Today I have 2 finals and then I’m officially done with my undergrad career at SUNY Oswego!  At first I didn’t think I would care that I’m leaving early, but now I am starting to miss people already.   I’ve definitely learned so much from being here and Oswego has helped me to make some really beneficial decisions.  Being involved as an RA, an Orientation Leader, a Peer Ed and intern at the Lifestyles Center, intern at the Public Affairs office and working at Pathfinder helped me meet people and learn so much.  I’m so so SO glad I got involved.  I could not have chosen a better place to do my undergraduate work.

Today I was offered two different graduate assistantships for Graduate school in the fall. I’m attending IUP for Student Affairs in Higher Education and was offered a position at PennState for Judicial Affairs and a ResLife position at Clarion University. I know which position I’m going to take and I am so excited! This is all making the end of my undergrad come up very quickly! Graduation is in 23 days. I can’t believe it!

Oh yeah, hollahollaholla Sam Calabrese 😉

One thing that it has taken me four years at Oswego to figure out is my finances.  Coming to college was so difficult for me because I could buy whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, without my parents being there to question my every purchase.  I thought I had it all figured out, then I turned 21.  I don’t mean that I spend all my money on alcohol and get drunk every weekend, but simply going out to eat and having a drink with dinner costs more than expected when it all adds up.  Books, gas money to drive home and other little things all add up too.  I usually can keep a good balance with my money because I’ve always had a job while I’ve been here, but it’s hard to get ahead and save.  Something I finally had to do when I reached my breaking point worrying about money (it’s not worth worrying about money) was to make a spread sheet of my spending and deposits.  I know it’s a little late to do this and get organized, but I have to start somewhere!  My advice to everyone coming to college would be to get as organized as soon as possible and be thrifty!  I’d rather be prepared for the future than worry about being broke all the time.

Just read a bumper sticker on Facebook that says “I got over my Twilight obsession…then the DVD came out.” Story of my life.

So it looks like my visit to Indiana, PA paid off!  Last weekend I visited IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) for an admissions interview, and the chance to interview for 9 different graduate assistantships at IUP and other schools in western PA.  I interviewed for Seton Hill, Carnegie Mellon, Penn State and some others for positions in admissions, judicial and residence life.  I was nervous and exhausted by the end of it, but I got accepted so it was all worth it!!  I haven’t found out about an assistantship yet, but there’s one I’m hoping for.  I’m not excited about IUP being six hours away from home, but it’s definitely exciting to think about life after undergrad.

I am starting my 6-hour trip back to Oswego from IUP’s Student Affairs Visitation weekend! Had a blast! Will write more later 🙂

I found out a few days ago that someone that graduated from my high school was killed in combat in Iraq.  Coming from such a small school, everyone knew him and it has been something that has been really hard for the whole community to understand.  I hope he knows how extremely proud so many people are of him and how brave he is for sacrificing his life for the country.  In times like this, I can only help but think that God makes everything happen for a reason.  It really is a reality check.  I’ve been thinking lately that people, including myself, take so much for granted.  A lot of us (and no, I’m not saying everyone) walk around and act like our lives are so horrible and stressful all the time and really, we should all just be thankful that we are living.   I find it incredibly sad that most people forget that there are soldiers still fighting in a war and to be honest, if someone asked me why we have soldiers in Iraq right now I would have no answers.  I’ll admit, it’s the last thing that I think about most days but in the end, it should be something that I pray about every single day.

RIP Mike…so many people are proud of you.  I hope I can do something extraordinary with my life just like you did.

I have classes all day Tuesdays and Thursdays and no classes on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays.  Yes, I’m lucky I know.  I thought Tuesdays and Thursdays would be torture, but really they’re not bad.  I would recommend all of my classes to anyone.  My first class is BRC200 (Social History of American TV&Radio) with Cliff Kobland.  I normally don’t like history classes but I like it because it’s all just practical information like how broadcasting changed from primarily radio to television and now to the internet.  It’s pretty interesting stuff.  My second  class on these days is my favorite.  ENG486 (World Cinema) with Bennet Schaber.  We watch movies and then talk about it.  Schaber is hilarious.  I could listen to him lecture every class and not be bored.  If you despise science classes like I do but have to take it for a gen ed take CHE300 (Environmental Science) with Cynthia Lawniczak.  She makes it so easy to learn and not as boring as I thought it was going to be.  My last class is PSY340 (Social Psychology) with Sandy Waldron who is definitely one of the best professors I’ve had here.  She treats us all like we’re her peers, which makes it so much easier to learn and makes her so much fun to listen to during lectures.  Definitely take a class with her if you get the chance!

I was completely exhausted after my last first day of classes!  I had four classes in a row yesterday and came home and just passed out.  I can’t really complain though because I don’t have classes Monday, Wednesday or Friday. 🙂  That makes me happy!  I took my PR Capstone last semester and now have no communications courses this semester.  It’s so weird not taking something for my major. I feel like I’m out of place!

I can’t believe that this is my last semester.  Four years in one place is a long time.  I feel like I was just starting to get used to the city of Oswego and now I am about to leave.  It’s sad but exciting to see where my life actually takes me.

EVERYONE has been asking me “What are you going to do when you graduate?” and I have no response for that.  I have changed my mind literally 20 times in the last 5 months about what to do.  I think I have it all figured out then I just don’t know!  My mom calls me a “parent’s worst nightmare” because I don’t know! haha!

Winter break was uneventful for me, though it was nice to go home.  The holidays were nice!  I’ve got some book recommendations for you!  “Shelter Me” by Juliette Fay and “Love, Rosie” by Cecelia Ahern.  I read them over break and couldn’t put them down!  I also saw Bride Wars and the movies over break and it was okay.

Christmas was a lot of fun this year!  I love receiving gifts, of course, but my favorite part is finding the perfect gift for someone else.  I got my neices and nephew books that were all my favorite when I was each of their ages like Amelia Bedelia books and If You Give a Moose a Muffin.  My oldest neice is 8 years old and she loves to cook so I got her a kid’s cookbook that she loves!

In between all of the Christmas festivites I have been helping my parents pack.  They sold their house and are building a new one that is supposed to be done by February 2.  The weather hasn’t been cooperating with the construction at all though.  I’m anxious to see what their new house looks like but let me tell you, I really don’t like packing! 

My only other plans for break, besides relaxing , are to work on my grad school application.  I have been going back and forth, unable to decide what to do after graduation in May but I think I have decided to apply to Canisius College in Buffalo.  We’ll see how it goes!

Have a good break everyone!