UCI Anteaters

Recently, I went to see Dance Escape (the graduate student-choreographed dance concert) and it was amazing. So many of the pieces were unconventional.

One piece in particular caught my attention. It was choreographed by Jessie Ryan and performed to spoken word by Grant Lancaster. It was so refreshing to see something different and done with such perfection. You might expect the dance and words to be disjointed, but they worked together so well. The set had an interesting architecture created by cardboard boxes and an ornate picture frame. Weaving in and out of the props, Jessie seemed as if gravity had no effect on her.

And then there was the joy of seeing all my friends and fellow dancers performing and really attacking the movement. One of my good friends literally slid ten feet across the stage on the tips of her pointe shoes. I thought that only happened in movies. Ah! It is so inspiring to have such amazing artists as my peers. After the show, I couldn’t contain myself. I had to hug and congratulate each and every dancer who was unlucky enough to walk into my crushing embrace. But they loved it. Really, performing is what many dancers live for. While the work and growth in movement is rewarding in and of itself, it is so wonderful to show off what we can achieve. I can’t wait to see the next dance concert Physical Graffiti (only two weeks away!). Some dancers will have just finished this show and then will go to into more rehearsal the next day. Such is the life of a dancer.

— Elizabeth

Learning Spanish in college is completely different from the way I experienced learning Spanish in high school. I do kind of miss the stickers and the little snacks I’d get for answering a question correctly, but there’s nothing more satisfying then when your Spanish TA leaves “¡Me encanta!” on your paper.

It’s challenging learning a different language and it’s especially intimidating when it’s a requirement for your major. However, I can confidently say that I’ve felt nothing but support from all my Spanish instructors. I love talking about the opportunities here at UCI, but the opportunities are even there academically. For instance, in my Spanish class now we’re not just reading out of the book. We’re actively using our Spanish in our daily lives, especially online. For my class in particular we’re reading Spanish articles on Nulu that pertain to current news. Our class even has a Facebook page! I decided to challenge myself further and change my language settings on Facebook to Spanish.  Attached are few screen shots of my Spanish experience online, as well as my “poema” assignment in class.

— Jessica

After a nice Spring Break of visiting home, sleeping every night (people do that?), and basically doing nothing that involved physical exertion, I came back to being a Dance major. I figured I’d just return to campus, take class, and get back into the swing of things. No harm done, right? Unfortunately, the Dance Department had other plans. The very first day, we had a master class by a contemporary ballet company from Italy and I was not about to admit I was out of shape.

For those not up-to-date with language of the dance world, a master class is where some visiting choreographer or teacher gives a dance class in their own style, exposing the dancers to other ways of moving or thinking about movement. Two longstanding members of Spellbound Contemporary Ballet, Marianna Ombrosi and Alessandra Chirulli, came and taught such as class to UCI Dance majors. As a dancer, you often need to take on the aesthetic of whatever choreography you’re performing. It goes beyond just understanding the steps; a dancer needs to understand the soul within the movement. And the soul of Spellbound was quick and convoluted. After learning some of the choreography composed by the Artistic Director, Mauro Astolfi, I knew I would regret being so immobile over break. Regardless of how my body was complaining, I was thankful to take the class. And what an incredible experience it was to work with such seasoned performers! I was amazed by how pliable the dancers were. I was inspired simply seeing the Marianna and Alessandra demonstrate the choreography we were learning. When I saw the company actually perform the following night, I was blown away.

Spellbound Contemporary Ballet performed at the Barclay Theatre this last Tuesday and I was very happy in a center orchestra seat surrounded by other patrons of the arts (one elderly woman solving Sudoku puzzles during intermission). However, no matter their age or background, every audience member was in awe when the curtain went up. The company’s name is very fitting, because the movement was absolutely enchanting. It was as if gravity had no effect on them. When I said that the soul of Spellbound was convoluted, I meant it. The dancers were beautifully entangled with each other as they made various geometric shapes through space. While one arm was manipulating another’s torso, a foot was guiding someone’s face. The movement should not have made sense, yet it was so clearly right. What made this experience even more amazing was that I had just learned some of the choreography from the dancers themselves. It was unbelievable that these super humans on stage were just in my dance studio telling me how to move.

This is one of the great things about being a Dance Major at UCI; you get the opportunity to work with artists from all over the world. One program in particular introduces students to visiting companies and challenges the dancers to explore artistry. The Contemporary Dance Immersion (CDI) allows students to truly engage in the discovery of art and other opinions. The students in CDI participate in all master classes at UCI taught by visiting companies, receive free tickets to the performances, and even get to meet the dancers in person. Along with these, students participate in a discussion class where they talk about the choreography they learned and the value of each movement style to their dance education. Where the School of Social Ecology has the hundred hours of Field Study, the Dance Department has this exposure to professional companies. It allows us to decide if this is the path we truly want to take and what dance genres can be the most fulfilling. Like I was reminded from not dancing over break (and am often reminded over again), dancing and really pushing the boundaries is sometimes painful. But it’s the path we’ve chosen and it’s definitely worth it. Dance majors with sore muscles are willing to hobble around campus so that they might soar across the stage.

— Elizabeth

One of my goals for this year is to be more proactive and ask people to spend time with me rather than wait to be invited to things. Since this is my final year as an undergraduate student at UCI, I have really been trying to focus on strengthening the friendships I’ve made and ensure they last. This usually results in trips to Target….because who doesn’t love Target? Sometimes you just need to walk around Target; you don’t even need to buy anything, but just walk around. It’s definitely on my list of top 10 favorite things to do.

The other day, I make plans to hang out with two of my friends, David and Carolyn. Our day consisted of going to Target in the day, and later at night, watching Atlantis on Netflix. David and I had both never seen Atlantis, so it was a nice treat! Maybe I should add watching more Disney movies I haven’t seen yet to my list of goals.

…David and Carolyn both fell asleep, but I enjoyed the movie! Maybe next time they’ll stay awake.

— Kelvin

I love exploring different cuisines and there are so many great places to eat in Irvine!  Unfortunately, I found myself spending a lot more money than I’d like to. With my fourth year at UCI, I’ve finally found a way to eat like a king and still save a ton of cash! Coupons, coupons, COUPONS. I’m not saying I’m living my life like an episode of Extreme Couponing on TLC, but I’m not feeling guilty about eating $30 worth of sushi (when I’m only spending about $16).  Here are different ways to eat in Irvine and save: 

1)      Meal Plan: Now, a meal plan isn’t exactly a coupon, but it’s definitely a way to save! Plus contrary to popular belief, food eateries on campus (at least here at UCI) are DELICIOUS. I don’t have a meal plan myself, but I wish I did. Last night I had a friend who had guest swipes, swipe me into Pippins in Middle Earth.  On campus you’ll hear a lot of students about “swiping in.” Your meal plans are put into your ID and went you want to chow down all you have to do is swipe your card and…BAM, you can eat buffet style.

2)      Coupons: I get really excited when I find coupons for my favorite places to eat in Irvine. For instance Thai Spice, Gatten Sushi, and Gina’s Pizza all have coupons in the Dollar Stretcher. Dollar Stretcher is like a coupon book, but you can actually print out their coupons on the main website. Last week I split two entrees at Thai Spice for the price of one. Not only was the food great, but so was the service.

3)      Phone Apps: At first I had downloaded apps like Foursquare and Yelp to become mayor/duchess of certain locations in Irvine. There’s just some kind of thrill about it…anyways, these type of check-in apps also include some other benefits asides from being able to claim territories! If you check into certain places they can give you discounts for checking in for the first time or being a loyal customer. If I could eat at any restaurant for the rest of my life, it’s Souplantation. It’s a restaurant dedicated to Soups, Salads, and different breads/pastas. I check in so often I have a “loyalty” discount of 15%! Milk tea is pretty popular in Irvine, Lollicup in Diamond Jamboree also has a similar offer!

— Jessica

Instead of going home or catching up on sleep over spring break, I decided to do something very different, go to Costa Rica! This was my first time out of the country and my last chance to study abroad. I participated in the UC Irvine & Costa Rica Sustainability & Cultural Immersion Program. We were a group of 15 students and two professional staff from UCI Housing that visited Costa Rica for 10 days. Prior to our trip, we fund-raised through a bake sale and decided on different research topics. While there, we went on many hikes, visited waterfalls, saw a variety of animals including sloths, toucans, monkeys, helped prepare a greenhouse for the local school, and learned about open air buildings and farming.

Ziplining!

Hiking to a waterfall!

Acuponics (sustainable food production system), our research!

There are many things I enjoyed and learned about… So I will make a list to make it easier to understand!

1. Toilets in other countries can be very different. We used something called a compost toilet, which consisted of a small wooden seat for you to “do your business”. After you are done, you must add half a scoop of sawdust into the hole and close the cap. The sawdust and human waste are mixed with other natural ingredients to create a compost used to plant trees (don’t worry this type of fertilizer is used for non-edible trees). I enjoyed using an outdoor restroom with the view of the forest and stars in front of me. I also realized how much water I saved by using this process. 

The compost toilet!

2. Less is more. While in Costa Rica, we visited a 250 people town called Mastatal and had the opportunity to complete a two-day homestay at one of the local houses. I noticed that in tropical weather, the homes were much more similar to shacks with openings and cracks compared to a secure building in urban areas. Even though they do not have the concrete, insulation and other solid materials we have, they are still satisfied. I noticed that the house we stayed in had only the essentials for day-to-day living such as an oven, rice cooker, television and outdoor table. They did not have any extraneous items like a wine cooler, blender or a bread maker. But they were still very happy, maybe even happier than the people in the U.S. who have all of those things.

3. Take your time at mealtime. While in Costa Rica, we cooked, ate and cleaned up together at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each meal, we had face to face conversations and bonded. Back in the United States, I was used to rushing through my meal or eating on the go.

Our kitchen for the trip!

4. Learn where your food comes from. We visited four different farms in Costa Rica, including a chocolate farm! Previously, I never thought about how our fruits, vegetables and meat get to our table. I learned about different practices including an acuponics system, which uses waste from fish to fertilize a row of plants. What a creative way to clean the fish tank! They also planted deep-rooted plants near hills to prevent them from sliding during the rainy season. I also learned how easy it is to implement easy practices such as composting and proper recycling in your home.

On the farm!

5. Pura Vida! This is a common phrase used in Costa Rica, when greeting and saying bye to each other. The direct translation would be “pure life”. After visiting Costa Rica, I think Pura Vida represents simplistic living, being happy with what you have and being confident that everything will work itself out.

Thank you for reading about my journey! If you would like to learn more about our research projects and experiences please join us for the Costa Rica Symposium at the Student Center in Pacific Ballroom on Tuesday, May 14 4-8PM! Free admission and snacks will be provided.

— Lauren

My agenda for Spring break included a road trip to the Grand Canyon and just relaxing at UCI. I just got back from the Grand Canyon with a group of friends. What a way to kick off Spring Break! It was a relatively short 7 hour drive there. We got in very late at night and slept in the car (which was freezing!). We woke up early the next morning and went straight to the visitor center to find out what we should do in our one day we had there. They suggested that we walk along the outside of the canyon then go to the highest point on the South Rim and watch the sunset. So that’s what we did and it didn’t disappoint. Walking up to the canyon and getting the first view of it was awe-inspiring. Words just can’t describe it. Where we were it was about a mile to the floor of the canyon and several miles to the other side.

The entire trail was right next to the edge of the canyon so that was our view for the entire 6 mile hike. Even though it was all the same canyon, every mile brought new memories and new stunning views. By the end of the hike we still had a few hours till sunset so we all grabbed a quick bite to eat before taking the bus back out to the canyon for the sunset. We got there with 20 minutes to spare and those were the most beautiful 20 minutes of the whole trip. As the sun set, the entire canyon kept shifting shadows and colors.

After the sunset we got back on the bus to get to our car but we noticed there was someone wearing a UCI sweater. We went up and talked to him and it turns out he was a tour guide back in the day! We took a picture with him and shared a few memories. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day.

After all the excitement we were all tired so we went back to the hotel room and hit the hay. We woke up early the next morning and started the long drive back to Irvine. After arriving back in Irvine, I realized that I had a little less than a week left in my Spring Break - and it was only just the beginning! The Grand Canyon was incredible but there was still plenty for me to do here. On my agenda for the week was a relaxing day at the beach, Disneyland, movie marathons, hiking, and sleeping. There is so much to do in Irvine that the rest of my week was just as memorable as my trip to the Grand Canyon.

— Nathan

I am an Olympic athlete.

I am the founder of my own business.

I taught myself how to surf.

I started a non-profit organization.

I am paying my way through school.

I am the president of an organization.

These are just some of the many stories you will hear at the Paul Merage School of Business, where the students and the activities they do are equally diverse. Every student comes to UC Irvine with a drive to succeed which is why many undergraduate business students were past valedictorians, club presidents, varsity sports captains, etc.  But in the field of business, there is a different emphasis than in high school. In college having a great GPA is fantastic - but for many business students, work and life experience are equally as important. The classes are not as rigorous as an organic chemistry or biology class (which allows students to focus on other involvements). This is why you will see many business students dashing out of class to get to their job, internship, or volunteer activity. A majority of business students have two or more jobs or internships. The students have taken the competitive spirit outside the classroom and applied it to the real world, all fighting for the best jobs and internships available. This is what makes the Paul Merage School of Business so unique. Every year the students come in hungry and that hunger changes the culture of the business school. We take advantage of our small classroom sizes where the biggest lecture consists of 80 students as opposed to other school’s where they often have 200 or more students all vying for attention. Most professors know the students on a first name basis. We are able to receive a lot of one-on-one attention through class or office hours.  This is why our business program is so competitive. 

So if you do come to UC Irvine, take advantage of the opportunities given to you and embrace the people around you. They will help bring out the best in you because chances are they won’t be settling for second best.

— Donovan

Midterm week at UCI is coming to a close and I can guarantee you there are two things ‘Eaters can finally concentrate on other than school work: sleep and relaxation. But just before we jump into some fun in the sun I want to share with you coffee knowledge that got me through midterms week.

Starbucks: I personally love to get the iced coffee with easy ice and a few pumps of hazelnut. I love coffee and this drink is delicious and sold at a reasonable price. If you have your own cup to use, use it! Save the Earth and 10 cents. Rumor also has it that our campus is the number one grossing university Starbucks in the nation. The lines can get long, but the cup of joe at the end is definitely worth it. Especially when you’re nearing your limits and need that extra caffeinated boost to get you through the day.

Zot N Go: Sometimes I’m really on the go and just need some caffeine fast. If you’re like me I consider trying out Zot N Go. Zot N Go is a convenience store on campus (like a mini Albertsons) located in the Student Center. For quick snacks and wholesome coffee this place has never let me down. There’s a coffee station where you can customize your drink to perfection. As if this wasn’t good enough, Zot N Go also has coffee stamp cards! After ten drinks you get a free cup.

Hopefully you can use this information to your advantage the next time you need a caffeine fix!

— Jessica

….or maybe at least just more self-sufficient.

One of the hardest parts about college for me was learning how to cook. I’ve always been able to make the basics, like grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, cereal, etc. I was an expert at using the microwave and making things using instructions on the box. But one of my goals this past year has been to learn how to cook things from scratch.

My mom always was, and always will be the best chef in my opinion. Nothing beats mom’s cooking. And because I’ve been wanting to learn how to cook more things, I make sure to try and learn things from her every time I go home. One recipe in particular that I love and that she passed down to me is pork chops over rice with a mushroom soup gravy. I think this has become my favorite dish to cook.

The other week, I called up my friend Emily (who happens to be a UCI alumna and is now a teacher in Costa Mesa) to see if she wanted to go grocery shopping. Luckily, she needed to head to the store too! We went to this new Albertson’s I discovered (it’s HUMONGOUS. I feel like I’m in an airport hangar when I go inside) and decided that we would cook dinner for ourselves that night. I made my mom’s pork chops, and Emily made the rice and roasted some Brussels sprouts. Contrary to what I learned from pretty much every cartoon I watched growing up, Brussels sprouts are delicious.

The dinner was a hit! I can’t wait to learn how to cook more things.

— Kelvin