Prices like Seesaw's

It is just me...... that is so freaking happy that gas is finally under $2.00 a gallon. The crazy thing is everything else seems to be going up.... There is no longer a dollar menu at local fast-food restaurants, the $5.00 hot n' ready at Little Ceasars has gon up to $5.99. Milk is now between four and five dollars a gallon. Seems the economy will not give college students a break . It does feel great to fill my tank up for under $32 but will I get a dollar burger ever again?

Hope, Change, Progress and a Dream Come True

Dr. Martin Luther King said these words in his I Have a Dream speech on August 28, 1963….

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal….. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character…... And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

I know I’m a little late with this blog but it took me sometime to gather my thoughts and feelings about the 2008 presidential election. As we all know, Barack Obama was elected to be the 44th president of the United States. For the first time, in the history of the country, an African American will be claiming the White House as home starting January 20, 2009. This is an immense change for the American people.

Growing up I didn’t hear any of my classmates saying they wanted to be president, the idea was far fetched. Especially when our history books only mentioned white people as being superior and presidents. Barack Obama has definitely set the tone for children of the future. They can look at him and see that it is really possible to become anything you want to be. I feel like we have overcome.

I admire him not only because of his intelligence but because of how he handles himself as a black man and he represents everyone. He gives hope to all the men in America that didn’t grow up with there father. Even with all the negativity the media tries to put out there about his father, he doesn’t indulge in it. There are no more excuses for you boys, its time to become men. He is proof in the pudding that any citizen of the United States, regardless of race or gender, can make it to the White House. We live in the “land of opportunity” and the opportunity is knocking for all of us. There is no need to not obtain any goals or ambitions.

It amazes me that there are even people outside of the United States that are Pro-Obama and want him in office just as much as a citizen of the country. In Spain, a man created a picture of Presidential elect Obama using sand, to show his support. In Kenya, where his father side of the family lives, a village cheering for him on election night. I guess this change affects the nation not just America.

The progression has come and our prayers have been answered. The country has taken a turn for the best. We needed change and we finally have it. I guess it’s safe to say that we are FREE AT LAST, all of us! The dreamer, Dr. Martin Luther King, dreams have come true. Obama was indeed that dream and I am grateful to have been alive to witness this history. We have finally made the American History books.

To Be or Not To Be...... a great test taker that is

Many students struggle with test taking and I am one of them. It seems like no matter how hard or long I study, once the test is in front of me, my mind goes blank. For some reason I get really nervous during an exam and it feels like everyone is watching me. I have come to find that I am not the only person whom deals with test taking anxiety. There are so many students in various age groups that have the same problem I have. So, how do I overcome test taking anxiety?

While researching this anxiety I came across some tips of what to do before or during an exam. To see if the test taking tips would be helpful I applied them during my midterm exams. Listed below are the tips that I used.

1.) Maintain a positive attitude while preparing for the test and during the test
2.) Get a good night's sleep before the test
3.) Show up to class early so you won't have to worry about being late
4.) Stay relaxed, if you begin to get nervous take a few deep breaths slowly to relax yourself and then get back to work
5.) Do the simple questions first to help build up your confidence for the harder questions
6.) Focus on the question at hand; don't let your mind wander on other things

Those tips really did help me. During one of my exams my mind began to wander and heart began to race so I stopped, checked myself and took a few deep breaths. This week our midterm grades were posted, let just saying I’m passing all classes with flying colors. If you are not so well with taking test then you might want see if these tips would help you. Also, if you have tests early morning make sure to have a piece of fruit or some sort of light breakfast to keep your stomach from interrupting test time. If you would like to view the full list of test taking tips visit www.testtakingtips.com

Its that time of the Year

Lions and Tigers and bears oh my…. Well not exactly, more like screams, monsters and demons. It’s Halloween in the valley and the haunted houses dare you to stop by. The Haunted House of Pain is now open every Friday and Saturday until November 1st. You can check this spook house out from 6:30pm till 11:30pm at Madison Square Mall across from Buffalo Wild Wings. Tickets are $10. The popular haunted MAIZE is located on 72 East in Brownsboro, AL. They are open every Wednesday thru Sunday until November 9th. The cost is $15 but if you go on their website http://www.cornfieldmaze.com/ you can get a coupon.

Sliced in Seconds

Is it just me or am I the only person disappointed in Kimbo Slice? Saturday, October 4, 2008, Kimbo Slice lost for the first time in the Elite XC. Slice, who was originally supposed to fight Ken Shamrock, was defeated by a no name that specializes in mixed martial arts. His opponent, Seth Petruzelli, with full force, attacked as soon as the fight started. Kimbo, a brawler, was caught off guard and failed to protect himself once his eye was cut. This was Slice fourth fight his record is now 3-1. If you missed the fight check it out on youtube.com and while your there checkout some of Kimbo’s street brawls.

Men & Women Basketball Challenge

If you enjoy watching the game of basketball, you might want to stop by Oakwood College on October 5th at 8pm for the schools basketball challenge. Next week kicks off Oakwood’s College Days 2008. Those that are interested in attending the college will be able to meet professors, tour the campus, interact with students and participate in various group activities during the two day event.

Oakwood will be having tryouts, for the basketball challenge, this Sunday from 1pm to 4pm, for high school seniors or transfer students that want to play. For more information regarding other activities during College Days 2008 please call 256-726-7000

Got Skillz?

They call him a rapper but I’d like to refer to him as a lyricist. Introducing, Ward Skillz! Fresh out of Lansing, MI, this local, soon to be worldwide, artist is making everyone in the Tennessee Valley, ATL and other cities, zone into his flow with punch lines that leaves his audience mesmerized and wanting to hear more. Ward has been rapping since the age 12. His music is very popular back in his hometown, receiving numerous airplays on their local radio stations. He has been featured on various mix-tapes along with being an opening act in concerts for major artist. This guy has done it all, from interning at radio stations in Huntsville and Atlanta, being a production assistant for BET and FOX Sports, and staff writing for Connect Magazine. If anyone person deserves to be in the entertainment industry, it’s Skillz. Not to mention he’s being backed up by two of the hottest DJ Crews in the United States, the Aphilliates and the Heavy Hitters.

To hear more about Ward Skillz or his music, check him out at:
www.myspace.com/wardskillz
www.youtube.com/wardskillzdhinfamous