The How-tos of KU
Sneaky secrets from people who know how to save you time and energy
Published on Thu., April 21st, 2005
Austin Gilmore
How to find a parking spot
It’s 9:22 a.m. and I have an exam in eight minutes. I could make it if I find a parking spot, but nearly every student knows that parking spots after 9 a.m. are hard to come by. I can forget about parking at the Student Recreation Fitness Center, and the Burge Union is almost out of the question. Tracy Smith, Tulsa, Okla., second-year law student, knows how to find a spot.
She likes to say she invented an efficient way to find a parking spot. She calls it the “hover method,” which allows her to find a parking spot in the yellow lot beside the Burge Union. To employ Smith’s method, first back into a metered parking spot. Then, with the engine running, “hover” in your spot while you watch for people walking to their cars with their keys in hand. Smith says as soon as you have detected which row they are heading toward, make a dash for that row and turn your blinker on. Smith says her method usually ends up beating the people who are driving aimlessly up and down each row looking for a spot.
How to pass Western Civ without reading
Three of every four KU undergraduate students have to take Western Civilization I and II. I know that everyone loves to read Homer, Chaucer and Plato, but sometimes life just doesn’t allow busy students the time. TaMisha Banks, Newton sophomore, is one such busy student. She turned in a two-and-a-half page response paper for Western Civilization II over a book she doesn’t even own. Banks says she used to read SparkNotes (www.SparkNotes.com,) sort of an online version of Cliff Notes, but now she doesn’t even do that. Banks says although she doesn’t read the books, she still goes to every class so she has some clue about what is going on.
It is not realistic to think that all students read all of their Western Civ books, says Aaron Ketchell, Humanities and Western Civilization lecturer. He says he hopes that students read all the books, but he realizes it is much more logical for students to go to class and discern what points the teacher emphasizes and focus their reading on those topics. He says that because so much material is covered, it all can’t be tested, but going to class and hearing the material discussed with the teacher’s approach should help students decipher what’s important.
How to find a book in the library
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Until recently, I had no idea how to find a book in the library. Fortunately, a friend showed me the way and it really isn’t near as overwhelming as it seems. The KU Libraries Web site, www.lib.ku.edu, lets you search for books and find where they are located, their call number and if they are checked out or available. Retrieve From Shelf is another service that the KU Libraries offer. The service began last year and has become popular with students, says Emerson Crabill, night and weekend supervisor of the circulation desk at Watson Library. Retrieve From Shelf allows students to request their books online and receive an e-mail notification when the book has been retrieved and is ready for them.
Whether you are finding a parking spot or finding a book, chances are someone else knows the easiest way to get things done. Maybe now you won’t circle the parking lot for hours looking for a spot before finally deciding to give up and skip class. And now you know how to check out your Western Civ books. Question is, will you read them?
Contact writer at:
lhamilton@kansan.com
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