Category Archives: Uncategorized

5 things to do between classes…..

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Do you have a semester with 5 or 6 classes? Do you want to improve in college?  Every semester they offer I have taken the maximum amount of classes, and as a non-traditional student that is also a commuter, I find it hard when I have time in between classes every day and I debate going home or staying near campus.

Are you someone who prefers to do your homework at home?  I don’t go to the library much unless I am getting with my group or need some change in my studying technique before finals.

Even when it’s a ‘slow’ start at college or your trying to get into a good rhythm, here are 5 things to do with your time between classes if you have an hour or more, that has helped me tremendously!! 🙂

 

1.Make news friends or get with your groups for projects! I’m a non-traditional student that lives nearby, so my local friends would meet me for a quick lunch at places like Subway and Ruby Tuesday.  Or there’s cheap fast food places to eat or places like Azteca Mexican Grill, The Red Sun Fire Roasting Co, Kiyomi Hibachi Steakhouse, Wade’s Diner, Laparrilla, Water Street Cafe, The Press Box, GJP Italian Eatery, Dino’s House of Burger’s or Cheap Seats Sports Bar & Grille.  Plenty more on Yelp.com, CLICK on the link below:

https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Restaurants%20-%20Cheap%20Eats&find_loc=Oswego%2C%20NY2

2.  Perfect time to run errands, pay your bills or make phone calls.  Or even better to make an appointment with career services and get a ‘jump start’ on your future.  Time-management is important.  The helpful LINK below is for career services:

https://www.oswego.edu/career-services/

3.  If the weather is awesome, take a hike on SUNY Oswego’s trail or go check out the beautiful Lake Ontario near Rudy’s or at the Sterling Nature Center.  The lake has the BEST sunsets that are on the water!!!  Please stay on solid ground though!  The LINK below is for the SUNY Oswego trail map; so you can take advantage of the nice weather we hope to have coming our way soon!! 🙂 🙂

https://www.oswego.edu/rice-creek/sites/www.oswego.edu.rice-creek/files/rice_creek_trail_map_2014web2.pdf

4.  Bring your laptop and go over the next classes in your schedule to prepare yourself and be focused. Even better to catch up on homework, so you won’t need to do as much when you get back home.  Even if you have any questions, meet up with your professor during their office times; that is what their THERE FOR, is to help you!  Even better to print anything you need!

5.  Hydrate and make sure to eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner.  A perfect breakfast I have been making are smoothies, full of fruit, Greek yogurt, flax seed, chocolate protein powder, almonds and ice; which is very filling, and it is easier on a hectic schedule.   The LINK below talks about ways to make a smoothie more ‘filling’ so it can last you longer through a busy college day and until your next meal.

https://www.thekitchn.com/5-ways-to-make-smoothies-more-filling-213335

 

Keeping yourself focused and busy is key.  Remember that college is something that you won’t have to forever!  Take advantage of these ideas I share.  I don’t live too far but I can’t constantly drive back and forth between classes.  It would throw my day off.  I rather used these 5 helpful tips to have a smoother semester and so I don’t have as much homework to do at home, so I can ENJOY LIFE. :):)

Hope these ideas work for some of you and please comment below with your thoughts.

Senior Year Slump

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It’s OK to feel stuck during your senior year and I promise you are not the only one.

It’s happened to all of us. We’re having a great time our last year in college; meeting new people, making our last college memories, traveling all over the world, until the dreadful realization occurs. I have no idea what I’m going to do after graduation.

Well… okay I have somewhat of an idea of what I would ideally like to do, but realistically, I have nothing lined up. With monthly freakouts last semester to now weekly moments of panic I try to remind myself… it’s okay to feel a little lost right now!

Sure it might seem like “everyone” you know has their life together and have everything lined up and ready after graduation, but the truth is, a lot of people don’t. Just because someone has that one job lined up doesn’t mean it’s going to be something they stick with or something they even end up enjoying. Just because you don’t have something lined up, doesn’t mean you won’t find what you’re looking for.

Yes, it’s absolutely important and necessary to plan for your future and apply early to positions you’re interested in, but it shouldn’t consume your thoughts constantly. Everything will work out in the end. As long as you’re doing your best and putting the work in, you will find something that works for you, even if it’s not right away.

The best thing you can do senior year is to take a deep breath, continue to do everything you can to reach your goals, and enjoy this last year of college before graduation!

5 Studying Don’ts for Commuters

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I know that feeling of commuting home from a long day’s work or classes and just wanting to go home after and grab your laptop and hopping on the couch to relax.  But does this really help you learn or even bring motivation, while going to college?? I think not!!  Such as this example, which was a HUGE distraction for me.  So, I’m sharing these 5 Studying Don’ts and I also provided some handy tips that have worked for me throughout each semester.  I’d like to share these tips to help you get much closer to become an awesome and educated student.  The better my grades are, the more opportunities I have ever had before.

Here we go … 🙂

 

1. Don’t get too comfy on the couch and set yourself up an ‘office’ with as close as you can get ‘desk’, and this helps with getting rid of distractions.  Or put a desk in your room where there is a door you can close for a certain period of time you planned for school.

2. Don’t dehydrate yourself and drink LOTS OF WATER.  This can help you feel focused and refreshed, as staying hydrated is very important for every student to keep their brain strong to obtain a lot of information.  Put a lemon in your water, if plain water is getting too boring to drink after a while.

3. Don’t think your life sucks right now (ha-ha) because it will all be all worth it when you receive that diploma, in the end.  I will talk myself into how having good grades could potentially help me in my future.  I think most jobs know that a lot of young adults have their degree, but not all have really good grades and that takes determination from the student.

4. Don’t eat junk food or eat too late at time.  A way to not binge eat at night is by going TO BED at a decent hour.  You should reward yourself with a ‘sweet treat’ when you complete a planned study or assignment.

5. Don’t cram your work and try harder when it comes to planning and time-management for studying and assignments, etc.  It’s important to be organized and to divide up the school work between the days of the week, and maybe even on Sunday nights.  It won’t be like this forever and if I can do it then you can do it!!!

 

I never found myself going to the library unless it was to get together with the groups from my classes, for the project we have to complete together.  Places where there are a lot of people, seems to be distracting for me.  So, at home I have found that using a ‘HUGE’ desk calendar has saved me!!   Also, having the option in my house to have an office with a desk.  This room is separate from the rest of the house and has NO DISTRACTIONS. When I get in there, I am in the zone and can focus, kind of like when I am at work!  If you don’t have this option then choose an area where you can’t hear sounds that much in your place.  There is the option of going to Penfield library, which is huge and has computer labs and printer access, etc.

Good luck with your studies Lakers.  Comment below if you find any of these to be interesting, if any have worked for you or if you have certain tips of your own that you have found very useful as a commuter.

 

Senior Year: Starring Sam

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Hi all, I’m Sam Donnelly and I am a Communication and Social Interaction major with a minor in English here at SUNY Oswego. As a senior with a particular interest in media representation, the Social Media internship offered through the Communications and Marketing Department serves as an excellent opportunity to branch into some real world applications.

 

Upon entering my freshman year in Oswego, I had not declared a major. Luckily, I was drawn to a course titled Foundations of Communication and found my academic calling. The opportunity to learn more about how individuals perceive one another, in addition to how they perceive themselves, has proven to be an incredibly useful skill as I continue to explore my interest in the realm of identity and diversity. Naturally the declaration of my English minor came about from my desire to be articulate when discussing these often sensitive areas. On campus I am an active Volunteer with Students Helping Oz Peers, which is our Food pantry that is open to the SUNY Oswego Community. Additionally I am Vice President of the Communication honor society Lambda Pi Eta.

 

In my final semester, I am actively trying to utilize my time here to build upon my communication skills for future endeavors. In September following graduation I will be spending my time in Orlando Florida as a cast member in Walt Disney World, as part of the college program. Until then I’ll be enjoying my remaining adventures here in Oswego!

Who is Kendall?

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Hi everyone! I am Kendall Padovani. I am a second semester senior where I am currently studying Public Relations. I am very excited take part in my last undergraduate internship as a social media intern for the Communications and Marketing Department here at SUNY Oswego.

I began my journey at SUNY Oswego Fall 2015 already having declared my major as Public Relations. I had been pretty set on declaring this a major since I was a sophomore in high school even though I had no prior knowledge of what it really consisted of. After my first year I declared my minor as human development because I wanted to learn more about the development of humans and how this affects their judgement and decision making. I thought it would complement my major in understanding more about the public. My second semester freshman year I became a sister of Phi Sigma Sigma which is a National Sorority here on campus. Being a member of this amazing organization has introduced me to several leadership opportunities and where I served on my organizations executive board as their Member Recruitment Chair. My first semester junior year I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in London. Here I took part in a semester long internship at a boutique PR agency in Kensington. During this time I also traveled to ten other countries expanding my horizons and love for traveling.

During my last semester here at Oswego I was elected to the role of VP of Programming for our National Panhellenic Council which oversees all four national sororities. So far this position has given me so many opportunities and strengthened my relations within the Greek community. As college graduation is quickly approaching and I am determined to capitalize on the rest of the time I have left here while bracing through my last Oswego winter.

Kayla’s Journey…

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Hey Lakers! My name is Kayla and I’m a second semester senior that loves going to SUNY Oswego.  Every single night, the sunset over Lake Ontario creates the most beautiful skies, that you need to soak in.  Below is a picture of Lake Ontario and my dog, Bentley 🙂  I am a non-traditional and transfer student that commutes from Sterling and is here to spread positive vibes, help others and share my stories to those who can relate.  College wasn’t really something that interested me right away out of high school, and I thought that ‘living a little’, was the choice I decided to take.

Something that was so scary at first, was the best thing that has ever happened to me and this was choosing to take an adventure. I enjoyed life, before I decided to go back to college at SUNY Oswego. After high school, I decided to leave my families dairy farm that I had grown up on and take this adventure to join the US Navy in a Naval Mobile Construction Battalion called the Seabee’s. I was a Petty Officer Third Class Equipment Operator and I first was stationed out of Mississippi, then New Jersey and then I served training in Guam, and I had my license in just about every type of equipment in the military. I absolutely enjoyed traveling, the experience and the friends I have gained from serving the 5 years. Although the military is not for everyone, but I felt honored to be able to serve and protect our country.

After the military I moved on to the next chapter of my life back to Sterling, NY and I decided to go back to college for the first time at Penn Foster, with a major in Veterinary Technician. It was an online degree and I was able to find a part-time job at an Animal Hospital in Fulton. I think I went to every animal hospital within a 30-minute radius and gave them my resume and my enrollment into the Veterinary Degree. I loved working with animals, and I grew up with plenty on the farm. I quickly moved to full-time and over the years my responsibilities grew more and more. I then graduated with my Associates in Science and I was able to practice Veterinary Medicine on animals while I was enrolled in college, after graduating with a Licensed Permit and up until I passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam. That New York State board exam was one of the hardest exams that I probably will ever have to complete. After working there for six years and working for two different Veterinarians, is when I took my chance to go back to SUNY Oswego for my Business Administration degree. It wasn’t the easiest decision, but I’m so glad I took that leap for the change in my career.   I’d like to go into Pharmaceutical or Medical Sales, and I will have my credentials and experience to lean back on.

I started in the summer of 2017 with on-line courses and a few part-time jobs, and at that same time I was planning mine and my husband’s wedding; that was planned two weeks after the fall semester had started. Not only was it an adjustment from not being used to being in a classroom setting with younger students, but I also became very good at multi-tasking between the two and being organized. I couldn’t be happier on how ‘our’ day turned out.

I first remember going to visit Glynn, at the School of Business, with a thousand questions. Not only was I proud that I was the only one out of my ‘big’ immediate family with a degree, but also that I was accepted into one of New York’s top universities. Since my first semester I have been a member of the Alpha Sigma Lambda, Chapter ETA National Honor Society, and I have been giving it my all to achieve the dean’s list every semester. One thing that I honestly can say, is that I appreciate school “way” more now being older, and I am glad I didn’t choose to go right after high school. Sometimes starting early on assignments or a project is a better feeling than cramming it in the last-minute, or if you have to choose between going out with friends or working on school at home.

I hope you all enjoyed reading about my past work experiences and I’m eager to hear of others.  I’m so thrilled to be a student and a Social Media Ambassador for SUNY Oswego.  This college has opened up so many opportunities for myself, and I still can’t believe all the things they offer to all their students and alumni.  It’s been quite the journey going back to college (for the second time ha-ha) and there have been obstacles, such as all things in life.  But, I can’t explain enough how excited I am to graduate in May and move on to this next chapter of my life, with the hope to help others.

“The sky is the limit.”

Introducing Abby

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Hi! I am Abigayle Shaw, Abby for short. I am so excited to be one of the SUNY Oswego social media interns for the spring 2019 semester. My time at SUNY Oswego is sadly coming to an end in May but, I am eager to share my time, memories, and experiences in my blogs throughout the semester.

I started my time at SUNY Oswego fall 2015 as a public relations major. During my sophomore year I realized I wanted to learn more about the business and marketing side of PR. After researching my options, I picked up a marketing sequence along with a minor in business administration. By adding the sequence and minor, I’ve had many more opportunities when it comes to internships.

Fall of my sophomore year, I joined Delta Phi Epsilon which is one of the four National Sororities here on campus. Being a member of this sorority has given me leadership experience and has motivated me to be the very best version of myself. This year I was elected for the role of VP of Recruitment for National Panhellenic Council. It has been an honor being on Panhellenic E-board and helping organize/run formal recruitment. Being apart of a National Sorority has opened so many doors and has strengthened my social network.

This last semester is bittersweet. I will be cherishing every last second of it.

From a Thankful Senior

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Thanksgiving is a reflective time; the word “thanks” is in the title. Although the history of Thanksgiving is more complicated than that presented to us in grade school, the modern connotation of the event is all about spending time with family and taking stock of the good stuff (yes, that absolutely includes perfectly whipped mashed potatoes holding a beautiful crater of overflowing gravy). I have a lot of things to be thankful for myself, so I decided it would be a good time to share some of these things.

  1. My Oswego education. I’ll be graduating on December 15th in front of my family. Image result for graduation gif
  2. My newest family member: my nephew Grant.
  3. A delicious meal and the opportunity to eat it with loved ones. Image result for thanksgiving gif
  4. My caring, creative, crazy friends that I’ve made both at Oz and in life in general. Image result for friends thanksgiving gif (a “Friends” Thanksgiving gif is almost obligatory, no?)
  5. The social media team. I’ve been doing this since my sophomore year which means it’s been 2 and a half years of photographing geese, dogs, hockey players, and filming and writing about my personal adventures. Image result for social media gif

With graduation coming up in a few weeks, I’m currently trying to polish my resume, finish five different papers and projects, apply to jobs, and balance a few other spinning plates as well. This break and this particular holiday have been very important for me, not only to have a bit of extra time to work on these things, but to also remember what I have going for me. I’m very thankful for my time in Oswego in general. I have changed and grown so much and feel as though I’ve truly come into my own. I’ve met amazing people and learned so many things, both in and out of the classroom. As I enter the most confusing and transitional period of my life yet, remembering this and trying to use it to my advantage will be more important than ever.

I’d like to thank my boss Tim Nekritz for putting me on the social media team and giving me a platform to create content of my choice for the school. I also want to thank everyone reading this and everyone who has ever read one of my blogs, watched one of my vlogs, viewed my Snapchats, and looked at my Instagram posts for Oz. I hope that I have been educational, entertaining, or at the very least distracting (in a good way!). Take it from one very thankful Laker: take the time to think about the good in your life. You might be happier than you’ve ever been, you might be going through hard times or transitioning into something new; no matter what, if you think hard enough there will be something to be thankful for. Now enjoy the dinner rolls.

How to Eat Healthy in the Dining Hall

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Oh how I miss eating in the dining hall sometimes. There are just some nights that I do not want to cook! The dining hall is a great tool for us busy college students. The service is quick and there is even an option to get a bagged meal to take with you to class if you can’t make it to lunch or dinner. There are so many different options at every meal that it can be hard to decide what to eat most of the time!

 

Before coming to college, my parents would make very healthy meals for my brother and I and we rarely had snacks or treats in the house. When I arrived at college, I couldn’t believe my eyes at the amount of desserts, cereal, pizza, pasta and other food that was available every single day. It was hard not want to eat these foods every day. But eating these foods every day can come with a price.

 

Many new students succumb to the “freshman 15” when they arrive at college. I gained 10 pounds of the freshman 15 and that was enough to make me want to change. The dining hall is not trying to sabotage incoming freshmen with all of these unhealthy choices they have available. In fact, they don’t have to be considered unhealthy if they’re eaten in moderation!

 

It’s perfectly fine to indulge in the oreo pie or chocolate chip cookies as long as it’s not every night. And there are other small things that you can do to healthily navigate the dining hall.

 

 

Here’s what I started doing in my sophomore year:

  • I opted for coffee, hot tea, or water instead of juice or soda – One of the easiest things you can do to limit your sugar intake is to avoid sugary beverages and yes, juice has a crazy amount of sugar in it. Also, while making my daily coffee or tea, I would have it with a minimal amount of creamer or even black.
  • I tried to have a salad at least every other day – The salad bar contains a variety of vegetables, seeds/nuts, and other toppings to put in your salad. But try not to get carried away! If you’re putting a ridiculous amount of dressing or croutons on your salad, is it still a salad? Instead of creamy dressings, I always pick balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
  • At late night, I would try my best to grab from the fruit bar instead of the main line. That didn’t happen all the time, but it helps if you’re not eating pizza and mac and cheese wedges every night.

 

These are just a few tips to make eating healthy in the dining hall easier. Now the next time you’re in the dining hall, maybe later tonight, give it a try!

Pathfinder Dining Hall.

How Artists Work: My Summer Interning at the Biggest Contemporary Art Museum in the U.S.

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Throughout my life, I’ve always dreamed about the prospect of working with creative people in the performing arts industry. As a Theatre major, live performance and the process of creation have always been huge parts of my life. However, I’ve also leaned towards the more scholarly and detail-oriented side of everything, which is where my Public Relations degree has come in handy. It wasn’t until my time as a Performing Arts Administration Intern at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (more commonly known as MASS MoCA) that I was finally able to put a name on what I wanted to do; company management.

MASS MoCA’s internship program at times can be completely surreal. At no point have I ever felt like just another intern coming through to work temporarily. The staff at MoCA truly take the time to personalize your experience at the company and appreciate people for who they are. With a $150 stipend per week and provided intern housing with included utilities, the museum does the best they can to provide the interns with everything they need during their time working at the institution. This summer we have interns coming from all around the United States, so the benefits allow people from all over to take part in the experience. Located in the artistically saturated region of the Berkshire mountains, home of Williamstown Theatre Festival, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, the Williams College Museum of Art, and the Clark Institute, MASS MoCA is a non-profit that truly invests not in itself but in the development of the arts industry. I found myself in the process truly feeling like I was contributing to the creation of something.

I loved walking into work every day not knowing what my day would look like. I had a wide range of responsibilities including stocking green rooms, shopping for artist hospitality, transporting performers in company vehicles from the airport, writing programs for upcoming arts events, and acting as house manager for large-scale events. I learned so much about company management and event logistics. The first time I was able to read artist riders and contracts, I spent probably an hour just flipping through the binder. Them giving an intern those kinds of responsibilities and experiences was truly more than I could’ve hoped for. Not only that, but I got to interact with the educational aspect of the museum as well. As an intern at MASS MoCA, you are required to give museum tours to the public. The first few weeks were full of curatorial training with museum staff, where we were taught the fine details about the work of Sol LeWitt, Louise Bourgeois, Jenny Holzer, James Turrell, Anselm Kiefer, and so much more. While the beginning had me stressing about these public tours, by the end of the summer I was being asked if I was an art history major.

My absolute favorite part of the internship was working with the artists and getting to talk to various musicians about their work. I had the pleasure of meeting artists like Ray LaMontagne, Courtney Barnett, the guys from Grizzly Bear, and Debbie Harry as well as the rest of Blondie. Through Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival, I developed not only professional relationships with renowned musicians but friendships as well. My work helping implement elements of the festival fostered a creative environment where art and compositions could be created. Watching it all come together during the Marathon, a whopping 6-hours of orchestral music, was the best reward.


Grizzly Bear playing live in the Hunter Center on June 16, 2018

Courtney Barnett playing live in Courtyard C on July 12, 2018

My summer at MASS MoCA will stay with me for the rest of my life. There are so many people in that organization I cannot thank enough. I highly recommend that intern experience for anyone that hopes to pursue a career in the arts. My biggest takeaway that can be passed along: Don’t be afraid to create new experiences. If the opportunity is allowing you to relocate for minimal cost, go for it and see what you find. During internship interviews, be the most authentic version of yourself you can present. I read in an instant that my future colleagues had a sense of humor and a genuine nature to the way they operated, so I reciprocated that. Not only did it prove to be a good interview, but I couldn’t stop smiling the rest of the day because of how the interview went. In the professional world, you shouldn’t be afraid to be who you are.