Apples, Honey, and Homework

Happy Rosh Hashanah to all the Jewish readers! (Or should I say "L'Shana Tova!")
I know that every Hunter student is very grateful for this 5 day weekend. I know that I am!
Some thoughts:

• Yesterday, I got the chance to visit my high school three months after I left. It's funny how natural it still felt to take the bus to school even though I hadn't done it for awhile. I got to hang out in the office I used to work in which was fun. That office was like my second home in high school, and it still felt very much like home months later. Then, I took a walk through the hallways, and it was weird how everything felt just a little bit smaller. But at the same time, I felt like I could step into one of my old teacher's classroom, and still feel like a student. It was cool to see my old teachers. I remember students coming back and visiting teachers when I was a senior last year, and it was surreal to be in their place now. I'm definitely glad I visited. Everybody there wants to see me succeed and that pushes me to work even harder in college so that I can make them proud.
• I have my first biology exam next week so I'm slightly freaking out about that. But I figure that I'll be alright because I've kept up with all the assignments. All I have to do is sit down and review some key concepts. I'm catching myself making biology jokes about ATP which I figure shows that this stuff is really sinking in. =)
• This weather is so yucky. It's humid and rainy and just blah. We need a little sunshine here in NYC before the winter comes. Though winter has its benefits too. I love the snow, the holidays, and the warm cozy feel of my house during the winter.
• I don't know if many of you have heard about this, but there have been allegations of some cheating going on during the SAT. A nineteen year old has been accused of taking the SAT for several students in exchange for a large sum of money. People have become so obsessed with doing well on the SAT that they'll do anything to get a near perfect score. I took the SAT during my junior year, and I remember how stressed out I was, but I never would have been a part of something like this. It's better to just sit down, study, and do the SAT on your own. Cheating is going to get you nowhere in life, and it's definitely not something that will prepare you for a successful four years in college.

By the way, I welcome all prospective students and current students to comment on posts. Blogs are all about connecting with people and sharing information.

Until next time!! =)

Busy Bee

I can't believe it's been more than a month since school started. Time flies when there are so many things to do at Hunter. I've been juggling school work, outside activities, and my own hobbies. Just today I went to ICP to view Peter Sekaer's amazing photographs from the Great Depression. I adore black and white photography and I was absolutely amazed by his work. My friend and I also viewed the 9/11 exhibition. The photographs here were utterly breathtaking. There was a photograph where a man's hand was hovering over a crystal snowball that displayed the empire state building and the twin towers. That's why I love photography, because of the power that one image can hold. I'm actually hoping to revive Hunter's club, Fotographie once I figure out what happened to the members. Other things that I should probably mention since this is my first post are:

I'm a freshmen, live in Brookdale, annnndddd.......come from Queens.

Until next week.

There's Nothing Like a 5 Day Weekend

Today is Tuesday, and miraculously, my last day of classes for the week! I went into this week knowing it would soon be over, and honestly, that helped me so much to stay on top of things. That, and the fact that I have my first Bio exam next week (eek!).

Yesterday, I was able to clean my dorm room, do my laundry, go grocery shopping, cook an actual dinner, call my mom, and get all of my work done. Usually the thought of having to do all of that is a bit daunting, especially because I am still getting to used to living in the dorms and fending for myself.

And today? Well, after my 9 AM Chemistry lecture, I headed to Hunter's gym (which is pretty awesome if you manage to go when it isn't too crowded), and then had a lovely walk up 5th Avenue to the Met. I have to write a paper for my MHC seminar comparing two sculptures, so I decided to take advantage of my 5 hour break and my Cultural Passport and go see them again. Sometimes I still can't believe that I am able to go to school within walking distance of some of the finest institutions in the world. How many people can say that?

TH

These elevators in Thomas Hunter have personalities of their own. -_-

LOL, okay i'm done.

It's okay...

I'm a perfectionist by nature. It's both my best and worst quality but I wear it proudly regardless. Ever since kindergarten I've been coloring between the lines better than my peers and I always felt compelled to uphold that. Throughout high school I was the studier, the go getter, the grade grabber. One wrong on a test meant that I failed to master the material in full & that was a disappointment in and of itself. Now I know everyone isn't like that, but for the handful that are...

It's okay to NOT do well every so often.

Granted, you feel horrible at the time, but you later look back and realize that the little things, the little points, the half a credit you stress over, is just not worth it.

I look back at my four years of high school and realize that my nervous breakdown over my one and only 84 in English was a complete waste of time.

I've always been so used to being in competition with myself, but I've come to realize that the difference between people who are where they want to be and people who are looking to get somewhere, is not by the quarter of a point on a test but by their overall growth in knowledge & maturity. By getting something wrong, you get the chance to learn it a second time around.

Hnady Tip

If you cannot be found you cannot be distracted;

This includes being visible online for your friends, having your facebook account open, and for dormers having your dorm door open.

:)

Freshman Rules

1. Get enough sleep
2. Use free-time wisely
3. Go to your recititation and lecture classes
4. Stay on top of your reading for your classes ( in fact stay ahead on readings)
5. Go to your help hours
6. Utilize the library and its free-printing
7. Explore NYC ( the museums, the exhibits, the concerts, etc...,)
8. Have a little fun

No living man am I!

Hello there, everyone! I'm Kerishma, and I'm happy to announce that I've just joined the MacBlogging team. I'm a sophomore here at Macaulay-Hunter, and one of those fluffy, frou-frou humanities majors (literature and gender studies, most likely) - and proud of it!

Currently, I'm taking five classes: MHC 200: Science and Technology in NYC; Spanish 342: Intro to Hispanic Literature, Part 2; Women & Gender Studies 200.52: Intro to LGBTQI Studies; Women & Gender Studies 201: Classics in Feminist Thought; and English 320: Multiethnic American Literature. I'm liking my classes well enough so far, some more than others. A lot of them have a pretty heavy reading load, and keeping up with that is one of my biggest issues. Kids: don't procrastinate reading for class! It piles up and then the night before the midterm you'll be scrambling to read it all, and, who knows, maybe you will read it all, but you will be miserable. I know this because I have done it almost every semester (you'd think I'd learn by now).

I also serve as a Sophomore Senator on the Hunter Undergraduate Student Government. I was a Freshman Senator last year, and I really enjoy my time there. You should stop by the office every now and again (HN 121), we have water, coffee, hot chocolate, and tea all available for free! Also, we're a bunch of pretty cool cats and just like to meet the students of Hunter.

I suppose I should tell you more about myself as a person. I live in the Brookdale dorms, but I spent the first seventeen years of my life on Long Island. I'm an ardent soccer fan - I actually just went to Red Bull Arena and watched the NY Red Bulls kick butt against the Portland Timbers on Saturday; we may actually make the playoffs! - and support Liverpool Football Club in the English Premier League, and the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer. One thing I love as much as soccer is reading - although the amount of lit and reading-intensive classes I take often keep me from doing as much pleasure reading as I would like (I just finished Bossypants by Tina Fey a few days ago though. Go read it. You'd be doing a disservice to yourself if you don't). I love, love, love television and film, and it often distracts me from actual work I have to do. Netflix has not helped. (Although the deplorable Internet at the dorms recently has) From the title you can correctly guess that I'm a Lord of the Rings fan - and then correctly infer that I'm into a lot of the typical "nerd" fandoms (though I don't really like saying that they're "nerdy," per se): Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Star Wars, etc etc.

Oh, wow. Well, this is a bit tl;dr, isn't it? I'll wrap this up.

It was nice meeting you all! Toodles!

Two Day Week FTW

I have been studying endlessly for my organic chemistry 2 test that I will have tomorrow. I am so nervous! I haven't done much else this weekend or during this week.

The best thing about Monday, after I take my test, is that I get to spend the rest of my evening, and even possibly Tuesday morning, writing a huge lab report.WHY WHY WHY

Complaining aside, I really cant wait for the rest of this week, because as I normally dont have days off scheduled into my classes, a three day break, morphing into a 5 day weekend is an amazing and perfectly timed mini vacation.

Tuesday night, my friend and I are going to try a new middle eastern restaurant somewhere on Laguardia Place.
Wednesday morning, probably some field work ( I'll be running my very own oyster experiments for the first time!)
Wednesday afternoon: hot bikram yoga in 105˚F room. I tried it once before last Saturday, and boy, was it hot. It definitely worked out my body in ways I didn't expect yoga to do so (it was the first time I really tried yoga outside of a gym class, and of my own volition). The best thing about doing bikram yoga is that its convenient. Only a short train ride from the dorms to Astoria, and, best part, it was only $1 per class, for 20 classes ( awesome thing about living in Manhattan- you end up being so close to lifebooker deals!)
Thursday is some more yoga, and possibly more field work.
And sweet, sweet Friday will be when I finally get to go home and see my family after God knows how long.

Happy 2 day week!

P.S- the internet situation here at the dorms is beyond ridiculous. I waited two hours- not 2 minutes, but 2 WHOLE HOURS, for this page to load. And up at the main campus, its not much better. Where does all the money from our student tech fees go??

Hello There!

Hi everyone! My name is Chloe and I'm a freshman here at Macaulay Honors at Hunter. I'm currently on a pre-med track, and I'm thinking of majoring in behavioral neuroscience. You never know what could change though, especially so early in my college career!

So far, I have to say that I genuinely really love Hunter. There is so much to do and so many opportunities to get involved! Macaulay focuses on volunteering and giving back to the community, and the great thing is that unlike in high school, none of the options are boring! There are always a million things to do here. And besides that, the classes are really great. I love all of my professors, and the kids are so motivated here.

To tell you a little bit more about myself, I love to run (and exercise in general!), knit, read, write (I wrote my first-ever article for Hunter's newspaper, The Envoy, last week; it was so rewarding to see my name in print), and just generally have a good time with friends. I moved to New York three years ago, and I never want to leave! There is honestly nothing better than going to college in the city. There's always something going on, you can get any cuisine you want, and let me tell you, you see some pretty weird things walking around here. The other week, I saw a woman walking a pig on a leash. If that isn't something that makes New York unique, then I don't know what is.

Well, it's time to go study for Bio, but I'll be back soon!

Rainy Day Ramble

The only good part of the weather in New York is the great fashion that comes with it. Sure, it was pouring all day, but I got to sport my new trench coat and feel like inspector gadget!

Allow me to introduce myself - my name is Maria and I'm a Junior at the MHC at Hunter. I am double majoring in Classical Archaeology and Greek and Latin Literature. One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, "What are you going to do with that?" Well, a classical education is far from obscure or irrelevant in today's fast-paced, technology-based society. Besides the fact that the cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt and the Near East shaped Western society as we know it, my major is not an object. I am not going to "do" anything with it. My major is set of skills and a body of knowledge; what will matter is how I  apply these skills (critical thinking, logic, analysis, language and vocabulary) to the career I choose.

For those of you unsure of what you will major in - fear not! There are so many options at Hunter. What it all boils down to is studying something that is truly satisfying - however cliche that may sound! It really makes the difference between dragging yourself to a boring class or hopping off to school, excited for the next lesson.

In fact, once you find what interests you, your schedule begins to be filled with responsibilities that actually fascinate you (rather than make you want to pull your hair out and throw your alarm out the window every morning). For example, one of the projects that I'm currently working on with a few of my classmates is starting up an Archaeology Club at Hunter. There are so many great events in New York but it seems as if so few students have access/are aware of them! (I'll be talking about them in my next post!) Hopefully, we'll get approval and funding for the annual Archaeological Institute of America meeting in Philadelphia this January.

Anyway, I'm off to bed! Stay dry this weekend, and don't let the rain bring you down! We're only a few days away from a 5 day weekend!

xoxo

Hello everyone!!!

My name is Slavena, and I'm a freshman here at Macaulay Hunter. This is my first blog post as a Mac Blogger and I'm super excited! It feels so surreal to be writing this right now. When I was in high school, I used to read some of the blog posts that students would post here, and I remember thinking that I would definitely get involved with this blog if I got into Macaulay. I think it's a great opportunity for Macaulay Hunter students to share their experiences and learn from each other.
Hmmm...I guess I should tell you some things about myself:

• My name means glory in Bulgarian.
• I was born in Azerbaijan and I moved to NYC when I was six.
• I live in Brookyn, the best borough. =p
• I'm pre-med and I'm majoring in biology.
• I love to read anything and everything (including the sides of cereal boxes!)
• I love any kind of art--paintings, sculpture, architecture and I love the work of van Gogh, Warhol, da Vinci, Michelangelo, el Greco, Degas, and many others!
• I've recently developed a passion for 18th century French furniture.
• I love period rooms in museums.
• I love to read about fashion and the history of fashion.
• My biggest pet peeve is when people smoke near me.
• I have never eaten sushi before. (People are usually shocked when they hear this!)
• I love going to the ocean and just sitting on the sand or collecting sea shells.
• I love taking photographs of people, cool looking architecture, and places I've visited.
• I'm beginning to be fascinated by classical music. (
• I like cocktail rings and fedoras.
• I like to put up random pictures on my walls of my room as inspiration.
• I don't know how to cook but I want to learn.
• I like to write poetry.
• I like looking at coffee table books.

That's probably the most random list of things in the world. =p
I'm so glad it's Friday, and I'm definitely looking forward to sleeping in this weekend. I've had a cold all week so I need a break from everything.
Some things from this week:

• I actually took my first college exam this week which was nerve wrecking, but I'm happy I got through it. 
• On Tuesday, I had a break between classes so I decided to go out and explore. Growing up in Brooklyn, I never really got a chance to see Manhattan that often. It's only in the past couple of months that I've really gotten to know some of Manhattan and I'm looking forward to learn much more about it. So on Tuesday, I walked to Central Park and walked up Fifth Avenue all the way to the Met. It's one of my favorite museums, and I'm always inspired by its beautiful external architecture and by the beautiful art inside. Then I walked down Madison Avenue. I was literally walking with my mouth open because every single block had beautiful designer stores, chic boutiques, and cool restaurants and cafes. I'd never been to that part of Madison Avenue before so I was just floored by everything I saw. The stores are like little museums and one could literally spend a week looking at all the clothes. I completely fell in love with the Ralph Lauren flagship store. The displays absolutely epitomize American glamour. The whole excursion to the Met and Madison Avenue was a much needed escape from the sometimes overwhelming college reality.
• I visited Roosevelt House this Wednesday and completely fell in love with it! President Raab welcomed the Macaulay freshman there, and it was the perfect place to get inspired by what's out there for all of us Macaulay kids. I'm definitely looking forward to going back and learning more about the Roosevelts and about what the institution offers Hunter students.
• The same day I visited Roosevelt House, I got to listen to author and Hunter College professor, Colum McCann talk about making the best of our college years and about his book, Let the Great World Spin. I was inspired by his call for all of us to be more optimistic and to believe that a better world can result if we all put in an effort to make it better.

I hope you enjoyed my post. This was a lot of fun! =)

Boston Bound

It always amazes me how soon into the semester I have to start thinking about the end. It's final project/paper proposal time, which means I'm trying to narrow down the following subjects into paper-sized topics: 20th century German history, the 2012 doomsday prediction and health care.

I'm still very much enjoying my classes (for the most part). I'm finding Political Philosophy difficult, if only because of the readings - they're just SO dry and hard to get through! The class itself is fascinating however, apparently underneath all the difficult to read run-on sentences, Hobbes and Locke are actually saying some interesting stuff. My Professor does a really great job of helping us to understand what exactly is going on in their treatises on government.

After working both days last weekend (and it was my birthday! :( I had fun anyway though) I have this weekend off, and I'm heading to Boston to visit some friends at "the other H school" as President Raab likes to say.

Time to catch my bus! (I love that the Fung Wah is $15 no matter how late you book your tickets).

ttfn
Kaitlyn (kt.ohagan@gmail.com)

PS - There's some interesting developments going on with education policy right now, which is making my research for Professor Viteritti even more relevant. Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/education/23educ.html?_r=1&ref=education

Floor Events

One of the best things about living at the dorms (besides the awesome people) are the floor events. It's a good excuse to venture out of your floor, meet new people and do something different on a school night. There are movie nights, smoothie nights, karaoke nights, and a lot of other fun nights. A few days ago the sixth floor held a Henna Night. Henna is a drawn-on temporary tattoo from a plant dye. I was really excited to get my first henna after seeing all the cool designs that people were getting. Here's what it looks like:



Now the ninth floor is holding a Baking Night and it is madness out there. People have been arriving in packs to get brownies and cookies. The kitchen is stuffed with people and the smell of baked goods. So if you're hungry, then stop by!

oy vey!

We're almost a month into the semester already and it's all been a non-stop whirl wind so far. Somehow I anticipated senior year being all peace and quiet and finishing major requirements, but it's proven to be anything but. The major project on my plate at the moment is applying for the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships. I got into it very late - just before the semester started - and have been running like crazy to catch up and pull everything together in time for the October 5th and 3rd deadlines. So far that's meant tracking down 7 people to write letters of recommendation, meeting in person with most of them, and going back and forth between my own academic advisor, the Macaulay fellowship advisor, and the Hunter fellowship people. And then there's writing the personal statement, which so far has just entailed a lot of sitting starting hopelessly at my computer for long stretches of time.

On the bright side, attempting to do these applications has been very good for making me think about what I want to after graduation and in in the long term. I've found that many of the people I know are having a really hard time grappling with these decisions, and I think that the time pressure of having to get an application out in just over a month just made my own stress level about it skyrocket so quickly that I've now settled into acceptance of not knowing, and that's working much better. It's hard and it's frustrating because most scholarships, graduate programs and the like are looking for people who can say exactly where they plan to be in 10 years; few are looking for people who are just intelligent and hard working and will probably get somewhere eventually. I think the one main perk of being an undergraduate is being allowed the privilege to explore something just because it seems cool and you think you might like it, without having to write a thousand words about how and why you're going to dominate the field in a few short years. But I think that for the sake of my own mental health, and likely others' as well, acknowledging that I can't chart out my life in 1,000 words is a lot better than trying to pretend.

- Celine

a Mind iz a terible thingy 2oo waist

i furgot how 2 rite n spel good. Hellp????

Okay, please don't click away from the blog to buy me hooked on phonics yet. That was a bit of an exaggeration. But as I procrastinate on a paper and reflect on the weekend, I will admit that I've probably killed more brain cells than I should. It's all thanks to national television and great city of New York.

On Thursday night, technically Friday at midnight, I attended the 10th Season Family Guy Launch event with a friend from high school who is a recent transfer to John Jay. We saw 3 episodes on a East Village movie theater screen, two of which were from the upcoming season and receive limited edition t-shits. Highlights included extreme reactions to entries in the trivia contest after it became apparent by his pronunciations that the radio dj was not familiar with the show he was promoting, the people we befriended on line including a girl who did not know what a garlic knot was and seeing the follow show segment on a huge screen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-snfaG2JH8&feature=related

(Disneyified Family Guy)

I also attended later on Friday, with a different friend, a two-episode taping of the Jeremy Kyle show after taking a hint from the posters that can be found on the main Hunter Campus and Brookdale. It's a British tabloid talk show, in its first season in the US. It would not be a stretch to compare it to Maury or Jerry Springer. And we were in the center of the front row, maybe 5 or 6 feet away from the action. It was really awkward being so close in proximity to these extreme characters, especially after one threw a chair. I felt horrible being amused by their misfortune and stupidity. It was more real than I expected. On the bright side, I know for a fact that the camera guy got some wonderful footage of my friend and I applauding after it was found that the doctor miscalculated the start of a women's pregnancy and that the paternity test proved she and her boyfriend had the family they always wanted. Also, it was probably the most fun $25 bucks I have EVER made.

Still, by Saturday morning, I was not very intellectual and engaging in risky behaviors like using my Groupon for heated yoga. I had regressed to the level of my childhood and found myself paying $18 to rewatching the first movie I saw in theaters (The Lion King) IN 3D. Hopefully, I will get myself back to peak mental strength, so I can have this much fun again next week.

Back

Wow, what a couple of months it has been.

The last time I wrote I had been finishing up my summer and starting my full time job for a FDNY EMS providing hospital.

Well, I've started classes, moved back into the dorm, and made quite an effort balancing everything. I'm proud to report that things have worked out great. While the first few weeks were a little overwhelming (mostly because of the heat at Brookdale, honestly) I've finally settled into a flow. I'm able to work 40 hours a week on the ambulance uptown, get a good amount of time in for studying, homework, and review for classes, and actually have a social life! I've been able to hang out with friends just as much as last semester, when I was only committed to classes. Although I have to get up for work at 4:30 and 5:30 almost every day, I must say it is well worth it. There is no better feeling than walking to the subway in the morning and knowing you are doing something you feel is important for your future and for yourself.

I've made a few friends at work already. Its hard not to get to know each other pretty well when you're sitting in an ambulance and handling emergencies for 8 or 16 hours at a time. I feel privileged and honored to work with these people. Some of them are experienced paramedics, others EMT-Bs with years of experience. Every one of them has a story, a reason to work, and most have a love for the job. It has truly been a rewarding and sustaining experience for me thus far. The novelty of the job hasn't worn off yet, either. I drove one day, and ended up going through Times Square with the lights and sirens on. The feeling was an interesting, somewhat indescribable one- there I was, 19, driving an ambulance through Manhattan to a 911 call. I wouldn't have even dreamed of this a couple of years ago.

Classes are good, too. I ended up with great professors and I once again feel that these classes will have a lasting impact on my education. I feel lucky in that sense-- every class I have taken has really taught me something and has allowed me to improve myself in some way. I owe that to the professors and faculty at Hunter.

A lot of people tell me that they don't think I can balance working full time and going to school, and maintaining a social life. It was overwhelming at first, but I have been able to balance it well thus far. It is a very rewarding feeling at the end of the day. That feeling outweighs all of the exhausted nights, the groggy mornings, and the running around. Self-discipline doesn't come easy, but it is a very empowering thing.

That's all I have for now.

Michael.

Public Health

Today was Macaulay's first ever Public Health Panel hosted by the Macaulay Health Professions Club! Admissions representatives from Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins and Colombia were there to tell us what public heath is and how to pursue a Master's degree in that field. I'm sure you're all familiar with these prestigious universities so I excepted most of the information to go over my head. Contrary to my belief, the admissions representatives mapped out exactly what they looked for in candidates, how to apply, and when and where to get more information. They were informative and accessible. After the powerpoint presentation, there was a short Q&A session. The admissions representations stayed a little longer to answer any individual questions we may have and they were more than happy to answer them. I thought this was an awesome experience for us to know more about public health and the graduate schools that offer this area of concentration. Some students thought it was too early to be thinking about graduate school but I think it's better to obtain more information to see if you're interested than to limit yourself to one thing. It's also good to be presented with choices so you have an idea of what you want to do in the near future. Thanks to Anthony, Xiang, Drew and everyone else who made this panel possible today! Can't wait to see what else the Pre-Health Club has in store for us.

Back in the Saddle Again

So many plans were made for my summer, and so few accomplished! I went to the beach all of ONCE :( and didn't really achieve any of the lofty intellectual or skill building goals I had intended (outside of my research assistant position at Roosevelt House). I did have alot of fun, but it seems as though, three weeks into the semester, that hasn't changed! Though it took me awhile to get settled back into the dorms (First Irene and then labor day weekend!) this weekend I finally finished unpacking my clothes and plugged in my fridge. I feel as though I've almost got this term's rhythm down - class, work, research, gym, eat, sleep, socialize (it's always a juggling act).

In terms of class, I've managed to avoid (yet again) taking five 3-credit in person classes. I have a 13.5 credit load this term, due to a 1.5-credit research paper writing class required of History majors. I'm taking it with 20th century German history, which, thanks to my small but significant amount of German language experience and trip to Germany, I find very interesting. The other class I'm really enjoying thus far is Imagining the End of the World with Professor Quinby at the Macaulay building. Macaulay classes are always a little "out there" in terms of topic but very intellectually stimulating and - dare I say - fun! It helps that my best friend from Baruch is taking it as well.

I've stayed on as the CIO (Chief Information Officer) for the Public Policy Program (P-cubed) at Hunter (it's a fancy way of saying I help manage social media/communications). I've also kept my weekend part-time job doing customer service at Knewton. While I've left my research at Roosevelt House behind, over the summer (through my connections at Roosevelt House) I started to help Professor Viteritti with an article he's writing on Education policy, and I'm going to continue that work for him at least until the article is due in November. He even managed to find me some outside funding. I get paid, AND I can save opportunities fund money for a possible study abroad! Win-win. As for where I will go next (and when!) I have no idea. I want to take this winter term to get my lab science requirement out of the way (I've been dreading it, and I think it's time to just get it over with). If I don't go somewhere this summer, I'm definitely going to try to go abroad the winter of my senior year.

In other news, being a junior without career/grad school goals is both relaxing and terrifying at the same time. On one hand, I don't have standardized tests or applications to start freaking out about. On the other hand, I have life to freak out about...

ttfn
Kaitlyn
kt.ohagan@gmail.com

Settling In.

This semester is definitely going to be a busy one! All five of my classes, which are all art history and sociology courses for my majors, have an immense amount of reading and work. But, I do find all the classes really intriguing. That's the good part! =)

I am continuing my research assistantship at the Roosevelt Institute of Public Policy at Hunter College and also adding some weekly volunteer work at United Cerebral Palsy (which I have done on and off since Sophomore year) and one other place I have not figured out yet for one of my classes. I am also trying to contact my freshmen year English professor, whom I love, and start volunteering for bone marrow drive for DKMS Americas one again. I volunteered freshmen year and loved it! I have somewhat drifted away from volunteer work and would like to get back into it so that I can help people, but also perhaps get references from the organizations in the future. I have always been someone more interested in volunteering and helping at events than being part of a club. I don't know why. However, that said, although I am not continuing my efforts to start the sociology club (just not enough time), I am pouring energy into a new honors society at Hunter called NSCS to develop a volunteer or community service program for Hunter students who will be members.

Unfortunately, I have to go to work (and get some coffee). But stay tuned for my thoughts on the future coming soon! Hope everyone has a good week. =]

Swamped

Well, maybe more like "puddled" - it's too early to be really swamped. But I've taken on a lot this semester, and I'm certainly feeling the effects already! (This is not a pity party - it's exactly what I was looking for this semester. I just need to get into a regimen and get used to my schedule =) )

First up - a bit of news I've yet to share with the Macblog: I got an internship with Vogue Knitting!!!!!!!!! For the bulk of you who just said "Huh?", Vogue Knitting is one of the most widely read and well respected knitting magazines in the U.S. And yes, there are quite a few! We knitters might not be the most populous bunch, but we're all pretty much obsessed.

I started knitting when I was 9 or 10, but I didn't develop any sort of passion until I was maybe 16. I've definitely become an avid knitter since coming to college - who wouldn't, with places like String and the Lion Brand Yarn Studio around? I've also become a moderately active member in the knitting community, mostly in maintaining a Ravelry profile. Ravelry is like Facebook for knitters, but even better - it has an incredible interactive database of patterns and yarns, with every pattern you could find on the internet and many from books. What's more, people can post photos of their FO's - finished objects - so one can see not just how a sweater looks on the model in the pattern, but on a variety of people in every imaginable shape and size.

Most of what I've been doing at VK has been basic office work, but tonight, I get to go to Stitch 'n' Pitch at Citi Field for free! I've yet to make it out to the new stadium, so this is the perfect opportunity to do so! Plus, I'll get to know some of my coworkers a bit better.

On top of my internship, I'm continuing my research assistantship with the wonderful Dean Kirschner into the fall, as she's trying to finish her book by December (and definitely will!). It's just such a great experience working with her - I was disappointed by the idea of just stopping in August, so I'm thrilled that she asked me to stay on for the rest of the year! My advice to all Macaulay students is to GO GET TO KNOW HER! She is a fabulous woman who is way more down-to-earth than you might expect from a Dean. And to all applicants; you won't find a more accessible Dean at any other college. I guarantee it.

I'm also helping out/interning with Macaulay to organize the brand new Knopf/Doubleday Author Series at Macaulay. Consider this a plug!! Our first reading is on Monday, September 26th at 7:00, at the Macaulay Building. If you want to attend, be sure to RSVP, and if you have any questions, leave me some comments!

And then there are my actual classes: Advanced German through Translation, Intensive Elementary French, and my HONORS THESIS!! I'm writing about an Austrian/Israeli author, Doron Rabinovici. I'm at least writing about his newest work, Andernorts, which was published in 2010, but I might use some of his other works as well. As of right now, I'm going to be writing about how Andernorts is a Foucauldian novel, which presents many facets of identity that one assumes are immutable and steadfast, only to show how fragile and constructed they actually are. And I'm going to be writing it in German. Gulp.

Anyway, I'm off to get ready for a 9 AM meeting with the Dean. Happy Tuesday, everyone!

- Katharine

Remember

Let's take a moment to commemorate the victims of September 11th. Many innocent people were taken away because of hate. It's up to us to make sure this doesn't happen again. Not by machine guns or grenades, but the simply act of understanding. As Americans and New Yorkers, we represent every corner of the world. We should take this as an opportunity to learn about other cultures and religions, respect others' differences and create peace. In spite of what has happened, hatred and anger will get us nowhere.

With this in mind, I visited a Holocaust survivor for the first time. Through my Victims of the Holocaust seminar class, Selfhelp (an organization that aids those who have been affected by the Nazis) matched me with him. I was nervous about meeting with him because the Holocaust is such a delicate subject and I didn't want to say the wrong thing, but these fears were quickly alleviated when he started sharing his story the moment I sat down. He told me all the horrors he witnessed, the struggles he faced and the love that kept him holding on. Even though I knew about the tragedies that occurred and saw some photographs in school, I was unprepared for the graphic images he showed me from his archives. Coupled with his personal account, the photos were more than pictures, they told a story. I admired his will to live despite how much pain and loss he suffered. He still believes in God and love and the goodness of people. It's truly amazing to meet him and hear his story. He gave insight into the meaning of life through his tumultuous journey through the world.

To anyone who's looking for an elective, I would highly recommend the Victims of the Holocaust seminar (JSS41003). In addition to being a Jewish Studies and History class, I feel like it is also equal parts a philosophy class because it made me stop and think about morals, ethics and human nature. There is a lot to be learned from history.

The Daily Grind

Two weeks into the fall semester, and I really don't feel like I've gotten used to my schedule at all. Considering we haven't really had a Monday yet, I know I wont get use to the daily flow of this semester until about october.

But I've made my semester start on a great foot. I've lived up to my goal of working out more than before, by going to the Wednesday Zumba classes that Hunter offers. I love it!Its so active and fun- it's really like a dance party! I also am making the extra effort to go to the pool at the dorms at least twice a week, and so far, its been alright. Let's see if I can keep this up!


On a gastronomical note, my taste buds have had a great start too. I just discovered an NYU hangout- cafetasia. Best cheap Thai food ever!

But unfortunately, this is my first semester since freshman year fall semester that I have no days off :( . I have biochem ( only 2 tests and huge lab reports), orgo 2 ( nice lecturer, scared again as hell!), marine geology( not as easy as i thought, but very interesting!), music 101 ( a great refresher and welcome change to my science laden schedule), orgo lab 2 ( so frustratingly laden with menial work, but lab, even though its early in the morning from 8 to12 is pretty interesting), and independent research credits ( the 2nd time im taking it, this time while focusing on marine biology. i got to read 5 research papers and get a genreal idea of a project by thursday. bring it onnnn).


But how am I supposed to face the semester without a reliable internet connection? Brookdale, you gotta shape it up!

Falling into Place

Hi, I am Danielle Gold and I finally feel like I've settled into my sophomore yeat.

Summer vacation went rather fast. My Birthright trip to Israel was absolutely amazing and is a must do if your a Jewish college student. With others from CUNY Hillels, Ihiked, ate and visited a variety of cultural and religious sites. The people there were so amazing. The people were equally cool at my internship at the New-York Historical Society. The hours were long but the diversity of the projects made my 40 hours per week fly by. I can't wait until the museum reopens on 11-11-11. I hope some of my classmates will come with me - its free with our Cultural Passport. My summer online oceanography class was a big commitment on top of my internship, but it made my science requirement a breeze (hehe). My fall semester classes started just days after my summer class finished.

I continue to overextend myself in an attempt to feel active. Yet, in contrast, the first week and a half of school has gone like molasses, washed down by a tropical storm. It feels like months since my family and dragged my new green bedspread and prints up to my tenth floor dorm. (I'm in the same room I was in last year. Hit me up if you haven't already done so :) It wasn't long after that I had to leave the dorm for LI because of Hurricane Irene. I had to go to my aunts, because my family home was in a flood zone. We lost power for a little under a week, although I returned to the dorm Monday morning. Classes have been mostly review of the syllabi and a few readings, yet they kept me from fully attended Macaulay at Hunter's Sophmore reception and the Seminar 3 launch event. I did get to declare my Media Studies major before Labor Day Weekend, which was a four day break for me. It was a good four days filled with ice cream and challah and chinese food and movies and believe-it-or-not unicycles. Perhaps, as much downtime as summer. I feel as though I've fully moved into (aka made a mess of) the dorm and I'm ready for the work to begin!