Spring 2010

It's hard to believe the semester is almost over. I feel like this semester started yesterday. Every semester is the same, at the beginning it seems like the end is forever away and towards the end it seems like it just started. This has been one of my best semesters....so far. I got to experience USM's Centennial, make new friends and memories, and thanks to LIS 201 I learned more about the library I've been using for 4 years now! I definitely got a lot out of this course. I can now say I know how to build a Web site, I know where Stacks is (as sad as it is, I had no clue before!), I've learned of more databases to search for articles or books, etc. The 8 weeks went by fast and although there was a lot of work to do, coming to class made it a lot easier and less overwhelming. Even though this course is required for Liberal Arts majors, I'm glad I took it because I learned a lot of information I'll be able to use throughout the rest of my academic career.

Southern Miss Traditions

There are many traditions at USM. We have Friday Night at the Fountain, which refers to the fountain in front of the Dome. This is where pep rallys are held before every home game. There is the game day parade called the Eagle Walk where thousands of fans are situated along the Eagle Walk. March 30 is Founder's Day at Southern Miss. This is the day USM was established in 1910 and when Hall of Fame members are honored and awards are given. Other traditions include, Painting the Eagle Walk, The District, Junior Eagle Spirit Line, Fifth Quarter Concert, our Alma Mater, Cheers, and Fight Song. For those who don't know, USM has 3 cheers. These are:

The Southern Miss Shout Out

S-OU-THERN

Southern Mississippi

U-S-M!

Big Gold

B-I-G-G-O-L-D

Let's Go Big Gold!

Southern Miss To The Top (SMTTT!)

Southern Miss

To The Top!

The University of Bonn

USM has a great study abroad program. There are several different places you can go. France, Germany, Australia, The Netherlands, Africa, Spain, etc. Though it does cost a little extra to participate in these programs, the experience and education you get more than make up for the extra costs. I am planning on going to Germany to study at the University of Bonn for an academic year. Having already been there, I'm excited to see the changes that have occured since my last visit 10 years ago. The university is situated throughout the city. There is no "campus" like we have in the states. Once you decide on a major, classes are usually only in one building so having the buidlings spread out across the city isn't really a problem. The university was founded in 1818 by Friedrich Wilhelm III, who was the King of Prussia. Out of the 38,000 students enrolled, approximately 2,500 are international students.

I am both excited and nervous to begin my year there in the fall. I know I am going to have a great once-in-a-lifetime experince. I am hoping to learn more about myself as a person. There is a lot of work to do to go and I know there will be a lot of work to do while there. After all the chaos is over and the hard work is done, I know it will all be worth it in the end.

USM Centennial Exhibit

Located in Cook Library, the Centennial Exhibit provides students, faculty and staff a look into The University of Southern Mississippi's past 100 years. This exhibit displays several old pictures, newspapers, and yearbooks. Also on display past uniforms from band and athletic teams. It is a great way to show how Southern Miss began in 1910 and the many changes it has gone through over the last 100 years. Students can see the Southern Miss of our Alumni and compare it to our Southern Miss of today. The Centennial Exhibit gives those who visit an insight into how Southern Miss has remained the pride of those who attend, as well as, those who work here, for an entire century. For those that would like to visit, the exhibit is open Monday through Friday from 8AM until 5PM.

.....But It's Such An Unattractive Language

Whenever I tell someone I'm majoring in German, I usually get the same three reactions: "Sprechen Sie Deutsch? That's all I know!," "German? But it's such an unattractive language.," or "Can you speak German?" The last one is my favorite. I can't help but answer with "No, I don't know a single word. I'm majoring in it just for kicks."

German is definitely not one of the Romantic languages of the world; I can't argue with that. My reason for choosing it as my major is simple: I used to know it.

Living in Germany when I was itty bitty sparked my interest and it still hasn't lost its appeal after all these years.

Image courtesy of

http://www.topnews.in

McCain Library Special Collections

The McCain Library has many special collections available to faculty/staff and students. The collection that interested me the most was the historical manuscript collections. These are personal letters, diaries, photographs, and many other items belonging to historical people or organizations. Some are well-known, others are not. These manuscripts give the reader an insight into the writer’s emotions or feelings toward a particular subject or event.
Examples include: letters from Nelson H. Bailey documenting his experiences in the Civil War, personal letters between a Confederate soldier and his family, and a Camp Shelby historical collection. This collection is good for doing research on a person or organization and it is also perfect for those who are curious about people’s lives from the past or are interested in seeing first-hand accounts of historical events such as the Civil War. I really enjoyed looking at this special collection.