Spring Quarter Updates and Tips: A Fresh Start with Mindfulness 3/30 - 4/5

Happy First Week of Spring Quarter!

General  

• Happy first week of Spring Quarter! Hope everyone had a fun and relaxing Spring Break.  

• Thank you everyone for efficiently tracking & handling the larger volume of move-outs towards the end of the quarter. Great work! 

• Desk log entries have been disappearing off of the team's desk log. Please ensure that the page is loaded before adding any entries onto the desk log.  

Theatre District  

• New printer has been installed in the package room! IT is working on getting it up and running soon.  

• Reservations can be made for the 3 study rooms in the Survivance building via Res-Life. There is also a QR code at the 8th HI front desk that students can scan. 

• Please review the desk logs thoroughly for any maintenance or IT requests for the 11th floor conference floor, and direct personnel upon arrival appropriately.  

• The front HI lobby doors are repeatedly getting stuck open. The ADA panel is getting stuck. Maintenance request has been submitted.  

Pepper Canyon West 

• Roof leak seems to have been repaired over the Holiday! Packages have been moved back to their original locations on the shelf.  

• All items in the safe have been given to Lost & Found as of Thursday, 3/27. If a student is looking for their missing item, please direct them to the Lost & Found office located at Gilman Parking Structure. 

• The card reader on the vending machine by the study room remains broken. A maintenance request was submitted; however, the machine is operated by a third party and cannot be fixed by UCSD. If you see the Vendor responsible for restocking the vending machine, maintenance has requested that we get a business card and/or the information of the company for their reference. 

Welcome our new FTE!

Hello! My name is Vanessa Barboza and I am the new Lead Hospitality and Conference Operator. I was born and raised in the Coachella Valley but moved to San Diego in 2017 to pursue higher education. I attended San Diego State University for six consecutive years and graduated with a B.A in Chicana/o/x Studies and Economics and an M.A in Economics. I have six years of student affairs experience serving in many roles within res. life and housing at SDSU and UCSD. I am excited to join the UC San Diego community and to contribute to Hospitality Information. In my free time, I love to eat acai bowls at the beach, sing karaoke, and cook vegetarian meals. I also am a proud AMC A-Lister and love watching and writing movie reviews. Please let me know if you have any questions or any film recommendations!

Hi Desk Horoscopes 

♈ Aries (March 21 - April 19) 

This week, you're feeling energized and ready to take on challenges. With Mercury going retrograde on April 1, be mindful of miscommunications—double-check emails and texts! Focus on patience and clarity in your interactions. 

♉ Taurus (April 20 - May 20) 

A slow and steady approach will serve you well this week. You may feel a pull toward financial planning or career moves, but Mercury retrograde advises caution. Revisit old ideas instead of launching new ones. 

♊ Gemini (May 21 - June 20) 

Your social life is buzzing, but be careful with misunderstandings—Mercury, your ruling planet, is in retrograde. Take extra care when making plans, and don’t be afraid to pause before reacting to unexpected news. 

♋ Cancer (June 21 - July 22) 

You might feel the need to retreat and recharge this week. Old emotional wounds could resurface, giving you an opportunity to heal. Lean on your support system and practice self-care. 

♌ Leo (July 23 - August 22) 

Teamwork is key this week, but Mercury retrograde might throw some curveballs in communication. Avoid impulsive decisions and ensure everyone is on the same page before moving forward with projects. 

♍ Virgo (August 23 - September 22) 

Work and responsibilities take center stage, but don’t let perfectionism stress you out. With Mercury retrograde, double-check your work, and try to be flexible with shifting deadlines or expectations. 

♎ Libra (September 23 - October 22)   

You may feel a strong urge for adventure or learning something new. However, Mercury retrograde suggests reviewing past experiences before making big moves. Travel plans may need adjustments, so stay flexible. 

♏ Scorpio (October 23 - November 21) 

This is a week for deep introspection. Issues related to finances or emotional intimacy may surface, but don’t rush into decisions. Use this time to reflect and clarify your priorities. 

♐ Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) 

Relationships are in focus, but Mercury retrograde may bring misunderstandings or revisited conflicts. Listen carefully, clarify your intentions, and avoid making commitments without thorough thought. 

♑ Capricorn (December 22 - January 19) 

Your routine and health take priority this week. If things feel chaotic, establish better organization strategies. Double-check schedules to avoid mishaps due to Mercury retrograde confusion. 

♒ Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) 

Creativity and romance are highlighted, but expect some delays or miscommunications in love or artistic projects. Instead of starting fresh, refine existing ideas and reconnect with past inspirations. 

♓ Pisces (February 19 - March 20) 

Home and family matters may need extra attention. Mercury retrograde could bring up unresolved issues—use this time to mend relationships and reorganize your personal space for a fresh start. 

🔮 Overall Tip for the Week: Mercury retrograde (starting April 1) asks for patience, reflection, and careful communication. Avoid major decisions if possible, and focus on revisiting and refining past efforts instead of starting new ones. 

Sentiments from Stephanie 

May this quarter be filled with learning and success! 

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose" - Dr. Seuss  

Study Snippets

Shaila Valenzuela Rojo - [Computer Science]

"In 2012, a simple missing hyphen in a piece of code made a company lose half a billion dollars in 45 minutes".

Christine Xu - [Clinical Psychology]

"In Cognitive Psychology, the color pink technically doesn't exist. It doesn't correspond to any single wavelength of light; its just the product of our brains perceiving blue and red wavelengths at the same time."

Sukhraj Brar - [Psychology]

"Did you know that TV shows and movies have completely misconstrued the nature of police investigations and lineups? Although we are used to seeing all suspects presented in one singular go to eyewitnesses, they should always be presented in a sequential lineup by which they are shown one by one. This allows for differentiation of features, less contamination, and more comparable levels of accuracy based on the confidence of the eyewitness!" (PSYC-162: Psychology and the Law)".

Zen garden of ideas 

Grounded

Staying grounded is important because it helps you stay balanced, focused, and emotionally stable, no matter what’s happening around you. Life can be chaotic, stressful, and unpredictable, but when you're grounded, you're less likely to be overwhelmed by external circumstances or negative emotions.

 Feeling overwhelmed? Try this simple grounding exercise to bring yourself back to the present moment: 

5 things you can see – Look around and name five objects.  

5 things you can touch – Focus on textures (your clothes, a chair, your phone, etc.). 

5 deep breaths – Inhale slowly, hold for a few seconds, then exhale fully. 

This technique helps calm racing thoughts and reduces anxiety by reconnecting you with your surroundings. Take it one breath at a time! 

Staff Shout Outs 

Julio goes to the desert!

 Which "chatty" animal are you?

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Contributors - Julio Villarruel, Julia Osborne, Vanessa Barboza, Christine Xu, Shaila Valenzuela Rojo