So you’re entering college, right? It seems scary. You’ve
gone through your schooling for the past 12 or so years perfectly fine, and now
suddenly you’re paying $25,000 and you feel like you’ve been thrown into an
huge arena where the way out is a tiny flicker in the distance. Interview
skills? As long as I’m charismatic, I’m fine, right? Resume? Yeah, I’ll just
resume with my one from college applications? Don’t even get me started on
cover letters.
The end goal
Career services provides many events to help college students
spruce up resumes, improve interview skills, and even find internships and
ultimately land a job upon graduation. They have plenty of tips on how to
become the best you can get your foot in the door and prove just how handy you
are. Let me tell you of a little tale of my first time at an internship fair.
So, here’s me. The short dirty blonde hair guy, checking my
email. Inside was an email about an internship fair. I thought to myself, “Hey,
Will! You’re a sophomore. You need to get on those internships. Why not just
step on in, sell yourself a bit, and see how it goes.” Let’s do this.
Be forewarned, I was not prepared.
So, let’s begin the check list.
Did I have a suit? No.
Mildly dressed for success? No.
A resume? No.
A business card? No.
What I came in was falling short of any bit of success. I
came empty handed, wearing my signature button down shirt and short/capris
hybrid that sent the message of, “Look at me! I go to college and I woke up
maybe five minutes ago!”
In short, a summary of my life
Let’s just take my mistake and grow from it. I know I sure
have. When going to a career fair, networking event, or even an internship
fair, dress at least business casual. A solid button shirt, with a tie and
khakis is a minimum. A business jacket looks fantastic.
Beyond dress, as I’m not expert, involves general internship
fair etiquette. Bring a long a resume. Strive for business cards. Talk to as
many people are possible. Showcase yourself and explain your interests and how
they reflect on the company you’re speaking with. Don’t be afraid to ask
questions.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Reconciliation of the Past, Collegiate Relationships, and Time Travel?
I'm not the biggest movie buff, but I know a good one when I see it. When I tell people my top three movies, the general response I get is that the underrated, oft typecasted Ashton Kutcher movie, The Butterfly Effect, does not belong in the same category as the Cartesian influenced The Matrix and the dynamic duo that gave The Shawshank Redemption life. What I enjoy about these movies is that they dig deep into the ethos our culture to identify various and sundry issues that are so ingrained into society that they go largely unnoticed. The 2004 sci-fi psychological thriller uses fringe psychology in order to investigate the consequences of chaos theory, hence its position of eminence in my mind.
How exactly does all this translate into an engaging plot line? The movie's protagonist, Evan Treborn, is a college student with a turbulent past. During the movie's present (it relies heavily on flashbacks to advance the plot) he experiences the same kind of blackout that existed during stressful moments throughout his childhood. Prior to the blackout shown during the particular scene in the movie, he kept them under control for two years. He eventually realized that the blackouts served as a literal conduit to those stressful moments in his life. He is then able to travel through time into his former selves in order to correct situations that were stressful enough to induce a blackout, such as being molested and assisting in the accidental death of a mother and her child.
Aside from the theories put forth in this film, I found The Butterfly Effect edifying for its simple yet cogent surveyance of the dynamics of college life. I will point out a couple of scenes that accurately portray the different relationships that occur in college. Because of Treborn's ability to travel into the past, multiple scenes reenact the same moments in his life with different result because of the things he prevented or enacted in his exertions into the past.
Two scenes dealt with the same moment containing diverging results. The first scene saw Treborn ask his professor for an extension of sorts on an assignment. Treborn incubated a relationship with his professor to the point where his professor presided over Treborn's independent study on memory loss. The professor gladly gave him that extension.
After Treborn toys with the past after discovering of his time traveling abilities he wakes up with a totally different life. Because he was able to avoid a hardship sustained in his past, it led to a college lifestyle that ignored things he previously put an emphasis on. He joined a frat in order to engage solely in the party scene of college life. He saw the same professor for an extension and got reproachfully denied as the professor did not even know his name.
The juxtaposition explored illuminates several moral and social phenomena. Because he restructured the past so he did not have to deal with such a violent and capricious one, he became the type of college student that goes through the motions. His frat brother slips him the answers for the test and he then realized what tampering with the past has done to his future. Treborn went through lengths to make sure his past was a bit less tumultuous, and it turned him into a person of not only low moral characteristics, but also a person with a particular insouciance that plagues many college students today. College is a place where life's many problems should be explored and in many cases solved. If one goes through life experiencing no hardship, then it becomes difficult to develop a strong purpose for being in school other than immediate stimulus and the hope of attaining a job upon graduating.
The Evan Treborn that existed prior to his space-time journey had a strong reason for being in school. It was his goal to challenge theories on memory loss in order to help him understand his own condition. I don't think college is about trying to traverse through space and time, but it does help when students come in with some personal aspirations to become an agent of change where it is needed. While this may seem overly idealistic, it is something that can be achieved. If even a small particular outside influence is exacted on a student during (or before) their college years, the proper motivation can fuel them with the qualities needed to do things like reach out to a professor and nurture those extremely beneficial relationships.
The same blackout also caused diverging relationships with the same roommate. Treborn's roommate was not your typical college student (Treborn's Roommate). To the single-minded individual he would be considered a maelstrom of social debacles. To Treborn, he was an individual with a unique past. Treborn was able to perceive him through an unconventional lens due to his own experiences.
After Treborn tampered with the past, his relationship with that same person took a turn for the worst. Instead of rooming together, Treborn ended up living in a frat house (this move was essentially a constituency of the lifestyle he choose to pursue). His lifestyle was more important than those that existed in it. He made no effort to try and befriend the socially awkward student, because he was no longer socially awkward. The fact that that strong point of relation disappeared was not the overarching reason for the physical altercation he had with his former roommate as a result of changing the past. Treborn's life decisions (or lack thereof) gave him no impetus to create any point of relation. Being able to relate to one's roommate -- or anyone for that matter -- in school sets the groundwork for one's dorm life and consequentially, their social life.
It was very appropriate that the most pivotal setting of change came on a college campus. College is a place where one should be challenged not only intellectually, but also emotionally, socially, and personally. It is one of the most difficult points in a person's life. Many people choose their life partners in college. Decisions there have to be made that dictate the direction of one's life. In reality, there exist no time traveling methods that is known as of yet. Through the perspective of an orientation leader, this movie elucidates the importance of being a positive outside influence. That just might be enough to make up for the lack of a DeLorean, so there's no need to pay the ridiculous price for a Rutgers parking permit.
I hope this urged you to put this movie at this top of your list. Here's a trailer that might help further persuade you:
The Typical (Out of State) College Freshman
I interviewed with Sarah Maceachern, a first-year out of state student at Rutgers. As she is from the great state of Texas, her NSO experience was different from most, in several ways.
Evan: So what word best sums up your orientation experience? Sarah: Umm, fear I think. When you first step foot on campus everything just seems so overwhelming! That's why I was so glad that there was a program established that helped students get used to the idea that they're actually in college now. At first my orientation experiences wasn't very fun, I have to say. Some people in my group really did not want to be there, and they made it very obvious. I also felt completely out of place and isolated. I mean, I guess everyone kinda felt like that since we were all in groups with people we had never met before, but it was still a very weird feeling to when you say you're from Texas and everyone else says that they're from some part of New Jersey. But eventually after we did all the ice breakers everyone got to know one another and everything was great. The way that the orientation program is set up, it was very easy to become comfortable with the people in your group and the university. I still keep in touch with some of the people I met during orientation
E: What was the hardest thing to get used to about Rutgers? S: The weirdest thing for me to get used to was the fact that the
university is broken up into four different campuses and that you needed
to take buses to get from one to the other. There are so many buses, I thought for sure I would never figure it out! But the part of orientation that went over the bus system helped a lot, and I had it figured out by the first week of classes.
E: What was the best thing you learned from orientation? S: Where all the gyms are! I'm very athletic and it's nice to know the location of the gym on each campus and how to get there from the bus stops. And where all the dining halls are too, because I spend a lot of time there as well.
E: What are some things you didn't learn during orientation that you wish you had? S: I wish more time had been devoted to all the websites you need to use, like Sakai and MyRutgers. I actually didn't learn about Sakai until one of my professors mentioned it during the first week of classes. That definitely would have been helpful. Other websites too, like the financial aid site, the housing site, WebReg, things like that. I feel like they weren't really covered during orientation. Also, the general location of the classroom buildings on each campus would have been nice to know.
E: Are you glad that you came to orientation? S: So glad! Since I'm out of state and I live so far away it wasn't mandatory for me to come and do it, but I'm so glad that I did. It made moving in not near as intimidating as it could have been. More than that, it helped me get used to the idea of being a college student and being on my own. It showed what it would like to have a room mate, create my own schedule, and how to get involved on campus. It was so great, I think everyone should do it!
Sarah (third from the right) is far too cool to hang out in the lounge
and instead prefers to hang out outside the boy's bathroom
The movie, Accepted, does not display your normal college experience, but exemplifies a wonderous display of leadership.
As I thought about movies and TV
shows that I could watch for this blog post, I immediately thought of the movie
Accepted. During one’s senior year of
high school, one’s ultimate and most pressing goal is to be accepted into the
college of their choice. However, what happens if you are rejected, from all of
the schools that you applied to? Most students would fall apart and would
reform to the stereotype that they will not be successful in life. However, Bartleby
Gaines decides that he will not allow the outdated standards of the traditional
university mandate his perception of education, experience, and success.
In the
movie, Accepted, Bartleby Gaines gets
rejected from every college that he applies to. Distraught, he tells his
parents that he’d rather not go to college and that he would like to be his own
success. Of course, his parents completely reject that notion and tell him that
he must go to University to be successful, or even an average citizen in the
world. Bartleby has a hard time accepting this concept, but wants to make
wishes to make his parents proud. As a result, he constructs a scheme to create
his own university called, South Harmon Institute of Technology. He uses his
skills as a leader to build a team of three close friends to help him construct
this university out of an abandoned insane asylum. He identified each of his
team members’ strengths and used them to support his cause. At first, this
scheme was a hurried attempt to satisfy his parents’ wishes and to conform to
society’s standards. However, this all soon changed when there was a knock at
South Harmon’s front door and a variety of accepted students were standing in
the front lawn ready to attend their college.
Bartleby
realizes that he quickly became responsible for an array of students who have
been rejected from every college of their choice, and also those that were
their backup schools. He gathers these students into a room to tell them that
South Harmon is in fact a fake school, but one student raises his hand to tell
him how excited he is to attend the college. He explains that he is diagnosed
with ADHD, and that his parents had given up on his educational success.
However, when he got accepted into South Harmon, it was the first time his
parents expressed that they were proud of him. Many students in that auditorium
had the same story. They were subject to ridicule and rejection because they
did not fit the status quo. At that moment, Bartleby decides to lead these
students into a new understanding of themselves. He delivers a mission
statement that states that South Harmon accepts EVERYBODY. He says that everybody
has the talent to become a success and South Harmon Institute of Technology is
a college that helps its students to realize those talents, and to implement them
into their everyday activities.
What
Bartleby does not realize is that he is actually leading the students into
their new identities. Every first-year
college student is subject to a new identity because they are thrown into a
totally new and different environment by themselves and told to survive. Luckily, there are many programs, facilities,
and resources, like Student Life and New Student Orientation, to help and guide
these students into their new identity. Bartleby and his friends acted as
guides in the movie, Accepted.
I
believe that Bartleby also signified the essential leader because he worked out
of purpose, and not only for results. An essential factor in his success is the
fact that he asked his students for their input and opinions about the school
and its programs. The “What Do You Want to Learn?” board empowered students by
allowing them to make their own curriculum and also to let Bartleby know what
they are interested in learning.
This allowed the students to examine themselves
and figure out what they are really interested in. Many students had a hard
time with this because they have never been asked that question before. This
board idea was essential in the process of Renewal that Susan discussed in her
book. Bartleby had to renew his whole philosophy about where the school would
go, who would be allowed there, and what they would learn. The fact that he was
open to every class topic the students suggested, even when one student
suggested that there be a class where he learns to blow things up with his
mind, is a solid example of his openness to reform and change.
Bartleby's efforts made South Harmon a reality.
Bartleby’s
most difficult task was making his school a success after it was identified as fraudulent.
Bartleby displayed so much faith, belief, and purpose in his works that when
even he began to believe that his school had failed one of his followers,
Sherman, leads Bartleby into a new light. He helps Bartleby regain faith in his
college in order to earn accreditation for it. In the end of the movie, the
school is under a probationary period where it is monitored by the government.
This ending shows that although Bartleby gained success by earning the right to
keep his school open, there is still room for improvement and growth.
Therefore, the students continued to give their input about the school
processes and Bartleby continued to take their wishes into account in order to
create a college environment wherein the students can flourish in their own
talents while discovering their many new identities.
Bartleby countered all societal standards of success and became his own success by dwelling in an environment that required him to strengthen his talents and also the talents of others. Bartleby, although nontraditional, played the role of a true leader.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
For my blog post I interviewed a bunch of my floor mates. Throughout the interview I focused on how they felt coming to Rutgers, there transition to college life, there experience at orientation and how Rutgers is treating them as a whole.
Jonathan Lourenco Class of 2015
Interview #1: Jonathan Lourenco
What's school are you in and what is your major?
I am currently in the business school and am majoring in Finance
Where are you from?
Newark, New Jersey
What High School did you attend ?
Seton Hall
How was the transition from high school to college?
It wasn't bad at all. I was only taking 15 credits my first semester so I was able to manage the workload, I got used to it very quickly. The freedom here was kind of like the freedom at home for me. Academically, I did not do that bad my first semester here however, midterms were a wake up call.
Did you go to orientation? No
Hearing about it from other students do you wish you would have went and why or why not?
Well I didn't go to orientation because it was kind of pricey but when I see a lot of the bonds and friendships that were made at orientation I kind of do wish I went.
Thanks Jon
Interview #2: Sanjay Vemparala
What school are you in and what is your major?
I am in SAS planning to transfer to the Business school and my intended major is a double major in Math and Finance
Where are you from?
Bridgewater, New Jersey
What high school did you attend?
Sanjay Vemparala Class of 2015
Bridgewater-Raritan High School
How was the transition from high school to college for you?
It was pretty good actually. It was hard to adjust because you are on your own and you have to start making your own decisions and being responsible but one can take advantage of the freedom so it is kind of hard to find a balance in between. Academically I would say the same thing especially being responsible with time management.
Did you go to orientation? Yes
How was it for you? I enjoyed myself a lot, made a lot of new friends, got to know Livingston better since I am living here and it was kind of like a sneak preview of what college is like.
What do you wish had been included in orientation now that your on campus? A look into the bus schedule and a mock schedule so you can get to know some of the buildings and some other orientation leaders.
Thanks Sanjay
Midway through the interview Jonathan intruded and said "You are gassing orientation right now" and Sanjay replied "I don't care man orientation was fun as hell, I really enjoyed myself." This goes to show the power of orientation and the impact it leaves on people. Sanjay continued to say he is close to a lot of the people he met from orientation and hangs out with them all the time.
Commuter! Ugh, how would I ever start to branch out and make my own way if I wasn't going to be living on campus? I hadn't even started college yet and I had already set myself up to fail because I let an insignificant status try to hold me back. Upset and seemingly defeated, my friend who was also in the same boat as I, spoke over scalding coffee about how our college years would be a continuation of high school and how our social life would be non-existent. How could I possibly become part of a community that at the end of the day returned to dorm rooms to try and build new friendships? I wish I had known how quickly my views on commuting would change when I actually started my first weeks of college.
I would like to say that this video is an accurate portrayal of a commuters lifestyle (and for some it might be), but it's not. The first weeks of going to classes I understood the importance of packing the important items for surviving on campus without a dorm, keeping track of things like keys and money. While I did bring books with me to classes, I made sure to not over load but instead just pay attention to what my professors said we would need. Whether this is wrong or right I dressed for fashion and comfort making sure to not resemble a kid lost in the Antarctic when it was warm or like a girl on a Hawaiian vacation when it was cold. But at the end of the day everything still came down to the social life for me when the educational things were up.
I learned rather fast that if I planned to make new friends in college I would need to get involved. Being a commuter I swore this would be a hard task, but if anything I would find that I had made better strides in the social arena than many of my friends living on campus. I made sure to actually attend different club functions, become an active member of the Rutgers community, and get involved in programs that peaked my interest so that I could start building lasting relationships. Unlike some of my high school experiences, I didn't let not having friends come with me to different activities hold me back and I decided to be more outgoing and open so that I would try and enjoy the new experiences that college had to offer. I swore to myself that my days on campus would not end with my last class and instead chose to really become part of the mixing pot in every way.
Months later I can proudly say that I have really managed to balance my school and social life, and that commuting has in no way impeded my progress. I am part of many different communities on campus and my group of friends has grown because of this. While I do love coming home to my bed and seeing my family, I also enjoy crashing on a friend's floor and hanging with my second family #teamdon'tjudgeme even more. So if anything never let that commuter status deter you on your adventures in the college arena!
As I was looking at a list of
movies to watch and reflect on for my first NSO blog post, I was thinking that
I would either choose a comedy or a chick film, where I thought the college
experience was most exemplified in today’s pop culture. But instead, I came
upon a peculiar choice—the horror psycho film, The Roommate. This thriller actually came out in 2011, and since it
was recent enough to reflect today’s college experience, and a film I never saw
before, I decided to use this for my reflection.
To
sum up the plot, Sara, the protagonist, is starting her freshmen year in
college, and through an unfortunate series of events, ends up with a
schizophrenic and bipolar roommate named Rebecca who murders a number of people
in her life. In the end, Sara kills Rebecca for her safety and her own
survival.
Essentially,
I thought the movie was decent in terms of the plot and character development,
but I definitely found a number of themes and character experiences I could
relate to the first-year college experience. To begin with, there is the love
interest, Stephen, who is a kind, good-looking guy—someone different and
attractive to Sara. Our protagonist is actually coming out of another
relationship with a guy named Jason who constantly calls her asking for her forgiveness.
This shows how during the transition from high school to college, people are
some times stuck between those who were apart of one stage of their lives and
those apart of the new stage. This new stage, college, is enticing and
fascinating for Sara, because for her, and for many first year college
students, college is an adventure, the beginning of their independence and
adulthood, and an opportunity to let go of the burdens of the past. This
increased Stephen and Sara’s attraction towards each other, and through this
chemistry and surviving this crazy turn of events together, they end up with
each other at the end.
Another
huge part of the college experience is bringing with you the events of the past
that you hold close to your heart, and trying to find the balance to make that
event or person stay with you in the present. For Sara, the person she held most dear to her
heart was her sister who passed away when Sara was just 9 years old. And to
this day, she still remembers her and memorializes her through her name, Emily,
tattooed on her body. To help her handle this, she turns to her friends, and
most of all, her new “understanding” roommate. Every college student has a story, a
story they want to share with others they can trust and confide in. And Rebecca
starts off personifying this type of character—the roommate who is always there
for her and acts as a reliable support system. For the first-year college
student, it could be an old friend who decided to go to the same school, a new
friend he or she just met, a guidance counselor or professor, an RA, or one of
the first Rutgers faces they encounter, an Orientation Leader.For Sara, it was
in her new love interest and her roommate where she found comfort (that is,
until Rebecca's condition worsened), and for the new student coming into Rutgers, or any college, it could be you, the Orientation Leader. Unfortunately for Sara,
her newfound companionship and support transformed into psychotic admiration
and desire.
This
leads to the strongest theme of all in the film: the relationship between
roommates. What Sara and Rebecca’s relationship exhibited was that people who,
in our minds, are kind and welcoming in the beginning are the people you learn
to trust and stick with. They become the people you don’t mind asking to come
out and get dinner with, or go meet other students with in a social event or program. And when that go-to person is found in college, we find a sense of
comfort.
You could be that comfort for somebody.
From the exterior,
Rebecca was that person, a kind and caring student who just wanted a close
friend—something we all look for during new phases of our lives—but unfortunately,
in reality, she had a psychiatric illness which required care and medication. Essentially,
it is this struggle to find belonging on college campuses, the pressures to fit
in, and balance we hope to find between academic life and a social life, that
some times makes us go a little crazy, illness or not.
Instead of writing a traditional blog, I decided to come up with some pertinent questions regarding the First-Year experience at Orientation and make a video (or "vlog")! I met up with one of my first years from the summer for an interview and this is what happened...
It is hard to believe that my little sister who is in her senior year will be attending college next semester. I know she does not want to go to Rutgers, but in about a month are two she will realize this is where she is college bound. I am very excited to welcome her to Rutgers and the best way will be over the summer during orientation. She also was the best candidate for asking what are her greatest fears and excitements coming into college because she is a senior who will be probably coming to Rutgers and to get closer to my little sister. Growing up we have always been kind of close, but having her come to Rutgers will be a whole other chapter in our story together.
My sister talked about a lot more fears than excitements, but I feel like that is only natural. She talked about how she was nervous to meet new people and to have a random roommate she did not know. Also, she talked about how she was scared that the classes would be too big, where the school work would be too hard, and the teachers would not care about her grades like high school. Time management was a huge problem for her as well. Then when she talked about what she was excited for she said that Rutgers would give her a great education and really prepare her for her future career. Also, there are many opportunities in choosing classes and an ample amount of clubs/organizations to choose from. Her favorite part even though she is nervous if people will be accepting is meeting new people and her new sense of independence. She says she is looking forward to people treating her like an adult and having new experiences living away from home. Many first years over the summer say very similar statements to the ones my sister was saying. It is very hard to put down fears of students coming into Rutgers, but if you show them how you have managed and make them feel at home they are inclined to trust you and come into college more confined than before they came to orientation. Also, showing that Rutgers will live up to their expectations is hard as well, but if you tell them to make every opportunity count and to have no regrets, they will in turn have an amazing four years I truly believe. Seniors in high school want to feel like they are making the right choices for their future and an orientation leader is that first step in the right direction.
Similar to 4 Weddings and a Funeral, except nobody dies... or gets married. So, I guess it isn't actually similar at all. Anyway, in this post, I explore and compare the New Student Orientation programs of University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, Maryland University, and UC San Diego.
Like you can see, all of the programs I researched had many similarities. Firstly, all the programs take place over the course of 2 days. Every school provides information on residence life and offers tours of the campus. They all offer break out sessions that provide information on subjects such as studying abroad, disabilities services, financial aide, Greek life, etc.
At some point, all schools discuss involvement opportunities and academics. However, Maryland focuses most heavily on involvement and Ohio State focuses mostly on academics. Maryland offers the most break-out session topics and has a resource fair for students to learn about campus resources and opportunities. Ohio State completes their placement testing and academic sessions on day 1, before discussing any involvement. All of the programs, except UC San Diego, requires students to pick their classes at the program. UC San Diego has students pick their class online. This reminded me of Rutgers Orientation, as we don't cover registration during the program, but on a different day (APA day).
Through my comparison, I found some of the programs to be quite lacking. For example, UC San Diego and Minnesota don't offer any information about Parent & Family programs on their orientation website. Also, from their schedule, it appears that Maryland lacks commuter programs, and focuses entirely on residence life. This led me to critically examine Rutgers NSO program. Although I don't necessarily see anything we severely lack, through my exploration, I found activities that we should consider adding to our program. For example, OSU offers tours at night and Maryland offers tours of the recreation centers where students can play basketball, swim, and watch movies during their social hour. I believe both of these ideas could be implemented to give more options for fun night activities. Minnesota introduces the technology of the school to their students at the program. Rutgers should included more technology aspects to the program. I also like the way OSU allows parent and students to be integrated for parts of the program. This idea could be implemented during day 1 of our program. Possibly during a bonus question at the gameshow?!
Although there are these differences between RU and the other programs, there are some really awesome similarities. For example, Minnesota and Maryland both have their Orientation Leaders perform skits about campus life. Minnesota calls these skits Pieces of the Puzzle. I personally like "Life on Campus" better! :)
However, my favorite similarity that all schools have in common: Orientation Leaders are fun! For proof, check out these videos.
UCSD:
Ohio State:
Maryland:
I'd post a video of Rutgers OLs... but you all already know how fun we are. :)
Where would we even BE right now if we had known the information we know now back when we were obliviously clueless freshmen? We definitely would have been a lot better off, that's for sure! Maybe we could have avoided those awkward moments that first years dread- that's right you ALL know what I'm talking about. However, for the time, resources, and energy that NSO had to provide a glimpse of what was to come, they did a pretty good job, no doubt. SNAPS! As a freshman, I thought it would be interesting to ask fellow first years what they wish had been included in orientation now that that we're on campus. Drum roll please!
Ah-hem.
Douglass in the Fall :D
First, "Dude I think, like, maybe, seeing all the other campuses too...? You know.... if it's possible....dude..." Yes, this was a statement made by an ACTUAL student. However, before we criticize, smile, chuckle, or judge (though that is clearly impossible because this is the no judging zone, ladies and gents!), let's get down to what this student meant. It was a great experience to see one of the campuses in depth, however, it doesn't do this university justice! One of the beauties of Rutgers is that it offers its students the ability to experience different environments. We have the city, the country, a soon to be hotel-like sanctuary right here on Livingston- the diversity is truly amazing. Unfortunately, due to the time constraints, it's definitely not likely that future new students will be able to experience the joys of the five campuses. But imagine if we could! The transition would be smoother as students would be able to navigate easier around the campuses. Maybe Cook/Douglass wouldn't be seem like a foreign country if more students were exposed to it. In actuality students could see that Cook/Douglass is breathtaking!
Second, The bus system is a HUGE part of Rutgers. Let's be honest, the Rutgers bus is synonymous with the university's name. So why not mention more about it? The first years that I talked to wished that there had been more discussions about what buses to take, where they stop, what letters apply to which campuses, and what LX in particular Stan "The Man" drives. One student suggested to include a video that described the routes of the buses with no words. It would simply be a a series of joined video footage with music and some entertaining facial expressions and actions. Is it possible? Definitely. My personal opinion is that even though most students will probably forget what they learned in a matter of minutes, it would be a great way to introduce a complex system that can be simplified later in a few minutes. Before you know it, our students will be growing up and riding the buses all by themselves like big boys and girls!
This last point is definitely the best! "We should incorporate a miscellaneous video in which Rutgers students name a few fun facts that result from the Rutgers experience," my current first year students said. What did they mean? Simply put, just a compiliation of information gathered by Rutgers students over the year(s). Incoming first years will relate better to Rutgers if they witness personal accounts and it would make them more tied to the university. Before you know it, we'll have them cheering the RU chant with (real) enthusiasm.
To show you all what top five fun facts they would include in the video, I present to you memes and videos (when possible of course :D ):
1. Stan the LX driver is a reason to get up in the morning.
2. Avoid crossing the street between the Rutgers Student Center and Brower Commons. People will not stop. That IS a blind spot. You will NOT make it.
3. The professors are not here to baby you. They are simply here to instruct you throughout the duration of a course. They are great resources, however, so utilize them to the best of your ability. Office hours are worth going to!
4. Have school pride! Be excited about coming here because at Rutgers you'll be exposed to diversity, countless academic opportunities, and a wealth of interesting characters who are here to join you on the journey we call college.
For my blog, I interviewed a first-year student who works in our office names Krishna P. The first question I asked her was, "Did you go to orientation?" Followed by, "What was that experience like for you?" She proceeded to tell me that going to the resource fair she realized how enormous the school was. She saw that there was SO MUCH here, she joked and said, "They literally have their own country there." She goes on to talk about the resources that she learned were available and how she talked about this when she went back home.
Next I asked Krishna about what her first semester difficulties and lessons learned were. She said that she struggled with knowing where things were and making use of the learning centers, which she did not know how to utilize. She says that being in a huge university you need to be open to reaching out for help yourself. She says that making connections is also a huge thing that you need to do. You can do this using the offices on campus. Through the email accounts they help you to know what is going on. The OCSA (You know, the Off Campus Student Association) informs you every month or so to let commuters know what is going on on campus.
Next I asked her more about the resources that she knows of on campus. She first mentions the libraries and career services and all of the fairs that they had at the Busch Campus Center. She mentions going to the AMSA (American Medical Student Association) fair, where they displayed what they had to offer. She also utilizes the student center for eating or doing homework. They give you so many resources that as a commuter, she says she doesn't have to go home.
Krishna says that being a commuter isn't bad because she lives so close, she is part of AIMS (Achievements In Math and Science) which has a whole group of commuting students. She sees people who commute from very far and it inspires her to try harder because she lives so close. She says that it isn't as hard as she thought it would be because there is so much here that she doesn't have to go back home for.
Krishna has not had any trouble making friends thanks to AIMS because she joined it in high school. But even without it, in classes, you meet other people who are going through similar things as well.
Krishna is part of AMSA, AIMS, and FIMRC (Foundation in International Medical Relief for Children). She tries to be involved in other organizations but obviously as a new student with plenty on her plate she can't do everything!
After these months of her first year, Krishna says to incoming first-years to be ready and be acceptable. She also says to plan ahead. She came in with the confidence that she had to go out and achieve what she wanted to get. She said that she needs discipline to survive. She says to stay on top of your game and to do your readings, go to professors' office hours, and ask questions. Enjoy your office hours and make sure you know how to use WebReg.
High School Senior Planning on Attending College: Eager Anticipation.
Transitioning into college from high school can be a stressful experience, but at the same time it is an exciting experience. A student goes from an environment in which parents and teachers are constantly on the look out for them, to an environment in which the student needs to be responsible for themselves, and subsequently gains a greater sense of independence. Melissa, who went to high school with me at Toms River HS North, is excited to start her college experience next year, but worries about whether or not she will be successful in college and if she is going to “fit in”. She is considering attending Rutgers- it is currently one of her top schools. However, there are a multitude of concerns that come to mind when she thinks of a school as enormous as RU. What some students fail to realize though is that they are not the only ones with these worries; there are many other students who are worrying about the same issues.
She had called me last week for some guidance on deciding between the University of Delaware and Rutgers University. She had already been on a tour of both of the schools, but she wanted to hear first-hand opinions and advice from a current university student. This goes to show how much high school seniors entering college value the opinions of the students who attend the institution that they are interested in. Questions ranged from, “How do you manage your time? Are the classes a lot more difficult than high school? How did you adjust to living on your own? What if I don’t like my roommate? What are the students and professors really like there? Are you really just a number at a big institution?- I hear people say that all the time.. Will I be alone? Or will there be people there to help me if I need help with something? ”. I answered all her questions to the best of my abilities and explained that at whichever college she chooses to attend, she will be successful, get those good grades, and make those friendships as long as she is determined to work hard, has the willingness to learn and makes the right choices. Incoming students may need that sense of encouragement that everything will be alright and that surviving and thriving is not impossible as long as they are being proactive and believe in themselves. Soon after comforting Melissa, it seemed as if her fears subsided and she seemed more eager and excited than worried and unsure.
Our opinions as Orientation Leaders have such a profound affect on students- more than we may even know. Giving an incoming student your undivided attention and showing confidence in them can help them believe in themselves more, ease their tensions, and change their mindsets for the better. Melissa’s questions started to then lean towards questions such as, “What is there to do for fun on campus?.. What are you involved in? And how can I get involved too? I just don’t know where to start, but I’m excited!”. That last quote stood out to me:
“I just don’t know where to start, but I’m excited!”
It reminded me much of myself, I had no idea how I was going to get involved, and where I’d end up. But as time ticks forward, matters start to fall into place. Already being proactive searching getinvolved.rutgers.edu, Melissa is exploring her options. College I feel is about the journey, and learning as much as you can through the experiences you go through. Melissa is glad to know that she is capable of handling college and cannot wait to arrive. I know that she will grow and do big things in life.
As I
studied in the Student Center before meeting up with Luis for breakfast, I
smiled when I got a text message that read “I’m like, formal casual, should I
be dressed up more?” To Luis, the word “interview” called immediately for a
sports jacket, despite that it was 9AM and we were probably two of twenty
people in the Livingston Dining Commons. Earlier this year, I began forming a
great friendship with Luis Fernandez, a first-year student who works with me
in the Residence Hall Association. A
self-described “emergent leader,” I watched in awe as he came into the
University and hit the ground running, as if making an adjustment to college simply took
too much time out of his already busy schedule.
He lives in a discovery house, is president of Quad Two’s Hall Government, and has taken a position (possibly through some influence from yours truly) as a
Captain on Dance Marathon’s Finance team. He participates in the Rising
Leaders Institute, and will be attending the Leadership '66 conference this year. It is only February,
but he has big plans for next year, expressing his intention of applying for an
Assistant Director position for DM 2013, and currently running for Advocacy
Director of RHA. He doesn’t find this
all startling either, he says simply, “I’m just social, and I learned to use it
to my advantage.”
Luis's enthusiasm for his involvement is incredible for being only a semester and a half into school. I watched as in his Intro to Organizational Leadership class, he set up the powerpoint he had created for his group's presentation. After the title slide were about 15 slides with pictures of Dance Marathon, and he clicked through them saying "Oh, that's strange, how did these get into the presentation?...You should do Dance Marathon. Oh, and that's a flyer reminding you to vote for me for RHA Advocacy Director...how did that get in there!" and I couldn't help but just throw my head back and laugh. I
remind myself constantly that he’s not what one would call an “ordinary”
first-year. He’s eager to consistently put
his best foot forward, but the most striking characteristic of Luis is his
intuition of simply how things work
around the University. He grasps group
and organizational dynamics quickly, even stating to me that if he cannot
understand the dynamic of a group almost instantly, he feels unsettled. This trait has served him well as he immerses
himself in different aspects of Rutgers student life. It has also given him an interesting perspective on his orientation, and an understanding of the difficulties the orientation program can face.
When
speaking with Luis about his first year and orientation experience, I began to
understand that it was much different than my own. I had gone through Leadership Quest first,
and then one week later I participated in the traditional two-day New Student
Orientation. I made an effort to be engaged and definitely took away
relationships and information, but in hindsight I believe I spent most of my
mental energy missing my LQ friends and feeling as though much of what NSO
could teach me, I had already learned. Luis
on the other hand went through a much different experience than I had. He’s a part of the Educational Opportunity
Fund, and previously, I thought I had a basic understanding of what that
meant. Over our breakfast sandwiches and eggs he explained what his experience in EOF entailed, and I understood
there was much more behind EOF than I thought I knew, and his orientation
experience was not at all what the traditional student would typically go
through. His NSO experience was only one
day long, and in that he found what he believes to be what is troublesome about
the EOF-tailored orientation. In
describing it in one word, the prevalent word was “rushed.” He expressed, with a patient understanding of
the time constraint, that he simply “didn’t feel [he] understood what Rutgers
was about.” He spoke about how the OL’s
made a strong effort to mask it, but it was clear to him that the whole day was
stressful for them. When asked more
specific questions about his particular orientation group, I was startled when
Luis delayed in remembering his OL’s name, and remarked that he didn’t really
remember anyone in his group either. I have
watched Luis time and time again come into a new group and soak up information
like it’s his lifeline. He’s quick with
names and even quicker with how those individuals can fit together, but he
described the day as a “whirlwind,” with so much being presented, that not all
of it was able to stick.
Coming
out of this past week’s presentation on the Thriving Quotient, I explained to Luis
this idea of surviving versus thriving and how we can look at the information
that was presented at his orientation session through this frame. We discussed how with a time constraint, his orientation experience gave him the information needed to get by at the time, but not necessarily thrive, which is
understandable given that EOF’s program is tailored with workshops and
counselors that help promote thriving. But
Luis still felt strongly that one thing in particular needed to have been
better incorporated into his orientation: getting involved. He feels this is particularly so with
EOF students, as many are in work study programs and feel as though getting
involved will take up too much time, which as Luis stated, leads to a “work,
study, party” mentality. Luis remarked
that one person standing in front of a room saying “you can get involved” is
about as productive as a celebrity saying “I appreciate my fans.” A person’s
first instinct is, “well that’s nice, but that’s a generalization and it probably
does not apply to me.” However, if someone speaks to you individually about what
you’re interested in, what opportunities Rutgers has, and why you should get
involved (or if a celebrity says “I appreciate you” to a single fan) it makes
much more of an impact on that person. He encouraged me to speak with every
student I could this summer, share my experiences, and let them know how
getting involved has so positively impacted my time here at Rutgers. He also encouraged me to let them know that they
can find the time, they can find the right organization, and it can make them a
better student, leader, and overall person.
He felt that it was skipped over in his orientation experience in the
commotion of fitting two days into one, and OL’s could be more of a resource to
encourage involvement in EOF students.
I
was curious as to where this engagement and enthusiasm Luis seemed to always
possess, rather than develop, came from. Part of it, I believe, is simply his
personality. The other part of it is gratitude that he has no reserves about
expressing. He summed up the obligation he feels to Rutgers and the EOF program when he said “Free
money, but I’m still indebted,” and elaborated on this need to give back to the Rutgers community by stating, “EOF and Rutgers gave me an
opportunity. Who am I to waste this? Who am I to be that selfish?” Rutgers has
found a huge asset to our community in Luis, and I hope that I can help orientation
foster a similar spirit in the incoming new students while remembering Luis’s
feedback on his EOF orientation experience.
We have
all seen the gross exaggerations of what college looks like through the eyes of
cinema. Movies like "Accepted", "Animal House",
"Legally Blonde", and "Old School." As well as TV shows
like "Greek" and "Hellcats." Even music of our time
falsely depicts the typical college experience. Pop culture of the recent has a
specific idea of what college is, even though it may be a dramatic version of
the truth.
My friend recently suggested I watch a relatively new show,
“Blue Mountain State.” I didn’t
have any expectations for the show because I wanted to be open-minded. This
show, like many other cinematic portrayals of college life dramatizes the aspect
of partying, drinking, sex, and hazing. For some programs, this is the price to
pay for accessing the humor of their viewers. And from what I can see, it is
working. Although the show may not be a completely accurate depiction, most
college students I’ve talked to, like the show a lot- in large part due to the
ridiculousness.
I’ll start off with a brief synopsis of the show. Alex
Moran, the main character of the series, is recruited to the Blue Mountain
Goats football team as a first-year to the role of back-up quarter back. He
attends Blue Mountain State with his childhood friend and roommate, Sammy Cacciatore.
Sammy believes the only way to “meet girls” is to become the mascot so he can
get closer to the cheerleading team. (He only acquires the position because of
an unfortunate problem the current mascot has.) Craig Shilo is also a gifted
young athlete that is recruited as starting running back. He arrives to BMS
with his high school girlfriend, Denise Roy. She is his manipulative,
controlling girlfriend that is clearly only interested in Craig’s professional
level potential. Last but not least, there is Kevin “Thad” Castle. He is a narcissistic and borderline sociopathic
upperclassman on the football team. He is the equivalent to the “big bad frat
boy” that’s often depicted in movies. (Like the one in the movie “Accepted” for
example. But that’s a whole other story.) The show starts off with the first
day of practice where Alex and Craig become acclimated to the team.
There were a lot of “loopholes,”
I will call them, in this particular show that exemplify the common
misconceptions that can give colleges in general a bad name. Some kids in high
school really have no idea what college is actually like, and watching TV shows
and movies like these that depict these false images can give them a skewed
judgment of their own school. For example, a reality to college life is
drinking, however Rutgers, as well as many other schools, make it hard for
students to get access to alcohol on campus as well as encourage students to
educate themselves about the harmful consequences of binge drinking. In my
opinion, there aren’t specific schools where it’s easier to drink over others-
these commonly known as “party schools.”
I think you will find people willing to make risky decisions at any school. In
Blue Mountain State, Alex, Craig, and other members of the football team go to
several teammates’ house to party almost every night! This is another daunting illustration of college life. In
reality, these players would have drug tests on game days, in particular, and
there would be serious repercussions to showing up to practice hung over. In
the second episode, Alex has the opportunity to be starting quarter back, due
to a regrettable mistake made by the current QB, Travis, causing him to be
suspended. Throughout the episode Alex does whatever it takes to get Travis
back on the team because he’s afraid of the responsibility and possibly being
ridiculed by students at BMS. This part really resonated with me. I think this
is a huge, underlying aspect of college life that most first-year students
experience: coming to terms with your newfound responsibilities. College is a
time to be on your own, you are responsible for yourself, and for some, this is
the first real time in one’s life.
Now, even though this show is focused on the inner-workings
of the football team, I think its core values are the same with any
organization. Drinking, hazing, and bullying aside, the team works together to
accomplish a goal: to win. You will find this in any athletic team around
Rutgers, or even, the organizations around campus. Each Sorority and Fraternity
has a set of values and beliefs that their brothers and sisters pledge to
follow. Whether it be an academic, social, or music organization, people I know
in these fraternities are happy to be apart of something that brings them
closer in the Rutgers
Community. Also, Dance Marathon is a very important and prominent tradition at Rutgers.
This 32-hour program is the second largest philanthropic event in New Jersey. Volunteers
around Rutgers come together in pursuit of a common goal: to raise money for
children with cancer and blood disorders. Although the show has some outlandish
plot lines and character dynamics, I think there are some interesting and
important underlying aspects to the college life that the show exposes.
After interviewing First Year Student Robertini Dessources, he informed me that he would have liked to tour more then one campus. He said, "that possibly a few hours on each campus would have been a nice chance to go exploring and that would have helped him understand where his classes were." He also felt that it would have been nice to get a feel for the dorm and campus that he would be living on. He also felt that the bus system should have been explained, because he was late to a few of his first classes. Robertini felt that orientation leaders were friendly and very helpful, but left out a few key elements.
Can you understand the map above? If so, you have probably been a Rutgers for longer than a month. Often First Year Students are left to fend for themselves during the first week of classes. For example during my first semester at Rutgers I did not know that the RexL bus does not make a stop at the Quads and when I realized the bus was not stopping I asked the bus driver to let me off and she said, "I'm sorry you are going to have to go for the ride." This was definitely a moment shared by many other First Years. The bus system may seem easy to those who are used to it, but to new students it is a place to be uncomfortably packed like sardines next to people you do not know while trying to read a very unfriendly map. The map is easy to understand once you figure it out, but should be explained to first years so they can understand it before they are late to their first week of classes. Orientation leaders are as friendly as Dora's map, but need to help students read the Campus Map and bus system so they can plan ahead to be on time for class!
In short, a summary of my life
