College Experience So Far

So far my first semester as a college student at UNC has been amazing. I have had an awesome time and cannot wait for what next semester and the next 3 years at UNC will be like. I had some great times lets recap.....going to football games, being on the second row in the risers for a basketball game, meeting new and great friends, joining a fraternity, my first Halloween on Franklin Street, my first all-nighter writing a paper, staying out extremely late, parties, and so much other than things...which some Mom would not approve of. But overall I know that college life is going to be the best years of my life. I hope to continue to have a great time at UNC, but also remember to keep my grades up.

Native American Studies at UNC

Native American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an area of research and scholarship that offers interdisciplinary courses which bridge academic and Native perspectives on the cultures and histories of Native individuals and communities in North America. The mission of Native American Studies is to increase understanding of the historical experiences, cultural traditions and innovations, and political status of the Indian peoples in the United States. Our courses explore Natïve American ways of living, understanding the world, and organizing their societies; they also examine the impact of invasion and colonization on Native America, and the intersection of Indian and European histories and systems of knowledge.The courses in Native American Studies are open to all students at UNC. Students who wish formal recognition of their course work may choose from two options. One is to major in American Studies with a concentration in Native American Studies. The other is to attach a minor in Native American Studies to their major field.

Above is the mission of the Native American Studies Department at UNC. I did not know at UNC you could major in Native American Studies. This semester I took one of the required classes (Hist 110) for the major and I have become increasingly interested in at least a minor since my plans are still to do Pre-Medicine with a major in Chemistry. I have learned a lot in the course about Native American history and would love to continue throughout the rest of my time at UNC.

Kekwa Dance Practice

So this semester, with the help of a few people, there is a dance team that has been started named Kekwa. It focuses on incorporating Native American traditional dancing with hip-hop style of dancing. It is open to everyone who wants to join and I personally have a great time the times I have been to practice. I have only missed one practice, but there was nothing really covered that night so I did not miss anything. I am very excited about this dance team. Even though we are small right now, I hope that we will continue to grow. I have never danced any Native American style dances, and it has become also a learning process about the different styles of dancing and the meanings behind them. I cannot wait for us to get good and get a routine so that we can perform.

Cherokee as My Foreign Language

Above is a portrait of Sequoyah, the son of a Cherokee chief's daughter and a fur trader from Virginia, was a warrior and hunter and, some say, a silversmith. For twelve years he worked to devise a method of writing for the Cherokee language. His syllabary of eight-five symbols, representing vowel and consonant sounds, was approved by the Cherokee chiefs in 1821, and the simple utilitarian system made possible a rapid spread of literacy throughout the Cherokee nation.
UNC offers Cherokee as a foreign language and I have taken Cherokee 101 this semester and plan to take 102 in the spring semester. Even though I am not Cherokee, I was really interested in learning a Native American language since my language was lost throughout the years. At first it was a difficult and confusing, but I have studied hard and I am finally understanding the language. I hope to continue to take Cherokee throughout my UNC years, and in hopes study abroad to the Eastern Band of Cherokee in North Carolina and to Oklahoma.

Life Fitness Classes

This semester I decided to go ahead and take my Life Fitness course requirement, and I am so glad that I did. I took Exercise and Conditioning, at times it was tough but overall I had a great time. I was taught various activities to help me keep in shape and avoid the infamous "Freshmen 15" as a first year student in college. When I first came to UNC, I really did not workout or eat right. So I knew I was headed down the path of gaining weight. Life Fitness definitely helped me to stay active this semester and realize that I needed to change my eating habits. Buffet at Lenior and Rams Head can be tempting, but I have defeated the temptation and started focusing on eating healthy. I have become more active in my everyday activities and will continue to take steps to a healthier lifestyle. Thanks LFit class!!!

Final Exams = Major Stressing

Wow cannot believe my first semester as a UNC Freshman is finally coming to an end. Even though I am excited to for next semester, the fear of the final exams is coming in. I was fine about a week ago, but as the date for my first final exam comes, I have begun to stress more and more. I know I got to do well on my finals, because the way some of my grades are, I am depending on performing at my best on these finals. It is crunch time and I need to get focused, because in the end these finals is whats going to make or break me right now. I am not expecting a 4.o, the average will be fine with me. Are you stressing about finals?