The Frosh Files

Who he is...Committed. Balanced. Open-minded yet opinionated and approachable.

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

High School: Brooklyn Technical High School

Major: Undecided

Possible Intended Majors: Public Health, Chemistry, Mathematics, Economics/Business
 

March 15, 2006

The middle of the semester is finally here. I was lucky to get the most worrisome tests out of the way last week. For some of my friends, this is mid-term week, and they are looking more tense than usual. For most of my classes, a mid-term is just a test that marks the halfway point of the semester, but for some a midterm has the weight of two tests.

Grateful that I did not have to study for exams, I decided to take advantage of this time to get my priorities in order and plan ahead, at least a little. First thing I decided to do was catch up in all my classes, reading the assignments that I might have missed or going back to anything that was still hazy. My algebra and calculus class, which had been easy, was getting a little harder, so before my questions snowballed into a big mess, I decided to go to the math tutoring room on campus. Since it was the first time I had ever gone there, I was not sure if I was in the right place. It seemed like a class -- there was someone talking to a small group of students sitting around. I was under the impression that maybe I made a mistake with the room number or that there were specific tutoring hours, and that I was about to intrude on a class! I took my chances, walked in, and asked, "When is this room used for math tutoring?" The man, whose attention I had distracted from his students, quipped: "Now..., this room is always used for math tutoring." He emphasized, "All day long." As it turned out this was a graduate student, one of two, who helps students with their math studies. He was a nice guy and within 5 minutes explained everything that was unclear to me. I was glad that I was able to iron-out my problems with math quickly, because the rest of my week is going to be devoted to my chemistry course work, which needs significantly more tuning.

In other news, because it is the middle of the semester, it is once again time to get my AVN number from my student advisor, Ms. Kerker. The AVN number allows me to begin registering for classes once my registration date comes up. I am really looking forward to this because I already have a list of at least five classes that I would like to take next semester.

Since the semester is half over, I also want to start planning for something to do for the summer. I am considering a broad range of options: working for an organization that launches kayaking excursions from Manhattan or maybe interning for the New York State health department. According to my public health professor, the health department also hires many college students for the summer. I could also partake in some leisure activities and travel to France, after school ends in May. My cousin who has been living there invited me to come and visit.

All this planning is making my head spin and making me very eager to finish up with classes for the semester. I am going to have to contain all this excitement until May 16th, the day of my last final. To my relief, at least spring break is coming up soon.

March 13, 2006

This week has been exhausting. I had two tests, one of which was very nerve-racking. I spent most of my week nights at the library trying to balance my usual homework with studying for this exam, and still I am worried about the grade that I might have earned. As you can probably imagine I was relieved when the weekend came, I had a chance to catch up on my sleep. I have noticed that as long as you get plenty of sleep on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays it is easier to make it through the school week with fairly little sleep.

This week, my treasured Saturday sleep-in was interrupted by an early morning fundraiser that I had to attend for the UAlbany Crew team. It was at the local Crossgates mall, and I had the first shift at 9 am. It turned out to be a lot of fun because we were given the challenge of collecting as many donations, preferably in large sums, as possible. It was also an interesting experience for another reason: we brought our indoor rowing machines with us. My team members and I had to alternate between rowing in the middle of the mall and asking for donations. Rowing with so many people around was an unusual experience; it was almost like being at a competition.

I finished my shift at 12pm, and decided to get a bit of studying in, however, that did not last too long since the weather, for the first time this season, was perfect for running around outside. I spent the rest of the day enjoying Ultimate Frisbee at one of the near by fields and also I played some tennis. As you can imagine by the end of the day I was glad to see my comfortable bed when I returned to my room.

March 1, 2006

This is my first week back from winter break. I recently realized that I am starting to miss home a little bit because for the first time I was not looking forward to returning to school. After almost half a year the excitement of college no longer overshadows the quaintness and familiarity of home as much as it used to.

Over the break I tried to keep healthy, eat good food and catch up on my leisure reading. I was able to get a week long membership at a local gym and was very pleased because it allowed me to keep active while away from the university's athletic facilities. I also went for a check up with my doctor because I was very ill right before vacation started. After that I went shopping for all the food that I did not have at school, and that meant lots of steak.

I was lucky enough to get a very flexible part-time job that involved driving around New York City's dental offices, making deliveries, most of the time I had to go to new neighborhoods that I was not well acquainted with. I owe half my salary to GoogleMaps.com because without it I wouldn't have been able to get where I was going. Although the pay was not substantial, it was very interesting to gain a better sense of the city's lay out and to simply see the distinct regions of each borough.

After I got back to Albany on Sunday night, I already had reading to do. Also, I had to try to get to bed early so that I could keep focused in my early classes on Monday. Of course the first thing I had to do was catch up with my suitemates and other friends on campus. So as you can guess, by the time I got to bed I was exhausted after half a day of travel and everything I did when I got back.

After getting back on schedule and going to crew practice for a few days, on Wednesday I cleared up an extra hour to attend a debate on government surveillance called "Spying on Americans." The speakers argued about the legality of President Bush's policy of excessively scrutinizing people's private lives by means of the National Security Agency, NSA. All 3 speakers agreed that it is necessary to keep track of possible terrorists and Al-Qaeda supporters. The argument is rooted in the way that the executive branch is performing the apparent "spying" without proper guidelines from Congress, and that the rules which congress has issued for keeping taps on people, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, is being violated. I was really glad to have gone because the speakers were very dedicated to their cause, so sometimes the debate got very heated. Also, there was a lot of time for the audience to ask questions addressed to those speakers with whom they disagreed.

February 1, 2006

There is an infinite amount of information that I can share with you as part of our introduction. I am sure that you are eager to hear all of it, but I will spare you. The most important aspects that you probably need to know about me is my approach to academics, extracurricular activities and networking, to put it plainly, my student-life.

I am a second semester freshman and my impression of UAlbany is that it's a spectacular place. Since I have been here I have learned much about the different aspects of the world around me, joined the crew team and Hillel House Organization, and made close friends. During my first semester I felt that I was very lucky with the classes and professors that I chose. All of my professors welcomed questions and even provided me with extra attention during office hours. I especially liked the courses: Study of Ancient Peoples and Intro to the History of Religion, although they are lecture classes, they both involved class discussions and engaging course material.

That being said I would like to tell you about my view of things, as they stand in the academic field, when I am going to classes, taking tests and studying. My goal in this field is simple: get really good grades, unconditionally. Also, idealistically, I prefer to retain as much as I can, even after the class is finished. So in some sense-- yes I'll admit it -- being able to turn learning into an enjoyable experience can be beneficial in that it makes the whole process a lot easier. Now don't get me wrong just because I get some satisfaction from my classes doesn't mean that its easy for me to start studying or that I like getting up for my 8:45 class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Learning to do these things that you don't feel like doing is part of the lesson, and your motivation plays an important role.

Since I was in high school I have been told about the importance of extracurricular activities and how much of a role they play for your acceptance into college. Well, you still have to take part in these programs in college. I find them to be important for my personal growth. Student activities help me to release stress, help me meet new people and allow me to learn how to do something new. A big school such as UAlbany has an endless array of such programs. I frequently receive emails informing me of the Student Events that are held on or around campus. I am involved with UAlbany crew and Hillel house, and I wish that I had time for many more.

I think that making friends, or networking, at UAlbany can be very easy. Participation in school events, clubs and in course work will expose you to many different people from all walks of life. Whether you are from the country and want a chance to hang out with cities kids or the other way around you will be able to find your crowd at UAlbany, you just have to search for it.

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