FroshMemo: Archived Issue 21 Spring 21

Hello Gators and welcome to the newest addition of our NSFP FroshMemo!

We encourage you all to build the habit of keeping up with this memo as a way of staying in tune with all of our campus resources, activities, and events for the Spring 2021 semester!  Additionally, compiling dates, deadlines, event times, and any other information you deem helpful into a space where you will not forget it, as this is an easy way to stay on track of all things San Francisco State University related. With the interconnectedness of our campus suffering due to the current day events and the pandemic, this is an excellent way to have some fun and enrich your college experience, both social and academic, here at SFSU! 

 

FroshMemo Issue 21 Spring 21

Online courses, I found, can be hard to keep up with as the rhythm and pace vary. Like many students, I have struggled to stay connected to my courses and stay on top of my work, but there is always hope & little things that can really help you out. Keep in mind the options are endless as far as things to help you feel more motivated, but below I have compiled a non-exhaustive list of things I have tried and found helpful!

 

  1. A Planner or Calendar: This may sound like a cliche, but these can take so many forms & to know what lies ahead of you allows you to stay in tune and on top of your work! They can be in an online format, and there is such a wide variety of ways online from Outlook Calendar to websites like Notion! Beyond that, a physical planner is my all-time favorite, as crossing things off a list is very satisfying to me and makes my workload seem less daunting.

 

  1. Prioritize Yourself: School can be challenging, and often as students, we get so involved in our school that we forget about ourselves. This can lead to burnout. To avoid this and stay motivated, I highly suggest setting aside time to do something that relaxes you or that you enjoy every day. My personal favorite is taking time to watch reality TV & eating pizza; it makes me feel better to laugh and tune into some drama.

Spend Time with People: I know this may sound impossible granted the current state of things, but there are so many ways to connect outside of real-life interactions. Being in quarantine can be isolating, and it can be beneficial to communicate with roommates or peers to keep your morale up. I like to have “date nights” with my friends on Zoom, where we all eat dinner and play games like Kahoot or Among Us together!

Shopping second-hand is a great way to save money and the planet! If you’re in San Francisco, you’re in luck as there are so many great stores to head to!

 

If you’re anything like me, I adore buying secondhand items. It helps combat fast fashion, enables you to find unique items, and saves you lots of money! Some of these places are also great for reselling your old items! If you live in San Francisco or are looking forward to it in the future and enjoy thrifting, my personal favorites can be found below:

 

Cross Roads Trading Co.

Cross Roads is my favorite! There are three locations in San Francisco. They always have great deals on items, and I have found many cool jackets and handbags here. On top of that, this is a great place to sell your clothes, instead of simply getting rid of them you can come here and they will resell to a new home.

 

Wasteland

Wasteland has so many unique pieces that scream edgy and always have some genuine vintage finds if you're interested in that. The prices vary, but I can count on finding a few good deals on really great second-hand jeans every time I go. 

 

Community Thrift Store

Community thrift store is a great place to spend the day! This massive warehouse-sized thrift store is home to many items, including furniture, clothes, and books, for great prices. The proceeds benefit Bay Area charities, which is just another reason this is a great place to buy second-hand!

 

Our campus’ library is a valuable resource that oftentimes goes underutilized, don’t miss out on all the excellent opportunities the J. Paul Leonard Library has to provide!

 

In this article, I will cover some of the resources that the library at SF State offers to its students, as well as some general tips on its usage and how to make this as simplistic as possible.  Don’t miss out on using this asset for your own personal liking or for your academic time here at our University!  

 

Databases:

The first aspect of the library we will be covering is that of it’s database section.  The J. Paul Leonard database can be used to find peer-reviewed, scholarly, and general interest articles.  In addition to this, you can use this database to find statistical data and government information all licensed by the Library.  Even images, streaming music, and films are all further components of the database that are licensed by the school and can be used to support your research in any of your classes.  You can easily browse by subject or department of interest, or search the database using specific names you have in mind, or, if all else fails, simply use the alphabet to locate the desired reading/resource!

 

“Find Articles, Books, and More” Feature:

A simple search of the San Francisco State University Library will yield the result of the library’s homepage, from this you should be able to locate a drop down menu with one of the titles being “Find Articles, Books, and More.”  If you are at all confused by the logistics and workings of the database, clicking on this resource provides a simplistic overview of the various methods of locating the desired composition.  As shown in the screenshot, articles, books, films, digital collections, and supplementary information on materials and other libraries can all be found.  The current hours of service as well as a “Help Needed” feature are also all present in case any other troubles do arise and you would like assistance.  

 

  OneSearch

Finally, our campus also offers a “OneSearch” method to aid in finding and sorting through the multitude of results you will receive in implementing your search.  “OneSearch jump-starts your research by giving you one place to start looking for articles, books, eBooks, theses and audio-visual materials.  OneSearch allows you to search most of the content available in our 200+ databases as well as the books in our Library and other libraries in the California State University.”  This is an excellent resource to use to help navigate and narrow down search results, helping you to quickly find the information you need!

 

 

What’s the 411 About the 415?

 

Hi Alli,

 

It took the past 4 weeks, but I finally settled into the semester. All was well until I realized that I forgot to apply for scholarships! I know it’s already the last week of February, but are there still scholarships available? Anywhere? Where do I even start?

 

Your Fellow Gator,

Skylar Ship

 

Hi Skylar,

 

Have no fear, Alli Gator is here! I am glad that you finally settled into the semester. Also, I am thrilled to inform you that various sources offer a multitude of scholarships year-round. The following are a few legitimate websites that you can use to search for scholarships:

 

 

CAUTION: The Internet is prone to scams and scammers. Therefore, you are encouraged to always check if your sources are credible.

 

See ya later, Gator!

 

XOXO,

Alli

P.S. Do YOU have questions without answers? Ask Alli by filling out this form!

Important Dates and Deadlines

Friday, February 19

CENSUS

 

Saturday, February 13-Monday, April 19

Withdrawal from Classes or University (For Compelling Reasons)

Monday, March 22 - 25 Friday, March 26

Spring ‘21 Spring Recess

Wednesday, March 31

Cesar Chavez Day / No Instruction

Tuesday, April 20 - Friday, May 14

Withdrawal from Class/University (By Exception) 

Friday, May 14

Last Day of Instruction

 

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Scholarship Highlight!

Gloria Spencer University Women's Association Scholarship:

This scholarship is aimed to provide funds for students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and are in need of financial assistance in order to achieve their goals. The scholarship will be awarded for the 2021-2022 academic year. Deadline is February 28, 2021. FInd more information about criteria and application requirements on Academic Works: https://sfsu.academicworks.com/opportunities/11832.

Featured Events

The tortilla trend exploded on social media and now everyone is tortilla folding! Join us as we use CalFresh EBT-eligible ingredients to transform this viral tortilla hack into three delicious and affordable meals. Plus, currently enrolled SF State students who attend will have a chance to win a grocery gift card! Hosted by Health Promotion & Wellness. 

RSVP: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkdO2vrD4rEtyJtcYrJ-1ew9A4wvbzURrn

Immigrant Legal Defense will provide an overview of the DACA program, discuss how to apply for the first time or to renew, and share any updates from USCIS. Hosted by the Dream Resource Center, Office of Diversity, Student Equity and Interfaith Programs, and the Immigrant Legal Defense. 

RSVP: http://bit.ly/GatorsDACAWorkshop

Join the Black Student Union and the Xi Rho Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity for Black Women’s appreciation on February 23 at 7PM. The theme is ✨The Masquerade ✨ Hear from guest speakers, talent, and enter raffles to win cash prizes. Your presence is requested for an evening of appreciation, make sure to dress to impress! 

RSVP: https://sfsu.zoom.us/j/84193207546?pwd=bStVVkM4cjJmQXNyRVlzbzdMb0o2UT09

 

Join the AVP of Diversity Equity Community of Inclusion for updates about Black Lives Matter and Campus Climate initiatives at SFSU

RSVP: bit.ly?AVPFred_BUR

 

This series of zoom meetings and helpdesk are designed to support and help you complete your CA Dream Act Applications. This is a collaboration between the Dream Resource Centers at SF State, City College of San Francisco and the three community colleges in the San Mateo Community College District.

RSVP: https://sfsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Ba8yPLuzdVOvm5

In this workshop, Dr. Nancy Adossi discusses how to succeed as a college student and recounts her own experiences as a former undocumented college student. She also discusses best practices for ensuring a successful transition to graduate school, for students considering graduate school.

RSVP: https://sfsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArf-yrqTojE9QC3AfQvBy7ig4DyIhBE7wm

Calling all Blerds: Join BUC staff to watch Neo Yokio via Netflix! Cosplay or come as you are.

RSVP: bit.ly/BUCAnime

 

Are you worried about $$$? Do you want to know about scholarship opportunities at SFSU? If yes, then come join us on Thursday, February 25th from 1-2pm for a workshop on how to navigate scholarships using SFSU Academic Works. We will navigate the website together and answer any questions you may have! 

RSVP: https://sfsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtc-qupjMuGd2l2BwDEQ29xOSN2JUrq2xu

Have any general questions about CalFresh? Come join us and ask away!

RSVP: https://sfsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcldeGprzkiHd3ajXr0J9ZoYJfmq--CpX3D

Join the ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated Nu Mu Chapter and the Black Student Union for Black Men’s Appreciation on February 25th at 7PM. The theme is ✨Black Boy Joy✨ There’ll be opportunities to win gift cards and other prizes so show up and show out! At the end of the night the best dressed man will be receiving a prize, so make sure you dressed to impress. We look forward to seeing you there.

RSVP: https://sfsu.zoom.us/j/84193207546?pwd=bStVVkM4cjJmQXNyRVlzbzdMb0o2UT09

The Leadership for Social Justice Series is for students, staff, or faculty wanting to gain skills important to improving campus climate. This session explores the importance of gender pronouns and how they connect to providing a safe space for people across the gender identity and gender expression spectrum.

RSVP: https://sfsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEud-ypqT4tH9wVmiE5U_mU5fwkEr86-zTZ

Do you have a song, poem, or story in your heart to share? Join us for an open mic to wrap up Black History Month.

RSVP: bit.ly/BUCMic

Step 1: Download the Movie Bracket and fill out: Women History Month Due Mar 12th: Here, Superhero Due April 2nd, and upload your completed bracket Here.  Once submitted, match-ups will be posted via Instagram for voting.  Voting will happen via instagram.com/sfsu_campusrec, each match-up will be posted on our IG story, and have 24 hrs. of voting.  In the occurrence of a tie, we will repose the matchup for 2 hrs. to allow a revote. 

Submit up to  3 pets for the contest where they will be matched with other pets in a single elimination bracket.

Register your pet at: https://sfsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Zj57DazJha0RAW

Make some new friends while playing classic online games with Mashouf Wellness Center. Join us for Trivia, Jeopardy, and more. Game nights are fully synchronous and will be held via Zoom once a month. Once you register you will be able to join us on zoom. Please note: Zoom link is not available until 10mins before game night.

Register at: https://member.campusrec.sfsu.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=e41a3bec-bac9-49da-ac14-642fe62eddc5&semesterId=471990ab-e00a-412e-83c4-b7412a67a37f

A picture of the student for Gator Spotlight.

Spotlight Gator!

Alys Domalanta (she/her/hers)

Class Standing: Junior

Instagram: @alysdomalanta

From: San Francisco

Major: Cinema

Why did you choose SFSU: I choose SFSU because of how they have a great cinema program.

What has been your biggest roadblock this past: My biggest roadblock is online classes.

What is your dream job and why: I wish to be a film director and producer.

 

Interested in Being Featured?

You can be featured in our memos! Utilize our platform to get connected with others, advertise for your organization, and tell your SF State story! 

If you are interested, feel free to fill out this form, and we will reach out to you with more information.

 

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SFSU Fact of the Week:

Are you ready for some fine dining? 

Though most students walk through Burk Hall to get their classes, many of them don’t realize that there is a gourmet restaurant a few floors above them. On the fourth floor of Burk Hall, the Vista Room serves three-course meals for a rate of $17. These meals are cooked by our own SFSU students that are studying hospitality management or dietetics under the supervision of a professional chef. Once campus opens again make your way over to the Vista Room where you can get an incredible meal.

 

Need Support?

Dean-On-Call Program 

Real-time support for students and those that may be experiencing difficulties in navigating the universities environment

The Dean-On-Call Program serves as an opportunity for students to drop-in for usual or unusual questions, serve as a support or referral resource, and to help students navigate the university environment.

First-Year Experience Peer Mentors

Fellow students are here to connect you to the campus community & provide one-on-one support!

The First-Year Experience Peer Mentor program provides support available to all first-year students at SFSU! Attend the events & study circles that peer mentors hold every week to meet other first-year students & integrate into the community at SFSU. You can also get individualized support by meeting with a peer mentor.

New Student Help Desk 

Help when you need it most! Visit with New Student Programs and the Gator Mentors! 

The New Student Help Desk is open five days a week, Monday - Friday from 10 am-12 pm & 1 pm-2 pm every week! A GatorMentor is always there to answer any pressing questions you may have. The Help Desk is available for reservations Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 4 pm. If you would like to make a reservation, please email your assigned Gator Mentor directly, and they will assist you in setting up a reservation. Don't have a Gator Mentor? Email us at nsp@sfsu.edu