us at commuters@mtu.edu.

Here are some study tips to help you prepare for your finals:

1.) Alternate your study spaces. Your memory will be more effective if you study in multiple different places, and it will help you retain more information

2.) Study in groups. Studying with friends (as long as you stay on topic!) is a great way for all of you to review and master the material.

3.) Make flashcards. Rewriting the material will help it stick in your mind, and using the cards will help you memorize the material more effectively.

4.) Test yourself. Taking practice test and quizzes will help you see what you have mastered and what you still need to work on, and it will help you relearn the material!

5.) Sleep! Getting enough sleep is not only important for your health, but it helps your brain rest and retain more information compared to cramming.

6.) Keep going to class. This may seem obvious, but this is a great way to keep the class material fresh in your brain, and participating in class is a good way to make keep the info in the front of your mind.

7.) Don’t immerse yourself in one subject. Instead of immersing yourself in one subject for hours on end, switch up the subject material every few hours. It’s less boring, you’ll learn more, and you’ll retain more information.

8.) Manage your time wisely. Make sure to stay organized and cut big projects into smaller ones to avoid procrastination. Studying a little bit each day instead of waiting till a few days before the test will be less overwhelming and more effective.

Information on these study tips is from the Huffington Post.

Are you ready to celebrate the end of the school year and enjoy the — hopefully by then — nice weather? Then check out Spring Fling! Spring Fling 2013 will take place on Friday, April 19 from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM and will see a Pirate theme! Spring Fling is a time where students celebrate the end of the year by engaging in all sorts of fun activities while enjoying some free food, music, and fun! Registered organization set up booths all around campus and hand out can hand out free goodies, host a game, and/or provide more information about their org. This is a great opportunity to get involved with the campus community and to celebrate spring!

If you are interested in touring the booths as group, please email us at commuters@mtu.edu
For more information on Spring Fling 2013, please click here.

https://www.facebook.com/mubboard

http://www.123rf.com/photo_14836299_stack-of-books-books-stacked.html

University Library Used Book and Media Pre-Sale
“Friends of the J.R. Van Pelt and Opie Library Annual Used Book Sale, Special pre-sale for Friends members only. Come and become a member to get an early peak at great deals on books, VHS tapes, DVDs, and more!! Contact Dana Richter, Forestry, dlrichte@mtu.edu, 487-2149.”
Tuesday, April 2 in the MUB Ballroom from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

University Library Used Book and Media Sale
Come and enjoy great deals on used books, VHS tapes, DVDs and more!
Wednesay, April 3 in the MUB Ballroom from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Chemistry Seminar
“Michael J. Owen, PhD, DSc, FRSC, CChem will present, ‘Say Yes to Silicones! [Si to Si!], Extraordinary materials from Common Elements’.”
Friday, April 5 in Chem Sci Room 101 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Constructal Law of Design and Evolution in Nature
College of Engineering distinguished speaker Dr. Adrian Bejan of Duke University speaks on evolution and the Constructal Law of Design.
Friday, April 5 in M&M U115 from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Campus Concert Band and Superior Wind Symphony Present a Homage to Water
“The Superior Wind Symphony is joined by the Campus Concert Band and collectively these groups will pay musical homage to one the most important things in our lives: water!”
Friday, April 5 in the Rozsa Center from 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Fiddler on the Roof
“Fiddler on the Roof remains one of the world’s favorite musicals, for just these reasons it affirms the goodness and oddness of life, of love.”
Thursday, April 18 – Saturday, April 20 from 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Geocaching Series
“Sign up at the OAP Rental Center at 207 East St. by Thursday, Apr. 18th. There will be various locations to be decided upon by participants. The cost is only $10 and includes transportation, GPS, and snowshoes (if needed). Email oap@mtu.edu for more information.”
Saturday, April 20 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Springtime Voices

http://www.mtu.edu/vpa/events/12-13/springtime-voices/

“The concert will include both sacred and secular music from peoples and places from around the globe.”
Saturday, April 27 at the Rozsa Center from 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Information for this month’s events courtesy of the University Calendar

Looking for something to do on Friday or Saturday nights?  Then check out the movies hosted by Michigan Tech’s Film Board that play every weekend in Fisher 135! These movies are shown shortly before they come out on video, so if you didn’t see it in theaters, this is the next best thing!  Also, movies only cost $3! Here are the movies that will be shown for the remainder of the semester:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

http://filmboard.mtu.edu/node/187

“A younger hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, reluctantly sets out on an unexpected journey to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of dwarves to reclaim their stolen gold from the vile dragon Smaug.”

One Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack of the Hobbit will be given away at each 11:30 show!

Starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and Richard Armitage
Directed by Peter Jackson”
Friday, March 29 and Saturday, March 30 at 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM, 11:30 PM

Django Unchained
“‘With the help of a German bounty hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.’

Starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio
Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Presented on 35mm film since Tarantino recommends it!”
Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6 at 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM, 11:30 PM

http://filmboard.mtu.edu/node/190

Zero Dark Thirty
“‘A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May 2011.’

Starring Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton and Chris Pratt
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow”
Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13 at 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM, 11:30 PM

Jack Reacher
“‘A homicide investigator digs deeper into a case involving a trained military sniper who shot five random victims.’

Starring Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike and Richard Jenkins
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie”
Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 at 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM, 11:30 PM

Don’t miss out on watching these movies! If you find a movie that you’d like to see, get your fellow commuters together and email us at commuters@mtu.edu and we’ll buy refreshments!

Information for these films courtesy of Michigan Tech Film Board

http://www.mtu.edu/kip/undergraduate/intramural/

Do you like getting active and meeting new people?  Then playing Intramural Sports sounds just right for you!   Playing IM sports at Michigan Tech is at no cost, so go ahead and join in the fun!  Here are the upcoming sports for the remainder of the semester along with the team registration dates:

Badminton
Registration for Singles Badminton is open until April 5 at 12:00 p.m and play will take place on Friday, April 5. Registration for Doubles Badminton is open until April 5 at 3:00 p.m. and play will take place on Saturday, April 6.

Dodgeball
Registration for Dodgeball is open until March 21 at 6:00 p.m. and play will take place on Saturday, March 23.
Classes include:
Men’s
Co-Rec
Women’s

Sand Volleyball
Registration for Sand Volleyball is open until April 15 at 5:00 p.m. and play will take place on Friday, April 19 – Saturday, April 20
Classes include:
Men’s A, B, C
Co-Rec A, B, C
Women’s A and B.

Swim Meet
Registration for the Swim Meet is open until March 25 at 5:00 p.m. The meet will take place on Tuesday, March 26.
Classes include:
Men’s
Women’s

Tennis Doubles
Registration for Tennis Doubles is open until April 15 at 5:00 p.m. Play will take place on Friday, April 19 – Saturday April 20.
Classes include:
Men’s
Co-Rec
Women’s

Upcoming Registration:
Spring Soccer

To register and for more information on Michigan Tech’s Intramural Sports, click here.

http://www.mtu.edu/vpa/art/showcase/

Great Lakes Showcase
“The Great Lakes Showcase is an annual week-long, juried exhibition of fine arts and crafts. The opening will feature theannouncement of awards for outstanding work in several categories.”
This exhibit is open daily from March 5 – April 2 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Rozsa Art Gallery

I Am My Own Wife
“A poignant one-man tour de force featuring VPA’s Dennis Kerwin who plays Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, and over 28 other characters. Based on a true story, and inspired by interviews conducted by the playwright over several years, I Am My Own Wife tells the fascinating tale of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a real-life German transvestite who managed to survive both the Nazi onslaught and the repressive East German Communist regime. The play won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2004 Tony Award.”
Tuesday, March 5 – Thursday, March 7 from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. in the McArdle Theaterr

http://blogs.laweekly.com/arts/2012/06/2012_hollywood_fringe_reviews.php

Button Wagon
“Hop aboard the Button Wagon, a show of mixed up proportions and mind bending contortions. Starring, Ember Bria, a button-addict cowboy-boot wearing contortionist; and her quirky-counterpart, Poki, master of balance and object illusion. In an unlikely setting of enlarged sewing implements and a dapper burlap rabbit, Button Wagon is sure to tickle your soul, wiggle your toes, and entangle your mind with wonder.”
Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Rozsa Center

Combining Fluid Dynamics and Electric Fields for Improved Microfluidic and Self-Assembly Devices
“COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER Dr. Aubry will report on progress made regarding some fundamental aspects of fluid flow problems targeting microfluidic and self-assembly applications. Particularly, she will describe some of our solutions to efficient fluid mixing and particle manipulation in small fluidic devices. Emphasis will be given to the dynamics of neutral particles in both bulk liquids and at fluid-liquid interfaces, and to fluid mixing in channels of simple geometry. Much of her work uses combinations of fluid dynamics and electric field phenomena which we investigate using experimental, numerical and theoretical tools.”
Thursday, March 21 from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. in room 202 of the GLRC

Standathon

http://www.facebook.com/StandathonStudentOrganization/photos_stream

“Established to provide members with an opportunity to work collaboratively with other students, businesses, and community members to raise money for a local charity. Standathon Student Organization plans a 12 hour standing marathon designed to raise money for Bay Cliff Health Camp, a camp for children and adults with disabilities. There are awesome activities planned for all 12 hours such as eating contests, life size board games, video game competitions, a 9 hole black light mini golf course and so much more!”
Friday, March 22 from 7:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. at the SDC

Geocaching Series
“Geocaching in the Keweenaw, including various locations decided upon by participants. Cost is $10 and includes transportation, GPS, and snowshoes if needed. Sign up at the OAP Rental Center at 207 East St. by Thursday, Mar. 21st. Email oap@mtu.edu for more information.”
Saturday, March 23 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Pride Week Drag Show
“The Keweenaw Pride student organization will host its annual Drag Show as part of the 2013 Pride Week events. The show is free and open to the public.”
Saturday, March 23 from 8:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. at the Rozsa Center

Gaby Moreno

http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2012/05/gaby_moreno_people_2012.php

“A transplant from Guatemala City, Guatemala, this soulful powerhouse is a gentle blues goddess. An award winning singer and songwriter, Moreno has toured with Tracy Chapman, Ani Difranco, Nouvelle Vague, and The Milk Carton Kids. The Orlando Weekly cheers, “With an exceptionally rich and assured voice, and a palette that spans Latin, blues, folk, jazz and pop, she’s a marquee talent. Her singing is effortlessly bright with purpose and not just a display of ostentatious acrobatics. In fact, there’s something very classic about her expression. In her voice, the flame of the female greats is alive.”
Wednesday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Rozsa Center

Don Keranen Memorial Jazz Concert
“Don Keranen’s spirit lives on in the dynamic performances of the Research and Development Big Band and the Jazz Lab Band.”
Saturday, March 30 from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Rozsa Center

Information for this month’s activities courtesy of the University Calendar.

Congratulations to all who stopped by and helped build our overnight statue during the Winter Carnival all-nighter!   As you can see, the statue turned out to be really cool, and we even placed 7th in our division!  Here are some photos of our project:

Our first form of the night!

Kayleigh starting a snowball fight with Tim

Our statue! Can you guess what it is?

Here’s a really cool picture of our statue from Blue Key!

To check out more photos of Winter Carnival 2013, click here.

Making the hammer head out of slush

The Chinese Student and Scholars Association (CSSA) will be hosting their annual Chinese Night, a celebration of the Chinese New Year. 2013 Chinese Night will take place on Friday, February 15 and has two special events within it, a New Years Eve Dinner and a Chinese Spring Festival cultural performance.

The celebratory dinner will consist of traditional, home-cooked Chinese dishes, such as mushroom chicken and rib and potato, and will take place from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM in the MUB. Directly following the dinner will be the Chinese Spring Festival, which will emphasize the new year: the Year of the Snake. The performance will consist of the famous Chinese Opera, The Legend of the Snake , the famous Thousands of hand Guanyin traditional dance, and a skit performed international students entitled MTU Friends. The Spring Festival performance will take place from 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM at the Rozsa Center.

The Chinese New Year is a sacred tradition in China, “just like Christmas in the west,” so join the CSSA in celebrating! Tickets (available in the Rozsa and the SDC box office) cover the cost of both the dinner and the show and are only $12 with your Tech ID! Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity! For ticket information and more info about the event, please click here.

Are you interested in talking to professionals in your field about the do’s and don’ts when applying for a job? Would you like to talk to the alumni of Michigan Tech about how to be professional in your field?  Then the Alumni-Student Networking program on LinkedIn sounds just right for you!

The purpose of this program is to allow professional mentors provide encouragement and knowledge to current students who seek guidance and wisdom for working in their professional field.  Students can ask questions about interview etiquette, the versatility of their degree,  and even get advice on things such as potential career goals or how to find a job after graduation.  This resource is really beneficial in making connections to the professional world and can give you a huge leg up when applying for real-world jobs.  

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!  Getting started is really easy, just click here to make a LinkedIn account (if you don’t already have one) and follow its directions to join the Alumni-Student Networking group.  For more information, please email alumni@mtu.edu

http://www.mtu.edu/alumni/connect/networking/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Technological_University's_Winter_Carnival

Mining in Finland
“Tapio Litmanen, professor and academy research fellow, Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy at University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, will be giving the Social Sciences Seminar. “
Friday, February 1 from 12:00 p.m. — 1:00 p.m. in AOB 201

Winter Carnival
“Heroes and Villains Find Their Powers, in These Frozen Winter Hours” is the theme for this year’s Winter Carnival. Join us in building our overnight statue while enjoying the festivities of the All-Nighter!
Wednesday February 6 – Saturday, February 9

Stealing Fire
“With a spark of life from Zeus, Prometheus shapes the beasts of the world out of clay. The performance combines the technical and artistic achievements of the Performer Flying class and Audio Creative Lab.”
February 7 — 9 and February 14 — 16 from 7:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m. in the McArdle Theatre

Library Book Sale and Free Hot Chocolate Event!
“Everyone is welcome to the Friends of the Van Pelt Library book sale with free hot chocolate and cookies!  We will have Keweenaw mining photo note cards, Michigan Tech blankets, books, and movies for sale. All proceeds support the J.R. Van Pelt and Opie Library.”
Saturday February 9 from 12:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m. in the J.R. Van Pelt and Opie Library

collegegrad.com

Interview Skills Week
“Practice and get vital feedback to strengthen your interview skills. Schedule an appointment by calling 906-487-2313 or e-mail career@mtu.edu.”
Monday, February 11 – Friday, February 15 at the Career Services Center in Admin 220

The Acting Company with Shakespeare’s As You Like It
“The most praised touring repertory theater in America shares one of the Bard’s most popular fairy tales. As You Like It is a metaphor of love; its power, madness, danger, humor, and reflection. On one level it is a diverting amusement. On a deeper level, it is a journey of discovery, in which the characters gain knowledge of themselves and the world.”
Tuesday, February 12 from 7:30 p.m.–11:55 p.m. at the Rozsa Center

Kohler Business and Dining Etiquette Dinner
“Dine in a professional setting and gain tips and advice on business and dining etiquette from Kohler Co. professionals. Tickets are available at the Career Services Center, 220 Administration Building.”
Thursday, February 14 from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. in the MUB Ballroom

Superior Wind Symphony: RE:Location

http://www.superiorchronicle.com/archives/09_november/wind.html

“Superior Wind Symphony presents Re:Location, an evening of wind music inspired by and associated with wonderful places.”
Friday, February 22 from 7:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. in the Rozsa Center

Information for this month’s activities courtesy of the University Calendar.