Ditch the Stamps

No need to keep stamps, envelops, post cards, or letters in my desk drawer. A cell phone and a computer take the place.

After spending 18 years living at home with my parents, it’s difficult to grow completely independent in college. So, I’ve resorted to calling them on a daily basis.

Communication with family is much different today than our parents’ generation. Our parents never had Facebook, Skype, Twitter or cell phones.

They survived on the United States postal service and once-a-week, long-distance telephone calls made from public payphone booths with a handful of quarters.

I am slightly embarrassed — and ashamed to admit — I would be lost without technology.

Technology now has replaced the loads of letters my parents sent and received through the mail. Over Thanksgiving break, my grandparents shared stories at the dinner table about when their children, my dad and his siblings, went away to school. In one story they described how they’re used to only be one phone per dorm hall.

I’m not sure how my parents did it. Not sure what I would do if my phone or computer broke and I wasn’t able to communicate with anyone, check e-mail or update Twitter throughout the day.

I’m addicted to technology, but it also eases the transition from home to campus life.

Precious Sleep

Two words I hated as a child: nap time.

Whenever my kindergarten teacher advised us to lie down on our squishy maps, I squirmed and started a conversation with my nap chat friends.

Not anymore.

When I get any opportunity to take a power nap, my head transforms like a paperweight.

So many countries around the world schedule mid-afternoon siestas. Sometimes I wish America could take mid-afternoon siestas like Spain. Unfortunately, children and adults in the United States don’t have that opportunity.

In college, sleeping an extra 30 minutes is like finding a scarce resource. When my alarm clock goes off at 7:45 a.m., I constantly choose between an extra 30 minutes of sleep or going to the Hickey Dining Hall for breakfast. This usually results in pressing snooze while my roommate goes to breakfast and me reluctantly rolling out of bed at 8:15, 15 minutes before calculus.

Although I never have time for a vegetarian omelet or a scrumptious muffin, those extra 30 minutes allow me to function without the recommended eight hours of sleep.

So does the power nap I take after lunch.

Unlike in kindergarten, there are two words that now bring a smile to my face as a college student: nap time. And by smile, I also mean the highlight of a long day of classes and work.

Package Slips

As a curious toddler, whenever I caught a glimpse of a UPS truck, I would grin from ear to ear. Sadly, the truck always passed my home to stop at my neighbor's door.

Now as an adult, another brown and yellow-colored theme gets me excited, but it never fails to disappoint me.

Even with all the perks of modern technology, the packages and letters I pick up from my PO box at St. Bonaventure’s post office always seems to put a smile on my face.

My parents even wondered if part of the appeal for their eldest daughter to attend Bonaventure was that the college has it’s own post office.

There is no greater thrill then walking over to the campus post office, turning that three-letter combination, on the first attempt, and finding a handwritten envelope or, better yet, a package slip in my PO box.

According to family folklore, my passion and fervor for the striking color combination of brown and yellow started early.

My mom says my next package filled with vitamins and treats is on route to my PO Box.

The College Cold

All I want is my mom to bring a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup and a glass of orange juice. And my bathtub.

Because I have a cold, in college, 785 miles away from mom who used to take care of me.

Getting a cold in college is like playing tag with kindergarteners that wash their hands when teachers tell them to. Germs unfortunately run rampant on elevator buttons, vending machines, stair banisters, in the laundry room and, ironically, bathroom doors.

Many students start to show the nasty signs of aches and pains, a stuffy nose and coughing. Then his or her roommate comes down with the virus. Soon, every resident on your floor will show signs of the common cold.

The good news is if you wash your hands regularly, you are less likely to spread germs. The Health Center is available for care, but it’s just not the same as being home.

Sadly the Hickey Dining Hall does not offer room service, and I have not seen a bathtub.

But even if it did, I’d rather have the luxury of mom taking care of my cold with love.

Class Registration Time

Upperclassmen warned me class registration could be like a meager attempt to complete a 1,000-piece puzzle missing a few of the key pieces.

I come from a high school where students didn’t get to pick what they wanted to eat, let alone what courses to take.

With the newfound freedom of choice, I’ve been overwhelmed with the number of options. So when it came down to picking my schedule for next semester, the word balance keeps ringing in my ears. Yes, I am slowly learning the key word to everything in college your freshman year is balance.

Unfortunately, I have not yet mastered the art of maintaining equilibrium in college. If balance is the key to registering and planning my course load for next semester, then I must try to offset my harder classes with easier ones.

This may sound easy until I enter a class I thought might be less time consuming, but requires tons of work.

My recurrent nightmare is I enter a classroom and there sits an overeager, dedicated new professor wanting me to read 20-plus thicker-than–the-Bible textbooks and write intensely concentrated and thought-provoking research papers on each volume.

I guess we’ll find out come January 17 if it’s going to be that nightmare or a dream come true.

College Roommates

Before heading off to Bonaventure, I honestly had college roommate nightmares.

Phew. After nine weeks of living with my roommate, I feel quite fortunate. My roommate and I get along well and avoid the drama that could easily occur in a tiny, cramped, shared space.

I had nightmares about my roommate being the human equivalent of biting tinfoil. I imagined the worst scenario possible and then figured out ways I could deal with awkward or uncomfortable situations.

What if my roommate was driving me crazy?

It’s not like I have a private room to go and reclaim my sanity. To get some alone time I can sit in a cubicle in the library or put on headphones and explore Facebook in the room.

So what kinds of quirks are deal killers? Of course there are the obvious piles of dirty, stinking clothes stacking up in the corner, blaring loud music at 3 a.m. the night before your midterm and large chunks of food and pizza boxes gathering mold on the floor.

So how do most colleges match roommates? Bonaventure’s Residence Life questionnaire asks just a few standard questions. Some of my high school friends wrote lengthy essays on deep, thought provoking subjects for their process. Some schools even offer a computer program similar to an online dating service to find your ideal roommate. I was asked if I went to bed early or late. Some of my friends were asked to describe their favorite vacation destination.

Even with an electronic service or questionnaire, no roommate is perfect nor are all situations ideal.

Perfect nor are all idea, but I have no complaints about Bonaventure’s matching process.

The key to the ideal roommate situation is being courteous and showing consideration and respect for your roommate and their possessions. Just being courteous goes a long way when it comes to living with your roommate.

Class of 2014

High school for me was four, magnificent years that provided a plethora of opportunities and new experiences.

But I believe that the best is yet to come and the next four years ahead at Bonaventure will be unforgettable.

Bonaventure is already providing the freshmen class with multiple opportunities to get involved in the community and on campus. From participating in community service projects in Allegany to attending a political debate, there are multiple opportunities for service learning and networking.

Everyday club e-mails flood my Bonaventure inbox. From daily Notice Board to the required Passport Activities and club e-mails, freshmen are recommended to attend various campus events.

Multiple students, me included, ignore Notice Board e-mails like spam, but the campus involvement options are always available to those seeking memorable college experiences.

At this moment, most of the freshmen class are seemingly looking forward to the excitement and challenges that will come along in our journeys ahead. How we respond to these new challenges we will face in life – and what we learn from them –will be the most telling about who we truly are.

Even though we will all might get stuck trudging through the deep winter snow, we’ll all get the energy to figure it out and move forward as a class of distinguished Bonaventure students.

Making Major Decisions

I’m not good at making major decisions.

Even picking an ice cream flavor at Friendly’s or the Hickey Dining Hall requires deep contemplation and intense studying.

So you can only imagine as a freshman with a multitude of class options available how distressing it is to choose a major. It’s even challenging to narrow the list down for next semester’s classes.

To add more irritation to the decision-making process, just like at the ice cream parlor, one can choose a major decision of wanting a single or a double. You can even add a minor to your university experience like the toppings mixed at the Hickey.

Other students like me in the Franciscan Healthcare Program are biology or chemistry majors. To fit in all the class requirements, I could’ve chosen the biology track—a safe, reliable choice like vanilla ice cream. I could’ve chosen journalism, which is my guilty pleasure, just like a scoop of birthday cake ice cream with hot fudge. That road led me to a first semester path consisting of journalism, math, science, Clare College and language courses.

It also led to an undeclared major.

However, I find solace in having a difficult time choosing a major because I heard the average college student changes majors three or four times. At Bonaventure, students should declare a major as a second semester sophomore to graduate in four years.

After four years at Bonaventure, my scoop of ice cream will be a blend of flavors and toppings.

I’m looking forward to finally enjoying the eclectic mix of ice cream called a bachelor’s degree. Along with fulfilling the requirements of a major, I’m excited to dip my spoon in every subject while at Bonaventure the next seven semesters.

But sometimes I wish Bonaventure offered rainbow sherbet with extra sprinkles as a major just like at the Hickey.

Loads of Laundry

I never realized that doing laundry and reading care labels might be just as challenging as my academic studies.

Yes, I knew I would be studying harder in college than high school.

But I didn’t realize I would be studying terms like colorfastness, boosters and pre-treat. Studying laundry care labels is like learning a whole new language.

Sure I did do my own laundry at home, but there is a huge difference in having your mom, just up one flight up of stairs, to review the protocol for removing spaghetti sauce stains.

At home I could leave my clothes in the washer and dryer all day. Now I have to set my alarm clock when doing laundry so someone doesn’t take my clothes out of the machines and leave them on the table.

I learned the key is to pay attention to the labels, avoid clothing with decorative trim or linings, and purchase all the same exact socks, so you never have to find its exact mate. It is also smart to measure the exact amount of detergent verses just pouring liquid into the machine.

Of course, it is so wonderful that at Bonaventure, there is no need to scrounge for quarters before you head to wash clothes. Free laundry at Bonaventure is quite a perk and quite an adventure.

Running the Trail

Some days I prefer enjoying the landscape by running the trail rather than working out in the Richter Center.

I run through campus and on the trail past the river and beautiful landscape. I relish when I can alter my running course and explore new routes in the neighboring communities of Allegany and Olean.

Since I was one of those kids that ran away from the ball on the soccer fields and basketball courts, I thought my classmates would appreciate if I opted out of intramural signups. Fortunately, for those that played team sports at the high school, there is an array of intramural sports at St Bonaventure.

Running and biking the Allegheny River Valley Trail is a picturesque option in the fall. While the leaves are changing to red, orange and brown, it’s a beautiful time to take a scenic tour of the Bonaventure campus by jogging on the trail.

I’m trying to make running a habit. I try to run a few times a week on the campus trail. My aching knees have given in to the harsh realities of running: It hurts. My daily runs are like a blank computer screen; each day is an opportunity to explore a new route. There are times when my exhausted legs ache and just want to give out, but I know I have to push myself to return back to my dorm in Loughlen.

Everyone from a mail carrier to my distant cousin gave me advice before heading off to college. The universal guidance was hands down finding something healthy to do that balanced my studies.

Well, if they saw the trail, they would know that has never been the problem.

The Bona Bubble

It felt odd walking into my old bedroom, seeing my friends for the first time in months, and driving past my high school.
It seemed odd to be stuck in traffic and drive past large shopping malls and tall buildings.

But by far the weirdest feeling to returning home was having a binding curfew instated. A curfew? My dad insisted that I be home by midnight. Just like life in high school.

Midnight? The negotiator in me tried unsuccessfully to add a few hours to his time clock. I pleaded and begged until finally I was able to maneuver and persuade him to add an hour to my evening.

While I was looking forward to going home and stepping out of the Bona college bubble for a few days, I miss the freedom and independence that comes with college life. When Tuesday arrived, I was eager to head back to campus to see my college friends and be curfew free.

It was great to return home and see familiar faces. From the grocery store to the local coffee shop, it was fun to reconnect with friends and family. I even enjoyed the bombardment of the same questions over and over. How is my roommate? How are classes? How is college? Each day was packed with non-stop activity visiting friends, spending time with family and running errands.

So far, college is one huge lesson in time management; so was going home for a few days.

College Life Distractions

The multitude of options and possibilities to enhance distraction and procrastination astound me in college.

Want to avoid studying? There are millions of ways to fill your time. Yes, it amazes me how quickly time evaporates as a freshman in college.

Let’s start with my own laptop: from music, to Twitter, to e-mail, Netflix movies, to Skype and Facebook. What I call excessive cyberslacking has really cut into my studies, forcing me to stay up a lot later to finish studying.

So many alternatives to studying exist right in my very own dorm room. When I get tired of looking at my laptop screen, I can glance at the television. Other times I’ll have a long, thought-provoking conversation with my roommate on some crucial topics. We discuss issues like her all-time favorite Halloween costume from elementary school or most beloved cupcake flavor at Georgetown Cupcakes.

I’m even finding chores around the dorm more appealing than cracking open a calculus book.

I have never been one to like vacuuming, but lately I prefer the vacuum to calculus any day. It is staggering how hours can vanish going to the Richter Center and hopping on a machine or tossing and re-tossing a salad in the Hickey to avoid studying.

My mom suggests that I visit homework-friendly, quiet locations like the library or an empty classroom. So now it’s time to try these new study techniques.

Or maybe I’ll just get distracted again online.

Home Sweet Home

I can visualize, smell and savor the concentrated scent of cinnamon on my mom’s cranberry apple-crisp baking in the oven.

I’m getting ready for my first trip back home after seven weeks of cafeteria food, and I am eager to devour my favorite family recipes.

Since my family lives in St. Louis, a weekend trip is not an option, but three days is enough time for a visit home. This is the longest I have lived away from my childhood bed and Tiffany-box colored bedroom.

I can smell and feel my striped duvet cover, down comforter and thin cotton sheets.

I am looking forward to a stocked pantry filled with boxes of my favorite cereal and my beloved Power Bars. It will be a relief to know that I don’t have to dig deep in my jeans for my debit card or shop at the local Wal-Mart.

While some of my high school friends will also be returning home for the first time this weekend, I am ashamed to admit that my typical reaction to hearing about their experiences will probably be one of envy. I will always believe “the grass is always greener on someone else’s campus.”

As much as I enjoy, feel comfortable and at home at Bonaventure — and knowingly made the right choice for my college experience — I am quite good at comparing, contrasting and making the huge leap that my high school peers are at the perfect place.

The exciting times my high school friends share will always sound more appealing than mine, but I am going to work on keeping my college experience real and in perspective.

Daily Richter Trips

Some of my friends attending large universities spend a lot of time walking to class, walking to the library and walking back to their dorm rooms.

Not me.

My classes, the cafeteria and the Library are less than a stone’s toss from Loughlen, my residence hall. Sure it is convenient. No need to purchase a pedometer. No reason to exert myself before I head to class.

So I start to wonder; how will I ever avoid that dreaded freshman 15?

I figured since I was not taking climbing any hills to get to class, it was time to enter the gym. With all this down time, I surely thought I could easily maintain a healthy balance between work, school and fun.

Surprisingly, time seems to disappear rather quickly in college.

I need to plan out my daily schedule and make a deliberate attempt to stop at the Richter Center. Yes, it helps to have a workout plan in place along with a willing exercise partner. So I grab my roommate, an iPod with headphones and head to the Richter Center.

As in every other aspect of life, a friend can provide the support and motivation to exercise daily. Nothing cements a friendship like sweating it out together. And my dad likes to remind me a big chunk of my student fees goes to the gym, so yet another reason to utilize the equipment at the Richter Center.

Family Weekend

Who would’ve thought I would be so eager to see my younger siblings?

It’s not that I despise my family, but sometimes my dad can go a little overboard with his humor and my brother can use lessons on sharing laptops, car keys and even the last piece of a chewing.

I initially discouraged them from coming to Bonaventure’s Family Weekend. I questioned if the not-so-easy trip was worth the journey since there are no direct flights to Buffalo from St Louis. So my family flew to Cleveland, rented a car and drove 3 hours to campus. It's definitely a lengthy trek for a 32-hour visit.

Since they came and me not having a car, I was eager to dine at a local four-star establishment. As a notoriously picky eater, I am getting a bit tired of the cafeteria food selection.

So imagine my annoyance when dad suggested we eat lunch at Hickey Dining Hall.

However, in this quaint community, off-campus dining is mostly limited to chain restaurants and fast food. We were advised to eat at a local bar called Randy’s for chicken wings.

When the 32-hour visit ended, I was pleased my parents ignored my efforts to deter them from Family Weekend. Even though my brother and I constantly argue, I found myself proudly giving him a tour of the campus and Richter Center in hopes he would apply for admission his senior year.

I thoroughly enjoyed their visit to campus. Hopefully my brother will also consider applying to Bonaventure’s George Washington Medical School Program like me.

I hope my parents make the long trek again next year.

Trips to Wal-mart

My parents, friends and extended family want to know. How does a freshman Bona student spend her day?

Let’s start with when I wake up.

After climbing down four flights of stairs, I head to my first class. I no longer go to breakfast. In fairness, I was never a big breakfast eater at home. I survived and continue to eat cheese sticks, Power Bars and Special K throughout the day.

Fortunately, those products are available at the local Wal-mart. Every minute counts in the morning, so I pass on breakfast and head right to class.

I try to check in with my friends from high school for updates on their college experiences. Many of my friends are attending colleges and universities in large metropolitan areas. It is a little tough to compare are experiences.

Not one of them, however, is as fortunate as I to have visited their local Wal-mart. I can proudly say that I am a regular visitor to the Wal-mart Supercenter in Olean. It provides a form of entertainment and is a regular stop and point of interest on my weekly routine.

Choosing Bonaventure

I was not one of those students that spent hours perusing college catalogues or scrutinizing big thick guides to colleges. When I initially started thinking about colleges, there were a few factors that ranked highly in my college decision-making process.

I wanted to attend college in a warm climate, on a campus located close to a major airport and one situated in a community that offered an abundance of cultural options.

You might begin to wonder how I ended up at St. Bonaventure University.

After touring and visiting numerous campuses, I knew I wanted a small college campus. The thought of sitting in a lecture hall with over 400 freshmen was truly unappealing. Bonaventure was a small, friendly campus on the east coast that offered a strong health sciences program.

My younger brother is a huge basketball fan. He was familiar with Bonaventure. My mom grew up in upstate New York and had friends that graduated from Bonaventure. So I hesitantly put Bonaventure on my list.

The summer before my senior year of high school, my mom and I made the trek from the airport with our trusted GPS to Olean. On that delightfully warm day, I fell in love with the feel of the campus. The faculty, staff and students on campus were friendly and welcoming, too.

So let’s go back to my checklist.

Is Bonaventure University located in a warmer climate? No. Well, if I were from Toronto this would be a warmer climate. My dad jokingly sends a daily automated text message asking if it started snowing yet. No snow yet, dad.

Is there easy access to the airport? Well, that depends on how one defines easy. I have to hope that the bus leaving the Buffalo airport will coincide with my arriving flight, or I might be camping out at the airport for a few hours.

Are there limited cultural options? There are a few restaurants, a movie theater, and a Wal-mart Supercenter. Not exactly a cultural paradise.

The decision to attend Bonaventure was ultimately based on the feeling of the campus. Students, faculty and staff were warm, friendly and receptive to my questions and concerns. Upperclassmen reached out and welcomed me.

Did I make the right choice? I think so.

How is life is as a Bona? So far everything is going well. Well, read my first year freshman blog to find out.