Trick-or-Treat

It was a beautiful day here at Siena. So beautiful that one of my professors let us out of class after about five minutes. The good weather could not have come at a better time for the trick-or-treaters that come to Siena on Halloween. You see, every Halloween that I've been here, Siena has hosted kids around the Albany area for trick-or-treating. Students here at Siena are asked to give some of their time and candy in order to make Halloween a memorable experience for these kids (many of whom, do not live in communities that are safe enough top just go and knock on people's doors). Its great to see all of the costumes, many of which are of characters I don't even recognize any more. In any case, its always a blast!

Stress

Hey ya'll...haven't talked in a while, hope everyhting is going well at home and in school. College has been crazy for me for the past three weeks, its been a struggle to get everything straight, but I've finally caught up on homework, appointments and errands. The past two weekends we were on the road for hockey going to Michigan and then to Pennsylvania. It was a great time, hanging with the guys and of course watching and playing good hockey. The only problem is, it was hard to get my homework done on the road. Now that I finally feel like I'm caught up, I got three exams next week in Calculus, Chemistry and Biology. I thought I would have time to relax this weekend, dress up for Halloween, go out, and have some fun with the friends, you know blow off some steam; however, i just found out a few days ago that we have two games this weekend. One game is in NJ and the other is in NYC. We are going to be gone all weekend again. I'm kind of sad I have to miss such an awesome holiday as well as worried about getting my studying done. Although I'm a little stressed, my weekend could turn for the best. God forbid our starting goalie is out with an injury, I wish him well, but this allows an oppertunity for me to play. I'm excited for todays game and I hope it brightens up my weekend. Only time will tell eh?

See ya next time,

Josh B

Long Island In The House?

Hi Everyone!

Happy Halloween! I've had such a busy week that I don't even have a costume for tonight! Does anyone have any ideas? HaHa, I was thinking about being Dr. Derek Shephard from Grey's Anatomy. Either that or Michael Phelps! HaHa. But I'll take any suggestions that you guys are offering.

So what's new with you? Hows the college search coming along? No one is filling me in yet! What other schools are you looking at? Anything new and exciting in your life? I tell you guys my story so it's only fair that you tell me at least something in return.

I have a question for you guys...Is anyone from Long Island, NY? Siena has a student reception on Long Island where Siena comes to you! It is on November 19 at the Long Island Marriott in Uniondale! You should absolutely register and hear Siena out. Oh and the reason why I mentioned this specific date for Long Islanders is because I am the guest speaker! So come here what Siena is really like from a involved Siena student and meet awesome people along the way.

There is also one in Syracuse, Westchester, Park Ridge New Jersey, and NYC!

Even if you have visited Siena before, come to a reception near you. You can meet all the fabulous admissions representatives and current students who discuss Siena one on one with you!

If your interested in attending, go to http://www.siena.edu/ and click on prospective students and then click on Visit Siena! Scroll down and register! It's really a awesome way to see if Siena is right for you. Whether you've already applied, been accepted or are just considering us, come to the reception.

I really hope to see my fellow Long Islanders on the 19th! Let me know if your attending!!!!

Talk to you guys soon!

Love,

Patrick Creegan

WANTED ASAP: Halloween Costume Idea

So tomorrow is Halloween and I don’t have a costume yet!! Anyone have ideas?!! Every year local families bring their children on campus for trick-or-treating. Its so cute to see them around campus in costumes! A lot of upperclassmen will go into downtown Albany for various Halloween events or haunted houses. Lots of things are going on on-campus also, as always. Siena students love Halloween!

Anyways so I mentioned in a previous post about how I was going to Manhattan last week for my 2nd interview with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). I went last Friday and it went amazing! I had 3 separate interviews with different executives and 45 minutes after I left the office, they called to make me an offer…SO EXCITING!! For those that are not familiar, PricewaterhouseCoopers is the #1 accounting firm in the world (crazy right!?). The position I got is with the Audit/Assurance division for a summer internship with the potential to continue as a full-time associate after graduation. It is so exciting and comforting to know that I have a job waiting for me =). Siena was instrumental in getting me this position. My first point of contact with PricewaterhouseCoopers was at the career fair last month. I learned that the PwC recruiters come directly to Siena because of our outstanding reputation and excellent accounting program, whereas students at other schools don’t get that advantage and have to apply with the masses.

Have an awesome weekend!
- Greg

Histology... ugh.

The last few weeks have been insanely busy for me. I've been studying for my histology exam which is split up into a lab practical and a lecture exam over two days. Tomorrow I take the lab portion of it, and the following day the lecture exam. I didn't do as well as I had hoped for on my first exam, so I've been studying extra hard for this upcoming exam. On the last test, I knew all the material, but I had minor points taken off for not writing down specifically what the professor was looking for. Now that I have a better idea of how she grades her tests, I think this upcoming exam will be easier. I've already met with her and spoken to her about my grades. If I work hard, I can still pull off an A in this course.

That's part of the reason why I love Siena. The professors here are so understanding and are always willing to work with you. I love telling the story about my philosophy class my freshman year. I decided to take honors philosophy with Dr. Santilli. He's a great professor, but being my first real honors class, I had some difficulty with it. By mid-semester, I was averaging a C, and I'm typically an A student. I sat down with my professor and we talked it over. He worked with me on my final paper and gave me suggestions. He told me what books I should be looking into and what direction I should take my paper in. I re-wrote my paper so many times, and each time, my professor gave me great feedback. I ended up getting an A on my final paper which gave me a B+ as an overall course grade. To this day, that B+ is the lowest grade on my transcript, but I could not be prouder of it. I worked so hard to achieve that grade. It comes to show how willing professors are to work with you. The professors here at Siena genuinely care about the students and are willing to do whatever it takes to help a student pass a course.

Its times like these when I look back at my decision to come to Siena and realize that it was the best decision I ever made.

-Until next time,

Indira

LSAT Spells Your Future!

For starters, my apologies for not posting sooner, I've been having some computer trouble. Fortunately, I have several friends who are computer whizzes and, if they fail to fix my computer disasters, I can always take my computer to IT&S, which is a technology support center located here on campus.

In any case my computer is now up and running again.

Back to the LSAT. I think I've mentioned this before, but the LSAT stands for the "Law School Admissions Test." If you do well on the LSAT and you will go to law school. If you don't do well on the LSAT then you will not go to law school (even if your GPA is 4.0). It is as simple as that. It's difficult to overstate just how important the test is to your chances of going to law school.

Seeing how attending law school is my goal after graduation, it is important that I start preparing for the LSAT. This past Saturday I was able to take a practice LSAT right here on campus. Getting a preview of what the test will look like should be very beneficial as I start to study for the test.

As a Siena student, there are several resources available to help me weave the not so simple path to law school. Dr. Cutler, for instance, is one of our political science professors here on campus. The man is a walking encyclopedia and makes it his job to do everything he can to help you along the process. Judge King, Siena's "Jurist-in-Residence" is always willing to answer your questions. The pre-law society can be of help too. The society plans programs throughout the year aimed at familiarizing students with the work they should be doing in order to be ready for the LSAT and for law school in general. For instance, this past week the Dean of Buffalo University Law School came on campus to speak with students.

As a junior, I'm looking to take the LSAT this coming June. Hopefully, with enough dedication on my part, as well as the ample resources available to me here on campus, I will do alright.

Until next time,
Mike DiSiena

"Law is order, and good law is good order." ~Aristotle

What's New in your life?

Hey everyone,

How is your week going? I hope this blog finds you all in high spirits.

So it's October 25, have you heard back from any schools? Have you applied to any schools? Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Decision? Have you just recently re-taken your SAT'S?

I honestly cannot believe that I am a college sophomore. I graduated in 2007! I mean, I know I'm only 19 but I don't know, I don't feel 19. As Ferris Bueller states, (Ferris Bueller's Day Off, my favorite movie) Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. I am really different from freshman year, I guess you could say. I'm still doing all my work and of course, I am doing quite well. But I guess, I really am living in the moment. My semester is already more than half over, it really is flying by. Siena just keeps getting better with time for me; each and every new day, brings new challenges and most importantly more fun.

So now as I move back to you guys...How is your senior year? Show some school spirit, go to your homecoming, pep rally, and senior breakfast. Don't slack off in classes and enjoy your last year. Because as Ferris Bueller would say, It moves pretty fast, and if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. It's going to come to an end very soon and then you start a whole new chapter in your life.

If your reading this blog, then you really have your college priorities in order. Apply to schools early and often. You only have one chance, and you must be certain that the school you attend, is perfect for you. For me, it was Siena. I immediately embraced the sense of community on this campus. How the students are just like one another and we all are in this together. We all do so much for each other, ranging from small things like simply holding the door for each other, or big things like always being there for each other. If you haven't visited Siena yet, you absolutely should and I promise you that you will feel like you'll belong. It doesn't matter if your a freshman or senior, we are a family.

To me, that's what college is about. Aside from advancing education, but making lifelong friendships. Meeting the men in my wedding party, and who knows maybe a future wife. There is so much more to college than paper after paper. And if people tell you that it's just strictly about that, and not about joining one of Siena's 75 clubs and organizations, in my opinion they are totally mistaken. College is what you make of it!

Good luck to all!

And remember, take one step at a time, there's no need to rush...

Let me know how your college search is going! Tell me about senior year!

I am here at your disposal, take advantage of it.

Until next week...

Love,

Patrick Creegan

Back!

Hey guys! Sorry I've been away for so long. I told Admissions I'd blog this semester and then I kinda forgot that I wasn't blogging. Oops! But some updates for you all. Over the Summer, I was selected as a McGuire Society Student to work with the Admissions staff @ Siena to conduct interviews, attend programs, and help with the application review process. It's been going great so far! I'm pleased with how involved I am as a Senior. Student Senate has been going well. We just got the ATM installed in the Townhouses, we would have the legal music downloading agreement before Thanksgiving, I am working to get other Albany area Student Governments together to share ideas and build networking, I'm hoping to change the campus computer homepages to the new Senate page (www.siena.edu/senate), and much more stuff is going on. I'll try to blog once a week or so to give you more specifics, but I just wanted to drop in and let everyone know I'm alive. Classes are going well, best midterm grades I've ever gotten in college came this semester! Woohoo! Ok people, contact me if you have questions, but I'll be back soon!

Cherry O!

Hello all! Today i received some WONDERFUL NEWS! I have been approved by Siena to go abroad!! Holy moly cannoli! Can you believe it?! I start my application to Birkbeck which is part of the University of London over the course of the next two weeks! IM SO EXCITED! :-)

Anyway, I hope everyones fall season is going well! I've been outrageously busy, but everything is going pretty well. Mid-semester grades also came out today, and the grades which are posted are pretty much all A's and A-'s, except for my Micro Economics grade, which is currently a C. Boo! But honestly, I'll take it, because it is so hard! And I'm really really trying. So, as long as I know I'm really trying my hardest, its all I can ask of myself.

On another note, Halloween is even closer! I actually just got an email from the St. Baldrick's foundation, which is a children's cancer foundation. I really want to try to organize an event on campus, where anyone who wants to donate/shave their head for kids cancer will come! I feel like Siena is such a giving, caring community that it can happen! So there's a bunch of exciting things going on in my life.

Anyway, gotta run, time to go do some work!

Lauren*

PS- How are all the applications coming?! Early decision and early action are coming soon! Id like to hear your stories! SHARE WITH ME! :o)

Halloween Extravaganza!

Every year, Siena's Black and Latino Student Union puts on an event called Halloween Extravaganza. Siena students volunteer to help out with certain tables at which local kids from the community can come and participate in activities. For instance, there will be face painting, pie-eating contests, pumpkin painting, and a mini haunted house!

This year I'll be helping out with the donut eating table. Kids have to eat a donut off of a piece of string without using their hands. They'll be racing against other kids for a prize. I'll be at the table representing the Asian Students Association, but also with my residents (because I'm an RA and using it as a service program)

The Halloween Extravaganza is this coming Saturday and I'm pumped to see all the kids from the community. Some of their costumes are so cute! Below is a picture from last year's halloween extravaganza. I'm somewhere in the crowd of kids explaining the rules.


- Until next time, Indira