Friday, December 24, 2010

A Festivus for the rest of us

Hello friends and Merry Christmas!

I know, why am I posting in the earliest hours of what we can deem Christmas morning? Well, mostly because I just drank half a gallon of cider and the sugar will have me up for another hour at least. Also, I know you must be dying for a life update from me.

Ok not really, but here I am giving it to you anyway. After all, I'm halfway through my senior year, all but a semester away from graduation. But we're not here to talk about that. At least not yet. I'm working on that. I'm just here to catch you up on how I've been spending my pre-Christmas time.

Truthfully I've done a lot of nothing which, in my opinion, is what break should be about for those of us only home for a week before shipping off to some exotic land to swim twice a day before returning to school earlier than everyone else. Well, my exotic land is only Washington DC this year and, as my education major friends remind me, the swim team will not be the only ones back at school early, but that is neither here nor there.

What is here is Christmas. And before that? Christmas eve. And before that? A festivus for the rest of us of course! For those of you unfamiliar with festivus, I've linked you to the Wikipedia page. But, in short, it is a celebration outside of Christmas Eve and Christmas day celebrated on December 23rd to remember the holiday without the commercialism and craziness. So for my festivus, aside from the aluminum pole, miracles, grievances, and feats of strength, I headed to a local NJ theater for their production of Les Miserables. A few of my friends and I got some yummy Italian dinner first and then met some other friends at the theater. The show was really well done (obviously depressing as the plot is) and we went for drinks and dessert afterwards. It was all in all a great festivus and a good kick off for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve, which I still keep trying to call "today" since it's a weird time of day, I slept late, woke up, hung around, got ready, and headed to 4:00 mass with the family. We then continued our Christmas Eve tradition and went to a movie (nobody is ever there, it's awesome). We saw the new Narnia movie and it was pretty good I'd say. Then we came home for dinner. Not quite all 7 fishes but my dad made chowder and we had muscles and clams too, along with a ton of antipasto and other treats. Then it was time to snuggle up on the couch with warm drinks and a Muppet Christmas Carol. Only the best.

I'm glad I had a snuggly almost-Christmastime. I was starting to miss the magic of the season that I wrote about last year from Europe. I think sometimes without the snow I forget it's winter/Christmastime, so it's nice to be reminded of that with some family time.

So, here's hoping you are finding Christmas as magical and merry as ever. I'm not sure if I'll be updating before the new year (unless I want to brag about cool presents) so if I don't, I'll see you in 2011 (graduation year, YUCK).

Merry Christmas,
Christine

(P.S. I used to write Merry Christine on my cards because it was a reaction...life's tough)

Monday, December 20, 2010

Your internship sounds really interesting! Can you talk more about it?

SURE!

So as a psychology senior there are a few options for major completion outside of the "history and issues" capstone class that we all need to take for a semester.

One option is a semester long "advanced topics" course where the topic is based on the professor teaching the course and what he/she specializes in. Another option is research, which is one semester for regular majors and two semesters for honors program students who are taking research to complete the honors program.

The third option is what I'm doing, a year long "practicum" course. Each student in my class (and the other section, in total about 30 of us) has gotten a placement at a human services agency in the Burlington area. I'm working at Spectrum Youth and Family Services, which is a local non-profit that focuses a lot of homeless youth and youth in transition.

Spectrum has a pretty wide range of services, but I work in the residential sector at a group home for 6 adolescent boys. Currently we have only 5 residents, but we have capacity for 6. They all come from different walks of life: substance abuse, psychological treatment, foster care, poor home life. They are all in state custody and are at the Co-op program to help the transition into indepenent living and so that the staff (and me and an intern) can help them learn life skills and provide other support and resources for them.

As practicum students we're provided a list of possible sites for our year of internship, but we are responsible for sending emails, making phone calls, and getting interviews at various locations until we find one that's right for us. We've got people at all different types of sites: group therapy, substance abuse, mental illness, DCF, crisis hotlines, and alternative schools, to name a few.

SMC is also one of the only schools that offers the full year practicum experience, and I couldn't be more excited about my second semester at the Co-op. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions (or if you want to hire me this summer in NJ! haha)


SMC QUESTIONS?

Sunday, December 19, 2010

What are you doing for your psych senior capstone?

I'm not actually sure what I'll be doing for my capstone paper. I'm taking the capstone class this spring, so I have no idea what to expect.

For my other senior requirement, however, I'm working a full year internship with Spectrum Youth and Family Services. I work at a group home with up to 6 adolescent at-risk young men in transition and I love it there. I've been learning a lot and really getting to know the residents and the ins and outs of the organization too.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Holiday Contest!

Hello again!

It's that time of year...time for the second annual SMC holiday trivia contest!

Succesfully complete 10 questions asked by SMC staff, and you will be entered to win awesome prizes!

So to get you started, here's the first video. Good luck!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

How is the party scene on campus? Would you say the school is clique-ish? I dont play sports or ski....would i feel like an outsider?

SMC is definitely not clique-ish, and to answer that question and your first, there is something for everyone here. If you want to find a party on campus, you can, but if you want to watch a movie, play a board game, go out to dinner, make an ice cream sundae, play guitar hero, or eat free food you can do that too!

It's also definitely ok that you don't play sports or ski, there are a lot of people here that don't do either of those things, so don't think that's all we're about. There are over 60 clubs to choose from on campus so, again, there's something for everyone here.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Monday, December 6, 2010

A humanitarian, a feast, and a new SMC tradition?

Hey all,

I wanted to write this post last week, but you know how it goes. It's the last week of classes, holiday cheer is in the air, and the snow has been falling for about a day now. But, I wanted to touch back on the previous holiday, Thanksgiving, as well as a pretty awesome speaker we had come to campus.

Dr. Paul Farmer, a humanitarian, anthropologist, and physician, as well as a founder of Partners in Health, came to SMC to speak. I wasn't sure what he was going to talk about, but I knew it would be interesting and the crowd would be big. There turned out to be between 700 and 800 students, faculty, and community members at the presentation. He spoke about the current situation in Haiti, as well as what he has seen in the past. There were a few big points I really took away from his time at SMC:

1. Are there really natural disasters, or are the consequences the result of social disasters?
2. Develop engagement and activism early, no matter what your passion or cause
3. From day 8 after the earthquake in Haiti, the country's best hospital was floating in the harbor
4. Aid to Haiti was amazing; over 1/2 of American households donated, and they did not list any needs that they did not receive.
5. "Where are you from?" in Creole translates to "you are a person where?"

I know not all of this seems big to everyone, but those are the things that stayed with me and made me think.

Closer to the Thanksgiving break, my friends and I gathered at Eliza's house near Smuggs for one last family feast before her parents moved out of the house we had grown to love visiting. It was a delicious night filled with every food you could imagine, yummy cider, and fun and games. Here's a photo of us all together:










A few days before we headed home for break, there was another fun activity a friend of mine put on in the 300s field: The Townhouse Turkey Toss. I went to watch, had a great time, and got some video:







And that's all for now, but check back soon!
-Christine

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Hunger, Homelessness, and Perspective

In honor of this week being Hunger and Homelessness week at SMC, I was inspired to write an article for the school paper, The Defender. I've been working with at-risk youth at the Spectrum Co-Op for about 2 months now, and I've loved every minute of it. A large part of Spectrum is working with homeless and at risk youth or youth in transition. Since working there I've really gained a different perspective on homelessness and its causes, which is a big reason I wrote the article. So, I'm bringing it to you here to read, but make sure you go to the Defender Online (link above) and check out the rest of the fabulous SMC publications.

“I’m 7 months pregnant and I haven’t eaten anything yet today”. Not exactly what you’d expect to hear from the mouth of a teenager at noon on a Wednesday. Two minutes and a few blocks later and it was “do you have a dollar I could borrow?” She was so nice, and I was nice back. I honestly didn’t think I had a dollar, but as I opened my wallet later to take out my debit card for an indulgence at Starbucks, I realized I had a few singles. In my defense, I forget I have cash at least once a week.

Still, I wrestled with the idea of going back and giving a dollar to her. But what would she use it for? Drugs? Alcohol? Or food, a bottle of water, a winter hat, or a bus ticket? Isn’t that the dilemma most people have when they get asked for money on the street? Are these homeless people really in need or are they simple messing up their own lives?

I’m guilty, too, of having stereotypical thoughts about homelessness, especially before my internship this year. But consider this situation: a married couple with two kids works jobs with hourly wages, and when one falls and is injured, the couple falls behind on their rent and eventually gets evicted. Homelessness and moving to a shelter is the only viable option. Or how about this: a young woman moves away to college, loses her part time job, and can no longer afford an apartment on top of school loans and living prices. She winds up in a shelter, living on meals from the food shelf. Not what you were thinking when I first mentioned homelessness?

I’m not trying to make anyone feel bad. Remember, I was stereotypical about homelessness once too. But for the last two months I’ve been working for Spectrum Youth and Family Services with at-risk youth. I’ve spent time in their shelter, I walk into the drop-in once a week, and I am constantly learning about the struggle of kids lucky enough to be in the system and not on the street. Recent years have seen an incredible increase in the number of children living with their families in shelters like COTS, or youth living in shelters like Spectrum. These are the lucky ones, who have warm place to stay and some food. Countless more survive on the streets of Burlington, and we can only hope they will take advantage of food shelves, health centers, and street outreach programs.

So what about the pregnant teenager? Is it her fault? I mean maybe. But maybe her parents also kicked her out into the cold Vermont winter without any family to turn to and nobody to help her through the pregnancy. I’m not asking anyone to make a dramatic life change and begin volunteering at the soup kitchen every night. I’m not asking you to never indulge in a cup of Starbucks, or to give all of your money away to charity donations or to people on the street. I’m simply asking for some perspective next time you see someone on Church Street who might be down on their luck. Just remember that homelessness isn’t always the result of alcoholism or drug addiction. If nothing else, perspective is the least we can give to these people.

If you’re interested in giving more, especially with the cold weather and the holidays approaching, visit the wish lists for COTS and Spectrum or donate your time, it won’t go unnoticed.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Is intro to Psychology a lecture course?

Yes, intro psych is one of the few big lecture courses at SMC. It is held in Cheray 101, the lecture hall, and our largest classroom on campus, which holds about 100 students.

However, while this is a lecture class (the only one for psychology), the class is broken into 4 sections and each section meets at its own time during the week for "discussion" with the professor as well, so students always get more individualized attention, despite the large class size.

Hope this helps :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Monday, November 8, 2010

What's up with the course levels? What are the differences between a 200 level course v. 400 level course?

A 200 level course is a lower level course, typically larger size, which often requires less work than a higher 300 or 400 level course does.

Almost all 100 level courses are basic intro courses with a lot of reading and usually exams. When you get into 200 and 300 level courses, you still read a lot but often write long papers instead of take written exams. 400 levels courses are almost all exclusive to seniors (for their capstone projects, final research, or senior seminar) and involve research and paper writing or an internship.

Hope this helps! :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

I lovermont in fall

So October is over and we've moved into the wet month that is November. Still, I wanted to touch back on my fun fall adventures with some photos and update on what's going on in my life and here at SMC.

First, some October photos of pumpkins, apples, cider, a 5K, and Halloween:



I've been home twice since I got back to SMC. The first was a while back for Columbus day weekend, and the second was 2 weekends ago when I returned for the Notre Dame vs. Navy game at the New Meadowlands Stadium, right near my house. I went with my family and my cousins and we had a great time, despite the ND loss.

Before that weekend home, the swim team had a Purple vs. Gold meet where we split the team up and competed against each other to see where we were at in terms of times and racing ability. The meet was fun, and this past weekend we had our first home meet/season opener against Colby Sawyer College. Both the men's and women's teams won by a considerable amount and we all raced so well. My favorite parts were definitely how many peoples came to watch (especially our families), how excited everyone was to race, and how much fun everyone was having. Eileen, our new coach, was definitely proud of us and we congratulated her on her first win as a head coach too.

I've also recently been accepted to go on a service trip in March over Spring Break. I will be going to NYC to work for an organization called Covenant House. They provide a lot of services, especially to homeless youth. It is similar to what I am doing at Spectrum now, but a lot is different too. I'm really excited for that, so look to hear more when it gets closer.

Things continue to be busy for me, but I'm trying to touch in here as much as possible, even if it's only with a formspring questions, so keep them coming!

I'll try to update soon on anything new and exciting at SMC, so check back!

-Christine

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Date Change: SMC at CWL TODAY (Thursday!)

Hey everyone!

St. Michael’s will be participating in the College Week Live’s Fall Online College Fair TODAY!. Two SMC students, along with Admissions Counselor Jeremy Brown, will be available during a live video chat to talk about St. Mike’s. You’ll be able to ask them questions throughout the chat! Register online here and be sure to tune in at 3pm EST, Thursday, November 4th (that's today!) and check it out!

Can’t make the live video chat? Don’t worry – you can log into college week live later on in the day and watch the recording. If you have a question you’d like SMC to answer LIVE, head over to the Class of 2015 Facebook Group page and ask us now!”

See you there!
-Christine

Sunday, October 31, 2010

What do you do with your academic advisor?

Your advisor is helpful for a lot of different things. The main reason everyone sees their advisor is for class selection. Our advisors are required to approve us before we register, so we all make appointments to meet with them before registration to talk about classes. They make sure we're not forgetting requirements or taking classes that won't help us later on.

You can also go to your advisor about choosing or changing a major, going abroad, graduate school, or any other academic related situation.

Of course, advisors are for more than just academics, and most students take at least one class with their advisor during their four years. They are available to talk about any issues you're having, internships, recommendations, and whatever else.

Monday, October 11, 2010

What are some psychology internships that have been available to students in the past?

I'm not too sure about what students have done outside of SMC during the summer. That question could be answered best by a professor in the psychology department. Check out Dave Landers' Blog and ask him!

If you're referring to Practicum, the course I'm in where we work a year long itnernship, I can tell you where a few of my classmates are. I'm at Spectrum Youth and Family Services, I have some friends at the Baird School, various Howard Center Houses, Women's Rape Crisis Center, and a theraputic groups center.

There are also many research opportunities during the year and during the summer here at SMC.

Hope this helps :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

What's up with P-Day?

P-Day is basically our FAVORITE day on campus. I stands for preparation day, and it's the Saturday before the last week of classes. The school brings in a huge food tent with tons of free food from all over Burlington, a bunch of blow up treats such as obstacle courses and slides, and the a few special things. Last year we had a foam pit and face painting, and in previous years we've had rock climbing and simulated sky diving.

Usually one of the weekends around P-Day, if not that weekend, we also have a huge concert, a comedian, and a talent show.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

I heard that Vermont is freezing year-round. How do students deal with the cold?

First of all, Vermont is NOT freezing year-round. I've lived here in all 4 seasons and they are just like most of New England, for the most part.

Yes, our winters are a bit colder, but it always depends on the year and month. February is usually the coldest, but two years ago we have record lows in January and last year February was abnormally warm. It also snowed last May. It's not cold all the time, just a bit unpredictable. And we grow to love it.

Besides acceptance, everyone here basically stocks up on hot chocolate mix and invests in a good winter coat and some warm snow boots. We can NOT wear Uggs year round (though some people try and end up with some ruined boots).

We love the cold and the snow, for the most part, otherwise we wouldn't be here. While I agree that snow in May is ridiculous, I also enjoy a good snowball fight, day on the slopes, and live-in igloo to which pizza can be dleivered (yes, it happened).

What do you want to know about SMC?

Friday, October 1, 2010

Are there any extracurricular programs or activities that are particularly relevant for psychology majors?

As far as a club anyone can join, Psych Club is it. We also have an honors society but students need to be invited to that. Psych Club meets during each semester to discuss event on campus (particularly for activities fairs and friday knight dry events)

However, I also think clubs like MOVE and Wilderness can influence the direction you take your psych major in. If you work with best buddies in MOVE, then maybe the special needs population would be good for you. If you run a lot of hikes for wilderness, maybe that would work into psychology somewhere. It's really about applying what you love to study to what you love to do.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Thursday, September 30, 2010

I heard there were a lot of service and wilderness program opportunities during breaks. Could you name some examples, and what else do students usually do?

There are a lot of chances to do something fun during school breaks.

Over columbus day break and winter break there are chances for activities with the wilderness program to whitewater raft, whitewayer kayak, and sea kayak. One year they even went to Ecuador for kayaking.

For winter break, February break, and spring break MOVE leads extended service trips to various locations across the country doing different service projects. After you've gone on a domestic trip, you have the chance to apply for a international trip in the summer. Historically there have been two of those: 10 days in the DR and 3 weeks in India.

Other than that, students go home and spend time with family, go on trips with their athletics teams (swimming goes to Puerto Rico in the winter and Baseball goes to Florida in the spring,) or go on vacations with their friends.

:]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

why do they call it allio and not alliot?

I think I answered this a few questions ago, but it's a matter of pronunciation. It's a French word, because the Edmundites are from France, and Alliot was someone's last name.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Who are your favorite professors?

I haven't had every professor, by any means, so it's hard to pick an overall favorite. I like each of them for different reasons. Some a amazing teachers, some are great for discussion based classes, and some are super helpful when it comes to things beyond the classroom. I LOVE the psych department, and have also enjoyed every interaction with the English department.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Where in the world...

Oh heyyyy.

So as suggested in the title of this post, you all might be wondering WHERE IS CHRISTINE? Seeing as I've been almost completely relying on my formspring questions (which I LOVE by the way, keep them coming) to keep my blog afloat, I felt you all deserved some explanation. In truth, in my real life too (as opposed to my online life) I'm almost always MIA. My friends just expect that I will sometimes be a treat to contact, and my housemates are used to me coming home and leaving minutes later. It's actually inspired me to consider being Carmen Sandiego for Halloween (my favorite holiday!) So, where have I been?

Townhouse 220: That's right, I'm a big bad senior now living in the 200's. They're the townhouse community near the back of campus, at the end of the line of suites. Pros: it's quieter, the people here are awesome, and we're SO close to Dunkin Donuts. Cons: it's "far" from class and the gym...aka 10 minutes and I'm lazy. But we've got new posters on the walls and it's starting to look like a real little home :]

St. Ed's, Jeanmarie, and Cheray: ok so I don't have any classes in Cheray Science hall (no surprise there) but I do go in to the computer lab there a lot to check my email and print. [sidenote, we've got cool new enviro friendly printers, still free, now color. AND we can copy for free too!]. I'm really loving my classes so far. I'm taking Adolescent Development, Epic and Heroic Tradition, Marketing, and Practicum for Psych (definitely more updates to come on this one). Now that I'm a senior, I'm 2 classes from completing my major and finished with my LSRs, so I can just take whatever I want. It sounds great, but it's actually pretty hard to choose classes I like that fit...and it's terrifying to think I'm running out of time to take them.

Hoehl Welcome Center: Founder's Society activities are back into full swing and the year is off to a great start for us. Tours are up and running, our newly renovated SMC blogs page is FULL of new bloggers (both students and faculty!) I'm heading a project to get a blog up and running with all of our athletic teams represented, so be on the look out for that in the next month (I'm really excited to get it started). We had our Welcome Back Bash last week, and got almost 90 people, half of whom were first year students! The new first years are so involved already, it's awesome.

The Gym: In case you haven't heard (or weren't keeping up with the SMC news) the swim team has a new head coach. Our coach Jim Donoghue retired this year, after a 16 year period of coaching and developing the swim program. I was the student rep on the search committee and while it was a learning experience, I'm glad it's over. It took a good amount of time, but we're finally welcoming Eileen Hall (one of our former assistant coaches) as our head coach. In fact, practice started today. Needless to say, it hurts me just to lift my fingers to the keys right now.

The Chapel: So we haven't spent too much time in the chapel, but I will be there at least once a week outside of mass time to meet with the LEAP retreat team, which I'm SO EXCITED to be a part of. After making my first LEAP last March, I knew it was something I wanted to stay involved with. I applied and got chosen to be a part of the support team for this November's LEAP. I can't wait to get started with all there is to do and to get pumped for the candidates to be chosen.

Other things:
I mentioned Practicum earlier, and I'll have a a lot more to say once I get further into my internship experience, but for now I'll let you all know I will be working with Spectrum youth and family services for this academic year and I couldn't be more excited.

Last Sunday I got up early and went with some other members of the Student Association (SA) to the Rockpoint School in Burlington. Rockpoint is an alternative school for kids from all over who, for one reason or another, aren't able to do well in their old school system. We didn't meet too many of the students but they seemed great. We were there to do some volunteer yard work, and we got right to it. I'm telling you, my mom wouldn't believe her eyes if she saw me weeding and digging up dead roots. We even took down an entire bush...and not a little one, a BIG one. It was tiring, but what made it so awesome was how excited and appreciative the people there were for what we were doing for them. I LOVED it.

A year ago today: I would have run 7 miles for marathon training, seen a Fiorentina soccer game, visited Pisa and the Cinque Terre, and walked in the Corre La Vita (a cancer walk in Florence). I actually like to be reminded of what I was doing this time last year in Italy. It's definitely sad, don't get me wrong. I've been itching to go back for months, if only for a sandwich. But I also think it's cool to look at myself then and see myself now and realize how much I've grown and changed. Ok that's enough nostalgia.

BY THE WAAAAAY. If you want to check out some of the places I've been around here, you need look no further than the new SMC Video Tour! Check it out, surreously. P.S. I'm in it...duh. AND it's interactive.

I think that's it for now. Like I said, my arms can only stay up near the keyboard for so long.

Things to look forward to: apple picking AND going to the cider mill, Columbus day weekend at home, the ND vs. NAVY game...yup, and lots of other fun fall treats. I'll be back soon.

-Christine

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

What's up with alumni weekend?

Alumni weekend is one of the best weekends at SMC! (I think so anyway). It was combined this year with New Student Family weekend, so there were a lot of people on campus both new to SMC and old pros.

There were a few games to watch, such as soccer and rugby, and both parents and alumni had the opportunity to attend classes with either their children or some of their favorite professors. There are a handful of other activities that happened as well, such as a pannel about how you can continue to volunteer after college.

Basically it's a great chance for alumni to return to SMC, see some of their old friends who they graduated with, and visit with the current students they might know. I loved seeing some of my old friends, especially the SMC Swimming and Diving Alumni.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Monday, September 20, 2010

I read that you're a psychology major. I was looking at the requirements and saw that there are two Research Methods courses. Although I understand how these courses are integral to the major, they just sound really boring. What was your experience?

I'm not sure what 2 courses you are talking about, but Research Methods is a required course to take almost every 300 level class, and many 200 level classes as well.

It's actually a really interesting course, and it would be hard to continue to do anything in other classes (especially write psychology papers) without it.

We spent the semester learning about the different kinds and methods of research, and creating and implemeting our own research project, which we presented at the conclusion of the semester.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Sunday, September 19, 2010

why smc?

Oh wow, big question.

Well, to tell the truth SMC wasn't always my first choice. I applied Early Decision (binding) to another school, but was pushed to the regular applicant pool and then wait listed. It was during this time that I started to look at the other schools I had been accepted to, just in case I never made it off the wait list.

During this entire experience, and since I had met with my SMC admission counselor at my high school and visited later that year, I had gotten a ton of mail from here. I got phone calls and emails from the swim team and coach, viewbooks and information on the psychology program, and even a birthday card. I started to feel like while I was looking one way, asking the other school to "pick me," SMC was looking at me and saying "pick us."

Ultimately it was how much SMC made me feel like I was welcome and wanted here that led me to resign from the wait list at my other school and send in my deposit for SMC.

best. decision. ever. obviously.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Is there anything you wish you knew as a freshman?

I wish I knew how quickly these years were going to go. I don't think knowing everything that was going to happen would have been good, but looking back I don't have regrets, I just wish I had 4 more years to spend here. SMC, and college, really is the best time ever.

What do you want to know about SMC?

What's the most interesting course you've taken?

This is a tough one.

I loved my first year seminar, Looking at Art. It wasn't my first choice and it sounds boring so I was nervous about it, but we ended up learning about all kinds of cool art. We talked about the art around campus, went downtown to the South End Art Hop, and my final paper was about the inner and deeper meaning of a pair of my slippers, so it was really cool.

I also loved sports psychology and biology of exercise. Both of those were cool because I'm an athlete so I was able to apply them to things I was experiencing or actually knew about.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Monday, September 13, 2010

You were talking about parietals which dictate when girls and guys need to be out of eachother's rooms. What are these regulations exactly? Is it possible to sleep over in the dorm of the opposite sex?

The parietals are 1am on weeknights and 2am on weekend nights. All dorms are co-ed, so you'll always have people of both sexes there. However, male guests must be registered with a male, and females with a female. We're all adults here, and the RAs are not going to come around and check your room to see if your friend of the opposite sex is sleeping on your futon or something, but you DO have to make sure it's ok with your roommate first, that's very important.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

A Quick Catch-Up

Hello friends,

I'm running around here on SMC campus like a chicken without a head lately, but I wanted to check in with you and provide a fun slideshow of some photos from Orientation 2010 activities with the O-Leaders and my O-Group. Enjoy and I hope to be back in full swing soon!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

is the training trip for swimming mandatory? what if i have prior family commitments during that time?

It's not mandatory but we really do try to get everyone to come. If not, there are still workout requirements to make sure you stay in shape, and that's a bit harder to do on your own. You'll also need to be back on campus early with us regardless of whether or not you come to Puerto Rico.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Monday, August 30, 2010

I swam in highschool and loved it, but Im concerned about my level compared to the college level, & I haven't been in the pool in a while, is it common for someone who may not be amazing to swim on the team? and does anyone ever join up their 2nd year?

We've have a few people join late or come in as transfers. It's not uncommon for someone who hasn't swam too completitively to try for the team. We're the type of team that doesn't necessarily cut people. That said, most people that would get cut if we did that just don't stick around very long because of how challenging the workouts/scheduling can be.

What do you want to know about SMC?

how's the food?

I think the food is pretty good. There are always those days where I can't find anything I want to eat, but then you just have to get creative (I go with the English Muffin Pizza or a fancy salad). There's almost always something for everyone, and tons of ways to add flavors to things.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Is the homework overwhelming?

I don't think the work is overwhelming, but you do need very good time management skills. Most students here participate in another activity outside of the classroom, so you need to know how to balance that time in.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Are there little lounges in the dorms? Thanks :)

First off, to people who have sent me questions I haven't answered, I'm getting to them. As an orientation leader, I'm running around like a crazy person right now, so I'm only popping in to the questions that are quick. I'll get to you, don't worry!

And yes, there are 3 lounges in each dorm building, one with a TV and one with a printer too!

What do you want to know about SMC?

how do people get from the showers to their room? do they wear robes or just wrap a towel around them? that seems like it would be very cold to do that. also, when showering is there somewhere to put your towel so it doesnt get wet?

Some people walk through the halls with a towel on. I was always one of those people that got changed into a towel in the bathroom. It's your choise, whatever you're more comfortable with. Most RAs will put up some sort of hooks for your towels, or some will already be there. Tip? I unhook one of the middle rings of the shower curtain and hang mine there.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Christine, I'm not bringing a printer up to SMC, but would you mind telling me some places where we can access printers on campus? Thanks =)

There are s TON of places to print. There are at least 4 printers in the academic buldings, another 2 in the library, and one in each dorm building in the quad too. They're actually all brand new, as part of our sustainability efforts, too!

What do you want to know about SMC?

Monday, August 23, 2010

i didn't get my laptop from the school yet. it seems like i might not have it until classes start at earliest. did this happen to anyone you know when you were a freshman?? will i absolutely need it right away for classes?

I got my laptop in time, so I can't help you there. But, not too many people take notes here with computers, so you won't need to bring it to class. You'll just have to make sure you're checking your email and assignments at one of the other computers on campus.

What do you want to know about SMC?

if you bring a TV, how does the cable work?? do you have to pay for it or is cable free??

It's free of course! You just plug your cable cord into the wall!

What do you want to know about SMC?

What's your favorite Alliot meal and Dessert? And what's the craziest thing you've ever seen happen there?

My favorite thing is Alliot is definitely the perogies. They always seem to have them at the perfect time, and I could eat them all day. And my favorite dessert, aside from birthday cake, is PB suprise, which my friends and I make. Take sof serve in a cup, add a little milk, scoop of peanut butter, and stir.

As far as crazy things, the cup drop is the funniest. The rule is, if someone drops a cup, everyone is supposed to chug their drink and drop theres too. It gets pretty loud and it's a funny way to make the person who dropped the cup feel better.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Saturday, August 21, 2010

what type of ceilings do the dorms have?

Regular ones? Haha I'm not sure what you mean. They're normal ceilings with pannels.

What do you want to know about SMC?

What about security of laptops, mp3 player,etc. left in the dorm room? Does the desk have a lock? Do I need a foot locker or dorm safe that can be locked? The Knightcard is used to get into the dorm? A key is used for the dorm room, right? Thanks.

The dorm rooms are locked unless you choose to unlock them. Nobody is really too concerned about locking things up in a safe...I've never seen one. Some people do have laptop locks that they bring if they want, so you could do that. The rooms have keys, the buildings have cards, yes.

What do you want to know about SMC?

how has been your expirience in the swimming team?

My experience has been great! I'm a team captain this year and I'm so excited for the year to start. We have a great team shaping up so we're hoping for a great year.

What do you want to know about SMC?

What is something you dont like about smc, aside from the weather

I don't know if I ever said I didn't like the weather, but I do mostly hahaha. I don't like how far SMC is from home, now that I've been spendng so much time in VT after Italy, I have missed home quite a bit.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Thursday, August 19, 2010

what is orientation like? i'm not really a crazed school spirit, orientation kind of a person, so i'm a little nervous

don't be! Yes, it gets a little loud and crazy at times, but a lot of us is o-leaders being silly so that you all feel comfortable, whether you're school spirit crazy or more reserved. Honestly, for a lot of my orientation I thought "what are these people doing". You'll have a great time, just try and go to as many activities as you can, you'll be glad you did!

What do you want to know about SMC?

I have questions : 1. On the weekend do most students stay on campus or do they go home? 2. What are the dorm regulations?

Students definitely don't go home on the weekends. Our students are 80% out of state, so it'd be a little much to go home all the time. There's so much to do on campus and in town every weekend, it doesn't make sense to go home for anything other than school breaks.

With regards to dorm regulations, that's a pretty broad question. We have parietals here, which dictate when guys and girls need to be out of each other's rooms. We also have regulations for guests. Guests need to be registered with someone of the same gender, for example, and it's always the best idea to register your guests.

What do you want to know about SMC?

I have questions : 1. On the weekend do most students stay on campus or do they go home? 2. What are the dorm regulations?

Students definitely don't go home on the weekends. Our students are 80% out of state, so it'd be a little much to go home all the time. There's so much to do on campus and in town every weekend, it doesn't make sense to go home for anything other than school breaks.

With regards to dorm regulations, that's a pretty broad question. We have parietals here, which dictate when guys and girls need to be out of each other's rooms. We also have regulations for guests. Guests need to be registered with someone of the same gender, for example, and it's always the best idea to register your guests.

What do you want to know about SMC?

I saw that we get a break on October 12-13...does that mean we still have swim practices? i was planning to go home during that time.

We usually get that Monday off (11th) and classes start Wednesday (13th) so we need to be back Tuesday (12, when everyone comes back anyway) for practice.

What do you want to know about SMC?

what do you recommend for laundry? a pop-up hamper? one of those cloth bags? a plastic hamper? im not sure what would be best

I use the cloth bag because it takes up less space and is easier to shove under the bed and pack up later, but anything you prefer works. The cloth bag is easier to carry down to the laundry room and to wash too, but I've ripped mine a few times so always bring an extra!

What do you want to know about SMC?

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

do classes ever run late? i have like ten minutes in between 2 of my classes and was wondering if that would be enough time. what would happen if the first class ran late?

Don't worry, almost all classes have that 10 minute break in between them. It's plenty of time to get from one class to the next (it takes maybe 2 minutes to get from any classroom to another). A class mgith run a minute or 2 over, but nothing major, no worries.

What do you want to know about SMC?

What is something that most students complain about SMC? Or something that you complain about SMC?

A lot of students complain about the cold and snow after a while. I definitely don't like being cold, so you can always here me saying something about a really cold day. We're really excited for the first snow, and we love getting out in the snow all winter, but it is a long winter so you've got to prepare for quite a bit of cold weather and snow. But, if we didn't love it we wouldn't stay :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

What is your favorite place/part of the library when you're doing homework?

It depends on what I'm working on. To sit with my friends, we like a table upstairs or a personal study room in the basement. When I'm reading, I like the Dailey room on the 3rd floor (though sometimes I can't stay awake in there). For papers and other projects I sometimes migrate to the basement to my own study room where I can't be distracted.

What do you want to know about SMC?

I have questions : 1. On the weekend do most students stay on campus or do they go home? 2. What are the dorm regulations?

Students definitely don't go home on the weekends. Our students are 80% out of state, so it'd be a little much to go home all the time. There's so much to do on campus and in town every weekend, it doesn't make sense to go home for anything other than school breaks.

With regards to dorm regulations, that's a pretty broad question. We have parietals here, which dictate when guys and girls need to be out of each other's rooms. We also have regulations for guests. Guests need to be registered with someone of the same gender, for example, and it's always the best idea to register your guests.

What do you want to know about SMC?

If I wanted to join the Wilderness Program and there was an activity that I was really scared to do how would that be handled?

To be a part of the Wilderness Program, you don't need to do every activity. Some of the leaders I know haven't done everything. Since the program doesn't necessarily have just "members" and there are also people who just do a few activities, don't worry about it!

What do you want to know about SMC?

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Christine, would you be able to tell me if the post office at SMC is open yet and if were allowed to have things shipped there, so we can pick them up the day of move in? Thanks (=

I'm not sure about shipping, since you don't have your mailbox keys yet (but maybe you do have your number?) They're open, I know that. Give them a call on Monday after 9.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Friday, August 13, 2010

Hey christine, I was planning on joining the swimming team and i just wanted to know if we have to try out, and when does practice start?

There's no try outs for swimming. For the most part, anyone who is really commited will stick around and do well. We're going to have a meeting in the first few weeks of September to organize everything and such, so make sure either coach or I have your email address for that message. Then practice will probably start the last week of September, but we'll be in before that with captains practices and waterpolo and lifting and such.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Thursday, August 12, 2010

should i bring my boardgames and things like that wiht me?

definitely! apples to apples and bananagrams are HUGE here. and anything else fun :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

do people bring their laptops to class?

generally our students just don't really bring laptops to take notes. We're not sure why, but it might have a lot to do with the fact that many classes are largly discussion based, so powerpoints, lectures, and hard-core note taking aren't happening in every class.

However, professors do allow laptop use so if you prefer digital note to pen and paper copies you'll be ok.

What do you want to know about SMC?

going off of the purse question down there...do you just carry the wallet in your hand all the time? i feel like i would lose it

I throw it in my bag when I go to class, or my northface pocket once it gets cold. I'm not likely to lose mine when it has my keys, phone, knightcard, and money.

What do you want to know about SMC?

how do intermural sports work? can anyone play? do you need any prior experience? how do you form teams? etc...

Intermural sports are the best way to get involved in sports without a lot of commitment but still a lot of fun. Anyone can play, you just get a team together, fill out a roster, and then you get put into the schedule for that sport. You don't need to have every played before, as long as you can follow the rules (not too many people have experience with floor hockey before SMC hahaha).

What do you want to know about SMC?

if i dont like carrying a purse so how do you recommend carrying keys and knightcard?

almost nobody carries a purse around here, so you're not alone. Most of us carry our keys on a Vera Bradley wallet. I have the bigger one that is a full wallet, but I used to have the little one that is just enough space for some cash and a phone with your keys attached. Each has a see through front pocket for your knightcard. AND you can get them at the bookstore.

Hope this helps :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

do the showers provide adequate privacy?

of course! The showers are just like any other shower with a personal stall and shower curtain.

What do you want to know about SMC?

The Cutest

Hey all,
Just popping in quickly to share a video I saw today. The Church Street Marketplace had a video contest, and this is the winner. It's so cute!




Laterrrr :]
-Christine

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Technical Difficulties

Hey all. I'm not sure what's going on but none of my formspring answers are showing up here with the questions. I'm working on fixing it. Meanwhile, you can check my formspring profile for all of the answers I'm giving: http://www.formspring.me/camoresano

my housing info described that i was in a triple with 2 conjoined rooms and a private bathroom. how big are the rooms and how are they laid out?? i would just like to have an idea of the size and how people arranged things in the past.

Monday, August 9, 2010

i really dont know how many clothes to bring and how much to leave at home. any suggestions? also, im not from the north so i dont know how to dress in the winter. what types of shoes do you wear besides snow boots?

do we bring our own soap for laundry or do they have all that stuff already there?

Working on my budget. What does it cost to use the washers and dryers (I know that my Knightcard is used)? Thanks.

It's $1.25 each. Not bad. And yes, you use your Knightcard (so no annoying quarters)

What do you want to know about SMC?

Can you please re-post your response to the question about storage units for the dorm rooms? Thanks.

here's the link: http://christine.smcbloggers.com/2010/07/what-types-of-storage-units-do-you.html

What do you want to know about SMC?

how many towels do you recommend bringing? and what kind of school supplies too? do we need binders/notebooks etc...

I always have at least 3 bath towels with me. That way, if one is in the laundry and you're using one, you have an extra just in case.

School supplies really depend on you and your classes. Some classes are a lot of handouts, and you might want to have a binder so you can have the handouts and notes in one place, but some classes just a notebook is fine. I'd say bring a few of each so you'll be ready for anything. You can always buy more.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Monday, August 2, 2010

Burlington, Vermont. What else could you need?

Hey all!

So to ring in August (it's August?) my family made the 5 hour trek from New Jersey to visit me. It was gorgeous weather and we had a lot of fun just catching up, eating, and partaking in all that Burlington and the area has to offer. So, I thought, what a great time for a little post about Burlington, ESPECIALLY for all of you coming up to visit this summer, or looking forward to move in day, just a few weeks away.

We started out our weekend on Friday afternoon, with a stop downtown to church street to browse the sidewalk sale. While we were there, we got a little hungry (after all, none of us really had lunch). My parents stopped at one of the outdoor stands near the top of church street for dumplings, but I knew just what I wanted for a snack. I dragged my brother and sister through the crowds to The Skinny Pancake's outdoor cart, where we indulged in a lumberjack and a heartbreaker (nutella. strawberries. can we go wrong?).

After that, we picked up Erick and headed over to the Magic Hat Artifactory. While you might not think so, the brewery is open to all ages, since there is a free tour of the process and a lot of fun swag to buy. And of course, for those of us 21 and older, free samples and a chance to bring home some growlers (a gallon of beer).

We returned back to Burlington for a scrumptious dinner at American Flatbread. They've got flatbread pizza that's to die for (as well as their own brewery, so I continued to have my parents try delicious beer). We got 3 flatbreads, with everything from sausage and organic pepperoni to peppers, caramelized onions, and sun dried tomatoes, and housed them all.

After work the next morning, we traveled down to Stowe for, what else, a tour at the Ben and Jerry's factory. We left after a fun tour and a taste of a delicious new flavor, chocowlate chip. We headed from there to the Cabot Cheese outlet store (we wouldn't have made it to the factory tour before close) and tried tons of cheeses and other treats before choosing some to take home.

For the ride back, we decided to go the long way through the notch road instead of taking the interstate back. We're long-time lovers of Smuggler's Notch (the same place where all SMC students get a $30 season pass) and wanted to swing by and see what was up. The Notch Road winds through the mountain from one side to the other, and it's so curvy that it's closed every winter.

We returned to church street and had an amazing dinner at Leunig's Bistro, one of the restaurants in Burlington that is definitely better for me to go to when my parents are paying. We had a cheese plate and some sweet potato fries as a started, and then I stuffed myself with Cavatappi Carbonara, my favorite Leunig's dish, complete with chicken and sun dried tomatoes.

After Leunig's, the family went back to the hotel and I spent the night out with some friends for one person's birthday. We met back up with my family in the morning for breakfast at Henry's Diner, a classic, delicious diner right off of church street. Once we were all satisfactorily full, my family headed back home.

Yes, it was a short visit, but not to worry, Erick and I are going down to NJ next weekend for the Yankees vs. Sox game, and to spend his dad's birthday in CT at his beach house. It should be a fun time.

Things I still want to do this summer? Pick blueberries at Sam Mazza's and try a chocolate milkshake from Lake Champlain Chocolates.

So that's it for me right now. Check back soon and keep up the great formspring questions, I love answering them!

-Christine

Sunday, August 1, 2010

it seems like some people have gotten their 1st semester course schedules, i didn't get to go to a registration day so i had previously sent in my course selection through the mail, i haven't received a schedule yet so i was wondering when i will get that

Since you sent your classes in before everyone else I'm pretty confident that you have already received your class schedule. Have you checked your SMC email? If there's nothing there, try checking your schedule on knightvision. If it's all set, it'll be up there.

What do you want to know about SMC?

I'm really interested in trying out for the swim team or training with the team since I do not have much experience. is that possible?

It's possible. Some people start swimming without a lot of experience and end up sticking it out, and some don't. You wouldn't be able to just train with us without actually being on the team, but if you want to give it a shot you are always welcome.

What do you want to know about SMC?

is it possible to not have textbooks for a class? i looked on the bookstore website and two of my classes aren't listed. Does that mean I don't need a textbook for those classes?

It's possible, but some classes may just not be listed. I'd suggest shooting an email over to your professor to double check.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Friday, July 30, 2010

can you do a post on some of the tips new students learned on the POW trips for those of us who couldn't attend? thanks!

A lot of the tips and advice that comes from POW depends on the person who is talking about each subject. I would give different advice than another student on the same topic.

There are 6 different talk topics on POW: Adjusting, Belonging, Drugs/Alcohol, Relationships, Academics, and Spirituality.

The student leader who talks about each topic relays his or her experience to the first-year students in a way that helps to give a little advice and to make the students feel more comfortable.

A lot of what it said is that you will all do fine and have a great year, as long as you are careful to hold to what you believe in and never do anything that makes you uncomfortable. You will find friends and find your place, and there's so much support here from professors, coaches, and friends, that the academic section is all about how much work you put into it.

I know this was a little vague, but every POW is different. If you have any specific questions, or are worried about something in particular, let me know!

:]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Christine, this is probably a very weird question, but I've never had to room with someone before and I'm a bit worried about changing clothes in front of a roommate. Is it okay to change in the bathroom until your comfortable with the person? Thanks!

It's totally fine if you're not comfortable changing around someone you barely know! It's your room and you should be comfortable in it. Nobody is going to judge you for going to the bathroom to change, I know a lot of people who did that our freshman year. No worries!

What do you want to know about SMC?

my boyfriend won't be attending saint michael's next year but wants to come visit me. what is their policy with people in the dorm rooms?

Our policy with guests is that they need to be registered by someone of the same gender. Technically, this means they shouldn't be staying in your room either. However, we are adults and the college treats us that way. The most important thing is to talk everything over with your roommate to make sure she is comfortable with having a guest in your room, since it is her space too.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

what types of storage units do you think are the best to get for the dorm room? also can you name some tips for organization and time management? thanks :]

You've asked the right girl! I'm crazy organized and LOVE things I can buy to hold my stuff hahaha.

In terms of storage containers, there are A LOT of options, as I'm sure you already know. In my freshman year I had an under-the-bed box with wheels that slid under my bed and was great for little things like extra toiletries, items I didn't need all the time, and random things.

I also have some little colored square containers and use them for socks, leggings, belts, dishes, whatever. In my closet, I have hanging shelves for my clothes and my shoes, which take up very little space and create so much more room for my clothes (I have A LOT of stuff and hangers/dressers aren't enough for me hahaha)

After freshman year I did away with the under-the-bed-box and got a new storage container that is two pulled out drawers stacked on top of each other with a table top surface, so it's like another dresser almost.

I got most of my stuff at IKEA and Bed Bath and Beyond, so those are great places to look.

To stay organized, just try to make sure you always put things away when you're done with them, so your stuff doesn't pile up. I do a clean sweep of my room every Sunday, because I tend to be out of my room a lot on weekends and it gets a little messy.

Buy a planner from staples or some other office store and use it to keep track of your assignments, meetings, practices, etc. It's the best way to have your whole schedule portable and in one place.

Time management is all about knowing how much you can handle in a day. Don't take on too much at first, ease yourself into first semester because it's a lot of new stuff at once. You'll do fine! Let me know if you have more questions!

Hope this helps :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Would you recommend a bean bag chair, or something similar, for the dorm room?

In mt freshman year I had one of those huge bowl chairs and everyone loved to sit in it. If you think you'll have a lot of movie nights or people visiting your room a bunch, a comfy chair is always a good idea. Bean bag might not be the best though, because you can't fold it up when you don't want it.

What do you want to know about SMC?

How do I go about getting the ISBN numbers, publishers, etc of the books I am going to need to get for my classes? I would like to buy them used, but I can't figure out what books I need.

Go to the bookstore website:

http://www.smcvt.edu/bookstore/default.asp and click the option for the booklist

(enter your mikenet username and password to get access).

There you can find the lists for all of the classes this semester and the books. Just find your classes and you're set.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Monday, July 19, 2010

Where did July go?

Hey all,

Ok so it's only mid July, but it seems since I've had so many formspring questions lately, I haven't actually written any original posts. So, let's update on what I've been doing shall we?

July 4th was really fun here in Burlington. My friends and I spent the entire weekend together eating a lot of treats, swimming, going to the beach, and being outside. The weather was perfect all weekend. We also all went to the fireworks down by the waterfront. It was super crowded but we snuck ourselves onto the rocks on the shore just before the show began, and it was so good!

I also went strawberry picking a few weeks ago, right before the picking season ended. I came home with 2 pints of strawberries, and so did my roommate, so our fridge was pretty full. I'm looking to go back out and pick again now that it's blueberry season, and I LOVE blueberries.

Last weekend I had the most amazing time taking part in a POW program for SMC. POW stands for Pre-Orientation Weekend, and it's a chance for the incoming class of 2014 to make some new friends in the upper classes as well as their own. It's one of a few programs SMC offers for incoming first-year students. I was able to be part of the talk team, giving a talk on relationships and college. The students were amazing and I'm not sure who is more excited for orientation in the fall, us or them.

This past weekend was pretty quiet for me, since many of my friends were away on another POW or on vacations. However, it wasn't quite as quiet for Burlington. The Vermont Brewers Association hosted the Brew Festival down at the waterfront this weekend and, since I'm now 21, I got a ticket and went with a friend. It was a really fun ways to have little samples of some beers I've never tried before. AND my friend and I were able to attend a beer and chocolate pairing, which was surprisingly delicious.

I've loaded up on brochures and am preparing to write a post about what you can do when you come to visit Burlington, especially in the summer, so anyone looking to come up for a visit to SMC should look out for that soon!

I'll leave you all with some photos from my recent escapades and, as always, if you have questions you can leave them here, facebook, my email (camoresano@smcvt.edu) or anonymously on my formspring page.



Peace,
-Christine

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

If you could go back in time and tell yourself once thing about college life as you entered your freshman year, what would it be?

Wow, this is a tough one for me (and probably for everyone). Going into Senior year, I've learned so much about myself and the world around me that it's hard to decide if I would have wanted to know anything in advance.

I will say (even though this is something I learned abroad) I would have liked to be told that it's a big world out there. I think a lot of little things that stressed me out would have been a lot less imprtant to me if I had known how many other things there were in the world that are more important.

Of course, hindsight is 20/20 so we live and learn. :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

We just received the info on the linen program today. The price seems very good. We wondered about the quality of the products. Do most students use the program? Thanks.

To tell you the truth, I had to look up the linen program when I read this question, because I had never heard of it. As far as I know, nobody I knew used the program, but I'm not sure how new it is. So, unfortunately I can't comment on the quality of any of the products. I will say though, that if it's something that will make your transition easier then go for it, but just know that it's easy to find inexpensive bedding all over.

My suggestion would be to hit up Bed, Bath, and Beyond and get a "bed in a bag" which comes with sheets, a comforter, and pillow cases (maybe a pillow but I'm not sure). Then grab some pillows, an extra set of sheets (always good to have 2 sets), and some egg crate padding (or a memory foam pad, I got mine at J.C. Pennys for under $100). You should be all set after that.

Hope this helps :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

I loved following your blog while you were abroad! what was it like to go to italy with so few people from smc? (I'm going to be a sophomore and I still creep your blog hahaha)

So many props for the blog lately, I love it!

It really wasn't bad going abroad without a ton of SMC people. The point of the experience is to make new friends and break out of your comfort zone, and that's what I did. My 3 SMC friends in the program lived in different apartments, so we saw each other in class, walking the streets, and out at dinners and parties.

I became so close with my roommates and two other friends that they were like my SMC family away from home. We did all of our traveling together, ate meals together, and explored the city together. It's a lot nicer to come back with a close bunch of new friends than to only have the people you went over with. Of course I missed my people back here, but it was a lovely reunion when I returned.

:]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Monday, June 28, 2010

Hi Christine!! While I'm so excited to go to SMC this fall, I'm a little nervous about move in day. Could you tell me a little bit on how it works? Thank you!!

When you get there in the morning for move in, I can guarantee you that you won't be nervous anymore. As you pull in, there's going to be a ton of students running around, waving signs, yelling, and blowing whistles. You'll get an orientation packet and then it'll be off to the quad to start unpacking all of your stuff.

BUT you won't have to do much unpacking on your own, because there will be even more students there running around and pulling things out of cars to move everyone in (leave the fridge for a strapping young man to carry). You'll get some time to settle in and unpack and then you'll have a fun filled weekend to meet new friends and get used to SMC before everyone else moves in. PLUS, I'll be there! Haha but in all seriousness, no need to be nervous, you're going to have a great time!

Let me know if there's anything else :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Christine, could you tell some of the different food station offered in Alliot? I'm a bit of a picky eater. Thank you and your blog is awesome :)

Always love to hear the blog has supporters! Now about Alliot (one of my favorite places on campus for a variety of reasons)

For breakfast you can get cereal, made to order eggs, a bagel, toast, muffin, fruit, all that good stuff.

For lunch we've got a salad station with a different salad every day, and that's also at dinner too. There is a deli station that has every type of deli meat and cheese plus lettuce, tomato, chips, pasta salad, etc. At lunch there is also a wrap station serving a different wrap every day. Next we have two entres, one of which is always vegetarian. The grill serves grilled cheese, burgers, and fries every day, and also has a special every day like a bacon burger or a philly cheese steak. The pizza station also has plain and pepperoni pizza every day and some kind of special pizza as well (pizza bagels and calzones are most popular, and they also have French onion soup and gravy fries sometimes). Last but not least we have the chef's corner, where the meal of the day is made however you want it (which means with or without sauce, veggies, etc).

At dinner time, the deli station changes to a vegan entre, and the wrap station becomes a pasta station, which normally has 2 or 3 different sauces and sometimes extras like chicken or eggplant parm.

For both lunch and dinner you can also always get cereal, one of two daily soups, another selection of salad bar items, and of course peanut butter and jelly. There's also a whole table of desserts every day, as well as fruits.

The best meal at Alliot, however, is definitely brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings/afternoons. We have a waffle maker, home fries, sausage/bacon, and pancakes/french toast.

Alliot will also frequently have guest chefs come in and make a special dish or dessert (bananas foster is my favorite) or have theme nights like western theme or italy theme, to name a few.

Long story short, even the pickiest of eaters (my friend Matt only eats things that are white colored or super plain for the most part) can find something every day. Sometimes it takes a little creativity, but I'm pretty confident that you'll be able to find a good bunch of things you really enjoy and do fine in Alliot.

Hope this helps :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Sunday, June 27, 2010

I know you already answered a question about the mac / pc deal but I havent actually purchased mine yet so do you think i sould stray away from the mac computers and get a pc??

I'm going to say get whatever you want. If you're really interested in getting a mac, go for it (some days I wish I had one), but if you're comfortable with a PC and want to stick with it, then do that.

As far as I've heard, macs don't have any trouble at SMC, as long as you get Microsoft office on it so you can use word/powerpoint/etc. Don't be swayed by the deal with HP either, if you do decide on a PC but you don't want HP, that's ok too. I sometimes find myself wishing that I got a different computer than I did, do just get whatever you want!

What do you want to know about SMC?

Friday, June 25, 2010

Hey! I'm wondering about how much per semester is the average amount students spend on books? I know it varies but a general estimate would be really useful, thanks!

So you're right, it does vary A LOT depending on how many classes you take, where you buy your books, and what kind of classes you take. I'd say to be safe you should be prepared to spend between $300 and $500 but again it really does depend on a lot.

If you buy your books used from places like amazon they will much cheeper than if you buy them new from the book store. If you're taking english classes where you need a few small paperbacks at $15 each, you'll pay less than you would if you were taking bio and chem which each have a text book around $150. But I'd say a max amount would be $500 (I paid that once) but it could be as low as $200 or $300.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Christine, I've heard that there is a parents/ family day for freshman parents. Could you tell me a little more about it and when it usually happens? Thanks so much!

New student family day is Saturday September 18th this year, so parents are welcome for the whole weekend.

Since it's still nice weather, it should be a great opportunity to go downtown for some food and to hang out, and there will most definitely be things going on here on campus as well. I'm not sure just what there will be, but my guess is a rugby or soccer game at least, and probably some a'capella music too.

There's also another family weekend in the spring semester for all families, and that usually has more music and sports as well as honors society inductions and research presentations.

Hope this helps! :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

would you suggest buying a printer and bringing it to school, or is there enough printing facilities on campus?

It really depends on what type of person you are. I'm the type to print out a lot of stuff all the time, and I want a printer in my room so I can have my readings for class, study guides, and finished papers all printed before classes.

However, if you don't want the hassle, a majority of students don't have printers here anymore. Printing on campus is free, and as long as you don't need anything in color, you'll be all set using the printers in the library or academic building computer labs. And we have print services on campus if you needed to print a color presentation or anything else in color.

What do you want to know about SMC?

If you didn't get into the WOW or POW that you wanted, do you have to sign up for a different registration day? If so, how do you do it?

If you've found out that the POW or WOW you put as your first choice is not the one you are actually going on, the registration date you are signed up for is the one that coincides with the POW or WOW you are actually going on (registering for the program includes a registration day).

If you're still nervous and want to double check, give a call to Megan Ohler at 802 654 2248 and ask her.

What do you want to know about SMC?

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

The Calculus Readiness Test

Hey everyone!

Interested in math/calculus? Read on for important information!

If you are NOT planning to take a Calculus course during your undergraduate study at Saint Michael’s, we will miss seeing you there, but you may safely skip the rest of this post.

If you ARE planning to take an introductory Calculus course at some point during your time at Saint Michael’s, you will need to take an online Calculus readiness test this summer, before you register for courses for the fall semester. The test will provide feedback to you and your advisor about your preparation for introductory Calculus.

The test will take about an hour to complete, and you should set aside enough time to finish this in one session. More information and a link to this test can be found at http://www.smcvt.edu/academics/mathematics/readiness/. Please read the information posted there, and when you are ready to take the test, follow the link.

If you have any questions about the readiness test or mathematics at Saint Michael’s, then please feel free to contact professor George Ashline or another member of the Mathematics Department.

George Ashline
802-654-2434; calculusreadiness@smcvt.edu
Chair, Department of Mathematics
Saint Michael’s College

good luck!
-Christine

What do you think seperates SMC from other colleges?

I know that every college wants to play up its students, community, activities, and location, but I really do think that the combination of those things here at SMC really set it apart.

There are amazing students here that care about each other, the college, and learning. There are well over 50 different activities to participate in and both varsity and intramural sports as well. Students here are so close, and it's not uncommon to see a senior giving a ride to a first year he met in his philosophy class, that's just how we are.

Our location in Burlington also really sets us apart from a lot of schools that may seem similar to us. We're 15 minutes from downtown, and that means just a short bus ride to all of the shopping, relaxing, and eating that we could need. Burlington has a great food/drink scene as well as spectacular cultural options from jazz music to Romeo and Juliet at the theater.

SMC is just a happy and fun place to be, and you should definitely stop by for a visit to see for yourself!

What do you want to know about SMC?

What is your favorite thing about SMC?

My favorite thing about being here at SMC is hands down the people. I'm one of those people that likes to know as many people as possible, and that's something I can try and do here, with great benefits.

Students here have friends in every grade level, someone to say hi to between classes, and never a shortage of people to sit with at lunch. It's the students that make SMC the great place that it is, and I'm happy to be one of them

What do you want to know about SMC?

whats the name and author of the freshman summer reading book?

The book is "Field Notes from a Catastrophe" by Elizabeth Kolbert. It's on a pretty controversial topic and so SMC hopes it will inspire a lot of good conversation. It'll cost about $15 for a paperback copy.

Over the summer 3 professors will post their responses to the book at http://academics.smcvt.edu/KolbertReports

More info can be found on page 13 of your New Student Guide

What do you want to know about SMC?

whats the name and author of the freshman summer reading book?

The book is "Field Notes from a Catastrophe" by Elizabeth Kolbert. It's on a pretty controversial topic and so SMC hopes it will inspire a lot of good conversation. It'll cost about $15 for a paperback copy.

Over the summer 3 professors will post their responses to the book at http://academics.smcvt.edu/KolbertReports

More info can be found on page 13 of your New Student Manuel

What do you want to know about SMC?

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Why are the assistant directors of admissions so awesome?

Well I'm not sure which of our humble directors asked this question, but I will say that the people working in the admissions department really ARE awesome!

As a summer intern there right now, I'm having a great time and learning a lot. We're here to answer any questions you may have, from pre-orientation programs and orientation questions, to something as simple as "how's the food" or "what should I pack." Feel free to always contact us here, on facebook, on the blogs, or give the office a call.

What do you want to know about SMC?

If we want to play fall sports is it ok to wait until we get there to try out or should we be talking to coaches now?

I would suggest getting in contact with coaches before you get to campus. When it comes time to try out, they'll remember that you contacted them and that could work in your favor. Also, some coaches may have pre-season workouts they want athletes to try and follow, and some teams come to campus early to begin training. You can find contact information for all of our coaches at our athletic page: http://www.smcathletics.com/information/staff/index

Hope this helps and good luck :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Monday, June 14, 2010

Tons of fun on and off campus

Hey all!

So after answering a bunch of formspring questions (which I LOVE, by the way), I'm ready for a real post again. It's Monday, so of course everyone is a little sluggish and tired from the weekend, and I'm no exception. However, I thought I would pick up my mood a bit by writing about the great weekend I had here at SMC and in Burlington.

Downtown, the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival was going on. It was about a week long and a majority of the artists that came to town to play could be seen at no cost. All week, friends and I would stop down for a few hours to walk around and listen to the music. The highlight of the festival had to be last Tuesday when a last minute press release announced a surprise concert by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. The band is well known and loved in Burlington and the concert had a huge turnout, right in the middle of Church Street. The best part? It was free!

Also going on downtown from May until September, a community, art, and business mix project called The Cows Come Home to Burlington. I've linked you all to a description of the event and how it works, AND here's a slide show of some of the cows you can find downtown right now. Look out for the SMC cow, right outside of city hall!



For more about what's going on downtown this summer, visit Church Street's Webpage.

Back on campus, it was Reunion Weekend for SMC alumni who graduated in years ending in 5 or 0, starting with the class of 2005 and going all the way to 1950 (and even one graduate from 1949!). One way I volunteered by giving tours to the alumni to show them what was new on campus. Most of the people on my tour were from the class of 1965 or earlier, so almost everything was new to them. It was so cool to hear stories about a time when SMC was all men and over 50% of the buildings on today's campus didn't exist.

On Saturday I woke up early to help with the 5k fun run, which had a great turnout despite the rain. I then headed over to the awards ceremony where alumni who have contributed outstandingly to SMC were recognized, and we found out that the entire group of alumni from this reunion raised about $175k for SMC. It was amazing to see how many people turned up to give and support SMC and to see their other classmates.

Saturday night was the main even: class dinners. A few friends and I volunteered to spend our night eating and chatting with the classes of 1985 and earlier, and we had a great time. In addition to a delicious free dinner (remember, college students LOVE free food) we got to chat with all of the alumni, hear stories and tell them about what we're doing, and the best part, dancing! We danced until 10:30 with everyone from the fun loving ladies from 1975 to the sweet old men from 1950. I had a really great time and I only wish that I could have been helping with reunion every year, and that more students got a chance to meet and mingle with alumni.

That's all for now. Hopefully I'll get another post in by the end of the week.
-Christine

do people ever go in to burlington on weekends? like to shop or go to restaraunts?

Students go into Burlington all the time! It's a one stop deal for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, shopping, music, everything! SMC students can ride the 15 minute bus downtown for free any day of the week too. Hope this helps :]

What do you want to know about SMC?

Sunday, June 13, 2010

does smc have any rival schools?

I think the rivalries depends on the sport. St. A's, UVM, and Stonehill are some schools we get pretty competitive with.

What do you want to know about SMC?

do many people bring Macintosh computers to st. michael's? Because I've heard a lot about all the PC's but not if macs are supported, b/c I have one!

SMC is definitely mac friendly, so no worries! While it's true that we have a program with HP and that most students have PCs, our tech community is still able to help with a mac problem (not that there ever are any) and macs can still connect to the networks and everything else. I'd suggest getting microsoft office on your mac, but most people have that anyway. Hope this helps!

What do you want to know about SMC?