Are we There Yet?

On Tuesday, a friend from Syracuse posted up on Facebook, " three more years to go...". Immediately, I thought, "!@#$!!! She's done with the semester?!? We're just getting back from Spring Break!" With about, let's say, two and a half more weeks of classes left, in theory, we aren't that far off from the end. But in reality, with professors piling on midterms, presentations, papers and what not to have enough grades, makes the 2 weeks stretch out into eternity. Case in point, I have the Macaulay Seminar 4 Presentation next Saturday, an online environmental test that Sunday, an Organic Chemistry midterm on Monday, a Stat midterm on Monday, and a presentation on Friday. What a week. The week after that won't be too bad, but of course I should definitely be studying for my finals then. I guess this is one of the reasons why I dislike going to Hunter- we seem to just get out later than everyone else ( other than our fellow CUNY and SUNY schools, of course).

I would love to say that registration for Fall 2011 classes went smoothly on Wednesday. In a way, being an honors student, who has upper junior status and tons of credits ( I always seem to go over the 16.5 max credit allowance each semester) makes it automatically easier when I try to apply for honors classes, because I do (so far and thankfully) get earlier registration times. But when it comes to regular classes, especially classes that many post-bac students apply for, its more of a gamble, but still alright, although lab classes might be a little bit more difficult to get. You would think that for classes where you received permission to register for the class would be the easiest, but surprisingly, it was the hardest for me this time around ( stupid esims pre-req messages). Thank God for my research mentor and professor for helping me out. Seriously, the professors and staff at Hunter, and any college, are your best resource. Don't waste them!

As for my fall schedule, I unfortunately don't have any days off. Hopefully, with classes everyday, I'll be more motivated to do work and study. As a double major now ( Biology and Environmental Studies with a science concentration), still on the Pre-Dental track, and with a lot more honors classes to go, I have an interesting schedule, at least for me. I'm taking Organic Chemistry Lecture 2, Organic Chemistry Lab 2, Biochemistry ( from the Biology department-I've heard that's easier,a LOT easier,than the biochemistry offered by the Chemistry department, which biochem majors need), Marine Geology, and Music Honors. I really, really, really wanted to take the Honors course on the world of the Bible ( not sure if that's the exact name, but close to it), but unfortunately, my organic chemistry lecture conflicted with that.

Either way, I'm looking forward to the fall. I have faith that it will be a successful, fruitful semester, with ample amount of interning at the lab and volunteering as well.

Arts Night

The people at Macaulay are so amazingly talented! They can dance, sing, act, and draw, and Arts Night showcased all of that. When I walked into the Cabaret, I was greeted with a great spread (as usual) and various paintings. The most interesting piece was an interpretation on The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Vermeer. Instead of a pearl earring, the girl has a red ear gauge. Her face has a tatto that's similar to the one the Mike Tyson has on the side of his face. Her eyes peer over her shoulder at you, captivating. That painting just pulled me in and it's so cool to see classic artwork transformed to something more modern. It reminded me of classics turned into zombie novels like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Walking further into the Cabaret, the stage was lined with lights and constantly filled with performers. Probably one of the most memorable performances to me was this guy who built his own guitar! and used his feet to play the tambourine and a foot pedal simultaneously. He sang bluesy folk songs and had this really rich and deep voice. I've never seen or heard anything like that before. Other great performances included a tap dancing ballerina, a dramatic monologue (shout out to Colby who did an intense job!), acoustic covers, and a student written musical number.

All in all, it was a Friday well spent.

Registration!

Registration is probably the most exciting thing that will happen on the first day back to school from Spring Break. When you enter the Honors Lounge, you see students working furiously on their laptops, trying to plan the perfect schedule. Once in a while you will hear an exclamation from an individual with a late registration time complaining about a MHC class being filled because MHC classes are a hot commodity during registration. Most other classes have a specific day and time they meet, but MHC is pretty much all over the place so if you don't get the class you want, then you will have to work out another schedule that fits around that one class.

As for me, I've already registered for all the classes I want to take! But it seems that I am a tad bit over the credit limit. So instead of stressing about which course to register, I have to drop a course. I guess I can always take PoliSci as a junior...and be surrounded by freshmen. That should be quite an interesting class.

Break dwindles to an end

Spring break is coming to an end, sadly. Luckily for me I have no Wednesday classes, so my break will stretch till Thursday, but it does seem like a surprisingly short amount of time. Moreover, I've gotten a surprisingly small amount of work done in that time. There is definitely some truth in the idea that pressure breeds motivation, and break, with it's temporary lifting of the normal time-crunched school rush, has fostered a fairly lackadaisical attitude toward school work.

On the other hand though, I've spent a lot more time in my lab than usual, which is great, and have been walking to work most days which is also fantastic. AND I got to see some wonderful theater; my boyfriend and I went to see The Importance of Being Ernest on Friday and it was incredibly good. Having only seen a film version before, and that at least ten years ago, I greatly appreciated the wit and humor, and it definitely made me want to read some Oscar Wilde. Plus it's nice to get out and about the city from time to time, although the pedestrian traffic around the theater district is unbearable.

Now it's a nice quiet day to go for a run and actually get some work done - I have a short paper to write and chemistry and neurobiology homework to finish, and I'm supposed to come up with three statistic homework/test questions for my TA position. Oh, I also was offered a stipend to act as a TA/tutor for statistics over the summer, which is a very tempting offer. The 8-10 hour per week time commitment may be a bit much though, considering I'm already going to be taking 7 credits of class, working in the lab, and preparing for the GRE.

Apollo Theater!

I had a great time yesterday at the Apollo Theater, thanks to my friend Agnieszka who interned there last year and got a bunch of discount tickets. The 9th floor (all 6 of us who are still at the dorms) made its way there via the M103 where a heated debate about being in Macaulay erupted. I'm not even exaggerating. There was yelling and finger pointing involved, to the point where other passengers inched away from us but still listening and we could tell because their faces were much too expressive for a simple bus ride. The debate basically revolved around the idea of entitlement.

It's true that being in Macaulay comes with perks such as fully paid tuition, Macbooks, free dorms, priority registration, personal advisors, and more opportunities which has created animosity between Hunter students and Macaulay students. Even that statement raised some eyebrows, because we all go to Hunter and there's really no need for that distinction. However, there's a reason that CUNY devised the Macaulay Honors Program: to change the mix of students that go to CUNY schools. And why did the CUNY system need this change? The commonly held belief that students who go to CUNY aren't as intelligent. However, that's really not true. There are some students who are really brilliant but somehow didn't get in or didn't know about the program or didn't think they could get in.

There's a lot of negativity in that statement and that seems to be the attitude the general public holds towards CUNY. Is it justified for Macaulay students to be given all these benefits to increase the standing of Hunter College, and on a grander scale, CUNY? Yes, because we would not have chosen to go to a public school if not for the perks of being in Macaulay. The qualifications for being in Macaulay aren't arbitrary. It's based on academic performance in high school that is predicted to continue, extracurriculars that demonstrate unique abilities, and individual attributes that indicate that desire to learn and grow. But no, because college is gaining knowledge, building character, and finding a passion which shouldn't be motivated by materialism. Besides, being in college is about being in a community that values pursuing academics because that is the reason people are there. Macaulay is a part of the CUNY system and shouldn't distance itself from the advantages it has to provide. Being in Macaulay shouldn't put you on a pedestal.

For some reason, that discussion was what stood out for me in spite of all the excitement and entertainment offerred by Apollo that night. That issue has come up a few times for me in English. Not all of the students are in Macaulay and there are looks when I take out my Macbook or say I live at the dorms. I don't think Macaulay students should be shamed for their achievements, but I also don't think Macaulay students should look down on Hunter students. We are all students. We are here to learn, not to judge or be judged. Let our accomplishments speak for themselves.


Note: I realize the title may be a tad bit misleading now...

"Spring" Break

Considering how gorgeous it was last week (80 degrees last Monday!) the initial plan was to go outside every day over break and do work, knit, doze in the sun, etc. But, seeing how it's been disgusting since break started, I've been cooped up inside pretty much all break. I took a walk with my boyfriend in Prospect Park on Sunday or Monday, when it was 60 degrees, but the wind made it so uncomfortable that we stayed out for less than an hour. And while I've caught up on my sleep - well needed - I haven't really done anything else this break. It's unfortunate.

Hopefully Easter weekend will be a little less dreary, especially since I'm going home, and it'd be nice to sit in my backyard or go up to Bear Mountain/Perkin's Point to enjoy the weather!

Thankfully my workload isn't too heavy this break - a lot of reading, but that's about it. I've planned my schedule for next semester (12 credits - yippee! I'm writing my thesis in German, so I'm going to need a lot of time and less stress than normal) and I'm thinking about some post-grad things; I'm going to apply to the Luce Foundation to spend a year in Asia, and I'm going to apply for a Fulbright teaching fellowship in Germany. Both are long shots, considering how competitive they are, but it's always worth trying, right?

Happy Holidays everyone!

- Katharine

Stuck in the dorms

While some may have the luxury of going away for Spring Break, I'm stuck in New York...at the dorms. I was on my way back from Psych when it started pouring and the wind was whipping my hair back and forth. It was not pleasant no matter what Willow Smith says. Due to the weather and the laziness that comes with it, I decided to postpone going back home for a day. Now I'm in my room alone and the dorms don't feel welcoming anymore. Almost everyone has left for home, leaving about three people on my floor, two of which were watching basketball in the lounge before and have long disappeared into their rooms. I can actually hear doors quivering against the frame because some windows were left open. That noise combined with the empty halls makes for a great horror movie backdrop. So I'm just going to slide into bed with my laptop to keep me company and my giant teddy bear to keep me safe.

The moral of this story? Don't stay at the dorms during breaks UNLESS you have a friend to keep you company!

Retreat!

I'm currently writing from a cozy armchair in the Mohonk Mountain House, a huge old lodge on top of a mountain (as the name implies) in New Platz NY where my lab, along with most of the rest of the NYU neuroscience and cognitive science faculty, have gathered for a day and a half of lectures, poster presentations, and socialization. In total there's 175 neuroscientists here - probably one of the nerdiest bunch of people I've ever been around! I love it.

We arrived in three busloads yesterday evening and had a fabulous 4 course dinner followed by a keynote address from a clinical researcher at Cornell, Nicolas Schiff, who has done some amazing works on coma recovery. Today there were talks from 9 a.m. till 1 and then another scrumptious meal, and now we have a break until another block of talks at 4:30, during which time I went for a hike with a postdoc and an MD/PhD student from my lab.

So far most of the talks have been quite good, and it's interested to hear about what other labs around us are doing. I was nervous about coming because I'm the only undergrad here, and other than my own lab members I don't really know anyone, but it's been pretty OK so far. It's actually nice to get to know my labmates and the people from neighboring labs a bit better, since I do sometimes feel a bit out of place there, and for the most part everyone has been really nice and approachable.

Now for the hard decision - swim or take a nap?

-Celine

rain, rain GO AWAY!

mother nature and I are not on good terms right now! I am sick of this silly rain. seriously. yesterday was such a tease!

after having a wonderful weekend, this last week before break is not what I want to be doing! my friend lexi was in town from RIT for a wedding we had to go to on sunday so we spent saturday meandering around downtown (like we always do) -- she's a photo major and she got some beautiful shots -- and then time for the opera & dinner with the famjam + boyfriend for dad's birthday so that was lots of fun. sunday we took the train down to dc and then got a ride to virginia for an old camp counselor's wedding...lots of drink, food, and dancing to be had. I was a happy camper.

yesterday I half enjoyed the sun (train home + class + work) but got to walk across the park twice which was lovely, and today was just crummy. since I (think I) suffer from seasonal affectation disorder, I was in a bad mood all day even though one of my classes was cancelled and another one let out super early.

heading to queens to meet the parents for dinner tonight...nothing says "pick me up" like a dinner with them. now how to get to the subway without an umbrella....

Sleep and Sunshine

It's 80 degrees outside. 80 degrees! The weather makes me wish it was summer SO bad. It also makes me not want to work on my paper on Education policy in NYC, which is one of my biggest interests. But alas, I must.

I can't complain too much. I spent the morning sleeping away the overcast part of the day, then went down to Washington Square Park and ate some ice cream with a friend on his lunch break. Then to Trader Joe's for some groceries, and now I'm back here at the dorms.

Perhaps I'll go sit outside and work. I'm just afraid I'll end up lying in the sun...

3 days until Spring Break (no Friday classes for me!).

It's a beautiful day outside, and we're in our last week before spring break. I, like many others I know, am cutting that week short and leaving after a test I have Thursday morning, skipping my later Thursday class and my Friday classes in favor of attending the NYU Neuroscience Retreat in New Paltz with my fellow lab members. I'm really intimidated because I barely know anyone who's going to be there except the few people from my own lab, and I will be one of very few (possibly the only) undergrad there. So I'm anticipating some social awkwardness, but also a day and a half packed full of neuroscience talks which will be awesome.

Tonight I'm going to drop in on a Human Intelligence class being taught by another NYU person I know, a cognitive psychology professor down at the Washington Square campus (there's no connection between him and my current lab, they just both happen to be affiliated with the same university) who I worked with last year and has remained my go-to person for chatting about all things cognition-related. It should be fun, especially since I'm much more focussed on the biological aspect of things these days and haven't dipped my feet in the cognitive stuff for a while now.

In the meantime I have to get back to counting fluorescent cells; I'm about half way through one image that I'm counting cells in but keep getting distracted. Back to work.

- Celine

Macaulay Events

Last week, I took the time to actively seek out events held by Hunter and Macaulay. In spite of midterms and papers to be written, I needed a break from work and the best way to avoid work is to do something that seems productive but isn't. I call it positive procrastination.

On Tuesday, I took a walk across Central Park to the Macaulay Building on the West side. Sy Sternberg was holding a talk on the Future of the Workplace which is relevant to college students who are looking for jobs after graduation, especially in these economic times. Going into the talk, it was surprising to see only 10 people in attendance. It's a wonder why students don't take advantage of these events to learn more and receive some refreshments as an added benefit. Sternberg was thoroughly entertaining, carrying a enthusiastic and personable attitude about the evolving face of the American workplace. Whereas work used to be dictated by a bell (as told in a personal anecdote), work is now less defined with telecommuting, virtual work places, and clouds (where information is stored and processed differently because it can be accessed globally, although I'm still not sure what this is). I found it enlightening to know that things are going digital as I thought previously but at a much faster pace, and that the service sector is the place to watch because manufacturing is moving to less expensive places and agriculture is not a particularly attractive career.

On Wednesday, Shaun Donovan, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary, made a visit to the Roosevelt House for a Youth Roundtable. His opening remarks centered on how he started his political career and discovered his passion for housing and urban development. As a Harvard graduate with two masters degrees in Public Administration and Architecture, he used his talents to help improve federally assisted housing which in turn provide a foundation for safer neighborhoods. Drawing from his own experiences, Donovan advised students in attendance to consider working in the public sector and opened the floor for questions. I already thought it was impressive to have a member of the Cabinet speak at the Roosevelt House, but to have him want to answer questions and ignite a discussion was just beyond my expectations.

On Thursday, another event was held at the Roosevelt House. This time it was a book discussion with Ted C. Fishman, author of Shock of Gray which talked about the world's aging population and its effects. He asserted that families are reproducing less than before so the population is like an upside pyramid because there are more older people than children. With an increase in life expectancy, he says something needs to be done to help senior citizens transition from idle to productive because the nature of the labor force will soon be changing as well. In addition, Fishman referred to his visits to China where older people gather in parks for morning exercises which include tai chi, disco dancing, and even opera. However, it's quite different in the U.S. because grandparents are often shipped off to the senior homes and not integrated into families. It was interesting to think of the older generation as victims because the public often attacks them for increasing the deficit due to the Social Security benefits that come with retirement.

On Friday, I happened across a conference on Constituting the Human at the Macaulay Building (I really did happen across this even because I had no idea it was going on and wanted to get some work done at the Macaulay Building). The topic seemed interesting enough, a philosophical one about why some things are considered human and some not. I went to a panel called Multispecies Salon and one speaker really caught my attention. Kathy High constructed huts for lab mice to live in and these were displayed in an art exhibit. What was special about these rats was their DNA. They weren't exactly animal because there was human DNA infused into their chromosomes. Crazy stuff, right? It seems like the kind of thing you would read in a sci fi novel.

Having spent the majority of my week learning all of these new things that Hunter and Macaulay had to offer, I had to return to reality where I had to study for a midterm and write a paper. But it was not for naught; through these events, I have learned about the future, something everyone strives towards. I learned about the changing workplace and what that means for me, policies affected urban development and what it means for the city, the growing older population and what it means for the world, and of course the always evolving field of sciences. It has been truly wonderful to attend all these events and be exposed to the type of knowledge and resources that are readily available to college students. I can only hope that I will be able to continue doing this in my next 3 years at Macaulay!

is it nap time yet?

it feels like this week has gone so quickly...and then I realize that's it only tuesday. not that it's a problem (I actually feel like weeks FLY by these days, I'm keeping myself so occupied), it's just that I think I'm tired. luckily I'm not getting sick...that would be bad.

have I mentioned how excited I am for spring break? the past two weeks were wonderful and silly, but there was still work to do and anxiety for weeks to come and things to do. I am so excited to sit on my butt, bake, celebrate my birthday, and give myself a week off from life (except that I'll still be going to work, but that's not a big deal, I love where I work).

so tonight brings a little more work: some nutrition reading, working on a presentation for english, and reading for psych (which can really be postponed until tomorrow if necessary). not too terrible, BUT I was hoping to start writing an art history paper that's due next week because I have a wedding in virginia to go to on sunday, but I'm having a bit of a hard time coming up with a thesis & I have to wait until thursday to meet with my TA, so that's not happening. it's all good, I'll write it on friday.

and, as much as I'd like to take a nap, I have to hit the gym...I've been promising myself that I would run 9-12 miles a week (I usually run 3 miles a session) and go to yoga 1-2 times a week for the few months before the miami trip/summer break. I'll do it, but begrudgingly. meh.

"I'm very fond of walking."

Much like my peers Daniel and Danielle, I've started walking to and from the dorms to go to school. Sure I have to wake up an hour earlier to account for the extra commute time but it's worth it. Being in college is so much more work than I realized especially having teachers tell me that Stuy would prepare me for the world of college but I guess Macaulay is a whole different matter. My schedule is so busy (even without extracurriculars!) that I don't have time to get any exercise in which attributes to the proverbial freshman 15 that I'm definitely starting to feel around my wait line. So walking some 40+ blocks is a great way to start the day with some fresh air and vigorous exercise. One of my favorite things about the walk is taking a different route each time. I find myself more exposed to New York than before. I find little boutiques and cafes that are distinctly New York and would have been unknown to me if I took the 15 min. subway ride versus the hour long walk that encompasses a variety of sights and shops. Granted that walking is not a viable option when I wake up late or am feeling just plain lazy, I take the train once in a while to give my wallet a workout.

P.S. The title is a reference to one of my favorite movies "Pride and Prejudice" and applicable in this situation :)

Making Money

It's been over a month since I posted! I apologize.

Last Thursday, I too was a giant green highlighter, welcoming accepted freshman into the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter. I hope many of you decide to join us here at the best school in the city :)

Someone asked a question during one of the student panels about working. Fear not, young scholars, you are allowed to work!

The reason freshman are discouraged from working is because the transition to college can be a big, scary ordeal. You don't want to make it worse by burdening yourself with work - although there are many students perfectly capable of handling it. The overarching reason, which extends throughout your four years in college, is that you are held to a very high academic standard, and Macaulay doesn't want part-time work to get in the way of you succeeding academically,or limit your free time for taking on internships - a valuable learning experience.

Some students don't need to work, because their parents can support all their extraneous financial needs, or because they have outside scholarships. But you've gotta do what you gotta do. Which is why besides my five classes and my one-day-a-week internship, I have two part-time jobs, both of which I just recently obtained. I'm Chief Information Officer for the Public Policy Program (P-cubed) at Roosevelt House, of which I am a part. I manage the email account and the social media (FB, Twitter). And right now, I'm sitting at Knewton, an online test prep company where I do customer service one day a weekend (and have ALOT of downtime for homework).

Is it overwhelming? Yes, sometimes. Do I wish I didn't have to work? Yes, often. But it feels good to be financially independent for the most part, and to still be successful academically.

The great thing about Macaulay? They allow me to learn AND make money. I'm taking advantage of one of Macaulay's many research opportunities this summer, on a project called "Creating the Roosevelt Trail" which I'm really excited about. And the reason I can do this, instead of working another part-time job, is because I can use my opportunities fund to finance it.

Go Macaulay!

Good luck high school seniors - go to the school where you will thrive, as I have here.

-Kaitlyn
kt.ohagan@gmail.com

Pft, What Weekend?

I had first started writing this post about a week ago, but so much work has bogged me down that I only got back to finishing it right now.

First off- Spring break, where are you?! I'm proud to be a student at a college/university/institution of higher learning that actually knows the difference between spring and winter ( I mean, come on, if you have a break in the winter, just call it a winter break, not a spring break. Gets the kids without breaks all confused and even more jealous), but we're already closing in on the end of spring semester here. Can this week go any slower? I need a break, and I bet almost everyone else really wants just as week of pure bliss soon. Even though I know I should start tackling material for finals ( ughhh) and do my piled up statistics homework, I just want to be able to bum for a bit and not feel the weight of my bag bore into my shoulder with the daily amount of books and my laptop that I bring to Hunter each day.

Because of the amount of work I have been awarded for the past two weeks, I've almost been a hermit in both the Hunter library and Baruch libraries. I know I've written about them a lot before in my posts, and I bet my opinion about them has changed ( especially that concerning Hunter library- its a love-hate relationship to say the least), but I gotta say, Hunter library, 5th and 7th floors, are the best places ( at least for me) to get some real work done in quiet and in concentration. I dunno about you, but seeing other people absorbed in their work all around me makes me want to study even more. And I love the big tables where I can just spread all my stuff around to get some real work tackled. Just last week, when studying for my orgo test, I literally spent all of Tuesday after my lab class, from 10:45am till 9pm in the library. Legit. I was in the same spot from 10:45 till about 7, getting up only once to use the facilities, and then moved to another table to get a change in scenery. Most studying done ever in one day, straight on, with no distractions. A huge feat for me, and I must say, it was only possible because of the huge ample space we got here at the library. But, we really do need upgrades, especially more outlets, and bigger tables. Its pretty annoying to have to switch your table or seat each time you need an outlet, and hunting for an available one can be a real pain. Baruch library, on the other hand, has outlets galore, and is a lot prettier. But I'm a lot more comfortable at Hunter, because you can easily eat food (as long as you aren't messy) and have water, while at Baruch, they can really nag you to put your food away.

Normally, I make my own meals here at the dorms, or heat up whatever my mom has made from home, but because I've been here for a while, and because I had to concentrate on my orgo stuff, I was forced to order from out. Man, did I miss Sea King's Hot and Spicy Ginger Chicken. What's funny is how last week, delivery.com had a 50% off sale ( or somewhere around that range) for deliveries, and a couple of friends and I were craving some food at 11pm. Can you believe that Cosmos, a local diner near the dorms, actually delivers?I got my appetite fulfilled when I got my fluffy buttermilk pancakes with butter and syrup delivered to the dorms. A definite for the next time that delivery.com has a promo/sale as sweet as 50% off.