SPRING IS HERE! I can’t believe were almost done! This week sparks the last week of classes and things are flying by. I’m so excited for this summer too – I’ll be back at my summer camp – my 16th summer there – I’ve gone from camper to head counselor and now assist with of supervisor-type activities. It’s really an amazing place, here is the link about that: http://www.miyjcc.org/Camp/Index.cfm

There is only a week and a half till my Sophomore year is over! I’m still shocked that it went so fast. Looking back, this year has been incredible and I am so happy where I am and all that I have to look forward to. Just wanted to pop in – my next post will contain a ton of pictures but for now, I want to leave you with a quote that reminds me why I picked New Paltz and why I love it here: “You’d rather be a big fish, in a small pond, than a small fish, in a big pond”.

I always say it on my tours and it makes so much sense when you think of this school – with its size, possibilities are endless. Hope that could inspire you!

What are you all excited for with Summer near? Comment and let me know!

Max

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:

I am graduating.  It’s crazy.  The beginning of the year, I honestly panicked.  New Paltz has been home for the past four years.  It feels like more including all of the summers and winter breaks I traveled back early for orientation or RA Training.

Thank You Google.

There comes a point in every senior’s year, where they reach the “does it really matter?” question. Commonly and fondly referred to as #senioritis.  Luckily, (I don’t know If I’d say luckily is the right word…) but I’ve had my senior thesis with the honor’s program to help me keep pushing through.  My thesis DOES matter to me.  It’s something I want to be proud of.  :)  I’ve mentioned it here and there, at quick little moments in this blog, but I decided to share more with you all. Disclaimer: I still consider it a “work in progress” I feel like this is a project I will be continuing for some time now.

What I wanted to do: Bridge my love of photography and the experiences both inside and outside of the classroom.

What I did:  I interviewed and photographed three students of different campus involvement levels at two contrasting pressure points of the semester.  Week 1 was during midterms, when stress is sky high. Week two was directly after spring break, when everyone is still calmly running around the quad barefoot.

How: I picked three girls, 1- minimally involved, 2- Actively involved, 3- Overly involved, on campus with work or extracurricular activities, and interviewed them in an environment of their choice. (Most went with their residence hall rooms)

I then asked them a series of questions about how they prioritize balance their personal, academic, self-care (mental & physical), and academic responsibilities.

I photographed all of their responses, in hopes to visually compare how their answers changed and how the stress of the semester may have physically took a tole on their bodies and their environment.

My 6 interviews acquired over 400 photos.  (WHICH WAS A LOT TO SORT THROUGH.  I was not the happiest of campers when trying to balance working on this project, along with my other classes, and role as an RA)

I am hesitant to share my research findings as concrete data, considering my sample size was only 3 students (vrs 100-200 participants) but I still think my thesis and the student’s answers are valuable hello areas for future research!

Here is a sneak preview: I have so many more and am working on uploading them to some sort of blog as a final product.

Week 1: Source of Stress Response

Week 2: Source of stress response

I hope you enjoyed a taste of my thesis! Have a great week!

<3 Marissa Lynn

Well this is it!! The final countdown! I went to graduation rehearsal and surprisingly for the first time it is actually feeling real. It still hasn’t really sunk in that this Tuesday will be my last day of undergrad I will ever have! I know I have been writing about it for weeks but it’s just an unreal feeling. So besides feeling nostalgic, doing hours of last minute work, and fighting the senioritis I have been enjoying this amazing weather. Studying outside with iced coffee have made all the work I have to do just a little better!

I also this past weekend met up with old friends from high school and we had dinner, reminisced and made a commitment to see each other more. Especially now that we are in that statistic of college graduates.

Reunited with old friends!

Besides meeting old friends , I have also been spending a lot of time outside!

My Fiance aI by the lake in our backyard.

One of my horses loves to give kisses! The weather makes them happier too!

Back to talking about school because for a few more days, it is still my entire life! This past weekend I also attended breakfast with a professional. That entailed a group of speech language pathologists out in the field and they formed a panel and the students who attended got to hear all of the stories from the SLP’s and ask any questions we wanted. It was a wonderful experience and it was also a great reminder of why I got into this field. I  was definitely inspired by everyone’s stories and what they had to share! Also next week a group from ASL club including myself will be going to Washington DC to visit Gallaudet University. Gallaudet was a college started for Deaf individuals and it has a lot of history! We have a tour scheduled the first day and the second day we are going to spend seeing the area around the college. I can’t wait to see the campus and it is a great way to wind down the end of classes along with the NSSLHA banquet this Monday which I am also really excited for! Speaking of the end of classes, this is what seniors do in Speech Science on the second to last class. Yeah, we are excited!

Myself and a fellow senior!

2013!!!!

And of course……

Someone painted this on the door of one of the buildings. I think its pretty cool!!!

Well this is the start of a new chapter in my life and I am ready to embrace it! CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2013!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!

As Dexter Morgan would say….(WHICH RETURNS IN JUNE!!!!!!!!!!)

HAVE A KILLER DAY!

Thanks as always for reading!

<3 Hillary

Photo by Roberto LoBianco

Photo by Morgan Gwenwald

When I told one of my friends that I MCed the rally that night, it was the first time she smiled – and really bright – at our family dinner. As finals approach, we’re all pretty beat and exhausted, but everyone at family dinner knew how crazy it was that I effectively spoke in short spurts and engaged the audience between incredible speakers. Most of them were on the same RHSA Executive Board with me last year, and knew about my difficulty keeping my speeches clear and concise (why it’s become an inside joke between us). Still on the adrenaline rush of my event, with the red UUP hat on my head and Mayday $5K button on my chest, I could not hold back my overwhelming delight at the response. These people were always there for me, and now they’ve seen me grow.

On a special note, although the school sells class rings to graduating seniors (in coordination with an outside company), I wanted to buy a less expensive, personal ring found in New Paltz and with a symbolic connection to this thriving community. The chance came the day before the rally. I passed by a table in the Lecture Center, where one of the local sororities hosted a jewelry maker, Aggie Keith (Coconut Row). A blue crystal ring caught my eye, but turned out too big. The woman said she makes jewelry on the spot, fitting one into a ring or wrist size and then crafting the accessory from there. She sized me (3 1/2 inches on my ring finger; yes, I am that small) and went to work, choosing a turquoise stone, wrapped with stainless steel. Not only is turquoise close to New Paltz colors (blue), but it’s also my birthstone (December & Sagittarius). Within the cracks of the stone, one could also see bits of orange, the other New Paltz color. Small, classy, and hand-crafted; I successfully found my “class ring.”

Also, these past two days were elections for Student Association, the largest organization representing the full student population through academics, clubs, food services, etc etc. I’ve linked you to their page before, but you can learn more about them at newpaltz.edu/sa. Elections are pretty important at the end of the year because they not only determine who will be in the Student Senate, which is a small governing body modeling the US Senate and other senatorial offices, but also the Executive Board of Student Association, which organizes the Senate and many other bodies under SA that carry out governmental and programming functions. As a campaigning strategy, Upstate Rubdown (you know how much I love them!) played in Old Main Quad today to promote one of their singers, Mary Bacorn, in her Executive VP election. I caught them on video, and I’ll close with “Soothe Me.” Enjoy!

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

I hope you have been enjoying the sunshine as much as New Paltz!

Free events galore!  We had a farmers market on Old Main Quad, free t-shirt dying with Relay for Life on Parker Quad, an Earth Day event with live music on Hasbrouck quad, and the Student Art Alliance had free button making!  These events are awesome, but can be a little dangerous if you are avoiding your work. I recommend buckling down on work in the morning or night so you can enjoy your afternoon

The Sexy Pitches held fundraiser!

Here’s a few of our girls warming up before our performance

My favorite part of the week???  My A Capella group held a benefit concert at The Green Palette in town!  The Green Palette is a really cool furniture store, it’s right next to moxie cupcake!  The store has live music shows and a lot of really unique merchandise!  Check it out

The Sexy Pitches  raised over 260$ for the Center for Safety and Change in Rockland County.  We asked for donations at the door and sold handmade earrings, necklaces, photos (mine! ), and knitted goods!  Here is the center’s website if you are interested in supporting! http://www.rocklandfamilyshelter.org

I am so proud of my group for organizing and setting up this event.  I think it’s very special that students can use their clubs to help others.  After the horrors of Boston, I felt so terrible and all I wanted to do was try to spread positive energy.  I love my school, but sometimes I don’t check the news enough to fully know what is happening in the world.  Our fundraiser could not have felt anymore appropriate and helped me reach out to my near by community.  <3

On another note: As my thesis presentation on tuesday morning gets closer and closer, I get more stressed and anxious.  I decided I needed to relax and just prepare, instead of worrying.  I went for a long run on the Rail Trial in town and instantly felt better.  I have been spending countless hours on my thesis, it was nice to take some personal time!  I am studying how student prioritize and balance their academic, social, physical, and self-care responsibilities.  It’s very interesting!  Check back next week for more info!  Here are a few photos from my run!  I found a farm, cows, and the most beautiful sunset view of the mountains! I love this place<3

The railtrail is beautiful!

You can catch it right in town

Just be sure you turn around when you get tired because it reaches over 10 miles

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

“You’re only here for a short visit.  Don’t hurry.  Don’t worry.  And be sure to smell the flowers along the way”

<3 Marissa Lynn

Yesterday, I was helping out the Dept of Admissions by talking on a panel when one of the parents of a prospective students asked

“What’s the biggest advice you would give to someone when starting college?”

College is all about opportunity. There is no harm in trying new things, if you don’t like something you just don’t do it again. College is a time to
step outside your comfort zone and experience new things:)

Every week I try to experience something new, on Wednesday, I went to an event called TRANSaction on campus. None of my friends could go so I went alone but wow was it a great event. Speakers came to talk about the transgender community and many people from all around campus went to listen. It is great that we have such a big supportive community.

Stepping out of your comfort zone can be a big deal. Never would I have imagined that I would be the President of my Hall Gov, we do such great things and it is awesome to be a leader. Yesterday was also RA Appreciation Day. Each hall gov member made a R.A a sign and a foam mailbox filled with letters from their residents. We also surprised them with a video montage at the end of their staff meeting!

I love my Crispell Cougar Family!

This Sunday is New Paltz’s big event Relay for Life, plenty of pictures next week from it. Have a great weekend everyone and go out in the April sun before finals weeks hits!!

In a follow-up to last week’s post on gender-neutral housing to start at SUNY New Paltz in the fall, several other bloggers and I attended Transaction, which I referred to in last week’s post. Since I did not know whether people in the room would be comfortable being in a picture in our break-out sessions, I left picture responsibility to one of the Little Rebellion members running around snapping shots of different break out sessions. I bet there will be an article online in the next few days, but you can also read about the event in other blog posts (Max, Payal and I were in the same group, and I believe Marissa went too). Since I already had an extensive knowledge base of trans issues, I’ll let them discuss how much they learned.

In other news, I took on some major responsibilities and commitments this past week, and I got to say, I am proud of myself for doing so. First, I presented on my senior thesis, a novella titled “Land of the Alone” in the Honors Center on Wednesday, and I had several people in the room supporting me, including my mom. We forgot to take a picture, but Miriam Ward, an Honors student and photographer, has one of my thesis advisors and my mom, so I should be able to find it in a few days. It was nerve-wracking to try and fit a synopsis, my personal reasoning for creating a novella, the inspirations of my work, readings from my work, and a poem into ten minutes, but I did it (albeit, a bit over time, but no worries)! Overall, fantastic.

Second, I completed a short graphic story, a comic of sorts, for my Graphic Literature capstone project. I knew I would beat myself over the head if I didn’t try drawing and compiling it together myself, so I was inspired by events at the beginning of April and just went at it. The comic was a struggle sometimes, as I am not an artist and cannot draw hands or eyes or anything really, but it was also a huge stress release, since it took me away from my normal routine of papers, papers, papers. As the deadline loomed closer and closer, I underestimated how much time it would take to put together a coherent and aesthetically-pleasing work, but fortunately I have the weekend to write a three page analysis of my work (and I already have a page). Below is the comic for your entertainment. You can click on the image to view it even bigger.

Finally, I am also going to be advertising bucket-loads for an upcoming event on May 1st: May Day $5k! Although I have done advertising in the past, my forte is making flyers rather than distributing them and verbally promoting events. But that’s what I’ll be doing for the next few days, trying to squeeze myself in at as many events as possible. Only small quarter-sheet flyers will aid in my quest. I hope many, many people show up so our voices are heard!