Army ROTC and Concert Choir

So now that you all have gotten to know me a little bit, lets talk about some of the things that I am involved with on Campus. When I first decided to come to UW-L I had no idea how I was going to pay for college. I wondered if I did go here how could I ever afford tuition. One of the first scholarship programs that I found out about was the Army ROTC program. If you are physically qualified, this program can help pay for your tuition and book fees at the University. This is now small cost, because tuition alone costs over 2,200 dollars! By enrolling in Army ROTC I have taken care of the pricey costs of tuition, while guaranteeing that I will have a job after college in the military. My requirement while I am in the program is that I have to take ROTC courses in college and I have to attend Physical Training on Tuesday and Thursday Mornings in Mitchel hall. (6:00 AM to 7:00 AM). This seems like it may be early, however I can assure you that it really is not that big of a deal after you get up and get dressed. My other thing that I am required to do while I am on this scholarship is that I have to attend a military science lab on Thursday nights from 5:00 to 7:00. This is generally a "mandatory fun time" because we do activities like Raiding Bunkers or Land Navigation work with a compass. I have gained skills through this program, that I otherwise would probably never have without the Army ROTC. And this helps keep my college life more interesting. I still have not physically qualified for the scholarship yet and I have to pass a test based on Push ups, sit ups and running, however once I do that I will be good to go. Generally my extracurricular activities, along with my academic classes take enough time out of my week. College classes take a lot more time and preparation than high school classes too. I will keep all of you posted on future, fun ROTC endeavors that I go on throughout this year!

Introduction to College life

Hi! My name is Jim Bichler and I am a freshman here at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse. I am majoring in Biochemistry and Pre-Medicine, am involved in the Concert Choir, and am active in the Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps). Overall so far college has been a fun and rewarding experience, and I am taking the following classes:

CHM 103 General Chemistry I
BIO 105 General Biology I
CST 110 Public Oral Communication
MUS 105 Music Appreciation
UWL 100 Freshman Seminar
M-S 101 Introduction to Army Professions
MUS 153 University of Wisconsin- La Crosse Concert Choir

This past week was particularly stressful, because it was exam week again at the University. I had a test in Chemistry and a test in Biology. I did fairly well on the Chemistry test, and somehow managed to get an A on what was said to be the hardest Biology exam of the semester. (Cellular Respiration and Cell Function). Besides my tough schedule, I have been sick and trying to get better. I went to the Student Health Center on Monday and they prescribed an Antibiotic, after trying for 4 times and being unsuccessful at getting any help. Needless to say I was very happy. Other than that this has been a stressful week, and I will explain more of that next week!