Believe it or not, graduation is right around the corner!

Do you know someone who is graduation this year?  If so, you can congratulate them by giving them a thoughtful gift.

I’ve made a list below of some great gift ideas for 2021. Also, gifts marked with a ($) are $15 and under and ($$$) are $25-$50.

Happy gifting! 😊

• Bluetooth speaker ($$$)
• Gift card ($ or $$$)
• Candy gift basket ($)
• Basic cookbook ($)
• Mantra Band ($$$)
• Travel passport wallet ($)
• Card games ($$$)
• Planner notepads ($)
• Portable charger ($)
• Personalized cup ($$$)
• World bucket list scratch off ($$$)

Who does not LOVE free things- ESPICALLY on your birthday? My favorite 4 letter word is FREE!

My birthday is in a couple of weeks, so I have been busy looking up places that offer a discount/freebie. I have listed them here for you to enjoy as well! Please remember that stores may change or alter their offerings- so it’s best to check with your local store first.

• Goodwill
  • A birthday month discount.
• Applebee’s
  • Member’s of the email club receive free dessert.
• Baskin-Robbins
  • Members of the Birthday Club receive free ice cream.
• Dairy Queen
  • BOGO coupon for signing up for the blizzard fan club.
• Dunkin’ Donuts
  • DD perks members get free drink on their birthday.
• Firehouse Subs
  • Sign up for rewards and receive a free medium sub.
• Jersey’s Mike’s Subs
  • Sign up for email club and get a free birthday sub and drink.
• Noodles & Company
  • Sign up for noodles family and receive a special offer the week before your birthday.

Have you ever wondered if there are apps out there to help college students?

A while back, I investigated a couple that would help my stay organized. These are some that I found:

• Pomodoro timer (work 25 and break for 5 timer)
• Stay focused (blocks time draining websites that distract you)
• Evernote (records notes, lectures, videos, etc.).

I also found apps that list available student discounts.

• Cartwheel (targets mobile app)
• Chegg (help save on textbooks)
• Deal hack (student discounts)
• Fake spot (hides fake reviews)

Feel free to do research on your own, the ones listed above are just what I have found useful!

Happy studying or shopping, which every you decide. 😊

Hello fellow students! 😊

I wanted to let everyone know that on March 8 you will get a survey link from the College in your student email.

This survey contains useful information that will be used to identify the satisfaction of MPTC students, including how helpful MPTC is, the atmosphere, financial aid, etc. This will only take about 10-15 minutes to complete and will greatly benefit everyone.

I encourage you all to take a few minutes and participate. As an FYI- we have 2 weeks to complete the survey, and every student who participates will be given 75 Max Points, and will be entered to win a $25 MPTC bookstore gift card and a 16 GB iPad!!

**Not familiar with Max Points? These are points you earn for being active with the College on MyMPTCstudent and in student life on campus. You can use your Max Points to get prizes such as Amazon gift cards, free food from our MPTC Café, MPTC bookstore gift cards, and much more!

Be sure to watch your email on March 8 and participate in this important survey.

-Haley

Hello Moraine Park friends!

Has school been stressing you out? Yea, me too!

When I am stressed, I tend to shut down and find comfort food. Everyone deals with times of stress differently, but I wanted to share some options that have worked for me recently.

• Take a bath with Epsom salt. Don’t have a bathtub? You can sprinkle Epsom salt in the bottom of your shower- it will create a soothing steam!
• Go for a walk. Increasing your endorphins may help you feel less tense and increase your mood overall.
• Play or spend time with your pet. My dog bring my life joy!
• Take a break from what your doing. We all have busy lives and long to-do lists but stepping away for a moment to refuel can be beneficial.
• Make cookies or your treat of choice. Yes, I make cookies when I am stressed. 🙂 The process of making them, and the satisfaction of enjoying one, makes it a great (and delicious) stress relief for me.
• Reach out to family or friends. Let the ones you love help you!

Have a great semester MPTC- hope to see you on campus this semester!

Who does not like easy food? During quarantine I did a lot of cooking! But what is better than making that meal in 5-10 minutes? I fell in love with my slow cooker this summer. I made everything I could think of from chicken tacos, BBQ chicken sandwiches, chicken teriyaki, beef roast, and even cinnamon rolls! However, I also found easy recipes to follow that take no longer than 10 minutes. I have them listed and linked below!

Bowtie and broccoli

Zesty Italian Wrap

Breakfast Parfaits

Pizzadillias

Overnight oats

Buffalo chicken wraps

Trust me, WSG is not as scary as it sounds! The basic rundown of the Wisconsin Student Government is as follows:

• All 16 of the Technical colleges meet once a month. Typically these meetings are in person; however, we are currently meeting virtually.
• Each college has two representatives, the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor, who are elected by their college’s student government.
• The Governor is the only one allowed to vote on behalf of their college. They make decisions on topics such as budget, speakers, previous meeting minutes, adjuring for lunch, etc.
• The WSG also has a leadership team that consists of a president, vice-president, secretary, and parliamentarian. These positions are open to any student within the WTCS.

The meetings are very informative, allow the colleges to bounce ideas off each other, and opens up doors to crucial connections.

MPTC students: If you have not considered attending one of the WSG meetings, I highly recommend doing so!

Potential/future students: Participation in the WSG is just one way that MPTC offers opportunities to grow and connect.

Visit https://www.morainepark.edu/experience-mptc/student-life/ to learn more.

Grab your friends, family, and animals WE ARE GOING ON A HIKE! What better way to enjoy much-needed family time or alone time than taking a walk with the beautiful landscapes of Wisconsin following you? Do not worry, I have done the research for the best places to go in fall around all three of the campuses. However, if you have the time to drive all the way up to Devils Lake, which is hands down my favorite hiking spot. I would also recommend going to Lion’s Den Nature Preserve or Harrington Beach State Park! Pike Lake State Park is another popular one. 

Washington County 

• Ridge run park 
• Parnell tower 
• Friends of lac Laurence conservatory  

Dodge County 

• Ledge park 
• Harnischfeger park 
• Horicon Marsh 

Fond du Lac County 

• Hobbs woods 
• Kiekhaefer park 
• Lakeside park 

-Haley VanRaden, Moraine Park District Student Ambassador