Simulation & Game Design at the University of Baltimore

Posted on December 10, 2017 by USG

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University of Baltimore at Shady Grove offers an exciting opportunity to study for a career in game design. The program focuses around the concepts and the designing skills that create the video games that we all love. The major offered at the Universities at Shady Grove instructs students on the necessary computer programming abilities to be a desirable candidate for gaming companies such as Bethesda Softworks LLC located in Rockville, MD. A students’ true creative capabilities can be demonstrated in the 3-D modeling and animation and implemented with usability design.

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The Animation Career Review website is an online resource for students who are interested and aspiring to begin a career in animation and game development. The University of Baltimore is ranked number 17 on Animation Career Reviews list on the top 25 public game design schools and colleges. The nomination is based on professionals who dedicate themselves to finding out which schools offer the best hands-on experience and theoretical knowledge that is necessary to land a stimulating and gratifying career in the field.

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The program gives the students the opportunity to choose what specific skills you would like to enhance in order to land the job you are interested in. The first choice focuses on building 3-D animations and modeling them for a focus in technical art. Students who choose this track must be visually artistic. The second choice revolves around the desire to design levels from scripts and logic. Level designers create interactive architecture for game segments. The skills that a student acquires in this class will not only prepare you for a career in simulation and game design but it will make you an admirable applicant for graduate school. The options that are available for graduate study include information technology, computer science and visual design.

Overall, the program is an incredible experience for students to work closely with gaming professionals in order to graduate with an impressive portfolio.

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Tips for using Adobe Photoshop CC

Posted on December 8, 2017 by USG

Photoshop CC is a great tool for photo editing. In my major, Communication at the University of Maryland College Park, we do a lot of work with digital media. My courses focus in Adobe Creative Suite which includes, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, and more. If you are a UMD student, we have access for free downloads of this software through TerpWare. If you are a student from another university, check with your school because you may also be able to download these programs! Here are some easy tips for using Adobe Photoshop CC. (My tips are for using a Mac, when using a PC, use Control instead of Command button.)

  1. Learn keyboard shortcuts. This is going to save you a ton of time. The ones that I use the most are:

Command + Z = Undo

Command + S = Save

Command + A = Select all

Command + V = Paste

Command + C = Copy

  1. The most important feature in Photoshop is using layers. Layers allow you to stack things on top of one another. You will be able to view each layer in the layers tab. You can also lock layers and hide them. Layers will be your best friend when using Photoshop.

Shift + Command + N = New layer

  1. If your photo has straight edges, check to make sure it is straight. Often times they need a bit of tweaking. Click on the crop tool on the left sidebar. This will then pop up a bar at the top of the screen with a small ruler tool. Click on the ruler and pick two points of where to straighten in the image. You can also go ahead and crop the photo if you’d like.
  1. Blur tool. This a great tool for blurring the edges of a photo or trying to conceal something. Be sure that you create a new layer before doing this! Simply click on the blur tool in the left side panel and use the cursor to blur the area. You can also increase the size and opacity of the blur.
  1. Now let’s talk adjustments. The way that I find to be the best is to go to Image – Adjustments – Curves. An axis will appear with a line going from the bottom left corner to the top right. Click on this line at the three points where it intersects with the graph. Then adjust the curve to your liking. Usually this turns out best with an S curve.

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  1. Black and White. This is very simple and can be done in different ways. The easiest and fastest way to apply black and white to a photo is going to Layer – New Adjustment Layer – Black and White. This will then allow you to adjust the hues of the blues, reds, and yellows of the original photo.

Photoshop is easy right?! Give it a go! Try it out if you need a photo for a project or want to slightly edit your headshot for LinkedIn. Check out this awesome music video that uses Photoshop to edit and manipulate photos. Check out how the artist uses layers and curves!

Spoon – Do I Have To Talk You Into It? from Brook Linder on Vimeo.

References:

https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html

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It’s the Holiday season!

Posted on December 6, 2017 by USG

To be honest, I’m not sure if I can get excited about the holidays or winter break until finals are over. BUT nevertheless, today I tried to be as cheerful as possible.

Today was the Holiday Bazaar at USG! There was plenty of student organization selling cute little gifts to students, a station to make holiday cards, and best of all FREE HOT COCOA! Destress lounge has literally come at the best time of the year! There was also an ugly sweater contest.

Now, I went to Target Tuesday afternoon to find a sweater, and they were a bit pricey, so I found an elf pj set to wear that was basically half price. I attached little ornaments to my pj top and called it my ugly outfit for the day. I was in the library, doing some work and I could feel the judgement or laughter I was causing. However, my good friend and coworker Jessica (she works in the OSS office with me) unofficially entered me in the sweater contest. Therefore, I attended the judging round and gave my speech to other managers and coworkers as to why my sweater is ugly and spirited. And for the first time, in what seems like ever, I won!

A coworker (Emily C.) and I looking cute in our outfits! Jessica and I at the BazaarThis is me in class, trying to be as normal as possible.

To be completely honest, I guess winning the ugly sweater contest can go both ways. It could be an offense or a compliment! Given where I am at in the semester, emotionally, today was a day to accept any and all comments I received!

On that note, thank you for reading and good luck on finals, everyone!

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Writing & Study Tips

Posted on December 6, 2017 by USG

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. I felt that it was really needed especially when term papers and final exams are coming up within the next several weeks. I LOVE the holidays because not only do I have the chance to take a break from everything, but I also LOVE spending time with family and friends. However, like most of you, I still have a few weeks of class, which means that I have to resist the “itis” and focus on the tasks at hand: my papers and exam.

From my past experiences, I found taking breaks to be the best strategy to remain focus when trying to study or write a paper. Below, I provided some suggestions on how you can ensure that you finish your paper and/or study well for your exam(s).

Writing a Paper

Create a Timeline

I typically create a timeline for myself ahead of time for papers, especially if it is a long paper. If you like to plan ahead to avoid rushing your paper, this will be beneficial for you. The purpose of writing your own timeline is to allow you to space out the different parts of your paper and not feel rushed.

Write an outline

An outline is the best way to start a paper. I typically use the guidelines for the assignment so I can ensure that I meet all of the criteria. This will help you plan the flow of your paper.

Write a Rough Draft

Your rough draft is your first draft, where you fill out the information for each section of your paper.

Hint: Follow this order to help you with your paper organization: Topic sentence – Supporting details – Conclusion

Get Feedback

It is best to ask someone to read over your paper to get a fresh set of eyes and get feedback on what areas you need to clarify. This will help you get an idea if your reader can understand the information that you are trying to convey.

Revise! Revise! Revise!

No draft is your final draft. There is always room for improvement so always revise when you can.

Taking Study Breaks

If you are like me, you may lose concentration after a certain amount of time. If you do, taking breaks every 20 minutes may help you retain more information and remain focus. Below are some tips that may help you with studying for your final exam(s).

Tip One: Study In Advance

Rather than having thoughts like “Ugh. I have to study” make studying a habit and make it part of your daily routine by scheduling times to study (Rodriguez, 2013).

Tip Two: Find a Study Group

Creating a study group with other students from your class can be useful because you may have a concept that you do not understand, but your classmate does. You can also divide up the information where each of you can explain the main idea to the group. By dividing the work, there will be less stress for all of you. 

Tip Three: Individual Study Time

For those who prefer to study alone, I found the tips below (using my class notes) to be useful especially as a visual and spatial learner.

  • Rewriting your notes allows you to jog your memory to help you remember what you learned in class
  • Using bullet notes is easier to read than long paragraphs
  • Outline the important concepts with mini descriptions (Simplifying your notes can make it easier to remember)
  • Use flashcards when learning terminology

For additional ideas, check out my other blog on “Study Tips for Finals”: https://nopressur.blogspot.com/?m=0

Reference

Rodriguez, A. (2013). No pressure. Retrieved from https://nopressur.blogspot.com/?m=0

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It’s the final countdown…

Posted on December 4, 2017 by USG

Yes, I titled my blog after Europe’s 1986 hit song: The Final Countdown. 😊

I had a couple of things due this past week: a presentation, paper, and an online test. I was mentally prepared to tackle them and felt confident that I would juggle all my deadlines with ease. However, my plans went south beginning Tuesday 28th November. My entire family got sick with the stomach bug. My energy got sucked right out of me. Still, I had to play the role of both the caregiver for my children and myself too. I also missed two days of work.

Through the chaos, I still managed to complete a test online obtaining a 19.5 out of a possible 20. I also rocked my presentation. #WINNING! After that remarkable performance, I started thinking about my research paper that was due this past Saturday 2nd December with a deadline of 5 pm. I was anticipating this paper all semester as it was intriguing and I connected with it. I thought to myself that it would be awful if I presented something mediocre. Due to my sickness, I had to postpone my research and writing to Saturday (Yes! the deadline day!) I figured that I should let my body take a couple of days to get back on track.

On Saturday at 10 am, I mastered the willpower to begin writing this complicated paper. I had to fight with my mind to string words together and ensure the words made sense. Let me tell you, thinking does get difficult when you are sick. At one point I asked myself, “What am I doing?” This meme best describes my mood at that time:

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Image: Pinterest

 

Thanks to a quick Starbucks run for a tall chestnut praline tea, I managed to complete my paper. I read it through and thought it was pretty good. I guess working under pressure is sometimes not a terrible thing. However, I must be honest, I turned in the paper like this on Saturday 4:30 pm:

 

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Image: Scandal

 

Moral: Expect the unexpected during finals week, but take it with humor, lots of effort and stride!

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Snowflakes and Stress Balls and String Art, Oh My!

Posted on December 2, 2017 by USG

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with loved ones. With final exams quickly approaching, this is is a pretty stressful time of year for many students. But have no fear, the end is near!

To help students through these last few weeks of the semester, USG is hosting another “De-Stress Lounge Week”. On Monday, the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) Montgomery County Regional Operations (MCRO) and the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) chapter at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy will be partnering with USG to hold some of the many fun (and free!) activities.

Catch me and my friend Jenn this Monday, outside the rec center in building III from 1-2 pm. We’re excited to decorate cookies and make DIY stress balls with you! We’ll also be handing out booklets that include “Mental Health 101” tips, easy instructions to make a lovely snowflake, and a fancy schmancy coloring page (because ICYMI, adult coloring is in!) So, come hangout with us for a little bit. Hope to see you there, and best of luck on upcoming finals!

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What is the Slight Edge?

Posted on December 1, 2017 by USG

In this time of wrapping up classwork and preparing for finals, if you are anything like me, you feel overwhelmed, burned out and well, sick of it all. Don’t take this the wrong way—I love my classes and my nursing buddies, but after a intense semester, I think all of us are ready to give it a rest. But how can we fit in all the studying and final papers in before the end of the semester? I have found one little secret that can make things a bit more manageable and not lose your head in the process.

The-Slight-EdgeA few years ago, I read the book The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. It is all about changing the way you think, or more simply, your philosophy. The author talks about having an attitude of doing a little action every day, and in time, all those little actions add up to something big. I know that you are thinking “But I have five finals and 250 pages to read and two papers to write. I have to do A LOT every day!” I totally get it. But are you going to jam everything into one day, or are you going to divide it up to do some every day? Hopefully the latter. Think about this question:

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Now that’s a lot of pennies!

Would you rather have $1,000,000 today or be given a penny today and the amount would be doubled every day for a month? Hmmm…you may think $1,000,000 today, but if you chose the penny, you would have $5,368,709.12! Kind of mind boggling that a little done every day can make such a big difference.

So what can you do a bit every day to end your semester with a bang? Here are some things that help me:

  • I drive to school three days a week. That’s at least three hours in my car. I use that time to listen to recorded lectures. Over a whole semester, that’s more than 48 hours (2 days!) of on-the-road learning!
  • A week or so before an exam, I learn one piece of information really well before I go to bed. It could be a concept I have been having trouble with or some lab values I will need to know. I don’t spend more than five minutes on it and then hit the hay. I review it again when I wake up. It totals an extra 35 minutes a week of focused studying. I used this method to learn normal electrolyte values and will never forget that potassium should be between 3.5-to-5.0 mEq/L. I know, riveting!

Think of the slight edge as “a simple, positive action, repeated over time”. I liken this concept to when I decided I wanted to go to nursing school. It seemed like the prerequisites would take forever. But two classes every semester—even summer—and I was done in a year and a half. I still look back at that prerequisite list of Anatomy & Physiology, Chemistry, Psychology and Microbiology and I still can’t believe I did it.

So go ahead and figure out what little steps you can take every day to end the semester with gusto. After classes are over, try incorporating it into some non-school aspects of your life. Personally, I started doing 25 squats, 50 sit ups and a 30-second plank five days a week way back in May. It took a whole three minutes every night. Do you think I feel better (and have a less flabby tummy) today having completed 3,750 squats, 7,500 sit ups and an hour and 15 minute plank since then? You bet I do.

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An Evening in Egypt: All Evenings Should Be This Enriching

Posted on November 30, 2017 by USG

On Tuesday, November 21st, I arrived at the Universities at Shady Grove’s (USG) multipurpose room for a night of cultural exploration and cuisine. I first saw the event information on the Facebook page of the USG Office of Student Services and after confirming that I was available, I immediately RSVP’d and said a silent prayer hoping that spots were still open. My prayer was answered, and I had the fantastic opportunity of attending so now I wish to spread the good word about the event!

I was immediately interested in the event because I saw that it offered a seated Egyptian dining experience (free food=GOLD for a college student) and that it was hosted in partnership with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Hospitality and Tourism Management Program.  Which meant that the food was going to be prepared by the amazingly talented students of the program. In all my years at USG, the students in this program have hosted exceptional events so I was confident that skipping breakfast and lunch to able to cover the cost of parking at the event would be totally worth it. And boy oh boy did they go above and beyond for an evening in Egypt!

The other 100 attendees and I gathered in the multipurpose room and were greeted by the most beautifully decorated dining tables. We were seated promptly at 5:30 pm and the waitress assigned to my table immediately greeted us with a friendly welcome. I also received a parking validation, so the fears of my credit card being declined were alleviated.  My waitress was eager to take my beverage order, and while I appreciated her enthusiasm, I had to request a moment to take a selfie. 

After I got the necessary documenting (posting on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and group chats) of my attendance at the event taken care of so that my followers could live, I learned a bit more about what the night would entail. In addition to the seated Egyptian dining experience, there was going to be a presentation of Egypt’s rich history and culture by award-winning author and Chef Amy Riolo, dancing demonstrations and more. The event was also hosted in partnership with the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau and the USG Office of Student Services.

Throughout the delicious three course meal, Chef Amy Riolo and several representatives of the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau shared extraordinary stories and information about Egypt’s rich history. The attendees at my table paid keen attention to the information being provided while managing to savor the delicious flavors that most were having a hard time believing came from our very own students. A podcast of the event can be seen here, please be sure to check it out to learn some fascinating facts and below are a few photos of the meals that I managed to take before this heavenly goodness were devoured.

At the conclusion of the event, attendees were invited to participate in a silent raffle to help fundraise for students in the program. There was quite a variety of items available ranging from spa treatments to a basket filled with USG branded swag. I placed my bid on the item I wanted and continued to enjoy the remainder of the event which included energetic dance demonstrations. I eventually was the winning bidder for an adult coloring book and have successfully managed to color within the lines on two pages so far!

My evening in Egypt was genuinely fantastic. Not only was the event fun, but it was also very educational. I loved seeing the relationships being built amongst the attendees; the food was superb, the venue looked beautiful; the students in the UMES program excelled; the representatives from the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau enriched the minds of members of our community, and the staff of USG’s Office of Student Services pulled off another successful event. If you attended and would like to share your take on the event please be sure to comment below, like this post or share.

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Let Me Tell You A Little About Myself

Posted on November 29, 2017 by USG

Hey readers! So as I was thinking what I wanted to talk to you all about this week, I figured why not talk about me. Okay, it’s not really about me but more so what I’m a part of.

Just this past month, I became Director of Marketing and Social Media for the UCA. The UCA is the Undergraduate Communication Association for the University of Maryland, College Park but on the Shady Grove Campus. Since USG’s undergraduate programs run for only two years they tend to have to recruit every few years once people graduate. Along with 2 other boards members we are taking charge of the UCA!

Our goals are to essentially provide one with opportunities outside of the classroom that enrich the communication experience at USG. We want to be able to network and build lasting relationships throughout our program. Networking is always beneficial because they can always go beyond their initial purpose and that’s what we want to instill in our members! We also want to be able to be a part of the Shady Grove community. We want to be involved on campus and make a name for ourselves. This will help us stay relevant to our fellow peers. Our ultimate goal though is to potentially get a communication scholarship fund running for the coming years.

So you’re probably thinking: okay so why are you writing about this? Because if any of this interests you, I invite you on the behalf of the UCA to join us Monday Dec 4th @ 12:30 pm for our meeting. It will be held in the Green Grove Café and we will be discussing our next steps going forward into this school year. UCA flyer dec 4-page-001

Maybe you aren’t interested by reading this right now but if you find yourself looking for something to do this coming Monday, stop by and hear what we have to say! Don’t wait for a formal invitation. You are all welcome, so come.

Hope to see some of you readers there. Like always: thanks for reading and ‘til next time!

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Getting Close to Finals

Posted on November 28, 2017 by USG

Good morning everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break with your family and friends!

Now that the break is over, it is time to realize the semester is about to end. That’s great! It means we have only a few weeks left until Winter Break. It also means that finals are coming.

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This is the time where students will spend long nights preparing for final exams or presentations. Many of you will be stressed out – but there is something you can do about it!

One piece of advice I learned from the Center for Academic Success (CAS) is to start studying early. The sooner you begin studying, the less studying you need to do the night before the exam. Taking time each day to study the material will help you remember the material better. That way, you won’t stress out the night before the exam.

If you prefer study groups, then join one or create one. If you can arrange a group of you and your classmates to take time to study for an exam, you will help each other remember the material. Having more students to study with will increase the chances that the material you are studying for is correct.

Whether you prefer studying alone or with classmates, it is crucial that you get a good night’s rest before the final exam. Your mind will work better during the exam, and you won’t have that moment where you forget some of the material.

One more thing about stress – the Office of Student Services (OSS) will open the De-Stress Lounge. There will be different events going on from December 4th the 7th, where students can participate in. These events are dedicated to all the students at USG, for relaxing before finals. Make sure to check out the lounge while it’s open!

Good luck on these last few weeks of the semester!

 

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