Courses

My Courses in Profile:

 

At St. Edward’s you have the choice between so many courses. There are majors in “The Bill Munday School of Business”, in the “School of Behavioral and Social Sciences”, the “School of Natural Sciences”, the “School of Humanities” and the “School of Education”.
In this blog post I want to introduce the courses I am taking at St. Edward’s, but if you want some information about other courses, you can easily find them at this page.

Business Statistics:

Business Statistics is a really interesting and useful 3-hour course, if you want to become an accountant or want any other job related to mathematics and statistics. You learn a lot of useful formulas and equitation’s, that won’t just make your other math courses easier, but it also gives you advantages for your future job.

I am having this course two times a week for one hour and fifteen minutes. 
Your grade consists of a Homework part and an Exam Part. During the Semester you will have to submit 12 Homework's and you will be writing 4 Exams. 
These are some of the Learning Objectives stated in the Syllabus:

1. Obtain an appreciation for the breadth of statistical applications in business and economics.
2. Learn about the sources of data for statistical analysis both internal and external to the firm.
3. Know the meaning of descriptive statistics and statistical inference.
4. Learn how to construct and interpret both tabular and graphical summarization procedures for qualitative and quantitative data.
5. Understand how z scores are computed and how the empirical rule is used [...]
6. Understand the importance of sampling and how results from samples can be used [...]
7. Know what sample random sampling is and how simple random samples are selected.  
8. Know the Central Limit Theorem and the important role it plays in sampling. 
9. Learn how to formulate and test hypotheses about a population mean and proportion. 

I really enjoyed attending this course, simple because I actually enjoy doing math and also because you learn a lot of useful stuff for your future job. You know how to calculated, interpret and use important data for your company and what impact it will have. 

Business Communication:

The Business Communication course is a 3-hour class which emphasizes how important it is in a job to communicate with your colleagues in a proper and productive way and how to do that. But it's also a really good course to prepare you for tasks that come up with applying for a job and for tasks that definitely will come up during your job.  

Depending on which course you are getting into, you can either have the course once every two weeks for three hours or twice every week for one hour thirty minutes. 

I had it every two weeks and I think this model was very convenient to do the homework on the weeks off. 

In class we also had plenty guest lecturers with really interesting presentations and activities to develop your knowledge in business communication.
To enhance your chances in applying successfully for a new job we had to improve our job application portfolio and our LinkedIn profile as a homework. We got important tips how to improve both and how we can represent ourselves in a proper way in this class.
Another important aspect of this course was not just the preparation for the work we will have to do before the job but the work we have to do in the job as well. So we also had to practise writing business emails and statements, the biggest project was a group work that includes a presentation and a business proposal. The course was a good opportunity to practice and enhance business related activities and if you have some difficulties in this tasks I highly recommend attending this course.  

Intercultural Communication:

Another good communication course I am attending is Intercultural Communication. It's a 3-hour class with two classes every week. 

In this class you learn why society is the way it is today. You learn about and how language evolved and affected every part of our life and how it developed our culture.  You learn something about other cultures and why diversity is so important, even in world of globalization.
You learn about what constrains culture and what threatens cultures.
You amplify your view of the world and your place in it and what I especially liked about this course is that class discussions are welcome. You can share opinions and questions that are related to the course and discuss about in class which makes this course so interesting and one of my favorites.

To challenge everything, you have learned there are several quizzes and test about the content of the course.

Spanish I:

The Spanish I course is a beginner course. It's a 3-hour course with three fifty minutes' classes during the week. For me it was understood that I would learn a new language at St. Ed's and with Spanish, I found one of the world most common languages I'd have to learn.

The focus in this course is to speak the language. So during class you have to speak Spanish at least once every class. Also you have to do homework on every day of class, so three homework's every week. I liked that, because that's the way to remember everything you did in class and to strengthen what you have learned.

The things you have learned in class are challenged on several ways, but there are always preparation courses online before every bigger test. During the semester you will have to answer several quizzes and bigger exams, but there are also two oral interviews to challenge your oral skills in pronunciation and vocabulary and you will have to do two big compositions as well.

Digital Media & Analytics:

The Digital Media & Analytics course is a 3-hour course and is the course where I had to do the most work. You'll have it two times a week for one hour and fifteen minutes. Even though that this was the course where I had to put in my most effort, I highly recommend this course! I have learned the most out of this course and if you want to gain knowledge in Digital Media there is no way you want to miss this course! It's also not just useful for people interested in Digital Media or Marketing but it's also very useful for entrepreneurs who want to know how to advertise their future company.
The course is described as followed in the Syllabus:

"Introduces a paradigm of dynamically and directly interacting with customers through digital means by providing a framework and tools for managing and analyzing an organization's virtual presence for marketing purposes. Applies concepts of digital marketing in practice through applicable projects and assignments. Students are given the opportunity to experience and analyze the effects of creating, promoting, and adapting an online identity for a marketing, entrepreneurial or digital media organization."

Also here are some of the course objectives:

1. [...] examine the organization's ability to use both on- and offline strategies to promote their product [...]

2. [...] evaluate performance metrics and make recommendations for changes. 

3. [...] evaluate the company's use of critical strategies of direct marketing, and other tools such as email marketing [...]

4. [...] evaluate the company's individual's presence on paid and organic search and public social media platforms.

In this course I have learned how to create a blog, I have learned how to use Google Analytics and how to interpret the data gained by this program. Also I have learned how to set up email marketing campaigns and how to promote your form of web presence. You constantly have to report on your progress you have made by finishing these tasks and the weekly quizzes strengthen your knowledge in what you have learned. This knowledge is essential for the HubSpot and Google AdWords certification you have to do in the course. All in all this course teaches you a lot of useful information and the certifications you will get by taking this course will also be a benefit for future applications and jobs. 

Introducing the Longhorns

The Longhorns

"The Longhorns" is the name for the sports teams of the University of Texas.
As you can imagine, their mascot is a bull, which is also typically for Texas.

When you are in Austin you also have to watch one of their games.
I was especially interest in football and even though I was a complete greenhorn in this sport,
I really had a lot of fun watching the game!

The game against the team of El Paso was great!

You also have to join one of the tailgates hours before the actual game.
People are gathering on the parking lots in front of the stadium.
There they are partying, eating and watching the game if their not having a ticket.

Ticket prices variate from $30 - $160, depending on where you want so sit.

You can also look up the schedule of all sports teams of the UT at this link.

Introducing ACL

ACL - Austin City Limits

Depending on how long you will stay at St. Edward's or in which semester you will be studying here, you will have the chance to join the ACL Festival.

Its on of the biggest Music Festivals all over the US.
Every year it is visited by thousands of people celebrating and enjoying music.

Typically its held on two following weekends around September and October.
In 2016 it started at the last weekend of September, which started at the 30th and ended at the 9th October.

Some major headliners this year were Die Antwoord, Major Lazer, Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, Kygo, The Chainsmokers, Mumford & Sons and many more.

Its a MUST visit when you are here:

Introducing Barton Springs Pool

Barton Springs Pool

The Barton Springs Pool is the number one spot of the town to cool down on a hot day.
So literally almost every day.

Its central location in Austin makes it easy to access for everybody.
From Campus it's either a 20-30 minutes ride by bike or a 30-40 minute ride by bus.

If you take the bus make sure that you know where to take which bus line to arrive at the right location. An easy why to do this is to look up the connections on google maps.

I would not recommend going by car because on some days, depending on how hot it is, you will not find a parking spot, but of course Fasten or RideAustin is an alternative.

This video is a nice visual discription of what to do at Barton Springs and what it will look like:

 All credit to "TheDayTripperTV"

Another nice video with some roadtrip impressions can be found here.

Introducing Austin

Austin, the Place to be.

In the next couple of Blogposts I want to introduce you to Austin.

I want to show you why this place is so special and why you should not only join St. Edward's,
but also its community around it.

Austin is not onlyhaving the convenience of a town but also natural beauty and recreation, as well as some of the kindest people in the US.

I want to show you why this is the place where you want to be!

I start the series by showing you this little introduction video:

 

All credit to "McGinley Group - KW Realty"

For more impressions klick here and here. 

Restaurants 3

Restaurants Around Campus

3. Opal Divine's Penn Field

Opal Divine's is a nice restaurant within 7 minutes walking distance and is located on 3601 S Congress Ave. It's offering some specials on each weekday and St. Edward's students even get a little discount on everything Opal Divine is offering on their menu.

They have a great menu for food and for different drinks and beers as well ;)

Here you can have a look at their menu and their place.
They also have a nice outdoor area and occasioally they have bands playing on their outdoor stage!

The Opal Divine's Penn Field Outdoor Stage.

But there are many more places on South Congress, more than I could test! 
Enjoy visiting and trying out the restaurants and find your favorite place!

Restaurants 2

Restaurants Around Campus

2. Magnolia Café

The Magnolia Café is a 24h diner and it's located on 1920 S Congress Ave.

It's withing 20 minutes walking distance and a perfect place to have a great meal at any time!

The Café has a charming atmosphere and the food is great! You can get everything from pancakes to pasta and quesedillas.

When you are there you should also have a look at their daily specials, in general there is a little discount on it and it may help you decide faster on what to eat.

Just keep in mind that especially on weekend mornings you probably will have to wait in line to get seated. If you want to have a look ate the menu you can find it on their homepage.

The charming Magnolia Café interior, the pictures on the wall can be purchased!

Restaurants

Restaurants Around Campus

I have tried different spots around campus and
this is the first out of three of my favorite places to eat:

1. Hopdoddy

One of my favorite places to eat a good burger is Hopdoddy.
It is located within 25 minutes walking distances  on 1400 S Congress Ave, but it can also be easily reached by bus.
Hopdoddy is making one of the best burgers and fries I have ever had in my life!

No wonder the queue is so long!

But do not worry, even though you might have to stand in line outside, you will have a seat pretty quick.

My standard menu consists of a "Good Night Good Cause" and some fries. If you are feeling fancy you definitely have to try the truffle oil and parmesan fries!

You can have a look at their menu here.







Some good drinks on the menu are the "Red Velvet Cake" shake and "The Skinny Dip" frozen margarita!

Enjoy your visit at Hopdoddy!

Moving in Austin

Different Possibilities to get from A to B

If your are not having a car there are several possibilities to get you movin in Austin.
Unfortunately, Austin is not having Uber, but do not worry, there are other ways.
There are 6 other ways to get moving:

1. Ride Austin

   You can compare Ride Austin with Uber. It is following the same principal. You set up your pick up point on the map and someone who is feeling like picking you up will get you to the location you want to. Prices are cheaper than with a taxi and there are many drivers available. The payment is made via debit or credit card.
   You can download the App through the Appstore or on their website.

2. Fasten

   Another App you can download is Fasten. It is the same as Ride Austin or Uber just from a different company. You can find them in the Appstore or on their website.

3. Taxi

   Austin is having several taxi companies. They are the most expensive option and I cannot recommend any company nor could provide a phone number. If you want or are in need to call a taxi you can do it through the app "hailacab".

4. Bus

   Another good way to move in Austin is the bus. Austin is having a good bus system and gets you to most of Austin's places - of course it will take a bit longer, but you will get there.
   Google Maps is a good way to find the busline you need, otherwise it will be hard to find out which line to take.

5. Bike

   Another way to drive is via bike. Its fast and a good work out to get in shape. Also you can see a lot more of Austin when you drive through the streets with your bike!

6. Foot

   You have two feet, use them! ;)

First Week Part 2

FIRST WEEK PART 2

After all the events on the days before we have had a day off and had time to explore Austin.
I have to say, I was stunned by this beautiful city!

Austin Lamar Boulevard Bridge - A nice spot to see Downtown at the Colorado River.

Austin offers a lot places to visit and explore.

Some places that you can visit on a day off:

1. Texas State Capitol 
2. University of Texas
3. Barton Springs Pool
4. Zilker Park 
5. McKinney Falls State Park

On our day off, we took the bus to the Texas State Capitol and by foot on the shores of the Colorado River to the Barton Springs Pool. Especially in August the Barton Springs Pool is a perfect place to cool off. Everything is really easy to reach by bus, but we wanted to go by foot, so we only took a bus to the Texas State Capitol, which of course made everything a little longer.
Before the trip you should look up the bus connections and distances on google maps.
Furthermore, make sure you take with you a towel and a bathing short or suit, if you want to go to the Barton Springs Pool.

The Texas Capitol in the upper picture and the Barton Springs Pool in the lower picture.

Just a little advise for making plans, the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas are pretty close to each other and the Barton Springs Pool is directly next to the Zilker Park.

All the mentioned places on the list are a must have and I can recommend each place!

The ones who want to see the Austin nightlife in their first week should definitely visit the 6th Street on Thursdays. The 6th Street is Austin's bar mile and most episodes of the cities nightlife are happening here. More info about that place is about to come.

So after the day in town there is a student welcome party on the outside in front of some residence halls, on the 26th August. It is a big event with free food, games and DJ playing music and is real fun. I met new people on that event and had a lot of fun while enjoying the food, music and some dancing.

The next day was another day off. After having a longer sleep on that day we went off campus to have brunch at The Magnolia Cafe on 1920 South Congress Ave. Its easy to reach by bus, a 7 minute bike drive or a 15 - 20 minute walk.
This place is offering really delicious food, so we had to wait 30 minutes to get seated, because the place was so crowded. The food is absolutely worth the waiting and I can just recommend visiting the place.

Sunday the 28th August, the last day of week one and the day before its getting serious. On that day we attended the "Mass of Welcome", a ceremony where all new students will get their Medal of the University. Its tradition that all new students attend this ceremony and have a symbolic walk through the big read doors of the main building. You also have to keep in mind that this is the only chance you have to get one of these medals! So I really recommend to attend the ceremony!

So this was week one. I hope you got a good impression on what the first week will be like on campus and that you are may be better prepared than I was.
More helpful stuff about to come in upcoming posts ;)

Shopping Around Campus

Shopping Useful Stuff Around Campus

There are several shopping possibilities around Campus where you can get groceries and stuff for your room.

Here is a list of 3 major shops within 20 minutes walk distance:

1. EZPWAN - 102 E. Oltorf St.
   EZPAWN is a thrift shop, where you can get different items. You can get used bikes, fridges, microwaves, computers and more. If you want to save money, this is your place. 
2. H-E-B - 2400 S Congress Ave
   H-E-B is a grocery store.
   Here you can buy fruits, vegetables, bread, toast and everything else what you would need to cook, even a pan.
3. Walmart - 710 E Ben White Blvd
   At Walmart you can literally get everything. If you do not want to ride to different stores to get everything you need,
   Walmart is the place. Here you get groceries, electronic devices (fridges, TV, etc.), clothes, bedding, bikes and even more. 

 

In addition to that, pay attention to this little note, if you are in need of an US SIM card.

There are many possibilities to purchase a US SIM card through the internet, but since I have no experience in that, I cannot recommend a service or provide a link.

But there are many opportunities on and off campus to get a SIM card. 

During the "Orientation Week", so the first week on campus, T-Mobile is going to come to campus on Tuesday. On this day, you will be able to purchase a prepaid card at Moody Hall. 

T-Mobile is offering different options. There is a prepaid plan for 30$, which only includes mobile data.
The other plan is a 45$ dollar prepaid plan with unlimited calls, messages and 3GB mobile data.

In case you do not want to wait, there are two shops in 20 minutes walking distance to get a SIM card before Tuesday:

1. T-Mobile - 500 E Ben White Blvd Ste 300
2. SPRINT - 2407 S Congress Ave 

Shopping for clothes and restaurants will come in upcoming posts.