Done and Dusted

We'll I've been talking about it for weeks but exams are finally around the corner. Therefore to post this blog, I am taking a well deserved study break.

Additionally, because the end of the year is just around the corner this will probably be my last post before the Christmas holiday's begin. I like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and safe holiday season and thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. It doesn't matter whether you have been multiple times or this is your first time, thank you for not making my posts a complete waste and I hope you learnt something about the Appalachian way of life. Feel free to drop me a line anytime.

I am looking forward to next semester with optimism and excitement as it is my final semester before I graduate. I happen to be student-teaching Physical Education in the High Country area at Ashe-County High School and that should be a great experience. Concluding graduation I am still unaware of my exact plans are, however, I have been unofficially accepted to an Exercise Physiology program at Loughborough University in England which would be an awesome and exciting challenge if I choose to accept it. I'm taking a visit to the University of Memphis early in the New Year to check out their Exercise Science grad-program also. I'll probably make a decision shortly after that.

This is my first Christmas I am going to be away from my Mum and family. I am spending it with my partner, Ali, with her family up in to Connecticut. A white Christmas will certainly be different to the beach weather I am used to in New Zealand at this time of the year.

Until next year, take care and all the best.

~Cam

Time is Money and Money's on...Sale!

Well the reason why I didn't update my blog last week, which would be my normal biweekly installment, is testament to what college students consider "that time of the semester." "That time of the semester" is especially profound in the Fall because of where Thanks Giving falls. Thanks Giving is not this coming week, but the week after, then the University gets a few days off, then we're back for a week and half and its finals!....Whoa!!!! Where did the time fly?

Thanks Giving for me is an unusual holiday celebration and I unfortunately have a difficult time remembering what exactly we are thanking the Founding Fathers for. However, I am extremely thankful for the great friends and people that I have meet in the United State's and at Appalachian.

Although I have only experienced Thanks Giving three times before this one I have still created my own Thanks Giving tradition. This is making sure that I spend my holiday with one of my best friends Todd King. This is because when I was a freshman, fresh off the boat from New Zealand, my mate Todd took me under his wing and befriended me and helped acclimatize me to the rigors of the United States college life. Consequently, he invited me to Thanks Giving and now I am extremely close with his family. Therefore, even though now he has graduated from App and in the professional world I still make the trek to where ever he is and spend Thanks Giving with him and is loved one. This is despite having numerous offers from other friends and families, including my partner's.

Being Thanks Giving time also means that Fall sports are winding to a close. Unfortunately the Men's soccer finished the season on a disappointing note, losing to College of Charleston in the Southern Conference tournament. Despite this, it was a winning season and we have a lot to be proud of. The program under Shaun Pendleton and his staff have set a great base from which to build for future. Additionally, fingers cross that Football can get it done and win its fourth straight Southern Conference and National Championship in the coming weeks. Best of luck guys.

As a final thought...although the soccer season has finished my NCAA eligibility expired after its fourth and final season, I can look back and be proud of what I have achieved as a student-athlete. Although this chapter of my life has now closed, another chapter of my life has opened. This new chapter is fresh, with exciting challenges waiting to be explored. Appalachian, on the field as well as off it, has prepared me thoroughly for whatever lies ahead.

Until next time,

~Cam

It's cold, dark, and windy...may be this is a sign of the times...or may be it's just Boone.

Halloween...Southern Conference playoffs ...school cranking up the heat...it must almost be November and crunch time again. The fact that I am rising at 6 am to update my blog epitomizes that fact that I have no time for anything other than academics and athletes at this stage of the year.

Academically, I am checking out my diary and syllabi's regularly to see for assignments that are due and I just can't figure out when I am going to have time to complete them all. I have a lesson plan due here, a reflection due there, an investigation's waiting for me to complete it over there, and tests galore coming up, just to name a few things on my plate.

Athletes on the other hand is cranking up the pressure too. The Men's Soccer team have two regular season games remaining and then it's Southern Conference playoff time. From then on out its pretty much sudden death, you lose and your seasons over. We recorded a great win against ACC foe Virginia Tech on Tuesday night and hopefully this is a sign that we are coming into form just at the right time. As a senior, if anyone is interested, it is Senior Day on Sunday the 26th of October. It would be great to see as many people as possible come out, support and give their appreciation to the four seniors (including myself) who will be playing their last home game for Appalachian State (playoffs depending.)

I'm in my last stages of preparing for the GRE's. As my roommate and professor told me, you can't exactly "study" for this exam (because it luck whether or not you get a question you recognize and its suppose to be a test where you have learnt all the content throughout your college career) but you can prepare yourself strategically to answer certain questions in certain ways, and that's what I'm doing. With all the school work I'm finding it hard to schedule study, but in the end I know where my priorities lie and time is being found (I don't know from where though.)

I'm sorry that my post is similar to the one I wrote last time. May be this is an indication of what my life is like for me at the moment. Even my partner and Mum are catching the short end of the stick when it comes to communicating because I have so much stuff to do.

Fingers crossed I get it done. Anyway, I've got to fly, it's 7:30am and my job in the I.MC. of the school library is calling my name. Hopefully my boss understands why I'm a few minutes late.

Until next time...

~Cam

Half full or half empty...

I can't believe that it's fall break already next week, this semester has flown by so far. After fall break its only a month and a bit until December and then finals...wow!

I'm starting to fell the crunch right now though. All my professors coming up with either mid-term exams or mid-semester projects. Also, I'm trying to study for the GRE's (Graduate Record Examinations) which I have booked for the beginning of November. Plus, athletics for me is mid season and the countdown is focusing firmly on the Socon Championships, at the start of November at Davidson.

The GRE's are the graduate school version of the SAT tests. All the graduate programs I have investigated in the U.S. have all asked for specific scores on the GRE. Although my undergraduate degree is in physical education, teacher education I feel that I want to change focus in my life and I loved all the Exercise Physiology I was required to take for PETE, so I think I am going to diversify in this area. Therefore, to get into various Exercise Science programs around the U.S. in need to score around 900-1000 in the verbal and quantitative aspects of the GRE's. I can't really learn content for this exam, however, I can prepare and learn strategies to take the exam better (hopefully with less pressure, lol) and this is what I am doing for study right now.

Men's soccer at App is going well. We are 7-4 overall and 2-1 in conference. We take on Georgia Southern this weekend at home (Brookshire Park @ 1pm) in a tough conference match. If we play with desire and come out on top in this one, we will up our confidence, and push the "Big Dance" tournament committee even further to include us in their final playoff picture.

Other than the stress or classes, GRE's, and soccer everything at Appalachian is treating me dandy. The weather here is finally turning cooler and we are getting a few more wet days. However, seeing the trees and flora change color from green to shades or red/yellow/orange is absolutely amazing and beautiful and I wouldn't want to change it for the world.

Until next time,

best wishes.

Time to get down to work.

Hope you are doing well.

The semester has well and truly started. Assignments, readings, and class work are in full swing and I'm feeling the burn. I'm not quite at the stress level quite yet, but juggling 18 hours of class work with soccer and the other extra-curricular activities I am doing, it's getting kind of tough. Although, my professors are only just giving me my money's worth, lol.

On top of all the school work, I am in the process of figuring out what I want to do with my life. I am contacting a lot of professors and Appalachian administration about what to do if I want to go to graduate school. I'm not sure if I want to stay at Appalachian (don't get me wrong, I love the people and the place) but I want to get out and see the country. Anyway, the advise I have been receiving has been extremely helpful in guiding me with my prospective decisions. I urge you, if you have any questions about coming to Appalachian, don't hesitate to contact some. This could include me, the admissions office, or a program your thinking about studying under. We're only too willing to help.

The soccer team is doing well, we are currently 5-2, with Radford University tomorrow. We had a very creditable result against #1 ranked Wake Forest midweek, and hopefully this holds us in good stead for the upcoming match, as well as the conference games starting next week.

Until next time,

~Cam

Another day, another dollar (I wish!)

Hi, I hope this all finds you well.

So another week has been and it started off extremely well last week with the football team crushing Jacksonville 56-7.

On a personal level the Men's soccer team has had a successful start to the season, wining their first three games. Hopefully we can keep it up.

Results of all 20 sports on the mountain can be viewed at goasu.com.

Classes have well and truly started now and I am going to give you an insight to my class schedule:

CI3850 (Literacy, Technology & Instruction): This is required education course about the three aspects mentioned in its name. So far the instructor has been interesting and knowledgeable, despite it being two and a half hours long (but only once a week.)

CI4020 (Teaching Physical Education): This class is required for my major and I basically can't wait for the field experience aspect of this course to start. This is where I go out to the public schools and teach physical education to school children.

DAN2014 (Dance Appreciation): This course is to fulfill the humanities requirement of my major. It's certainly a different course compared to what I am used to but the instructor provides a fun and cool perspective on a subject I have limited knowledge of.

HED3450 (School Health Programs): This class is to fulfill the requirements of my second concentration, health education.

HED4650 (Drug Education & Prevention): Again this class is to fulfill the requirements of my second concentration, health education and the instructor is extremely funny and likes to play his guitar as an instructional method.

PE4002 (Psychological Aspects of Sport): Finally, this class is required for my major and is extremely interesting and i love turning up. I love learning how sport and exercises affects psychological aspects of people and how psychology affects the performance of sport and exercise. The only bad side to this course that i can think of is that it is at 8am, lol.

Therefore, this semester i am currently taking 18hours worth of classes which is semi-difficult (15 is the norm and 21 is considered difficult - i can attest for this.) However, because 5 out of my 6 classes are required to be a physical education major with a health education endorsement it isn't too bad because this is what I want to do with my life after college.

Anyway, this is a typical schedule for a senior student at Appalachian and I hope it gives an insight to what might be in store in the future.

Take care and I'll talk to you later.

~Cam

Hello

Hello there, I hope all is well.

I suppose because this is my first blog I should introduce myself.

My name is Cam McCarthy and I am a Senior Physical Education student here at Appalachian State. Also, I am a defender on the Men's Soccer team, and a member of S.A.A.B. (Student Athletic Advisory Board), and S.A.B. (Student Advisory Board.)

Originally I am from New Zealand. I was raised in New Zealand to New Zealand parents and I was recruited to Appalachian by Men's Soccer Assistant Coach Liam Farrell after seeing me play for my New Zealand club team at the 2005 Dallas Cup.

Coming to Appalachian State was a significant change in my life but one in which I have no regrets. The hospitality and generosity shown by fellow students, staff, and faculty have been second to none and I have been challenged significantly inside and outside the class room. Appalachian has helped me grow into a leader, but more importantly it has guided my development from boy to man.

I'll let you know a little bit more about the Appalachian way of life in future blogs but for right now you just need to know that Appalachian is not only a great place to receive a higher education from but it's a great place to grow.

Take care and I'll talk to you later.

~Cam