March 2023 Newsletter

Hey, Highlanders! There’s only another 6ish weeks left in this semester, and it’s never too early to start planning for upcoming semesters, including summer and fall! This month, our newsletter highlights the Registration Rally and a health plan you may qualify for!

Reminder: Re-enroll in Medicaid if you haven’t done so already. See the January newsletter for details. Reach out to crew@mclennan.edu for assistance. And if you’re dropped, there’s a special re-enrollment period 3/31–7/31.

Spotlight: On-Campus Resource

Have you heard about the Registration Rally happening April 17-21st?? We have a whole week of FUN (including Highlander Games) with opportunities for you to win prizes…just for registering for classes! Registration is something you have to do anyway, so why not register during the rally and possibly win a prize! Bonus: You won’t have to worry about your courses filling up and this task won’t be hanging over your head all summer.

Speaking of which, you should visit our friends over in Advising & Career Services. They work at MCC because they care about helping you have the best possible experience—from creating a schedule that works for you to dreaming about your ideal career to preparing for interviews or whatever comes next after MCC.

To learn more, head to the ACS website, hop in the Zoom waiting room, or schedule an appointment with a career coach!

Spotlight: Off-Campus Resource

If you came to our Third Thursday Thoroughfare last week, then you would have met a representative of the Scott & White Right Care program. This health plan is an extension of Medicaid that provides participants with a large network of specialists, therapists, clinics, and hospitals. Scott & White is committed to providing high-quality, affordable, research-backed treatment to residents of Central Texas. To learn more, contact Member Services: 1-855-TX-RIGHT(1-855-897-4448).

Shout-out!

We’re so grateful for all the hard work our ACS team does—from advising students all year round to presenting in classes to coordinating college visits to just being genuinely fun people. We encourage you to come say hi even if it’s not registration season and to build a relationship with an advisor as you’re building your schedule during your time at MCC.

Self-Care Tip

It’s the point in the semester when we’re tired of the same old routine every week yet the end doesn’t quite feel near enough to get our hopes up. It’s easy to fall into the trap of overworking ourselves, right? If we’re not careful, we’ll approach burnout—physical illness, decreased productivity, anxiety, depression, agitation, etc. And that’s not fun for anyone. That’s why it’s important to create a rhythm of work and rest that works for YOU.

But you might be thinking, “I’m taking 16 credits, working 30 hours a week, and have 2 children at home to care for. There’s no time for rest!” I’m telling you: if you do not build in time for rest, the time will find you when it’s least convenient and you’ll feel out of control as your mental state spirals.

Okay. Rest is important. Got it? Now let’s talk about building it in.

Figure out where you have chunks of free time. Use some for schoolwork, but keep at least one block free for true rest—which includes not thinking about all that’s on your to-do list. If possible, I’d encourage you to take an entire day off from school on the weekend. If the weekend is your only time for schoolwork, then take off just half a day (e.g., don’t start homework until 1pm on Saturdays and spend the morning doing things that fill you up).

There’s a difference between resting and recharging, and you need to make sure you’re also filling yourself back up. Think of a phone. You can let your phone rest by placing it in another room, but it’s not recharging until you plug it in. So figure out what refuels you and do that in your ‘rest time’ (remember the hobby we talked about last month??).

Rest goes beyond Netflix binges or bubble baths. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need! Other times, going to the gym or a yoga class is what will refuel you. Also, you are free to say no to social interactions during your rest time if they drain you. It’s better to say no now so you can say yes later!

So pull up your calendar app right now and look at your next chunk of free time (hopefully tomorrow or this weekend). What will you do that allows you to both rest and recharge?

Easy Recipe

Lemon screams spring/summer to me, so I hope you’re as excited about this month’s recipe as I am! Bonus: this meal requires just one pot, so clean-up is a breeze! Need any ingredients? Swing by Paulanne’s for some non-perishable goods, frozen meat, fresh fruit, cheese, and/or milk!

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Orzo

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

4 chicken thighs*
2 Tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 Tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)
1.5 cups orzo**
2 oz. feta, crumbled

INSTRUCTIONS

Blot the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then season both sides liberally with lemon pepper seasoning (about 2 Tbsp lemon pepper total).
Heat a large deep skillet over medium. Once hot, add the cooking oil. Add the seasoned chicken thighs, skin side down, and let them cook undisturbed until browned (about 6-8 minutes for bone-in skin-on thighs). Flip the chicken thighs and cook until browned on the second side. The chicken will be cooked most of the way through at this point but will finish cooking when simmered with the orzo. Remove the chicken to a clean plate.
While the chicken is browning, roughly chop about 1/4 bunch of parsley and mince two cloves of garlic. After removing the chicken from the skillet, turn the heat down to low, add the minced garlic, and sauté the garlic in the residual fat for about a minute.
Add 2 cups of chicken broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve the crispy browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the orzo and half of the chopped parsley. Stir to combine. Finally, return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up.
Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to high, and let the broth come to a full boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low. Let the skillet simmer on low for about 15 minutes, or until most of the broth has been absorbed. Make sure it’s simmering the whole time. If it stops simmering, increase the heat slightly until it just starts to simmer again.
After about 15 minutes the orzo should be tender and most of the broth absorbed but there will still be a little sauce in the skillet.
Fluff the orzo around the chicken a bit with a fork, then top with the remaining parsley and the crumbled feta. Serve and enjoy!

NOTES

*I used bone-in chicken thighs with skin, but you could use boneless and skinless, if preferred.

**You can use rice instead of orzo if that’s what you have on hand; follow directions on package to cook rice.

NUTRITION (per 1 serving)

Stats

Paulanne’s Pantry: 73 Highlanders shopped at Paulanne’s in January
Waco Transit: 983 rides using the free transit cards provided by MCC

CREW This Month

Every Thursday, 1–5 pm @ SLC || Greater Waco Legal Services

Reach out for FREE legal advice that’s open to all students!

Wednesday, 3/29, 11 am @ MAC 108/Zoom || Workshop: How to Request & Read a Transcript

Join in person in MAC 108 or on Zoom: 841 6780 2675

Monday, 4/3, 2 pm @ LTC 224/Zoom || Workshop: Prepping for Finals Like a Pro

Join in person in LTC 224 or on Zoom: 254 299 8878

Tuesday, April 4, 5–8 pm @ SLC || Sewer’s Guild

Learn from skilled MCC seamsters how to fix rips and tears, attach buttons, hand sewing, and more! Free and open to first 15 students. Sign up here.

Friday, 4/11, 3–4 pm @ SSC 319 (DEI Office) || Peer Support Group for Stress (IN-PERSON)

Reach out to DEI for more information on this support group that’s open to all students!

Wednesday, 4/12, 12:45 pm @ MAC 108/Zoom || Workshop: More Career Fair Fun

Join in person in MAC 108 or on Zoom: 845 1037 4431

Thursday, 4/13, 3–4 pm @ Lot R || Shepherd’s Heart Food Distribution

Swing by Lot R for FREE food from Shepherd’s Heart! Free and open to anyone in the community!

Monday, 4/17, 11 am @ LTC 318/Zoom || Workshop: Stitches for Britches—Basic Sewing Skills

Join in person in LTC 318 or on Zoom: 893 7881 3598

Wednesday, 4/19, 11 am–3 pm @ The Quad || Highlander Games

Stop by for a chance to play games and win prizes!

Wednesday, 4/19, 3–4 pm @ MTA 111 || Peer Support Group (ONLY Music, Theater, & Art Students)

Reach out to DEI for more information on this support group that’s available specifically for music, theater, and art students!

Thursday, 4/20, 11:30–1 pm @ SLC || Third Thursday Thoroughfare

Come for free lunch and learn about resources in McLennan County just for college students!

Wednesday, 4/26, 1 pm @ LTC 318/Zoom || Workshop: Making Cents—Writing a Check & Balancing a Checkbook

Join in person in LTC 318 or on Zoom: 896 7624 1866

Friday, 4/28, 12–1 pm on Zoom || Peer Support Group for Stress (VIRTUAL)

Reach out to DEI for more information on this support group that’s open to all students!

Saturday, 4/29, 8 am @ Jubilee Park || 5K Race & 1 mile fun run to support Mission Waco

Visit www.missionwaco.org/raceone to learn more and register for this race and great opportunity to support a local organization!

More events are available on the CREW calendar ! Be sure to save the calendar so you never miss an event!

View past newsletters here: https://www.mclennan.edu/campus-resource-guide/newsletter.html

*Composed by Emma Cartisano*