Piling on the Stress

The last week before spring break and all I can think about is the amount of work headed my way. Today, Thursday March 10th, 2011 is D-Day. With a final English paper due tomorrow as well as two revised papers and two writing contest entries, my evening will consist of nothing but dramatically typing on my laptop to churn out three polished papers and two solid entries. My outlook at this current moment: Bleak.
As many college students struggle to find equilibrium between studying and having a social life this weekend, my weekend will be spent in my bedroom eating ramen with my head crammed in a book. My first final, English, is on Monday and the thought of entering the classroom bright and early completely unprepared terrifies me. I figure that my social life can hit an all time low in order for me to receive an incredible grade (or passing grade...) on my final. I believe the weekend will also consist of doing arm exercises in order for my hands to function at a high level with all the essays I will have to write. I also keep forgetting that I have a final paper due for my precept on Monday. Although I have already written the paper it needs much improvement. Just one more thing that has to be added to my list of to dos. The only thing that might save me from going insane this weekend are a few trips to the gym to work up my endurance. Next week is going to be brutal.
I keep telling myself over and over that it won't be so bad and that the finals I will have to endure after next trimester's classes will be much worse. This isn't helping as I am in the thick of work at this moment. I find that nothing can take my mind off the work that has to be done. I'll be at the gym on the elliptical thinking about how I should be in my room writing a paper or I'll be at work wondering if it is okay to start work on revising a paper. A good question to ask is how many papers can a girl write before she goes bananas? The answer is surprisingly low.
Although it is crunch time and this is the most amount of work in the shortest amount of time I have had to complete here at Union College, I really shouldn't complain. I have friends from other colleges taking six courses that they have finals for! I am lucky to only have three courses, one of which I don't even have an actual final in. Things might seem terrible, but so many other people have it so much worse than I could even imagine. Plus, I still have time to fit in a blog post : )
So I guess the moral of this story is that even though finals are horrible and make you want to rip all your hair out, there is always a silver lining. It is possible to get through finals unscathed and make it to glorious spring break, it just takes a bit of patience, a lot of endurance, and copious amounts of snacks.

High School vs. College: The SmackDown

The Albany Academy for Girls (My High School!)

It's time for a much anticipated blog entry (and by anticipated I mean I'm the only one who is really excited for it). The similarities and differences between college life and that of the high school life. I know that I can not truly give an accurate depiction of the two as I attended a private high school that is very similar to Union, but I will give it my best shot.


Five Similarities:
1. The Amount of Work. Surprisingly my workload from high school has transferred over to my work load here at Union. In fact I can almost say that I actually have less work to do here than I did in high school. The level of difficulty is about the same, but keep in mind that my senior year I was taking three A.P. courses.

2. The Teachers. Believe it or not the teachers are actually very similar to the teachers I had in high school. They are super willing to help with any issues you might be experiencing, they are often times very creative and open-minded, and they allow you to express yourself in your own way. They will always make time for you and keep office hours a few days a week in case you need to stop by for clarification.

3. The Activities. Many of the activities offered on campus are the same or have the same underlying goal as the activities that were offered at my high school. For example: On campus there is a Habitat for Humanity club, just as my high school had a Habitat for Humanity club where we went to build sites in and around Albany to build houses on the weekends. Many clubs and organizations here at Union College have the same motives as those clubs in high school.

4. The Participation. At my high school everyone was very involved in class discussion and in discussion of the school's values and maintenance. Here at Union, I've found this to be pretty much the same. The whole campus is involved in events the campus puts on, students actively participate in class, and members of the student council work to perfect campus life.

5. The Gossip. This has definitely not changed since leaving high school. The only thing that has changed are the names of the people being discussed. I hate to say it, but coming from a small private school to a small private college the gossip has stayed at a pretty consistent level. Everyday I am bombarded with stories about you know who doing you know what with she/he who shall not be named. The stories are the same with minor twists as their is more freedom on a college campus. This was something I had hoped to put behind me, but gossip always has a way of following you around.

Five Differences:
1. The Food. This is something that is very, very different from my high school based on the element of nutrition. My high school served the most delicious health food complete with a salad and sandwich bar. At Union, and I am sure many other colleges, the food is delicious but less than healthy. You really have to reach deep inside yourself in order to make wise food choices. Although healthy food is an option, it seems that it is slowly being forgotten for the fried and greasy.

2. The Freedom. I won't lie. College life is pretty sweet. There is an abundance of freedom that I never knew existed. You can do what you like, be who you want, and get to live on your own for once. It is incredibly liberating to answer to yourself, while at the same time daunting. It can be frightening in the beginning to find that you hold all the power in your hands, that it is you who fully makes decisions about yourself. You no longer have mom and dad dictating every move you make. It is a powerful thing, but just remember to be smart and don't let the power get to your head.

3. The Weekends. My weekends are about as different as can be since arriving on campus. In high school I used to work Friday and Saturday nights and then spend the rest of my weekend either hanging out with friends or relaxing at home. The weekends have completely changed for me. Now there are so many more things to do, so many more places to go. It is possible to go see movies, go out to eat, go to frats, see the different shows the campus is putting on, attend concerts and comedians, volunteer, etc. The list goes on and end. I find that my weekends are taken up by dancing the night away, going to on campus movies, doing some work here and there, and attending different sporting events. Everything I could ever want to do on the weekend is at my fingertips.

4. The Dating Scene. I'm just going to go ahead and say it. What dating scene? I have yet to hear about this proposed dating scene on campus. I have scene a few couples get together in blissful harmony, but that is very rare. In high school I was known as the girl who, for the most part, was always dating someone. Arriving at college was an eye opening change for me as I realized the concept of dating someone doesn't really exist here. At least not for underclassmen. I think this might be the same on most college campus'.

5. The Grades. There are so many more distractions on campus then there ever were in high school. I find that it is sometimes impossible to sit, quietly studying in your room or even in the library without a distraction somehow appearing. It gets tougher to make the grades you want in college as you are constantly doing this, that, and the other thing every waking moment. Going to class can also be an issue as you no longer have a parent there to push you out of bed and out the door. Making stellar grades can be a really tricky process, one that you have to constantly be on top of in order to make it through a trimester successfully.

Spring Break: Mon Amour

As the second trimester winds down and spring break comes into view, I can't help but become a little excited. With one final and two final papers looming on the horizon before ultimate freedom I am becoming giddy. The only thing standing in the way of my spring break is the freezing cold weather. Growing up in Albany I know what to expect from the weather this time of year, yet it seems like the winter continues to drag on and on and on with no end in sight.
Spring Break. This is usually the time when students actually take a vacation and go someplace warm, sandy, and alcohol friendly. People tend to come back twenty shades darker than they were when they left with a fresh outlook on the third trimester. Sadly, not all of us can afford the luxury of traveling abroad and therefore must either stay at home bumming it or work over the break. This will be the first year I will not be traveling abroad, and in all honesty it is a welcome change. I do not have to stress over flights, try to pack a suitcase under fifty pounds (I always had to get rid of some of my heels at the last minute...), nor do I have to wake up every morning at 8 am in order to site see for the entire day. Instead I have decided to spend my spring break at home, alone (my father and brothers do not have the same vacation), sleeping in and working here and there. I can not wait. After a trimester of ups and downs, full of stress and sleepless nights, I am so excited to lay in my own bed at home and just relax. As the weather slowly gets nicer I am elated at the prospect of being able to run outside, in my own neighborhood. So long boring treadmill!
Another great thing to think about is that Union College students have no work over the break due to the trimester system. This means there are no essays, projects, or textbook reading to worry about it when all you want to do is enjoy a much deserved break. Union has a true Spring Break and for that I am quite grateful.
I am counting down the days until I can sleep until noon, walk around my house in my pajamas, hang out with the boys in my family, and read an actual book of my choosing. Until this day I continue to go to class, do my work, and of course make the most of the last week and a half of my second trimester. I don't know how excited everyone else is, but that first day of Spring Break is going to be incredible.

No Guts, No Glory

On Saturday night at 7 p.m. I had the privilege of attending the Union vs. Princeton hockey game with a group of my friends. This game was by far one of my favorites to watch. It was fast paced, triumphant, and incredibly passionate. Since last year, hockey has become a large part of my life, a part that excites me and thrills me as a spectator. It is something about the drive and the sheer talent the players have that makes it my favorite sport.

Arriving at the rink early at 6:45 pm (my fear that all the seats would be taken thoroughly freaking me out), my friends and I began the trek up into the stands to find enough room for the six of us. The student section was yet to be filled to capacity, but looking out across the rink it was clear we had made a wise choice in coming to the rink early. The stands were full of families, locals, and students all vying for seats so they wouldn't have to stand. Within 15 minutes the stadium was pretty much packed. The show was about to begin and I found myself on the edge of my seat, full of butterflies of excitement. 

At 7 pm the lights went out and all around me was an expectant air. Then the music grew louder and the team was announced, giving way to cheers and applause. Union's players poured out onto the ice in their dark uniforms while Princeton's team came next, dressed in frightening Halloween orange. It was seriously like watching an ice dancing show as the spotlights jumped around the ice, highlighting players here and there. It was an intense opening followed by the starting lineup emerging from the darkness as they were announced. My heart was in my throat as the lights rose and the players took their respective places. Game time. 

The experience of watching this last home game was thrilling. It was almost like I could feel the adrenaline coursing through the players as they jumped onto the ice and headed into the thick of battle. It might sound foolish, but I could hardly contain myself from bursting from my seat and running onto the ice to join in the fight. Throughout the entire game I wished I was one of the players. The need to succeed was so intense that after every goal Union scored I jumped to my feet in applause. My friends must have thought I was a lunatic as I refused to have my focus broken. I watched as Union scored 5 goals, one by Luke Cain, Stéphane Boileau, John Simpson, and two goals by Daniel Carr, throughout the three periods. Princeton just couldn't keep up. The night ended with a 5-0 victory, very happy players, and an equally happy audience. What made the game so great was that it was the last home game of the season. The team was so passionate and full of pride as they played and the audience only added to this atmosphere. At the end of the game, the team was presented with the Cleary Cup. This was a beautiful moment in Union College's history and for all the members of Union's Ice Hockey team. This was the first time Union College received the Cleary Cup since the ice hockey team entered Division One. It was truly a special moment for all involved in achieving this goal. After the presentation of the cup, Senior Night then commenced. Eight seniors were honored including Brock Matheson, Andrew Buote, John Simpson, Stéphane Boileau, Adam Presizniuk, and Corey Milan. The ceremony included the families of the eight senior members of the team which was quite touching. The ceremony brought back memories of my senior night for Field Hockey and how moving it was to be honored for one's commitment and dedication to a well loved team. 

Not only was the game the perfect combination of skill and violence, but the ceremony afterwards brought back so many positive memories that I left the rink on some sort of high, as I am sure the team did as well. Congratulations to the team, the coaches, and the honored seniors! 

Number one in the ECAC

P.S. I am terribly sorry for the poor quality of the video. I am no Steven Spielberg...