MacBlog - Students at Macaulay Hunter speak out!

A Perfect Semester Isn't Perfect w.o. Dissections and Chemical Explosions

2012-02-01T18:16:00.000-08:00

Well its actually really nice to be back in college. I needed something to do and this semester is sure proving to be one of the most exciting ones yet (granted its only the second....but still). Chem lab will be challenging but only because of the danger that surrounds it. When compared with biology, there will be way more broken beakers in chem. On the other hand, biology lab this semester is all about dissecting everything from an earthworm to a pig. It reminds me of my anatomy & physiology class in high school where we dissected everything from an eyeball to a pregnant female cat. The lab component for both science classes has the potential to be the highlight of my semester. The last time I was in a chemistry lab, I was a freshmen in high school. I remember how cool it was to light the Bunsen burner (and did I mention we now have to light it with a match instead of a striker?) and perform all sorts of chemical tests (most memorable: exploding gummy bear fireworks).

Long walks, Labs, and New Beginnings

2012-02-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. =)

I hope everyone's semester has started off on a good point. I can already tell that mine will be a busy and challenging one. haha. But nothing worth having is ever achieved with ease.
Today is my early day so I was able to take some time to myself. Since it was such a gorgeous day, I decided to take a walk. I ended up walking from Hunter to 40th Street. There's something about being in the middle of all of NYC's chaos that makes me so incredibly at peace and hopeful. We all know that this world and our lives are not perfect, but seeing people out there doing what they can to enjoy this life and make the most of it is fantastic.
The work is already piling up for my classes, but it keeps me busy and in a way, it feels good to be busy. This doesn't mean that I enjoy having 8:00 A.M. classes three days week (haha), but I came to college to better myself and I think I'm doing that.
Something that I've been thinking about this week: It's very difficult, but not impossible, to change yourself and your lifestyle. I think it's important for all of us to really "face" ourselves and look at our flaws and imperfections. It's impossible to be perfect, but it's perfectly possible to make small changes in how you interact with others and with the world in order to be a better person. People should never be stagnant. Stagnation makes life boring. Change, although difficult, is what makes life interesting and wonderful.

Quote of the week:

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them."
~ George Bernard Shaw

S.

Interviews, Nook, New Years Resolutions

2012-01-26T16:50:00.000-08:00

Well tomorrow is the first day of class. I've been thinking alot about how I want to tackle this semester. I was pleased with the fall but I am absoluteky convinced I can do better. Hence why Ive pre outlined four bio chapters and two chem ones, plus I even got a head start with OWL. I feel extremely glad I did thus. Speaking of which, I am writing this blog from my new Nook tablet. I absolutely adore my Nook, its perfect for reading (no more late night reading by the fire) andI can carry by school notes with me at all times. Completely worth the week I spent bidding on ebay (winning it on New Years Eve), and the other week I spent tracking the package from two different post offices, each claiming the other one had it.

Anyhow this vacation allowed me to distribute my time between exploring my other interests such as calligraphy and writing and working with my parents. Its quite nice when your parents upholster furniture, Ive been to some of the coolest restaurants and most gorgeous townhouses in the city. I also helped during the interviews for the potential class of 2016. I was present during the first and last night. First night I was a greeter, I simply directed kids where to go from the lobby. Although there wasnt much time to talk to the kids, I solved this problem the second time around. The last night I was initially signing the interviewers in but when my friend needed someone else to accompany her downstairs I went with her. So this time, instead of simply telling the kids where to go, we personally took them up. This gave me a chance to ask them how they were and to ask them if they had any questions. I love talking to them because I was once in their position and I cam certainly think of ways that it could have gone better.

I always love volunteering at events like this, even in high school I adored helping out at PTC, open houses and schoo lfairs. I even some from people from Townsend Harris at the interviews. Its amazing the diversity of students that apply to Macaulay, their backgrounds (out of state), intended majors (environmental science) and overall look. Some wore suitsand were completely confident. Others were much nervous so I tried my best to ease their doubts. One guy told me he was tired and I told him to wake up, he needed to be alert and ready. It was quite nice to tall about my experiences at hunter and it really helped me to solidify my growing sense of belonging here.

19, Winter Break, and Chanel

2012-01-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Bonjour everyone!!!!
The spring semester starts this Friday and with it the start of my daily train commute, bleary eyes, and pre-med life. haha. I'm definitely excited for this semester. I enjoyed my first semester and look forward to a challenging, but thrilling second semester.
NYC had its first snowfall of the year this past weekend. I've been waiting for the snow to come for weeks, but I guess the snow God had enough fun with NYC last year and took his snowflakes elsewhere this year. haha. I missed the feeling of the crunch of the snow underneath my feet.

I've had a very relaxing break filled with lots of reading, watching TV and movies, sleeping, and daydreaming. It's going to feel strange to go back to school after such a relaxing month.

I got to see one of my friends from high school this past Thursday. We decided to go to Brighton Beach in Brooklyn and walk on the boardwalk. I had a great time. Since it's the middle of winter and it was a particularly cold day, we basically had the entire beach to ourselves--it was just us, a bunch of seagulls, and a few old Russian couples. haha (oh and we found this horseshoe crab shell on the sand right next to the boardwalk): =p

This past Saturday, I watched a French movie (there are English subtitles) called "Coco Avant Chanel", which translates into "Coco Before Chanel". If you're interested in Coco Chanel or just in fashion, then you will love this movie. It depicts her youth and her struggles to find love and become successful. It's really a fantastic movie and Chanel is so incredibly inspiring.

Yesterday was my 19th birthday. It was a great day--just a quiet birthday with family and some great chocolate cake. My dad started this tradition of getting me roses on my birthday a few years ago. Here are the 19 roses he got me yesterday:

I think I'll end each of my blog posts with a quote this semester.

Courage is not the lack of fear but the ability to face it."
---- Lt. John B. Putnam Jr. (1921-1944)

S.

School!

2012-01-22T19:38:00.000-08:00

I have very vivid memories of crying in the back of my mom's 1995 Ford Taurus when she dropped me off for preschool. Multiple vivid memories. Multiple mornings. All of a sudden when we pulled up to the drop off point I'd mimic the symptoms of a major depressive who drank too much the night before and woke up in a pool of tears and old love letters, and throw myself down into the seat and refuse to go in to school.

Well, I'm happy to report that I do not actually do that at Hunter.

Maybe its just the fact that at Hunter I feel that I am really taking ownership of my future, or I am motivated to do good with a career in mind and a GPA to work hard for. Or maybe its that Hunter College does not force feed me rice krispies every morning and there is no weird fat kid pushing me down the slide as if I were his hostage and we were running from the authorities.

All in all, I'd say I really am ready for the new semester. I am actually really looking forward to school, something I never thought I'd say. Not only do I get to go back to the dorm and see my friends, but I get to go to class! I'm actually excited about going to class. I like doing well and applying myself. I'm pretty determined to do well this semester and I can't wait to apply this energy. I'm also working 40 hours a week and I'm...eager...to see what kind of workload I will have and how exactly I'll be scheduling my life this time around.

Anthro-Human Evolution, and Statistical Psychology are most likely going to be what require most of my time. So that will mean a lot of studying in the ambulance and a lot of late night outline creating. I wonder if I will look back at this time in my life through a romantic lens and if all of this will seem very artistic. Maybe I should study at a bakery or read in Washington Square Park.

Bye.

Michael

Back to the grind

2012-01-19T13:19:00.000-08:00

The Spring semester starts next week and I feel totally unprepared! Well, that's a lie. I'm prepared but not really looking forward to waking up before noon every day again. January flew by and I was in this sort of surreal state. I think I'm so used to long summer vacations that a long vacation in the winter is just confusing. I almost don't believe that I've been away from school for this long.

The highlight of my month off was definitely my trip to Philadelphia, where I attended the annual joint conference of the Archaeological Institute of America and the American Philological Association. It was basically a four day conference filled with all this classics related! There were 3000+ people attending, with over 100 lectures and presentations, workshops, receptions (a fancy word for parties) and an "agora" (as I called it) of Universities, publishing companies, and program directors trying to sell books, trips, and anything related to the study of philology and archaeology. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've had since I declared my major. I shared a room with four equally excited classmates and we all had a great time and met tons of people interested in the same things we are interested in. I even saw four of my professors there.

Naturally, after this, coming back to Hunter for a class seems a bit underwhelming. But I am excited about my classes this semester. I'm continuing to study classical Greek and Latin and I'm starting to learn German! (Actually, I'm not that excited about German. I'm kind of terrified.) I'm also taking a seminar offered by my department taught by one of my favorite Professors. This should be an interesting four months.

Hope you all enjoy your last few days of freedom. You will find me passed out on my fluffy bed until next friday.

xoxo

NOT study abroad, but abroad...

2012-01-16T16:25:00.000-08:00

My dad and I landed in Dublin this morning bright (well, the sun was just starting to rise, so not quite) and early at a little after 8AM. After getting very little sleep on our 5.5 hour flight from Philly to Dublin (we had to connect after a flight from NYC to Philly) we were both pretty tired, but since we couldn’t check in to our hotel until 2PM, we decided to hit the ground running. After driving around the city for awhile, we decided to go to the Guinness Storehouse…

where I learned about how Guinness is made, the history of the company…

watched some funny Guinness commercials from the 1950s, and…

learned how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness. We also had a great view of Dublin from the bar at the top of the storehouse…

We had made our way through the storehouse at a fairly leisurely pace, stopping for breakfast (scones, mmmmm) and of course, for the pint of Guinness included with our tickets, so by the time we left, it was about 1PM. After awhile spent figuring out where our hotel was and how to get there, we checked in. I must say, coming to Ireland during the “off-season” means you get great deals. Our hotel room is only 90 Euros a night, the room has a balcony with a great view…

…the hotel has a pool, and right after we settled in we had a bottle of Prosecco delivered to our door.

After I ventured out to find us lunch at a nearby supermarket, and got on the internet to check in with people back home, both my Dad and I conked out for a few hours. When I woke up, it was almost 7. We decided to walk over to the center of Dublin on O’Connell street and explore Temple Bar, a known tourist hub with lots of pubs and nightclubs, which serve an interesting contrast to the the medieval cobblestone streets. On the way caught a glimpse of the “Occupy” movement outside of the Bank of Ireland. We sat down at one of the many pubs for dinner, and I enjoyed some delicious Guinness battered beef pie with mashed potatoes…

(since I started the day with Guinness, I figured I should end it the same way).

Then we found a Starbucks! Hooray! It’s always interesting to me the things that are different at American franchises in other countries, but one thing that’s the same is free wifi! We whipped out our Kindle Fires and took advantage of this (the internet I’m using right now is through an ethernet cable). I looked up tipping in Ireland, since we had been uncertain at the restaurant (we left a tip as we should have, but apparently tipping for other services as you would in America is not expected).

Then we walked back to the hotel, and hopefully we’ll get a good night’s sleep so we can be fresh to take on Dublin again tomorrow. We’re going to see if we can get out hotel room for another night in the morning.

Kaitlyn

Vacation?

2012-01-02T22:59:00.000-08:00

The holidays are over. :( I hope everyone had as much fun as I did.

I am not taking a winter class this semester. I did last year, and although it was an interesting class, it was such a pain traveling in the aftermath of the blizzard. I advise all those planning to take a winter class to do so only if its offered online or if you really need to take it. Perhaps you should consider staying at hunter because it was quite difficult to travel from Queens in the snow.

I am planning on using this month to start prepping for the GRE. The GRE is essentially an SAT-style exam for graduate schools. I bought a few books and hopefully will be prepared by the end of this semester because I want to apply to schools in the fall. Most people brush off the GRE because a lot of it is review, but if you are planning on going to graduate school, you should take this exam seriously and prepare for it. I looked at some prep classes and most are around 1000$!! I am not willing to pay that much money. I will be prepping on my own with the help of practice tests. I think that is a great idea as long as I stay focused and actually do the work! (Which may be a bit harder to do without the structure of a class.) But I will devote one day a week to studying and I hope I stick to this plan.

Anyway, I hope you are all keeping warm! The weather is beginning to get very harsh.

xoxo

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T15:28:00.001-08:00

Hope everyone had as much fun last night as I did :)

Since my last blog entry I have completed two huge research papers, received an A on both, taken finals, received my first grade other than an A in a class (a B in Political Philosophy - which I consider pretty good considering how much I struggled with the subject) and celebrated Christmas! Oh, and I made a short "film" for my Imagining the End of the World class with my bff and classmate, a Macaulay @ Baruch student. Here it is for those interested - it's amazing how many hours went into such a short video, and how amateurish it still is! But considering our lack of experience, I think we did a good job. And we had alot of fun.

ttfn

Kaitlyn

kt.ohagan@gmail.com

Just Dance is the most beautiful game I have ever played

2011-12-25T22:11:00.000-08:00

I feel happy. Because it's break, I have no work, and I have oodles of time to eat, sleep, read, and occasionally daydream. And play Just Dance on the Wii, which has just become a relatively big phenomenon in my family. It's like we never knew exercise could be fun or something. And for someone that will freely admit to being...erm, not the best dancer, shall we say...I win a lot!
You might be wondering how my finals went, seeing as I kept trying to repress their existence. Well, my finals were the 22nd, and I had a paper due the 21st[1] I had a full week of considerably less stress than a lot of students with earlier exams. So, of course, I did the logical thing, which was to go home and read the second book of a series that just came out. And then I fell into a slight depression after I finished it and read the cliffhanger and sobbed over the very intricate love triangle [2] and could wasted more time rereading said book, and throwing myself on the bed to properly sob about the lives of my fictional characters. [3]And basically I found myself, two days before my finals, completely unprepared. Cramming became my only option, and I learned that a) the library is a nice place, except when you’re bored you notice a lot of things. Like people’s shoes. And you can’t go on youtube to watch trailers take breaks.[4] But I ended up getting 4 hours of sleep before my finals, and then learned that when stressed, I am capable of running on a few handfuls of Honey Bunches of Oats, and 2 clementines.[5]

And now, thankfully, that episode[6] of my life is over! So I’m making lists of Things Amirah Must Accomplish Over Break, which includes watching movies (Sherlock Holmes!), reading books, and being a super bum. Needless to say, I’m very excited about this.

Anyway, have a good break everyone!

[1] For which we had to use footnotes/endnotes. And I really love them. They’re so cool. So I decided to commemorate the coolness of endnotes/footnotes and use them in this blog. Original, I know.

[2] Which I still can’t figure out to to resolve…one of them is going to get hurt. Or someone has to die. Why do people have to die?! Why?! I think I’m still emotionally traumatized by this book. Which, in case you were wondering, is Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare.

[3] That I realize I am overly invested in…but still. Why can’t characters who love each other be together?! WHY?!

[4] Which I suppose, is the point of going to the library, but still. It’s sad.

[5] Have I ever mentioned the depth of my love for clementines? I could write poems about that fruit. In fact, I probably have already.

[6] Speaking of episodes, I’m also going to watch so many shows OMG. I know I mention said shows in almost every blog post…so I’m finally gonna watch them!

Done with the First Semester!!

2011-12-24T18:12:00.000-08:00

Hello. =)

This will be my final blog entry for this semester. It's been a great semester filled with lots of laughter, studying, frustration, and excitement. I'm so grateful for the chance to be a part of the Macaulay program. I know the next four years are going to be a great ride. =)
I've also really enjoyed writing for this blog. It's like a diary in which I can write my weekly experiences with school and life in general. In four years, I'll probably look back at all of the stuff I wrote and laugh at my 18 year-old self. haha.
Enjoy the break, everyone! Make sure you spend lots of time with family and friends. Also, spend a little time doing something interesting/cool for yourself. We've all worked hard and deserve to relax a bit.

Happy Holidays!!

Much Love,

S.

Goodbye, Fall 2011

2011-12-23T23:08:00.000-08:00

Is this semester over? Where has Fall 2011 gone?

Its 2 am, two nights before Christmas, and I am finally home from the dorms. I am finally home!!! Nothing feels as good as my queen sized bed, giant TV and my moms fresh apple pie, especially after this week. My finals were pretty rough this semester. I spent the last week in pajamas ever single day, eating peanut butter and jelly for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And I slept a total of maybe 20 hours the whole week. But, its all over (well, after I finish the essay that I'm supposed to be writing for my honors history class, which is due tomorrow.)

Hunter was incredibly crowded. The library was constantly packed, so I found a better place to study: the Classics Department library on the 13th floor. My classmates requested the keys from the secretary of the Classics Department and we had the whole room to ourselves. Very peaceful change from the bustling library.

I also was busy the week before because I had to write two research papers. The books I needed for the papers were in the Watson Library, the research library at the Met. (Not the Nolen Library, which is the education library at the Met - I think.) Its a really great place to study and it has TONS of books. So, if anyone is interested in art, history, art history (haha), or archaeology, this is the place to be!! Chances are, if you take a class related to one of these fields, you will need to write plenty of papers, and the Watson has tons of information.

Anyway, I'm off to get some sleep so I can wake up early and finish this assignment before Christmas!! Happy Holidays.

xoxo

Christmas, part 2

2011-12-18T16:14:00.001-08:00

It wouldnt let me upload what I think is the best part of all hehe

Holly Jolly Christmas!

2011-12-18T16:05:00.000-08:00

To brighten everyone's spirits, here are pictures, as promised!!

Breaking Down

2011-12-13T20:52:00.000-08:00

In the few moments that I have to myself while the internet at the Brookdale dorms is characteristically being slow, I write to find peace. No really, this is actually pretty therapeutic. Just taking this one little minute before I have to study for 4 finals is actually a great time to pause my brain. I have to study for biochem and orgo (on the same day, aye!), marine geology and music. Not too bad, I won't overly complain. But with a research paper, an interview, a recital that I'm a part of, and a lab report ( I think I'm missing something, and if I am, God have mercy on my soul so that I remember it on time) for the next 6 days, I really dont know how I'm going to do this without a little push from above , concentration, hard work, endurance, and my momma's cooking. Suggestion: dont take heavy duty sciences with 2 labs, and pile on your credits. Its doable, until midterms week and finals week dawn upon you.

But really, if we are to succeed in studying for these tests and doing our work in a sane manner, the dorms definitely need a bigger, quieter and less smellier place to study than the cafeteria-turned "study" lounge. Especially considering that the Brookdale library closes at 11pm on weekdays, even during finals week. Rather than having to trek to the Baruch library, which gets crowded fast all the time, and has the strictest security and no food policies around, the health professions library should be open longer during finals week, and/or a second lounge should be opened for quiet study 24/7. Just walking past the crowded (literally every table was taken!) cafeteria was a study bummer in it of itself.

Enough about classes and finals though, you must have heard that all on Facebook. Despite having not the best of places to study, a laundry room that almost burnt my clothes ( the dryer was so overheated it smelled like smoke and looked like it was on fire- rumor has it they're fixing it soon), and an extremely hot dorm room, I don't want to sound like I'm completely bashing on and highlighting Hunter's faults. Today, I had the best sandwich/panini ever! And, it was from Hunter! It was heated to perfection, with cheese melting, smoked turkey, crisp applewood bacon, warm whole wheat bread, and pretty fresh lettuce. Of course, it was overpriced, but for my lunch (and dinner), it was the best meal I had for a while.

I really hope my groggy and impatient finals week alter ego makes her last stand soon, because I would really love to enjoy the city before Christmas! I wish all of you good luck!:)

PS- Next time I post, I promise to show a picture of my decorated room:D

Richard, "The Cow That Couldn't Moo", and Sparkly Trees

2011-12-11T17:14:00.001-08:00

This past week was the last full week of classes of this semester.
Reflections from this semester:
I can't believe my first semester of college is almost over. It all seems so surreal. I graduated from high school less than 6 months ago, but it feels like ages ago. College makes the future more real. It's all in front of me right now. As kids, we would ask each other, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" There's more pressure than ever to have an answer to that question. We're all supposed to figure out what we want out of our lives, and I think people's biggest fear is never figuring out what role we play in this world. But even for people who've known what they've wanted to do since they were 10, college takes everything they thought they knew and turns it upside down and inside out. It makes you question everything and really look deep and figure out what you REALLY WANT out of life. What are you willing to work for? What are you willing to commit to? What makes you tick?

Enough of the serious stuff. =p
Some stuff from this week:

1. My Arts in NYC class performed our musical on Wednesday in Hunter College's Lang Recital Hall. We worked on it all semester and it turned out great! I had some really talented people in my class who really put in a lot of work to make the musical a success. Professor Graff also really made that class fun for all of us. Prospective students: If you find yourself at Macaulay Hunter, take his seminar class. You won't regret it. He's a great professor.
2. Thursday was a really cold day in the city. I decided to take a short walk down Park Avenue just to get some air. That short walk turned into walking 14 blocks down to East 54th Street and then 14 blocks back up (because I didn't feel like taking the train during rush hour)! It was a really beautiful night and there were trees coverd in lights all down Park Avenue. I really felt that holiday season magic with all the pretty lights, beautiful store displays, and people shopping and just walking. If I could capture all of that energy in a jar and inhale it during finals week, I wouldn't have to sleep all week. =p
3. I did some holiday shopping with my mom this weekend. We actually bought a present for ourselves--a giant bear that my mom named Richard. So Richard has a new home this holiday season. =)

Good luck with finals, everyone! (And wish me luck on my bio and chem finals!!)

Happy Holidays!!

S.

Finals, finals, and more finals.

2011-12-11T12:15:00.000-08:00

Finals are coming up soon, and before those I have two tests. Can you even believe it? Two tests before my finals! So as you can imagine, I have been studying pretty hard. But even with so much to do, it's important to remember that you are actually a human, and everyone deserves a break! I just spent a few hours making breakfast in the kitchen with some friends, and it was so great to get my mind off of all the stress, if only for a few hours! That's what's awesome about living in the dorm -- you can always find somebody to help you with something, or to do something with. I have to admit, sometimes I feel a bit lonely being away from home, but the friends you make while living away at college are pretty special!

I'm really looking forward to the upcoming break. Now that I understand everything that college demands from me a little bit better, I definitely will not be taking advantage of this time! I'm going to spend it relaxing at home with my family, snuggling with my cat, and spending a lot of time with my boyfriend (who will be home all month from Boston!). But I can't neglect my applications for summer research positions! As busy as I always am, it's so rewarding to be so productive! I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Peppermint Mochas, Green Tea, Michael Scott & Llamas

2011-12-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

This week in Amirah's Exciting Life, Peppermint Mochas are in. They don't seem too appealing at first (I mean, peppermint? Plus mocha? I would question it), but are actually a very nice and soothing combination.

Also in this week's breaking news: I have come to the conclusion that The Office is a show about trolling. Jim and Pam are outright trolls. To me, the show is basically Michael Scott saying something dumb, and everyone else making faces at the camera. A face I have particularly come to admire is Kevin's evil little smile that he does all the time when no one's looking. I know I'm several years late on this show, but better late than never! (It's become clear to me that my winter break...will be spent watching this show. Among others. I wish I had more of a life, but I hear that as the years progress I'll get increasingly busy, so...)

And speaking of winter break... So last year when I was but an imaginative senior who was sick of doing AP Bio packets over winter break, I used to dream about having a month's break from school in winter, and I imagined all of these activities I'd do as a cool college kid- mainly, bumming in front of the TV, watching old movies, catching up on shows, reading books, living at barnes and noble, going back to work at McDonalds (don't hate- a job is a job, okay, and it pays just fine!), and seeing friends. However, I have 4 GERs left to fulfill, and there was a spot in the German Fairytales class...so I'm now signed up to attend school 4 days a week, 3 hours a day. Is this the picturesque break I had so dreamed up from last year? No. But maybe winter in the city with a small workload will be nice. I'll go shopping and explore the city more thoroughly. Although, I doubt they'll be playing holiday music in the stores anymore...and I can't tell you how much I love holiday music. I play that stuff all day erryday! When you hear those magical sounding tunes, and you're with your friends, all bundled up with hats and scarves from forever 21, and you've got a peppermint mocha in your hand...there's nothing else like it. Dean Martin crooning "Let it Snow" gets me all warm and fuzzy inside.

To randomly switch topics for the fourth time in this blog, you may have noticed that contrary to most everyone else's posts, I have yet to mention anything about finals. I myself don't know why, but perhaps it's because I'm repressing the idea of their existence so well that I've begun to forget about them. Instead I choose to dwell other, more important things, like how much I love the green tea in the Hunter USG lounge, which security guards at Brookdale are nice to me and which ones aren't, or how much fun debit cards are. Speaking of them, I went shopping for real for the first time last week...and I now realize why it was good that I haven't gone very often. I was like Isla Fisher in Confessions of A Shopaholic. I was swiping that card left and right! Swipe here, get shirts, swipe there, get pants...so nice! Who knew!

Anyway, by writing this blog I've been procrastinating on reading several chapters of textbooks. I'll probably now go on favorite websites of mine to distract myself some more...if you're a senior reading this, you should definitely check out sparklife or this new llama website I heard about where you can write in llama characters! Is it dumb? Yes! BUT SO MUCH FUN!
I'll end on that happy note about llamas...and now I want to go watch The Emperor's New Groove.

4474

2011-12-11T08:45:00.001-08:00

That is the number of words I have done for my 6000 word history paper (that's about 25 pages). And it's due...oh yes, tomorrow (AHHHH). But I'm fairly confident I'll get it done. I always manage to pull such things off.

After that, I just have one final (Germany history, same as this paper) one paper (Political Philosophy - more AHHHH) and one movie (well, a short zombie film, my creative project for Imagining the End of the World) and then I'm done! I'm SO excited for winter break. AND for next semester! Check out my schedule.

Now, some people think this is crazy, but my 9:45 class is actually only going to meet 4 times out of the whole semester (the rest is online) and this means that, including the one day I work every weekend, I have FOUR FULL DAYS OFF. I'm actually trying really hard to resist the temptation to fill one or two of those days with an internship or (another) job because I think taking a semester to just focus on my studies might be nice - I haven't really done that since Freshman year, and I miss being able to put myself that fully into my academic work. Not that I won't be doing other things, of course, but I just don't want to overburden myself. Plus, I'm trying to sort out what I'm doing to be doing my senior year and what kind of opportunities I'm going to look into after graduation, so having the time to think these things through and prepare will be really useful.

Hope you're all as excited for the holidays as I am!

ttfn

Kaitlyn (kt.ohagan@gmail.com)

Winter Break

2011-12-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of the year again. The city is decorated with holiday cheer. Classes are coming to a close. Finals are on everyone's mind. Everyone is getting their Christmas and/or Hannukah and/or other holiday list's ready.

I, for one, am looking forward to the end of this semester. My last 3 classes meet on Tuesday. After working 40 hours a week and going to school full time for 3 months I can finally work 40 hours a week alone, which is a break to me.

I'm happy with my Spring 2012 schedule and I'm glad that I'm really diving into my major next semester. I've also worked out a new work schedule that will help to give me more time off and more time to study.

Looking back on this semester I have learned a few valuable lessons and come to several realizations: Do your work as soon as it is assigned to you or else it will just pile up and you will fall victim to your own procrastination. Grocery shopping is much cheaper than eating every meal from the outside world. I need a painting on the wall in my dorm because there it looks too sterile on that side. I need to mediate more. Relationships at this age are usually a joke and you might as well have fun until you're in your mid 20s. Mustangs appreciate being left in a garage for 3 months. I need an iPhone. Astor Place haircuts is the best place to get a haircut in this city. Bamboo plants won't die no matter how much they are neglected. There is no good Mexican food in this city. The only good Cuban food is in the West Village.

This winter break I am looking forward to spending some time at home with my family, as well as getting my laundry done for me and having food handed to me for free. I'm also looking forward to spending some time on my own here in the city, living at the dorm and working my 40 hours, but being able to enjoy the city more now that I don't have class or homework. I'll also be riding at my volunteer ambulance in Queens. So stay out of Queens.

Bye.

-Michael

Registration, Shades of Gray, Snapshot

2011-12-04T15:55:00.001-08:00

Sunday night in NYC...
I had a good week, but Wednesday was definitely stressful. All of us Macaulay freshman had to register for classes for next semester. We were all fighting for the same good Macaulay seminar professors. =p
We all had different registration times. I was scheduled to register at 1:10, which was one of the later registration times. I had three schedules set up just in case I wouldn't get the seminar I wanted.
OMG. By the time 1:10 came, I was having heart palpitations. =p Everything turned out fine, but I had to run to the Macaulay office because of some biology registration issues. I don't have a perfect schedule for next semester, but I think I'll be fine. (I hope!)
I had to hand in my bio lab report on Thursday. I was glad to be done with it. Let me just say that graphing can get very tedious.
I just finished reading a great book. It's called "Between Shades of Gray" and it's by Ruta Sepetys. Check it out here: http://www.betweenshadesofgray.com/
It is an amazing book!!! Impossible to put down and so incredibly moving. I was reading it on the train, and I had to stop myself from crying. There are some very sad moments, but there's also this amazing courage and will to survive that is so central to the book.
Today was the Snapshot Day Photo Exhibition for all Macaulay freshman. All of us were assigned to take photos on October 11. Today we were given a chance to see how the student curators arranged the photos. It was cool to see everyone's work. We had to also work in small groups and create a video, under a particular theme, of some of the photos we saw. It was fun to learn more about iMovie. =)

Have a great week!!

S.

Strange Incidents on the Last Train Car

2011-12-04T11:23:00.000-08:00

In general, NYC is great place to be in. The diversity of cultures, food, and events is one of the best things about the city. However, there are the occasionally not so pretty incidents where it certainly feels awkward. Everyone at some point witnesses panhandling on the train system. You see homeless people, who come and perform, or tell their story to the city's straphangers(some of them outwardly state that they need money for alcohol). There are even young kids, who sell candy, or do an amazing juggling act while the train is in motion. These are fairly common on the trains and one gets accustomed to it. What isn't seen everyday is the extreme; an incident involving a knife, pepper spray, and yelling. (Don't worry though, nothing really happened)

Last Wednesday, I was coming home on the E (or was it M?) train. I usually transfer at 53rd and Lexington from the 6 train. I also have everything planned out, so that I minimize walking and traveling time. This means that I tend to get on the last few cars of either train. Also, normally, I get off at the first stop after I board the E/M train, or the first stop in Queens. I was already facing the train door, waiting for the train to cross the river, when out of nowhere a guy starting talking really loudly. I'm going to try and state the facts, because it became really hard to judge either one of the guys involved. The man, who was in his late 50's, began talking about how everyone on the train has a right to defend his/her self. He continued stating how he is a veteran and perfectly capable of defending anyone on the train. At first it seemed as though the man was odd; until I realized he was directing his words to another man in front of him. Then it all made sense as the dialogue continued. The man sitting down was claiming that the man standing up had a knife hidden. That's when the man sitting down pulled out a pepper spray and continued his claims that if the other man tried to assault anyone, there were tons of witnesses. This is when the standing man decide to talk; he claimed that the other guy was crazy and had no clue what he was talking about. Their yelling and insults continued and I was extremely glad my stop arrived. Throughout the whole time, I was freaking out. It was impossible to tell which man was lying, the man standing up also got defensive and began verbally abusing the older man. It was even more strange how everyone on the train averts their eyes and the silence only increases the tension. It was certainly one of the scariest experiences of my life.

Is it the most wonderful time of the year?

2011-12-02T20:28:00.001-08:00

An awesomely impromptu tryptophan Thanksgiving only a memory now, I armed myself for an upcoming month of finals, lab reports and inevitable end of semester mishaps by decorating my room for Christmas. I don't have a picture of my room as of yet, but just knowing Christmas is around the corner helps make the month just a bit more doable. The festive mood that my room emanates obviously paradoxically makes it even more difficult for me to work in my room. Hence I "library hopped" over the past few days between Baruch's Library, Hunter's Brookdale Library and the 68th street main campus library, which has proven to be marginally successfully in producing productive work moments.

Immediately coming back from the Thanksgiving Break (what an awful tease- 4 days of comatose bliss only to be followed by about 13 days of classes and then a full on month of break), registration was for the first time in my life, error free! Not once did I have to wait on line to get an override, permission, or have to deal with any bureaucratic office of any sort. Some departments can be extremely nice and helpful, even on stressful registration days, others, not so much. And I registered for all my classes in the comfort of my dorm, still in my pjs. I can't wait for my Jerusalem in the 20th century class, along with, for the first time ever, two days off! Of course, I have to devote time to DAT studying (ahh, its really happening now!)

Until next time, when I surely will put up christmas pictures!!

Christmas Cheer

2011-11-29T21:29:00.000-08:00

I had a fabulous Thanksgiving (evidenced by the plate of food below) despite the fact that I spent most of it writing a paper.

I know it's supposed to be crunch time, with just two weeks of classes left, but I can't help but feel really great at the moment. The paper I was working on (the first of three major papers I'm doing this semester) was due today (along with a presentation) and I felt pretty good about my work, and REALLY good about the fact that it's at least DONE! So I decided to celebrate by hanging some Christmas decor in my dorm room:

Hopefully the Christmas cheer will get me through the hard weeks ahead!

ttfn

Kaitlyn
kt.ohagan@gmail.com

Is it two weeks or three...?

2011-11-29T10:43:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I posted last. I am not going to make excuses. I believe this blog has seen them all. (And I spent my Thanksgiving Break relaxing on LI...so its pretty shot on that end.)

But the blog title doesn't refer to my Mac Blog Absence. It might refer to

-the amount of weeks left in the Quidditch season. We are doing a tournament on Sunday. I was told we'd end with the Quidditch Season, but the weathers' been lovely

-the semester. My only paper final during finals week is really early on so if I get papers done

-the amount of time spent procrastinating on those papers
-and the final presentation for seminar
-an HTML project for media
- and my creative writing portfolio

I might stay in the dorms until the 22nd, anyhow. Reading Partners is modeled around an elementary school schedule so the LIRR can get kinda pricey.

(I probably haven't blogged about Reading Partners. Its an Americorps Program through which I work with a Fourth Grader in reading activities at PS 154x in the Bronx. Its rewarding but time consuming. I miss being able to sleep in, but I wouldn't have it anyother way.)

I had Reading Partners this morning. The school I am working at is having a Reading Recital so we've that. Since then, met a friend at SVA for Bubble Tea, started outlining my English paper, read for Religion and wrote this blog entry. I will also be attending tonight's Meet the Scientist Event, although I will have to RUSH to my English class afterward.

Strawberry Cheescake

2011-11-28T18:32:00.001-08:00

Hello everybody. =)

Last week was relaxing because we only had three days of school and then Thanksgiving, which is my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving consisted of a nice family dinner and a nap afterwards. I also had a fantastic piece of strawberry cheesecake. Every calorie was delicious. =p
I didn't go shopping on Black Friday because I find that the stores are just way too crowded to shop in peace. I couldn't believe that story about the woman who pepper-sprayed people at that Walmart on Black Friday. I love shopping, but it seems like people are just obsessed with getting the best deal and have forgotten about what the holiday season is about. It's about spending time with your family and appreciating what you have.
I don't know how many of you watched "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving" on channel 7 on Thursday.
Lady Gaga was amazing!!!! She sang a bunch of her songs and she sounded great. She's such an inspiration to all the kids out there who feel like they don't belong anywhere.
The first semester is coming to an end. It's kind of insane that I've survived three months of college without any major crisis. =p
Anyway, have a great week, everyone!!

S.

Too Much Turkey

2011-11-27T15:06:00.000-08:00

Sorry for how long it's been since my last post! I've been super busy. Pre-med is a very time consuming (but very rewarding!) track. The good news is that I got a perfect score on my last Biology test essay portion! That really helped me truly be able to relax when I went home for Thanksgiving. Another thing that helped me relax is that I got my giant Bio lab report out of the way a week early. Trust me, if you can ever find the time in college to get something done ahead of time -- do it! It might seem appealing to procrastinate, but then you're in for stressful, anxiety-ridden all-nighters. Trust me, I know. I've learned the hard way that it's better to just get things done. The free time you'll have at the end of it all will feel sooo much better!

Anyway, enough about school. Let's talk about how great it was to be off! My boyfriend was home from Boston (he goes to BU), and some of my other friends from high school were here too. It's not like I have to go far from the dorm to go home (it's just uptown, actually), but there's something about having everyone home and sleeping in my own room for almost a week that makes me feel like I'm really on vacation. It was so relaxing, and filled with so much great food. But I'm actually excited to get back into the swing of things and go back to class.

Oh, and one more thing, if you find yourself at Macaulay Hunter, and you live in the dorms, you should know this: the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park has no line in the winter :D.

I Can't Think of A Fun Title For This Blog

2011-11-27T08:12:00.001-08:00

I know everyone's dying to hear about my Thanksgiving break...so here it is! Thanksgiving was loads of fun. Usually I see my extended family all the time, but I've missed them away at college! We ate food and shouted nonsense at each other and made up random games to play when we got bored. If there's one thing I'm thankful for this year, it's family.
But anyway, it's Sunday morning, and I'm kind of dreading going back to school. Not because I'm homesick or will miss the piles of food that currently make up my house, but because I've slacked and haven't..done..anything! Coming home is like going on a vacation...so I never do my work! So Monday, after my full day of class, I need to start my research paper, study for a chem test, do the psychology research requirement (!), and finish the never ending readings for political science. I'd complain some more but I feel like anyone who's not a freshman reading this is probably rolling their eyes at me. One thing I did kind of accomplish this weekend was my schedule for next semester! It's kind of fun to put together! But really stressful! Right now I have Wednesdays off. Which is random, but I'll take it.
To change to a really random, happy topic, (I've really been jumping around on this blog, sorry!) I read three teen fiction books this weekend! None of my textbooks, which I will feel guilty about later, but I totally loved every minute of soaking in the predictable, sometimes silly and dumb writings of teen fiction authors! (And hey, for the haters, some of those books are actually very well written and of good quality, ok?) Also, I watched a bunch of movies - Jumping the Broom (pretty good! It reminded me of Guess Who, which I now want to watch again because it's so brilliant), a really cheesy Disney Channel movie called Geek Charming (it was so bad. But my younger siblings were watching it and I had no other options!), and a part of Rio (such a cute movie! Nigel is so evil!). And right now we're watching White Chicks again. Good stuff!

Ballet, Thanksgiving

2011-11-19T12:45:00.001-08:00

I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week. The semester really did fly by.
I'm definitely excited for next week's mini vacation. I think all of us college students need the break.

Sunday, I went to City Center to see a performance by the American Ballet Theatre with my Arts in NYC class. It was absolutely amazing! The dancers were so talented, and the choreography was complex and meaningful. It was interesting to see how a choreographer translates music to movement. Besides seeing The Nutcracker in elementary school, I really haven't seen a professional ballet performance before so it was another new experience for me. This seminar has exposed me to a bunch of cool art forms, and I'm grateful for that.

I had a relatively peaceful week filled with the usual homework, reading, eating, and sleeping. =p
I did have a Poli Sci test on Thursday, but that wasn't as stressful as having those wonderful bio and chem tests.

In honor of Thanksgiving, here is a list of some things that I'm grateful for this year (in no particular order):

-Life (Because being alive is the ultimate gift)
-Family (Because they are my support system)
-Friends (For making me laugh and for their support)
-College (Because it opens my mind to what's out there)
-Macaulay (Because I get to go to college for free and be a part of a really cool community of students and faculty)
-sunsets, full moons, the ocean, music, and laughter

What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

S.

Time for Turkey

2011-11-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

Well, Thanksgiving is almost here. I'm looking forward to the turkey. Unfortunately I won't be able to be home for Thanksgiving because I have to work the whole day. But my family is arranging a second Thanksgiving that Friday, because, if this year is like any other year, we will probably have plenty of leftovers. My partner and I are also planning to have our own Thanksgiving on the ambulance. We will see how messy that will turn out.

This rapidly approaching holiday is also a reminder of the fact that classes are pretty much starting to wrap up. We will be coming back from our little break with only 3 more weeks of classes to attend, and then some finals to study for. It's weird to think that a whole semester is already almost gone. But, between you and me, I really don't like the fall semesters anyway.

I'm really looking forward to the spring term. It's a bit longer, or at least it feels a bit longer, so I like the pace of the classes better. I'm also looking forward to my course selections and really starting to put work into my psych major. All in all sophomore year seems to be turning into a good start to my major, much of which I will complete junior year.

Also, after much debate I've finally settled on a location to study abroad in. It will be Australia, come junior or senior year. Noice choice eh, mate?

Michael.

SING! SING! SING!

2011-11-16T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone

Long time no post! I've been busy with schoolwork, planning my Spring schedule and gearing up for Macaulay's first ever SING! competition! Some of you may be familiar with SING! because it is done at your HS. For those of you who are not, it's a completely student-run musical theater competition. It's usually done by class, but due to Macaulay's structure, we decided to do it by campus (Brooklyn, Baruch, Queens and Hunter were the campuses that decided to participate). Here's the flier:

Come check it out if you're free tonight, tomorrow or Saturday night at 8PM (it's also a great chance to see the beautiful Macaulay building)!

More later!

ttfn
Kaitlyn
kt.ohagan@gmail.com

Go to the Met!

2011-11-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

I just came back from a huge dinner at Thai NY, a great restaurant by the dorms (28th and 3rd). I met up with a couple of friends from high school for our annual thai dinner (we're all so busy during the year and they're not studying in new york, so we always set aside a day to do what we do best-eat!) It was so filling that all I want to do right now is pass out on my bed. Unfortunately, I still have a few pages to translate for my Latin class. Mondays are tough.

This weekend was good, though! I spent most of it sleeping and watching episodes of American Horror Story. On Saturday I went to a karaoke place downtown for a friend's birthday. On Friday I went to the Met to see the new galleries for Islamic art. They are a MUST see! Everything is just beautiful. So many cultures are represented and the galleries cover a large time span. You can really get a sense of how profoundly Islam has shaped the visual traditions of the cultures. Plus, if you go on a Friday night, there is food and wine (for those 21+) as well as music until fairly late at night for a museum (9pm). So I do recommend you stop by the Met soon to check it out. We DO have a cultural passport!

Well, its 10pm right now and I don't really know what time I'll be getting to sleep, but I think its fair to say that I won't be getting much of it for the next few days. I can't wait for Thanksgiving!!!

xoxo

Fruit Snacks Are My Life

2011-11-14T17:24:00.000-08:00

This weekend I was self coerced into becoming a hermit, and so I spent my time pent up in a small room, relying solely on tea, nutella and fruit snacks for sustenance. I have learned that Nutella goes with anything and that one should not take the assorted flavors of fruit snacks for granted. I also supposedly should have learned much about International Relations, which we’ll see if that’s true when I get my midterm back. A summary of my weekend: I studied IR, cursed IR, threw up hands at IR, outlined IR, wondered why the readings for IR were so long, considered dropping out and running away to Europe to live in a hovel by the river, and took study breaks by watching old trailers of dumb rom coms that I love and sobbing or laughing quietly to myself (can I just say. Ryan Gosling in The Notebook trailer is very…hyperventilation inducing.) On a related note, The Hunger Games trailer came out today. I am a fan of the books and am glad to say that the trailer did not look dumb, although Jennifer Lawrence doesn’t fit my image of Katniss very well (although, no actor will ever fill the role of a fictional character well). And since we’re on the topics of books, I miss my books!! I am dying to read The Son Of Neptune (what can I say? I LOVE Percy Jackson. He’s my hero. He’s so awesome. Those books are hilarious) and haven’t had a chance yet. Sigh. The fangirl in me has been contained for too long by schoolwork! Anyway, midterm season is almost ending and finals are coming up soon whoo hoo! And I have a lovely paper to write, so I’m going to start on that…but first, I’m going to watch a movie because I’ve been so movie deprived that I started having dreams about watching them. Peace!

And the results are....

2011-11-14T10:29:00.001-08:00

After a disastrous last week, I am going to evaluate the success/failure of my plan from my previous blog. I am happy to report that the long hours of studying for bio and attending group tutoring sessions really helped. I felt much more at home with this test, there were of course some pieces of information that I was lacking, but it was quite difficult to remember the minimum number of genes a bacteria can survive with. However, the essays were much more enjoyable since not only had our professor given us possible essay questions, I had set out to write a through answer to each one of them. That said, my changes for bio worked. On the other hand, it was a bit more difficult to feel just as satisfied with chem because of all the time I spent studying bio. I still made sure to attend office hours, do tons of problems and make concise study notes; however, there was still more to be done. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either, so next time, no matter what, chem will be my priority.

On a much more happier note, English 120 is proving to be quite an amazing class. Coming from school where senior year English was comprised of humanities seminar and sometimes tedious books, English 120 is a breath of fresh air that kindled an old love for writing. There is a focus on social issues but it is all still as relevant today as it was during Stevenson's Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde and Shelley's Frankenstein. I also love how our essays are formatted. We spend the semester learning about semiotics. I analyzed an ad for Domino's sugar for its connotations on eating habits and organic foods. I proposed a solution for the growing Achievement gap in education and now I am finishing the semester with an comparison of Frankenstein and Kosinski's Being There. Overall, I think English 120 is a great course to take, writing is so essential in life and English 120 will challenge you to look further into the signs that are found in our society.

Sleepiness, Science, and a Piano

2011-11-12T09:14:00.001-08:00

Ahhh...a Saturday autumn morning in NYC. Colorful leaves, crisp air, nice sunshine. =)

This week was definitely one of my toughest because of the bio and chem tests on Thursday and Friday.

All of the pre-med students were having a tough time balancing studying for chem and bio and doing work for our other classes as well. I basically spent the entire week reading my bio textbook and looking at powerpoint slides for chem. I read on the train, in the library, and at home. It was a huge pain, but there is no way to do well on these kinds of tests without reading the text multiple times.
Being a college student is definitely not easy. But in those moments when I'm studying and just want to give up and do something else, I focus on the fact if I put in the work now, I will benefit later. I've learned that focus and determination are the basis of success in college.

An hour after my bio test, I went to my Arts in NYC professor's piano recital at Lang Recital Hall.
After being under such pressure before the bio test, it was nice to just sit and listen to my professor play the piano. He was absolutely amazing. His passion for the piano and for music was palpable in the air. It was so inspiring to watch someone do something they love. I can only hope that I will be half as happy when I'm working in the medical field as he is playing the piano.

Have a great weekend, everyone!!!

S.

What a Day for a Daydream

2011-11-07T12:33:00.000-08:00

I think this is the first time in my life that the daylight savings left me as refreshed as possible. Of course, I always feel a tad bit happier and relaxed with one extra hour of sleep, but because I was extremely busy on both Saturday and Sunday, I ended up sleeping a few hours earlier than my normal bedtime, and got about 10hours of sleep.Each day. Yes, its crazy, but wow I feel so good right now! I feel invincible, as if I can solve my many orgo problems with my eyes closed, finish all my assignments for this week tonight ( not really happening, but I am beyond motivated right now to begin tackling them), and most importantly, help achieve world peace (I'm joking, although this is quite a heft goal to achieve all by my lonesome self).

So, with all this extra sleep, I was looking forward to my lectures today, expecting my normally baggy-eyed head to stay up during class sans coffee. Alas, old habits die hard, and I ended up nodding off, as usual, halfway through my lecture ( but instead of for 5 minutes, more like a minute or so), dreaming about I think a chicken burrito bowl (now extremely overpriced) from Chipotle. A bummer to see that the extra sleep I had didn't benefit me immediately, but I'm not going to complain about having such a restive weekend.

Especially considering I just finished all my midterms last week, with barely enough sleep ( I drank so much coffee and water to stay up, that I ended up with multiple stomach aches while taking tests). Sure, that sounds pretty typical from whomever you speak to, but for me, having five extremely important midterms ( each counted for at least 25% of each class's grade), within the span of 8 days ( my organic chem lab test and biochem midterm were a few hours apart, woohoo!), was the biggest challenge in my undergrad career so far, in terms of tackling study material for each test within a manageable time frame. Even finals weeks' in the past were easier to deal with and plan ahead for, as each final was scheduled for a different day. I really do hope Hunter comes up with a solid outline and guideline for midterms' weeks of the future, having (especially) different science classes schedule their exams at different times ,rather than at the same time. Because yes, as students, we should be able to deal with and manage our time efficiently to study for exams at the same time, but on the other hand, there is a limit to the balance between studying/understanding the material, and simply cramming for the test because of the pressure and stress from facing multiple exams for one week. All suggestions aside, it seems I did overcome my challenge quite well, as I did remarkably well on 3 of my midterms so far. Now just for those other two grades ....

Aside from the same old conversation about exams and midterms, I attended the 7th annual Oral and Maxillofacial Symposium at Columbia University on Saturday. I was not exactly looking forward to traveling all the way up to Morningside Heights from Nassau county at 6 in the morning, but I am extremely grateful that I did. I did not fully understand the scope and breadth of the specialty until Saturday, and definitely did not expect to meet as many other driven students as well.The event was an much needed eye-opener, with many of the Columbia doctors and professors discussing their cases with us (accompanied by some very graphic, bloody slides, which I surprisingly was able to stomach). I really cannot wait for future pre-dental events offered by dental schools in the area!

Sleep Habits Die Hard...

2011-11-07T05:48:00.001-08:00

So it's a little before 9AM Monday morning, and one of my classes has already finished for the day. Considering that I somehow managed to ignore my alarm (while it was directly under my head) for an hour, I missed the class (and the midterm). Thankfully, this isn't one of those "my life is SO over" moments because the lowest midterm gets dropped, but it would've been nice to know my lowest midterm was, let's say a 90, rather than a 0.

Probably one of the most important things I've learned in college is that if there is a way for me to avoid getting up in the morning, I definitely will. Thankfully, Hunter is usually really good with programming afternoon and evening classes that fit my schedule and sleepiness, but this class would've taken up 5 hours of scheduling time if any later than now, and interfered with classes in which going to lecture was actually important. (This is a BIG hint about college: Plan all classes which require you to go to lecture/labs regularly at times when you will absolutely make it. No one really goes to lectures where you don't need or have to be present.)

Here's to a productive new week (the joy is mostly because midterms are now over for another 3 weeks)!

Two tests, a stuffed pig, and Union Square

2011-11-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone.
It's a Saturday night, and I'm grateful that I don't have to be up early tomorrow. During the weekdays, it's so hard to get up in the mornings so I try to get some extra sleep over the weekend.
Some things from this week:
On Tuesday, I went to Union Square during my break. I just wanted to explore the neighborhood a bit and check out some stores. It's a nice area, but different from the Upper East Side. It's cool how one island can have so many types of places and people in it.
Wednesday was the Majors Fair. I'm glad I went because I got some good brochures and info from the different departments. Each table was offering candy so I probably consumed a lot of sugar that day. But oh well. Chocolate is GOOD. =p
Thursday, I handed in my paper for Poli Sci. I can honestly say that I've learned a lot from Professor Polsky. For most people, politics is a big headache, but college is all about opening your mind. It's important to be aware of what's going on in the world.
Friday is my short day, so I went to chemistry and then got to go home and relax.
I have two tests next week--chem and bio. Studying is going to be tough, but I'll get through it. (hopefully!)

Just a thought about college friends for prospective students:
I've heard a lot of people say that they found their life friends in college. I've only been in college for just over two months, but I've already met some great people. The important thing is to be open to all kinds of people. A simple "Hello, My name is _____. What's yours?" can be the start of a great friendship. Friendships are not built overnight. It's important to nurture and put effort into every friendship. Okay, I'm done with my little lecture now. =)

I was in a store with my mom today, when I noticed the cutest stuffed pig. I immediately turned into a five year old and asked my mom if I could buy it. My mom thought I was joking and started to laugh. But when I started to walk towards the cashier, she realized I was serious. =p
She couldn't stop laughing. I realize I'm eighteen years old, but stuffed animals still make my heart melt. So I bought the cute little pig. She's now the love of my life. =p (I think my mom has fallen in love too!)

Talk to you soon!

S. (and my little piggy!)

Internships!

2011-11-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

What a crazy month! I can't believe October is already over. Time really flies during the fall semester. All my finals are finally done, but I'm already swamped with work. Halloween weekend was a nice break because most of my friends were also celebrating the end of midterms and we got to spend the weekend together. I'm feeling especially overwhelmed because of my internship. It wasn't so difficult to keep up with school and the internship in the beginning of the semester, but now I have a lot of homework and not enough time to finish it.
I work at VizLingo, LLC, an online social media startup company located in Gramercy (conveniently!) I am a linguistics intern. VizLingo is a website dedicated to creating the first online visual language. As we build our database of video clips, (we have 30,000+) we are able to represent more words and phrases through videos. I am responsible for editing the tags and creating queries of all the words in the database. Most of the internship involves data entry, but interns are also able to contribute ideas as to how to represent obscure words ("as," "for," "from," etc.)
Tomorrow is the Macaulay Internship fair. I'll be returning to let you all know how it goes!

xoxo

Reflections

2011-11-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

So here I am, in the middle of the semester. Next week is sure to be fun as there is both a biology and chemistry test on two consecutive days. Last week, I received an abysmal grade in the chem test (reminded me of ap calculus) and although it will most likely be my grade dropped, this made me reflect on the semester overall. Last year, my problems in calculus were quite similar to the ones in chem. I made silly mistakes and sometimes didn't fully understand the concept. I loved the subject but each test left me frustrated since I couldn't figure what was the problem. Eventually, I began spending my time doing nothing but calculus. I spent hours after school with my teacher, and I did countless tests. I resolved to know every shortcut I could use and every trap I could fall into. In the end, the work paid off and I received my 5 even though I had initially started out pretty bad. So looking back at this, and evaluating my current predicament, I realized the situations are the same. So applying what worked last year should work again, right? I certainly feel just as strong about chem as I do for calculus. I'll seek more office hours and spend more time doing chem problems. I'll memorize every formula and try to formulate problems that the professor will give on the test. Hopefully this will work and I can find a balance where focusing on one subject (chem) won't harm another (bio).
So wish me bon chance!!

The Opera, Thinking, and Bruno

2011-10-31T16:32:00.001-07:00

Today was awesome because I got to go shopping, which is always fun.
There's nothing like a cute sweater or coat to make you forget that you're a college student and have work to do when you get home. =p
Last week was pretty eventful because I got to go to the Metropolitan Opera house last Tuesday and to the 92nd Street Y on Wednesday for my Arts Seminar class.
The Met Opera was absolutely amazing! There's a beautiful fountain right in front of the operahouse. The architecture of the building is just breathtaking. It's even more beautiful on the inside and I felt like I was going to see Jennifer Lopez pop in at any moment and say hello to my class. There were so many people there and they were all dressed to the nines.
My class was there to see the Mozart opera Don Giovanni. The opera is three and a half hours long including intermission. It's definitely very long, but definitely worth seeing. The singing was amazing and the plot was dramatic. I found myself just entranced by it all. I was incredibly exhausted at the end of the night because I had been at school all day, but I'm so glad I got the opportunity to do this. How many people can say they've been to an opera?! It was just a great experience.

The next night, my class went to the 92nd Street Y to attend a reading by Israeli writer, Amos Oz. He read an excerpt from his book, Scenes from Village Life. It sounds like an interesting book, and I will hopefully will get a chance to read it soon. The best part of the night was the Q&A session in which Oz answered questions on a variety of topics. As he was answering the questions, I felt myself and everybody around me lean forward just a little because his words were filled with so much wisdom. This is a a man who is just brimming with ideas, thoughts, and information. I like people who make me think, and Amos Oz really made me think. It was another great night.

I've gotten in the habit of watching a couple of movies on the weekends to distract myself from school work. Yesterday, I watched writer/director John Hughes' movie The Breakfast Club, which I've wanted to watch for a few years now but never got around to it. It is such an awesome movie!!! It was made in 1985, which feels like the Ice Age to all of us, but watching this movie made me realize that teenagers in the eighties were just like teenagers today. They had the same dreams, the same fears, and they laughed at the same things. If you haven't seen the movie, you should definitely go and watch it! It will make you cry, laugh, and think.

Happy Halloween and have a great week everybody!!

S.

P.S. I can't believe it actually snowed this past weekend!
P.P.S. As I was writing this post, Bruno Mars' song "It Will Rain" came on the radio. Such a good song and such an awesome singer! =)

More Laundry, Tests! And Halloween

2011-10-31T16:26:00.001-07:00

This week, I have truly come to appreciate the beauty of milk. I dunno why, it’s not like I drank it a lot at home. But now I drink milk like a fiend. Other random things in my week: I need to join a bajillion clubs and do internships. I feel uninvolved! And I also feel very frazzled. Seriously. Even my hair looks frazzled. My bed is frazzled. My room is a frazzling mess. Why, might you ask, am I so very frazzled? Well, let’s just say that me and studying for tests do not go well together! Especially when I’m in the dorm, where it’s too easy to be social. If I had a roommate I’m pretty sure I would flunk out of college because I’d always be distracted by talking to them or their friends as well as my own and I’d never get anything done. I literally have to hide myself from being drawn into social interaction. But luckily my tests are over and I will no longer be socially deprived! (Except now I’m worried about what I’ll be like during finals. AHHH WHY ARE YOU SO HARD COLLEGE!!!!!)

I feel like the stuff you always hear about from college students is happening now. For example, I am running out of food. But spaghetti can last forever! (Although I am incredibly tired of it by now. I miss home food! I should cook some…but it involves more planning and effort than I am ready to exert.) And do college students perpetually have laundry to do? Because it sure feels like I do. Luckily I don’t mind…yet.

Oh and Happy Halloween! Upstate, it actually felt like Halloween, because I actually went trick or treating to people’s houses (and they gave out goody bags…and big candy bars! Oh, what I’m missing out on today!) but in the city I’m not quite sure what to do…can I go trick or treating to stores? I don’t even have a costume….other than a nerd one. Which is unoriginal and lame. But then again, I’ve consistently been Harry or Hermione for several years, sooo I don’t mind. Anyway, I’m sad to miss out on so much free candy.

On another note, why is it so cold? I need to invest in sweaters. Thrift shopping, here I come!

Good Morning

2011-10-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since I last posted. I don't have midterms this semester. I'm not exactly sure how that happened, but I'm not complaining. I actually haven't missed one class all semester. I like to think its because I'm investing in self-discipline, or maybe its because I really enjoy my classes this semester. Psychology of Human Sexuality, Victims of the Holocaust, Statistics 113, and Seminar 3 are all classes I look forward to.

I actually thoroughly enjoy Stat 113. It's weird. I'm usually not at all into math classes, but this class is more about logic and critical thinking than anything else.

Now that the semester is half over its got me thinking about winter break. I've decided against taking a winter class and am instead going to give myself a break. Well, if you can call working 40 hours per week a break. But it will be nice to just be able to go to work for a month and not be responsible for tests or assignments or classes.

One last thing: I love this weather. It's nice and cool and crisp and the leaves are starting to turn color. When I'm at work I can leave the ambulance window open, turn on the heat, and enjoy the breeze. I have to say, I really like living and working in the city (and going to school here, which is why I live and work here), especially during the fall.

Michael.

Public Policy?

2011-10-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

My midterms are finally over after three weeks as is the beginning-of-the-semester chaos. As the semester wears on, I usually become more accustomed to it and adjust gradually. Everyone reacts to a new schedule/way of life differently and I tend to adapt slowly I guess.

In addition to classes and my research assistantship for the Roosevelt House, I added five hours of volunteer work a week about a month ago - not just because I love it but because one of my classes requires it. In Hunger in America, we are expected to deal with the hungry in very personal and real ways. I observe interactions at a senior center and give out food at a food pantry every week. Both locations are in the South Bronx and I have become surprisingly close to the people I have met in those places; to those who come to socialize and get food and to the staff. I think I am just more receptive to what one can gain from volunteer work than before and perhaps, what one gain from not being afraid to be attached to people. My heart is actually in it now.

And the funny thing is, both my volunteer and research work are intimately related. Both have inextricable ties to 1930s America and the time of the Great Depression. As I look at pictures of FDR and others who tackled the problem of hunger, I am also creating a visual memory of the present day hungry. Public policy is something I am becoming increasingly interested in as well as public outreach. The pictures I am selecting for a future exhibition at the Roosevelt House will be used, after all, in a public outreach effort. Every day I find myself being more and more drawn to Wall Street. I think I will have to visit this weekend...

Study Abroad in Argentina

2011-10-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

If you're thinking about study abroad in the Winter, here are some reasons why you should study abroad in Argentina:

1. It fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement.
2. Going south of the equator means an extra month of summer.
3. The Opportunities Fund will pay for the bulk of it.
4. You will get to try new things.
5. You have nothing to lose, and so much to gain.

Midterm Mania

2011-10-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a shamefully long time since I posted. I'm going to blame it on midterms - since that is what most of the recent posts have been about, you guys know it's not just me!

Part of what makes midterm season so difficult is not just the tests themselves - it's the other assignments that come with them. This is the time when classes also require a midterm paper, or some part of your final paper, or perhaps both.

Last night was my 20th century German history midterm. I think it went okay, but don't hold me to that - I'll let you know in a week or so. Right afterward, however, I headed over to the Macaulay building for the 10-year anniversary celebration in honor of Bill and Linda Macaulay. I was one of the presenters - I had been asked to speak about "my first" study abroad experience ("A Decade of Firsts" was the theme for the evening. I was nervous but I've gotten pretty used to speaking about that publicly because I often talk about it at prospective student events, so it went really smoothly. My presentation is actually one of the ones that Bill Macaulay came to see, which was pretty cool. My parents got to come as well - my Mom had never even seen Macaualy, so it was nice for her to get to see our gorgeous brownstone (all prospective students should make a point to visit!).

It was a really fun evening overall. But for now, back to the midterm mania - next up, Political Philosophy on Monday morning.

ttfn

Kaitlyn
kt.ohagan@gmail.com

A Decade of Firsts

2011-10-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended the Macaulay Decade of Firsts event celebrating the 10th anniversary of our beloved Macaulay program. A group of beautifully dressed students in the beautiful Macaulay building with 100+ beautiful guests. The attendance list included Bill Macaulay, Dean Kirschner, and the Chancellor. Now I hear about the beauty of networking, ALOT. It's always nice to know people that have connections, don't get me wrong. But as academically motivated students, I feel like we focus so much on getting to know people for their connections, than we do on actually getting to know people. Yes, it would be great to meet Bill Macaulay, but I want to know about his life, his success story, his personality. By meeting a bunch of wonderful Macaulay students coming from all different walks of CUNY, its an eyeopener to the wonders that is the Macaulay Honors program and helps you realize the validity of the program we represent. Each person I met last night had a sense of humor, a compelling intelligence and most importantly a love for life. So no, I didn't run into a future me, or made a high class career connection, but I had a really good time with some really great people.

Midterms, MOMA and Macaulay Common Event!

2011-10-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

The passage of this week marks a major milestone in my college career: I finished my first ever round of midterms and survived! Fortunately, my Macaulay Seminar professor unconsciously incorporated a study break by planning a class venture to the MOMA in the middle of the week. Upon entering the museum, my classmates and I became aware of the fact that bookbags were prohibited within the museum. After waiting on line for what felt like hours to check my bag and parting with my beloved Mac Book Pro, we finally entered the museum. It was well worth the wait. Prior to this year, I was never an art enthusiast and rarely ventured out to New York's cultural institutions. I thoroughly enjoyed observing and interpreting modern art, as well as discussing various works with my friends. Best of all, the visit was entirely free of charge!

On Wednesday evening, I attended an extremely informative Internship Workshop at the Roosevelt House. The guest speakers were successful in the business world and had valuable insight on the topics of networking and internships. My Macaulay classmates and I learned about the value of professional and social networking sites such as Linked-In, as well as the script to have when networking with a person. According to Ira Giff, no person can ever obtain enough networking contacts. Mr. Giff is a successful man who liberally accepts requests on networking sites, an approach that is the antithesis of his wife's approach. It is important to read into job and internship descriptions, as well as examine exactly what a position entails by speaking to current employees. Moreover, employers search for motivated students that take the initiative under minimal supervision. Overall, attending a common event with other Macaulay students in different years and from different campuses was a rewarding and memorable experience.

Food, Meet the Artist, and More Food

2011-10-23T17:08:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about NYC is the food. Just about every week my friend and I take one night to try something new. So far I've tried, Thai food, Chipotle, Pax pasta, just to name a few. The Pax, make your own pasta bowl was one of the best because I learned a couple of new recipes. Alfredo Fettuccine and Penne with Vodka sauce were two of the dishes that I recreated at home. I love trying out new foods and I love it even more when I can recreate them for myself.

Last week I also had the pleasure of attending Natasha Marin's "Courting Risk:Blackout", one of the Meet the Artist series. When I walked into the room, students were sitting around in a circle and there was an adorable baby crawling around. She played a video which was about a mother breastfeeding her child. It took me a couple of seconds to realize how the baby and her outfit were the same as the video and that she was reenacting her performance in front of us. Pretty soon, we became a part of her performance. She silently motioned for a student to write down everything that was happening. To another, she placed a blindfold over his eyes. She asked my friend to kneel and hold an incense stick. Then she gave me an index card, where I had to fill in the blanks. The card read: My name is ____ Red. My father's name is ______Red. My mother's name is _____Red. My people are known for ____and_____. Remember me.

Then her assistant pulled me over to help paint a sheet of white paper that was spread out. The whole atmosphere was captivating. It was one thing to be a passive viewer, it was another to take a part in the work of art. I was soon painting in a trance as another girl read a poem over and over again, each time replacing a word with the word "Red". Then the poem ended and three of us, myself included, read our index cards. After the performance ended and we discussed what we had just experienced. I thought that Marin's idea to include her audience was brilliant, it was refreshing and completely different from simply entering a museum and looking at a work of art. She even said that because she was silently requesting students to do certain things, we were less inclined to say no. As a result she made us participate and we had fun doing so.

http://www.mikokuro.com/

Midterms, 5th Ave, Dance, and Symphony

2011-10-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody.
Last week was very long and exhausting, but exciting nonetheless because something interesting always seems to sneak into my life every week. (which is great because what is life without unexpected cool things dropping into our laps?)
On Monday night, I attended a "Meet the Artist" event at the Macaulay building. The event featured contemporary choreographer, Miguel Gutierrez. He talked about his life, his dance career, and self-expression through dance. He is definitely one of the most interesting and innovative people I've ever met. He seeks to explore a variety of subjects in his work. His passion for dance was palpable in the air as he danced for us. It was definitely a great night.
Check out his website: http://www.miguelgutierrez.org/
On Monday, I also took my first Political Science test. I was nervous, but I thought the test was fair.
If any of you ever want to take a Political Science class, take Poli Sci 110 with Professor Polsky. He's a great professor. He is knowledgeable, lectures well, and gives a fair amount of work.
My week was also consumed doing chemistry homework and studying for the chemistry test that I took this past Friday. It's definitely not an easy class, but I've discovered that no college class is easy. They all require work and focus.
On Wednesday night, my Arts Seminar class went to listen to the Hunter Symphony.
It was definitely an interesting experience because I really haven't been exposed to classical music before. I've been able to learn more about the history of music because my professor is a pianist. He likes to incorporate music into his lessons so I've been able to learn a lot about the history of music. The class definitely has given a greater appreciation for music by composers like Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach.
Thursday was all about studying for chemistry.
Since chemistry is my only class on Fridays, I was able to go out and enjoy NYC after my chemistry test. I went to Fifth Avenue and checked out Uniqlo, Juicy Couture, and H&M. I also went to Rockefeller Center and admired Atlas' muscles. =p
It was great to just be out and enjoy this city. I grew up in Brooklyn, and as a kid, I never really got to go to Manhattan a lot. Going to college here has really allowed to finally get to know this awesome borough. Brooklyn will always be number one in my heart because of its hominess and familiarity, but Manhattan has really captured my heart these past two months.
I'm just grateful that I have this opportunity to be a part of Macaulay and enjoy this beautiful city. <3

S.

MediaMania

2011-10-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

I can't believe its already Wednesday.

I spent the weekend at New York Comic Con with some friends. This was my second NY Comic Con and my fourth geek convention. I didn't dress up and I didn't speak to any of the special guests, but a good time was had by all. I left with a few books and a ton of awesome stuff to pin around my dorm room.

This weekend I also attended the first Macaulay Honors College Quidditch Team Meeting. See http://www.facebook.com/groups/214840801916215/ for information. GO INSERT_NAME_HERE!!! How could I not be anything less than totally pumped about the opportunity to get in shape and be very, very geeky at the same time.

It almost goes without saying I didn't get much sleep between the 14th and the 16th.

I have yet to recover that sleep. I stayed up rather late and woke up far too early the last two days in order to work on a paper for my Children's Literature Class. It's on Grimm's Fairy Tale "Rapunzel" and David Trinidad's poem of the same name and worth 20% of my course grade. It scares me how much there is to analyze in what seems like two short pieces of writing. I regret not starting earlier, but will hope for the best.

This afternoon in between my MHC seminar and writing this blog entry, I attended my first Department Meeting in my Major (Media Studies). It figures that I would declare a major and then a month later they would change it. Although I am grandfathered in to the 24 credit Media Studies Major, the discussion to count Media 180 and MEDP 150 and 160 for major credit actually makes me closer to completing the new 36 credit program. I am also very excited about the new program concentrations. I want to get an Emerging Media Concentration but will have to take a few classes before deciding on either the Web Production (exactly what it sounds like) or Interactive Production (robots, video games, virtual reality etc.) tracks. The page discussing the Media Major and its concentrations can be found here: http://brie.hunter.cuny.edu/?page_id=5722.

I also have to go to my Religion of Early Europe and Media and the Digital Age classes tonight from 5:35 to 8:00. I regret my decision to take so many evening classes this semester. It serves me right for deluding myself into thinking that I'd EVER get the chance to sleep in.

My life is exhausting, but its pretty darn good ^_^

New Opportunities

2011-10-19T11:33:00.001-07:00

One of my friends from high school works in film; he actually dropped out of high school to take this on full-time if you can believe it! He's actually pretty successful and only just barely 18, and I'm very proud of him. This weekend he asked me if I wanted to help out on a film he's working on as a production assistant. So I get to work on this movie basically whenever I want to, and it's a really great way to meet people, an awesome thing to put on my resume, and most importantly, a really great way to see what else is out there.

Lately I've been feeling like there is no life outside of pre-med, and it's really refreshing to see that there are other things to do in this world. I don't really see myself getting into film, but it's actually a lot of fun to be involved in something new. Where else would these opportunities just be dropped in your lap besides New York?

2011-10-16T18:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've updated, mostly because I was finishing up my application to study abroad next semester and trying to study for midterms. Midterm season is always very stressful! This weekend I went to the second Bronze Age Colloquium of this semester and heard about excavations in the southwestern Peloponnese. Professor Cosmopoulos, the director of the dig, spoke about last summer's finds. One of my classmates was actually on the dig, so it was great to see what he was working on.

Today was pretty dissapointg. I wanted to spend the day studying but I ended up slacking and procrastinating so I kind of feel an all-nighter creeping around the corner. I can't wait until midterms are over!!! I hate leaving things for last minute.

I also recently started a new internship that I'll talk about in my next post, so that is taking up quite a bit of my time.

Hope my next post is about how great I feel after taking all those midterms.

xoxo

Green Beans and Peas, A Paper, Some Shows, And A Too-Clean Room

2011-10-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hello all,
I've just pulled my first all nighter in college...but it wasn't even to study! That means that at 6:45 AM this morning I was a dazed college student staring at a screen, dead tired, and thinking about watermelon (I dunno, I've been having dreams about watermelon too. I guess it's a sign I really need to eat some?) I also learned that when procrastinating, facebook can actually become very boring once you've been on enough times in hopes that some new notification will distract you from writing a paper. The hateful paper in question was for international relations. I took this class out of interest...but political science is not my thing, although I do find it interesting. I'm going to stick with nursing.
Other than stressing over this paper, what have I done all week? I cleaned my room...several times...youtube and I have become very good friends...I've done laundry...floor hopped...thought about my paper...thought some more about it (did you know only the draft was due today? I have to revise it for final submission next week. AHHH TOO MUCH ANXIETY!)...I made to do lists...I watched some hulu shows (anyone reading this should totally watch New Girl. It's hilarious. For guys and girls. I love it! Also, I do like Hart of Dixie, which, yeah, it looks cutesy and lame and utterly predictable, but it's nice to watch, alright? I find it entertaining)...I thought about going to Uniqlo because I heard they had awesome sales, but missed out on it to do homework instead...oh wait! I do have some semblance of a life! I totally went to Union Square (I love that we live walking distance from there. That was a major factor in my decision to dorm. I'm only kind of kidding. The Barnes and Noble is so amazing! I could live there!) and checked out Trader Joe's. I attempted to buy something until I noticed the line, at which point I left without buying the spinach tortellini. It was sad. But then I sauteed green beans and peas, which, let me tell you, was quite the experience. Why have I never done such before? It's so simple, fun, and seems healthy! I think I'm going to make a lot of vegetables from now on. Anyway, that's all I've got to say for now...perhaps by next week I'll be slightly more exciting.

The Other Side of NYC

2011-10-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

There has been so much going on that I haven't had a chance to describe the other side to living in the city and this is made up mostly of weird experiences. Therefore, I am going to reminisce on all the weird things that have happened since the beginning of the semester because they are quite strange yet funny.
One of the first things that I noticed about the city is the danger of taxi cabs. The drivers are quite eager to reach their destination in a timely manner, even if means running a couple of lights. The first time, my friend and I were about to cross the street as the stoplight was on yellow and the taxi cab was a good distance away. However, the yellow light instead of telling the cab to slow down, the taxi accelerated and forced us to jump backwards. It was a good lesson to learn and the second time, I was prepared. It was late at night when I was returning to the dorms with another friend after a bio lecture. I saw the light on yellow but I peered out to see whether there were any cars. Coincidentally, there was a taxi approaching quickly, and I took a step back. My friend did not. I yanked her out of the way just as the taxi came. Afterwards we laughed at ourselves, but we both learned a valuable lesson: Watch out for those yellow taxis!

Bloomingdale's, Occupy Wall Street, and French

2011-10-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

As you can see from the title of this post, I've had an assortment of experiences this week.
When I first started classes this year, I was definitely not looking forward to the 6 hour break that I would have every Tuesday. I thought those hours would be the most torturous of the week. Well, it turns out that I was wrong. Tuesday has now become my most fulfilling day of the week. Those 6 hours allow for homework completion, hanging out with friends, and exploring NYC. This past Tuesday, I didn't have a lot of work to do, so I was able to spend a lot of time outside, enjoying the great weather. I went outside to take a photo for Macaulay Snapshot Day and I ended up in Central Park. I took a few pictures, but none of the pictures seemed right. As I began to walk down Fifth Avenue, I stumbled upon a huge crowd of people chanting and walking up Fifth Avenue. I immediately recognized them as the Occupy Wall Street protestors. This was my first time seeing the protestors in person and I was transfixed by their words and their signs. I thought that I would never see the protestors because they had been downtown for awhile. Later that day, I found out that the protestors were in the Upper East Side to protest in front of the homes of a number of CEO's.
I began to snap pictures and take videos of the protestors as they walked to and then up Park Avenue. I followed them for about an hour and was amazed at the number of protestors and their enthusiasm for the movement. Everybody on the sidewalk literally stopped what they were doing and started snapping pictures. It was great to just be there and see people try to make their lives better.


The photograph I chose for Macaulay Snapshot Day.

Later that day, I went into Bloomingdale's for the first time in my life. The various designer clothes and accessories were beautiful. But while there, I was reminded of the protestors and how they couldn't afford most of the things sold at Bloomingdale's. It was crazy to imagine that people protesting because they needed jobs and people shopping for a designer handbag were in the same city at the exact same time.

On Wednesday, my Art in NYC Seminar professor took my class to see a chamber music master class with the Bordeaux Quartet at Hunter's Lang Recital Hall. The Bordeaux Quartet is made up of four French musicians. They took some time off from their world tour to come to Hunter to give some constructive criticism to Hunter music students. After the students played for the Quartet, each member of the Quartet gave some constructive criticism to them. The members of the quartet spoke a mix of French and English to the students. A translator was on hand to translate the French for the students and audience. I found that I didn't even mind that I didn't understand what they were saying. The French language is so beautiful that it is itself like a piece of music. The French musicians had such passion for music and gave valuable pieces of advice to the Hunter music students. It was just fascinating to watch them and listen to them talk about what they love.

I have a confession to make. I had never eaten sushi until this past Wednesday when my friend taught me how to eat sushi with chopsticks. I definitely enjoyed eating it! College really does expose you to new things.

I have two midterms coming up next week so let's see how those go!

ttyl,
S.

A Week of Firsts

2011-10-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

This past week marked a major milestone for me as I attended “The Threepenny Opera” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House for my Arts in NYC seminar. I am a devoted rap and hip-hop fan, and so initially responded to news of this mandatory excursion to the opera with aversion. The fact that “The Threepenny Opera” was entirely in German served to exacerbate the situation. To make matters worse, I was separated from my friends because odd and even numbered seats were at opposite ends of the theatre. However, this proved to be conducive to my appreciation of this new and unprecedented opportunity. My seat was directly next to that of my seminar’s IFT Fiona, who also happens to be an English major at the CUNY Graduate Center. We discussed the plot of the opera during intermission and I learned about the experiences of a graduate student under the stress of writing a dissertation. This is merely my first month of college, and Macaulay has already broadened my horizons. Never did I envision myself attending the opera and discussing the plot with someone on the verge of receiving their graduate degree, yet there I was. One important lesson I’ve learned is to open myself to new experiences. After all, if you had stopped me one week ago while the vibrant snare and bass of the latest rap track ran through my headphones to tell me that I would enjoy an opera, I would have laughed and been on my way. When the opportunity to leave early arose, many of my peers seized the opportunity. Much to my surprise, I willingly chose to stay. Just make sure not to tell anyone about my newfound love.

Another exciting aspect of this week was the inaugural Macaulay Scholars Council meeting. Here we were introduced to the Administrative Staff of the Macaulay Honors College. Meetings are held at the Macaulay Building, a brownstone with awe-inspiring architecture. Being a member of the Macaulay Scholars Council contributes to my sense of school identity and will allow me to get more involved in the daily aspects of college that impact my educational experience both inside and outside of the classroom. Once again, I’ve opened myself to being more involved in leadership activities that have thus far been engaging and self-improving. College is truly proving to make me try things I never saw myself doing before.

My first ever college midterms are coming up, and I hope to survive long enough to write another post!

You are my Sunshine

2011-10-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

I think I've finally gotten used to my schedule. I am not as stressed out and burnt out as I had originally thought, and I am doing better in most of my classes than I had originally thought. Not that I'm saying I'm looking forward to the slew of five midterms coming up in 2 weeks, but I know and have more faith in myself that I will study and get through it very well. The beautiful weather sure is making me feel very confident that I can accomplish anything just about now.

It was really mind boggling and pretty relaxing to have two 4day weekends in a row. Of course, I had hoped to get as much studying done as possible during these weekends, but, as expected, I only did the bare minimum. In a way, I am disappointed in myself, but I am not surprised that my mind refused to do much over the mini breaks. At least I planned to procrastinate during the weekend, because now I have the perfect window and amount of time to really strap in and study for my tests. Thats the best part about those 4 day weekends- I might not get much done, but they are so relaxing that I am primed and ready to do busy work throughout my school week.

Yesterday, the last day off from the four day weekend, I ended up watching the Columbus Day Parade. It was a refreshing change to my schedule, and reminded me how I miss my days of high school marching band. While I was reminiscing about my marching band days, I dutifully carried out my role as a parade spectator and waved to the various marchers and police officers coming by. At first, when I waved, the police officers would wave back ecstatically, even trying to start up small talk with me while they walked by. I was pretty excited by this, because I was not the only spectator around, and I felt quite appreciative of the fact that the marchers were taking the time to say a few words to me. After a while ( I think this was after Bloomberg walked by), I realized the marchers weren't exactly talking to me, but to the two sisters (nuns) next to me, dressed in their white saree-like habits (like the one Mother Theresa wore). It was sort of surreal to see the Missionaries of Charity in New York, because I had originally associated them with working in the slums of Calcutta. After talking to them for a little bit, I learned they were waiting to talk to an Indian consulate official ( the Indian Consulate was on the same block that I was spectating on) about visas for India. I was extremely fascinated and awed by how they worked not only in the visible poverty of Calcutta, but also tried to help with the noticeable but often invisible poverty within our city.

The internet at the dorms has gotten better, but it is still not up to par considering that there is such as thing called "tech fees". However, the freebie t-shirts and planners that Hunter decided to give away today slightly glossed over this ever present and unsolved internet debacle. And of course, the gorgeous weather these past few days and for the days to come is pure happiness, no matter what life decides to throw at me.

Other than reading for classes and writing up lab reports, I'll be attending sessions with various admissions reps and deans with a few dental schools. I want to gain as much information and exposure to as many dental schools as possible before I really start my apps and studying for the DAT this winter and next semester.

Zen?

2011-10-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

I think the biggest realization about Junior Year is that it really doesn't feel as different as I thought it would. By contrast, it's actually the easiest year thus far, not by workload, but because I've gotten to the point of understanding my learning style and my maximum work load.

While the sophomores are all being existential about their future and freaking out about the MCATs, LSATs, or GREs, the Juniors are by contrast are holding up pretty well. I think that's probably one of those realizations you have in the moment (or at least it seems that way for me and my friends), but stressing won't really get you anywhere. In the end, you really do just procrastinate as much as always, but as long as you get yourself together in the end and keep up with things, it's all good. Classes and MCAT prepping can be tackled at the same time, as long as you give yourself plenty of time to make up for procrastination (read: extra 3 months), and internships, study abroad, work, and a social life are still fulfilling and fun.

That's the probably the most important thing I've learned throughout college: everything is achievable as long as you always enjoy what you're doing and have your goals in mind.

A Well Deserved Weekend!

2011-10-10T11:34:00.001-07:00

This has been our second long weekend in a row, and I must say, it was much needed. Last Thursday was our first exam in Bio 100, which means that I was stressed out with studying and preparing for well over a week leading up to the test. And I haven't taken a Biology class since my freshman year of high school, so I hadn't the slightest clue what to expect! I really have no idea how I might have done, but it was definitely very challenging, and left me absolutely exhausted at the end of it all.

One of the greatest things about living in New York is how close I am to home still. There is really nothing better than being able to hop on the M66 (right outside of Hunter!) and going home after a really stressful day. Don't get me wrong, I love living in the dorms, but there's nothing like a home cooked meal, the love of your parents, and the comfort of your own bed. As much as it would be kind of cool to live far away from home, experiencing a totally different place, I find that going home really grounds me.

Nightmares: Fairytales

2011-10-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a milestone for me. I was flooded with schoolwork and that bio test. However, it was all worth it because on Sunday, I went with a group of my friends to a haunted house attraction called Nightmares: Fairytales. We went with our student ID's, received a significant discount and the lines weren't long. The inside was dark, and Rapunzel was there to place blindfolds over our eyes. We grabbed her hair and marched in line to complete darkness. All I felt was my friend in front of me. People were whispering all around, and at one point, someone grabbed my legs. Eventually the blindfold came off and I was facing the candy house from Hansel and Gretal. The journey began there and we walked through different fairytale scenes. Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood, and Pinocchio were just a couple. The Pinocchio scene was quite scary; the room had been decorated with wooden figures that all repeated the phrase "I want to be a real boy". Well.....turns out one of them was real and he jumped out, definitely getting a scream out of me. This event was not only terrifying, it was also quite a performance. The props were elaborate and they explored the fairytales in a completely new way.

The second part to this attraction was something called "The Experiment". Allegedly, this was an experiment conducted by the Hayden Institution on the psychology of fear. I was extremely intrigued when they asked for a consent. We had to do what they told us, but we could leave whenever we wanted. The experiment measured the reactions of people to certain events. For example, one of the experimenters took out a "street" rat, and immediately three people walked out of the stage. Among these experiments, someone was asked to dance in public, as an example of stage fright. Finally, we were told to cover our faces because they were going to throw a bucket of "chilled feces" which turned out to be just water. This study was intense, but I found it quite interesting how the researchers invoked fear in the audience.

Overall, one of the best things about living in NYC is the variety of events that take place, and this was one event is definitely worth a look.

2011-10-07T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hi, everybody! =)
I can't believe I'm already writing my third post. I've really enjoyed writing these blog posts. They're a lot of fun.
Gosh, I really needed this four day weekend. I had my first Biology test yesterday and I, along with a bunch of my fellow Macaulay Hunter students, have basically been freaking out the past week about this test. I'm just glad that I can say that I'm done with the test, and I don't have to think about it anymore. It felt good to just walk out of that lecture hall yesterday and know that my TV was waiting for me at home.
When I got home on Wednesday, I logged onto Facebook and found out that Steve Jobs had died. (It's funny how a lot of us get our news through Facebook sometimes.) I knew that he had been sick for awhile, but it was still shocking. He was a truly amazing individual, and it's because of his innovative genius that all of us Macaulay students get our shiny MacBook Pros when we start college. The MacBook Pro is definitely a great tool and has become my best friend when I write my papers.
So thank you, Steve Jobs. You will be missed. =)
Fall has come upon us and New Yorkers have definitely been showing off their style with chunky sweaters, classic trench coats, and cool boots. I get inspired by what I see other people wearing because it's always cool to see how other people wear a certain piece and add their own twist to it.
I'm looking forward to spending a little "mommy and me" time with my mom and doing some shopping with her this weekend. It's good to get out of the house and contribute to the economy as well. =)
I don't have too much homework this weekend so I going to catch up on some reading, watch some crime dramas (by the way, "Blue Bloods" is an awesome show!), and enjoy the nice weather.

Enjoy the weekend, everybody. =)

College Lyfe!

2011-10-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all,

(I am not from Texas or anything. Just sayin'. I am from New York. I just enjoy the word "y'all," that's all.)

I realize I'm a bit late with my first blog, but better late than never, right?

Anyway, I’m Amirah! I'm lucky enough to be a part of the Macaulay-Hunter group as a freshie this year. A bit about me: I’m majoring in indecision and I was born in June…I have a strange fondness for Colin Firth, persimmons and cucumbers. I think vacuuming is painful, as is washing dishes. I can’t cut in a straight line, and I love the color green. My hair has been described as happy. When I’m not amusing the world with my renowned cheesy jokes, you can usually find me reading Entertainment Weekly cover to cover or singing Bollywood songs too loudly.

So, college. The reason I signed up to be a part of the MacBlog is because when I was applying to Macaulay-Hunter, I read this blog a lot. And I thought the kids who blogged here were super-cool. And it helped me in my decision-making process more (just kidding, I heard about Macaulay my junior year and was completely awed by it). If you're a prospective student reading this, yay! Come to Macaulay! Even though it's not well known outside of the city (I'm from Dutchess County and the people there were like, wow your school is the most obscure thing I've heard of so I'm going to ignore it and pretend you just go to Hunter. And it was like, hey! Macaulay is a top school! People just don't know it yet! In 10 years when all the Macaulay kids are owning the world and then people know about it, I'm going to be a total snob...like, yeah, I went to that school! It's going to be great. But I digress.)

Right, so college. Again. College is fun. I think I say this because my workload hasn't been significant enough to freak me out yet, but the social aspect is fun. There are so so so many diverse people at Hunter. I've met so many other Guyanese people, which is crazayyy because all my life I've known very few at school. We're practically a majority of a minority at Brookdale! Dorming is also loads of fun...it's kind of like one big sleepover, except we have our own rooms. But we walk around in our jammies all the time and cook together sometimes, and I'll sometimes run down the hall to borrow milk or cereal or sugar or a pan from someone. I love it!

Well, I'm off to return my DVDs to the library ($3 per day when your DVDs are late?! Clearly I don't know the city library system!) and perhaps walk a bit. A lot of my friends who go to other colleges where they live on campus can't quite comprehend the idea that we have to walk to the train every day and from it to get to our dorms...but I like it. Exercise is good! JK I'm totally going to take that statement back in the winter when it's freezing. Another cool thing that came to mind about our Macaulay-Hunter living situation: we dorm, live at college etc, but then we go home on weekends. Most of the students are from NY, so we just head home if we're homesick or if we've run out of food we take the train to get some home-cooked shiz! Living without a meal plan is alright, I suppose because most of us (maybe most of us? some of us? a bunch of us? Ok, well I do!) get food from home every week or so, but if we feel like cooking we'll cook. Sometimes we actually do have to cook. But all's good.

Macaulay Hunter Community?

2011-10-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

One of the most common questions I get asked by prospective students is about the Macaulay community - the fact that Macaulay doesn't consist of your nontraditional campus can be scary (even if that's what you're looking for!). I recently got an email from a prospective student and got asked this question again, so I thought I'd just write a blog post for future referencing purposes.

I'm from Brooklyn, born and raised, so I feel very at home in New York City. Those of us from the New York City-area do make up the majority of Macaulay, but there are plenty of students from out of state as well. So essentially, most Macaulay students come into college having some kind of community in the city, be it people they went to high school with who are also attending college in the city or simply their family.

Starting to form a new Hunter/Macaulay community however, is not easy - at least not as easy as it probably would be in an enclosed campus. It is not forced upon you. Hunter is a commuter school, so people don't necessarily spend much time at the 68th street campus hanging out. All of the dorm rooms are singles, so you aren't forced to interact with your floor mates. And besides the four seminars, you may never see your Macaulay peers in class (though you probably will in other honors classes and you can certainly end up in the same regular Hunter classes).

However, one of the great things Hunter at Macaulay students do have is the dorm. Despite the fact that rooms are singles, the dorm is the hub of student life for many Macaulay students - there are lots of floor events, special trips, and dorm-wide events to help foster community. But things often happen more naturally just because there are communal kitchens, an awesome game room, etc. and Macaulay students do make up the majority of students at the dorm. There's also an honors lounge at Hunter where many Macaulay/Hunter students hang out.

In terms of Macaulay community, that's a bit harder, because we are spread across 7 campuses. But if you're willing to put in the effort (and the travel time) you can create a pretty strong Macaulay community as well - besides the many academic/intellectual events held at the Macaulay building, we do try to have a few "fun" Macaulay events each semester as well.

In the end, forging a community at Hunter/Macaulay may not work for you. The upside is, you have the entire city of New York at your disposal for creating your own community, even if it doesn't have a tangible location. This is the route I have taken. I certainly know many of my peers in Macaulay Hunter, and say hi or chat with my floor mates on occasion, but my group of friends, my "community" is a mix of people I know from high school, people I've worked with, my best friend who goes to Macaulay Baruch, and the people they've introduced me to.

In sum, the "community" you're going to find at Macaulay/Hunter/NYC is actually one you create. In a city this big, (with many other colleges besides Macaulay!) it's impossible not to find people you like and get along with. But if you definitely want a community closer to "home" - a community at Hunter - it's pretty easy to find! You just have to put yourself out there.

There are advantages and disadvantages to the "forced" community that many enclosed campuses create. Choose a school based on what you think will be best for you. But keep in mind that in the real world, no one is going to tell you who your "community" of friends/support should be. You're going to have to find it, create it, maintain it on your own.

I'm a firm believer that college is what you make of it. If you do end up going to Macaulay, or another school with a similar student life situation, try to make sure you spend more time taking advantage of the opportunities offered to you rather than disparaging those things you are missing out on. (And this actually applies to everything - not just student life.) If having something specific is really important to you, make it happen for yourself!

ttfn
Kaitlyn (kt.ohagan@gmail.com)

Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-05T21:49:00.001-07:00

By now, I'm sure you've all (finally) heard about Occupy Wall Street, which is now in its third week. I know plenty of people who simply outright support the movement without having thought about it, and I think a lot of that has to do with OWS's own guerilla media campaign. (If you state, broadly, that you oppose capitalism and greed, post videos of police beatings, and tweet/facebook post about how the press is ignoring you, then I think a lot of people will sympathize with/support you without really thinking critically.)

It's not that I think this movement is all bad. If nothing else, I think it's important to have a left-wing activist response to the Tea Party, if only to show that liberals and progressives have as much passion for their ideas as conservatives and the religious right. And I think it's damn impressive to sustain and grow your movement for the better part of a month. I also think that there are legitimate grievances to be had with the financial sector of this country. (Satirized perfectly by this Onion article.) But I think that, just as liberals (myself included) critique the Tea Party and point out their hypocrisy, we need to critique OWS as well and not simply applaud their actions because we agree with (some of) their ideology.

Some things to consider:

Even as they're protesting capitalism and corporations, how are they continuously benefitting from those entities? How many of them are wearing clothing, sleeping in sleeping bags, using cell phones, etc, that were made in sweatshops? [And please, spare the argument that it's impossible to buy ethically made clothing. All it takes is research. As a last resort, one can learn to knit, go buy yarn from Maine raised sheep, and knit a sweater.] Who farmed their food? They are posting to the internet - where is their internet coming from? Did they buy unbleached, recycled paperboard for their protest signs? Have they even thought about these things? Or, like many other forms of privilege, are they completely unaware that they are benefitting from the system they protest against, and at the expense of others?
While I do not condone police brutality, and the NYPD's response to the protests has been shameful, I also do not condone provoking police brutality by marching without permits. Especially if not everyone is aware that the marches are occurring without permits. If you're going to break the law, it's imperative to make sure that every single participant knows that what they are doing is illegal, and that a confrontation with the police might result. It's absolutely fine if one is made aware of this and participates anyway, but everyone should be aware regardless.
What is the end goal of OWS? I know that this question is redundant at this point, but I'm not sure that question has been answered. What sort of change are they aiming to effect?

These are just some of my thoughts after mulling over the issue for three weeks. Feel free to comment and start a discussion. I guess my issue is, I don't see much actual discussion going on at all. I've either been hearing "Yeah, fight the man, f*** the cops, we're oppressed!" or "These people are all stupid and won't accomplish anything - liberals hippies commies etc." Neither of these scripts are productive. If college has taught me anything it's to engage in actual dialogue and analysis!

- Katharine

Waiting on Rhodes

2011-10-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

As I write I'm waiting to get a call about my Rhodes application, which is due at midnight. The whole process has been such a whirlwind... and apparently in the whirlwind I made a mistake on my application form which is hopefully being straightened out now. Our new MHC Hunter director is being super helpful tonight in dealing with the Rhodes committee, which is great. Other than that... just a few glitches to fix, a couple recommenders who haven't yet uploaded their letters but theoretically will before 11:59, and a submit button to press and wham - I'll be a Rhodes candidate.

The Rhodes application process is unlike pretty much any application I've worked on before; I encourage anyone even kind of sort of thinking they might do it to start thinking about it far in advance, NOT in September like I did. There's been a ton of heat and pressure, and having six different people reading your essay and making sometimes not-so-nice comments about it can be tough, not to mention scrounging up and keeping track of 7 recommenders. But at the end of the day, it's still at least a chance to get an amazing opportunity, to have all kinds of doors open for you and to spend a couple years at Oxford.

For me the most beneficial, and one of the most stressful, aspects has been the forced introspection. I jumped on the Rhodes application because I'd realized it was time to face my nagging doubts about graduate school rather than plowing ahead with my applications, and even if this doesn't come through I think it was a good choice. Figuring out what I would do with the chance to study at Oxford has made me give a lot more credit to alternative ideas that I've mostly ignored while working in neuroscience, generating a lot of food for thought as I move foreword.

Still no call yet... oh well, hopefully soon. Right now I'm just looking foreword to having this all over and done with, spending the weekend with my boyfriend at his upcoming synthetic biology competition (yes, we are that nerdy) and finally getting to focus on my classes and lab work.

Happy Birthday NYPL!

2011-10-05T05:40:00.000-07:00

Today I went to the New York Public Library's centennial exhibition. The public library opened 100 years ago and since then has expanded its collection and preserved its historical and cultural significance. The exhibition, which is free to all, is organized into four thematic divisions: Observation, Contemplation, Society and Creativity. The exhibition documents the way information has been recorded over time, starting from Sumerian cuneifom tablets from the 3rd millenium BCE. and finishing with modern digital material. There were original manuscripts from many books, personal journals from authors, scrolls, centuries-old maps, and even disturbing material such as a copy of Mein Kampf and a Ku Klux Klan costume. Essentially, the exhibit is a tribute to the legacy of the NYPL. I really enjoyed it, and recommend it to anybody interested in history, literature and culture.

And if you haven't ever been to the NYPL, (shame on you) I suggest to get over there as soon as possible! You can do research and have coffee on 5th avenue and feel like you are in Hogwarts at the same time!

Anyway, this post is a bit early because the Opportunities Fund is due this week, as well as a bunch of scholarship applications and papers so I wanted to make sure to post this before I go on a mini-hiatus!!

xoxo

The Calm Before the Storm

2011-10-04T11:34:00.000-07:00

Rather than spend my 5-day weekend parting it up, I spent my Friday night making flashcards for studying German history, and went to bed early on Saturday so I wouldn't be tired for work on Sunday (I did enjoy a mini-Buffy marathon with my BFF on Wednesday night. It's awesome that Netflix has the entire series on Watch Instantly!).

Thanks to my diligence however, I'm in pretty good shape right now. However, midterms start around the middle of the month and run all the way until the end (I have a two or three part midterm for almost all of my classes!). So I'm enjoying my day off today (we're on a Friday class schedule, and I have no Friday classes!) with the knowledge that soon things will be getting very hectic!

One of the things I'm working on that I'm actually very excited about is my creative project for Imagining the End of the World - my best friend and I are going to make a short zombie film! We're working on writing the script now and it's already been alot of fun. It's always great when you can take a break from schoolwork by doing FUN schoolwork. I'm also enjoying the book I'm reading for the class - Watchmen! I actually though I wouldn't like reading a graphic novel, but it's really beautiful and so far a captivating story.

Back to scriptwriting in Starbucks!

ttfn
Kaitlyn (kt.ohagan@gmail.com)

Opportunities Fund

2011-10-02T18:05:00.000-07:00

The Opportunities Fund is a glorious thing for Macaulay students. A sum of $7500 at our disposal for academic needs. The only thing standing in our way is the application which is why I have been MIA lately. The application requires several documents: justification statement, budget breakdown, course syllabus, brochure, and a liability waiver. I'm applying to the Spanish Language in Argentina study abroad program that takes place over the winter break. It's an immerse program that has classes from Monday to Friday and teacher assistants that take you out to speak with the locals. This program is so popular that over 10 people from Macaulay are applying this year alone! The hardest thing about the application is starting it. Once you get an idea of what you need to do, it's smooth sailing. Of course you can use the fund for graduate school applications and research reimbursements, but I highly encourage using it for study abroad. I think going outside the US to learn is more worthwhile because you become familiar with another culture, learn a new language, taste new foods, and learn to be independent. Go ahead and apply for the political science program in India, or the business classes in Beijing. Step outside your comfort zone and try something new!

P.S. I am really enjoying the level of activity on this blog. Keep it up!

Art and stomach aches

2011-10-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I went to the New York City Bronze Age Colloquium at the New York Institute of Fine Arts. The guest speaker was Ms. Stephanie Lynn Budin, who got her Ph.D. in Archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania. The title of her lecture was "Images of Women and Child from the Bronze Age." Images of women and children during the bronze age (4th-2nd millennium BCE) are now referred to as the Kourotrophic tradition. Her research showed that there was a profound collection of kourotrophic iconography in Egypt, but a small proliferation of this motif on mainland Greece and almost no examples of these mother-child images in Minoan (Cretan) art. Budin explored the reasons behind this lack of portrayal of something so basic and realistic in the ancient world, claiming that the absence of kourotrophism was due to the fact that showing a mother with a child would not be an indicator of social status; women of the ancient world were more preoccupied with associating with high-status groups rather than with children. I do think it is fascinating that so few images of a mother and child exist in ancient art, but I'm not entirely convinced that, as Budin suggests, it has anything to do with social status, especially since Minoan art usually portrayed images from every day life.

The next colloquium will be held on October 14th at the New York Institute of Fine Arts at 6:30 pm, in case anybody is interested. The event is organized by a faculty member from the classics department, and anybody interested should go show their support!

I hope you are all enjoying your five day weekend!! (Unfortunately, I got food poisoning from the Moe's on 1st avenue by the dorms...so I haven't been enjoying myself too much...)

xoxo

Como Andamos

2011-10-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

This 5 day weekend has been great. For the first time since I got back to school I was bored. A few nights ago I sat in bed and I looked up at the ceiling and I looked up at the ceiling and I said to myself "I'm bored." It was great.

I've been continuing to work my 40 hour weeks. I can usually squeeze in a lot of homework and studying time on the ambulance. That's worked out well so far, and my two schedules have integrated perfectly. Besides all of the work, I've been out with friends a lot more lately, which has been great.

Once I get a little more settled I'm going to start heading down into the village again. Once the weather gets a little colder. The setting will be perfect. I guess I'm romantic like that.

I have to wake up at 4:30AM most days for work. On my 2 days off I can sleep late, and on the 2 days I have class I can sleep until 8AM. They say the early bird gets the worm. It's safe to say I'm getting the worm.

That's all I have.

Michael.

Apples, Honey, and Homework

2011-09-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-28T15:31:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-27T09:24:00.001-07:00

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

LOL, okay i'm done.

2011-09-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

It's okay...

2011-09-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-09-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-25T13:34:00.001-07:00

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!

2011-09-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-23T21:47:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2011-09-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-23T14:01:00.002-07:00

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

2011-09-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-09-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-09-13T05:49:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

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!

The calm after the storm

2011-08-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

Here's hoping that everyone and their families are safe and sound. I know I was really worried about the hurricane especially after Mayor Bloomberg announced a mandatory evacuation for the dorms. I rushed back to the dorms after volunteering (yes, even in the midst of a hurricane warning I went to help out at Beth Israel because I thought they would be swamped with work for the weekend) and packed a bag to take home. On my way to the elevators, it seemed like everyone was getting ready to go as well and there was a general feeling of panic and anxiety. But there wasn't a feeling of only looking out for yourself. Everyone was wishing each other safety and giving out hugs and I really felt a sense of community. That's what I love about being in the dorms. You really get a chance to create a family away from home, a support system when you're in a new environment, and these are the people you'll be counting on for more than four years.

Last days of summer

2011-08-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

It's the last day of summer break, and a rainy one at that. I've notice that with each passing year of college, the distinction between semesters and breaks become more blurred. This summer, after taking a class for the first six weeks, I worked 5-7 days a week at my lab, studied for and took the GRE, and spent a great deal of time panicking about graduate school applications; the fact that starting tomorrow I have to add attending class into that mix hardly makes a big difference. Part of this may be a science thing - working in lab can be, for many people, somewhat all-consuming, and the rest of one's life tends to fade in importance compared to one's work. But that does lend a nice stability to life...

It probably also stems in part from being a commuter. While many other students were moving into their dorms the past few days, I was cleaning and reorganizing my apartment to get everything into shape for studying. Technically I share the apartment with my mom and brother, but my mom works outside of the city about half the week and my brother just went up to law school so for most intents and purposes it's mine. This definitely has it's perks - quiet, space, privacy - but also means I have to fit housekeeping and animal care into my routine, and when you need to be at school by 9 o'clock in the morning the extra 20 minutes to feed and walk dogs, feed cats, and take care of the parrot definitely takes a toll.

For now though everything is calm and in order, and I can sit back and enjoy the last day before senior year.

China and Other Things

2011-08-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

OK, before I actually begin my post let me just say that Katherine is absolutely right about the power of blazers. Throw it on a sundress and you're good to go. Throw it on a t-shirt and you're polished. It must be the fitted tailoring that shouts professionalism and maturity. So if you're doing any back-to-school shopping, then invest in a blazer! It's a great investment to your closet since it's so versatile. Now on to the actual post...

Hope you guys didn't miss me too much! I know I was on a super long hiatus but that's only because I was visiting family abroad and internet connection isn't the easier thing to obtain. I went to Beijing for the first time and the experience was amazing. Being in China's capital and the root of my ancestors felt so surreal. I felt connected and detached at the same time. There were people who looked like me and could probably relate to growing up in a Chinese household but at the same time I was very aware of how different I was because I spent almost my whole life in the states and have become accustomed to certain ideas and ways of life that are foreign to them. In addition, my Chinese was conversational at best. Plus, I spoke Cantonese while Mandarin is the official language. Already there was a language barrier. In spite of that, I found myself forging a relationship to Beijing. Hearing spectacular things about the capital, I expected to be met with modernity and fast-paced city life but I was surprised to see how much history was intact. Instead of seeing skyscrapers and office buildings, I saw scenes of serenity: pagodas, gardens, and ponds. Although that may have been because I was a tourist and doing the usual sightseeing of the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall of China, Ming's Tomb, and etc. There was so much culture attached to the nature I saw. Everything was landscaped and well thought out. Even the steps were constructed with history in mind. There were exactly nine steps because the Chinese believed it was a heavenly number. I was learning so much about China, my ancestors and their legacy, and myself in the process.

After touring Beijing and visiting relatives, my Mom and I flew over to Hong Kong to visit her parents and my grandparents. I was there two years ago so I wasn't as excited for sightseeing as I was in Beijing. What I was excited for was finally seeing my family on the other side, especially my younger cousin, and finding out what has happened since the last time I was there. On the bus ride there I marveled yet again at the exhibitions of nature. There were mountains on top of mountains with little roads carved out. Trees lined along every street. Playgrounds on every block. Bike lanes and running routes along bodies of water. It was spectacular. Keep in mind, though, this is the view from the suburbs of Hong Kong and not the island where buildings rule the skys and streets are crowded with cars, buses, bikes, and people.

Being overseas was a good break from the city but I'm so glad to be back. I may love immersing myself in other cultures and gaining new perspectives but I will always be a city gal at heart.

What to wear to an interview when it's 87 degrees out and you're not sure if you have an interview

2011-08-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

Today I found myself in the predicament of not knowing whether or not I had an interview with someone at Knopf for a fall internship (it turned out I didn't. Oh well.) How does this happen?

Lesson #1 of "the real world": It really pays to know people. Make connections with your professors, Hunter and Macaulay faculty, other students, etc. Right now, I know at least three people who have friends in publishing houses, not including the people I met through my last internship with W.W. Norton & Company. And one of these people was kind enough to put me in contact with one of said friends, and we determined that we're meeting for coffee and/or lunch sometime this week. I tell her I'm free today after class, then all day Thursday and Friday. Well, 8AM comes, and I still haven't heard back, but I don't assume this means I won't see her today; my class didn't end until 2PM, giving her plenty of time to shoot me a quick email asking if I'm free.

Generally speaking, this isn't a big deal. I printed a copy of my resume just to have with me, I know a little about Knopf and a lot about literature, and I'm pretty eloquent on my feet. The big problem, naturally, was what the hell do I wear? Maybe this is less of an issue for guys, but still, one does not want to be stuck wearing a t-shirt and jeans or shorts while speaking with someone he or she'd like to work for! And, were it any other time of year, I'd have no problem wearing a button down and dress pants with heels to Hunter. But it's really, really hot out. Which begs the question - how do you look professional without baking in the heat?

My solution was to pair a sundress with thin straps with a blazer. I actually recommend blazers for everything. This dress would probably be way too informal to wear on its own to an interview or meeting, but paired with a blazer, BAM, I'm a young professional. Walking outside, it was too hot for the jacket so I just took it off and wasn't sweaty at all. That's another thing to worry about - you don't want to have soaked through your suit or dress pants before you even start your interview!

I paired this outfit with a pair of beautiful but sensible shoes, meaning I was comfortable all day, even after walking the 15 minutes to the train:

Anyway, it stinks that I didn't have the interview today, but at least - or so I hope - this means I'll actually know in advance when I'm meeting this person. And I got to feel pretty, anyway!

- Katharine