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.