Hi my name is Jessica and I’m a soon to be graduating senior. I’ve learned a lot of things going to SUNY Oswego these past four years and I would love to share some of those experiences with you. When I first looked at Oswego’s campus, I knew this was the college for me. Between the great dorm buildings, sunsets, lake, and variety of programs for my major, I knew from the start this is where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life. A really important thing for me was getting a close group of friends when coming to college. Orientation (which some of you are going to soon) was a great way to meet people. What made me feel better about introducing myself was that I knew everyone was in the same boat as me meaning that everyone was looking to make new friends. The Laker Leaders (leaders of the orientation groups) made it a really fun experience. To this day I still hang out with a lot of the people I met at orientation. My one tip is : when coming to college just be yourself. There will always be people that have the same hobbies, interests, and humor as you so do not change to fit in.
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The best of Dublin and Galway
And on the 8th day god said ” what a boring bunch these humans are. Let there be fun & laughter in the world!” so he created the Irish. That’s exactly what my trip to Ireland consisted of fun, laughter and Guinness. Here are some things to expect on your journey to Dublin. Guinness in Dublin was so different (better) than Guinness in the us, it was smooth and had a unique taste that you could only get in Ireland (or so the Irish claim.) Be prepared for the music! Got to love… or try to love the Irish music because it is definitely part of the experience. If you say you’re from NY especially down state, you’ll get asked something along the lines of “ have you ever been to O’Malley’s pub in queens?? My friend Brian O’Malley owns it” assuming you know all the Irish people in the tri-state area.
Hostel
We stayed at Pillar B&B, it was… okay. For the price I can’t complain because we knew what we would be getting when we booked last-minute so lots was sold out. I recommend booking a hostel as soon as you book your flight to Dublin, we waited too long and got the last pickings.
The Sites
Used tourist info to buy a bus tour to the Cliff of Moher and Galway, around 45$ but completely worth it! The people were so helpful at the info next to the Arlington Hotel.
Arlington Hotel – We went to the Celtic Nights show, originally 30$ for dinner and the show, but because they had space they let us in just for the show for 10$. The show was amazing, I totally recommend it. They had a traditional Irish band ( fiddle, singer, violin, guitar) and Irish step dancers! The band had the audience singing and dancing along with them all night!
The colored doors – this isn’t really a site just something to see. The Irish people were ordered by England to paint their doors black but instead they colored them every other color in revolt! Another story is that because the houses look very similar they colored the doors so that when they walked home from the pub after they have had too many they can go to the right house.
Guinness storehouse – Very cool if you’re into beer or not. There are 7 floors each with a different experience! Have to try the tasting experience (they give you three different types of beer) and the aroma room! Make sure you have enough time to spend there, I didn’t and ended up rushing the whole thing.
***Be aware 1. Line… SUPER long, try to go as early as possible or buy tickets in advance. 2. With your entrance ticket (17 euros or so) you get a free drink, but this is ONE free drink! So there are three places you can use your drink ticket, the tasting room, the top floor (great view) or to learn how to pour your own Guinness. I do not suggest using this ticket for learning how to pour your own beer, if you mess it up and make it all foamy there is no going back.
Cliffs of Mohr- absolutely breathtaking, we spent about 3 hours there walking along the cliffs! Very windy so dress accordingly but definitely a worthwhile experience.
Doolin Beach- This was a stop on our way to Galway, the beach was made up of all rocks but the blue water along with the green hills made the drive very scenic. Plus we got to see some of the original cottages with no doors only windows (tax reasons!) Most made out of rocks so it was like a glimpse into the past.
To eat/Drink
Lotts Café/ Bar- Very nice restaurant with great service! We got the Coddle, which is a dish that you can only get in Dublin. It was boiled sausage in broth served with homemade Guinness bread. Worth a try!
Temple Bar- Very cool old bar but biggggg tourist attraction!! Beer gets more expensive as the night goes on, so I suggest going to temple bar early (before it gets too packed) and then going to other pubs on that street. Most pubs have live music which was so much fun!
The Trinity Bar – Best pub I have ever been to! They had lots of space and a new musician who sang everything under the sun! He sang mix’s of songs that all led into each other which had us all on our toes! He sang pop from Britney Spears to Nicki Minaj and Drake, he sang Irish songs and the best through backs . But the best was the collaboration of Disney music!!! He has the crowd cheering and singing all night.
Galway
Amazing little city! 60% of the population is below 30 years old so the city is buzzing with excitement. I took a walking tour and saw all the historical sites plus got some great tips on where and what to eat! Lunch was at McDonough’s, which is the best place to get fresh fish and chips! Lots of local musicians singing on the streets and small boutique shops! I wish I got to spend more than one day there, but I’m happy I got to experience it.
Carnival Del Toros and Salamanca Spain!
Carnival Del Toros
My friends and I went to Ciudad Rodrigo for their annual Carnival Del Toros in mid February. Throughout this carnival, their main attraction is the man-made bullfighting arena in the middle of the town’s square. The carnival commences with the traditional running of the bulls. The town’s clock tower signals when the bulls were set free to run through the streets. Throughout this run, people egged on the bulls by running in front of them, or simply stopping right in the bulls tracks. Risky…yes but, this is not like the running of the bulls in Pamplona. Instead they let only a few bulls out and there was plenty of room for the thrill seekers to run away to safety. Only about 5 bulls ran, each of them running through the town into the square and back, accompanied by the fighters who had long sticks that poked them in the right direction. Then later on in the evening, there would be a bull-fight in the arena that lasted all night.
Watching a professional bull flight can be hard to watch to say the least. Many Matadors antagonize the bull until they slay it with a sword. I was warned that even though I want to get the whole Spanish experience, bullfighting is one I could miss out on. One person compared the legalization of bullfighting to the legalization of guns in the US “it’s the way it’s always been and something many people can’t imagine giving up.” My friends and I did not attend the fight but the party outside the arena lasts all night! I suggest getting there around dinnertime and be prepared to stay until the sun comes up. There is a huge beer tent that only opens after 12 and all kinds of food all night. The only problem is that it is about an hour away from Salamanca (where we stayed.) So we took a bus to the carnival and then a taxi back late at night, the taxi was about 80 euros but we split it 5 ways. We were definitely the only Americans at the carnival, which made it feel like we got an authentic Spanish experience.
Salamanca
Such a nice get away from Madrid! Salamanca was smaller and had a lot more charm with its old cobble stone roads and old cathedrals. The architecture in Salamanca was unbelievable, we walked around entire city in awe. Salamanca had more of a college town vibe, it has a lot of young people most studying abroad there.
Erasmus hostel I recommend staying here, it was walking distance to everything, super clean and had breakfast included.
Some sites include:
Plaza mayor de Salamanca Just like the plaza mayor of Madrid, it is one big square filled with restaurants and shops! We got ice cream and sat in the sun in the plaza.
Casa de las Conchas- This is a shell-covered Palace! We did not go in but it was beautiful from the outside.
The new cathedral of Salamanca – this you literally can’t miss it’s a huge cathedral with bells at every hour and the roman bridge of Salamanca.
What I’m taking away from college
As I’m sitting here trying to ignore how fast the clock is ticking, I’m reminded of all of the incredible experiences and memories I’ve had on this beautiful campus over the past four years. I’m taking away so much from my time here, and truly know that I am a vastly different person than I was at the start of my freshman year. I am proud of who I have become, but I know that I could not have become this person if I hadn’t made that initial decision to attend school here.
I am proud of all of the hard work that I have put into my degree and will be happily graduating in a few weeks with dual degrees in Marketing and Public Relations. Through the classroom lessons, professors, and internships, I am prepared to start a career in advertising. Let me tell you, it feels good to say that confidently. I am leaving college with a lot more than a degree. It truly is the lessons you learn outside of the classroom that matter the most.
I’m leaving with memories of the best four years I could have EVER asked for. There’s something amazing about this place. It’s more than the scenery of Lake Ontario and it’s more than the school itself. It’s really about the sense of belonging you gain here. I felt like myself at this school, only a better version of that person. I’ve learned how to be independent, how to stand up for myself, and appreciate who I am as a person.
I’m leaving with a sense of adventure. Sometimes, no matter how much homework you have, it’s important to just get up and be spontaneous, take a drive, or even host your own food eating contest (I may or may not hold a pretty decent chicken nugget record). Even if I may not be good at some things, I can at least say that I tried my best.
I’m leaving having met the greatest people on this Earth (shoutout to my O.G. 3rd floor Scales crew). My friends are amazing and I can’t wait to see where life takes them. My appreciation for them can never be vocalized enough. Last night, we played our last intramural sports game together. If you knew me four years ago, you’d know that I wouldn’t have been sad about this. Flash forward to last night and I’m standing on the court fighting back the tears. My best friend is the one who encouraged me to play a sport for the first time, and after playing in many many games, I’m happy to have friends like her to encourage me because I had more fun than I could have ever imagined. College is about finding the people who inspire you and love you even at your worst moments. To me it’s the memories of dancing like idiots, late night food runs, shopping through each other’s closets, hours of Netflix, and laughing until our stomachs hurt that I will remember the most.
So here’s to you SUNY Oswego. I may be leaving, but you will always be a part of me no matter where this crazy world takes me.
#WhyIchoseOswego
Lake Ontario sunsets will forever be my favorite (that’s me on the right with my sorority sister Nathalie on the left!)
Now that I am a graduating senior with only a few weeks left I want to let you know #WhyIchoseOswego. Coming from a moderately big town to Oswego was a huge change. I remember going to the freshman orientation and telling my parents I can’t go here, this is too far, I don’t know anyone! Those thoughts that were piling up in my head quickly changed after my first week at the land of oz.
Why did I choose Oswego? I wanted a change. I wanted to venture out of my comfort zone, meet new people, but most importantly I wanted to grow as an individual and become a leader. Oswego allowed me to do just that. Between starting my freshman year at the student run TV station (WTOP), to now being the Vice President of the National Panhellenic Conference I really can say I have done it all.
This past semester I have had the amazing opportunity to intern for the Social Media team here at SUNY Oswego. I worked under Professor Tim Nekritz. While the hours for this internship were mostly on my own time; it was all the time. When you are in control of the Social Media (Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc.) your work is non stop. You are constantly updating information. With that being said it is our job to make sure to be as up to date with that information on all of our social media handles.
I chose a main focus this semester and that was Greek Life Representation on SUNY Oswego’s campus. My main goal was to promote greek life in a positive way. I was extremely thankful that I had to opportunity to take full control of the “sunyoswego” Instagram page. I did a #lakertakeover. Everyday for a week I had to post information on Instagram that lead to the Spring 2017 Formal Recruitment. When I asked some potential new members of greek life how they found out about this event they said “We saw posts on instagram and followed from there”. The turnout for the event exceeded our expectations. Taking on a Universities social media accounts, or rather any social media account you always have to be very careful what you are posting. You can post one wrong thing and it could have a negative outcome.
Whats next? As the days are dwindling down I am applying for jobs in New York City area. I have been on the job hunt for jobs that have to do with social media, public relations, and a place where I can see myself being genuinely happy. SUNY Oswego has given me so much material for my future, so I feel confident to enter “the real world”.
Thank you to everyone I have crossed paths with here at Oswego. I will never forget these memories and hope to continue making more even outside of Oswego.
…and so the adventure begins.
Liquid Sunshine
The end of the semester is near! For us college students, that means hitting the books, gearing up for finals, lots of studying, and eventually getting our stuff together and heading back home. Meanwhile, for the weather, this time of year represents change. Colder temps give way to warm and pleasant weather, daylight length increases, and snow is all but history. (Usually.) It can be torture if you are stuck inside studying on a glorious 70º day…
The last week and a half has presented spring in earnest here in Oswego. It has reached 70º on campus on four different days, with two of those going above 80. Daffodils have bloomed, and shrubbery is just starting to grow leaves. Spring rain showers have been plentiful, as well.
As a matter of fact, the Great Lakes region as a whole has had enough rain this spring to cause Lake Ontario to rise a full 10″ in the past two weeks. It is noticeable from the lakeshore on campus, as some of the areas that were previously above water are now underwater, or are at least vulnerable to being splashed on by waves. Watch where you sit while you watch the sunset!
A side effect has been more dramatic crashing waves at the shoreline. I have been taking photos of these waves around sunset, creating a series of “Liquid Sunshine” shots. Take a look:
April 8, 2017
April 8, 2017
April 16, 2017
All of these pictures were taken behind Waterbury Hall.
The upcoming weather pattern looks cooler this week, yet still spring-like, with high temps largely in the 50s and 60s. Probably a few windy and wavy days, as well. See ya around, Oswegonians!
#BeBoldForChange
When you have passion, heart, desire and the love of a simple game, you think nothing can stand in your way of happiness. As a female athlete, most of us may have heard “you’re too small” or “you’re not as good as the boys” or something along those lines. It was always in comparison to the boys and personally, I have always been sick of hearing it. The USA Women’s Ice hockey team was also sick of hearing that as well.
On March 15th 2017, the USA Women’s Ice Hockey team announced they will not be playing in the IIHF World Championships in Plymouth, Michigan unless significant progress has been made. The World Championships were in less than two weeks but the women believed they had a fight on their hands. The women have asked USA Hockey for equitable support for their program, just as much as they support the men. They are asking for higher wages, travel and insurance provisions equal to the men’s team, but overall fair treatment from USA Hockey. For years, the men’s team has always been provided what they needed to succeed. According to the players, they also receive less support than the men’s team for equipment, staff, associated expenses and marketing. They also pointed to inequities in development programs, asserting that while USA Hockey spends $3.5 million annually on its national team program for boys, girls receive no “comparable” support.
In the grand scheme of things, the players are just looking for equal support from the USA Hockey program. It has nothing to do with the fact that they do not want to participate in the World Championships; they want to play. Many of the players mentioned that “It’s bigger than hockey. Its about equitable support for females in this country.” First thing is first, equal rights. It goes to show even though women gained equal rights back in the 1920s, we are still fighting for those same rights today. The women see that this has been an overarching issue over the years and they finally stepped up to the plate to challenge USA Hockey. The best part is, they aren’t only doing it for themselves, but for the continued shared goal of promoting and growing girls and women in sport while representing the red, white and blue.
Not only asking for the support of the women’s hockey community, the men’s hockey community and even the NHL backed the women in their fight for equal rights. In having the support of the men’s program and the NHL was huge for the women. It pushed the USA to acknowledge their talent and accomplishments and that they deserve the recognition and support from their own country. Before we knew it, the #BeBoldForChange was blowing up social media in support of the women’s program. In using the hashtag, the word was spread throughout the world gaining continued love and support for the women.
On March 28th 2017, USA Hockey came to an agreement. They listened and agreed to higher wages, travel and insurance provisions like the men’s team, along with prize money for winning. But it is not about the money or the insurance, it is about the bigger picture; the support of the female sport community. Today they won the battle and the every growing support of the USA Hockey federation.
Placing the cherry on top, the women dominated the IIHF World Championships; They defeated Canada with a 3-2 victory in the championship game with a goal by Hilary Knight. They were champions! To make this victory even sweeter, it was the first ever win on home-soil for the American women.
PLYMOUTH, MI – APRIL 07: Kacey Bellamy #22, Meghan Duggan #10 and Monique Lamoureux #7 of the United States react after receiving the championship trophy for beating Canada 3-2 in overtime in the gold medal game at the 2017 IIHF Woman’s World Championships at USA Hockey Arena on April 7, 2017 in Plymouth, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
As a female hockey player, this topic was very near and dear to my heart. It affected me and my hockey career because I have lived through these years of support lacking in the female community. The feeling of being undervalued and the lack of support throughout my career was present, but it never stopped the passion and love I have for the game. Stepping up and fighting for equality in women’s sport is a huge step forward in the world and without the courage, strength, determination of every single women on that roster, things wouldn’t have changed and the future has never looked brighter for women in sport. Thank you!
Active Minds: Being a Co-President
Good evening everybody! Today I wanted to write about my experience being one of the Presidents of Active Minds at SUNY Oswego. For those of you who do not know, Active Minds is a national organization whose goal is to reduce the stigma of mental illness and help people access the resources that they need.
I first joined Active Minds my second semester Freshman year. My roommate at the time was thinking about declaring her major as human development and had heard about a mental health club called Active Minds. I remember walking into the room being really nervous about joining a group in the middle of the semester but once I walked into the room I felt much better about my decision because everyone was so nice. I had attempted to join a different club with my roommate earlier in the semester but still a few weeks in and had a strange experience where I felt like I was intruding on a group of friends hanging out so I was very relieved that Active Minds felt nothing like this. One of the things that really drew me to Active Minds was how they were trying to get the word out on how common mental health issues are. I struggled with anxiety and depression throughout high school and did not know anyone in any of my classes going through the same things as me. Active Minds made me feel better by making it known how common mental illness really is, for crying out loud we give out buttons that say how common it is (1 in 4, meaning 1 in 4 people have a mental illness)!
My memories from Active Minds include participating in Send Silence Packing, which is a display of backpacks that represent the number of suicides on college campuses each year, “Get Scrambled” which was a stress reliever where we threw eggs with our stressors written on them at a tarp on the wall in front of Tyler Hall, as well as going to weekly meetings with a bunch of people who wanted to help people understand mental illness as much as I wanted to.
After a semester, I became secretary of Active Minds and started a twitter account for our chapter. I remember being happy to have been elected to this position because it meant that I could be more involved with the club. I went to every meeting and would send out meeting reminders before the meeting through our email list and on our twitter. I would also send out the meeting notes to members who could not make it to the meeting due to class or illness. Then at the end of my junior year, I was elected to take over for our former Co President who graduated and got the chance to run the meetings which I have been doing since then. I really liked the freedom to talk about whatever topics I wanted in the realm of Active Minds and I still do! Although it can get frustrating being President like when budgets don’t go through or when we do not get a good turn out at a meeting, knowing that I have the ability to make a difference on campus is something that I will always appreciate getting the opportunity to do.
Dear Future Me…
When I was a senior in high school one assignment we had to do was write a letter to our future selves. While I didn’t think this was an important assignment I forgot all about it. About a week ago I received a letter from my Mom (Thanks, Mom!). When I opened it and read it, I was completely overwhelmed with feelings of nostalgia. Four years later I can tell you that it was very much an important assignment.
I pondered sharing the letter and decided that this should be shared. So here it reads:
Dear 21-year-old Bridget,
I hope you’re doing well. I hope 21 is better than 17 because remember the time you couldn’t drive after 9 pm? That is currently where I am. If you are reading this you should hopefully be graduating college. You probably forgot about this letter, seeing how you aren’t thrilled about writing it right now. Reading this letter means you are entering into the next chapter of your life. Reading this letter should show me, you, us (not really sure what tense I should be writing this in) how much I’ve/you’ve grown. Obviously, I have no idea how much I will grow considering I don’t even know what college I am going too so in this letter I am going to write myself a list of things I hope happens for me:
I hope I pick the correct college. Future me, you know how lax I am about choosing a school. 4 years from now I want to be graduating from a place I call home.
I hope to find friends. This sounds lame but growing up in Chester where there are 65 kids in our graduating class we have had no choice but to be together. I feel as though I don’t really know how to make friends.
Never having to do math or science again sounds like a dream come true!!!!!!!!
I want to keep in touch with Suazo (Last name). In four years I am going to read this and I hope he is still my best friend. He’s been committed to going to Boston and I am really excited for him I just know I am staying in New York.
I want to be more mature but not in a boring way just in the way that I can find the good in everyone. We’ll see.
My parents keep telling me I am going to be great but what if I am not great? What if I have just been skating by for the last 4 years? College will be the real test. So, Bridget, I wish you the best of luck in college where ever you choose (Brockport, Scranton, Oswego, and Ramapo). Choose the right one PLEASE and do well AND PLEASE have fun.
Best,
17 Year old Bridget
Minus the awkward writing style and lack of punctuation I used the first time around, If I could write a letter back to 17 year old me I would tell her something like:
Congrats to 17-year-old Bridget. You’re going to do it! You are graduating on time. Not only with a degree in business but the second degree in Public relations, a minor degree in international business and a concentration in marketing. You picked Oswego, which quickly became your home. The thought of parting with this place makes you sadder each and every day. You picked up your cap and gown last week and found out you’re actually graduating Cum Laude (with honors). When you called Mom, naturally she started crying.
You made tons of friends. Friends you’ll have for the rest of your life. You actually are planning on living with them after college WOOO. AND you are still really close with Suazo. He is actually visiting in 2 weeks!
You pushed yourself to try new things and you grew as a person. I would say some days you are a mature professional and some days you are still the kid, class clown, goof-ball and you always will be. You made such good friends, you are actually in one of their weddings this summer (shout out to Paige).
You studied abroad! To Ireland, for a whole summer. How proud I was of myself when I really committed to going. It was the best summer of our life. You were an intern, and you traveled and met the family. You can’t wait to go back again.
At Oswego You worked on campus for 3 years, you had 3 internships, you TA’d in the business school for 3 semesters (Teacher’s Assistant), you joined clubs, played sports, went out, stayed in, took naps, pulled all-nighters laughed, cried, laughed until you cried. You are really happy.
17-year-old Bridget had nothing to worry about. She did grow up in so many ways.
I didn’t remember writing that letter, however, I am so fortunate that I did. I entered college how every student should; with a clean slate and an open mind. Not afraid of trying new things.
I graduate college in one month and can honestly say I am proud of who I am and ready to move into the next chapter of my life. Will you be able to say that?
Even if you didn’t write a letter to yourself in high school, sit down and do it now. Write to yourself from yourself and open it when you think you’re about to enter into the next phase of your life. It’s a wonderful thing to see where life takes you. After writing this, I plan you sit down and write a letter to 29-year-old Bridget. I can’t wait to see where I will be!
“Wave” to the sky!
Hello, Oswego! Spring is finally beginning to make its appearance on campus, with grass turning green, daffodils budding, and milder temperatures making their appearance.
Ice pile on the shore of Lake Ontario at Rudy’s Drive-in, March 25, 2017. These are long gone after last week’s warmth!
While the weather itself has been fairly inactive the past couple of weeks, that does not make for a shortage of interesting sky formations. Last Saturday night, a type of cloud that even I had never seen before made its appearance in the sunset-colored sky.
That cloud happened to be the Kelvin-Helmholtz wave cloud. It looks like a series of “ocean waves” in the sky, and is an indicator of horizontal wind shear. That is when the wind changes direction with increasing altitude. For example, the wind may be out of the west 5,000 feet above the ground, but out of the northwest at 8,000 feet. This shear produces a “rolling” motion in the air, swirling the cloud cover into that wavy pattern that we see from the ground.
Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds at sunset, April 1, 2017.
This upcoming week looks to bring even warmer (and drier!) weather to the region. Here in Oswego, we may have to deal with the dreaded lake breeze, which could limit the magnitude of the warmth locally. More on that in my next post. Until next time!