Reminder- GUTS Applications for 2010-2011 are due Friday, Feb. 26th!

Just a reminder that applications for any of the GUTS 2010-2011 positions are due this Friday, February 26th!

All positions pay $9.19/hr and require a time commitment of 12-20 hours per week, with the exception of the Webmaster ($13/hr.). This is a great opportunity to share your knowledge, work with a motivated group of individuals, gain leadership experience, assist your UW peers, and build your resume.

For more information please visit:
http://guts.studentorg.wisc.edu/frontpage_hiringannouncement.htm

To apply:
Review the program job descriptions posted on the site and consider applying for all, some, or one position. Please send the following to guts@rso.wisc.edu:
1) Letter of Application / Cover Letter.
2) Resume: please include the names, titles, and phone numbers of three references.

APPLY TODAY!

Sharing the Fun!

Last week, we had a blast at CE events! To start off, we had a great CE English lesson with our volunteer tutor, Kenny. At the lesson, CE participants read over a news article, learning new terms and expressions introduced in the article. There was also some time for discussion.

On Wednesday, the conversation hour was themed around the Winter Olympics currently happening in Vancouver. Quite a few of us gathered around to have English conversation over some snacks and tea!

After the conversation hour, a few of us walked over to the ISS Taste of India. The presentation was full of facts about India, demonstrations of dance, and some snippets of Indian song. One of our very own CE participants even danced for us! To top it off, we all got to have a free meal! It was delicious- chicken masala, samozas, and a carrot desert. I'm so glad I brought a travel container to campus that day- there was so much food left over I was able to grab some for lunch the next day!

Hope to see some more faces joining us for the fun!
~Amy

The week is ending and another about to begin...

It's that time of the semester again, when many of us are beginning to realize it's already the sixth week (!) of classes and deadlines are right around the corner. I can't believe how fast the time has flown by! Don't they always say, "Time flies when you're having fun?" Although I am enjoying my semester, it surprises me that this entire school year seems to be passing by faster than the 11 fun filled weeks I spent in Laos last summer.

I've been realizing that the reason why time seems to go so fast during the school year is because I am always thinking about which assignments are due when, where will I be over the summer, where will I live next year, and sometimes wondering how I can best prepare for a future career. As students, we are constantly forced to think of what is ahead. But as we push ourselves to get through the week to reach the weekend, we forget to enjoy so many of our days.

This week, I challenge you to live each day for today and not tomorrow. Take some time to slow down, and try to make the journey as important as the destination.

enjoy~
Amy

Just some thoughts.

-Idea

What are the most important study skills in your mind? From a holistic educational perspective, the answers are probably in your body: eat well, sleep on time, and exercise regularly! After all, a hungry tired stressed scholar can hardly focus on his/her studies.

-Website

http://www.origami-club.com/en/

Interested in some hands-on experience with origami? This website is awesome! It has the diagram and animation for each origami. Come try out this lovely site!

-Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK4_ui_aTb0

It's all about the industrialization of agriculture. In a series of video clips, Howard Lyman presents the inside story on why cows are no longer vegetarians these days.

Hank Shengpeng Wu

Spotlight on...The 2010 Winter Olympics

So how about the winter Olympics? Regrettably I must say that I have not been able to devote as much attention to them lately as I’d like…although deciding between phonology homework and the speed skating finals is pretty darn tough. I am a fan of the Olympic Games for the same reason many other people are, international unanimity attained by celebrating the triumphs and lamenting the disappointments some of the world’s finest men and women athletes. In case anyone is interested, here are the current medal standings for the top 5 countries as of 02/17/10:

Germany: 3 Gold, 4 Silver, 2 Bronze = 9 Total

United States: 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze = 8 Total

France: 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 4 Bronze = 7 Total

Canada: 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze = 5 Total

Korea: 3 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze = 4 Total

Now we all like to get excited about figure skating, hockey, snowboarding and downhill skiing, but what about the other 11 events? I’d like to take the time to highlight the top 5 (in my opinion) under-recognized events of the Winter Olympics:

5. Skeleton: To start, a skeleton slider grasps the handles on either side of the sled, runs as fast as possible, then dives head first onto the sled. Sliders lie on their stomachs and steer by shifting their bodies very slightly.

4. Bobsleigh: To start, the racers push off as fast as they can for approximately 50 meters, then jump into the bobsleigh for a seated descent down the track. The driver steers down the track, while, at the end of the run, the brakeman stops the sled.

3. Biathlon: When the athletes ski into the shooting range, they must put down their ski poles and take five shots at a metal target. The hit area size changes depending on whether the athlete is shooting in a prone or standing position. A missed shot means either one minute of added time or skiing a 150-metre penalty loop.

2. Nordic Combined: The jumping portion occurs first followed by a free technique cross-country race. The break between the races can be as little as 35 minutes, or as long as a few hours. The winner of the Nordic combined event is the first athlete across the cross-country finish line.

1. Curling: The game is played on ice, and the two teams take turns pushing stones towards a series of concentric rings or circles. The object is to get the stones as close to the center of the rings as possible. Team members sweep the ice clean in front of each stone to control the stone’s direction and speed. The team with the most points — more stones closer to the center of the rings — is the winner.

Happy watching!

Emily

photo courtesy of: http://642blog.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2010-torch.jpg

CE Events!!

CE English Lesson

• Every Wednesday 6:30pm-7:30pm
• Caucus Room(4024), 4th floor of student activity center (same floor as Guts office)
• This week: Article Discussion -- World Texting Champion
• We're having our first English Lesson this week. Join our new tutor Kenny who knows five language and you'll have a spectacular, intense and fun learning experience!Our new English lesson will have 3 different formats (Idiom, Article and Discussion,Humor) and we will rotate them every 3 weeks.
• Check out here to know more details about the lessons and what Kenny wants to tell you: http://guts.studentorg.wisc.edu/CE%20English%20Lesson.html
  

Conversation Hour

• Every Thursday 4pm-5pm
• The Satellite (a room in Gordon Commons, located at 717 W Johnson Street. Enter the building from under the bridge connecting Gordon Commons and the Witte Dormitory. )
• Topic this week: Winter Olympics
• This is a great opportunity for tutees to practice their English with more people and for tutors to meet more international students. Tea and snacks will be provided! Hope to see you there!

***After the Conversation Hour, you are invited to walk over to the ISS Taste of India with us!***

ISS Taste of India

• Thursday February 18th at 6:00pm, come join the CE table at 5:45pm inside! (Look for the yellow GUTS shirts)
• Red Gym (On Wisconsin Room) Join the CE Program as we learn about the culture and customs of India while enjoying FREE Indian food.

---Coming Soon---

CE-PSA Politics Forum

• February 24th (next Wednesday ) 6:30pm
• 4th floor Caucus Room Student Activity Center
• Conversational English is partnering with Pi Sigma Alpha (the Political Science Honors organization) to bring you a special event! At the CE-PSA Forum, CE Participants are invited to come ask the PSA members any (and we mean ANY!) questions you have about American politics (domestic or foreign policy). Although we invite you to ask any question you may have, we ask that you please remember to respect the opinions of others! This is a good opportunity for international students to have any questions they might have about American politics looked at, but also to learn what ideas are popular amongst young Wisconsinites!

Kelly the Office Manager Here!!!

I can't believe it's time again to expand the GUTS team. Over the last year I have been working at GUTS I have seen an organization come together in an attempt to truly better student life on campus. Now it is your chance to join the team and I encourage all to do so. Apply Apply Apply and come to the info session tonight- you may never have the chance again to make THIS much of a difference on campus and get paid!
Here's what you need to know!

GUTS is in the process of hiring 11 new people for next semester.
An informational session is being held tonight at 6:30pm and 7:30pm at the GUTS office, SAC #4413, 4th floor, 333 E Campus Mall.

This is the time to learn more about GUTS and the positions we are hiring for next year.
See you there!

and remember...

All applications are due by February 22nd! Please follow the link to the Student Job Center to read about each job and apply if interested:

http://jobcenter.wisc.edu/Home.aspx
or visit
http://guts.studentorg.wisc.edu/

Thank you! Stay Cool

We need Study Skills Advisers!

In our ever-present desire to expand, the Study Skills department has reached a conclusion. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE!!!

Shocking, I know.

We are looking for 3-4 for people to join our team of amazing (and reliable) Study Skills advisers. Advisers are paired with students that have come to us for for help in any number of different arenas. From a holistic viewpoint, we address issues of time management, stress, motivation, concentration, note-taking, reading strategies, test preparation, speed reading etc, etc...

We also hold monthly training for our advisers to inform, discuss, get feedback and share experience. They're pretty fun.

If you may be interested in joining the team, hop on over to the GUTS website and email us. We'll be in touch and get you advising!

CE Events recently

Next Wednesday CE English Lesson is coming back.

Our new tutor Kenny knows five language and is going to teach international student in 3 formats (idiom, article and discussion, humor).

More information about English Lesson is available on Guts website.

First Lesson: Article Discussion - World Texting Champion
Time: Feb 17th, Wednesday, 6:30-7:30
Place: Caucus Room(4024), 4th floor of student activity center

We are also going to have our political event soon on Feb 24th. We'll have discussion about the heated political events and answer any questions about politics.

Last but not least, our conversation hour is Every Thursday 4p-5p. It's a great chance to practice English and meet new friend.

Violet

A Valentine Haiku for YOU!

GUTS how I love you
Will you be my Valentine,
And make my day great?

-A squared

Academic Match

Hello all!

The Academic Match program is currently in the process of matching students into small tutoring groups. We have over 30 groups formed already, with many more to go! Feel free to stop by the office, give us a call, or send us an email if you have any questions about how AM works. We are ALWAYS in need of tutors, so sign up ASAP if you are interested! Tutors for all courses are welcome! Thanks!

-Nicole and Alex

Welcome to February.

Hello everyone, happy February!

I'd like to start this post off with a quote from author and syndicated cartoonist Ashleigh Brilliant who says, "My life has a superb cast but I can't figure out the plot." Have you ever wondered about life's purpose? Or about what the whole point is? I would like to argue that the answer to these questions doesn't really matter, and the more time we spend trying to find the solution, the more of life we let pass us by.

Coming to college is a huge life experience. No matter what stage you're at in your academic career, chances are you're still trying to figure out exactly what you want out of life and your future. You're probably still trying to find yourself and at times worry about how others view you. The University is so extremely large and the number of activites, sports, and various opportunities for you to immerse yourself in are innumerable. Sometimes, in the process of trying to find yourself, you lose yourself. I want to stress how important it is for all of us to be true to who we are. Fill your time with self-reflection, physical activity, studying, and that superb cast that accepts you for the wonderful person you are. As cheesy as it may sound, let your inner light shine-it'll make the world a brighter place.

Peace, happiness, and...warmth,
Kasandra Brown

Study Skills Coordinator