Our ears and eyes

Hey, everyone!

It's the day after Thanksgiving so I'm betting many of you went shopping earlier today. Brave souls. haha. My mom and I decided that we weren't going to shop today or this weekend because of the crowds. Actually, we made one exception. :p Tomorrow, we're heading for a bit of shopping in Brooklyn just to get some stuff that we need. The plan is to shop for clothes next weekend. Here's to hoping that I get myself some cozy sweaters and a new pair of long black boots. :)

Last weekend, I finished writing my second major paper for my English class, and it was definitely not easy to write. I picked two relatively difficult poems, which I had to break down and put together again in a coherent way. But I think the essay turned out good. It felt great to hand it in and know that I put my all into it.

I only had classes on Monday and Tuesday this week since my English professor cancelled class on Wednesday afternoon (bless his soul). My friends and I had planned to go out for burgers on Wednesday, but then two people said that they couldn't make it so I cancelled the gathering. It's ok though. It's hard to get people together these days. Everyone is on different schedules jam-packed with all kinds of things. It just makes me more grateful for the times that I do get to hang out with them. Here's to hoping we can do something in a few weeks.

On Tuesday, I had a terrible experience with some food I bought at an Asian place. I ordered pad thai because I had tried some at Whole Foods last year and loved it. I took one bite, and it was sooo bad. Omg. Too sweet and too nutty and the chicken had a weird texture. Ugh. I had to throw it out. Oh well. If I hadn't tried it, I wouldn't have known. Now I know to order my regular chicken and broccoli, which that restaurant does a great job with. haha.

That reminds me of something my bio professor said on Tuesday night in class. He said that if scientists didn't take the chance of being "wrong" every once in awhile, they would never get anywhere. You've got to take a chance even if you might be wrong because it can lead you to new and wonderful places.

On Wednesday and Thursday, my mom and I went grocery shopping and cooked. It was a lot of work but totally worth it.

Yummy eggplant rolls

We cooked half the turkey since the whole thing is too much for 4 people.

Levangee (a walnut and tamarind paste that we eat with turkey)

What am I thankful for this year? Good health, love, and peace of mind. 

EDIT: 11/30/2014

In my 11/21 post, I said that I would include photos from my Jewish museum visit, and yesterday, I realized that I totally forgot to do that.

This was my second time seeing their permanent exhibition, Culture and Continuity: The Jewish Journey. The first time was probably about 10 years ago or so. It's great to see how Jewish culture has evolved over time but has also held on to so many of the early traditions. I think this idea is best illustrated by the two menorahs that sit at the entrance to the exhibit. They both represent one of the most famous symbols of Judaism but are made at two different times in history with different materials and for a different purpose.

Burial Plaque, Rome, 3rd-4th Century CE

Utopia Menorah, Jonathan Adler, New York, 2006

I also saw the exhibition on Helena Rubinstein. She was a Polish Jew who became one of the wealthiest women of her time with her creation of a beauty empire. The exhibit includes several portraits of her as well as the many pieces of art that she collected during her lifetime. One cool thing that I found out is that she knew Frida Kahlo (who I adore). How awesome is that? The exhibit also includes her collection of miniature rooms, which are stunningly detailed and just so cool to look at.

The Rubinstein exhibit runs until March 22, 2015.

S.

Quote of the Week 

“Usually when we hear or read something new, we just compare it to our own ideas. If it is the same, we accept it and say that it is correct. If it is not, we say it is incorrect. In either case, we learn nothing.”

~ Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation

In Response: Protests for No Grand Jury Indictment

The announcement that the grand jury failed to indict Darren Wilson for the murder of Michael Brown came in tonight. I just wanted to put a quick word about the aftermath and the protests that some may want to join in on, because I know that Macaulay students and Hunter students like to be active. This post is not about the grand jury's decision, it's simply a reminder for those who want to storm the streets:

Please be careful. Please be safe. Remember that Michael Brown's family has asked for nonviolent protest. Listen to those that are leading the protests, and try not to put yourselves or others at risk. Please do not make this about you and your friends doing something "cool," because that is not the point and that truly will not make a difference (I doubt this is really a necessary reminder). Please, please, please be safe. Remember that hate only breeds hate, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't protest injustice and move for change.

If you are not going to actively protest, please don't forget about Michael Brown. He was our age. He was a teenager. There are funds that you can donate to, if you want to help in that way and I can link you to some if you are interested. Don't forget about the countless others either. And don't just let this turn into a trendy hashtag.

--

For those who may not be completely sure what tonight's decision was about, I also wanted to add just a few words on that. The grand jury was not deciding whether or not Darren Wilson was guilty; the grand jury was tasked with determining whether or not there was any evidence that justified bringing charges against him. Generally, the grand jury is not asked to base their decision on the standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt or even reasonable cause, but only that there was some evidence. This grand jury only needed 9 out of 12 people to indict. It is very rare for grand juries not to indict.

UWS Lights and Poetry

Hi, everyone!

A chilly end to a chilly week. Yikes. That wind was not kidding around today. But it was still so beautiful on the Upper West Side tonight. Lights and people everywhere. Straight out of a NYC movie but even better because I got to walk through it.

I was on the UWS tonight because part of my poem is published in this year's edition of Macaulay Press so I went to pick up my copy tonight. Poetry is something that I both enjoy reading and writing, and I hope to do it for as long as my creative juices flow.

Speaking of poetry, my English class (which focuses on the poetry of Dickinson, Moore, and Stein) this semester has been so different from any English class that I've ever taken. Most professors are very concerned with students having a concrete thesis. Professor Dow doesn't so much focus on a thesis as he does on questions. He asks us to include our questions and confusions about the poems in our essays, and let them be the framework. I think that this is a great way of reading poetry or any difficult text because often when you're able to put what's confusing you into a question, then you're halfway to finding some kind of answer(s) to it. He also encourages us to delve deeply into the difficulty of a poem and not be afraid to have multiple interpretations of a line or a stanza. Poetry is not like 2 + 2, which only has one correct answer. There can be many ways to understand verses because words and patterns of words can be flexible in their meaning. Also, interpretations of a poem vary from person to person because they are shaped by the personal experiences and literary background of the person who happens to be reading it at that moment.

Tomorrow, I'm planning on heading to the Jewish Museum on the Upper East Side for my Jewish history class. It will be my third time going, but my first time writing about it for a class. I'll include pics in my next post. :)

S.

Quote of the Week

“Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” 

~ Mark Twain

Update in the Brookdale Toilets!

This is probably a really weird post, but I went and took this picture especially for the blog because they've changed the toilet roll holders. And this is such a mundane thing, really, but if you've ever been to Brookdale you know that the loo roll literally ends up everywhere, so hopefully this will change that!

A Week of Indian Food

Sorry to be posting again so soon after my last post (which is right below this one, I bet). I just realized I totally have never told anyone on this blog about food and how much I love it.

Before coming to college, I was what you could call a picky eater. I always ordered the same thing at the same five restaurants. I didn't like spicy food, or weird soups, or whatever. Now, I am still a picky eater. I still get Caesar salad at every Italian restaurant I go to. But my culinary tastes have expanded since I've entered college, specifically because of Indian food. There is an entire neighborhood near my dorm that is entirely Indian. We call it Curry Hill (get it? Murray Hill?). Since coming to college, I have been exposed to so many different types of food, from falafel sandwiches to chicken curry that I never really thought I would like, let alone truly enjoy.

Normally, I eat at this takeout/buffet Indian place called Curry Express on 29th and Lexington. A lot of people at the dorms either order from here or from Curry in a Hurry, which is around the corner on 28th and Lexington. Depends on your preference (I don't like bones in my chicken, so I don't order from Curry in a Hurry; it's also a tad more expensive). But, I have never been to a sit-down Indian place. The takeout place is cheap and frankly very good, though the atmosphere is a bit lacking. I went to Dhaba on Tuesday night and it was crazy good; really nice atmosphere and delicious food. Then I went to Malai Marke on the Lower East Side, which I didn't even know was owned by the same company as Dhaba until I got there. Malai Marke is a much quieter atmosphere, and somehow the food is better than Dhaba (slightly less spicy, which is better for me).

When I wasn't eating at a restaurant, I was eating leftovers. So this week has been a week filled with love, beauty, and naan.

P.S. Just ate the Curried Butternut Squash Chicken soup from Hale and Hearty and almost cried because it was basically Indian food and it was equally delicious.

The Dreaded Seminar Registration

Hey everyone!

So this past Tuesday I had my first registration that didn't involve the stress of registering for seminar. As a Macaulay student, you're required to take four seminars, one each semester for two years. Since every Macaulay student MUST take these seminars, naturally there's fierce competition for the best professors (or the easiest ones). Though Macaulay students register before most of the general school population, there's a hierarchy within the students based on number of credits. If you have more credits, you could be registering 15 minutes before someone else. And let me tell you, those 15 minutes are the most important minutes of existence in this case. Those 15 minutes can be the determining factor of whether you get your preferred seminar professor or time, or whether you're stuck with a terrible time; or worse the dreaded staff. It could determine whether you even get into an honors-only class. It's so intense. Unfortunately, some people have to take a certain class based on their schedule and get shut out because of the competition.

For people who still have to deal with seminar/honors class registration, here's a couple tips:

1. Vet the professors, if you have their names. Sometimes not all the names are announced ahead of time (though they should be). Look the person up on ratemyprofessor.com and on Hunter's OWL teacher rating's system. Sometimes the professor doesn't work at Hunter at all, or isn't technically a professor (this happened to me twice; once with my seminar 1 professor who was a professional postmodern dance choreographer; again with my seminar 4 professor who was a retired journalist and writer). When this happens, just google their names. Often, you can find what their focus/interest is in academia. Determine whether you'd like that type of class. Not all seminars are the same, or focus on the same things. My seminar 3 class, though it was about Science and Technology, was actually an Environmental Philosophy class (which was perfect for me).
2. Non-professors can sometimes be better than professors. My seminar 4 professor had so many connections with people in the city, and he brought a lot of interesting people in to talk to us. Not every professor can do that.
3. Once you've decided who you like/what subject you'd be interested in most, see which seminars fit best into your schedule. Have a first choice (I call this my perfect schedule). But also have at least two other choices, because odds are your first choice is the most popular professor. Format schedules around multiple seminars, if you can. Be prepared to get shut out of your first choice.
4. Add all of your classes to your CUNYfirst shopping cart BEFORE your registration appointment. I cannot stress this enough. Last thing you want to be doing is searching for classes while people are taking the spots in your seminar. Once they're all in your shopping cart, you can just click one button and be registered, just like that.
5. If none of the seminar times work for you, there's always a cross-campus option at the Macaulay building. It's kind of a pain to get there, but it's better than having no seminar at all or having to change all of your classes around to accommodate one of them.
6. Don't choose a seminar professor based on what everyone else is doing. Although it's fun to have friends in seminar, since there are a lot of group projects, it's not as important as enjoying the subject. Choose the professor and subject that will work for you.
7. Also realize that if you can't find this perfect fit, and there's only one seminar class that fits into your jam-packed schedule, it's not the end of the world. Seminar should be an enjoyable experience. You will get something out of it. I walked into my seminar 1 class and was bombarded with tons of postmodern dance theory reading. That week, when I met up with my dad to talk about how my first week of classes was going, I determined that this class was too much work for me and that I wouldn't be able to do it. I was totally wrong. It was a lot of work, and it was hard, but I got a lot out of the class. I learned to appreciate a subject I never would have thought twice about.

That's about all the tips I have for seminar registration. I'm so glad I no longer have to go through this. Fortunately, I got all the classes I wanted for next semester: WGS 201 (Classics in Feminist Thought), PHILO 218 (Revolutions in Modern Philosophy), ENGL 320 (Multi-Cultural Literature), an honors course called Hysteria, and WGS 200.11 (Feminist Perspectives on Pornography). This will finish off my English major (except for the honors thesis), move me along in my Philosophy major, and make my WGS minor three-quarters complete. Moving along!

November Chills and Bloomingdale's

Hi, everyone!

So on Tuesday, I finally did that bio presentation that I've been telling you all about for the last few weeks. I'm happy to say that it went well! When I'm nervous, I have a tendency to speak quickly, but this time I was able to keep my composure so that my voice sounded strong throughout the 15 minutes. Win.

The same day that I presented, we had some glorious weather. It felt like we were in the middle of spring! Sunny, warm, and just generally fun to be outside. Now, it's cold and windy. But it's ok. We've been blessed with a mild fall thus far so I'm ok with temperatures dipping down. As much as the cold can be unpleasant, my mind also associates it with the holidays. So when that bitter wind comes knocking, I always think about the warmth of Thanksgiving at home and the lights on the Upper East Side during December.

Tuesday was also the day of my LAST EVER CLASS REGISTRATION at Hunter. OMG. No more anxiously looking at the clock as I stress about whether I'll have technical issues with CUNYfirst or a particular department. But I'm also a little sad that I won't have to register for classes ever again. I don't know how the process works in med school, but I imagine it doesn't involve the same procedures.

Like the last few semesters, this registration went smoothly, and I got all of the classes that I wanted. One less thing to worry about.

Today was great because I finally got myself to Bloomingdale's again. The first and last time I went there was in Fall 2011 (my freshman year). I remember being dressed in a hoodie and jeans and just walking in and ogling the pretty clothes for awhile. haha. I looked down at my clothes and found myself underdressed. I remember thinking: "OMG, everyone is probably wondering what I'm doing here. I don't look like I belong here."

I've been meaning to go back all of these years but never got around to it even though it's just a few blocks from Hunter. So today, my friend was looking for a blazer and when I mentioned that I hadn't been there for 3 years, he said that we should go. And there we were among all of the beautiful clothes. This time I was more appropriately dressed. I had on a beautiful red coat and a printed dress. But I realize that it really has nothing to do with my clothes at all. Yes, my style has evolved over time. If you ever see me outside, 9 times out of 10, I will have on a well-thought out outfit. But it's not about the clothes. The clothes help, but the attitude is what matters the most. You can easily walk into Bloomingdale's or down Madison Avenue in workout clothes or jeans and a tee and still look like you belong there. It's about how you carry yourself. That's what is wonderful about this city. You don't have to be rich or have fancy clothes or a fancy education. You just need to walk with confidence, and you will feel just as comfortable in a Dolce and Gabbana store as you do at your local bodega. That's what I would tell my 18-year-old self if I could.

S.

Quote of the Week

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

~ Mahatma Gandhi

It's Been A While; and Top Tip: Registration

Sooo..... It's been a while. This is where I could embed a photo of me trying to be all cute and hiding behind my hands in embarrassment. I won't, but we can say I did. I do wish that I could say I have been doing something amazing, like skiing the Alps (I don't know how to ski) or writing a novel (I do have an idea that I love, but the actual writing part of it...). Really, I've just been busy with school and my internship; which, I suppose, is actually pretty good too. I am continuing with the internship that I started in the summer, and I love it so much. My job has changed quite a bit, become less about the legal and hands-on work and more about graphics and design, but that is totally okay with me. I am still working with some clients and still getting to see the inside of the court, but the focus is different now that the organization has more lawyers on staff and law research interns as well.

Top Tip: Registration

Now that spring registration is approaching, however, I just thought that I would come and say something that I think everyone should think about. This semester I'm taking a computer science class, and I'm really enjoying it (for the most part, part of me wishes I'd chosen the more advanced option because I really don't need to learn about how to install software). That combined with my recent work with my internship has really got me thinking that if I had taken compsci earlier I might have been able to turn it into a minor (or even a triple major). It's a little late now, unless I want to be at Hunter forever, but I think it's important that people who do have a little more time stop to think. If there is something that you think you may even have the slightest interest in, do it. Just take the risk and take the class. Or, outside of class, take the risk and do whatever it is that you think you may be interested in. I knew that I wanted to take compsci to complete the non-lab science since I started at Hunter, but didn't take it until this semester and I am regretting it a little. Don't do that. If you get the opportunity, jump on it and maybe you'll discover something that you love.

Missing Movies

So I haven't written a post in awhile, mostly because I've gotten caught up in midterms and whatnot (midterms month!). I will write more after some craziness has subsided, but here's a small snippet of what I've been doing lately:

• I went home last weekend and remembered what it was like to watch a great movie. For those of you who know me, I am a movie junkie. When living at home on Long Island, I used to go see a movie almost every weekend at my local cinema. My family is actually hugely into seeing movies together, and our tastes usually line up, so we go to the cinema quite a lot to see indie films. It's a nice family bonding experience. Living in the city has starved me of this experience, since I have neither the time nor money to go see movies regularly. This weekend, even amongst all of the midterm prep I had to do, I got the chance to go home and see two amazing movies (one for my brother's birthday, the other just for bonding time with my dad): Birdman and Gone Girl. Birdman was a crazy, surrealist, magical realist masterpiece. Really great performances all around, but especially Michael Keaton and Edward Norton. Gone Girl was another David Fincher thriller--again, amazing performances all-around. I've been meaning to read the book by Gillian Flynn. A lot of people are saying this is a misogynistic movie and I completely disagree. Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne kills it (no pun intended); there were a lot of moments where my (not so) inner feminist screamed with joy. A lot of passages are spot-on, but I'll save my inner glee for the book itself, which is unfortunately checked out of every single NYPL location and also every library in Suffolk County!
• I had two midterms this week. I cried a lot and my hands hurt from writing.
• After my intense day of midterms, I had two days off because two of my teachers cancelled classes. So I had a mini break/weekend in the middle of the week to relax and regain my strength (and feeling in my hands). I'm proud to say that I did absolutely zero work during this time.
• I went to see two of the exhibits at the FIT museum. One was a history of lingerie, the other of dance costumes. It was a gross and rainy day but I wanted to make it out of the dorm for some culture to reward myself for all my hard work. That night I went to the Open Mic at the Brookdale dorms. The first open mic was nearly 3 hours long because there were so many acts. Probably because the freshmen were excited about being part of the community. There was a noticeably smaller lineup this time, whittled down to just the dedicated handful of musicians and performers who weren't overwhelmed by midterms and work. It's always nice to see the talent of my classmates, and to just relax and listen to some music.
• It's always good to have passive interests in college because they give you things to do outside of school work. I love reading poetry as much as the next person, and academic interests are nice, but sometimes I just want to go to a concert, or read a non-academic book, or look at clothes for a couple of hours. These are the things that keep you sane, keep you from becoming your workload.

This will have to suffice for my post for now, since I have so much work to do. I'll leave you with part of a poem I read recently. I strongly suggest you look up the rest of the poem, since these parts really don't do it justice:

V

I do not know which to prefer,

The beauty of inflections

Or the beauty of innuendoes,

The blackbird whistling

Or just after.

...

XIII

It was evening all afternoon.

It was snowing

And it was going to snow.

The blackbird sat

In the cedar-limbs.

-Wallace Stevens, "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird"

Teach a man to fish...

Hey, everyone!

I spent last weekend writing up the first draft of my paper for my gene regulation class. It definitely required a lot of reading and patience to get through enough of the material to have a solid first draft. But I did it! Yay! haha.

Our second draft is due on the 25th so my plan is to actively work on the paper till then.

The same day that I handed in my draft also happened to be Election Day. After editing the draft in the morning, I voted and then headed to class. I know that many people choose not to vote because they feel like they can't make a difference, but they're wrong. If there are low voter turnouts, then politicians will feel like they don't need to campaign so widely and strategically. But if they see that voters are educated and that they will speak up, the politicians will step up to the plate as well. Basically, if we, as voters, become cynical and lazy about voting then politicians will think it's ok for them to be vague and do whatever they think is best instead of listening to their constituents. So what I'm really saying is "Get out there, and vote!" There are many people in the world who don't have the right to vote, and we should be grateful that we do. This country isn't perfect, but I like to think that we're progressing all the time.

We're currently studying Marianne Moore in my English class, and on Monday, we'll be reading some E.E. Cummings because Moore wrote an essay about his work.

Here is a Cummings poem that I love:

since feeling is first
who pays any attention
to the syntax of things
will never wholly kiss you;

wholly to be a fool
while Spring is in the world
my blood approves,
and kisses are a better fate
than wisdom
lady i swear by all flowers. Don't cry
- the best gesture of my brain is less than
your eyelids' flutter which says

we are for each other; then
laugh, leaning back in my arms
for life's not a paragraph

And death i think is no parenthesis

Today was great because I got to run some errands, and unlike the majority of the population, I LOVE running errands! For me, they always feel like an adventure.

Then, my friend and I headed to Central Park, and took some beautiful photos. It was definitely chilly outside, but the trees and water were beautiful. And that made walking through the cold wind worth it.

S.

Quote of the Week

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

~ Maimonides

My First Post!

Hello everyone!

My name is Katherine, and I am a freshman here at Macaulay Hunter. This is my first blog post here on the Macaulay Hunter Blog, and I’m glad to be here. I really love reading blogs, and I think the idea of the MacBlog for prospective freshmen is absolutely brilliant.

I apologize for not posting on this blog before now. It’s been a stressful first two months of college – but it’s better now (more about that in later posts!).

Anyway, I want to start off by introducing myself! 

Some random facts about me:

• I am from Queens, and went to a large private high school with a graduating class of 652 people.
• I’m most definitely a social media junkie. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Snapchat – you name it, I probably have it. However, I am notorious for deactivating accounts or deleting apps on my phone during midterms and finals – and definitely suggest to others on doing the same! You get so much more done.
• Eating, shopping, and running are all therapeutic to me.
• I love going to zoos and aquariums!
• I am currently an Undeclared major, but am considering majoring in Economics and minoring in Chemistry, or vice-versa.
•  My hobbies include trying new restaurants, listening to and going to Spoken Word poetry shows, doing makeup and spending endless hours watching YouTube beauty gurus, and reading blogs (Ironic, isn’t it?).

Like most other freshman in the Macaulay Hunter Class of 2018, I live in the Brookdale Residence Hall. It’s free for the first two years with your Macaulay scholarship, guys! I grew up in one of a suburban area of Queens bordering Long Island, so going from an area of green grass, tall trees, and gingerbread-like houses to living in Manhattan was quite a change. The first week of living at Brookdale was sleepless to say the least. No worries though; you get used it. Don’t let that scare you.

As mentioned before, each room here is a single -- and personally, I love that. I actually have more privacy here than I do in my house back in Queens! For me, having a single is awesome. You have the privacy of your own room to sleep in, study in, and take care of (No worrying about smelly or disorganized roommates!), but can easily text your friends who live in the same building as you to come to your room or meet in the dorm. It’s ridiculously convenient.

Here's a shot of my room:

I really enjoy living here. Because we at Macaulay Hunter have guaranteed dorms for the first two years, we have a great sense of community that other campuses may not have. Almost everyone here in our program knows each other. That’s rare, especially in a commuter school.

After my first two months being here, I am proud to say that I made the right college decision in choosing a program that challenges me, has a wonderful support system of advisors, and has a great community.

That’s all for now, and I’ll definitely be updating you all soon on what’s been going on with me! :) 

- Katherine