Vivian Vana Stevens
  • About
  • Work Experience
  • Blog
    • Disclaimers
  • Academic Work

I'm Vana, and this is my blog.


The Family That Games Together

11/25/2019

1 Comment

 
One of the hobbies Adam and I do together is play video games. It is a staple in our lives that started when we were kids. For me it stopped and picked up again when Adam gave me a Nintendo 2DS for Christmas when we were first dating. For Adam it is something he has never stopped since he got his very first GameBoy back in the day. I thought it would be fun to interview him and see what his thoughts/memories/opinions are around gaming and to share them with you. Check out his responses below:
Picture
Can you tell me about your first memory of video games?

“My most vivid memory of video games from when I was a kid was when I received a Gameboy color and Pokemon Red Version for my birthday in November 1998. I had been asking my parents for a Gameboy and Pokemon for a while, since it was the hot new thing and everyone had the cards and watched the anime. It was a really special moment when I received it and I still remember it to this day!"

What video game have you probably spent the most time playing?

"This question is twofold, since I definitely spent the most time over the years playing all the different Pokemon games, but that is more of a “what video game series have I spent the most time playing” thing. As for just a straight up game, it would probably have to be Halo 2. My brother and I spent an entire summer break one year playing that game (and getting insanely good at it). We both played it way more as the year went on as well, so I likely logged over 400-500 hours in that game."

What are your top 5 favorite video game franchises of all time?
​

  1. "Pokemon
  2. Dark Souls
  3. Halo
  4. Super Smash Bros.
  5. Mario"

When was the first time you played video games with other people?

"The first time I recall playing video games with someone else was when my brother and I played our copies of Pokemon Blue and Red, respectively. We would sit together and talk about all the things we were doing as we were doing them in the game; which looking back on it probably drove everyone else in our family crazy. Our family made fun of how many hours we could sit there playing these games and I even recall my grandma saying “They can’t even hear us when their heads are in those games!” but you know what? I totally did hear you grandma!"


Do you prefer to play games on your own or with friends/on teams/against others?

"This one is tricky, because I am not the type of “gamer” who sticks with just one style of gameplay. I really enjoy getting to play solid single-player games such as Skyrim, Pokemon, or other RPGs, and I also really enjoy playing team based games that are competitive such as Halo, Gears of War, Rocket League, etc. At this age though, I am definitely happiest whenever I get to play a game with my friends but we are all on the same team against the game (PvE gaming as it is called), because I really enjoy the teamwork aspect without having the stress of playing competitively against other real humans. This is one of the main reasons that the Dark Souls game series is so high on my list, since my friends and I can beat the game together, fighting the enemies and bosses in sync with each other."

What do you define as a “gamer”?

"I would define a “gamer” as someone who is passionate about video gaming and sees it as an art form that it really is. There is literally no other art medium like it. It brings together the music, video, reading, and learning aspects of all the other mediums out there and makes it into one cohesive piece (as long as it is a good game). I think that people who appreciate this and enjoy it should call themselves a “gamer”, and not think of it as only someone who plays competitively or earns money from gaming."

Do you see video games always being a part of your life?

"I really do. I can’t imagine a time in my life at this point where I will altogether stop playing games. Even with the stresses of moving, college, grad school, getting married, and moving some more, I have always carved out time to play video games. As I have evolved over the years, so too have video games. You can now play them portably much easier than when I was young, and with things like Virtual Reality (VR) on the rise, I cannot wait to see what the industry has in store for the future. Video gaming is a hobby of mine that I am very passionate about, and I love getting to share that passion with others such as my lovely wife, family, and friends. "

How have video games benefited you up to this point? (List several ways if there are several)

"I sort of touched on this with the previous questions, but video games have been a universal truth in my life that have been around all of the ups and downs I experience. When I was young, video games helped me learn how to read, reason, and helped with things like my vocabulary and understanding more about the world around me. As I grew, video games were an outlet and a passion that helped me when I would feel stressed from my family or friends. Times such as my parent’s divorce, going through puberty, high school and going off to college, were all surrounded by one never-changing constant; Video games. I truly think that without gaming my life would be quite different from what it is today, which may sound a bit over dramatic until you think about how something like your favorite television show, movie, or book may have helped you through tough or trying times in your life. Video games are a fun way to relax and destress, but they also teach me more about who I am as a person, and how I can work to achieve my goals. " 


How have video games hindered you up to this point (if at all)?

"Probably the first thing that comes to my mind with how video games have hindered me up to this point is that they can on occasion be used as a “crutch” so to speak. Just like how some people will in their darker times turn to alcohol, binge watching tv shows, or overeating to make themselves feel better, so too have I been guilty of video games being this “crutch” for me. There have been times where rather than face my problems or try to fix them, I instead chose to instead jump on another game of Call of Duty. Or instead of going out and trying to make new friends and meet new people, I have chosen to sit inside and play Skyrim for 18+ hours on a weekend. My point is, people all have their own vices that they use when faced with hard times, and the reason they do these things is because they bring fleeting moments of joy and help distract us from the real issues at hand. By using video games in this way throughout points in my life, I would say it probably hindered me at certain points. However, just like alcohol and relaxing and watching TV can be done responsibly, so too can gaming. Finding the balance in life is what is important, because as they say, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing."    
1 Comment

Corgi Adventures: Ace at 5 Months Old

11/25/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Our sweet puppy Ace just turned 6 months old so I wanted to talk about some of the development we've seen in him through Month 5. We last left off at Week 17 so it only seems appropriate to base it off of months vs. weeks now. For starters, Ace has hit several milestones including:
  • His first night away from home (with new people)
  • A full 1 mile walk
  • Ace has mastered self-entertainment
  • Ace sheds - so much
  • Ace has a full understanding of the potty bell (and also how to abuse it)
  • Ace has been on a long car trip over the course of a weekend
  • Ace now knows the command "Bed" means to go to and lay on his bed
  • Ace can hold the "stay" command for 30 seconds - 3 minutes (depending on the level of distraction around)
  • Ace now knows socks are off limits for chewing (although he does still take them on occasion)
  • Ace has his own Instagram (check him out @allaboutthat.ace)
  • Ace can make it 6 hours in his crate without having an accident (and 8-9 hours at night)

These all seemed small as they were happening but thinking back and remembering where we started I realized these were huge milestones! Three weeks ago I was pretty sure he might never learn "bed" and that he would just wait for me to drop treats on it forever. Ace has also grown up a lot in his behaviors. He self-entertains a lot with his favorite toys, he is a lot more mellow (and open for snuggling), he seems to understand Adam and I and what we are communicating better than he ever had before, and he is in full puberty mode. He has started marking trees and light posts on our longer walks (thankfully he has not marked in the house) and he has become more confident when playing with other dogs. 

This weekend will be Ace's first experience with boarding and his first time away from home for more than 3 days. It will also be Leo's first time at home alone without Ace for that long since bringing Ace home. We are a little anxious to see how it goes, but the place we are boarding him is really nice and came recommended from several friends. I am sure he is going to have a ton of fun, I just hope he gets to the fun part sooner rather than later. The Three Dog Bakery visits are still in full swing (in fact I am sure we'll stop by when we pick Ace up on Sunday) and we get all of our dog biscuits there since they are made in-house. Watching this sweet pup develop and learn new skills has been so fun, and he has become so emotionally in-tune with Adam and I it is insane. 

Picture
0 Comments

Hunter's Pie (Our Take on Shepherd's Pie)

11/20/2019

0 Comments

 
So there is nothing I love more in the winter months than a warm, savory, hot dish of sorts. A crowd favorite is the traditional shepherd's pie, and Adam and I make some version of it every winter. This time we took a chance and left out the breading to follow our current diets, as well as used venison since we have so much in stock. We are calling it a "Hunter's Pie" and honestly it might be the best take on Shepherd's Pie I've ever eaten (and I love a good breading). 

Hunter's Pie

Ingredients:
  • Venison (meat)
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 cup Brussels sprouts (chopped)
  • 1 cup Carrot (diced)
  • 1 cup white Onion (diced)
  • 1 cup Celery (diced)
  • 1 cup white Mushrooms (chopped)
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • ¾ cup Red wine
  • 1 Tbsp Flour (All purpose)
  • 1 cup Beef stock (or chicken stock)
  • Salt and Black pepper to taste
  • 4 cups mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes (we bought pre-made mashed potatoes)
Picture
Directions:
​
  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit
  • In a large cast iron skillet, melt ½ a stick of butter on medium-high heat
  • Cook your brussels sprouts, carrots, onion, and celery for 5-7 minutes
  • Season this mixture with salt and black pepper to taste. (Feel free to add any other seasonings you desire at this point as well)
  • Add in your Venison and cook until it is lightly browned (more rare than medium)
  • Add in your garlic and white mushrooms, and cook an additional 2-3 minutes
  • Pour in your red wine and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the wine has reduced a bit
  • In a separate container, mix together your beef stock and flour
  • Pour in your beef stock, flour mixture and make sure everything is mixed together well
  • At this point you can transfer everything into a casserole dish, or leave it in your skillet and bake it in that
  • Cover everything in your mashed potatoes, and fluff up the surface of the potatoes with a fork. Season again with salt and pepper if desired
  • Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the surface is crisp and browned. Serve immediately
  • Enjoy!
0 Comments

Running a 5K - As Someone Who Does Not Run

11/14/2019

0 Comments

 
One of my goals for this year was to run a 5K and last Saturday I competed my second one in the past month! I intended to follow the None-to-Run plan and honestly just really failed at it. For the first 5K I worked to give myself a month to train, which really turned into two weeks of semi-training (it is important to note that I had not run anything in months and was not on an even slightly consistent work-out regimen before those 2 weeks). For the None-to-Run guidelines I had a lot of trouble with wanting to just be able to run without the extra time.  I ended up only running once or twice a week with a once a week with a Pilates work out thrown in between, which did not help me build up much endurance at all.
When it came race day at the Wizarding Run in Tulsa (would 10/10 recommend for all of you Harry Potter fans out there) I set a goal of 50 minutes. In my training I had not yet made it past a mile and a half without walking, nor past two miles total, and I had a feeling I would need to walk a solid amount of the course. The week before I took a few steps to best prepare, and when it came to the day of I really shocked myself. I ran as hard as I could, working hard to only stop when I had to and never for too long, and I managed to complete the 5K in a little under 36 minutes, blowing my original goal out of the water!
Picture
With a surprising time, a new motivation, and one month until the next race you would think I learned my lesson and started training to improve, right? Wrong. I ran twice that week, but with the weather, an approaching vacation, and peak advising season beginning I started only making it to the gym once a week and really falling behind on training. Adam and I went maybe 4 times that whole month, and I started to have some real anxiety. So, the week before I followed the same steps I did previously, and this time I went in with the mindset that I would not run this 5K at my best. Instead I would make it a planned work-out so that I could keep training and avoid the intense soreness that followed the Wizarding Run. 
Picture
While I still kick myself for losing sight of training, using the Wonder Woman Run as a training race was a great decision. Adam ran it with me and together we did an 8-minute-run and 2-minute walk cycle for the entire race. This (to my surprise) kept us at a 10 minute mile for the first 2 miles, and allowed Adam to finish at 34 minutes and for myself to complete the race right at 35 minutes and 7 seconds. Seeing for myself that following a running guide brought my time down, but also kept me from being so overly exhausted has been extremely motivating and has allowed me to push through training as we prepare for the Houston Turkey Trot in 2 weeks.
For fun, I made a pre-plan of Adam and I's running schedule for this week and the weeks to follow. It is great for anyone starting more "in the middle" than the average beginner. It is important to take your own health and other factors into consideration, while our work outs work for us please feel free to adjust them at your own discretion.
Picture
0 Comments

Asian BBQ Chicken with Cauliflower Rice

11/13/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

Asian BBQ Chicken Dish

Ingredients for Chicken:
  • 1Tbs Hoisin/Oyster Sauce
  • 4Tbs BBQ Sauce (any)
  • 1/4 Cup Sesame Seed Oil
  • 1Tbs Sesame Seeds
  • 1Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1Tbs Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 8 Pack Raw Chicken Thighs
  • Salt&Pepper to Taste
  • 1/2Tbs BBQ Rub of Choice
  • 1/2Tbs Garlic Powder or 1Tbs Garlic and Herb Powder
  • Sprinkle of Curry Powder

Ingredients for Vegetable Rice:
  • 3Tbs Mirin
  • 3Tbs Rice Sake
  • 3Tbs Sesame Seed Oil
  • 1tsp Hondashi 
  • 2 Bags Frozen Cauliflower Rice (we used Great Value)
  • 1 Bag Frozen Peas
  • 1 Yellow Onion
  • 4Tbs Brown Sugar
  • 1/2Tbs Garlic Powder
  • Salt&Pepper to Taste
  • 1Tbs Sesame Seeds
  • 3-4 Eggs (Up to your preference)
  • Sprinkle of Curry Powder
  • 2tsp BBQ Rub
Directions for Chicken:
  • Pre-Heat oven to 425F
  • Place chicken thighs in a large bowl, add in all of the liquid ingredients, all spices, and half of the sesame seeds
  • Toss the chicken and ingredients together until ingredients are well mixed and the chicken is fully coated
  • Place all of the chicken thighs onto a baking pan or in a cast iron skillet, pouring the remaining sauce over the top.
  • Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds over the chicken.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes in a pan, 35-30 minutes in a cast iron skillet, or until the internal temperature is 160F.
Picture
Directions for Vegetable Rice:
  • Chop your onion into small pieces.
  • Set a pan to medium (on a scale of 1-10 a solid 5-6), add brown sugar and onion pieces, and cook stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent.
  • In a much larger pan, set the temperature to medium and allow it time to heat up.
  • If your frozen vegetables are able to be micro-wave steamed, start micro-waving them. If not, pour the frozen ingredients into the large pan.
  • Once the vegetables are de-thawed (whether by pan or micro-wave) and the onions are translucent, pour the onion mixture into the larger pan. 
  • Add your remaining ingredients (excluding the eggs) and cook together at medium heat.
  • In a small bowl, crack and scramble your eggs, then add them in to the mixture.
  • Continue to mix well until the eggs fully cook into the dish. Once they are and a lot of the liquids in the pan have evaporated you'll know it is ready to serve.
  • Plate your rice and place your desired amount of chicken on top.
  • Boom-Bam! A delicious and low-carb dinner.
0 Comments

10 Things Your Academic Advisor Wishes You Knew

11/12/2019

0 Comments

 
While I have only been an academic advisor for 6 months now, and I work in an office that is more hands-on than most advising offices, I thought it would be fun to make a list of things Academic Advisors wish students knew going in. This is based off of collective ideas and thoughts I've heard around the office, so I hope you enjoy the tips!

1. Book Your Appointments Early

It is not to be rude or to make things more challenging, but when enrollment starts we fill up. We often can't take additional walk ins because we are in back-to-back appointments for weeks. If you book your appointment early you can be sure to get in, if you miss your appointment there is still time to schedule another, and it leaves room to ask questions as they arise before your enrollment opens.
Picture

2. We Are Here For You

If you take nothing else from these tips, take this one with you. We want to help you. It is not only our job, but it is something we are passionate about. There is no question too small and there are no stupid questions. I can't tell you how many students either don't ask me a question they have and end up missing out on something that could have really helped them. At the end of the day, we want to help you be successful. Period.
Picture

3. When We Send You An Email, Read It

Anytime I send an email to a student, and I can confirm that it is like this for the advisors that I know as well, it has valuable information in it. Things like: your professor says you are going to fail if you miss any more classes, you need to get your holds lifted or you won't be able to enroll on time, scholarship applications are due by this date, we have amazing tutoring resources that could help in classes you are struggling with, and even information about mental health resources for other things you might be struggling with. So if you receive an email from your advisor, please take a second to read what is likely valuable information.
Picture

4. We Are Humans

Crazy, right? To think someone could be sick sometimes or go on a vacation every once in a while; but it is true. We are here to help you, and we love our jobs, but sometimes life happens to us too and we may need to reschedule an appointment. That does not make us care any less, it is just what makes us human. 

5. We Can't Give You Professor Recommendations

A big misconception I hear about on what academic advisors do is when I hear complaints about, "well my advisor is the worst because they told me to take ... class!" Or "Ugh my professor is the worst, I can't believe my advisor would tell me to take their class." The classes we "tell" you to take are classes you need to graduate, we have no control over when it is offered or who is teaching it. And we can't tell you not to take a class because of the professor, because opinions on teaching styles are often so subjective. We can recommend classes/options/electives that other students have enjoyed, but for those it is still really up to you on if you choose to take them over another option.

6. Know Your Degree Plan

When you first begin at most institutions you are given a degree plan for your major and your academic start year. Whether that is a sheet of paper, a fancy degree works website, a giant book of majors, or a combination of the three, you have access to what classes you need to graduate. Part of being human is that advisors also sometimes make mistakes. We do our best not to, but seeing so many students it is hard not to miss some things.
0 Comments

Venison Gumbo

11/7/2019

0 Comments

 
After our trip to New Orleans you could say Adam and I left inspired. We have always talked about Gumbo and Crawfish Etouffee but have never actually made it ourselves. With most of the ingredients already taking residence in our kitchen we decided to go for a venison gumbo. I should warn that this recipe lasted us almost a full week, only coming short because we shared some with friends at work. With the northern winds blowing in for a chilly week it has been the perfect lunch/dinner, and it seems like the gumbo continues to gain flavor each day.
Picture

Venison Gumbo

Ingredients:
  • ​1-2lbs cubed venison (we used a combination of different cuts)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 & 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1& 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 small green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 8 ounces beer (a dark beer preferably)
  • 4 cups chicken stock (we probably used 6 cups)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 pound Andouille sausage, cut into coins (or smoked kielbasa)
  • 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • Cooked white rice or corn bread, for serving (we made corn bread)
Meat Prep Directions:
​Soak venison for 24-72 hours in milk or a milk-water mix covered in the refrigerator. 

Kitchen Tools Needed:
  • Dutch oven cooking pot
  • Metal whisk
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Cutting board
  • Knife
Picture
Directions:
  • You will want to have everything prepared before you begin to cook, since this dish’s base will be a rue. If you burn a rue there is no going back, you just have to start over.
  • Chop all of your vegetables (onion, bell pepper, celery) and mix together in a mixing bowl. This mixture is called your trinity.
  • Have all of your ingredients nearby, since once you start cooking things will move fast.
  • With all ingredients prepared and nearby, pour your vegetable oil into your large dutch oven cooking pot, and heat on medium-high heat.
  • Once the oil is nice and hot, pour in your flour and begin stirring immediately!
  • Continue to stir the oil/flour mixture (rue) until it has reached a dark brown, Hersey’s milk chocolate bar color, and it should be the consistency of wet sand.
  • Once your rue is ready, pour in your trinity and add your bay leaves 
    • BE CAREFUL! Hot oil and liquids don’t mix well and can be dangerous, so please always pour away from yourself and be ready to reduce heat if any dangerous splashing of hot oil should occur.
  • Continuously mix the trinity and rue. Eventually your trinity mixture should start to calm down and not bubble as much, as well as your onions begin turning translucent; these two things indicate this step is done
  • Next, add in your garlic, cook an additional 30 seconds - 1 minute, and then pour in your beer as you keep mixing an additional 2-3 minutes
  • Mix in your chicken stock and reduce to a simmer (low-med heat)
    • At this point you do not need to continually mix, since your rue is done and so you are in the clear from “messing it up” so to speak.
  • Add in your seasonings and cut sausage
  • You should pre-brown your venison in a separate pan, but do not overcook the meat, as it will continue to cook a bit in the simmering gumbo.
  • Add in your venison and stir
  • Let the gumbo simmer covered for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until your vegetables are fully cooked and your venison is cooked to your liking. This part helps bring all those flavors together.
  • Serve your gumbo with some white rice over top, or pour it over a nice slice of cornbread! No matter how you enjoy it, this dish will warm you up and taste delicious!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

How to Give Better Gifts

11/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
We are approaching my absolute favorite time of year - the holiday season - and a few of my coworkers and I have already started to think about, pick out, and even purchase some of the holiday gifts for our friends, families, and secret santas. I pride myself on picking out thoughtful, fun, and occasionally elaborate gifts for those close to me, whether it be for the holidays, their birthday, or just a rough day in general. So here are a few tips that have really helped me whether getting a gift was a well-thought out process or a last minute grab!

1. Keep a list on your phone

Every day people drop hints on things they want or like or think are cool, whether it is intentional or unintentional it can help to read in to those things. I keep several lists on my phone's "Notes" labeled "Office Birthdays", "Friend Birthdays", and "Family Birthdays" that has a person's name, birthday, and random things I have thought of or has been brought up in conversation that could be a good gift. It is not a perfect system but overall it is pretty effective. 

My favorite is finding something my friends have openly said they want and then getting it for them months later after they've forgotten. I have at least 2 gifts on my list for people that this is the case for.
Picture

2. If you see something early, buy it (especially if it is on sale)

Disclaimer **within reason. If you see something you know a friend or family member would LOVE and it is not out of your price range at the time, buy it then. I can't tell you how many times I have found the perfect gift that I could have afforded at the moment but waited because it was not close enough to the holidays, and every time I regret it. The fact is I end up spending waaaay too much in November and December and either have to super stretch my budget, or skimp on gifts I wish I hadn't. On top of it sometimes the item sells out or is discontinued between the nearest holiday and when I find it. Last summer one of my favorite stores had a going out of business sale in July and I bought over half of my family's gifts their for over half off and ended up saving money during the crazy holiday months.
Picture

3. Stay Organized

Are you a gift-giver on a budget? Or just the kind of person who always forgets what they got or plan to get someone? Keep a running Google Sheet. It helps Adam and I budget what we are able to spend, keep track of what gifts are for who, and gave us an idea of what we were looking for during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. We ended up saving almost $200 the first year we started this trend, and it helps us reference what we've already given family members. It also helped because in joint gifts (either from Adam and myself or from multiple family members pooling in) we were able to keep track of who was pitching in for what. 
Picture

4. Stock up on some universal gifts

Picture
This may seem counter productive, but it is not what you think. If you have the opportunity to stock up on universal gifts like an Alexa, an iHome, a classic book, a coffee mug with candy in it, etc. it can really save you in a pinch. It happens so often that a birthday comes up or someone brings an unexpected guest to a family holiday event that require a last minute gift, and it is not always reasonable to run to the store. Having a few back-up gifts that are easy to wrap can be a life saver. Personally, I love to overstock on Bath and Body Works products when there is a sale so that I can combo a few as a gift if needed. That works well because if we end up not needing them for a long period of time Adam and I can still use them ourselves so we don't feel as though we wasted money buying those items.  

5. Think about the person

This may seem obvious, but to sometimes it is easy to get wrapped up in getting a "good gift" vs. a gift the person will appreciate. Ask yourself, is this person sentimental? If yes, a picture or something from a memory is a great gift; but if the answer is no it is important to look more into gifts the person might find "useful".
Another good question, is the person going through a major life event? One of the best gifts I've ever received was a cookbook of recipes compiled from my grandmother's kitchen. My aunt went through all of the cookbooks and note cards, even scanning some instead of typing them if it was a recipe she wrote by hand. My aunt gave copies to all of our family the first Christmas after my grandmother's passing and I still believe it was the perfect gift. It carries so much sentimentality, but is also something I've used 20+ times over the past year. It was very relevant to what was happening in our lives right then.
​One last tip to consider, what is something this person will actually use? It ties in to the other two questions but is still strong enough to stand alone. This is something I really struggled with for a while because I would think of things I live vs. what another person would like. Coffee mugs are amazing if you drink coffee/tea at home, but for a person who hates coffee or is always on the go it may be better to consider other options. This especially applies to children. When choosing gifts for kids it is so easy to think of what we liked as a kid or interests we want kids to take on, but it is much more beneficial to ask their parents what their interests are or if you are able to ask the kids themselves. Every year I debate getting my brother a book or a cool science-y toy, but he loves football and playing video games so gifts revolving around those things mean so much more to him. 
I hope these tips can help you this holiday season, and maybe just in general! Giving something to someone else is a gift all on its' own, and it feels great to give something that brings them joy. What are some of the best gifts you've received and why were they the best? What are some of the best gifts you've given to others? Let me know in the comments.
0 Comments

Engineering Majors as Harry Potter Characters

11/5/2019

2 Comments

 
Being a huge Harry Potter nerd surrounded by other Harry Potter nerds, there was a night recently that was discussed which harry potter characters fit the different engineering majors that we advise. We had so much fun coming up with them so I hope you enjoy our list as much as we enjoyed making it!

Chemical Engineering - Draco Malfoy

Picture

Aerospace Engineering - Madam Hooch

Picture

Biosystems Engineering - Neville Longbottom

Picture

Architecture/Architectural Engineering - Luna Lovegood

Picture

Civil Engineering - Fred & George Weasley

Picture

Mechanical Engineering Technology - Harry Potter

Picture

Industrial Engineering - Ginny Weasley

Picture

Mechanical Engineering - Dean Thomas

Picture

Fire Protection and Safety Engineering - Seamus Finnigan

Picture

Computer Engineering - Percy Weasley

Picture

Electrical/Computer Engineering Double Major
​- Hermione Granger

Picture

Construction Engineering Technology - Minerva McGonagall

Picture

Electrical Engineering Technology - Collin Creevy

Picture

Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering Double Major
​- Cedric Diggory

Picture
Thank you for joining! We based the characters assigned to each major off of personality, how studious they were at Hogwarts as students or teachers, some of their interests, and some of the general personality tropes we see in the different characters. Disagree with any? Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Picture
2 Comments

Caring for Ace: First Weekend Away

11/1/2019

0 Comments

 
Have you ever known someone to be so "extra" that they gave you step-by-step instructions on how to take care of their pet/child? After years of babysitting and dog sitting I always appreciated the notes, but was never sure if I'd be the same way in that situation. With my cat I always asked friends to just check on him once and clean his litter if it was full, nothing to crazy. Yet last weekend on Ace's first weekend without Adam and I since we brought him home I found myself making a manual on how to care for him. Check it out:
While this is a little over the top, Ace's first babysitters said it was helpful! They said throughout the weekend Ace did really well, he listened to commands (well, excluding "Crate"), he did not chew up their belongings, he listened and did not eat their dog's food, and went all weekend without an accident! His areas of weakness? Whining at night, playing a little rough with the other pup (a mini yorkie), and jumping on the couch. So all in all, a good experience! We are so thankful that we had wonderful people to watch him, and I am glad to know that he is a happy pup no matter where he is or who is with him
0 Comments

    Author

    I am a student affairs professional, an amateur chef, and an adventurer at heart.

    Subscribe

    Want an email every time I post? Click the Subscribe button below!
    Subscribe to blog

    Archives

    January 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    December 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
    Pinterest Mega tag
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • About
  • Work Experience
  • Blog
    • Disclaimers
  • Academic Work