What He Said...

Happy last few hours of 2009, everyone! This has certainly been an interesting year, but I'm glad for it to be over. Isn't it strange how New Year's always feels like we're wiping the slate clean and starting fresh, even though nothing around us is changing at all? There aren't any changes in weather, in the day/night cycle, and there aren't any strange signs indicating that a new year has indeed begun (aside from a giant, sparkly ball falling in Time Square). Maybe some attitudes are changed for a couple days, with resolutions being made (or not, as Mike showed with his Calvin and Hobbes quote... nicely done), but soon everyone is back to the same old same old.

But whether I end up feeling very different or exactly the same when the clock strikes 12 tonight, I know that 2010 is going to be a big year for me. I have no idea what I will be doing in 2010. I don't even know where I will be living! Everything is all up in the air until I start hearing from graduate schools and start thinking about where I want to be and what I want to do. It's a little scary, but I know I'm not in this alone.
So come on 2010... I'm ready for you.

~Bianca

Hello 2010!

Might I point out that it's nearly two weeks since the beginning of winter and we've only had one significant snow storm (at least where I am) and there is hardly any snow on the ground at all. This would be catastrophic if not for the fact that ski resorts are able to make their own snow.

But I digress, after all, we're on the cusp of a new year. I was always fond of New Year's Eve, mostly because I go to my Aunt and Uncle's house (father's side) to count down the New Year. You see, for Christmas, my relatives from my mother's side of the family head on up from Staten Island. It's always a pleasure to see them, but, seeing how I have no cousins from that side of the family, all of them are on the verge of qualifying for social security, that is to say, ahem...old. My father's side is different, I am one of eleven cousins, and when you put us all together in one spot, we were prone to wreak havoc. Being the youngest of them, I always became the scapegoat for anything and everything that went wrong, I was even given the moniker "Low man on the totem pole." Family is family though, and it never gets old, so that's where I'll be heading to bring in the New Year.

I leave you with this, from Calvin & Hobbes, the greatest comic strip ever conceived by man:

Hobbes: "Are you making any resolutions for the new year?"
Calvin: "Resoultions? Me?? Just what are you implying? That I need to change?? Well buddy, as far as I'm concerned, I'm perfect the way I am!"

Brilliant.

Happy New Year!

Off to Work I Go!

I hope everyone had an awesome Christmas! I know Santa was very good to me this year! My highlight was def. my new digital camera and photo frame! Im studying abroad next fall in Africa and Im really going to use them!



Sadly, Christmas came and went so quickly and now I am back to work, and taking my fifteen minute break to blog =]! I work at a law firm in the billing department so I get to make fun spreadsheets of the lawyers time and income, do their time slips, and unfortunatly file. It's funny because I have no intention of becoming a lawyer but I have learned so much about different laws and law just in general. I have my own desk in an open cubicle and it's piled high with literally 247 bills that need to be filed! Everyone jokes around that im starting to get lost under it all. It's alot of work and but I love having a 9-5 job. The lawyers and paralegals I work with are awesome and take the time to explain everything that goes on.

This is a picture of me and my coworker from the summer cleaning out the basement! After seven years all the files get stripped and thrown away and I spent a good week with my coworkers cleaning out the file rooms!

I hope everyone has a happy and safe New Year's Eve!!! Write to you next year!! ';]

<3 Liv

Home is where the heart is.

Hey Everyone!

So, you know that old saying "Home is where the heart is"?... Well, I'm in a bit of a predicament... My heart is in two places.. Siena, and Long Island... I guess I have two homes.

Well, the semester is over! I can finally relax. I came home Wednesday and right now is the first time I have to just relax. We had two family parties this year at my house, so we were constantly prepping. Christmas, my moms side of the family came over to celebrate. It was a little difficult this year because my cousin was recently deployed to Iraq for a year, but we all banded together and had a lot of laughs. At the end of the night we watched the Hangover and had a sleepover. Sunday, we had my Dads side of the family over... All 26 of us! It was great seeing everyone, and we even got a corny picture of all of us on the porch. At this point, my cousins are having babies, and it's so astonishing to see the kids grow up right before your eyes. You know how adults always say "I remember when you were a baby!"? Well, now I'm that person. I can't believe my baby cousins are already 7 and 5, and my other baby cousin is already 1! I'm starting to teach my 7 year old cousin how to play basketball and lacrosse- so, we had an intense game of basketball outside my house. It was me, my 5 year old cousin, Tom vs Dylan (my boyfriend) and my 7 year old cousin, Nick. Now, Dylan has a height advantage (he's 6ft), but, me and Tom still dominated the courts... in a dress and uggs... How's that for being a bit of a tomboy. We had the whole family outside cheering us on.. It was so much fun... And, now my spot is secure for the "Favorite Older Cousin" Award.

Now, it's time to relax. For most of my days I will be working, but I will also be making a few roadtrips. On January 9th, the club that I coordinate along with 3 others will be honored for our work with Project Linus during the halftime of the Siena Mens Basketball game by Trustco Bank. This is an incredible honor for all four of us, and I know each of us are humbled.

Well, thats all for now. Happy New Years Everyone!

I'll see you 2010!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

I've finally started to let myself relax at home after unpacking, organizing papers, getting my grades, and doing last minute Christmas shopping/baking. There is truly nothing like a college Christmas break if you've never experienced it. See in high school, you only had about 2 weeks off, during which you had to complete assignments and projects for the unfinished semester. But in college, your semester is over, so there is no work left to complete! No assignments are looming over your head. There is only opportunity to relax, spend time with family and friends, and maybe make some money (or if you're an overachiever, prep for next semester).

So what am I going to do this break???
- Teach 8 dance classes (pre-ballet, ballet, modern, jazz)
- Attend dance class myself (I'll need it after tomorrow!)
- Dust off my piano and guitars, and work on some music I haven't had time to focus on
- Choreograph dances for my students' performances
- Read! I have several books I've been meaning to get into
- Hear from grad schools!!! *crosses fingers*
- Hang out with my friends from home
- Hang out with the fam
- Go sledding!!
- Drink lots and lots of hot chocolate
- Think about organizing my Honors Thesis (which is mostly written!)
- Think about writing my reflection paper on service projects I have completed since Freshman Year
- Go ice skating!
- SLEEP!

What do you guys think? I think it sounds like a pretty good list of things to do. I especially like the last one. :-)

I hope everyone has a fantastic break!

~Bianca

P.S. Liv, when am I getting invited over for some of that pizza?? :-P

The End of the Beginning

Yesterday at 5 o'clock I left the friendly confines of Siena for the equally friendly confines of Mechanicville, New York. I took my last exam during the last time slot for exams, and, when I finally left campus, I felt like one of the last to leave. There's evidence behind my saying so, my car was very lonely all alone in the Foy Hall parking lot, which is typically filled up during classes. As I am a local boy, my trip home isn't terribly strenuous considering that I live a mere twenty minutes away. While its good to be home, I'm able to see my family pretty often throughout the semester and, believe it or not, that's the way I like it. For example, when hunting season comes around, I head home for the weekends to take part in the venerable pastime with Dear Ol' Dad (for those of you offended by such a prospect, I hasten to add I am not very good at it).

Like I said though, its always good to be home. I have a pretty full agenda for the break. I have to finish up all my law school applications ASAP, continue to work on my thesis proposal on American executive power, read some Kierkegaard (a fellow I deeply admire, if not always agree with) for a philosophy class, and son and so forth. As the saying goes, all work and no play make one a dull person, so I'll have to delay this important work, for the most eminent 'work' of all: relaxing and enjoying Christmas and New Years. I hope you all do the same!

Merry Christmas all,
Mike

Finals Finally Over & Back on the Island!

I can't believe finals are over! I felt like this day would never come, I unfortunatly was one of the few people who had finals in all five of my classes. And after countless hours spent in the library ( One of my favorite places on campus) I am home! It was so hard staying to the very last day I hated saying goodbye to all my friends. I already miss all of them, even though in a few short weeks we will be back together. It's funny how much of a family my friends have become.

Luckily for me driving back home was such a breeze with barely anyone on the road. The three and a half hour drive is so nice. And when I feel like leaving the car at school its just a quick Amtrak ride away from Penn Station to the LIRR! And theres always someone to travel with having a lot of LI kids at Siena. Today I was lucky enough to have one of my friends on the basketball team with me. Im not too big on driving alone, and might sort of kinda have a led foot =].

After one Dunkin Donut iced coffee, a blueberry muffin, 3.5 hrs, and a fight about Queens being located on LI I was home and welcomed with a foot and a half of snow. My brother still doesnt understand fully how cold, cold can be! It was still so much warmer here to me. This all brings me to right now just relaxing with my family and waiting for Dad's homemade pizza! Born thankfully to an Italian Chef food in my house is always delicious. Sorry Sera Hall, but dad's cooking is unbeatable!

...Time to Eat!! Have a Great Holliday!!!

- Liv<3

Things I've learned this past semester...

1. Senior year goes by fast. and I mean really fast. I'm already halfway done!

2. Baking brownies for your housemates is always a great idea during finals week.

3. Always attend Siena events. I won a new GPS system at our Relay for Life kickoff party!

4. Having a kitchen is awesome, but sneaking into Saga (our dining hall) is always fun.

5. Always keep on top of your course work. Cramming right before an exam doesn't work.

6. Becoming friends with faculty and staff at Siena is the best thing you could ever do. (that includes Admissions staff, professors, dining hall workers, and janitorial staff)

7. Always make sure you've got a pair of gloves and a scarf. It gets cold around here. really cold.

8. Don't forget to make time to hang out with friends. Before you know it, everybody will be graduating and parting ways.

9. Payday is always an awesome day. Especially when you are a broke college student.

10. Never forget to make time for fun. Its the only way you'll survive all the work, and its the only way to make your college time some of the best years of your life. Take advantage of all the opportunity you can get and live it up! Once you realize you're graduating in a few months, its too late to go back and re-do the past three years.

:o) I love Siena. And I love the person it has helped me become. And not to sound sappy, but I am really going to miss this place. So I guess the only thing left to do is to make the most of next semester!

I thought I was invulnerable to it, but that's not the case, and if I can't escape it, nobody can. I am, of course, referring to the feelings of nostalgia one has when they are faced with the specter of graduation. Now, fortunately, I have another semester here at Siena, but I have to say that this one really flew by. I remember thinking that high school zoomed on by, but I have to say college moves even faster. So enjoy it while it lasts!

As you may know, Siena is in the midst of final exam time. One Siena tradition during finals is what is referred to as the 11th Hour. The 11th Hour is something of a prayer service, led by the Franciscan friars in the chapel here on campus (at 11 o'clock at night of course). It is aimed at refocusing our attention and putting things in perspective. Every semester at the 11th hour the chapel fills up to capacity, some students even sit down in the aisles. After the service, students are treated to comfort food, such as donuts, muffins, and bagels. Students from every year come to this, and I have to say, this year, as a senior at Siena, I've never recognized so few people. You see, Siena is a tight-knit community, and, if you come here, you'll be seeing many familiar faces over the course of four years. So, I was wondering why I didn't seem to recognize as many people as I did in the past, and then it hit me. As a sophomore or junior, you are more likely to know not only the students in your class year, but also those in the class above and below you. Well, as a senior, there is no class above you, and quite frankly, you don't devote a whole lot of time to getting to know every underclassman. So there I sat, struck by the fact that my time at Siena is almost up...and then I proceeded to block that ever-encroaching reality from my mind.

But, then again, I wouldn't want to have to take finals for the rest of my life.

Take care,
Mike DiSiena

It's the Holiday Season!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

It's the final stretch of this 2009 fall semester! As Bianca has noted, today was the last day of classes and theres a brief sense of relief running through the dorms right now... That is until Wednesday when most finals start.

For me, I have my Religion Final on Wednesday, my Accounting Final Saturday (at 8:30 am... YIKES!), and my Math and Marketing exam on Monday... Unfortunately, I don't get to go home until the 23rd so I'm trying not to think about it too much so the days go by faster. It's always weird being here while everyone else goes home. Usually the dorms have this energy about them thats not comparable to anything else, but when residents start going home the dorms become too quiet for my liking... and, not going to lie... I do miss my residents when they leave.

But, until then Hines Hall is having their Holiday Party. Tonight at 10 p.m, 24 hour quiet hours start so we're letting all the residents get their last bursts of energy out before then.

I hope you all have a phenomenal Holiday Season, and I'll be back in January to blog for you again!

See you 2010,

Leanne

P.S- I attached a photo I worked on that I took during the first snowfall. The trees are right outside of Hines Hall if you face Spring Street. One of the greatest aspects of Siena is that although it's a college campus, you can still find beautiful nature every where you turn.. It's the "Franciscan" in us ;)

Last Day of Classes!

So today is the last day of classes for the fall semester! I have been consistently crossing big projects, papers, and presentations off of my to do list, so today has just been about enjoying the last bit of lecture time and preparing for my 3 final exams. I have not really gotten into studying for them yet, although my first exam is on Wednesday (Vertebrate Biology). I've been doing pretty well this semester, so I'm not too nervous. Also, I've become a lot more laid back about studying since freshman year. I remember coming in as a freshman and spending every waking hour reading and memorizing and studying! But then I began to find a balance during sophomore and junior year... I do not need to make myself nearly as crazy as I did as a Siena newbie. Studying is all about staying on top of material through the whole semester, not overloading or overstressing, and never ever cramming! Believe it or not, I've actually become quite calm when facing finals week.



I'll probably be hyperventilating on Wednesday morning though... I haven't quite mastered being calm right before the final yet. Maybe by my last semester as a Siena student, I'll figure that one out.



Good luck on finals everyone! And happy last day of classes :-)

A Semester at College is Like a Good Vacation

Yes, you heard me right. What do I mean? Well, like any good vacation, you very much look forward to beginning your journey, and you certainly enjoy it while you are in the moment, but, when all is said and done, you miss the prospect of spending more time "on vacation," but are, at the same time, ready to return home. As each semester winds down, I am struck both by the fact that I am closer to where I want to go with the great education that I have received at Siena, and closer to having to part with campus life, and leave many memories and opportunities behind. Fortunately, I have one more semester, and I shouldn't look to far ahead considering I still have finals for this semester.

The last few days have been particularly enjoyable. As a part of the Orchestra here on campus (Yes, that's right, we have an orchestra. I myself play this monstrosity) I get to maintain my musical skill all the while enjoying some very good music. The orchestra itself is under the instruction of Dr. Paul Konye, of the Creative Arts department here at Siena. We played a couple of pieces, but the highlight of the performance was Franz Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony" (poor fellow couldn't quite finish it before his time was up).

This past Saturday, was the famed Siena vs. UAlbany Basketball game. The game has become one of the most important events in area sports in recent years, and the Times Union Center was packed. Fortunately both our men's and women's teams won, making students and alumni proud of our Siena Saints. The night was special because not only did Gina Castelli win her 300th game as head coach of our Lady Saints, but because the MAAC Championship Banner, which the men's team won last year, was unfurled. You definitely feel a strong sense of school spirit when you attend games like this.

All the while, I'm finally wrapping up a few loose ends in terms of course work. Today I got back a term paper I had written for my Shakespeare course on Macbeth and Masculinity. I'd never taken an English course here at Siena yet, but I have to say I really enjoyed it. Evidently, I must have learned something, because the professor actually wanted to keep the paper for her files. I now consider myself living proof that even a simpleton like myself can master Shakespeare with proper instruction. In any case, I hope the trend continues.

Take care,
Mike DiSiena

BINGO!

Hey everyone, all excited for Christmas I hope. I am so excited to go home. School is getting pretty stressful with last minute tests, final exams and papers. It’s hard to take a step back and breathe. Although work has wrapped up most of my time, I did however have a very exciting Saturday last weekend. Nearly all of the Siena campus went to the Siena UAlbany, but since I wasn’t a big fan of basketball I went to go play some bingo. Lame I know. I didn’t plan on spending my night at bingo, but my friends dragged me to it. I never realize how much fun bingo was, and the prizes, WOW. When the Student Events Board puts on bingo, they go big. The grand prize was a Nintendo Wii. Other prizes included an ipod nano, Chilies, Dunkin Donuts, and Applebees gift cards, Cds, and DJ Hero. Decent prizes huh? I happened to be one of the luckiest kids on campus that night, which is probably a once in a lifetime thing, but I took home an Ipod Nano. Wooo hooo! If you come to Siena and question bingo, go! You never know what you will take home! =)

Take it easy...Josh

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

It's the final two weeks of the fall semester and it's crunch time for most of us students! I had a 38 page Marketing Proposal due this morning, and I have 16 pages to write for my Honors English Class. Then, it's finals. Finals this year fall late for us, and because of that I do not get to go home until the 23rd. It's incredibly hectic though. I have to remind myself to breath half the time, lol.

But, in the midst of all this craziness, there has been many lights to end of this semesters tunnel. First, the first snowfall of the season came this weekend. I ADORE snow, so I'm like a little kid when it comes to this time of year. It's so beautiful to walk to class in this weather now. The campus just glistens.

Tonight, Pathfinders is doing a charity event for Project Linus. Project Linus is a program that makes blankets for sickly children, or people in need and every year they look for donations. This year, we decided to help out. We raised over $800 for fabric and materials, and tonight is when we make the blankets. I'm really excited about this event, and I can't wait to see how the blankets turn out (Of course I'll have my camera handy tonight).

Well, I have to do some of my English paper before the Project Linus Party tonight!

I hope you all are enjoying this winter beauty as much as I am.

Leanne

P.S- Of course I have pictures :) Attached is a picture near the Sarazen Student Union that I took while it first start snowing.

* Let * It * Snow *

Thats right folks, we got our first official snow of the season! Most of it came down on Saturday, although I think there were a few more flurries this morning. We got about an inch, or inch and a half of snow. Not a bad start. The roads were all cleared early this morning which was nice, so driving conditions were fine. The pathways around campus were also clear. That's one of the things I love about Siena. They do such a great job of clearing all the pathways really early in the morning, so you don't have to worry about slipping on a patch of ice walking to your 8:30 class.

The campus looks really pretty now too. There's snow everywhere! On the grass, on the cars, and all over the trees! The sight is gorgeous. I love the snow sometimes. That is, when its not too cold and it doesn't cancel my plans. Below are a few pictures that my roommate took of campus.




Don't you just want to curl up in front of a fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa? mmmmm I can't wait until my work is done and I can start to really enjoy this holiday season!

Hi everyone!

So I forgot that yesterday was Thursday! I tend to always lose track of time by the end of the semester. We only have one week left before finals madness begins, and the week before finals is usually more stressful than finals week itself. I have something big due every day next week. But I will make sure to stay on top of everything. Even though there is a lot of work to do, my housemates and I decided to take tonight to decorate our townhouse together for the holiday season. It's going to be fun and relaxing, and I will be sure to take pictures to post up here next week.

I do not know if I have mentioned this before, but I am a professional ballet dancer, and I am currently in the middle of the Nutcracker tour with Albany Berkshire Ballet. Our first performances were on November 21st, and our last ones of the tour will be on Dec 20th. So I have been running around to Craryville NY, Burlington VT, Pittsfield MA, and Albany NY for the past several weeks. The Nutcracker is such a spectacular production, no matter who is putting it on, and I highly recommend going to see it to get you into the holiday/winter spirit.

That is one thing that I'm definitely starting to feel around here at Siena... the holiday spirit. Everyone has dug out their scarves and gloves, have started decorating their rooms with paper snowflakes and ornaments, are planning Secret Santas, and playing holiday music. This time of year kind of takes the edge off of everything we have to get done in the next two weeks!

I'll get our decorating pictures up soon! Good luck bloggers with all of your final projects, presentations, and exams!

This is a picture from our last performance in Burlington, VT. It's the Dance of the Snowflakes. I am the one in the middle!

~Bianca

I'm still stuffed.

Happy Monday, Everyone!

And, a belated "Happy Thanksgiving"!(I hope you all listened to Adam Sandlers "Turkey Song" at least once).

It is so great to be back at Siena! Now, don't get me wrong, I love being home... But, with three weeks left in the semester I want to spend as much time here as possible. It's absolutely insane how fast this semester is going by. I could only imagine how the seniors are feeling.
All throughout these next few weeks I'm going to have the Rocky theme song in my head to keep me motivated. This is crunch time for all of us students. Assignments that we forgot about, normal homework, semester long projects all come boiling down to this.

For me, after this week I'm almost in the clear. I have a 20 page Marketing Project due Monday (15 pages already completed =]) This project is great though; we have to conceptualize our own business, and then go through all the steps of a typical Marketing Proposal. My business is called "Ice Cream De Jour" and is a high class dessert restaurant. The bar has ice sculptures pouring martinis, and a glass floor with exotic fish swimming below. I've created the menu, SWOT Analysis, Customer Analysis, Business Analysis and much much more. Then, after that I have a 10 page english paper that I'm actually excited to write. I'm writing it on this book called "Not Wanted on the Voyage" by Timothy Findley, and I already have it all outlined, and I love my hypothesis ( I would share it, but I don't want it stolen =P).

Well, I hope you all have a great week. I have to go finish my 30 questions for religion... fun =/

Until next time!
Leanne

Turkey Overdose

Well, its Sunday night, which means I'm back at Siena after an awesome Thanksgiving Break at home. I went home Tuesday after my Endocrinology class. It was about a two and a half hour drive to my house in CT which isn't too bad. I have my car on campus, so I carpooled with another Siena student who actually lives right down the road from me.

Over break, I had family come over and celebrate with us. My cousin has a 6 year old niece who is a bundle of energy. I had a lot of fun playing with her. She had a lot of fun with the Turkey this year. She even named our dinner "Joe." She thanked Joe for giving up his life so that we could have a nice family dinner.

In between spending time with family, I also had to start studying for my Endocrinology test which is coming up on Tuesday. Actually, that's what I'm about to do right now! I know it sounds crazy to study for a test a week before the exam, and the fact that it was over break is even worse! But rest assured, its really not that bad. I usually start studying for exams a few days before. There's always a lot of material to cover and I find that reviewing it over a few days is a lot easier than trying to cram the night before.

Well, I guess I should get back to work. It's going to be a busy week. Well actually, it'll be a busy three weeks until finals are over. I've still got two papers to write, a presentation, and an exam! Yikes! But its really not that bad. I have plenty of time to work on it all.

I've also got a lot of things to look forward to in the next few weeks. The Bhangra team has a performance this upcoming Thursday in Schenectady, and we're also doing a program with Residential Life on Bhangra. There's also the BLSU (Black and Latino Student Union) Winter Weekend Ball which I usually go to every year. And a whole bunch of basketball games to go to! Oh yes, its going to be a busy three weeks filled with academics, club activities, and fun too!

Thanksgiving!

Hey Everyone!

Happy Monday! My goodness, it has been quite the hectic week(s). 5 Day medical leaves do not work in your favor, I'll tell you that much. My professors helped out a lot with the "catching up", but, I still haven't pushed the boulder all the way to the top of the mountain top just yet. I'm thinking tomorrow after my accounting exam I'll be able to breath again.

But, there is a happy ending to my hectic week...IT'S THANKSGIVING BREAK!! Granted, everyone has already left, or is leaving tomorrow and I'm here until Wednesday to close the building, but I have a lot of fun planned for the next 72 ish hours. Firstly, after my accounting exam at 2:30 p.m tomorrow I plan on taking an incredible nap. One of those naps thats more comatose than anything you've ever experienced. Then, I plan on playing Mario Kart against my residents (we have quite the tournaments). After some recreational fun, I'm going to the basketball game with my boyfriend and one of my best friends. After we get back, me and my fellow Hines Hall RA's are having an "RA sleepover" in the office :). Then, all I have to do Wednesday is check the rooms and then I'm on the road back to Long Island. I've got it all planned out :)

But, before I go back to studying 6 chapters of Accounting (YIKEEEES!) I'll leave you with this. Recently, my "family" and I have been attending church every Sunday at 6 p.m. It is this hour that has led me to peace of mind, and a state of relaxation. It is such a safe haven, and the masses are great. But, what's even more great about it is that I'm with the people I love. Everyone says in College you meet your friends of your lifetime, and it's true. I consider my friends here my family because we're here for each other through everything, no questions, and no judgement. It's something you all definitely have to look forward too :)

Have a great week everyone!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

P.S- No pictures (boring, I know) but, I would like to congratulate my ex-roomie, Liv for becoming a member of our team!

Fall Fusion 09: Under the Big Top!

I can't believe it. Last night was my last Fall Fusion at Siena. ever. Next year I will have graduated! But that's certainly not going to stop me from coming back to see the show!

But seriously, the show was awesome! The acts were so good! I was able to watch parts of the show and see my friends perform. I know they videotaped the whole show, so I'll have to get a copy of it!

The theme for the show was also a circus theme, so everyone was dressed up as clowns and lion tamers and ring leaders! The decorations were also so bright and colorful! It made me want to be a kid again!

So the last act of the show was the Bhangra Team. I was getting so anxious waiting for us to go on! But the performance was great! If you want to check out the video of the performance, click on the link below!

Siena College Bhangra Fall Fusion 09

I hope you guys enjoy the show!

Siena...after school job placement

Hey everyone! Sorry haven't been on in a while, the stomach bug ran through me for the past week or so. I have to catch up on work and all that good stuff now, but thats for later. On a different note, last week in physics lab our professor had asked us to go to one of the seminars the department was putting on. Everyone was skeptical, and didn't want to get their feet wet, but we all decided "what the heck" and left to go listen. I have to say, it was probably one of the best decisions I've made in a while. The presentation was from a local business in Albany called Albany Nanotech. I never paid much attention to the big corperate company/research facility even when driving by it to go to cross gates; however, their business does some serious work. Especially in my field of work as a chemist, they mass produce a bunch of different equipment as well as further their research in a number of medical procedures. One such product that was talked about was memory chips in cell phones. Their company manufactures these chips and they need scientists such as me to produce them. (I wish I had the time to intern in the summer, but it makes it hard living in VT) I know it may sound geeky, but when your in class all day and studying for rediculous tests, its nice to know that if and when you get out of school, you could possibly be doing something cool with your life. This prosentation was just one of many the school of science offered, I just thought it was one of the more memorable ones.

Thanks for reading...Josh Baillargeon

Something I realized today...

Hey everyone!

First I want to welcome Liv to our blogging team! I can't wait to hear all of your fun stories. I'm Bianca, by the way *waves*. And I love your pictures!

Anyway...
I spent most of my day today working in the lab, but when I got a break for lunch I was walking toward the Sarazen Student Union, and I was reminded of how much I positively love Siena. I had just had such a horrible morning of tedious labwork, and I was tired and cold and starving. But as I walked to the union to go grab a much needed wrap from the wrap shop (Pepsi Cafe), I looked around myself and had to stop for a minute right in the middle of the path. There is nothing quite like the Siena College campus. Especially when the sun is shining (like it was this afternoon), everything just looks so welcoming and homey. Even though no one was playing out on what we call the "Siena beach," which is a common sight in the springtime, a smile came to my face. I looked around and saw people walking every which way to class and to lunch and to meetings. Everyone was just smiling and waving and yelling across the academic quad about homework and plans for later. It just felt like home. I remember even experiencing that same feeling of being at home before I came to Siena officially. I was on a Shadow Day when I was looking at schools to go to, and I just remember feeling welcomed, and comfortable, and at ease on the campus. That's really why I made the decision to come here.

And I was reminded of that decision today, at a time when I desperately needed a pick-me-up. So after I stopped and looked around me, at the heart of Siena College, I felt a little bit better. So I grabbed an amazing wrap, picked up my mail, and walked back across campus to the lab, saying hello to everyone along the way. That's another thing that is unique about Siena... I don't think I've ever walked somewhere on campus and not run into someone I knew. It's a good feeling. But after that random moment in the academic quad, my day went from being not so good, to pretty wonderful.

I'm going to miss this...

~Bianca
This was the path I was walking on (the Sarazen Student Union is in the background)!
(Picture taken from www.siena.edu)

Finally Posting!

Hey Everyone!!Y

I'm so glad I am finally getting the chance to post online, things have been so crazy! I thought I'd use my first post to introduce myself. My name is Olivia, you can call me Liv! I am an English Education Major and a Creative Arts Minor.

I love getting involved on Campus and I am a Siena Ambassador. I enjoy giving tours so make sure you come up to get one! As you can see I am also an active member of the Dog Pound! GO SAINTS!! I haven't missed a home game yet!

Siena College has become my home away from home. And I know that sounds cliche, but I couldn't imagine anywhere else feeling this way. The sense of community is amazing, and the people here are so welcoming. On campus I live in Padua Hall with two other roomates who are the greatest! Having a bathroom in the room is excellent!
* Sorry were working on getting more pictures together*

Getting to the actual blogging part today was awesome! I got to travel with Admissions home to Long Island! I talked with over a hundred guidance counslers all over the island, about why Siena would be an amazing fit for their students. It was great to have the opportunity to give back to Siena by helping out at the event. I'm going to cut it a little short this time because well I am procrastinating! College is all about time management!


<3 Liv

The Saints are Back

The long dreary time that is the Siena Men's Basketball off-season has finally ended and the team is back playing on the court. While Siena has plenty of great sports teams, there is none that has as much fan support throughout the community as our men's basketball team, and not without justification. Over the past two years the team has won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship and made it to the NCAA Tournament, winning in the first round both times (upsetting Vanderbilt in the first round two seasons ago, and beating Ohio State in the first round last season). The team played its first home game this past Tuesday against Northeastern, which was broadcast live by ESPN. While the game was during the middle of the day, there was still a good turnout, including yours truly. You see, tickets are distributed to students on campus. Although the team plays off campus in Albany, bus transportation is made available for a quick ten minute ride to the Times Union Center.

Expectations are high this year given that almost the same group of starters has been together for a while now. So, when Siena students rolled into the Times Union Center in Albany, where the team plays its home games, there was no doubt our team would win. I have to say though, it was somewhat unexpected to see them start off down 20-6 after the first several minutes. Fortunately, the team regained its focus and ended up winning 59-53.

So far so good, as the Siena Saints, as they are affectionately named, start off right!

"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team. ~George Raveling

I always knew there'd be days like these.

Hey Everyone,

Even though it's technically Tuesday, HAPPY MONDAY! I have been swamped this evening, so I am sorry for being tardy for the party. (Housewives reference, anyone?). Parents, please do not worry... this time is not uncommon for me. Tonight has been particularly eventful- Pathfinder meeting (DIANA- we missed you), two fire alarms, a few RA situations, and accounting homework. 3 am is an early night :)


As Bianca has made note of, it is registration time... DUN DUN DUN!! Hopefully, I will get all the classes I am looking at. I register tomorrow (or today.. however you want to look at it) at 11:30. I'm nervous to be honest. With this whole "Declared Major thing" I'm starting to see my future form in front of my eyes, and I need all the classes I want in order to move forward. I'm also pretty excited to finally be on a track to something. I keep realizing more and more how perfect this major is for me. I also realized that later in life I can a lot more than just work in the restaurant. (Foodie Columnist, anyone?) I have also obtained an internship over the winter to learn more about different managerial aspects. Each day for an hour I will learning how to run a kitchen, how to match wines with different dishes, how to do the books, etc. I'm eager about this, and I'm being an apprentice to some of the best in the business so I know I'm in good hands.

Anyway, I have to write a few reports up before going to sleep for an hour or two (It's more like naps, to be honest).

I hope you all have a great week!

Leanne


EDITORS NOTE- I GOT ALL MY CLASSES!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Its Crunch Time!

Many of you know that I am captain of the Bhangra Team. Well, our first performance is right around the corner. We will be the last act at Fall Fusion this Saturday. Fall Fusion is put on jointly by the Asian Students Association and the Black and Latino Student Union. The show is basically a multicultural talent show with singing and dancing and poetry and music and anything else you can think of!

This year's theme is the circus! ASA has been working on decorations for quite some time now. I have to say, they look pretty awesome! They've got giant elephants and tigers and clowns... and so much more! I can't wait to see what the final set up looks like. I'll have to get some pictures for you folks.

There are a lot of students performing in the show. It is a pretty big event on campus; anywhere from 500 - 600 students come to see the show.

I know the Bhangra Team is performing Last. The Step Team will also be on stage. They're really good. I could never step like they do. I've always wanted to learn how to step. It looks amazing when they do it on stage!

One of our members on the Bhangra Team, Eben, is also preforming a ballroom dance routine. I saw him practicing today, its looking pretty awesome!

There is also the fashion show. All the outfits are student made and look pretty edgy! A lot of people participate in the fashion show because it doesn't take too much time and c'mon, who doesn't want to be the star of the runway?

Fr. Dennis is also in the show. He's a Friar in Residence in Hennepin Hall right now. He plays guitar and drums and is in his own band. He sometimes plays on campus at certain events. It looks like he'll be at Fall Fusion this year!

I've also got a few friends singing and playing guitar. They're really talented and take advantage of any opportunity to play.

My friend Derrell also has an awesome hip hop routine going with his friends. They perform every semester and are pretty good. That's another thing I wish I could learn, how to dance hip hop. It looks like so much fun!

Well, I can guarantee that there are wayyyy more acts than what I just listed, but it is obvious the amount of diversity we have in our show. It is always an awesome event. It also serves as a fundraiser too! I believe we are donating to the Red Cross for International Relief Funds.

Well, make sure to check the blogs next week, I promise to pose a picture or two from the show!

The Year of Big Steps

So as you guys know, I just made my last Siena schedule on Monday. I signed up for everything without a hitch (the benefits of being a senior in the honors program).

Also on Monday, I sent out all of my transcripts to the graduate schools I am applying to: Albany Medical Graduate School, SUNY Albany, RPI, Johns Hopkins University, Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cornell, Harvard, and Tufts. And a few minutes ago I just filled out the applications and sent in all of my GRE scores. All of this is just coming together so quickly! It is exciting, but I am so not ready to think about where I'm going to spend the next 5-6 years of my life earning a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology/Plant Biology.

The next step is that I have to write my personal statement, which is essentially a statement about what I have done with my life, what I want to do with my life, and why I want to attend that particular program. It is going to take some thought, so I have been putting it off for a little while. I'm hoping to tackle it this weekend.

Anyway, now I'm off to my last thesis meeting of the fall semester... another big step. I don't know if I can handle all of these conclusions! I just want to go back to freshman year! Please??

~B

Bhangra!

As some of you may already know, I am currently the captain of Siena's Bhangra Team! Bhangra is a north Indian style of dance. Our team usually performs at Siena various times throughout the year, also at community events, and we even compete in bhangra competitions!

The picture you see above is our school's Bhangra Team last year. That's me in the bottom right corner! This was taken right before our performance at Desi Dhamaka, a local bhangra competition. We didn't place, but we definitely put on a good show! The audience loved us!

So, our first big performance of the semester is coming up! Fall Fusion is November 21st. It is hosted by the Asian Students Association and the Black and Latino Student Union right here at Siena! It is basically a multicultural talent show. Many of the performers are Siena students. There are also some acts from the outside community. There is singing, and dancing, and poetry, and music, and fashion, and everything else you could think of! Siena is certainly a very talented college.

So, the show is coming up in less than two weeks and I'm getting nervous! We still haven't finished the last minute of our choreography, and we have a lot of work to do in terms of formations and being in sync with one another. Next week we will be having practice every day of the week to brush up on our dance and make sure everything is stage-worthy.

If you guys want to check out our Bhangra Team's performance at Siena during Spring 2009, click on this youtube link:

Siena Bhangra Team at Expose 2009

Enjoy the Show!

And the verdict is...

Hey Everyone!

I am currently on Duty tonight, and decided to blog from my humble office over in Hines. As an RA, we are required to be on duty every month. Here in Hines it varies when you're on duty because we select the days randomly. So, for instance- this week I'm on duty Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, but won't be on duty until we close for Thanksgiving, and then again in December. Duty is fun though. A lot of times people just come in a sit in the office with you (as my friend was doing prior to me typing this), and we just have to walk around and check the building to make sure it's all up to par.

Now, last week I wrote about how I was conflicted with the choice of a major... and, I've decided- I'm going for Marketing and Management with an Honors certificate in English. The more I think about it, the more I realize what a great fit it is for me. I also know it will encourage me even more to enter the restaurant industry upon graduation. I have a great passion for that industry, even with all its' hard work, so I know I will succeed.

Well, that's all I have for you tonight. I have to go do a round before Gossip Girl, hehe :)

Till next week,

Leanne

Halloween pictures I promised....

Hey everyone, like I had promised, I have provided some pictures of the Halloween fun that took place on campus last weekend. My roomate and I were Wayne and Garth from Waynes World on Saturday and hockey players on friday. College can be pretty fun and a great way to meet new friends, but its also rigorous academically. Siena, in particular, has a challenging course curriculu no matter which major any of you choose to pursue. I, myself, am a Chemistry major, and, honestly, I am extremely happy with the decision I made; both with the school I chose and with the field I'm in. Although the course load is demanding, the faculty make it that much easier. The teachers are some of the most down to earth people you will ever meet. Doors are always open for help or in case you just want to talk. Some professors stress appointments for extra help, but the majority of the time they will allow you to walk right in. I live for office hours to survive in my classes and teachers are always willing to give a helping hand. I know it may seem like I'm glorifying the school and the professors it has, but coming from a small high school and a town where everyone knows each other, I wanted that connection with my teachers. I wanted them to know me as well as allow me to know them. Being the 1 on 1 learner I am, I have been pleased that Siena has been able to provide this relationship with teacher and student. For me tougher classes are made easier to succeed in through extra help, and you know just as well as I do, its nice to succeed.

Take it easy everyone... Josh Baillargeon

Making Schedules

Hey everyone!

So I can't believe this has snuck up so fast... on Monday at 7:30 am I will be making my last class schedule at Siena College! :-/

We usually make our schedules here about a month before finals. We have to check our CAPP reports, which basically show what requirements we need to meet in order to graduate, and in order to earn a degree in our major(s) or minor(s). Then we get to see what classes meet those requirements, or what classes we'd be interested in. And Siena is really great with having just enough required classes so you get a really well-rounded education, but you also get a strong focus on your major, and you can experiment with new things, too. After we decide what we might be interested in taking, and everything fits in a feasible schedule, we meet with our Advisor. Everyone at Siena has an Advisor that helps them make decisions throughout their college career. My advisor is Dr. Lise Wilson, who is in the Biology Department (you are most likely matched with an advisor in your own department). I just met with her about an hour ago and had our last bittersweet meeting. Then we talked about the future and grad school, etc. She has been a great advisor to me these past four years.

So what did I decide to take next semester? Well, I will be taking Biochemistry to finish up my last Biology requirement. And I will be taking Drawing I to fulfill my Creative Arts requirement. Then I'm going to take a course that doesn't meet any requirement at all... Philosophy of Language. That will be my personal interest course of the semester. It'll be tough, but worth it. On top of that, I have to take my final Honors Thesis course in which I will be completing my thesis. And I will be doing research in Dr. Ken Helm's lab (as I have been for the past year and half). That's it!

I really can't believe this is my last schedule :-(

But anyway, let me know if you guys have any questions about schedules, requirements, or advising. I would be happy to tell you about any of these things!

~Bianca

Well, midterm time is over with here at Siena, and I'm pleased to report I survived. It was also Halloween recently, and I survived the weekend, save for my pride, that is, after doing my best imitation of The Godfather's Don Corleone. In spite of that, I have been carrying on with my studies. One of the classes I am taking this semester is what is called, "The Symposium on Living Philosophers." Every other year, the school invites a real, live philosopher (yes, they do exist out there), to give a presentation at the school, and teach one of our classes. The class spans two semesters, the idea is, that by the end of the year, you'll be able to present your work to the philosopher and the community in a coherent manner. This year, the philosopher the school selected is a fellow by the name of John Caputo. The class is incredibly reading intensive and in-depth. Fortunately, the twelve brave souls who are taking the course are under the instruction of three superb professors, John Burkey, Ray Boisvert, and an "external scholar," Jeffrey Robbins, from Lebanon College. Though difficult, I am learning a great deal and am grateful for the opportunity.

It's Definitely not a Nashville Party.

Everyone on saturday with some bad battle wounds.

They decided to hunt me with nerf guns.

Hey Everyone!

I hope your Halloween weekend was as extroadinary as mine! Friday night I dressed in a cow costume (with squirting udders!) for an RA Party that we had. Saturday, the much anticipating Paintballing Program occurred, and it was so much fun! Getting hit doesn't hurt all that bad ( I got hit in the head, shoulder, ribs, knees and hand), and I can't wait to go again. Now, I know I typically write about crazy shenanigans, but todays post is going to be a little different. I'm struggling with that dreaded question- WHAT SHOULD MY MAJOR BE?!

I'm having the debate in my head, again. Currently, I'm an Undeclared Business Major, with a pursue in an Honors English Certificate. Unfortunately for me, I'm running out of business cores, and I'm going to have to make a decision before I make my schedule so that I remain on the right track course wise. Here's the thing.. I like two Majors. I like Accounting (strange, I know) and I like Marketing and Management. Accounting is tough- Majority of the time it makes me want to pull my hair out, but the level of accomplishment I feel when I do figure it all out is out of this world. Marketing/Management is more natural for me. It resonates more with me. I can bring real world experience into each of my class discussions. So, what to do? My real debate lies in this question; What major will bring me to my goal more quickly?

You see, I know what I want to do when I graduate college. I want to work in the restaurant industry. I am manufactured to work in that industry. It incorporates everything that I like. On any given day your work will include accounting, marketing, managing, writing, and customer service. You're never stuck doing the same thing day in and day out- and, that's exactly what my personality needs. I need a daily challenge, but I also need to be around people. I'm an extrovert- I thrive off of energies. I know that a restauranteur works long, exhausting hours- I was raised in this industry so I'm very well adjusted to that. But, when I'm asked "Where do you see yourself in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years", I see myself in a restaurant, and nothing else. So, now my big decision is how will I achieve this goal of mine? I guess only time, and a lot of "pro/con" charts will tell. I'll keep you all updated though.

I hope you have a great week!

Until next Monday,

Leanne

P.S- Of course I attached pictures for you. What kind of Blog would this be if I didn't ;-)

Spring Break already??

Another Halloween Weekend gone by...

Which means its back to work. Of course, Sundays are always work days for me, but its not too bad. I leisurely do homework in between the two bhangra practices we have today.

But more importantly, I wanted to tell you guys about that trip to the Dominican Republic I was talking about! I went last spring break with the Women's Center. We stayed with some Franciscan Nuns and worked with kids in a school the sisters had built. This year, I'm leading the trip. The first half of the semester was spent going through the application process. I had to decide who would go on the trip with me! Now, we have the finalize list of students and we had our first meeting on Friday! The meeting was just so we could get ourselves organized and start working on all the things that need to get done before our trip! I put people in charge of sub-committees so that everyone has a specific responsibility.

The meeting went over really well, and that has already started to get me really excited for the trip! Now, I realize that the trip isn't until February, but there' s nothing wrong with getting exited now, is there?

Well, enough procrastinating for me, time to get back to work!

Until next time...

Halloween...and some random stuff going on...

Hey everyone...Havent been on in a while. We had exams all last week so its been brutal studying for big tests and cramming essays in before midterms were supposed to come out. On a lighter note, Halloween is here! YAY! After long weeks its nice to unwind and dress up and release the inner child once again. Friday night my roomate and I are dressing up as hockey players, well he's gonna be coach bombay from the mighty ducks and i'm going to be a player, but saturday night we are teaming up to be Wayne and Garth from Wayne's World. I'm so excited. I'll be sure to put pictures up of the weekend. Hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween...

Peace, Josh Baillargeon....

Happy Almost Halloween!

Hey guys,

So first I would like to thank Indira for the bday shout out. It is true, I did turn 21 on Monday. It was such a strange feeling. But it was a really good day. I did wake up to a surprise from Indira, my roomie... she had covered our whole room in streamers! I was trapped in my bed! But it was really creative. Then I went to class all day. AND THEN I went to Dale Miller's restaurant in Albany, which is an amazing place! I dressed up in my favorite red dress, had my first cocktail, and got a postively delicious rack of lamb. I finished the night off with chocolate ganache :-)

As of right now, I just put the finishing touches on my Halloween costume. I'm going to be Aluminum this year! Yes, aluminum. I made a skirt out of 2 tiers of strips of aluminum foil, and I made a bodice out of aluminum foil, and a headband, and earrings, and bracelets. I'm going all out! Oh, and I have all of the chemical info for Aluminum on my costume, too! I love science <3

Leanne... it looks like you are certainly in the Halloween spirit! Cool pics!
And Mike... congrats on your LSATs. That is quite an accomplishment!

I hope everyone has a fun Halloween! Be safe!

~B

Happy Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Bianca!

Yes thats right, today is Bianca's birthday! yay! so happy birthday to my wonderful roommate!
Last night I decorated our room with streamers while Bianca was sleeping. She woke up this morning with a wonderful surprise!

So I've been extremely busy lately working with admissions on a special project. We're in the process of filming a virtual tour. That means that once we're done with our project, prospective students will be able to click on the link on the Siena website and get a filmed tour of campus. Eric Guzman and I would be your tour guides!

You'd get to see all the hot spots on campus right from your computer! And then of course I'm going to tell you to actually visit Siena in person and get a personalized tour from one of our many fantastic tour guides.

Well, I'll be sure to keep you folks updated on our project! But for now, I've got plenty of homework to return to.

Until next time,

Just "Spook-tacular".

My Residents call me "Mom" so this seemed fitting.
Marvin, our hall "pet"
My favorite part might just be the creepy joker cat on this sign.

This one is a little demonic, and has actually creeped out some of the boys
This is my favorite! It has scared so many people when they look in the mirror (the quote, not my face =P)
Seeing dead people is normal, right?
I told my residents this is what happens to mischievous students.
A complete overview. Nice, dark and spooky. (It's even better at night)
Ironically enough, Halloween is actually my least favorite day of the year.


Happy Monday, Everyone!

It has been quite the week! I was thinking before I wrote this how all my posts revolve around fun activities, so I was going to gear this posts towards academics, But, honestly... Balance sheets, reading Jonah, learning equations, Canadian Literature and Cognitive Dissonance, although educational, collectively pale in comparison to anything else I do... So, this post will not be about academics :)

On that note, last week was quite an adventure! First, going off the theme of my corny title (I'm sorry, I had to) I have had quite the "fright-astic" week. First, I went to the midnight screening of Saw VI... Honestly, I don't see the appeal of those movies. It was just nasty. (my friend was counting down the minutes to the premiere, so I decided it'd be fun to go with her). We got back to campus around 2:30 am, and parents- have no fear- I completed all my work prior to going, and I went to my 8:15 class. Friday, after all my classes and errands I decorated my hallway for Halloween. Going off of the eerie movie that I saw the previous evening, I decided to really deck out the hallway. I must say, we may have outdone ourselves. It has gotten to the point where public safety officers are making trips just to see the floor I live on (the entire floor is decorated). Saturday, I saw "Paranormal Activity" and left the theatre shaking/crying and didn't sleep at all! My residents took that as a good opportunity to scare me even more and throughout the night they kept making stomping noises and shadows like in the movie.. they're real hilarious.

But, my favorite activity of this past week was the High Ropes Course. As an Resident Assistant it's my job to do different programs with our residents... It's also my favorite aspect of the job. The High Ropes Course is located on campus and it's just a great way to create trust, and have some fun outdoors. Now, my summer readers will know that my greatest accomplishment during training was climbing a ten foot wall... Well, that feat is dismal in comparison to what I did yesterday. My biggest fear is heights, but yesterday I scaled up a tree, and walked across a wire 40 ft in the air! It was sensational! I was terrified at first, and wanted to come down when I got to the top of the ladder, but with much encouragement I made it! It was such an amazing feeling too. I can't wait to do the activity again in the spring.

Now, with all that fun I do have plenty of work to keep me busy once again. This morning I had a marketing test, and this week I have a Religion Midterm. I'm already well prepared, so I'm not too worried. (I don't stress.. in case you couldn't tell) Saturday, besides being Halloween, my residents and I are going paintballing as another program. It's been the most anticipated program of the month :)

Anyway, I'm sorry if this post is a little lengthy... I just couldn't narrow it all down for you!

I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories next week for you!

Until then,
-Leanne

P.S- Of course I have pictures for you! Attached are pictures of my Hallway. Imagine waking up to this every morning :)

P.P.S- CONGRATULATIONS, MIKE! That is quite an accomplishment!

And the verdict is....

So, if you have been following my LSAT (the test for law school admission) travails, you may know that I should have gotten my score by now. Well, I did, and I'm pretty satisfied with the 163 that I earned. Basically, one earns one's score by answering typically 100 questions on the test. The number of questions answered correctly is converted into a scale ranging between 120 and 180. To get into law school you probably need to get at least a 151, which puts you at the 50th percentile of all test takers, meaning, 50% scored higher than you, and 50% scored lower than you. A 163 puts me at the 88th percentile of test takers across the country. Not bad, but according to one of my instructors who knows the ins and outs of the LSAT, I have the potential to perform about five points higher (which in LSAT terms, is pretty significant). So he encouraged me to take the test again in December. I'm not one to gripe, but I am not a fan of the idea of getting prepared for the test again. It'll take a good deal of time and effort, not to mention several invocations of St. Joseph of Cupertino. In the end though, I figure you only live once, and that you should take every opportunity that presents itself to you. The difference between a 163 and, say, a 168 is the difference between finishing at the 88th percentile and the rarefied 96th percentile. Needless to say, I would sympathize with you guys that have to juggle all these commitments competing for your attention. In any case,as they say "Let the games begin!"

Excitement and Stress

Hey guys!

Ok so my birthday is coming up on Monday. I'm going to be 21! I feel so old. But I am really looking forward to this one. My family has been scheming up some kind of a surprise for me, so I'm excited to find out what it is. I just love birthdays. I always wear a ribbon in my hair on my birthday that says "Happy Birthday" on it. You guys might not know this about me, but I'm a ribbon girl. I wear ribbons in my hair as often as I can. I think that's a habit that I caught from the Academy of the Holy Names, which is the high school I went to. Anyone know it or go there? I had four great years there, and I think if I ever have daughters I would like to send them there in the future.

Anyway, so even with all of this excitement and suspense, I'm starting to feel a huge overwhelming sense of stress right now. We're right smack dab in the middle of the semester, which means more exams, harder assignments and projects, and a lot more work. It also does not help that the deadline for applying to graduate school is fast approaching. I'm in the middle of applying to schools right now. It is definitely giving me a flash back to senior year of high school... same story. Except instead of SATs it's GREs, and my resume is a lot longer now. But I still have to fill out the application, mail in my transcripts, recommendation letters, and write a kind of essay (a.k.a. personal statement). Is anyone going through that right now? I know how tough it is. We're gonna get through it! And when we do, we'll be able to breathe again. Then in a few more months we'll have to start stressing about decisions!

Oh! I forgot, I wanted to show you guys a picture from one of my stress relievers two weekends ago. My family, Indira (my roomie and fellow blogger), and I went apple picking at Goold Orchards for the Apple Festival there last Sunday. It was lots of fun. I'm a big fan of doing fun things here and there, just getting outside and taking a break from life for a while. Here they are:

Me climbing in a tree! I was trying to reach the Golden Delicious!

Indira eating a nice, tasty apple!

Well... I'm off to bed for now. I'll let you guys know how everything goes from birthday fun to grad school stress.

~Bianca

Mama said there'd be days like this...

Hi Everyone,

I am so sorry that I have not blogged in a while. I do not think I have ever been so busy in my Siena career as I have been these past two weeks. Junior year is going really well however a lot of hard work and effort is required to experience success. I literally did homework, lab work and classes from 1:30pm-9:15pm today. Needless to say, my finance classes are really tough! However I did get a twenty minute dinner break so at-least I'm eating!

Some exciting news that I am able to share directly relates to our readers from the Westchester area. I am the student speaker on November 19 at the Tarrytown Marriott for prospective students!! i.e. you guys!

So definitely sign up, if you haven't already done so. As it will be a great time!

Unfortunately, the work does not stop and I have to get back to reading the textbook for class tomorrow morning bright and early at 9:20 am!

Looking forward to blogging again,

Patrick

Three day weekends are awesome!

Don't you love three day weekends? I know I do! I had a chance to go home this past weekend because we didn't have classes on Friday! Yay! I live in CT so I drove home on Thursday night after my Endocrinology Lab. I carpooled with Joe, he lives in the next town over from me. And talk about crazy weather, anyone who lives further south knows what I mean! It was clear skies in Albany and once we crossed over into MA and CT, we had rain and snow! Mid October and we're already getting snow. Jeez, I guess I better get the snow boots out! But its not so bad here in Albany now. Today was chilly, but still sweatshirt/light coat kind of weather.

And now its time to get back into the swing of things. Having a long weekend was awesome, especially since I got to go home and see family, but I got absolutely no work done! So today and tomorrow will be slightly work intensive. I really need to get some work done on my Honors Thesis. Its basically a 40+ page paper that you write over the course of a year. You can write it on whatever you want to and you choose a faculty member to be your mentor and help you through the process. By the time you graduate, your paper is published which is something to add to your list of accomplishments. I'm still in the very beginning stages of my thesis, so I'm still doing research and putting together a survey that I will eventually give out. I'll keep you folks posted on my progress with that.

Well, I suppose I should get back to work now.

Until next time...

(ps, I decided to copy Bianca and change my font color. Green is my favorite color, so get used to seeing it!)

Hump Week.

Happy Monday, Everyone!

I have finally returned to the good ol' Siena after an elongated "Presidents" weekend. Being home was so wonderful. Parents, don't let your kids fool you. We may act all "cool" because we don't live at home anymore, but rest assured... being home means the world to us.

In the words of Julia Childs: "I LOVE TO EAT!". And, I'm so good at it! This weekend for me was all about family, and eating.. it's what us Italians do. Wednesday (I went home a day earlier than proposed) I spent 3 hours at our family restaurant just sitting at the bar, eating, and catching up with the bartender. Thursday, we went to my Dads favorite old school Italian restaurant called "Stellas" for his birthday. I'm not typically a fan of Italian restaurants because they usually pale in comparison to the real deal, but, there's a reason this restaurant has been around for 50+ years- they do italian right! Friday, and Saturday I worked, but was able to eat a delicious meal at the bar after my shift. Sunday, my trip concluded with a fantastic meal at my brothers apartment with friends. This weekend was so nourishing and refreshing. I went shopping, was able to sleep late, and just relax. Granted, I did have homework to do, but that's expected, and I'm glad I did it at home rather than being bamboozled tonight.

Even though it was beyond amazing to be home this past weekend, it's even more amazing being back at Siena. I have plenty of work to keep me busy, and plenty of great memories from this past weekend to keep me smiling.

Until next week,

Leanne

Sick :-(

So I broke my promise again... and I'm blogging a day late. But I woke up yesterday morning feeling not so great and ended up spiking a fever of 102. So I decided to go home early for the long weekend and pretty much sleep the day away.

I so cannot afford being sick right now, especially when I was sick two weeks ago. I have so much work to do! This weekend I was planning on getting a lab write-up done for Biology of Vertebrates, writing ten pages for my thesis, and applying to grad school. I figured a long weekend was a good time to get all of my applications filled out, request my recommendations, and write personal statements. Today I'm feeling a little bit better, so I think I can try to tackle all of this stuff. I just hope this "feeling better" lasts for at least the rest of the day, and that I feel 100% by Monday. I am not a big fan of missing class because I learn best through listening and in-class activities. However, we have a new policy at Siena in lieu of the whole swine flu thing, that we are not allowed to attend class if we have a fever. It definitely wouldn't be a good idea to infect the entire school. I really don't think this is the flu though. If it was, I'm sure I would not be well enough to be typing this right now.

Anyway, I think I'm going to go start my lab write-up. Oh, by the way, I got my Immunology test back... and I kicked its butt! I was so excited. I love starting the semester off with a big fat A. I wish my own immune system would take a hint...

~Bianca