5 Must-Have Experiences before Graduation...How Do I Match Up?

So I came across this blog post on the USA today college blogs website (thanks to Mairead for tuning me in to it).

As you see, the post lists 5 experiences every college student should have before graduating. Since the big day is growing ever near (ew) I thought I could look back and comment on how well I accomplished these "must have" tasks.

1. Take a class because it's something you're interested in, not because it's required.

I know I'm not the only one at SMC that has been able to take courses that are not in my major, but that's not really what this says. This says because you're interested. I'm happy to say that the number of electives I have taken is ridiculous. Among the best are my Men and Masculinities class that I am currently taking, and two courses I took while abroad in Italy: Sociology and History of the Italian Mafia and Food and Culture in Contemporary Italy. Yes, those are real. And yes, I learned a lot!

2. Travel

The discussion on my courses transitions nicely to this experience. I have definitely traveled! I lived in Florence, Italy, for a semester, and while I was there I did a ton of traveling. Places I've been? Florence, Rome, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Viareggio, Bologna, Naples, and Pompeii in Italy, Dublin and Galway in Ireland, Barcelona and Madrid in Spain, Paris in France, Munich in Germany, and Salzburg and Vienna in Austria (not to mention getting stuck in Frankfurt, Germany, for 2 days!). As a varsity athlete, I've also traveled to many other colleges for competitions.

3. Be a Part of Something Greater Than Yourself

I've been a part of many big organizations on campus: POW, LEAP, MOVE, Orientation, Founders Society, Varsity Swimming. However, this year my practicum course, and thus working with Spectrum Youth and Family Services, has definitely allowed me to be a part of something bigger than myself. I have been able to interact with young men who have taught me so much about the world around me, and my experience with them has been truly life changing.

4. Make Friends Outside your Circle

I can say for certain that I have friends in many different groups. Part of this is being on a team, where I have my friends there. I also have people I spend time with as part of different clubs and organizations I have a part in on campus. And then, of course, I have my close friends, which brings me to the fifth experience:

5. Experience at least one Meaningful Relationship

My friends are some of the most important people in my life, and whether I've known them since my POW (many of my close friends) or living in my dorm or just met them last year, I value my close friendships so much. The people you meet in college really will be many of your lifelong friends, and I'm happy to say that I know who mine will be. Of course, I've also experienced a meaningful romantic relationship with my boyfriend of 3+ years, and have SMC to thank for a lot of who we have each become and who we have become together.

So, I guess a few weeks out from G-Day I'm looking pretty good on what I've experienced at SMC. Stay tuned for more reflections on this big closing time, updates about my life, and fun news on what's going on at SMC.

-Christine

More Questions!

1. Do many students bring their cars on campus?

   It really depends on the person (and if they have a car!) I didn't have a car here until this year, and I need it for my internship. First semester first-year students can't have a car, and second semester it needs to be parked on our north campus (about 1 mile up the road and accessible by walking or campus shuttle). After that, students can have their cars on main campus in general parking (free) or zone parking (cost per semester). Personally, I had no need for a car until I had my internship. I got rides home with friends, took the bus, and did fine getting to places when I needed to.
   
   Hope this helps :]

   
   

   Are you going to feel like an outcast if you don't ski/snowboard? I really want to learn but I feel like everyone already knows how

   Definitely not! In fact, so many people come here wanting to learn (that's why the Smugg's pass is such a huge draw...you can be really bad at skiing but it's still so cheap!) The pass is great because you can get so much practice in and never pay more than the additional $30, and lessons and rentals are discount.

   We're in no way a culture of ski bums and snowboard bros. People here do a little of everything, so don't worry!

   
   

   How do you know if you are accepted?

   if you are accepted to SMC you find out in the mail. Acceptances (and rejections) have already been mailed out this year though, so you should have heard by now what the status of your application is.

Formspring Questionsss

Hey all,

So these questions have been sitting in my inbox for longer than I would like, but here they are and I hope they help some people out!

do you know anybody that has taken astronomy or meterology? i was wondering if i could get a students perspective on each because im not sure which i want to take. they both sound interesting so i was curious to hear opinions of them both. thanks

I haven't actually taken either of these. I know they both have lab components and count as a science course (physics) but I've never heard any friends talk about meteorology (though many friends of mine LOVE astronomy).

1. im considering a psych major but am not sure. can you tell me about your experience with it and what you plan to do with it after you graduate?

   This is a pretty loaded question :]
   
   I LOVE the psych program here. I think what I like best about it is that everyone can study the things they are interested in. There is enough variety of courses and paper topics and such that my friends and I can all be psych majors and all be learning about different things.
   
   In my opinion, the practical experience that is part of the major is invaluable. You can work on a real research study with professors, present it, and even get published. You can also spend an entire year in a human services internship (like I am) and we are one of the only programs that has this option for a full year.
   
   What am I doing after I graduate? That is the question, isn't it? I'm currently in the midst of hearing from and deciding on summer jobs, waiting for AmeriCorps NCCC service placement, filling out an application for the Covenant House Faith Community (which is my backup for NCCC but also a possibility afterwards), and thinking every so often about when I will get my masters in social work.
   
   So I hope this helps. If you've got more questions feel free to ask!

What can you do at SMC?

Hey all,

I thought I'd pop in with some of the things I've done in the past week, to remind everyone that the things you can do when you're an SMC student are endless!

1. Hear famous bands

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, opened by Barefoot Truth, played at SMC last weekend for our annual spring concert. It was a great time, Grace and the Nocs played an amazing (and long!) set, and it was not only the first time a Vermont performer has been to SMC since Phish, it was also the first time we have had a female headliner!

2. Attend an interview skills workshop AND then interview

This week I had 2 interviews lined up for summer jobs (both opportunities sent to me in SMC campus email) and so I went to an interview skills workshop to get prepared. Two of our lovely career services counselors spent an hour with the group, going over how to prepare and ace and interview (and even how to follow up). I'm pleased to say that I think my interviews went well, so we shall see soon!

3. Watch people do silly things for a great cause

There are always great fundraisers and fun things going on here, and at the end of last week I attended the DREAM Wing Eating Contest. Don't worry, I just watched, but it was hilarious, and I took some video too!

4. Be Cultural

I had 3 opportunities to broaden my cultural and educational brain this week, and all free! On Wednesday I was invited downtown to the Flynn Center by some friends who had an extra ticket to Spring Awakening. They got the ticket with their SMC cultural pass, a $30 all-access pass to any and all shows at the Flynn (crazy, right?) The show was great and it was really nice to get out with friends in the middle of the week.

On Thursday, the Graduate Psychology Program hosted Robert Whitaker (author of Mad in America, which I have read for a class) as a speaker. He spent a few hours talking about schizophrenia and treatment, and it was a pretty interesting lecture (though I already knew A LOT about the topic thanks to my classes).

Finally on Friday I attended the SMC production of Romeo and Juliet. It was full of people I knew, put a modern spin on one of my favorite classics, and featured a same sex couple as Romeo and Juliet. A local newspaper covered the play too!

5. Meet Accepted Students

This Saturday was the first of two SMC Accepted Student Open Houses. As a coordinator for the Founder's Society, I help run the day. I brought coffee in the morning, helped out with the tour guides, mingled with accepted students and their families, and served on a parent panel in the afternoon. I always enjoy meeting people that might read my blog and/or follow in my footsteps as an SMC student. AND I saw one of the families I had given a tour to before, they remembered me, AND Maggie is coming here! So, congrats to all of you accepted students out there! If we saw you this weekend, I hope you had a good time. If not, maybe this coming weekend? Either way, I hope you find a place you can call home soon!

That's just a little of what I did this past week. What's up for this upcoming week? Dinner at my professor's house (he's cooking!), Ben and Jerry's free cone day AND a potluck with friends, dinner with the Founder's Society coordinators and our advisers (on them!), an SMC knight chat, and SMC night at Pizza Putt (think Chuckie Cheese but for college).

For anyone who has asked a Formspring question lately, I haven't ignored you and I will get to them soon. Check back soon for that and tons more fun!

-Christine

Coming to Open House this weekend? Find the Knight!

Hi all!

This Saturday, at the Accepted Students Day, you and your family can “Find the Knight!” Knights will be hidden at five different locations all around the St. Mike’s campus. Clues will be posted on the Saint Michael’s College Facebook, @saintmichaels and @smcadmissions Twitter accounts, and one clue will be announced Saturday morning before the Accepted Students Day kicks off!

Turn your found “Knights” in to the table in Ross Sports Center at the end of the day to win a $20 gift certificate to the SMC Bookstore!

Here are two more clues to help you “Find the Knight” on Saturday! Good luck!

Unscramble these letters to find the room where the knight head is hidden: “one-sided glue”

You’ll find the knight in one of the rooms mentioned in this video

Good luck and I hope to see you on Saturday!

-Christine

2 formspring questions!

do you know if any of the bloggers are psych majors? or anthro/soc? i wanted to find out more about them but dont know who studies what.

Well you've come to the right place because I'm a psych major, so ask away! I also know that Beth is a Soc/Anthro major, so she can answer any of your questions about that!

how do you join the alcohol task force?

I'm not actually sure about this, so I'm going to have you head over to Dan's blog (find him on www.smcblogs.com) and check out the post he just wrote about A-Team, and see if that helps you out. Hope that's helpful!

Walking for a Cure

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to pass this information along to all of my readers. A friend of mine was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis last year, and while it has been determined that she does not yet have MS, she may still develop it one day. Approximately 400,000 Americans have MS and 200 people are diagnosed with it every week. 2.5 Million people worldwide are affected by this disease.

On Saturday April 9, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has organized a walk in Burlington to raise funds for MS research. Many of my friends are walking on their own team (Multiple bunnieS) to raise money for the cause. Research is getting closer to the cure every day and it is so important to fund this research. While I am unable to walk in the event, I wanted to raise awareness about it and to give everyone the opportunity to donate to the team and to research.

If you are interested in donating to the team, you can do so here: http://bit.ly/ihmrNG

Thanks for reading, and for being fabulous!

-Christine

Hey there, so on my application to St. Mikes I put I wanted to be Biology major, however I have been thinknig of possibly doing Biochemistry major an a Biology minor. How do I go about adding a major/minor after I've been accepted? Is it hard to do?

It's really easy to change your program within the first 2 years at SMC. It's just a matter of picking up some forms from the registrar's office, getting the right signatures, and dropping them back off! Hope this was helpful :]

What do you want to know about SMC?