Posted on by cvera2

Road Trips to Take in Washington State

As we transition into Autumn, it is important to take advantage of the weather and be outside! There is only a short time left where the sky isn’t completely covered in clouds and when the sun doesn’t set before 6pm. We are lucky to live in a state where nature surrounds us and where the most beautiful scenic destinations are only a short drive away. As a college student, we may not be able to afford a long vacation or travel to another state or country, this blog post contains some day trips (or night trips!) that you can take if you want to be outside!

Note: Driving times are determined from a start and end point at UW Bothell, this is simply just an estimate and may be different for you depending on where you live!

Whidbey Island

*will require ferry travel & Discover Pass for Deception Pass State Park ($10 for daily pass)

The perfect day trip to take is the drive from Deception Pass down to Clinton, it’s the perfect route to do some hiking, sightseeing, then end it off with a meal at the many cafes and restaurants Whidbey Island has to offer. Deception Pass State Park has multiple trails, with views of the waters below, plus there is more to do such as kayaking and geocaching.

Whidbey Island is home to many small towns, with small shops and restaurants, with views of the waters surrounding it. Towns to include in your itinerary include Coupeville and Langley. In Coupeville, I would recommend visiting Ebey’s Landing if you are interested in a hike with views of the sound. The Whidbey Island and Camano Islands website contains a guide on more places to visit on the island, including the arts, shopping, and town events.

From UW Bothell as the starting point and with minimal traffic, it is an estimated 3 hour and 14 minute round trip. Beginning from UW Bothell, the route will begin with taking I-5 North, driving up to the town of Burlington. Then will continue on State Route 20, this is the main road that runs through Whidbey Island. To return back to the Bothell area, there is a 20 minute ferry ride from Clinton ferry terminal to Mukilteo ferry terminal. View the Clinton ferry schedule here. If you want to begin with exploring the island and visiting Deception Pass last, simply take the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton, taking State Route 20 north, then taking I-5 South.

Hoh Rainforest & Forks

*Hoh Rainforest will require a Discover Pass for entry ($10 for daily pass)

A must-visit destination in Washington State is the Hoh Rainforest. Located in the Olympic National Forest, it is the perfect escape from the city. Hoh Rainforest has three different trails, two of which are less than 2 miles, and one being 18 miles long.


On the route to Hoh Rainforest, you will pass through the small town of Forks. If you are a fan of the Twilight series, there are multiple locations catered to Twilight fans. Locations such as the Cullen House and ‘Native to Twilight‘ store. If you are not familiar with the series, UW Libraries has the Twilight series available to check out! You will need your UW NetID to be able to check out library materials. Forks is perfectly located on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, which means that there are multiple scenic locations only a short drive away. If you have extra time, La Push & Rialto Beach are only a 20 minute drive away from Forks. Although it is out of the way, I recommend making the drive as these are some of the most beautiful beaches on the Washington coast!

From UW Bothell as its starting point and with minimal traffic, it is an estimated 4 hour and 30 minute drive, therefore it is recommended to plan for a night stay. I recommend planning on renting an Airbnb in advance because there are only a limited number of motels in the area. There are also cabins available to book near the Olympic National Forest, although they have beautiful views, expect some cabin options to be pricey!

Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is a great spot to visit especially during the transition between Summer and Autumn. The trees will soon be changing colors, but there are still some wildflowers left! It is important to note that although Mount Rainier National Park does not require a Discover Pass, there is a separate pass you must purchase to enter the park. More information on these passes can be found here.

There are four separate entrances to the park, so it is important to plan beforehand which trails you want to complete and where the closest entrance will be. The National Park Service has a list of all the trails on Mount Rainier with information on trail conditions. The list contains trails of all distances and difficulty levels.

From UW Bothell as the starting point and with minimal traffic, it is an estimated 2 hour drive to Mount Rainier’s Sunrise entrance. The route will begin with taking I-405 South, then will incorporate itself into state route 169. There are multiple routes you can take depending on traffic, as long as the routes lead to state route 410. This is the road that will lead you to the Sunrise entrance. Again, different routes lead to different entrances, so plan accordingly!

These are only a few of the many destinations in Washington state that you can visit, if you are in search of more locations, the state of Washington website contains an extensive list of ideas. If you are focused on hikes, UW Libraries has an extensive list of hiking books, including,

Be safe, and happy travels!

Posted on by cvera2

How to Stay Organized as a College Student

The transition from high school to college introduces independence and accountability into our lives. You are responsible for attending your lectures, choosing your class times, and for many of us, paying room and board. These responsibilities can be overwhelming, especially staying on top of your assignments, completing personal tasks, and including time for socialization and self-care. It might feel as though you have to neglect certain parts of your life in order to be successful as a student, but that isn’t always true, this post includes tools you can use to give you peace of mind and structure in your life.

Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that allows you to keep your life organized and gives creative freedom on what you want to create. There are endless possibilities on what you can create, such as finances trackers, vacation planning, habit trackers, and most importantly assignment trackers. This is the platform that I have used since my freshman year of college and I believe it is the reason I have been able to be successful and stay on top of my coursework.

Before using Notion, I had been overwhelmed with the daily tasks of being a college student. I remember asking myself, how do I stay on top of class, complete extracurricular activities, work on side projects, have a job, stay on top of finances and bills, have time for social activities, and have time for self-care? When you list these things out, it sounds extremely overwhelming, and can cause of sense of doubt. Since you’re stressed out about what you have to do, many times we procrastinate and prevent ourselves from achieving what we are capable of. In reality, it all comes down to how well you organize and structure these activities.

Assignment Tracker

An assignment tracker is a great way to start your journey with Notion. I start off my pages with a cover, which I usually download from Pinterest or choose from the built in options on Notion. I then choose an icon to be at the top of the page to be the page identifier on the sidebar view. I then insert a table and put in my school schedule with course number and class times, including an estimated study time depending on the day. Under this schedule is where I insert a call out, where I include my reminders. Lastly, I include a table view with my assignments! I include the class name, my status on the assignment, the date I want to start working on it, then the due date.

Here is an example assignment page that I use!

It may be difficult to get started on Notion and learn all of its functionalities, there are guides available to help you get started with creating your online workspace! Additionally, if you are stuck on how you want to customize your pages, there are free templates available that you can import into your Notion page that has everything all done for you! These include templates such as study pages, travel planners, investment planners and more.

Google Calendar

Google Calendar is an online calendar that allows you to plan your daily tasks in an organized manner. I have tried numerous online calendars and highly prefer using Google Calendar to plan my day because of the color customization and overall visual aspects of the calendar.

A tip I have as a college student is to plan your days one at a time, this means setting apart 20 minutes at the end of each day to plan how you want the next day to be structured. When you do this, you are most likely to stick to your plan and not set unrealistic goals for yourself as you might do when planning an entire month out at once. Knowing this, it is still good practice to note down any special dates such as meetings, appointments, or any future commitments so you don’t forget.

I recommend planning absolutely everything, especially if you are someone that struggles with productivity. This means planning the time you will wake up, time to get ready, time to get to a certain destination etc. Of course, life happens and it may not always go as planned, but knowing an idea of how your day will look like helps bring a sense of peace to our already busy lives. 

Here is an example of how your Google Calendar may look like:

To customize the colors and make your calendar look aesthetically pleasing, there are multiple online tutorials to help you get started.

Do I Need Anything Else?

It is a common belief that to be productive we need to purchase extra tools such as a nice laptop, an iPad, or digital journals. If these are tools that actually do help, that’s great! However, many times these are unnecessary purchases that may not help at all or be useful to you. Productivity comes down to you and how you utilize your time. I realized that all I need to be successful is my laptop and nothing else. I was someone who was influenced to buy an iPad due to the belief that it would boost my productivity, sometimes I write some notes on it, but there are times where I go months without touching it. Don’t feel like you need fancy materials to be productive. You are capable of achieving your goals by your determination and willingness to try out new tools such as Notion or Google Calendar.

Good luck on your academic journey!

 

Posted on by cvera2

Tips to Navigating College as an ELL Student

Collection of library books
This post is written in English and Spanish, scroll down for the Spanish version.
Esta publicación está escrita en inglés y español, la versión en español está al final de la página

Pursuing a degree is no easy task, any college student would agree with this statement. However, what if you were pursuing a degree, in a language you are not fully comfortable with? Many students at UW Bothell and Cascadia College are conquering these challenges, and it is remarkable. 

I’ve spoken with many students who are learning English while studying, and I notice a recurring theme; they feel isolated. As a student, I often overlook the privilege I have for my only struggle in courses being the content itself. It is one thing to struggle with the course’s content, but it’s another to also face the barrier of not fully understanding the questions or instructions being asked. 

It’s important for one another to understand these difficulties, there are a substantial amount of resources and support available, both on and off campus. Students and staff are always willing to help any student, you are encouraged to seek support! If you or someone you know is an English language learner, below are some resources that may be helpful to you. 

Library Books

UW Bothell and Cascadia College library offer a variety of resources for English language learners on campus, for any skill level. If you are someone who prefers studying on your own, our campus library provides nearly 300 books for readers wanting to improve their English skills. This collection is on the third floor of the library, the books are leveled from 1 to 6, and include a variety of topics with both fiction and nonfiction titles. To check out a book, simply bring your selected book and campus ID to the information desk on the first floor. A campus ID is important, as it is your library card! More information about our library collection can be found on the campus library website here. Additionally, you can speak to Chelsea, our librarian in charge of this collection. If you have any questions, or feedback about the collection, you are welcome to reach out to her at cnesvig@uw.edu!

Conversation Groups

If you are interested in practicing your English listening and speaking skills with other students at UW Bothell and Cascadia College, there is a quarterly conversation group! This is open to all students on campus and occurs five Thursdays each quarter. This is a great opportunity to practice your skills in a safe environment with supportive individuals. These sessions are hosted in LB1-205 on the second floor of the library from 1:15pm-2:15pm. Feel free to ask anyone from the information desk for directions! Link to the flyer provided here.

UW Bothell Writing & Communication Center

If you prefer working one-on-one for a more personalized approach to learning, UW Bothell’s Writing and Communication Center is for you! Located in Commons Hall in UW2-030, the center provides support for students of all abilities. Centered towards reading, writing, and presentation skills, peer consultants are eager to meet with students to practice their skills in a safe environment. You can set up a one-on-one meeting with a tutor on Navigate, which can be scheduled for in-person or on zoom. You also have the option to attend drop in hours on zoom, or communicate via email. 

Bock Learning Center

Cascadia College has a similar resource called the Bock Learning Center, apart from general tutoring services, the learning center provides help with your writing. Writing tutors are available to work with you through appointments or drop-in hours. Cascadia students also have access to e-tutoring, which is entirely online. 

Other On-Campus Resources

Pursuing a degree is tough, balancing coursework and other commitments can be overwhelming. Never feel like you cannot reach out for help, if you need to speak to someone or need any other forms of assistance, our campus has further resources. 

Counseling Center 

The counseling center located in the lower level of UW1-080 is open to both UW Bothell and Cascadia College students. The counseling center provides a variety of services such as in-person sessions with a licensed clinician, group therapy sessions, workshops, consultations, and more. Additionally, UW offers the HuskyHelpline to UW students, to receive free 24/7 assistance. Cascadia College students have access to MySSP which offers the same service. 

HaWRC

Open to both UW Bothell and Cascadia students, the Health and Wellness Resource Center provides information to students regarding financial assistance, public benefits enrollment, and basic needs assistance. It is home to the Husky Pantry, a resource available for UW Bothell students that provides grocery items, hygiene, and toiletry products. Husky Pantry is located in ARC 120, the same office as the HaWRC. Cascadia students have a similar resource called the Kodiak Cave, located in LB2-006. 

Local Resources

If you are far from campus or know any non UWB/CC students interested in improving their English skills, There are many resources available off-campus that are free of charge. 

Seattle Goodwill’s ESOL Program (English for Speakers of Other Languages)

Goodwill offers bi-weekly, 2 hour classes to improve your English skills. This program concentrates on practicing your English for future jobs and your personal life. The program is offered to residents of: King County, Kitsap County, Skagit County, Snohomish County, and Whatcom County. The program offers separate classes based on skill level, and classes tailored towards citizenship test preparation. More information can be found on their website. 

Hopelinks English for Work program

English for Work is a free three-month program specifically designed to prepare for employment in the United States. The program focuses on writing resumes, practicing interviewing skills, and a successful job search. There are virtual and in-person options, with group and one-on-one instruction as well. Additionally, there are weekly assignments for further practice and preparation. The program then ends with a practice interview with local employers. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, check on the website for more information on how to register! 

Conversation Sessions by Ladies Let’s Talk 

Ladies Let’s Talk is a program for women to practice their conversational skills with other women in a comfortable and casual environment. Tailored towards individuals with intermediate to advanced English skills, the conversations are based on topics that are interesting to you. LLT is designed to feel like you are speaking to a group of close friends! The sessions are all virtual, the LLT website here has more information on dates and how to register.

Consejos para Navegar la Universidad como Estudiante de Inglés como Segunda Lengua (ELL)

Estudiar para conseguir una carrera no es fácil, cualquier estudiante diría lo mismo. Imagina estudiar en un idioma que no es familiar para ti. Hay estudiantes que están haciendo exactamente eso, y es fascinante. 

He hablado con estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés mientras estudian y he notado una cosa: la mayoría se sienten solos. Como estudiante, a veces olvido el privilegio que tengo de solo enfrentar la dificultad de entender lo que están enseñando. Sin embargo, hay otra dificultad: entender las instrucciones y las preguntas. 

Es importante que los estudiantes entiendan estas dificultades, hay recursos y apoyo por parte de la Universidad de Washington Bothell (UW Bothell) y el Colegio de Cascadia (Cascadia College), pero también recursos locales. Los estudiantes y personal siempre están felices de ayudarte, no tengas miedo de pedir ayuda! Si usted o alguien que conozcas está aprendiendo el inglés, aquí hay recursos que te pueden ayudar.

Libros de la Biblioteca 

UW Bothell y Cascadia tienen una variedad de recursos para estudiantes aprendiendo inglés, para cualquier nivel. Si prefieres aprender a tu tiempo, la biblioteca tiene casi 300 libros enfocados en aprender inglés. Los libros están de nivel 1 a 6 y incluye una variedad de títulos. Para obtener un libro, solo tienes que llevarlo y tu identificación de escuela al primer piso, donde dice “Information”. Tu ID de escuela es importante; es tu tarjeta de biblioteca. Puedes encontrar más información aquí. También puedes hablar con Chelsea, nuestra bibliotecaria encargada de esta coleción. Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, o comentarios sobre la colleción, están bienvenidos a mandarle un mensaje a cnesvig@uw.edu!

Grupos de Conversación 

Si están interesados en practicar su inglés con otros estudiantes en UW Bothell y Cascadia College, hay grupos de conversación las temporadas de otoño, invierno y primavera. Esta es una buena oportunidad para practicar tú inglés en un espacio seguro. Estas sesiones van a estar en el cuarto LB1-205, en el segundo piso de la biblioteca. Están bienvenidos a preguntar a cualquier persona de la mesa de información para obtener direcciones. Puedes encontrar más informacion aquí. 

UW Bothell Writing & Communication Center

Si prefieres trabajar solo con una persona para sesiones más privadas, el centro de escrito y comunicación en UW Bothell es perfecto para ti. Localizado en Commons Hall en UW2-030, el centro tiene apoyo para estudiantes de todos los niveles. Enfocado en leer, escribir y habilidades de presentación, los consultantes están listos para comunicarse contigo para practicar tus habilidades. Puedes comunicarte con los consultantes y hacer una cita a través de la aplicación Navigate. También tienes la opción de atender horarios de atención sin cita en las que puedes hablar con consejeros por videollama o por correo electrónico. 

Bock Learning Center

Cascadia College tiene un recurso similar, aparte de soporte general, el centro tiene ayuda para habilidades de escritura. Los tutores están disponsibles por cita o en horarios de atención sin cita. Los estudiantes de Cascadia tienen acceso a tutoría electrónica, que está totalmente en línea. 

Otros Recursos Parte de la Escuela 

Conseguir un título es dificíl, tareas junto con la vida personal puede sentirse abrumadoras. Nunca sientas que no puedes preguntar por ayuda, si necesitas hablar con alguien o necesitas otras formas de asistencia, las dos escuelas tienen más recursos disponibles. 

Centro de Asesoramiento 

El centro de asesoramiento, ubicado en el piso de bajo de Founders Hall (UW1-080) está disponible para estudiantes de UW Bothell y Cascadia. El centro tiene una variedad de servicios como sesiones en persona con licenciado clinico, sesiones de grupo, clases, consultas y más. Los estudiantes de UW Bothell tienen acceso a la aplicación HuskyHelpline, que proporciona asistencia las 24 horas, los 7 dias de la semana,  totalmente gratis. Los estudiantes de Cascadia tienen acceso a MySSP, que ofrece los mismos servicios. 

HaWRC

Disponible para estudiantes de las dos escuelas, el centro de recursos de salud y bienestar proporciona información y asistencia en temas como ayuda financiera y beneficios públicos. En el centro, hay un recurso que se llama Husky Pantry, disponible solamente para estudiantes de UW Bothell, que provee artículos de alimentacion y productos de higiene. Husky Pantry está localizado en ARC 120, la misma oficina de la HaWRC. Estudiantes de Cascadia tiene un recurso similar que se llama Kodiak Cave, localizado en LB2-006.

Recursos Locales 

Si estás lejos del colegio, o conoces a personas que no son estudiantes de UW Bothell o Cascadia pero desean practicar su inglés, hay muchas ayudas en las áreas locales que son gratis.

Programa ESOL de Seattle Goodwill (English for Speakers of Other Languages) 

Goodwill ofrece clases de dos horas, dos veces por semana para mejorar tus habilidades en inglés. Este programa se concentra en practicar tu inglés para trabajos y en tu vida personal. Este programa está disponible para residentes de: King County, Kitsap County, Skagit County, Snohomish County y Whatcom County. Hay diferentes clases disponibles dependiendo de tu nivel de inglés, y clases para prepararte para el examen de cuidadania. Más informacion está disponible en línea aquí. 

Programa English for Work de Hopelink 

Este es un programa de tres meses designado para prepararse para trabajos en los Estados Unidos. Este programa se enfoca en escribir resúmenes, practicar entrevistas, y cómo buscar trabajo. Hay opciones de tomar las clases en persona o por línea, con sesiones de grupos o a solas. Adicionalmente, hay tareas cada semana para poder seguir practicando y preparándose para las siguientes sesiones. El programa termina practicando una entrevista con un empleador local. Si esto te suena interesentante, encuentra más informacion para registrarte aquí. 

Sesiones de Conversación de Ladies Let’s Talk

Ladies Let’s Talk es un programa para mujeres para practicar sus habilidades conversacionales en inglés con otras mujeres en un espacio comodo y seguro. Designado para individuos con habilidades de inglés más avansadas, las conversaciones son de temas que tu encuentras interesantes. Este programa es para que te sientas como si estubieras hablando con un grupo de amigas cercanas. Las sesiones son virtuales, para más informacion de como registrarse aquí.