Spring Twilight

Posted on May 5, 2013 by WolferA

Hi Everyone,

Had such a crazy week finishing up final projects and ending my spring track season. I am happy to say I ended my season with a new personal best in the 5000m! I ran 18:18. My dad and friends came down to Vassar last night to support me and New Paltz Cross Country.

Post race photo!

In order to tackle all of the end of season stresses, I strongly encourage making to-do lists and leaving them on your desk. Crossing things out as you complete them is very satisfying.

Also this week, I completed my internship in the admissions house. It was a great experience and I would highly recommend it to my fellow communication & media majors. I learned a lot of organizational skills as well as public speaking skills (along side taking public speaking for my major as well!)

Coming to the end of the spring semester is bitter sweet. I am thrilled to be almost done completing my bachelors degree but it’s sad that in a year from now I will not be returning to New Paltz.

My XC Family:

We Come Alive in the Spring Time!

Posted on April 26, 2013 by WolferA

Hi Everyone

It’s right at the end of the semester! the weather is getting nice and finals are approaching. It is a stressful time right now because everyone wants to chill outside when they have final projects to finish!

This week I had a hard training week for our race this weekend at The College of New Jersey. It may be our last 1500m of the season so I’m really excited to see how fast I can run it.

I also attended a graduate symposium for my English Literature class. At first I wasn’t into going but it turned out to be an analysis of a children’s book that had interpreted it as having animal like qualities. Even if these events are not required for class, I would recommend attending and stepping out of your academic comfort zone.

Also going on this week is fall class registration. Don’t you worry freshies! there are seats saved for incoming students. But being an athlete, I have the pleasure of registering before everyone else

So random topic. But my favorite spring foods are coming about!

-Large iced coffee with caramel shots from Seattle’s Best

-Spicy buffalo chicken salad from Nester’s

-California Roll from Tokoyo Sushi

-Bagel Grande from Main Street Bistro! (A bagel with hummus, avocado and tomato)

Also, I have a twitter if anyone would like to follow me after my job as the New Paltz Blogger ends! @Mandyruns

XOXO

The Grind

Posted on April 20, 2013 by WolferA

Hello Everyone,

It’s been a hectic week with what’s been going on in the news. But putting that aside, the semester is winding down and its time to get into the grind. Finals are approaching (in my case, final papers… and a lot of them). It is important to stay on your game without being sucked in. Make sure to have time set aside for all the tasks you need to complete. But don’t punish yourself if everything isn’t perfect. Take a break and go out with friends. There will always be time to finish assignments if you’ve planned ahead.

Good friends and good fun

This weekend I will be traveling to Moravian College in PA for my second track meet of the season. I am looking forward to racing the 1500m and 800m. My time previously was 4:58 and I am looking to lower that as much as possible! For those of you who do not know what a 1500 is, it is 100m short of a mile (one straightaway on a track). If you want your mile conversion from your 1500m time, add an additional 15-20 seconds.

Now that the year is coming to an end as well, I have to say I highly recommend becoming a New Paltz blogger. It is extremely rewarding and a experience I really enjoyed. I have a timeline of blogs to look back to about my junior year journey and hopefully helped recruit incoming freshmen to New Paltz. So for any prospective students out there, become a blogger, you’ll learn a lot about yourself and enjoy doing it. Blogging is a new hobby I picked up this year and it can be relaxing as well. But for now, I still have a few weeks and a few more experiences to blog!

-Amanda

It’s Spring Time! I think…

Posted on April 14, 2013 by WolferA

Hi All,

Sorry for the delay in post but this week was super busy and filled with constant weather changes. My favorite part of this week was the warm weather. Everyone gathers on the quad with sunglasses, towels, frisbees and sometimes puppies!

It can be difficult when the weather gets nicer to focus on your final papers and projects. Make sure to budget your time so you can enjoy the sun while also getting your academics done. Some people will bust open a book outdoors (if you can concentrate outside, go for it!)

Here is a photo of the quad before school was over for the day, usually there is not this much space!

My next favorite thing about the warm weather is the transition from latte’s to ice coffee! I also wear the occasional sundress I love having the freedom in college to dress up however I’m feeling that day.

This is my suitemate and future housemate getting our usual large caramel iced coffees!

Last weekend, we also had our first spring track meet of the season! I was able to run a 4:58 1500m and a 2:29 800m. A great double for me. Next weekend we will be heading to PA for hopefully another great round of races!

Always more to come!

-Amanda

Hugo Wins!

Posted on April 4, 2013 by WolferA

Hello Everyone and welcome back from spring break!

Here is a photo from my Easter, my sister, cousin and I:

As I said in my previous post, I had 5 interviews over the course of my break for summer internships. I have selected the Long Island Press! I am very excited to get started there and further my knowledge outside of the classroom. Here is their website (http://www.longislandpress.com/)

Learning to interview well is a skill developed over time and I think one of the most important. I noticed over the course of the week how I felt during the interview, how I prepared and the last impression. Here are some guidelines to mastering the interview:

Good handshake
Bring copies of your resume (on nice paper)
Sit up straight, good posture resembles someone who is ready, awake and interested
Eye contact and head nods, you have to look attentive! (even if you are getting lost in their speech to you!)
Make sure to end the interview with a thank you and ask at least one question! Big plus
Last but not least, dress professionally. You can be creative with it! But make sure to not wear jeans, big no no.

On a different note….

This week on campus, we had the SUNY mascot championships! All the SUNY schools went head to head, voting for the best mascot. We made it to the final round against Stony Brook and won! It was really exciting to see our campus come together to win the first ever mascot challenge. Hugo the Hawk even made a guest appearance at my internship presentation yesterday!

This Saturday our New Paltz track club has their first race of the season! We will be traveling to Ramapo College in NJ to race the 1500m and a 4x800m relay. I am super excited and hoping to run a new PR (personal record). I will keep you updated!

Move to come,

-Amanda

Destination: Home

Posted on March 23, 2013 by WolferA

Hi Virtual World,

We have finally reached spring break….a well deserved week off! I haven’t been home since our winter vacation (2 months ago). Breaks are important because everyone needs to recharge their batteries, get some good sleep in and see family. As soon as I got home last night, my dad, my sister and I were off to the cheesecake factory!

My big sister and I…Even though we had to wait 50 minutes for a table, it was totally worth it!

What are my plans for spring break? Well it won’t be as relaxing as other college students because I scheduled 4 summer internship interviews!!

Long Island Pulse Magazine
Long Island Press
News 12: MSG Varsity department
Tommy Hilfiger: Public Relations department

I am MORE than excited to interview for these positions because they all seem really great. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to apply for internships. It gives you experience in a possible field you could go into after graduation, and I only have 1 year left to decide that! A valuable tool on campus is the career resource center. They can help you find internship opportunities, spruce up your resume and give mock interviews. They can even guide in the right direction as far as major choices.

Besides that, I also plan on racing in Seldon on Sunday morning. I have entered myself into a really competitive 5k road race…. I am hoping for some good weather and a time under 19 minutes. Wish me luck!

Have a wonderful spring break my fellow New Paltz students ! XO

Making it to Spring Break!!

Posted on March 15, 2013 by WolferA

Good Morning Everyone!

A week from today we will be going home for spring break! I haven’t been home in exactly 2 months. It’s crazy how time flies here. To push through to the final week, make sure to not stress and get outside! This past weekend I went out to the bistro for brunch and took a walk down water street. By far my two favorite locations in New Paltz.

Water Street is filled with little eateries, cafes, shops and boutiques. There is always cute places to sit and relax with a few friends. When the weather gets warm, this mini market is packed with people… and dogs too!

Here is my friend and I taking a little selfie outside the bistro:

Another cool event that happened on campus this past weekend was the first ever Special Olympics Basketball Tournament. It combined a few special needs people with able bodied people to create a hyper competitive tournament. There has been no other event like this ever and New Paltz hosted it!!

Here is a photo from the game:

It is really important to get involved in what New Paltz has to offer as a college and a town. It will help minimize stress during midterms, make time pass before going home for breaks and build valuable friendships with your peers!

Thanks for reading!

-Amanda

Fighting the Cold

Posted on March 8, 2013 by WolferA

Hi Everyone! from the admissions office.

Although spring is upon us, we are having another snow storm!! A major problem for college students is staying motivated through the cold winter months. It is important to keep yourself active by going to the gym and studying hard. A great way to stay motivated is to have a buddy. If you have someone to go workout with, you’ll feel obligated to stick to your plans and have someone to brave the cold walk with! (even though its a quick one!)

Mid semester is a stressful experience for all college students and everyone deals with stress in different ways. I personally prefer getting in a good workout but I have a variety of options to help minimize the frets!

-Taking a nap

-Having a snack

-Taking the walk to go get a coffee by yourself or with a friend. They could probably use a break too!

-Get yourself to laugh! watch youtube videos, joke around with your friends or even look at pictures of cute puppies…

Say hello to the golden doodle!

Always more to come!

-Amanda

Loving Your School.

Posted on March 1, 2013 by WolferA

Good Morning!

I am writing to you in my comfy pajama’s before I jump into my hectic friday schedule.

First off, this past week our women’s basketball team was crowned SUNYAC Champions! for the first time ever in New Paltz history. It was a really exciting game and it was a time that our student body united together to represent our school.

The cross country girls cheering for NP basketball! Although we are a small school, students get VERY into school spirit.

Representing orange and blue.

When you come to a place like New Paltz, it’s hard not to fall in love with the atmosphere, the culture and the location. It is really important to get involved with everything our student body offers. If your basketball team is hosting championships, take the time to go with your friends, you will not regret it!

My junior year is when I became really involved with New Paltz by becoming a blogger and admissions intern. All of these outlets let me express my passion for my school. It really enhances your experience as a college student when you get involved. Here is a photo of me at my desk in the admissions office! (This one is for your dad)

Always more to come,

-Amanda

Fun and Nutrition

Posted on February 22, 2013 by WolferA

Hi Friends!

This weekend I got to go see the Millrose Games in NYC. Here is a photo of my view of the games. For those of you who don’t know what the Millrose games are, its a professional and high school meet for talented individuals. It is VERY exciting to watch if you are involved in the sport of track.

What I wanted to talk about in this post is nutrition and how to schedule meals around your classes. Waking up at least 1 hour before your classes begin is essential, it gives you time to go to either the dining hall or the student union. Now you may ask, what is a good breakfast? I would suggest a bit of protein and carbs. For example, a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter, tasty and filling! If you are going to have a cup of coffee, make sure to have a bottle of water after to keep you hydrated.

If your schedule is similar to mine, you don’t have a lunch break. MAKE SURE to carry a snack with you to keep you through the day. I prefer nature valley bars or granola bars. It is really important to keep hydrated and have snacks to keep you energized and power you through an afternoon workout!

Now, my favorite meal of the day, dinner! A mix of everything is a good way to go about it. A salad with a hard boiled egg, carrots and cucumbers. Some pasta for carbs, meat or hummus for protein and water. I love my dessert as well so having a cookie or two is never a bad thing

Thanks for reading everyone, I will post more information next week.

-Amanda