No Hype, No Spin.

Well, you've probably all heard this one before, but I seriously can't believe that it's all over.

And by all over, I mean, that this year is... ya, I'm still here for *at least* two more years. =D

I want to wrap up my year as a blogger with one thing - my real feelings about UIS. Just as the introduction to the Real Deal states, and just like I want this to be, there is no hype and no spin in what I'm going to tell you.

(1) I love this school. Since the day that I arrived here on my Freshman move in, I have been overjoyed and blessed to have found a school where I love the people and enjoy the classes.

(2) UIS isn't for everybody. If it was, our school's number of enrolled students would be closer to a couple million than 4,500 according to http://www.uis.edu/glance.html. In my opinion, it takes a special kind of person to come to, and enjoy, UIS. If anybody out there is still reading my blog (haha) then I want you to know that if you're going to come here, make sure you will enjoy your experience. Otherwise, go to UIUC. =)

(3) Now that I've stated how important it is to enjoy your time here, let me tell you how to decide on whether or not you will. Now, I'm no expert on the human psyche, but I can assure you that my results are less than trustworthy. =D

- You will enjoy this school if you can handle open, caring, and excited people.

- You will enjoy this school if you like to know 70% of the people in your classes. (assuming you live on campus, which, YOU SHOULD!!!)

- You will enjoy this school if...

***Now this last one I can't explain exactly. The 40 seconds of deep thought I put into deciding on words for the following explanation of enjoying UIS has left me empty, save the thought of going to my friend TJ's room to see if he is home yet, so we can watch Star Wars Episode 2. And the fact that I'm hungry. Anyway...***

- You will enjoy this school if you love to learn, and I don't mean entirely in a classroom. If you love to learn about people, about the world, and about yourself and where you fit into this awesome creation, you will enjoy this university...

... If you enjoy writing things like this for your finals, then you will love this school.

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I sat on that piece of carpet in my room attempting to fathom just how many emails have traversed into and out of my account since August of last year. After several headaches and the breaking of an abacus, I came to the conclusion that the number was beyond human comprehension.

I continued sitting there, meditating on what I knew was the verge of a great truth. Like a monk nearing Zen, I stood and tried to take the position of a swan, hoping that serene state would help me come into contact with what I was so deeply beginning to realize.

Then, it hit me.

I was the only human being that read all of its emails in its inbox.

“But how then, if no one else reads all of their emails,” I gasped, “can I be assured that the valuable information I am trying to convey through my emails will reach their destination?!”

Frightened, I reached for my copy of Teaching Writing that I found at the UIS book sale.

“There must be a way!” I cried, hoping that never again would one of my emails be filtered out as ‘trash,’ only to have my genius destroyed by the cruel click of a delete.

I clawed across the pages, panting for air, as the dark abyss of a computer recycling bin full of my valuable emails consumed my mind. Out of air, trapped in the darkness, I finally found something.

Frey (1987) writes that professional writers rarely worry about their grammar or their spelling. Instead, says Frey, researchers have discovered that “professional writers worried, rather, about who would read what they wrote, how to satisfy the expectations of this audience, and about what they themselves were trying to achieve” (1987, p. 96).

A bright light shone throughout my cave of despair, and finally I realized what I needed to do. In order to best ensure that my emails would be read by those to whom they were addressed, I need to cover what they want or need to see clearly. In addition to doing this, I can add what I am attempting to convey as well, in the hopes that those readers would catch it along with the information they had intended to receive when the opened my email.

One example through which I attempted to do this was my Fall Feast Update email (attached as Email #1). I gave this email a very clear subject – Fall Feast Update. Since I sent this email to all those participating in the organization of the Fall Feast, I hoped that such a title would hold their attention. Next, I then tried to use highlighting techniques to best provide the information to my readers. “Once again, a job well done John,” I commended myself. It was at this point that I decided to go on a hunt for someone in the residence hall that had an excessive amount of money left on their meal plan who would be willing to buy a poor man a meal.
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So I guess thats it. I mean this is it. I mean, *argh*

Goodbyes on a college campus are ridiculus, and also follow a very scientifically proven pattern. After you say your heartfelt, teary-eyed goodbye to a good friend, you will see that person three more times that evening, and ten more total before they leave.

Right Kevin? Haha

Anyway, I hope you all have enjoyed this experiment as much as I have, that is, when I actually did it. Enjoy your summer, and seriously, this year has been a blast.

But anyway, I'm sure I'll see you all again before you leave.

=)

~ JK