How to Make a PB&J

As Peter Griffith, main character of the hit comedy show Family Guy would say, “It’s Peanut Butter Jelly time!” Griffith is referring to the making of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, commonly nicknamed a PB&J. There are many variations of a PB&J sandwich, and each of them are nutritious and the taste is not so bad either. Making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich should be common knowledge amongst individuals, but just in case you have never had the chance to enjoy one of these delectable creations, here is the process by which you can make one to eat and enjoy at anytime of the day.
First, one must drive to the nearest grocery store in order to retrieve all of the supplies needed to make this simple culinary masterpiece. Although a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is quite simple to make, there is quite a bit of variety in the options of ingredients. The staple ingredients for making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich include: peanut butter, jelly, and bread. There is a variety of each of these ingredients to choose from. For example, for your peanut butter one can choose either crunchy or smooth. Crunchy peanut butter has extremely small bits of peanuts spread throughout the smooth peanut butter, while smooth peanut butter does not have the pieces of peanuts in it. For jelly there are many options: grape, strawberry, apricot, raspberry and basically any other “berry.” You can also choose from white, wheat, whole grain and other types of bread to use on your sandwich. Once you have chosen and placed these three ingredients in your cart, go to the checkout counter to purchase your items. Be sure that you have silverware, particularly a knife, and a plate to complete the items you will need to make your PB&J.
Next, once you have made it back to your house, take your ingredients out of your grocery bag and place them on a table. Then, you are going to need to retrieve a plate of some sort and a knife, set them on the table next to your ingredients. Open the peanut butter by unscrewing the top and placing it next to the jar on the table. There will be a paper covering sealing the peanut butter. Remove this by gripping the edge and pulling with enough force to peel the entire covering off of the jar. Once you have removed this covering you can throw it into a garbage can. Next, open the top of the jelly by unscrewing the top. This may involve a lot more force than it did to remove the cap from the peanut butter. Then, remove the “twisty tie” from the loaf of bread. The twisty tie will be the small string like piece of metal twisting around the bag to shut it. Unwrap the bread bag by gripping the two ends of the tie and untwisting it in the opposite direction. Remove two pieces of bread from the bag and place them side by side on the plate.
You are now ready to begin constructing a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Take your knife and stick it inside the jar of peanut butter and scoop up enough to spread onto a piece of bread. Take one slice of bread and lay it flat on the palm of your hand. With the knife, spread the peanut butter so it covers the entire slice of bread. You may have to go back and get more peanut butter from the jar, depending on how much peanut butter you want on your sandwich. Place this piece of bread peanut butter side up on the plate. You will then want to clean off your knife before you dip it into your jar of jelly. Repeat the process of spreading the jelly onto the next slice of bread. Place the jelly side directly on top of the peanut butter of the other slice of bread. You now have completed the process of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Take a bite and enjoy!

After all of my Research is done.....

Okay, so I had this posted with my exchange student response so I figured I would just put it under a new post so people could find it easier.
After I completed all of my research, studied the UWEC campus, talked to students, exchange students, and professors, finding out the real meaning behind our campus “mascot” and actually reading a newspaper, I found out that there are a lot of things about Eau Claire that I never realized. Our campus is extremely unique and because of its exceptional qualities, I am proud to be a Blugold, even if it isn’t technically a mascot.
I have realized that community is a large part of what is important to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire students. We strive to be active and one with one another. Our community ties in with our study habits. Those individuals who have a sense of community with other students on campus tend to do better in their courses than those students who do not find themselves at the university.
I also realized that school spirit is a very important part of the culture on campus. I mean come on we do not have a bird or a bulldog for a mascot, we have the spirit of the Blugold. How cool is that? Every other university has a plain Jane mascot that distinguishes them from other schools, but the Eau Claire Blugold makes everyone question and think twice. Our school spirit is unique from all the rest and that makes me take pride in our culture on campus.

2. Finding and Exchange Student

First of all, it is very hard to find these individuals because they have grown so accustomed to the American way that they blend in very well with American students. It's not like you can go up to just any individual and as "Are you from another country?" I remembered my friend from my Creative Writing course last semester, David Steinfeld.
David couldn't tell me much about the universities in Germany because he did not go to school there long enough to be enrolled in one of the higher educational facilities. However he was able to enlighten me on the differences between the cliques as well as the differences n popularity amongst German and American high schools.
"Spending an exchange year at an American high school was a bit different....we did have cliques at my school. However, I wouldn't say it was those stereotypical cliques you see at American high schools and in American teen movies, you know, the jocks, the nerds, the princesses etc. Also, popularity wasn't so much a big deal in my school whereas it seems to be an important aspect of American high schools," he said.
Also, David told me a lot about the different kind of education systems in Germany. the majority of Germany's school system is run by the triparty system. this is how it works: all the kids go to the same school in elementary school. however, after the fourth year, depending on how well the kid is doing, it will be sent to one of the three types of secondary schools. there is one which is called "the hauptschule, that school is for those who didn't do well in school, didn't care about school or did not show an appropriate level of intelligence. then we have another school that is called "realschule" that is more for those kids who were average in elementary school, grades were okay and they go to a school, that school also prepares them for technical professions i would say. then we have the school called "gymnasium" where those students go who did well in school and show an appropriate level of intelligence. in comparison to the other two schools, the students at the gymnasium go to school til they the 13th or 12th grade, the other two schools only go up to the 10th grade, after that the students are done. anyway, the gymnasium is also the school where you get a diploma called "the abitur" which qualifies to attend a university,” he wrote to me.
All in all, Steinfeld gave me a lot of information, almost too much to include in this one blog post. It was incredibly interesting to hear about the different kinds of schooling, catered to different needs of each student, were available in Germany. In the United States, we try to group kids all together hoping they will learn from each other. We also do this because it would almost be social suicide if we distinguished students by their grades, or amount of interest in school. We can learn a lot from the exchange students about their culture, as well as the educational systems that most of us will not get to experience in our lifetime. I am glad that I was able to talk with my friend David and receive an immense amount of information about Germany’s educational system.

1. How Do We Study?

Speaking with different students around campus, it was interesting to see how differently everyone studies, as well as the various different places people like to study.
Kaela Bialk, a freshman Kinesiology major said, " I really like to study in the library. I feel more focused there and I can get a lot more work done." However, when she was asked how she studies she had a difficult time answering. " I used to be such a crammer in high school. I would study the night before a test and that always got me A's, here in college though I have learned that I cannot cram as much. I need to try and start studying earlier for tests because then I think I will do better in my classes," she added. Most students at UWEC would agree with Bialk that their high school study habits are no good in college.
One student I talked to said that college is so much different than they had expected. Tristian Killey, a freshman at UWEC stated, "I pretty much do the same thing I did in high school when I am preparing for a class. I thought I would have to make a lot of changes in my study habits but cramming still seems to be working for me." So all in all, my findings varied from different people. Some could still do all of the same types of studying they did in high school, while other struggled with the transition.
Others elaborated that they could study anywhere at anytime. Freshman Politics major Drew Peterson said, "I like to study in my room the best. There is a lot of noise because they guys on my floor are always loud, but I would not want to study anywhere else. I do my best when I study in an active environment." He also went on to say that he still follows the cramming method, but that he did not really have to study that much in high school. “I study in my room, most of the time with other people, the night before a test and that usually gets me a B, and I am okay with that,” Peterson said.
On the other hand however, there are individuals that do their best studying when it is completely quiet. "I can not study when people are loud. I always go down to the quiet study lounges in my hall or the library. I have to study for two to three days prior to a test or exam too," Stephanie King a freshman Psychology major stated. Clearly, the cramming method does not work for all students, it shouldn’t anyways. Everyone is different and each individual has their own quirks when it comes to academic achievement.
Some individuals I talked to, Alex Zinc in particular do not have to study at all. "If I go to class and pay attention during lecture, I do not have to study for an exam. My mind seems to retain information pretty easily." I wish that I could say the same thing as Zinc did, but for me studying is the focal point of my college career. I have to study anything and everything that comes my way. I pay attention during lectures and attend classes but I know that if I did not study for anything I would not receive the grades I want. So how do we study? Our generation of students seems to have various methods to answer this question. To me, it seems as though we are getting lazier about our grades and how much outside work we do for our classes.

3. The Mysterious XF

So you see these two letters sitting next to each other and are faced with the question, what do they mean? I had never even heard of an XF before this project was assigned, but it was interesting to find out exactly what it was. Through my extended research and determining that an XF was not referring to a computer file, I finally figured out that and XF is a type of grade. Some colleges in the United States give out the grade of XF when a student is caught executing academic dishonesty. Some colleges even use this grade to indicate a student failing a course by their lack of attendance. This could very well affect me as a college student. If I ever would decide to cheat on a test, plagiarize or perform any other form of academic misconduct, I could suffer receiving an XF on my transcripts. In my mind that is probably the worst grade you could receive on your transcripts because not only do you not receive credit for the class, every other college who looks at your transcripts can see that you acted poorly in the course. Attendance is also a big issue with college students, especially those enrolled in 8 A.M. classes. They think it is okay to skip classes that do not require attendance as a part of their grade. However, little do they know they could still suffer receiving an XF when they do not attend class as often as they should. So knowing what these two letters mean together was something very important for me to find out. Not only is it good to be informed, but it is also beneficial to know what not to do in order to prevent myself from seeing a XF on my transcripts.

6. The Blugold, What is it?

“Over the years, there have been many ideas regarding what a Blugold is - ranging from a mythical bird to a simple misspelling of the word "bulldogs," to the spirit inside each UW-Eau Claire student,” says Nathaniel Shuda in his article in The Spectator, UWEC’s student newspaper. So really what is a Blugold? In my research there has been a debate over this question for years, since 1945. Sixty-four years later and we still have issues defining what our own school mascot is? On November 11, 1965, a panel of judges attempted to answer the question and actually provide a face to the Blugold name. They had five options to choose from: Blugold Beaver, Blugold Eagle, Golden Eagle, the Norse god Odin, or the Eau Claire Riverman. The result of the vote was never revealed, however the Student Senate two years later took a vote on the issue. Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich said, "The Blugold thing is different than a mascot.” This makes the university much more unique than others. He adds that the Blugold embodies a specific kind of spirit. "It's a state of being rather than a thing,” he concludes. So there you have it ladies and gentleman, a Blugold is a state of being. I guess that is why the flagpoles on the hill read, “A Blugold Now, A Blugold Forever.” We will always carry the spirit of the Eau Claire Blugold with us, even if we cannot put a face to a name.

4. What do Professor's Have to Say About Students?

I spoke with two professors at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire about their views on students’ behaviors. All in all, the results were not too positive. Pamela Forman, sociology professor stated that she has seen a lot of changes since her early years as a professor. “More students try to cheat through plagiarism. More students have problems focusing on school, because of the pressures of outside jobs. Fewer students have the confidence to express their opinions in the classroom. More students seem to cope with stress through excess drinking. I have more students who struggle with depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, serious illnesses as well,” she said. So with all of these negative changes in behavior, do we as students have any redeeming qualities? According to Forman, “the only positive change is that students overall are better writers.” Dr. Thao Yang, chemistry professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire states that students are very friendly towards him and he’s even received presents from a few of his students. “I have received many holiday cards and thank you cards from students who have come to ask me for help,” he said. He also has noticed that some students are lazy and do not like to ask for help. “If a student is failing my class I try my best to help them but if they do not take advantage of it, then their success in the class does not bother me,” said Yang. Both of these professor’s mimic Rebekah Nathan’s results in her book, My Freshman Year. She contributed that students are most likely not to receive or ask for help when they are struggling, and they are quiet during class discussions. She agrees with Forman in the sense that a lot of students fall asleep during her lectures. So does the problem lie within the way the information is presented to students? Or does it lie in the daily activities of our own lives?

8. A Newspaper: I FOUND IT! :)

Almost everyone in our classes fails to demonstrate knowledge of current events. I am no different from anyone who can not find the time to pick up a newspaper and briefly read through the headlines. Why is it that the younger populations are failing miserably at being knowledgeable of the world they live in? For me, I will admit is sheer laziness. However, I was able to find a newspaper not too far from the mysterious microfiche. The second floor of the library was full of discoveries for me. I snapped a quick photo, for proof that I actually read a newspaper, and I caught a glimpse at the headline, "Automaker Seek $14 Billion More, Vowing Deep Cuts." At first this did not seem interesting to me, but as I read the article it actually was intriguing. Some of the article's main points included that the price tag for bailing out GM had increased another $14 billion to $39 million. In order to afford this GM is closing five plants, cutting 47,000 workers' jobs, and only keeping the brands of Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, and Buick. By only keeping these brands they are cutting the number of brands in half. They also will not allow Pontiac to have a huge part in their industry. It was interesting for me to see how much things are changing and I literally would have no idea had I not picked up this copy of the New York Times.

7. Microfiche? What the Heck is that?

Well, I never thought I would be presented with the task of finding the definition of microfiche. I had no earthly idea what this was until I began to wander around the second floor of McIntyre Library. I guess it is true the library as all the answers. I found the microfiche next to the microfilm, well because both things are very similar. In case you just as confused as I was when I saw this word on paper, let me explain what a microfiche is. Like I stated, it is very similar to microfilm in the sense that both of them are used to store a lot of written information in a small space. Microfiche is placed in a projector in order for the user to read the small text on it. I have provided pictures for your enjoyment. I am happy to say I know what a microfiche is, a word I never even knew existed.

5. Understanding the Meaning of "Sprites"

I pass this statue every day on my way to English 110. Even if I am in a "It's 7:45 in the morning," haze, I still have always wondered what this statues purpose is. What does "Sprites mean to me? Paul Granlund sculpted this masterpiece in 1979, as I read the inscription on the base of the piece. When you first look at the sculpture it kind of surprises you that they are three women arched in various different positions. To me these three women represent unity, and the uniqueness that is Eau Claire. Face it, this statue is not exactly something you would expect to see on university grounds. It demonstrates the unity, as well as community we share on campus. The three women are connected to one another in their education, just as the university strives to connect its students to each other despite their diversity.

Illustration Mini Essay

Do Our Clothes Determine our “Pursuit of Happyness?”

Oakwood Mall invites you in on a rainy Saturday afternoon. You walk in and out of stores finding various items that interest you, but are unable to make a purchase. Do you buy that navy blue zip-up hooded sweatshirt plastered with “Abercrombie and Fitch” across the chest, or do you go for a similar navy blue zip-up from a non-name-brand store without a logo plastered on it? Do we really consider someone’s clothing to define who they are as a person? If someone spends a lot of money on one item from Abercrombie, do we consider them to fit in more than another individual who buys a similar article of clothing without a logo? Society bases a lot of preconceptions based on the physical appearance of individuals. No matter how much we all want to believe we do not judge those around us because of their wardrobe choices, we do. We immediately form a misconceived notion the moment someone walks into a room.
Take job interviews for example. A man wearing a suit, dress shirt, matching tie and is well groomed is interviewing for a corporate position. The man before him chose to wear torn jeans, paint stained t-shirt, and obviously lacked in personal hygiene. Which gentleman is more likely to get the job based on his appearance? Most would believe the typical suit and tie wearing male would be a shoe in. Even though this notion is more than likely true, the unkempt gentleman could still be considered for the position. This scenario is illustrated in the movie “Pursuit of Happyness.” Will Smith plays Chris Gardner, a struggling single father trying desperately to make ends meet. He learns of a job as a stockbroker and how much money he will bring in. However just like any other job he must interview prior to receiving his dream job. The night before his big interview, he is arrested and put in jail for failure to pay his parking tickets. The next morning, he is released and he makes a mad dash to the firm to be on time for his interview. He has not showered, is dressed in a paint stained t-shirt and jeans. Despite his unkempt appearance Chris still manages to receive a position with the firm. So do clothes really make the person?
Most of the time, an individual’s first impression is determined before their mouth even opens to speak. The individuals conducting Chris Gardner’s interview were skeptical when he first walked in the room, but as they listened to his responses they realized that someone like him would benefit their company. They were able to look past the imperfections of his appearance and give him a job that almost always requires its employees to look their best. So in conclusion, the clothes a person wears does not always determine who they truly are. Clothes create a first impression, but an individual’s personality must back it up in order to truly determine who they are. Anyone can hide behind the price tags of their fashionable clothes, but it takes a unique individual to show others who they truly are without having to compromise their wardrobe choices.

Descriptive Mini Essay: Jade Garden

“Jade Garden”

Planning events for a Saturday night out almost never occurs. I have learned through experiences in college that some of the best and most memorable nights are those that are quite spontaneous. My last Saturday night consisted of seeing the action movie, “Taken” at the theaters, visiting PetCo to look at the ferrets, fish, hamsters and birds, and then hanging out at a friend’s house off campus. However, the best part of the night was the plans we made for dinner. We ran down a list of options of restaurants in the area: Sonic, McDonald’s, Famous Dave’s, and finally Jade Garden. Most of us had never heard of Jade Garden and were unaware of what it had to offer a hungry college student. We were soon surprised as this quaint Chinese buffet filled our stomachs, but also allowed us to make some pretty hilarious memories.
The outer appearance of Jade Garden is nothing too exciting. The square building is composed of two toned brown and gray bricks, glass doors with silver push handles that invite anyone into the appealing buffet. The atmosphere of the establishment is recognized right away as you walk through the doors into the foyer of the restaurant. A hostess dressed in a white, button-up collared shirt, black slacks and black shoes directs you to follow her to the available table. From the outside, Jade Garden does not look very spacious, but surprisingly there were many tables open for a Saturday night. The dim lights and slow classic music set a mood of relaxation. The relaxed air was further enhanced by the aroma of the various cuisines that waited for us at the buffet lines. There were three different buffet lines to adventure to. Two shorter ones, one that contained fried rice, steamed white rice, sweet and sour chicken, lo mien, and the various other sauces that accompanied the main courses. The other shorter line contained salads, fruit, pudding, various baked goods, and desserts. There was not much of a dessert selection: chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, brownies, lemon squares, and vanilla, chocolate, and mixed soft serve with sprinkles. Personally, I wish there were some Chinese desserts available to try. It would be nice to experience the cuisine for all its worth rather than just the main courses. The final quite large buffet line contained even more kinds of chicken, steak, and beef, all with various sauces and seasonings. There were also different varieties of vegetables and noodles as well. There was almost too much food to choose from, but every bite was delectable and mouth watering. Maybe it was because I was just very hungry, but buffets are never a good thing to go to when your eyes are bigger than your stomach.
The staff at Jade Garden was friendly, but they were very shy. You could tell that there was a language barrier because most of them would not hold a conversation with a customer because they had a limited vocabulary, or they simply could not understand what you were saying. They knew the bare minimum of vocabulary to successfully run the restaurant, but as far as customer interactions, it could have been much more personal than it actually was. The other guests at the restaurant seemed very pleasant, until my table of friends got a little out of control. Jokes and laughs were spread between the five of us and most times it was a challenge to control our laughter. I remember one table that was almost directly across from us that was getting extremely annoyed with our behavior. It was a family with two teenagers, parents and what looked like cousins. A tall, dark haired man in a purple t-shirt, I think he was the father, gave us dirty looks the entire time we were laughing. Needless to say we had good interactions with the other customers at Jade Garden, but they probably did not like us too much for disturbing the quiet atmosphere.

Narrative Essay: "Freedom and a Yellow Slip of Paper"

“Freedom and a Yellow Slip of Paper”
As the teacher lectured, I stared out the window. I had better things to think about than a high school Advanced Placement Psychology course. How about the thought of meeting my biological parents for the first time in my seventeen years of life? I received one half page slip of yellow paper yesterday with a telephone number, address, and names of my parents. The two people in the world that I had been waiting to meet since the day they left me on Grandell Orphanage’s doorstep. My name is Chloe Belle and I am scared to know the truth about my real parents.
Todd and Julia Belle took me in when I was no more than a week old. I was never given a name by my biological parents. Marianne, a woman at the orphanage named me. I had no idea about that until yesterday either. There were so many things I was unaware of about my past: my childhood, my real parents, my identity. The latter was something I was almost positive was the only real link to my parents. Paul Grandell informed me yesterday of everything I never would have known had I not spoken up. I was tired of asking questions, sick of feeling lost, worried of being alone, and unable to fill a hole in my empty heart. No matter how fed up I am with my past, I have this yellow slip of paper in my backpack that will set me free. The freedom I know it will give me somehow manages to scare me.
Will I be able to confront my parents and ask them the questions I have wanted answered? Will I be courageous enough to even speak to them? How am I going to get there? Should I tell Todd and Julia I am going to meet them? This is typical me. I worry about everyone else but myself. This time I need to be selfish. I need to make everyone in my life, or not in my life, realize that I am self conscious, alone and most importantly afraid.
I sat in my seat, eyes staring intently out the window of the classroom. I was not looking at anyone outside, anything in the sky, nothing. I was just staring and attempting to answer the millions of thoughts in my head. I figured I should start by answering the question of how I was going to get myself to the other side of town. Todd and Julia would never let me go, so that answers the thought of telling them about this. I need to have some sort of reasonable alibi to be out late on a school night. What is one place that is safe, innocent and a sanctuary for a student? The Library. That’s it, I will tell them I am studying with Kylie at the library for Spanish. That was justifiable, I mean I do not exactly enjoy the Spanish language and my best friend Kylie is the Spanish know-it-all. Well that solved it, now hopefully my 1993 Honda Civic started in order to actually “get me there.”
“Chloe,” I hear from behind me, with an accompanying tap on the shoulder. Crap how long was I staring out the window? I did not realize that class was over and I was the only one left in the room.
“Are you okay,” Mrs. McHendry questioned as she knelt down by my desk.
“Um….yeah I think so.”
“You missed the entire lecture about parenting styles and the effect they have on young children. Talk to Kylie I am sure she can give you the notes you missed,” she reassured me. The topic of discussion was quite ironic. What about a lack of parenting and how it has affected my life? I would soon find out as I grabbed my car keys and yellow paper of freedom and headed towards the parking lot.

Introduction

Hello everyone. My name is Kaylee and I am a freshman at the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire. I am a Nursing major and am so excited for the challenges this major will bring me. I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant at a place called Meadowmere Assisted Living in my hometown of Oak Creek, Wisconsin. I love my job there and it is hard being away from it for long periods of time. I tend to bond and make friendships easily with the residents, as well as with the various other individuals I have met throughout my college experience at Eau Claire. Ever since I was five years old, dance has been a huge part of my life. I have been trained in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and my favorite, tap. I was also a member of my middle school and high school pom pon squads. Due to my dancing abilities I have received various honors and awards, but my favorite was the opportunity to dance in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris! This was probably the most memorable experience of my dance years. I have had the privilege of traveling to Europe twice. I have been to Germany, Italy, France, England, Holland, and Switzerland. Witnessing other countries and their cultures has made me, in my opinion, a well rounded individual will a lot of knowledge and experiences that most peers would not know of. When I am not studying I enjoy shopping, doing things with friends, dancing, singing and exercising.