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Diva Lesson #9: Families Are Realness.

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Heyhey once again readers! I hope you haven’t been missing Diva Lessons too much this past week! If you have been, I hope you’ve brushed up on some of the older lessons, and now here I am to provide you with some new knowledge to learn from! Now I know I’ve posted about my own outing with my family a few lessons back, but this ain’t the same lesson! So don’t get it twisted. This post is about some otha families. Maybe not even a biological family. We’ll explore that later on as we go through and you gain some more knowledge! So this week, I’m gonna post about some hereditary realness! We talkin’ about yo’ mamas and papas, and those otha people who care for you! That’s why this lesson is titled Diva Lesson #9: Families Are Realness! Now let’s elaborate and discuss.

This last weekend, there was a lot going on. One of the main things, which is the subject of this post, has to do with families! Over the course of the weekend, it was Parent and Family Weekend here at SUNY New Paltz! Student Development helps to organize this special weekend every fall semester, and it’s aimed specifically at first-year students so that their parent of family members can come up and see how they’re doing here at school, especially if they haven’t seen their student yet since the semester began. There’s been a lot of changes on the campus since the summer when a lot of these family members last saw the campus. Over the summer, there was a great deal of construction going on, and while there’s still a lot happening, the campus is starting to look really great. The events that were scheduled took place over Saturday and Sunday, with most campus related events taking place on Saturday. Some on campus things included planetarium shows, and other fun events. However, as an Orientation Leader, I had the chance to go off campus and have some fun taking a trip with students and family members.

The trip that I got to go on was a short cruise on the Hudson River! Stephen and I went out and bought special sailor hats from a local Halloween store a few weeks back just for the occasion. On the day of the event, Stephen, Christie, and I all went to brunch at the dining hall to eat. While we were eating, Christie found some sandwiches in boxes, and Stephen and I were both very confused about where they came from. Then she grabbed both us of other sandwiches, and when we finished eating, we all left and went to the Student Union Building to get everything we would need for the trip. Linda, the Office Manager, gave us clipboards with sheets of information and some extra tickets, and I was able to see some of my students picking up tickets for the different events that would be happening over the course over the weekend. Then, we were able to get some pretty legit apple cider doughnuts from Student Development, and Stephen drove us over to the parking lot where the buses would be loading up. It was pretty hilarious because it started raining, so the three of us were running through the rain to reach Stephen’s car without getting too wet.

A lot of family members were coming with us, so we were able to fill two buses, and we had a whole ton of cars following us all the way to the ferry like a giant convoy. We drove for a while before reaching the ferry, and when we got there it was a little cold and windy. When we loaded the boat, they took pictures of each family, which could be purchased once the boat ride was over. Once we were all on the boat, Stephen, Christie, and I all played “The Winds Are Blowing” which was one of our favorite ice breakers, listened to our summer lipsync, and even watched some people getting married on the shore. Once the boat left, we took a cruise down the river, walked around and mingled with the parents, and took some pictures for Student Development. It was a really beautiful afternoon, and once we were out on the water, it was only cold on the top open area. We all had a really great time. Obviously, I was wearing a Ring Pop for the occasion, but to my surprise, there was a small concession stand where they were selling snacks and things, one of which was Ring Pops! So, a lot of the students and their siblings were wearing the Ring Pops! It was amazing and very funny to be surrounded by all of these Ring Pops. Also while we were on the boat, the actual captains of the ship stopped and talked to us and told us that they were jealous of our hats that we were wearing. Not gonna front, they looked pretty legit and profesh. Seeing all of the families on the boat made me think about my own family and how much I missed them since it’s been a month since I’ve seen them, and I haven’t been home in a couple of months. But anyway, while we were on the boat, we saw some things like lighthouses and large houses along the shore which were very pretty. The funniest moment was probably when Stephen couldn’t decided if he wanted popcorn or not, and he debated it for a long time before finally caving and buying the popcorn. (Here’s an insiders fact: Stephen cannot resist popcorn whenever it’s around. No lie.)  Once we came back to shore, we got off the boat, and the photographers were nice enough to give us our picture without having to buy it. We all looked great! Then, we waited for the bus drivers to come and pick us up, and they brought us back to campus while we ate the sandwiches which Christie had taken from the dining hall earlier that day.

When we arrived back on campus, Stephen and I took a much needed trip to Starbs to get our coffee on, and then we went back to Esopus for a little while to work on a card for Kristen since she was getting married that weekend! After that, we made our way to the Athletics and Wellness Center, where there was a comedy show featuring the Second City Comedy group, and Absolut A Capella. The show was very funny, and I was able to sit right in the front! It was great. The best part was when they asked for a suggestion for an improv skit, and they requested a high school clique. So, I yelled “COOL ASIANS!” and one of the women on stage tried to keep a straight face, without much success. I just couldn’t resist making the Mean Girls reference. After the show was over, Stephen, Soraya, Christie, and I all went out to the diner, where we are frequent customers. We had a lovely late night outing and it was nice to be able to spend some time all together, since sometimes we don’t get to do those types of things.

The next day was Sunday, and it was just the typical day of studying, getting work done, and tying up those loose ends of the week. I was also able to talk to my family for the first time in a couple of weeks too. We talked about a variety of things, including my sister’s graduation this December, and my Halloween costume so that my mom could start working on things to send me for this upcoming week, and of course for Halloween weekend. It was really great being able to catch up with each other, and let them know how everything is going. So, from there, it’s just been a regular busy week, a typical one in my life. Nothing too out of the ordinary happened, but such is life.

Anyway, I suppose that pretty much does it for this lesson. I guess the bottom line is that even when you’re away from your own family, it’s important to have your own constructed sense of family wherever you go. For me, whether that’s the other Orientation Leaders, or people like Jen and Gigi, who I’m currently with right now as I write this blog entry. It’s just important to surround yourself with people who you feel safe and comfortable with, and who you know when you will be there for, no matter what. Family doesn’t have to be biological, it’s more about the actual concept of the word itself and the connotations which go along with it. That’s really what family is about. So, that about wraps it up! Until next time, this has been Diva Lesson #9: Families Are Realness.

 

Extra Credit!

This week, I had my last session of CREW training for Open Houses, the first of which will be held this upcoming weekend. It’s been a while since I’ve given tours, so I’m a little nervous but still excited for the occasion, and to meet prospective students.

Tomorrow, I’m taking a trip for the First Year Fridays event to the Woodbury Commons, which is a shopping outlet center not too far away. I’ll be taking the trip with Stef and Stephen. Apparently, there’s a Starbs, an Applebee’s, and a Converse store. That’s really all I need to survive, as many of you may already know. I’m very excited and looking forward to being able to spend some more time off campus.

Since I don’t always have full access to Starbs while the week is in progress, I find myself making frequent trips to Seattle’s Best on campus. Lately, my drink of choice has been the Pumpkin Javakoola. It’s excellent and just right for fall!

This week was Hall Government Appreciation week, and the Capen RAs made me a cute sign to hang outside of my door, and provided us all with snacks and fun treats at our meeting this week. This Sunday, we’re all going pumpkin picking together as a bonding trip! It should be a great time.

This week, I helped Marissa out in Bevier, and did a program with her where I gave students henna tattoos. Marissa wrote “Fabulous” on my arm, and it’s still there from Monday. I kind of really enjoy it.

This last weekend, SUBs was held at New Paltz and I was able to finally meet on of the Chairs of the Advocacy Committee, Danielle. She’s really wonderful and I’m so happy that I was able to talk with her for a short period of time.

Finally, I’m currently sitting with Gigi and Jen, and as a small shout out to them, I would just like to say “Bonta-Bonta-Bonta Who? Bonta-Bonta-Bontaceau!” That is all.

Diva Lesson #8: Celebrate!

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Hello hello my Divas! It’s nice to be able to converse with you once again. Throughout this crazy, strange week, I wasn’t sure if I would make it to the end. Yet, here I am, not only surviving, but thriving! (Maybe that should be another lesson…we shall see). This week was a true oddity because we had Monday classes on Tuesday, and Tuesday itself was obliterated from the school week. Talk about sheisty! But such is life I suppose, and despite being hit with the triple whammy of an 8am class three days in a row, I still made the best of it and I survived! It’s what Gloria would have wanted (Gaynor…for those of you who may not know for some reason.) Well anyway, with the arrival of Diva Lesson #8 comes midterms! Take some time to review the past Diva Lessons, and make sure you understand them fully! You never know when you  may need to apply one or more of them in your everyday life. Proper application is surely, the key to success. Anyway, now that I’ve gone off rambling, let’s get back to the meat of the issue! Now when you hear midterms, I know most of you are probably thinking about crazy tests which cover a ton of information, all complied onto just a few sheets of paper. But here at Diva Lessons, we don;t play it like that. Instead, we’re gonna teach y’all a fun lesson! That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take it seriously though, of course! So here it is, “Diva Lesson #8: Celebrate!”

Now amongst our daily shuffles from place to place; activity to activity, we may found ourselves lost, confused, or overwhelmed. First, consider looking back at the Diva Lesson entitled Balance is Key (it’s a winner, I assure you.) But then, the next step it to remember to enjoy life, and make the most of it! Sometimes this means taking some time away from your studies, to celebrate those in your life who are important and matter most to you. Amidst my crazy schedule, that’s exactly what I did over the weekend. To start off the weekend, which would ultimately lead to my friend Sarah’s birthday on Tuesday, I went and paid a visit to Suite Ronnie Intensive (home of Sarah, Jenn, Eileen, Lindsay, Haley, and Dom…and kind of Jon). Things started out like a typical Friday night, with the usual food and Mario Baseball playing. But then, we decided that for Sarah’s birthday, we would have a scavenger hunt. Eileen and Lindsay were one team, and Sarah and Jenn were the other team. They made up lists for each other, and I was the judge. I assigned different point values to the items on each of the lists, so that we could determine a winner at the end. Both of the teams made hilarious and somewhat challenging lists which ranged from taking wacky pictures with different people or in random places, and others mandated collecting items, like restaurant menus or TCBY samples. The whole night was truly a blast. At the end, when the teams came back together, we ate an entire loaf of challah bread while laughing at the hilarious pictures they had taken, and items that were collected. It was by far one of the funniest moments in a long time.

The following day, we all simply hung out, and at night I went over to Gage to help Jen make some items for the sub-regional meeting that will be taking place here at New Paltz over the weekend. I helped her make door tags for all of the visiting people, and they turned out wonderfully. The next day, which was Sunday, Sarah’s parents both came up to visit for her birthday. They’re always hilarious, and I enjoy when I get to see them. Initially, we all went apple picking and Jenn creepily took photos of cute babies we saw while we were on a tractor ride to the apple trees. But, this weekend was unusually warm, so it ended up being too hot to fully enjoy picking the apples. Therefore, we went back to campus, and hung out around Suite Ronnie Intensive (located inside Dubois, and known as SRI, as Stephen calls them). We all watched videos of Sarah from when she was still in high school and laughed at how crazy she and her friends were. The best video was her birthday video, which her friends made for her. It’s probably one of the funniest things ever created. A little later on, Sarah’s parents took her out to dinner, and Jenn, Eileen, Lindsay, and I went on a mission to gather items for Sarah’s birthday. This included a ton of pictures that were used to create a giant collage.of hilarious or fun pictures taken over the year, and throughout her life. Then, we finished off the night by all returning to SRI (have you been paying attention to the abbreviations?!) and had ice cream cake for Sarah’s birthday! It was truly a wonderful day.

The following day, we still didn’t have classes because of Columbus Day. So I was able to sleep late, I stayed in Haley’s bed for most of the weekend, and I listened to the Student Ambassadors out the window as they went by with tour. It was another simple and relaxing day with friends, and Sarah and I were both in our friend Jen’s movie for her film class which took up a large portion of the afternoon. Following that, we got lunch, and spent the remainder of the day studying and doing homework for the week to come. Once midnight hit on Tuesday morning or Monday night, Jenn brought out a candy cake which she and Eileen had made earlier in the day. Basically, a candy cake is a typically circular structure, both filled and surrounded by candy, giving it the appearance of a cake. It’s pretty interesting. I went back to my room, and went about the next day as a typical Monday (even though it was Tuesday?) and had lunch with SRI for Sarah’s birthday, went to my classes, and got everything I needed done. Then, we all went out to dinner at the Olive Garden for Sarah’s birthday. I went with Sarah, Eileen, Jenn, Lindsay, Jon, Steven, and Mary. It was really a blast, but I don’t think the staff liked us very because we were a group of college students. That’s fine though. I hope she had a really wonderful weekend and birthday, because it was very nice to be with everyone and take time to celebrate as people should when someone important has a big event in their lives!

Basically, to sum up this lesson, always remember that people are most important. Quizzes and tests will come and go, and although they have a great importance, especially in college (for obvious reasons), having that strong foundation of friends to help support you and have fun with is also key. It is the best feeling to be able to make them feel loved and appreciated, simply for being a part of your life. That’s why this lesson is so important. It is essential to take some time out, even a small amount of time, and just celebrate! Let your hair down, and let loose! But of course, never lose your class and poise, because those are arguably the most essential pieces to being a Diva. Anyway, I guess it all really just comes back to two main ideas. Appreciate those you love, and never be afraid to express it, especially when it’s their special day, and always remember how important it is to celebrate and enjoy these moments in life! Too frequently, we get caught up in the constant buzzing of life’s activities, but being able to celebrate and truly enjoy what life has to offer is an essential skill, especially when it comes to being a Diva, and reaching your true potential. I suppose that’s really all I have to say this week! Enjoy you next week, and be sure to check in next week for the next Diva Lesson installment! Until then, this concludes “Diva Lesson #8: Celebrate!”

 

Extra Credit!

As if I don’t have enough going on in my life, this week, I decided to run for Vice President of Capen Hall, where I live on campus. There was an opening, and I took this as a sign that I should run for the position because i hadn’t done so originally and I missed being involved in Hall Government. Luckily, I got the spot!! I’m excited to see what this new Hall Government and my position have to bring me.

As stated earlier in the Lesson, this weekend we’re hosting a NEACURH sub-regional meeting. This means I will be able to meet the chair of my national committee, Danielle. I’m very excited to finally meet her in person, and assist at the meeting in anyway that they need me too.

Further, this weekend is Parent and Family Weekend. Being an Orientation Leader, I am obligated to help out. For my shift, I will be taking a boat ride on the Hudson River with Christie, Stephen, and 300 parent and family members. It should be interesting and I hope it doesn’t rain. Also: Stephen and I bought matching sailor hats, so that should also be hilarious.

Tonight, I attended an A Capella show in Bevier Hall. There were so many people there and the lounge was so warm! All of the groups were great, and the Sexy Pitches performed a new song. But of course, their new song was “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse. I nearly started  crying because I love her and miss her so much! Stephen thought this was funny, so her sent out a mass text to all of the other Orientation Leaders to tell them, because I had done an Amy Winehouse tribute during session 5 of orientation.

Of late, my life has felt a little messy, or a little all over the place. I think I have some things to sort through, but that’s life I suppose. When it comes down to it, you need to be able to persevere through problems, and face them head on, with your head held high. It may not come easily, and it might take some work, but it’ll be worth it in the end. It’s a process, and I think I need to get started.

Diva Lesson #7: Give Back.

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Well hello hello once again everyone! For all of your returning readers, I am so glad that you have decided to continue on in your journey to becoming a true Diva. It isn’t an easy road, and there are so many lessons to learn! But each lesson is a chance to gain some new knowledge and maybe learn about yourselves as well! For any of you who might be reading for the first time, feel free to look at my previous posts and read through them to get back up to speed! It’s never too late to start on your journey to become the best Diva you can be. That’s just a life lessons for y’all. So moving on and talking about the current lesson at hand, this week we’ll be talking about some charity realness! To be a Diva is a blessing in itself, and sometimes, we need to remember to take the time and thank those who have either helped us along our journeys or simply to help out a worthy cause that could use the help of a fabulous Diva! That’s why this week, I’m servin’ up philanthropy realness in Diva Lesson #7: Give Back.

A few weeks back, I was asked to volunteer some time this week and help out at a campus wide event set up by an organization known as Up ‘Til Dawn. Basically, Up ‘Til Dawn is a charity organization which raises money for Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital, which is primarily funded by donations, which is why these large charity events are held. Every fall semester, there is a big letter sending party, where people from all over campus can come and send out pre-written letters to family members and friends asking them to donate to this wonderful cause, which helps fight cancer. Of course, I immediately agreed to help them out for a number of reasons. Primarily, I believe that Up ‘Til Dawn is a phenomenal group and anything that people can do to help out is wonderful. Other than that, many of my friends here on campus are involved with the organization as Executive Board members. Primarily, the advisors of the organization, Kristen and Christina, are amazing and I had the chance to work for them over the summer. I love them both so much, and wanted to show them how much I appreciate them by helping them out with this event. Also, my friends Faith, Brittany, and Stephen are some of the Executive Board members and since they are all important to me, I wanted to make sure I was there when they needed me to support them and lend a hand. As a Diva, it is important to recognize those who are important to you, and show them you appreciate them by giving time, energy, and whatever else you can to them when they’re in need. Wouldn’t you want them to do the same?

Moving forward in the story, last night after my class let out at 5:45, I went over to Jazzman’s Cafe and got myself a caramel latte and then went back to my room to get ready for the event! At about 6:30, I went over and helped them prepare for the event. During the letter sending party, I would be helping to direct the entertainment and have them fill out letters just like everyone else who was simply attending the event as a regular attendee. Once the event got started, I also was put in charge of giving people stamps after they had filled out three letters so that they could get the free food and things at the event itself. We had a lot of pizza, popcorn, cotton candy, and other snacks. The best part of the food was probably the free cupcakes they had! Moxie cupcakes, who has a small store in town, donated a bunch of little cupcakes of all different flavors. They were super cute! My favorite would probably have to be the peanut butter and jelly cupcake. It was probably one of the greatest cupcakes I’ve ever had.

As soon as the event started, it was so amazing to see all of the people who came. There were a ton of sports teams such as the basketball team who came together and filled out a bunch of letters. The cheer leading team came as well, since they were one of the performing groups. Residence Hall staffs all came together as well, and it was really nice to see them all sitting together at different tables bonding with each other, and coming together for this wonderful cause. Over the course of the night, I really enjoyed walking around the room, giving out stamps to people, and just seeing everyone all together. So many professional staff members, including the President of the school came as well, and it was also great to see all of them come out to support the Up ‘Til Dawn organization as too. Beyond this, I really loved that Up ‘Til Dawn gave different performing groups the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of this large audience. All of the A Capella groups were able to perform, some of the slam poets (my friend Bre included!) performed, Epic Glee!, and Shades (a stomp group here on campus) all performed along with the cheer leading team to help keep everyone entertained while they worked hard filling out letters to send. I really loved all of the different performances that were put on throughout the night because they really showcased the wide variety of activities the students here on campus can get involved with, and the diversity on our campus as well which is something that sets New Paltz apart from other schools and really makes it a unique and special place.

As the night went on, people began to hand in their letters and head out. After the event was over, I helped to clean up by taking out garbage with Lil’ Fabz (who left a trail of soda/water which leaked out of her trash bag and then covered my shirt in this mystery liquid as we tried to hoist the bags into a dumpster!), and I took a trip to the library with Stephen to give back some laptops that they were using to register people at the event. Once everything was all cleaned up, Lil Fabz and I went back to Capen. I stayed around there for a little while, and then Jordan and I went out for a late night walk. We started off on campus, and then ended up going around town. It was really interesting to see how different the town was late at night when it was all deserted and there weren’t many people around. We talked about our lives, and all of that deep nonsense that people usually talk about on those long, clear, quiet nights. There were so many stars and the moons were beautiful. It was such a lovely way to spend the night.

When a Diva sees the opportunity to give back, a Diva should take it. It is important, as a Diva, to realize how blessed you are to have all that you do in life, and then make note of the fact that other people may not be as fortunate for a variety of reasons. Up ‘Til Dawn’s Letter Sending Party was such a perfect example of this. Not only was I able to give back, and support an amazing event on campus, but so many other people were doing the same thing. I got to see so many of the Orientation Leaders who were helping out or volunteering in various roles throughout the night, as well as all of the other students who were generously giving of their time to help make this event the huge success that it was. Most importantly, I was able to help support my friends and people who I care about by giving back to them, and giving my time and energy to them when they need it. In life, having support is essential, especially when it comes to people who care about you. One of the best ways that you can show your appreciaition is by giving back to them, and helping out when they need you. I suppose this is the key of this week’s lesson. It’s not just about giving to organaztions which seek to create greater amounts of good or positiviity in the world, but also giving to those who support and care about you. It all comes back to love, y’all. Learn it, use it, and spread it! That’s it for this lesson, so enjoy, and always keep in mind, Diva Lesson #7: “Give Back.”

 

Extra Credit! This week, I had a lovely Starbs date with Jen. She’s the best. Also, I’m considering applying for a job at the Welcome Center. We’ll see what happens. There’s an opening on Capen Hall Gov, and I’m not a part of Hall Gov currently, so I’m thinking I might need to take advantage of this oppertunity which I passed up the first time around. I’m pretty sure the universe is trying to tell me something. And finally, Willow Smith came out with a new song this week called “Fireball” featuring Nicki Minaj, AND the pinnacle of it all, Beyonce’s video for “Countdown” came out this week. I haven’t watched it yet, but I’m sure it’s flawless and I can’t wait to see it.

Diva Lesson #6: Make It Work.

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My, my, my, readers. It’s been quite the week! Even though it was a short one, I felt like so much was crammed in all at once, in just a couple of days. Thankfully the four day weekend has arrived just in time. I certainly plan on taking advantage of it and doing some much needed relaxing. So, as I’m sure many of you know, things do not always work out the way that you plan them to. In times such as these, this next Diva Lesson becomes the most important! Yes, we all know that Tim Gunn uses the phrase all the time, which alone qualifies it as a key diva lesson, but “Make it Work!” means so much more.To be a true diva is to be adaptable, and able to think on your toes. This week was a perfect example of this lesson, which is why I figured this week would be the perfect one to bestow this lesson upon all of you!  So, without further adue, let class begin. Open your notebooks, and be prepared to take some notes! Now here we go: “Diva Lesson #6: Make It Work.”

Towards the end of last week, things already started to get a little wacky. I was casually using my computer, when all of a sudden, I heard this weird noise coming from the charger, and suddenly it stopped working. It was very weird, and I started freaking out because I had no idea what was going on. I tried unplugging and plugging the charger back into the computer, or into different outlets, but nothing worked. So, my computer charger had died. At first, I didn’t think was going to be a problem. But then I remembered that I had to facilitate a meeting with the advocacy committee on Sunday via AIM chat, and I also had a short paper due early in the week. Well snap. I called my dad right away and let him know, and he found a new charger very quickly. However, it was going to be the weekend and the mail room isn’t open, and I still had many things I needed to get done! What was a diva to do? Well of course, make it work! But more on that as the rest of my week unfolds.

As I mentioned previously, this week I had a short paper due. That paper was for my Feminist Art and Culture class. For the paper, we had to go and see feminist art work, and write a reaction paper to it. But, it can be hard to find feminist art work in general, and then on top of that, traveling around without a car also raised some worries for me. But of course, other divas come through and once again, it was another “make it work” moment! On Sunday, Jen, Jaz, Lil Fabez, and I all took a road trip! Lil Fabez was kind enough to drive, so she brought all of us to this museum our professor had told us about, called Dia: Beacon, located in the town of Beacon. Basically, Beacon is a center for modern art in the region. It was a beautiful day, and we drove over a bridge at one point blasting music from Hercules which was really hilarious and yet very cool at the same time. Dia was amazing. As soon as I walked inside, I fell in love with the place. There’s art work located both outside and inside of the main building, which is an old warehouse made of brick and painted mostly white on the inside. The large open areas make you feel so small, but it was such an inspiring space and when you walk in, you see these large colored shapes hanging on the wall. The array of shapes and colors was phenomenal. It’s hard to even describe the feeling that being inside of Dia gave me. As we walked further in, I saw other works that were just as flawless. One of my favorites in particular was a pile of shattered glass, which had shards pointing out at tons of different angles. It was so unique, and it was part of a series of similar pieces, one of which was seemingly a mound of dirt with shiny flecks in it. It was so simplistic, yet I could just stare at them forever. I wanted to just walk around for a while, but we were in a bit of a rush because it was a busy day. So we went upstairs and looked at the work of Louise Bourgeois, a feminist sculpture artist. Her work had a lot to do with natural shelters, and biomorphic shapes, while also using ideas of feminist and masculine themes. It was pretty interesting, especially because it was presented in a very secluded, quiet space. She had one sculpture in particular, a giant spider piece, which was very striking. We spent a while there, and when we had to leave, I wasn’t ready to. Dia:Beacon is definitely one of my new favorite places, and it reminded me of why I want to go into higher education, either in student affairs or admissions, at an art school. I loved the surroundings and the atmosphere. It was all excellent.

Following that, the four of us wanted to go and get something to eat since we all hadn’t eaten yet that day. We tried to go to Panera, but it was packed because it was a Sunday I suppose. Once again, it was another “Make it work” moment. So, we went next door to Coldstone Creamery and ate ice cream. Sure it was weird to eat ice cream first, but that’s what we did and it was perfect. After that, we went into town once we were back in New Paltz and we got Chinese food. Then, we made our way back to campus and I tried to get some work done. I had to rush to the print lab since my computer wasn’t working and I couldn’t use my printer, then I wrote my Japanese composition, and then it was off to the magazine meeting to plan the launch party which would take place the following day. After that was my next “make it work” moment. I had to rush back to Dubois, where a bunch of my friends live to use Lindsay’s computer for my chat with the NACURH Advocacy Committee. The chat was very successful. We were able to get everyone going on a couple of project ideas, and it’s nice to finally have that forward momentum. As the Vice-Chair, I was even able to take control and lead the discussion for a couple topics which was also very cool. I love working with the Advocacy Committee because all of the members come from all over the nation, and it’s really interesting to see all of these people come together in one setting, working towards a common goal or idea.
Monday finally arrived and I went to my classes. In Japanese, my professor surprised all of us and said we would be having a test on Wednesday, along with a guest speaker who would talk about studying abroad in Japan. None of us were expecting to have a test on Wednesday, so it turned into another “make it work” moment. The rest of the day went by pretty smoothly, but my professor for Intro to Law sprung another surprise on us, letting us know we would have to type up the briefing of a case and hand it in on Wednesday. Yet again, I couldn’t believe I didn’t have a working computer for this week. This was truly a week to end all weeks. Later that day, I yet again returned to my friend’s room in Dubois to use her computer to type up my paper for Feminist Art and Culture, and then I spray painted a pair of glasses gold because it just felt needed, and I prepared myself for the magazine launch party. The party went surprisingly well. It was a lot of fun and it was great to have the whole staff all together. A lot of people came which was also very exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Tuesday morning came around and I headed off to Feminist Art and Culture, my only class of the day. It was time for class to begin, yet my professor hadn’t shown up. Sure enough, she called one of the students in my class and let her know there was an emergency so she wouldn’t be in. Instead, we would hold class ourselves. We were told to talk about the work of a particular artist and relate it to the Slut Walk (which it taking place this Saturday, conveniently enough!) So, as you can probably guess, this turned into another “Make it work” moment. My week was really full of them through and through, I wasn’t kidding. It was actually a very interesting discussion filled class and it was really awesome that we were able to operate without the professor. It was a unique class to say the least. For the rest of the day, I took care of little business things that needed to be done, and did some more computer hopping. My charger arrived that day, but it was the wrong one so I needed to have my dad order yet another computer charger for me. So, I used Jordan’s computer to type up my Law homework, and then studied for my test the next day.

Wednesday came quickly, thankfully, and I went to my morning classes, the second of which was Japanese. We listened to the guest speaker, and then took the test which was kind of difficult, but short. I think it went pretty well overall. After that, I had my staff meeting for OL, and went to lunch with Stephen, Soraya, Christie, Jon, and Marissa. The rest of the day was spent waiting for my last class so that my four day weekend could begin. When I went to class, there were only twelve people there. This was expected because it was a late afternoon class right before a long weekend. We had class anyway, because even my professor knows the “make it work” rule and held a smaller, more intimate class. Once it was over, I was relieved that I had weathered my way through the week, and I went to reward myself with a caramel latte. It was my second latte of the day, but don’t judge! It’s National Coffee Week! What else would you expect?

So with that, the weekend began. Last night, I went to dinner with Jen and Stephen, and then we met up with Allison and hung around Espous before going to Stewart’s for ice cream. Our favorite worker, Robin, was there and I had pumpkin pie ice cream in a waffle cone. It had crust in it and everything! Then I returned to Capen and had a sleepover with Jordan in Sam’s bed since she went home for the weekend. Today, I got up at 12, and I had an e-mail from mail services. I had a package and it was my lap top charger! At last, I could use my own lap top once again. Clearly, this was a sign that the “make it work” week was coming to an end. Later on, I went to the mall with Stephen and Jen and we just walked around from store to store. We went to a Halloween costume store and a teacher’s store where I bough cute French stickers too. Then we went to dinner and Panera and closed out the evening with Starbs where I bought a pumpkin spice latte, despite ridiculous rain and lightening. Hey, it’s National Coffee Week! Sometimes coffee is just that important and clearly, this is one of those weeks. It’s been a great and relaxing day, and I’m looking forward to enjoying the remaining days of my long weekend.

Despite the fact that oddities or curveballs may arise in any given week, it’s always possible to handle them and navigate accordingly. Dealing with not having a computer was certainly a challange this week, especially when I had so many things going on which I needed it for, and then a kind of surprise test was another unexpected element, along with of course, probably the finest example of this week’s lesson, holding class without a professor. The key is to always remain calm and in control. A true Diva is one who does not crack under pressure, but finds a new path, and navigates anew in her own way. Although this should be saved for another lesson, and probably will be its on at some point, this lesson is similar to my favorite saying, “Fake it till ya make it!” Always remember that you can accomplish whatever tasks lie ahead of you, just remember what you’ve been taught here in this lesson, and the next time you have to deal with some sort of strange, random, or seemingly daunting situation, turn it around, make it fun, make it you, and take control. In closing, I want you to close your eyes and picture Tim Gunn standing before you, saying his favorite phrase (no, not “What’s all this flotsam and jetsam?” or “It looks like faux-bois.”), and then repeat after him, this week’s lesson, Diva Lesson #6 “Make it work!”

 

Extra Credit:  Upon reviewing my life choices since coming to New Paltz, I decided that I am more than likely going to add an Asian Studies minor onto my double major. I’m already a decent way into the program, so it would make sense to take advantage of that. I also really enjoy Japanese, so it would make sense for that reason as well. Political Science, Women’s Studies, and Asian Studies. What a combination.

Also, one of my best friends from home is coming up this weekend to take a look at New Paltz and get a feel for it to see if he wants to apply or possibly come here next year! I’m very excited to show him around because he’s never been here before and I also haven’t seen him in some time.

Finally, I really want to go to the Deadmau5 concert next weekend, but I still don’t have tickets, a way to get there, or someone to go with. This is a situation. Oh well, I guess we’ll just see how everything ends up playing out.

Diva Lesson #5: Indulge

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Heyhey my Divas-in-training! If you’re like me, you’ve been hard at work day in and day out, and you’re probably looking for some kind of a break. Hey, I don’t blame you! We all want some time to relax and enjoy some free time. Well…you’re probably wondering “But wait Brendan, what exactly does a Diva do with spare time?” Obviously the number one answer any Master Diva would tell you: “Get that heel training in!” High heels aren’t easy, but practice makes perfect! Well anyway, that’s not what this lesson is about. Actually, this lesson is about something different…probably the number two answer to that question…and the answer is: Indulge. Hey, you work HARD for the money and everyone is entitled to a break. So lemme tell ya ’bout it. So here we go, strap on those training tiaras and get ready, cause this week’s lesson is “Diva Lesson #5: Indulge.”

All last week, I was counting down the days to the weekend. It was our first feel week of classes and you KNOW I was feelin’ it. But hey, we’re here in college to work, and that’s what we do. So anyway, last week was a big week in my family. It was my parent’s anniversary, my dad’s birthday, and my sisters birthday. All of these events within one week of each other! Cray-cray, I know. But life works in mysterious ways. As part of this extravagant celebration, my parents decided that they would come up to visit me, along with my sister, for the weekend. So, on Saturday morning, my parents came and picked me up from New Paltz. We had a small debacle where we all ended up running circles around Parker Quad looking for each other, and it was kind of hilarious. Eventually, we all met up and I went with them to the neighboring town of Gardiner where we would be staying for the night.

The place where were staying was an apartment above someone’s garage. It was a giant room with a bed, futon, and couch, along with a TV set, refrigerator, and a small but nice bathroom. The home was gorgeous and it even had a heated pool, a hot tub, and a sauna along with a mountain view. It was wonderful. After we dropped our things off, we drove down the road and got some sandwiches and other food to have a picnic in the mountains. We then drove down to an area of the Mohonk Preserve where there was a little waterfall and we ate our lunch. Then, we drove further down the road to a second area of Mohonk and took to the trails! We did some hiking through the mountain trails, and then some serious rock climbing as well. As you can imagine, I wasn’t particularly prepared for this, and wasn’t exactly thrilled about this rock climbing situation. Still, I went along with it, and after I did it, I felt pretty accomplished. It ended up being really cool and the view was spectacular from the top of that area up high on the rocks. Also while we were hiking, we ran into a woman and her family. Funny enough, the woman recognized me. She was one of the people in charge of International Orientation and she recognized me from working with me since I was an Orientation Leader this summer. This just furthered the lesson that you will be recognized as an Orientation Leader wherever you are…even on the side of a mountain. We chatted with her family and ended up descending the mountain with them as well. It was a charming afternoon.

After we left the Mohonk Preserve, we went back to the house to compose ourselves and get super classy for our evening ahead of us. We ended up going to dinner at the French restaurant inside of the Culinary Institute of America. The campus there was so beautiful and when looking at the map, I realized that all of their residence halls were named after different spices which I thought was hilarious. The restaurant was phenomenal. I had a seafood crepe, aged pan seared beef, and flour-less chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream. The food was all so wonderful, and the atmosphere was great as well. While at dinner, my family had time to relax and catch up with each other. We talked about all kinds of things, and I updated them on what’s been going on in my life lately in more detail, since it can be hard to do so over the phone. Once we were done there, we went back outside and the campus was beautifully illuminated, and there was a gorgeous fountain right outside of the main doors. We drove back to the house for the night, and we all just relaxed for the evening. My mom and sister even took advantage of the facilities and took a dip in the hot tub! I was super tired though, so I just hung around the room and went to sleep.

The next day, we packed up all of our things since we would be leaving that day. It was my sister’s birthday too! She turned 21. We started out the morning watching reality TV (Top Chef: Just Desserts, in case you were wondering) and we ate cookies that my dad bought downtown. Then, we got the car all loaded up and headed out to breakfast at the Plaza Diner. It was weird being there during the day, because generally Stephen, Jen, and I go there really late at night. But hey, a little change up never hurts. While we were there, my sister opened her birthday gifts. My parents bought her a Nook Color, and I got her a gift card that she could buy things for her Nook with. I placed it inside of a Little Mermaid card. I figured it was fitting. After that, we went down to a nearby apple orchard and we picked apples for a while. I was picking all of the biggest one and had a really heavy bucket. We walked all over that orchard looking for the best apples. Fruit selection should be taken very seriously! I picked about 19 pounds, and my sister got about 14-15 pounds. That’s a ton of apples. Once we left there, we made a stop at my sister’s friend’s place. She just transferred to New Paltz and lives off campus, so she invited us over to take a look. The place was very small, put perfect for her needs and very cute too. Still though, it made me think about how glad I was to still be living on campus. I don’t think I’ll ever move off.

Finally, it was time for them to leave. They dropped me off back on campus with all of my things, including a ridiculous amount of apples, and my magazines. Magazines are essential. You need to keep yourself updated! Mark Sanchez is on the cover of GQ, Armie Hammer is on the cover of Details, and Kate Moss is on the cover of the phenomenal and over the top 758 page tome that is the Vogue September Issue. I live for this. Once I was back on campus, it was right back into the regular routine. Homework, Avant-Garde staff meeting, and then straight into the week with interviews (more on that in Extra Credit!), club meetings, homework, classes, quizzes, and other such things. This week, I had nine of my students all with birthdays within ten days of each other. Insanity I say! The week actually went by very quickly though, and I can’t believe it’s Thursday night already.
As I sit here typing, awaiting my 8:00 meeting with the Chairs of the NACURH Advocacy Committee, and then the first A Capella show of the semester at 10:00, I can’t help thinking and reflecting upon the fact of how important it is to treat yourself. You need to take care of yourself above all else. It can really help you get into a better frame of mind just to take a step back and do something that is either a lot of fun, or that you really enjoy. Sometimes, an escape can be the perfect remedy when you’re feeling stressed, sad, or just need a serious time out. This past weekend was the perfect example of this principle….and believe me, I indulged enough for all of you! Do not ever hesitate to enjoy yourself and indulge because hey, let’s face it! You’re a Diva, you deserve it! That’s why the lesson for this week is “Indulge.” You are now free to engage in your own person guilty pleasure. Enjoy!

Extra Credit: Earlier this week, Jen, Rose (also known as Lil Fabz), and I were sitting in our Feminist Art and Culture Class, and suddenly we heard “Only Girl in the World” playing from someone’s phone before class started. It was hilarious.
Also: This week, I had my interview for a spot as a delegate to go to NEACURH later this year. It went very well and I found out today that I got the spot as a delegate! I’m very excited and can’t wait for all of the preparation to begin for the conference.
Finally, New York Fashion Week has been going on. The lines from all of the designers have been pretty flawless. Spring 2012 looks very promising. Be sure to check them out on the Vogue website or something! They’ll leave you gagging on eleganza!

Diva Lesson #4: Measure Your Growth

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Wow! Can you believe how quickly we’ve been moving through the year already? Even though this was technically the first full week of classes, we’ve already been at school for almost a month. With that being said, another week gone by means it’s time to learn another lesson! This week, I’m gonna teach y’all an important Diva Lesson. This one can get complicated, because it requires multiple skills, such as analyzing the past, and being able to look back at the past at the same time. I have faith though, because you’ve all been following along for a couple weeks now. I think you’re at the Miley Cyrus Disney phase, or the Selena Gomez phase. In other words, you’re blossoming Divas. But there’s still so much to learn! So without further a due, I present to you: Diva Lesson #4, “Measure Your Growth.”

This week has been pretty wild. I’ve had a lot to do, and a lot to keep up with. Managing the usual school work and responsibilities, I’ve also been working on an application for NEACURH, which is a regional leadership conference. I hope I get to attend. Anyway, I’ve also been dealing with a cold and being a little sick, which can be a major undertaking in itself. But there’s no rest for a true diva, and no time to slack off! Basically, I’ve been trying to slow down my life some, and take it easier than usual. Also: I took some time today to indulge in a Matcha Green Tea Latte from Jazzmine’s in the Jacobson Faculty Tower. It was phenomenal. Totally ordering that a hundred times more. I highly recommend it.

Anyway, this week I had to work at the Club and Involvement Fair, which was held on Tuesday. From 11-2, I sat outside of the Student Union building while all kinds of students walked around exploring so many of the different organizations that New Paltz has to offer. For the first half of the day, I was stationed at the table for Avant-Garde Magazine with Rosalie, Ashlee, and Sharyce (also known as Chauncey now). Avant-Garde Magazine was founded last year by a student named Michelle to help promote positive body image, and spread other positive messages around campus. It’s also the first women’s magazine on the New Paltz campus which is also very exciting. I know, can you tell I’m a Women’s Studies major? We have a website and a Facebook page where you can check us out, become a fan, and see previous issues. Check us out! In the second half of the day, I was tabling for First-Year Fridays as part of being an Orientation Leader with OLs Jon, Mike, Jenn, and Stephen. Tara was there too! I got a lot of sun that day. Nothin’ wrong with a tan! Tans only enhance a diva’s natural beauty. But remember, always consume sun responsibly! You don’t wanna burn. Not cute. It was a lot of fun, and it also made me think about how I have found all of these great organizations to be involved with, and how lucky I was to have fallen into these groups as a first-year student last year.

The rest of the week went on pretty uneventfully, except for the usual work that had to be done and that fabulous Matcha Green Tea Latte (yes, I’m probably going to be talking about this one for a while). Tonight though, I had to work a rescheduled Saturday Nights at the Terrace event with Tara and OL Mike, along with the RHSA Executive Board. Mike, Tara, and I got free shirts from RHSA that we usually have to sing for, and I was very excited about that as well. Mainly, it was because the shirts were Lady Gaga related. How fitting! (Pardon the shirt pun.) As we set everything up, like putting out the table clothes and candy, Mike and I danced around the Multiple Purpose Room in the Student Union Building. It was really a blast. It was such a great night. There was lots of Gaga music (AND cupcakes since one of the round was themed around her), Beyonce, and other such wonderful pop. Watching the students work on their cupcakes, and seeing all of the creative things they were going was really great. We also ate obnoxious amounts of candy, and a few of the OLs came to visit which was also nice. Probably the best moment of the night was when Sam, Mike, Jen, and I all performed the lipsync with just us. It was hilarious trying to act out all of the parts with just a few of us. Then, I came back to my room and started working on my NEACURH application some more, and now here I sit, typing away, instructing all of you in how to advance yourselves further in being a diva.
As I sit here and reflect, I immediately thought of what a perfect lesson this could be for the week. All week, and especially today, I’ve been thinking about how far I have come since the first year I spent at New Paltz. Sure I was strong for the most part, and unafraid to be myself. I mean…Lady Gaga has taught me well I suppose. But at the same time, there’s more to it than that. There’s also the pieces of finding yourself, finding a place, a space, where you belong and can grow and excel. For example, today I saw some of my students walking around campus, and I suddenly felt this overwhelming feeling of pride that I had helped introduce them to the school, to navigate the campus, and now they’re roaming all over, doing it on their own…and surviving. Even later on today, as I roamed around wearing my cupcake hat in the spirit of Cupcake Wars, I entered the dining hall and so many people knew who I was from this past summer. For obvious reasons, this wasn’t true last year. I think I knew a good amount of people, but how many knew me? Unclear. Now I feel as if the roles have been reversed. I’m taking more chances, and pursuing more of what I want to or enjoy doing. Last year at this time, I would not have applied for NEACURH. I wasn’t ready for it. I think the growth that has taken place, through the ability to measure it, has made me feel better prepared to go through the application process, and see what the outcome could be. That’s just one example. I truly enjoy where I’m at in my life right now. In this moment. Sitting in Sam and Jordan’s room telling all of you about my life. I enjoy it because of this week’s Diva Lesson. I can look back, and reflect. Last year, I came into this school unknowing, and unaware, and in a single year, I have found places where I belong, like Avant-Garde Magazine, or with Student Development. I think that’s what matters the most. Sure sometimes we fall back, we slip, and we can lose sight of where we’re headed. But always remember to analyze your current situation, and see where you’ve come from; where you’ve grown from. It’s not about how far you’ve made it; it’s about how far you’ve come and how much you’ve grown. I think I too, have learned a little this week as well. So I’ll be sure to apply this Diva Lesson to my life more as well. I guess that just goes to show that there’s always more to learn. Hey, I never claimed to be a perfect Diva…just pretty close to it! Take this lesson, enjoy it, learn from it, and grow. Always remember as you move forward, the importance of Diva Lesson #4: Measure Your Growth. Class dismissed.

Extra Credit: My family is coming up this weekend and we’re staying in a house in Gardiner which I’m very excited about. It will be good to see them. It’s been almost a month already! Also: I got a perfect score on my quiz for Classical and Medieval Political Theory. That’s some political REALNESS! Finally, remember to smies (smile with your eyes). Tyra wouldn’t always remind her girls to do it if it wasn’t important!

Diva Lesson #2: Return to Your Roots.

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Hello hello once again! I know you simply can’t get enough of my diva lessons, so why keep the general public waiting any longer?! So here it is: The second lesson on your road to full-fledged DIVA! So, here it is: Diva Lesson #2: Return to Your Roots…and no, I’m not talkin’ about your natural hair color. But that can be just as important. That’s a lesson for another time though…

As you may have learned if you had read my last post, on Monday of this week, we didn’t have class due to that ultimate diva who would not be upstaged, Hurricane Irene. Irene may have stopped classes, but she cannot stop the world. Especially the world of extracurricular activities. Some of them anyway. This fact meant that the organization known as the Residence Hall Student Association would be having its first meeting of the semester.

Up until the moment I walked through the door really, I felt conflicted about whether or not I should attend the meeting. During my first year, I was an active member of hall government, and participated very actively in the Residence Hall Student Association (RHSA). This year, a mix of events, including being active in many other clubs and organizations, left me conflicted about whether or not I would stay involved with RHSA over the course of this year. I thought it over, and decided that I would attend the meeting because my friend Stephen was going, and my friend Sarah was being introduced for her position as RCC (Regional Communications Coordinator) as part of the Regional Board of Directors (RBD), for the larger regional affiliation of the Residence Hall Student Association, known as NEACURH. I know I just threw a ton on abbreviations at you, but that’s what we like to do. Abbreviate things. If you have trouble catching on, it’s okay, I won’t hold it against you. Britney Spears wouldn’t want me to. Finally, the last piece which contributed to my decision was that this year, I hold to position of Vice Chair of the Advocacy Committee for all of NACURH, the National Association of College and University Residence Halls.

At 9:00, I headed over to Bevier, a suite style residence hall, where the meeting for the week was being held. Sarah and I walked in together, and instantly I recognized so many faces of people who I hadn’t seen since the end of the spring semester. I went around and talked to a lot of people before the meeting began, and then took my seat next to Stephen. Basically, RHSA represents the interests of all students living on campus, and organizes large events for them to participate in, as well as advocates for their interests to make sure they have the best possible college experience. That’s what it breaks down to, yo. The meeting was just like any other. Various topics were discusses, an overview of the organization was given, Sarah was introduced, and even I got introduced too which I wasn’t expecting. As the meeting progressed, I thought about how nice it was to be back with all of these people who had helped to shape my first year here on campus.

The meeting went on as usual, and after it was over, I talked to some more of my friends, then went to my friend Kyleen’s room and she gave me a fabulous birthday card with a pair of sunglasses made out of paper on the front. It was phenomenal. Following that, I met up with Stephen and Jen (The second, if you remember from my last blog post), and we drove into town to go to the diner, which is one of our most frequented hang out locations. Two more of my friends, Jaz and Marissa, ended up joining us and we all ate together and had a wonderful time. It was really nice to be able to spend some time with all of them. Jen, Marissa, and Stephen all worked at orientation over the summer, and now that the semester has started again, I don’t get to see them as much so I enjoy spending time with them when I can.

When the evening came to an end, and I returned to my room for the night, I thought back upon the course of night, considering all of the events that had taken place. When I thought about RHSA, I realized how nice it was to be with familiar faces, who had helped me so much during my first year. Through RHSA, I had developed a stronger sense of self on this campus, and helped to develop my leadership skills further, which aided me in gaining a variety of leadership positions both on campus, such as being an Orientation Leader, and even nation-wide, as I am now the Vice Chair of the Advocacy Committee for NACURH, as I stated earlier. Although I do not plan to be as involved as I was last year, I arrived at the decision that it is important to stay involved with RHSA this year, because it is a strong foundation of my roots here it campus. It’s where I grew from, where I evolved from, where I learned from. Give back, my inner Oprah voice told me. That’s what’s most important.F

And so, that is how we arrive at the Diva Lesson of the day. Since RHSA gave me so much, I realized I must return to my roots, continue to help, and continue to learn. I am so thankful for RHSA because of all that it has given me, and now I know I can give back, but also take more as well. There’s always room to grow. So, that’s why the lesson for this session is “Return to Your Roots.” There’s nothin’ like it. Go out there, plant your roots, and return to them when you can or need to. It is essential. Class dismissed.