Movies at Michigan

It's a Thursday night, at the end of exam week, and I can tell you I am now exhausted. After a week of sleepless nights, caffeine dependence and knowledge overload all I want to do is to relax with a good movie. Lucky for me I have several options. Here are some of my favorite ways to watch movies on campus.

RHA Movie Channel. For those of you lucky enough to still live in the ResHalls this is a fantastic resource. Channel 56 is kind of like a campus HBO. Just this month there are multiple 2012 Oscar nominated movies and some great guilty pleasure movies. You can find the schedule here.

Askwith Media Library. This is probably my favorite resource on all of campus. I call it the campus Blockbuster. It is located on the second floor of the UGLi and it is completely free to students. You can check out movies for three days Sunday-Wednesday, for the entire weekend starting Thursday, and over the major breaks. They also have everything from new releases to old TV shows at Askwith for you to check out. You can find their site here.

Mflicks. Run through the University Unions, Mflicks offers several free screenings of movies a month. Sometimes they are more mainstream, sometimes a little more out there, but it is a great option if you are looking for something to do on a Friday night, you can check out the schedule on the website here.


Michigan Theater. A movie theater located in downtown Ann Arbor specializing in the "finest film and live entertainment available today." This includes mostly independent, art house movies, but there are still some more mainstream movies. It is also plays host to some great events like Sundance USA in Ann Arbor and live performances. The Michigan Theater is also a great destination for Ann Arbor locals. The website for the Michigan Theater can be found here.

The moral of the story is that there are a lot of options for movie options in Ann Arbor, if movies are your preferred of entertainment, you will never be bored here!

Friday Night - UMix

Imagine, its 12:30 AM on a Friday night (or I suppose Saturday morning), you are strapped for cash and you don't want to travel far to find food. Then you remember, you are in luck, UMix is tonight! No joke, this actually happened to me last week. 

What is UMix you ask? UMix is a series of late night activities, usually on Friday night from 10 pm - 2 am, put on by the University Center for Campus Involvement and the University Unions. UMix is held in Unions all over campus (mostly the Union on central or Pierpont on North). Many freshman will mock it as a lame alternative to partying on a Friday night, as a senior I will say I have made fun of it my fair share. That is, however, before I actually checked it out. I clearly did not know what I was missing. Developed as an alternative to drinking, UMix offeres activities such as arts and crafts, billiards, video games, movies, dances etc. I have even seen things such as karaoke and bumper cars. Oh, and did I mention the FOOD?! 

UMix is also differently themed every night. Last weekend was "UMix: Share the Love" where you could do things such as make Valentines Day cards for children at Mott's Children's Hospital as well as play the "roommate game" to test your knowledge of your friends. I had a lot of fun at this one! 

Center for Campus Involvement

Last weekend was "UMix on Ice" where they constructed an ice rink on North Campus! They had free skate rentals, a hot chocolate station, make-your-own snow globes, a screening of "Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy" and more! Oh, and Food. 

Center for Campus Involvement

A lot of students will make jokes that the thing to do is to beat the system, to drink and then go to UMix. While I do not encourage this, I do encourage everyone to check out the night. If for no other reason than you are bored, hungry, or wanting to play free billiards, it certainly is a great activity for a Friday night!

For more information on UMix and a schedule of events check out the Center for Campus Involvement here. 

Campus Computing

Can you imagine going a week without a computer? Do you think it is even possible?

Unfortunately, last week I had to find out the hard way that it was. I found this out after accidentally destroying my hard drive (whoops) on my 4 year old MacBook. Through this week without a computer I learned a few important things about computing on the University of Michigan campus.

Firstly, I learned that it is possible to not have a computer. I live in a campus Residence Hall, which is lucky for me because all Residence Halls contain what is called a Community Learning Center (CLC). These sites are open 24/7 to residents of the building and are stocked with computers, printers, and during the day support offices. The CLC was where I spent most of my time doing work this past week.

Secondly, I learned a little more about the campus Computer Showcase (yes, this is the same place you got your i>clicker). There are two Computer Showcases on campus; one is located in the basement of the Michigan Union and one is in Pierpont Commons on North Campus. The showcase is an authorized Apple and Dell service provider (including repair services and sales). The showcase offeres not-for-profit academic pricing on both hardware and software, which means it would cost the same as (and in the case of software often less than) the educational discount at most stores. The difference is that the computer showcase is much closer than the local Apple store. The one thing to note about the computer showcase is that they offer three year warranties that are bundled into the price of the computers (these are the exact same warrantees you would purchase from the manufacturer and will work in all the same places). You must buy it with this warrantee, however, which might make it a tad more expensive than you want. I found, that after having to visit the showcase several times over the past years for various broken parts, I was happy to pay for the warrantee (Apple's Apple Care).

The Computer Showcase was able to both diagnose the problem with my computer (for free) and they offered to repair it for a fee. After a week of hemming and hawing over whether to replace an old hard drive or purchase a new machine, I was able to walk right in and purchase the computer and all the necessary accessories on the spot.

The take away from this experience, besides being careful about where you perch your MacBook (even 2 feet may be too high up), the University of Michigan is certainly friendly to those of all computer needs. Whether you need a question answered or a brand new machine the Computer Showcase can get you what you need and while you are waiting there are more than enough computer resources around campus to get you going.

The resources mentioned in this post are the Community Learning Center and the Computer Showcase.

Hidden Campus Events - UM3D

For those of you who have never ventured to the University of Michigan's North Campus, you should. If for no other reason then to check out the technology at the Duderstadt library. This is what I was able to do at the UM3D Lab Open House today.

The UM3D Lab is "an interdisciplinary service facility [that] provides the entire University of Michigan community access to high-end technologies and professional expertise in the general areas of #D simulation, digital fabrication, education, visualization, motion capture, modeling, animation and application development" according to the website. The lab has an open door policy encouraging the public to stop by and see the technology (which I have done) but every so often they have an open house in which you can see demonstrations of the technologies. They also produce small scale projects for free to students and faculty, and are used by various campus groups.

At today's open ouse we got to see demonstrations of M.I.D.E.N. (formerly the cave), which is a virtual reality cave in which designers create environments and put them into a software to create a real virtual environment that moves as you move. This technology is used for everything from architecture to medicine and more. We also saw the Tiled Display, a 16 monitor wall. This provides way to visualize scenes on a large scale.

Probably my favorite thing we saw today was the motion capture. The use of 8 cameras to capture and compile the motion of a figure in a computer program. The demonstrators explained how this technology was not only used for Hollywood (where they use up to hundreds of cameras at a time), but also for medical purposes. This particular team was from a movement science class in the school of kinesiology and studying momentum.

There were, of course, several more things to be seen at the UM3D lab open house, but the moral of the story is this: there are so many things to explore at the University of Michigan campus. Of course, I would suggest the UM3D lab, but there are also classes (movement science for example!) and events that can open your eyes to the rest of the world. You never know the opportunities that may await you or what you might learn. So what are you waiting for, get out there and explore!

For more information on the UM3D lab, refer to their website here.

PICKING CLASSES!!

Happy post-Turkey day! As the food digests and the football commences, now begins one of the most exciting times of the year...class registration! As a final senior I have finally managed to reach the holy grail of registration (a first day registration appointment), but as it extends over the next two weeks here are some resources that you might consider in helping to create your schedule. We will divide this up into two components: advice and scheduling resources.

ADVICE:

Advisors. I cannot say enough how important it is to check in with your advisors. I try to do it at least once a semester, but you should do it as often as you feel comfortable. It is also important to distinguish between general advisors and concentration advisors (both are important). You should make sure to check in with your general advisor to make sure you are taking care of all of your distribution requirements and your concentration advisor to make sure you are satisfying all of your concentration requirements. DON'T GET CAUGHT FORGETTING ONE. You do not want to get to second semester senior year and realize you still have several semesters of requirements left to fill!

Information on general advisors can be found at respective schools' websites. LSA's information can be found here, honors advising can be found here, Engineering can be found here, and Ross advising can be found here.

MSA Advice Online. At orientation they may have showed you a site you sort of understood, and kind of liked, but wish you could remember, that site would be MSA Advice Online. According to its website MSA AO is an "online system that provides students with access to course evaluation data".  It takes the feedback students give at the end of each semester and gives a numerical rating to each question. Nice resource, but as should all feedback, should be taken with a grain of salt. It is also a tad bit outdated, but the website says they are working on updating. It is also a great way to see things like average workload for a class. You can find the site here, but you must have a UM Login to be able to access it.

Ratemyprofessors[dot]com. DISCLAIMER: This is the site that professors hate and students continuously misuse, BUT if used correctly, it can be very helpful.

Ratemyprofessors.com is a database of student ratings for professors across the country. It gives students a fourm to both rate and describe past professors. The site must be taken with a grain of salt, as these types of sites often get people who are only commenting on the extremes (ex. they absolutely love or are completely frustrated with a professor). It is important to look at the whole picture when using this site. These include things like how many ratings have been posted for a professor, how recent, how consistent are the posts, and what they say. I tend to look mostly at the comments for each professor, taking into account not just the rating, but why. If I find that someone's grievance is not something that concerns me (ex. lots of reading), it may not be worth being as concerned about. Also, precaution about posting on ratemyprofessors, professors can see what you write. It is helpful to provide feedback, but this is NOT an appropriate forum to bash, humiliate or embarrass professors. That is feedback that belongs in your semester course evaluation. The site can be found here.

Friends. One of the best resources you have for classes is people who have actually taken them. At a university such as Michigan you are most likely not the only person who has taken a class. Tap into your large network, ask your friends for class suggestions, engage people in not only what they liked, but why. Then, of course, be sure to check in with your advisor about the feasibility of recommendations.

SCHEDULING:
Ok, now that you know what classes you kind of want, how can you schedule them. The University of Michigan does not provide an "official" schedule generating resource, but several people have created useful alternatives using the Michigan courseguide.

Mschedule. One of the popular sources is Mschedule. According to its website, mschedule is a "FREE service that helps you to share your class schedule and find people in your classes. It also gives you a visual representation of your schedule". It helps you generate possible class possibilities based on classes you select. Pretty cool resource. Mschedule can be found here.

Schedulizer. This is another independent resource that uses the Michigan courseguide to generate possible schedules. It has been created for several schools across the country. I have never used it myself so I cannot comment on how it works, but it is certainly an intriguing option. Schedulizer can be found here.

Microsoft Excel. My personal favorite thing to do is sit down with the courseguide, Wolverine Access and an excel spreadsheet and create several possible schedules by hand. Maybe I am strange in that I find this fun, but it is quite exciting to be able to work out the endless possibilities for next semester.

The bottom line is this: picking classes can be fun, it can be intimidating and it can be frustrating, but there is always help around you. After you check out these resources if you are still having trouble ask for help! Advisors and University support staff are truly the best resources if you need help, but stick with it and you will find the schedule that is best for you. Now good luck, and get registering!!

Airport Transportation

As the leaves change, apples & cider pop up everywhere, and the midterm panic sets in, we know it is time for fall break! Fall break is typically two days, typically a Monday and Tuesday where students take time to venture home, visit friends or spend a few days enjoying peaceful Ann Arbor. One of the most important things for students to think about, is if they are going to the airport, how to get there! After spending over an hour lamenting my 6 am flight with a friend in the same boat and realizing the relatively few options available for transport, I decided to put together a Transportation suggestion list for Michigan Students.

Over the past three years years I have taken a lot of airport trips. There are certainly a lot of options, but it pays to do your research. After extensive field research and opinion gathering from trusted friends, this is a list of my favorite options so far:

1. AirBus. An MSA sponsored option that provides $7 rides to, and $11 from the airport during break times for members of the Umich Community. It is quick, simple, and reliable. It picks up in three locations: State Street (Central Campus), the Hill & Bursley (North Campus) and drops off at each terminal. The important thing with the AirBus is to check the schedule and buy your ticket in advance! Especially around the busy times, bus tickets sell fast. Go to the AirBus Website to check the schedule, and the Michigan Union Ticket Office (MUTO) to buy the ticket. One downside with the AirBus, depending on when you travel, their schedule might be slightly limiting- they have options October 13th, 14th & 18th, so if you are traveling before or after that that AirBus might not be for you.

2. Michigan Flyer. Another bus service to Ann Arbor, this one picks up from the Sheraton Ann Arbor Hotel on Boardwalk. Since anyone (not just students) may take this bus, it has a more flexible schedule. It runs every day to DTW, Jackson & East Lansing. The first ride is about 5:00 am and the last is about 5:30 pm. It is also slightly more difficult to get to, requiring additional transportation to the Sheraton from Campus. Its about $15 one way to the airport, so its still a pretty cheap option. Advance reservation required, you can make those on the website.

3. Ann Arbor Airport Shuttle. A substantial price step, but still a great option, the Ann Arbor Airport Shuttle is a private company that runs from about 6 am to 8 pm (some days they will pick up between 4 am and 6 am for an extra fee). It is a $32 ride one way, in a shuttle van. Often there are a few people on the shuttle, but you only need to book for one person. They will call you to let you know they are five minutes away, and to call you outside if you need. Only real downside, you actually have to wait on other people instead of taking a bus that moves with or without latecomers. This, however, has proved to be a very reliable service. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance, more information can be found here.

4. Ann Arbor Cab. One of the many cab options in Ann Arbor, this one seems to have the most convenient airport rides. Rides are available 24 hours a day, airport rides with a reservation 24 hours in advance. They have a special that is $39 to the airport for students, they claim an extra $10 fee for the way home. If you need a specific or unusual time, this is a good option. Information on making reservations can be found on their website.

If none of these options meet your needs, there are a host of other options. They may all be found on the visiting Ann Arbor website. 

In Pursuit of Books

On this beautiful Sunday, setting up with some coffee and reading at the UGLi seems like the perfect way to spend the afternoon. The best part of it though, is that I did not have to pay for any of the school-related material I am reading! The important lesson of this post is that while many professors provide you with long lists of books to buy, there is almost always another way to find these materials that is both faster, and cheaper. Here are a few of the resources I have found over the years:

C-Tools. This is the first place you should check. Professors will usually tell you if they post material here, but it is always important to ask. Often times this is the place where professors will put PDFs, webpages etc. of readings for the class.

Google Books. This is not a full-proof method, but I have often found it helpful in the past. The University of Michigan was one of the first institutions to be apart of the Google Books Library project. This project, initiated by University of Michigan alum and Google founder Larry Page, is attempting to organize information by making it easier to find relevant books. Often times I can find almost all of the pages I need to read on Google Books, this method saves me from having to leave my room most of the time. To find more information about Google Books Project, you may check it out here.

Libraries. There first thing I do when I get a syllabus is to look and see which books are in the University library system. Since the University of Michigan libraries are all interconnected and since the University has partnerships with libraries all over the region, it is hard to find a book the library does not have. There are a few ways to access books at the library:

1. Check Them Out. Many books can be checked out of the library and kept for a several weeks at a time. In order to find out these books, check out the University Library System. That can be found here.
2. View Them Temporarily. Often times professors will put required books on reserve at the library. These books can be checked out for 4 hours at a time (bonus tip: if you check it out after 9 pm at night, you can keep it until 8 am the next morning!). This is a great method because it forces you schedule time to do work, but it allows you to use a book for as long as you need it and then get it back out of your life. Be aware, especially if the professor advertises it, a few people in your class may be taking advantage of this method. Be careful to allow yourself time, in case the book is already checked out when you get there.
3. Read them Online. Some of the University's books are actually available, in full, on the library website. This is rare, but it does happen. If this is the case, the book will be listed as "Available Online" in the University Library System and all you have to do is sign in to find it. This is how I did my reading today.

Department Learning Centers. Most departments at the University have a learning center. Two of the most major are the Science Learning Center (SLC) in the Chemistry Building, and the Language Learning Center in North Quad. These are not only great places to go for help, but often times they have spare textbooks on hand. If you are ever missing a textbook, it might be a good chance to check your local learning center to see if you can borrow what you need.

The bottom line is that you never need to spend as much as you think on textbooks. There is almost always the book on campus available to you. Before you decide to take the plunge, explore a little on campus, see what you can find!